The Hit by David Baldacci – a Review

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Description:
From David Baldacci–#1 bestselling author and one of the world’s most popular, widely read storytellers–comes the most thrilling novel of the year. THE HIT Will Robie is a master of killing. A highly skilled assassin, Robie is the man the U.S. government calls on to eliminate the worst of the worst-enemies of the state, monsters committed to harming untold numbers of innocent victims. No one else can match Robie’s talents as a hitman…no one, except Jessica Reel. A fellow assassin, equally professional and dangerous, Reel is every bit as lethal as Robie. And now, she’s gone rogue, turning her gun sights on other members of their agency. To stop one of their own, the government looks again to Will Robie. His mission: bring in Reel, dead or alive. Only a killer can catch another killer, they tell him. But as Robie pursues Reel, he quickly finds that there is more to her betrayal than meets the eye. Her attacks on the agency conceal a larger threat, a threat that could send shockwaves through the U.S. government and around the world

Review:

The Hit by David Baldacci is another of his fantastic suspense thriller novels.  I have not  read every single Baldacci book, but I love two of his series, and this is now the third series I thoroughly enjoy.  What is great about Baldacci you ask?  He is a masterful storyteller, with such in depth wonderful characters, and he holds you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end. If you think you know what will happen, trust me, you will never see what is coming, as Baldacci continually pulls surprises and twists.  But the best thing about his novels, they are superb, and well written, that when you are finished with the book, you will be thinking about it for days.

The Hit is the second book with Will Robie as the hero.  Will is a government assassin and the best in his field. Whether it is the CIA, Homeland Security, FBI or other hidden government divisions, they have their own top secret people to eliminate traitors, foreign undesirables, or rogue agents.  In this story, Will is assigned to stop Jessica Reel, who is considered a rogue agent, having just killed two top government employees. Jessica is also considered the best in her field, an assassin on par with Will Robie.  Now she has gone rogue, and Will must find her to bring her back…dead or alive.

Will has no qualms about doing his job, even though he is baffled why Reel went off the grid. Jessica manages to be one step ahead of Will, but as he gets closer, Will begins to find disturbing clues that not all is as it appears to be.  Meeting with other top government officials, Will begins to suspect that perhaps Jessica is not a traitor, as they are telling him she is. Keeping his mind open, Will continues to search for Jessica, and try to discover why she is doing this.  Along the way, Will finds himself caught in a number of ambushes he suspects is not from Jessica Reel. 

There are a number of twists, and dangerous situations that are life threatening bringing Will and Jessica face to face, with each saving each other lives.  Rather then give out spoilers, what ensues is a major conspiracy that will bring the two of them together to discover the truth.  Even the two top assassins are no match for what the government traitors can and will do. With their lives constantly facing danger, and death defying escapes; they must also try to find the mastermind.  They must be one step ahead of the traps laid for them, and the double crosses they come across to stay alive, in order to break the conspiracy.

Will Will Robie find the truth?  Is Jessica to be trusted?  Who are the masterminds running the conspiracy?  Will they be able to survive?  You will need to read this book to find out. 

The Hit was a fabulous thriller that had you unable to put the book down.  David Baldacci has once again created a page burning story that had you guessing all the way, and so so well done.  The characters of Will Robie and Jessica Reel were so great, and though they are both hardened killers, you can’t help but care about them and root for them.  I loved this book, and respect Baldacci’s ability to continue creating these stories fresh every time, as well as making us like his lead characters, even if they are killers. If you have not read David Baldacci, and you like suspense thrillers, it is time you do so.

Reviewed by Barb