Baldacci always makes me stretch a little to suspend my disbelief, but when I do he takes me on quite an exciting and convoluted trip. This one involves a cast of quite a few somewhat questionable and nefarious characters, including his protagonist, A. Shaw.

A perception management firm (super-PR) is manipulating world opinion toward world war for their client, a major arms dealer. Shaw, who works for a transcendent secret multi-national policing agency, is inadvertently drawn into the conspiracy and must save the world from ultimate havoc.

Lots of shooting, knifing and other blood drawing activities that punctuate the developing gravity of the situation keep the pages turning.