Simpele leugens

Mickey Gibson #1

by David Baldacci, Jolanda te Lindert (translator)

Voormalig politieagent Mickey Gibson doet onderzoek naar een wapenhandelaar. Maar haar opdrachtgever vertelt niet de hele waarheid.

Ex-politieagent Mickey Gibson is pas sinds kort aan de slag bij ProEye. Haar werk bestaat uit het online traceren van de bezittingen van schatrijke oplichters die hun schuldeisers in de kou laten staan. Op een dag wordt ze gebeld door een zekere Arlene Robinson die zegt ook voor ProEye te werken. Ze krijgt opdracht naar de woning van de beruchte en gevluchte wapenhandelaar Rutger Novak te gaan om de inboedel te inventariseren.

Maar in plaats van pracht en praal vindt Mickey in een geheime kamer het in verregaande staat van ontbinding verkerende lichaam van een man. Het slachtoffer is niet Rutger Novak, wiens huis het ook helemaal niet blijkt te zijn, maar een zeer op zijn privacy gestelde miljonair. En wat nog veel verontrustender is: niemand bij ProEye heeft ooit van Mickeys opdrachtgever Arlene Robinson gehoord.

En dan neemt Arlene opnieuw contact op met Mickey…

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2023

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

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!
April 18, 2023

Mickey Gibson, a former detective and single mother of two toddlers, works for ProEye, a global investigation company that specializes in financial fraud, locating hidden assets of criminals and those looking to evade taxes. Her role allows her to mostly work from home, is a perfect arrangement for her. A woman claiming to be a colleague (convincingly so) calls her with an assignment and lures her to an old mansion under false pretenses where she discovers the body of a man in a secret room with a cryptic message left on the wall.

“DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO”

Subsequently, Mickey finds herself a suspect in a murder investigation. It is clear that she is being set up and her employer, not too happy with the firm’s name being dragged into the investigation, forces her to take time off from her job. Mickey correctly assumes that her employment is at risk unless she can prove her innocence. She continues to receive phone calls from the mysterious woman who calls herself “Clarisse.” Clarisse seems to know a lot about Mickey, persistently baiting her and pushing her to delve deeper into the background of the murder victim who is discovered to have been a criminal with ties to the mob. Who is the killer? Clarisse? Who is Clarisse and why did she involve Mickey in her schemes, endangering her and her family in the process?

With its consistent pacing, strong female characters in the lead, and an intriguing plot, David Baldacci’s Simply Lies is a twisty thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are several characters and multiple threads crucial to the plot but the author masterfully weaves a twisty and thrilling story without it becoming convoluted or confusing for the reader. I found the segments on cryptocurrency and NFTs really interesting. Both Mickey and Clarisse are interesting characters and I enjoyed following their trajectories, though I would question a few of Mickey’s choices. An aspect of the story that was truly well-executed is the evolving dynamic between these two characters, given that for the larger part of the narrative they only interact through phone conversations. Overall, this is an absorbing read that kept me engaged till the very last page.

I’ve been reading the author’s books for over twenty years and though I can't say that I’ve enjoyed all of the books I’ve read in equal measure when it comes to action-packed thrillers, David Baldacci is one of my go-to authors. With Simply Lies, David Baldacci does not disappoint! This is supposedly a standalone thriller, but I would love more stories featuring these two characters working together. They would make a formidable team! I hope that this book marks the beginning of a new series.

Many thanks to author David Baldacci, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this is the beginning of a new Baldacci series, I am in. Really liked divorced mom Mickey and her adorable toddlers. Her parents, especially her former law enforcement dad, were favorites. Mickey's frenemy with aliases and disguises galore is growing on me. The plot got a bit complicated at times with some deep dives into digital assets. In the end it was a race to find hidden treasure with clues left behind by a dead man. The lies that obstruct the way forward turn out to be far from simple.

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟
Get ready for an action-packed thriller!

Mickey Gibson sacrificed her career as a detective to stay at home with her children. She now works remotely for a world-wide investigative company.

