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Title: The Collectors
Author: David Baldacci
Audiobook: 2007
Reader: LJ Ganser
Unabridged
Length: 12 hours

Ears: 4

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The second in what will be a series featuring characters first seen in The Camel Club, the author packs in several books in this one story. The crowded plot includes a con caper like The Sting, a spy novel linked together by a third story involving rare books (a favorite subject of mine).

The book starts out with a long “prolog” that involves a group of grifters setting up a rather ingenious long con. I really enjoyed this plot but was rather confused as to how it worked into the main story. Of course, it did tie in as the book proceeded. If you like a good complex caper that involves fake identifies, wire transfers, casinos and mobsters – this part of the book is well worth the entire effort. Yet there is another complete story taking place as well.

The Camel Club lead by Oliver Stone (no, not that Oliver Stone) gets involved when a coworker in the Library of Congress dies of what seems to be a heart attack. But is it? And how is this related to the assassination of the Speaker of the House of Representatives? The four members of the Camel Club are entertaining characters and the complex plot will keep you guessing to the very end as to exactly how it all fits together.

I strongly suggest you start with The Camel Club, before you listen to The Collectors. This production is excellent with several readers giving you a total performance.

There are at least two books in this selection and possibly three. As I listened I wondered how the author would get it all done in the time and space allotted. Well, he doesn’t! Because of one big plot point left unfinished I dropped my rating to four ears rather than five. There certainly will be another in the series which is well worth the wait.

Baldacci’s newest Simple Genius continues his other series from Split Second and Hour Game.

Reviewed on 6/4/2007 by Robert W. Karp