Published in 2021, Mercy by David Baldacci continues the story of FBI agent Atlee Pine as she closes in on the truth about her long-lost twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when they were six years old. After uncovering clues in previous investigations, Atlee tracks Mercy’s possible fate to a remote town where she discovers a facility hiding disturbing secrets and a conspiracy involving a powerful family. The novel alternates between Atlee’s search and Mercy’s own experiences after years of captivity and escape, bringing both narratives together as the sisters confront the people responsible and uncover the truth about their past.
Mercy
My Thoughts
It’s over! I’m very thankful I can now move on to other stories without the whining of Atlee Pine. I was pleasantly surprised that this book wasn’t quite as bad as the last couple in the series. While still over the top and and fairly unbelievable, the book did tie up the loose ends. I appreciate that in a series. Of course, I would expect Atlee and now Mercy to make their cameos in books going forward.
Recommendation
If you’ve read the other books in the series, this one is a must. However, if you are considering the series, skip this one.
Published in 2020, Daylight by David Baldacci continues the story of FBI agent Atlee Pine as she pursues the mystery of her twin sister’s abduction decades earlier. During her investigation, she crosses paths with John Puller, a military investigator probing a case involving drug trafficking and organized crime. Their separate missions become entangled when they discover overlapping leads tied to powerful political and criminal forces. As they delve deeper, the two confront dangerous adversaries and long-buried secrets, ultimately forcing Pine to reckon with disturbing revelations about her past and those connected to it.
Daylight
So I had higher hopes for this book. It was full of ridiculous whining and improbable things happening. Everything in the story is motivated by Atlee’s sister’s disappearance when she was 6. She uses the story to one-up everyone she meets and as permission to do whatever she wants. Perhaps I read this too soon after that terrible book by Glennon Doyle, but I have a hard time thinking David Baldacci actually wrote this trash.
Published in 2022, Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth by Joseph E. Davis examines how the idea that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance—specifically low serotonin—became widely accepted despite limited scientific evidence. The book traces the origins of the serotonin theory, its adoption by the pharmaceutical industry, and its persistence in public understanding through advertising and medical practice. Davis argues that this narrative shaped not only psychiatric treatment but also cultural perceptions of mental health and selfhood. He also explores the consequences of framing complex emotional and social problems as biological disorders, and how this framing influenced the expectations and experiences of those diagnosed and treated under this model.
Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth
My Thoughts
We live in a capitalist system and there is so much money to be made in the pharmaceutical industry. It seems more and more people are asking tough questions and taking a closer look at the studies that our assumptions are based on. Given all that we know about the lies about the opioids that are coming out right and left, we shouldn’t be too surprised that they might have lied about mental illness being a chemical problem that could be fixed with a pill.
Honestly, I feel like most people already knew antidepressants were about as effective as placebos. That’s not a great selling point. Particularly when the logistics of a patient getting prescribed these medications involve months of changing around the dosages and moving from drug to drug trying to find something that works.
I love they updated to the DSM to include clinical judgment in 2022 rather than simply diagnosing everyone that is sad as “Depressed” even after a significant life event. It would make sense that a person would exhibit depressive symptoms following the death of their spouse or being fired from their job. What doesn’t make sense is to give them chemicals to change the functioning of their brain. But, that’s what we as a society decided to do.
In short, I’m all in for informed decisions. Let’s have a conversation about how these drugs actually work and the likelyhood of their success. I’m on the side that these drugs aren’t worth the side effects. However, that was my opinion before reading the book.
Recommendation
Not a bad read. However, the author comes off as a little defensive.
Published in 2016, No Man’s Land by David Baldacci follows John Puller, a U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division special agent, as he reopens the case of his mother’s decades-old disappearance. When new evidence emerges that Puller’s father, a legendary Army general now suffering from dementia, may have been involved in her presumed death, Puller is forced to confront painful family secrets while unraveling a deeper government conspiracy. At the same time, a dangerous ex-convict begins a violent mission that eventually intersects with Puller’s investigation, leading to revelations that challenge everything he thought he knew about his past.
No Man’s Land
My Thoughts
Not a bad ending to the Puller series. While Baldacci left it open for another, he still hasn’t done so as of 2025. However, Puller did show up in the Altee Pine novel Daylight which I’m reading now so who knows.
Anyway, I found myself relieved to be done with the Army side. My experience with the Army was not what was depicted in this series. Baldacci is always fun to read, because the content always seems close to life out in Virginia and around the military complex. However, there are subtle things he gets wrong that show he is an outsider looking in.
As for this novel, it was enjoyable. I particularly liked Paul’s last name being Rogers. It was appropriate.