Mickey’s just received a request from someone other than her boss (hmm...first red flag) to investigate and log assets at a home nearby. She jumps at the opportunity. Big mistake Mickey! Her first discovery in the home certainly won’t qualify as an asset. She just found a dead body!😱

Now Mickey is in way over her head, and must prove her innocence. And the only way to do that may require her to solve the murder herself. But who is she supposed to trust? The woman that set this all into play? Or the detective casting suspicious eyes on her?

This latest release has a lot going on so you need to pay attention. Lots of characters and aliases thrown in. If you can keep it all straight you’re in for one heck of a ride. While I didn’t always agree with Mickey’s actions or behaviors it was still a fun ride.

It’s been years since I’ve picked up a David Baldacci book. Not sure why, I’ve always enjoyed his books in the past. And now I realize I’m going to need to go back and start in on all the books I’ve missed out on!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing

[William de_Rham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, David Baldacci’s “Simply Lies” is far from one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read.

First, the main character makes very little sense. Mickey Gibson is an ex-cop, single mother of two small children (who knows that those children are her first duty) who decides to risk everything (including jail and her secure job remotely tracking assets for a security/PI firm) to undertake a dangerous investigation she knows she shouldn’t. Her reason? She misses the excitement of her old life. Hardly a compelling motivation.

Second, other characters are stock, thinly drawn, and not very believable. There’s a square-jawed detective, her retired-cop father (who’s putty in her hands), a rugged U.S. Marshal, a dead accountant for the mob, and a high-end prostitute who runs six other ladies operating a not-very credible extortion (sex-for-blackmail) business. We may know what all these people do, but we're given very little idea as to who they are as human beings. Again, hardly compelling.

Third, technical descriptions are so vague that one is left wondering whether the author did any research. I learned nothing about how anything works, including information gathering via the internet and/or the “dark net.”

Fourth, the settings are barely described and add very little to the story--which is a shame because I would have liked to have learned more about the James River area of Virginia.

Fifth, I found some plot points entirely predictable.

Sixth, the writing just isn’t very good. Some sentences are mere fragments. Others are awkwardly phrased and/or rely on cliché to get their point across.

And to top it all off, we are constantly shown and reminded that Mickey’s two young children can’t keep their food down. I counted eight references to vomiting within the first third of the book.

Which is where I stopped reading, partially because of the upchucking, but mostly because I neither believed nor was interested in this book’s plot or its characters.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a long-time Baldacci fan so I have to read his every new release.

Simply Lies is readable (with good audio narrators) and I was enjoying it for the most part.

Single mother, ex-detective Mickey Gibson works for a global investigation company. Mick was set up for murder when she did a favor for "a colleague" that put her in a vacant home with a dead body! This is the good part and keeps me guessing. Toward the end, there's one angle in the story that I didn't enjoy as much and wish the author wrap up the story instead. I enjoyed the two ladies who are the center of it. Overall an okay read.

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much to say about this book. Way too much made about the fact that main character Mickey Gibson is a single mother. Got it. No need to tell me every little thing about the kids.

Mickey gets a call from an unknown person claiming to be a co-worker who tells her to go to an empty house to look over the contents – not really her job – but off she goes anyway – only to find a dead body.

Already we are in unrealistic territory, but I read on, it is Baldacci after all. Carrying on I am led into some confusing mumbo-jumbo about mobsters and a ‘treasure hunt’ for hidden money.

By 200 pages I was really bored as the story was going nowhere so I skipped along just to get to the end.

Then I remembered I didn’t like his last book either “The 6:20 Man”. I think I’m going to give up on Mr. Baldacci. This was a waste of my time.

Best line in this book: Pg. 194 – “This is America. Poor and stupid go to prison while money walks.”

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always feel that I can rely on David Baldacci to give me an interesting and readable book and Simply Lies is exactly that. Not an outstanding book but a very pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Apparently it is the beginning of a series and we are introduced to our new main character, Mickey Gibson. She is a former detective now working from home for a company that specialises in investigating financial fraud while she raises two small children. On one of her jobs she discovers a dead body and is approached by a woman called Clarisse. What follows is how the two women work together to solve the mystery.

