The Final Play

by David Baldacci

From the international number one bestselling thriller writer, David Baldacci, comes The Final Play, a gripping mystery about a college football player's investigation into the unsolved disappearance of a fellow player who seemingly vanished into thin air.Forty years ago, Herschel Ruggles, a legend on the Mighty Johns football team at Draven University, disappeared after scoring a record-breaking touchdown in front of 25,000 spectators. Ruggles, instead of celebrating, continued running, ball in hand, into a passageway that led under the field. He was never seen again.His disappearance had mystified the community for decades until another player, brilliant physics major, Merlin North, turns detective and becomes fixated on discovering what happened to Herschel Ruggles.As North's investigation deepens, he uncovers evidence which suggests that dark forces played a hand in Ruggles' fate to reveal a truth even more extraordinary than he could ever have anticipated.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Novels, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2021

About the author

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.

In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.

A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of David Baldacci know that he possesses a great versatility when it comes to writing. I have experienced a variety of his work and enjoyed most of it. This is a unique novella, a mystery four decades in the making, with college football as an underlying theme. Baldacci keeps things sharp for the reader who has only a short time to invest, or those seeking a ‘bridge piece’ between two longer reading commitments.

Draven Univerisy prides itself on its football team, the Mighty Johns. Their most prominent player, Herschel Ruggles, is still spoken in the halls and many who are old enough remember where they were during one of his award-winning catches. Four decades ago, Ruggles made an astounding touchdown catch and then simply disappeared into the bowels of the stadium, never to be seen again. No one was able to make heads or tails of it, adding to the lore.

The disappearance is still mentioned and it is only when a new player— Merl North—begin shattering the Ruggles records, that the mystery resurfaces. North has a penchant for science and must have answers, beginning his own investigation into the disappearance. What North finds only adds to the mystery, though this is one problem that demands a solution, even if it costs North all he has. It’s an eerie intervention that may point in the direct of truth once and for all.

While I am used to gritty mysteries that include the US Government, Baldacci is able to move outside of his apparent comfort zone and dazzle the reader with ease. There’s something about the writing style and narrative flow that keeps me interested, as I flip pages with ease to get a little deeper into the story. Originally penned as part of a collection of shorter writings, Baldacci’s piece works well as a standalone publication.

With little time to waste, Baldacci develops his characters from the opening pages and keeps adding to their backstory as the mystery builds. This is not uncommon and the reader is forced to keep pace or risk being left behind. Many of the faces that appear in this piece could just as easily be used as secondary characters in any of Baldacci’s prominent series.

While the book opened with a strong scientific analysis of football, things soon fell into place and I was able to enjoy the narrative without investing too much devoted concentration. The plot emerged and the mystery gained the needed momentum to create something the reader could latch onto quickly. With a little flashback here and there, things definitely caught my attention and held it until the final reveal. While I do enjoy some of the more intense Baldacci thrillers, this was a great treat that filled a short gap in my reading list.

Kudos, Mr. Baldacci, for tossing a Hail Mary that worked well!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[kartik narayanan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Final Play is a sad, disappointing mess of a story. I have so many issues with it concerning the characters, the plot, the setting - basically everything.

First off, Mr. David Baldacci, you lost me in the opening chapter itself. No smart person talks like that. Especially when about to get involved in another intense activity. And just for the record, inserting words like quantum, time shift etc do not elevate the book, if used incorrectly and without any regard for the science behind it. Science is not a magic superpower (duh). The main character cannot be awesome suddenly just by imagining he is a photon undergoing quantum tunnelling.

Secondly, the plot is predictable AF. Yeah, who didn't see the final confrontation coming? Also, the main character says he spoke withe police and requested them to grant an audience with the accused before they arrested him? WTF.

Thirdly, you are trying to make your main character a Gary Stu. Smart like a physicist, tough like an athlete, come on man, make up your mind. Detective fiction needs a challenge and the detective needs a weakness. Basic, story telling 101.

Also, what's up with the visions and the ghost of Christmas past coming back to help the main character solve the mystery. Come on, this is kid stuff.

Anyway, overall, the book stinks and the only saving grace is that it is short.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

This e-book novella is from my local library. As a David Baldacci can I am always looking for something to listen 🎶 to 👍.

