David Baldacci never disappoints and he is a writer who is willing to explore and stretch his craft as he did with Strangers in Time and A Calamity of Souls. He introduces a new character to his oeuvre in Nash Falls : Walter Nash, mild mannered financial genius and husband to Judith and father to Maggie. He has worked at Sybaritic Investments for 20 years and is a VP. His idea of exercise is to mix his own cocktails.
Walter’s father Ty was a Vietnam veteran, a legend to the men in his command. Walter and Ty were estranged for many years in a sad misunderstanding that carried on until Ty’s death. Baldacci writes poignantly about their estrangement and its impact on Walter’s life.
The good times end for Walter when the FBI seeks his help to unravel a global crime syndicate. Will Walter become a spy for the FBI? What will happen to his family? Is Walter’s spineless and sleazy boss, Rhett, truly involved?
All of these engaging questions are teased out and explored. Baldacci is excellent at portraying characters driven to desperation. Walter quickly learns that a lifetime of careful living has left him vulnerable in ways he couldn’t imagine. As he bounces from one disaster to another, he discovers that a very mysterious and dangerous woman is determined to destroy him.
As Nash Falls is the first in a new series, some time is spent establishing the characters. The villain of this story has an extremely interesting backstory and promises to be ferocious and crafty.
Nash Falls is driven by a rather bleak and relentless narrative. The action is nonstop and well executed. Walter’s character undergoes some dramatic changes and heartbreaking events but his resilience never waivers. The novel ends on a cliffhanger and i look forward to reading more of Walter’s story.
Barking Books 