The mystery is convoluted and the reader needs to stay alert in order not to get lost. There is a lot of very interesting information about cryptocurrency and NFTs which I found absorbing. The two women make an unusual but, in the end, a very effective team. All his and Baldacci's usual excellent writing make this a great read. Looking forward to the next one.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grabbed this one up when I saw the author. David Baldacci never disappoints when it comes to a thriller. Here's the description of the book that is an enticement to read it:

"Mickey Gibson, single mother and former detective, leads a hectic life similar to that of many moms: juggling the demands of her two small children with the tasks of her job working remotely for ProEye, a global investigation company that hunts down wealthy tax and credit cheats.

When Mickey gets a call from a colleague named Arlene Robinson, she thinks nothing of Arlene’s unusual request for her to go inventory the vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled. That is, until she arrives at the mansion to discover a dead body in a secret room—and that nothing is as it seems.

Not only does the arms dealer not exist but the murder victim turns out to be Harry Lancaster, a man with mob ties who used to be in Witness Protection. What’s more, no one named Arlene Robinson works at ProEye.

In the blink of an eye, Gibson has become a prime suspect in a murder investigation—and now her job is also on the line until she proves that she was set up. Before long, Gibson is locked in a battle of wits with a brilliant woman with no name, a hidden past, and unknown motives—whose end game is as mysterious as it is deadly."

This was full of twists and turns and kept me glued to the pages. I like the character, Mickey Gibson, and I was so worried the mess she had become involved in would cause her two young children and family to be hurt. Clarisse was an intriguing character - not sure whether I liked her, she was a total enigma. Great tension and pacing, as always with Baldacci's books.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on April 18, 2023.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an author I usually enjoy, but this was a miss for me. The plot didn’t completely make sense - a single mom risking everything because… she’s bored? I just didn’t buy it.

There were a lot of descriptions that didn’t add to the story, mostly around clothes and hairstyles. There was also a ton of internal thought which was repetitive and dull. The characters were all walking clichés. The reasons that “Clarisse” involves Mickey are laughable.

The dialog is downright cringey. Things like “relax your shrimpy ass” and “Don’t you go anywhere or bang-bang and *Name Redacted* is dead. Because I don’t follow rules anymore, I make them.” 🙄

I’ve seen others give this a great review so it might just be me, but it’s one I’d say you could skip.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I needed to know going into Simply Lies was that it was written by David Baldacci. He is a prolific author who needs no introduction. I cannot get enough of his twisty tales and realistic characters. This is a stand-alone book, although I can see it being the beginning of a new series.

This is a tough book to review as the plot is so complex. It is about a former police detective, Mickey, now single mother to 2 young children who are her world. To pay the bills she works for Pro Eye, tracking down hidden assets of criminals, and she can do this mostly from home on her laptop around the needs of her kids. She gets herself involved in a dangerous murder investigation that changes everything.

Simply Lies is a story of family, greed, lies, power, betrayal, blackmail and so much more. Nobody is who they appear to be and Mickey has no idea who she can trust. This case will lead her into the dark underworld and face to face with some very violent criminals.

If you have read this author’s work, then you know that you are in for a long and rough ride with Mickey. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Macmillan Australia for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on March 28th.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Baldacci characters emerge in this fast paced, page-turning stand-alone intense thriller.

Baldacci in his typical way keeps the tension high, and weaves a twisty tale starring two intriguing women leads that you will want to meet.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a fan of David Baldacci’s work, I was eager to read his latest standalone thriller. When the body of a former mob accountant is found in his home, Mickey Gibson finds herself in the middle of a mess. However, there is significantly more to the story, including a woman who appears to have skin in the game. It’s a thrilling game of cat and mouse, with bodies piling up as the mystery progresses. Baldacci keeps the reader hooked throughout and provides an entertaining read!

There is no doubt that Mickey Gibson lives a busy life no superhero would envy. A single mom of two, she’s a former detective who now serves as an investigator for a global firm looking for those who try to hide their wealth. Mickey does the best she can, always looking for ways to keep things exciting while dodging toddler puke!

After receiving a call from a colleague to inventory a house that has recently been seized, Mickey thinks nothing of it all, rushing to make it there. Mickey has many questions when she discovers a body in the house’s secret room, more so when her “colleague” had never worked for ProEye. Who set her up and for what reason?