Published in 2014, The Escape by David Baldacci follows John Puller, a U.S. Army investigator, as he is drawn into a high-stakes manhunt when his older brother Robert, a former Air Force officer convicted of treason, escapes from a maximum-security military prison. Tasked with capturing his brother, Puller must navigate a complex web of military secrets, political conspiracies, and personal loyalty. As he digs deeper, he begins to uncover evidence that Robert may have been framed, and that powerful forces are determined to keep the truth hidden at all costs.
The Escape
My Thoughts
It was good to deal with the Robert issue and get it out in the open. Three books into the series seems to be appropriate. The female partner is becoming a little formulaic, but it works.
As usual, Baldacci delivers a fun book that seems to fly by.
Published in 2011, Zero Day by David Baldacci introduces military investigator John Puller, a former combat veteran now working for the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigative Division. Puller is sent to a remote area in West Virginia to investigate the brutal murder of a military family, including a high-ranking officer. As he partners with local law enforcement, Puller uncovers a disturbing trail of violence and corruption that hints at a much larger conspiracy. His investigation leads him to confront not only physical dangers but also deep institutional secrets, forcing him to rely on both his investigative skills and military training.
Zero Day
My Thoughts
This was a fun read with a big ending. However, there was a lot of emphasis about how the Army does business that seemed a little off to me. Of course, that might be due to my bias with the Marines. Still, I enjoyed the book.
Recommendation
A solid Baldacci novel. I’m excited to get to the next books featuring Puller.
Published in 2022, Long Shadows by David Baldacci follows seasoned investigator Amos Decker, known as the Memory Man, as he takes on a new case in Florida involving the brutal murders of a federal judge and her bodyguard. Tasked with uncovering the motive behind this high-profile crime, Decker is paired with a new partner, Special Agent Frederica White. As they dig into the judge’s past, they uncover conflicting clues and hidden connections that raise more questions than answers.
Long Shadows
My Thoughts
It had been a while since the last time I read anything from the Memory Man series and I didn’t know this one existed. Though there was some finality to the plot, Baldacci could easily add another book or two.
The book was easily taken in and digested. I was reading some heavier medical texts just before I switched to this and I still was happily reading for the next couple of hours. There really is nothing like a good novel to keep you engaged and this one didn’t disappoint.
“Dark One: Forgotten” is a six-part audio drama set in the universe of Brandon Sanderson’s “Dark One” series. Developed in collaboration with author Dan Wells, this production is presented in the style of a true-crime podcast. The narrative follows journalist Christina Walsh as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of renowned violinist Leona McPherson, who vanished after a concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Strangely, all memories of Leona seem to have been erased from the minds of those who knew her, including her own mother. As Christina delves deeper, she uncovers a series of similar cases, leading her on a cross-country journey filled with supernatural elements.
Dark One Forgotten
My Thoughts
This was difficult to listen to for me. I had a hard time relating to the characters and I never knew where the narrative was going. There were some glaring plot holes and it was difficult to read about protagonists that repeatedly make the same foolish moves. Having listened through it, I’m still no nearer understanding. Perhaps I’m just not a fan of the “true crime” style.
Published in 2018, “The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton is a mystery set in a crumbling estate called Blackheath. Aiden Bishop, finds himself trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over with the task to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. Each morning, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest, gaining their unique perspective and skills, but also inheriting their flaws and biases. As Aiden pieces together the events of the day, he must contend with hidden agendas, shifting alliances, and others determined to thwart his progress.
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
My Thoughts
This book was recommended by a couple of friends of ours and so I was excited to get into it. I didn’t read the summary and I put out of my mind everything our friends told us about the book. (Other than they really liked it.) My wife and I decided to read it together and we did so separately. On retrospect, that wasn’t the best idea due to the subject matter.
The first part of the book is all lived through a “host” and didn’t make any sense. It wasn’t supposed to at the time but I thought the guy was simply insane. As the book kept going, more and more made sense. Although, it does keep you guessing till the very end. Every theory I had throughout the book wasn’t even close to the eventual plot.
Recommendation
It was ok. I didn’t really love it but mysteries aren’t my preference.
Published in February of 2019, The Silent Patient is a thriller about a woman who is accused of killing her husband. She doesn’t speak throughout the sentencing and is assumed insane. One man thinks he can get through to her.
The Silent Patient
My Thoughts
This book was being read by my mother-in-law’s reading group which has been a mixed bag in the past. However, this was a very interesting read if not, “my cup of tea.”
The story was fairly disturbing in some ways and had quite the turn around that I didn’t see coming. I’m glad I didn’t read anything about it before hand to taint the experience.
Recommendation
If you like thrillers, this may be the one for you.