An interesting 👀 will written novella about a football 🏈 player who went missing in the middle of a game. The main character is an student who plays football. He discovers the truth from his father. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers looking for a quick mystery read. 2023 😀👒😡😮

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointed this previously published novella is being promoted a “new book” from David Baldacci by Goodreads. How much did the publishers pay you to do this?

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just an average short story about a football player. But it’s the beginning of football season so that’s quite all right.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up
Entertaining and totally unexpected.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick straight forward read!!

[Niya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nah, too much American football related for me. The main character was not likeable at all. Who talks like that?

[Amro Magdi · Rating 1 out of 5]

crap

[Ken Karcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Baldacci's books for many years and had never heard of this one before it was republished as a revamped novella, but I am so glad to have found it. I see a lot of myself in Merlin North, a football player of not much skill, who is highly intelligent and uses this to augment what limited talent he has. North knows that his brain is his greatest asset and he has a geniuses thurst for knowledge, and he asks the questions most people don't care to, while desperately needing to find the answers. He sets out to solve the almost half century mystery of the disappearance of Hershal Ruggles, a star running back on his father's collegiate gridiron team. He's assisted by his teammate and friend along with a beautiful and intelligent coed classmate. The deeper North and his friends dig, the stranger the answers become, with mysterious janitors and a startling death. Trying to sort out this puzzle is interesting, and even though I got to the truth before North did, this is a very entertaining read, and a well spent afternoon.

[Stephen · Rating 1 out of 5]

He dropped the ball on this one.
🤣

[D O'Mahony · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this, and the only reason I got to the end of it was because it was only 3 hours long and I could listen to it while I worked.

The dialogue was terrible, the characters were ridiculous, the sci-fi element was so obscure it feels like Baldacci had written a short murder mystery set in a college football stadium, and then decided to shoehorn a bit of science into it so that it could be a entered into this sports related sci-fi collection. “Maybe if I make this guy a scientist.” “Maybe if I vaguely allude to time warps and other dimensions.”

It could just as easily have been included in a collection of paranormal sports stories.

Poor. And the confrontation at the end (no spoilers) was so ridiculous and unrealistic I was nearly screaming!

[Donna Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“North had only displaced the almost century-old blocking stratagems of X’s and O’s by using the principles of modern quantum theory that most people would never be able to comprehend to any measurable degree.” And you thought it was just a football game…

Merlin North orchestrated a 40-year-old record for a pass return at the Mighty Johns’ football game. The previous record was set by Herschel Ruggles, who mysteriously disappeared after his amazing feat—carrying the football with him. North with his scientific mind is determined to find the answer. The story is fascinating, and the novella is well worth the read.

[Stephen J Ellis · Rating 1 out of 5]

You have to be American.

Very disappointed with this book. If you have no knowledge of American football, which is a fair proportion of the world, you’ll not understand what half of the book is about.

I love most of David Baldaci’s books but this is far too specialised for UK audiences.

I’m just glad I got it for 99p.

[Sue Romanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

I didn't won't to start book because it wouldn't take long to finish I was right as always a brilliant read very informative.twists here and there I really like to read your books

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Can't say I liked it or would recommend it.

[Cathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointing book! Don’t waste your time.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have really liked Baldacci's books he's written that veer off the crime path. This one does both, and it is quite interesting. So, forty some years ago, Herschel Ruggles, who is by far and above, the best player on the Mighty Johns Football Team at Draven University, went "poof". Sadly, he vanished after scoring a record-breaking touchdown play of all plays. Never had they seen anything like that.

The audience was huge. There were nearly 25,000 there to watch this game in the stands, and Ruggles couldn't be stopped. With the ball in his hand, he went to a tunnel that led underground under the field, leading to the Mighty John's locker room--never to be seen again. His vanishment has stumped the community for over four decades, until another amazing player named Merlin North, who is a smart smart smart physics major--helps to break Ruggles' returns of kickoffs record. North becomes obsessed after that and he starts scouting and detecting becoming a sleuth in his own rights working to figure out what on earth happened to Herschel Ruggles.

While studying Ruggles, and how he disappeared, he uses his physics experience to help him figure out anything he could. Kind of scary for North, actually dangerous, as evidence of murder and "gulp' ghostly type visions "double gulp" make known the real truth and it is WAY more interesting than ever thought. Decent read.