After convincing the police that she had nothing to do with the body, Mickey learns that the victim was Harry Lancaster, a former mob accountant who had his family in Witness Protection. Now Mickey had a case of her own making, intrigued as to who Lancaster might have been and who the caller could be. A true game of cat and mouse.

While the case has interest all the way up to the feds, Mickey receives threats from locals as well. Hunting down anything she can discover about the woman who now calls herself Clarice, Mickey will have to be careful not to ask too many questions to the wrong people, or have those she loves end up dead. A great piece that shows David Baldacci’s abilities and provides the reader with a stellar story.

There is something about David Baldacci’s writing that always gets me excited. His ability to spin a story and not come off as repetitive has kept me hooked for many years. Baldacci offers a strong narrative base, guiding the reader through the story with great pacing and expansive development at just the right time. In a standalone, there is always the need for quick character development to ensure the reader feels a connection to them, which Baldacci does effectively. Plot twists emerge and develop throughout the story, keeping things from being too predictable. While it was not my favourite Baldacci thriller, it was a strong addition to the series and kept me reading as I tried to get to the climactic ending. I’m eager to see what’s to come!

Kudos, Mr. Baldacci, for providing me a wonderful reading experience.

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

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing simple about the lies in Simply Lies. David Baldacci is about as close to a sure thing as it gets and Simply Lies is no different. Part fugitive hunt, part treasure hunt and part whodunnit all rolled into a heartbreaking fable about the horrible things humans do to one another. While being complete opposites, the two female leads are the definition of strength and intelligence and are an intriguing pairing moving forward.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a galley of Simply Lies.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been better if it were less convoluted and more direct. 6 of 10 stars

[Damo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mickey Gibson is a former detective who now works for a global investigation company tracking down and retrieving stolen money. Now a single mother with 2 young children she does the vast majority of her work remotely from home. It’s a job she enjoys, she’s good at it and it allows her to bring in a good income while still spending time with her children.

After one successful job that earned the company a significant payday, she receives a call from the office from a woman named Arlene Robinson. There’s a new job assigned to Mickey, this time one out in the field. She’s to inventory the home of an illegal arms dealer who has cheated ProEye’s clients out of many millions and then disappeared.

In the process of conducting her inventory she finds a hidden room and, inside the room, also finds a dead body. After the police are called out, she finds out that there’s actually no person named Arlene Robinson working at ProEye. Whoever it was who called her had set her up for reasons, as yet, unknown.

It’s at this point that I had a major problem with Simply Lies. Given absolutely no reason to take on the investigation, an investigation presented to her by someone who refuses to reveal her real name, Mickey risks her job, the safety of her children and her own safety to try to find out who might have killed the man she found. There was simply no reason for her to get involved. And even when she became frustrated by the lack of information from Arlene (who later called herself Clarisse), she carried on.

Putting that aside, Simply Lies features a pair of strong female characters who have each overcome difficult circumstances, exhibited remarkable deductive reasoning skills and unpicked a particularly convoluted mystery. Although their relationship begins with suspicion, irritation and mistrust, their relationship develops slowly as they make progress in their quest to identify the killer. Things move quickly with a reasonably complicated plot explained in a coherent way that ensures we’re taken along for the ride without much confusion.

When I allowed myself to get over the fact that Mickey shouldn’t have been involved in the first place, I appreciated that this is an engaging thriller with some quality twists. Much of the early interaction between Mickey and Clarisse is via phone calls and was largely adversarial in nature. The detective work was approached logically and took us on a convoluted path into inevitable dangerous territory and an exciting finish.

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not read like a David Balducci story.
It seemed like someone else wrote it.
I was disappointed, but it still held my interest.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the last couple of years, David Baldacci has been producing two books a year, and focusing most of his attention on his recent series characters of Amos Decker (Memory Man), Will Robie, Atlee Pine, and Aloysius Archer.

Late last year he introduced a new character - Travis Devine – a former military man who finds himself investigating a successful firm on Wall Street in “The 6:20 Man”.

This year Baldacci is branching out again with another new character – Mickey Gibson – a former cop and detective, current global investigator, and more importantly, a single mom with two young children. Actually, there is another key character… We’ll call her Clarisse for now, as to not spoil anything.

“Simply Lies” starts off with Gibson juggling her remote investigation work with ProEye, a global investigation firm that focuses on hunting down wealthy individuals making illegal income and cheating on their taxes, and being a stay-at-home mom.

One day she gets a call from another ProEye representative, working with Gibson’s boss, requesting Gibson to complete a new assignment that just came up. Gibson is asked to go inventory the home and assets of an arms dealer that just took off after cheating other ProEye clients. Once Gibson arrives at the old mansion out in the country, and starts inspecting, she discovers a secret room., and then a dead body to go with it.

Gibson’s situation gets worse fast. Once she calls the police and explains her situation, they follow-up on her story, only to discover that the woman representative who gave her the assignment doesn’t really exist. Her boss cannot back her up at all, making Gibson a primed suspect in a murder investigation, and putting her job on the line unless she can figure out who the mysterious lady was that set-up her up.

Gibson finds herself knee-deep in investigating the murder victim, his past, and who wanted him dead. At the same time, she finds herself in some kind of crazy stalker relationship with the mystery woman, who calls herself Clarisse, when the woman calls her back, provides additional information, and demands that Gibson investigate the killing or threatens that her and her children could be in danger. Gibson finds herself locked in a dangerous ca-and-mouse game with a stranger that somehow knows too much about her. But Gibson is not a quitter…

Just like his last novel, this is another change-up for Baldacci, focusing on decades old mystery / murder combination with two strongly intelligent women batting each other in a psychological, and personal one-on-one war. However, it is still the same Baldacci style thriller with a strong lead character being thrown into impossibly tough situations, and having to use her physical and intellectual prowess to investigate a murder, overcome strong adversaries along the way, and in this one, find a cool treasure.

There are a several good things about this book and Baldacci’s new character, Mickey Gibson. First, this was a fast and easy read. Interesting setting, conflicted characters, and extremely fast paced plotting. Gibson is an interesting character and different from Baldacci’s usual government or secret agent, some with a military background, or a private or state investigator. Gibson is an ex-cop, but her strength rests in doing web investigation work. In addition, being a single mom with two very young children and remaining baby fat provides her with a more grounded world and an interesting perspective to explore. I am pretty sure that there are many readers who can relate to Gibson’s situation and I found it a refreshing part of the storylines and related drama.

The other key element that made this novel work was the back-and-forth psychological battle of wits between Gibson and Clarisse. It was somewhat reminiscent of the classic twisted relationship between FBI agent Clarice Starling and serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, in the Thomas Harris novels and movies. Not exactly the same, but the head-to-head battle of strength, intelligence, and one-upsmanship was similar. However, Baldacci makes the relationship between these two his own organic creation that develops in its own unique way. What starts out as Gibson’s journey becomes theirs together as Baldacci explores the horrible things that people can do to each other, especially within their own families.

In this novel, Baldacci brings together two unique protagonists with deep intelligence and strengths; yet, at the same time real weaknesses and flaws that drive the storylines forward. As usual, his writing style was fluid and each chapter hummed along at a fast pace, most ending in a surprise cliffhanger that easily kept you intensely reading into the next one. There was no slowing down most of the time and he kept you fully immersed in the plotlines and twists and turns along the way. For me, this was a very enjoyable holiday weekend read.

Overall, “Simply Lies” was mostly a quick and thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. It may be a one-off for Baldacci, but the way it ended left off for the possibility for more Gibson adventures if the fans push for it and the author is interested in revisiting her again in the future. My vote is that I would like to see her return and I can think of several stories to be explored, including what happened to her disappearing husband.

For me “Simply Lies” was another example of why Baldacci is one of my favorite mystery / thriller writers. Like most of his books, this one gave me three days of reading joy. I highly recommend it to you as a good place to start if you haven’t read Baldacci before. Then you can explore his other books and series. If you haven’t read him before, then I am pretty sure this one is already read, being read, or on your list. As well it should be…

[Tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It didn't feel like a Baldacci book.