[Steven Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forty years ago, Herschel Ruggles, the most legendary player on the Mighty Johns football team at Draven University, disappeared after scoring a record-breaking touchdown.
​
Instead of tossing the ball to the referee after his near-mythical athletic feat or celebrating with the nearly 25,000 spectators in the stands, Ruggles continued running, ball in hand, into a passageway that led deep underneath the field to the Mighty Johns’ locker room—and was never seen again.

His disappearance has mystified the community for decades . . . until another player—Merlin North, a brilliant physics major—helps break Ruggles’s record for kickoff returns. After that, North turns detective and becomes fixated on discovering what happened to Herschel Ruggles.

Investigating Ruggles’s mysterious disappearance, however, will prove unexpectedly dangerous for North, as evidence of murder—and ghostly visions—reveal the truth to be far more stunning than he ever could have anticipated.

[Cathy Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook to listen to whilst I exercise. DNF (the book. Finished exercises) Horribly read by Joshua Kane but that might be cultural. Maybe Americans think he reads it well.
Ridiculous meandering, supposedly of quantum physics which were just (a) stupid (b) didn’t even make sense in terms of the action of the audiobook. Stupid remarks on revisionist History too, so annoying me in both subjects.
And yammering on about American football (without actually explaining the basics of how it’s played).Yes, that was the background to the story but bloody hell, keep it relevant, tight and progress the story.
A big bleeagh! (PS also (irrelevant to this, I realise) a damning indictment of US universities if you can get in being thick, just because you can play a sport).

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of stories.
In audiobook form.
The first story by David Baldacci was intriguing especially when it was a little esoteric which is not David‘s normal style. I quite enjoyed it.
The second story is quite intriguing, especially as about how people change when they are under pressure. Quite enjoyed this one.
The last story in my cup of tea.
Interestingly, all sport related, which isn’t my normal read but still, it’s good to read something different for a change.

[Sandy Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the college anniversary coming up, Merlin North, along with his friend Swift, decide to investigate the disappearance of Herschel Ruggles, the town's and college's pride and joy. Aided by the editor of the anniversary yearbook, they trace leads and interview those who had witnessed or were part of the mysterious event. But this is not just a mystery. It is a commentary on life choices and football and family ties. Quite a lot packed into a novella.

[Kayla Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first introduction to David Baldacci and it will likely be my last. The concept of this is great, but the whole way through, I couldn't help but feel like I was reading the work of someone who had just learned a bunch of big, new words for SAT prep and wanted to show them off. I did enjoy the attempt at interweaving physics and football. So gold stars for that? Interesting story, but could have been told better.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a novel, but a novella that Valci wrote. The origin of this novella comes from a book of short stories about sports that Baldacci had written. As he said in the prologue, I think it was the prologue that he later went back and read the story and realized that he could enlarge it and make it in Ola. It’s a mystery. It’s a very good novella and I don’t really care for a football at all, but there wasn’t that much football in there. Enjoy Itwhether you’re a football fan or not.

[Andrew Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting early Baldacci story. This is a republication of the short story from 2002.

Merlin North sets up the scaffolding of the Amos Decker in Baldacci's later novels. It was fun to see how much Baldacci's writing has improved over the last 20 years and see how he tackled a whodunit mystery.

[Sarah Twist · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty nice book, writing is quite amateurish but very charming. Clearly written by someone who knows a lot about sport but not all that much about science despite best efforts. Main character was a bit of a male Mary Sue but it wasn't overly labelled.

I enjoyed reading this despite not caring at all about sport, so was worth a little read. Plot was satisfying.

[Tamara Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars for a bizarre murder mystery

I’m not too sure bus to review this. The start was soo hard to read. There was so much scientific language and sci fi type storyline, that I almost gave up. But then half way through it turns more into the crime / murder mystery I assumed it would be. It was far fetched but in the end I did enjoy it

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merl North helps Jimmy Swift break the football record set 40 years ago by Herschel Ruggles. Merl, who is in science, goes on to try and find out what happened to Herschel who ran into the tunnel after his run and never came out

[Lonny Sanford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kind of confusing. Peter north going after the truth of the best football player to ever play at his college went missing. For 40 years no one can find anything out about it until Peter asks a few questions. It was a short read but not worth a read

[Dave Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

In audiobook format, I found this short story to be quite entertaining. The scientific banter was an unexpected bonus, not normally associated with star football players. I really didn't see the ending coming. Fun!