[Karen Hancock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every book by a favorite writer can’t be a masterpiece; sometimes a not-so-good book makes one wonder if that favorite author even really wrote the book. So it is with David Baldacci’s Simply Lies. Mickey Gibson, former cop and detective, is now working for ProEye, a company that chases assets of mega-rich deadbeats. As a single mother of 2 toddlers, she happily works from home to be with them. That is, until she receives a call to check out a mansion without checking with her boss, and becomes involved in finding the murderer of a former mob accountant who turned state’s witness and is going by an assumed name. The race is on to find the money left behind.

While Baldacci is usually an excellent storyteller, this story is convoluted, long-winded, and frankly a bit boring. The characters are quite well developed, but they are not exciting, and there were several times that it got mundane to the point of putting the book down for good. There are several sub-plots that aren’t really necessary. Baldacci fans are used to his ability to tie the sub-plots together; that doesn’t happen in this novel. In fact, after the dénouement, the book seems to be like an Energizer bunny and keeps on going, and going, and going ad nauseum with a sappy conclusion.

Reading this book is actually painful; possibly Baldacci’s worst, and it is not recommended. Fans of Baldacci will be disappointed and will look forward to the next novel he actually writes. Baldacci novels usually get five stars; this one deserves no more than two.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is indeed a thrilling, twisty, stand-alone story. Having the main characters female and opposing forces adds to the complexity. Normally I would have breezed through a book like this, but life and caretaking got in the way. It was a pleasant distraction from life, that's for sure.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Michael Connelly, David Baldacci rarely disappoints. He has a flair for writing his women characters, and I loved the pairing of these two. I can’t wait to see how he progresses the series. I stayed up all night to finish the book!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 48th book by this author that I've read. I've read more of his books than those of any other author. I am a huge fan. BUT...of late, he has been a solid 3 stars.

First I want to say that there is so much to like when it comes to reading his stories. He does so many things well. Things I love. He can create suspicion, tension, strong MCs and story lines to match. He puts in some great twists and I am always pulled in.

However, I find myself asking if my tastes have changed or if his writing has. I still like his stories but not like before. There are a few issues I have. First and most prevalent is dialogue. It sounds so stiff and awkward at times. It's often predictable and dated. Also his characters need more anchoring when doing something that goes against the grain of who I'm being told this character is. The MC in this one jeopardizes her life, the lives of her children and her parents to get back into the old swing of hands-on investigation. I'm not sure why she did that despite being told she had no choice. Can I see that please? Also she has many opportunities to get out of this investigation but she doesn't take any of them even when she knows that the "bad" people know where she lives...again I need the why. There were a few more of these.

I will still read Baldacci, but maybe next time his books won't go directly to the very top of my TBR pile.

It's these little things that start stacking up and getting in the way.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can put aside pure logic for most of this book, then you may find this an enjoyable read.

I had some difficulty keeping track of all the characters, the AKAs, and the timelines. Figuring out who was genuinely evil was near impossible, and the number of red herrings was enough to repopulate the Atlantic!

I love mafia books, and I wish this book dealt with that aspect a little more. I got bogged down and flustered when electronic currency (near the end) and the like were being discussed, as I had no clue what the author was talking about.

It took me a little while to drop my sense of logic and really get into this book. However, once I did get into it, I was in it for the long haul.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.

[Ram · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not the Baldacci i have been reading for years. This is outsourced and awful.

[Marie Barr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very choppy style in this book. MC really!? Would any person put their family in danger to get back into the job? Not believable. Didn’t like how it jumped around, hard to follow. This is the first lacklustre book but this incredible author. Huh. Feels like someone else wrote this book.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Mickey Gibson #1
Setting ~ Virginia
Publication date ~ April 18, 2023
Page Count ~ 433 (86 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 45 minutes
Narrator ~ Lisa Flanagan, Corey Carthew
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ single mom, investigator, murder, se*ual assault, child abuse

I don't have too much to say about this one. It was pretty typical of what I expect from this author, but not my favorite. There was a good amount of action, but I wouldn't say I was on the edge of my seat or wowed really.

Narration notes:
Love that it was duet narration!...for the most part, but not every chapter.

Husbands review:
Book was okay. Some spots I got lost, but I was eventually able to figure it out. I liked the voices.

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[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Baldacci introduces a new protagonist in his latest novel. She is Mickey Gibson, former detective, now a single mother with small children. She works remotely for ProEye, a global investigation company that hunts down wealthy tax and credit cheats. She enjoys her job and things are going well until she recieves a phone call from a woman named Arlene Robinson. Arlene says she is a colleague with ProEye and that Mickey has a new assignement. Inventory the vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled. When she arrives at the mansion she discovers a dead body in a secret room.

This is how it starts. There is no Arlene Robinson who works at ProEye and there is no arms dealer. Mickey finds that she is a suspect and her job is in jeopardy. The dead man is Harry Lancaster and has mob ties and used to be in Witness Protection. Mickey continues to get calls from Arlene but she is now calling herself Clarisse. Arlene / Clarisse appears to know a lot about Mickey and is baiting her to look into the murder of Harry Lancaster. What is her motive? With her job in jeopardy and two small children depending on her Mickey finds herself forced to work on the case.

The story alternates between Mickey and Clarisse. It starts out slow and I found it hard to stay with it at times. I liked Mickey but not so much Clarisse. Things improved as the story progressed and I found myself cheering on Mickey. There are many characters in this story and they may not be who they appear to be. This can be confusing.

The ending would seem to indicate this could be the start of a new series. If so I look forward to the next installment.

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a break from HF with Simply Lies by David Baldacci. This was a good read about good guys vs bad guys. A new series with Mickey a former detective , single mom of 2 with a cop dad. Mickey works at home as a financial investigator. I read this in a day. It kept me interested.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mickey Gibson, the single mother of two toddlers, is an ex-cop, ex-detective, and now a ProEye sleuth who is an expert in tracking down wealthy tax and credit cheats online. She is thrilled to be sent into the field to check out what assets might have been left behind in an old mansion but instead finds a dead body in a hidden room. It seems Arlene Robinson, the woman who called Mickey and sent her out on this case, is a con artist extraordinaire who simply lies to everyone about everything. It appears this is going to be a treasure hunt--can Mickey find the goods before anyone else?

This is quite a convoluted story with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. At times the plot seems totally implausible but Baldacci manages to pull it all together.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Baldacci returns following The 6:20 Man (5 stars) with his latest standalone suspense, SIMPLY LIES —two women—a former detective and a con artist—are caught up in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in this action-packed thriller.

Mickey Gibson, a former detective and single mom of two, had worked her way up to be a criminal investigator, and then Peter came along. He wanted to start a family, and as soon as baby one was born, he was different, and then she was pregnant with number two.

He cleaned the bank accounts, ran off with his secretary, and left her with the bills. She lost the house, had to leave her job with the force, and moved to Williamsburg, VA, where her retired parents lived.

She joined ProEye global PK agency that did most of its sleuthing online. It is a global investigation company specializing in financial fraud, locating hidden assets of criminals and those looking to evade taxes. It allowed her to work from home, but juggling work and single parenting with two little ones was always challenging.

When she receives a call from a woman named Arlene Robinson, that says she works with the company requesting her to conduct an inventory of a vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled, she goes.

However, when she arrives, she finds a dead body in a secret room and realizes she may have been set up. She finds a cryptic message left on the wall. The man, Harry, has ties with the mob and was previously in witness protection.

Ironically, Mickey discovers there is no Arlene that works at ProEye. Mickey is now a prime suspect in a murder investigation—and her job is in jeopardy until she has proof she is innocent. She does not need this stress with all she is juggling.

Now the mysterious woman calls herself “Clarisse” and continues calling her, urging her to dive deeper into the background of the murder victim.

Who is Clarisse, and why has she involved Mickey in this dangerous game?

Baldacci expertly keeps the tension high and weaves a twisty suspenseful tale starring two intriguing women leads. Both women are interesting, and I enjoyed the suspense and cat-and-mouse game. There are also parts of cryptocurrency and NFTs that are fascinating.

If this is the beginning of a new series, I look forward to reading more about these two dynamic women.

Even though SIMPLY LIES was not as EPIC as The 6:20 Man, overall, was an entertaining read. You cannot go wrong with Baldacci—a big fan; he always surprises you!

Thanks to #GrandCentralPublishing for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes.

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Pub Date: April 18, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
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