Book Review: End Game (By David Baldacci)

End Game is the last (as of now) in the Will Robie and Jessica Reel series. As some of the characters are supposed to make an appearance in his other series on Amos Decker (Memory Man), I wanted to wrap this one up and not run the risk of missing anything.

The last book in the series – The Guilty – had its ups and downs, although it was more good than bad. End Game was not too different. Read on to find out what worked and didn’t work, for me, in this David Baldacci book.

Genre: 

Mystery, Thriller

Length: 

408 pages

Blurb:

Jessica Reel and Will Robie return in End Game. But, instead of being out of the country taking down its enemies, these two government assets are sent to rural Colorado on a much more personal mission. Blue Man, their handler, superior, and friend, has gone missing when he had taken a rare fishing vacation to his hometown of Grand. When Reel and Robie arrive, they find a town with a stagnant economy, an understaffed police force, and camps recruiting people with dangerous ideologies. As they delve deeper into the mystery behind Blue Man’s disappearance, they find themselves facing an adversary who has a home and firepower advantage. Will they find Blue Man before it’s too late for themselves?

Overall Rating:

7 out of 10 stars

Plot:

8 out of 10 stars

Characterization:

8 out of 10 stars

Primary Element:

8 out of 10 for its mystery

Writing Style:

7 out of 10 stars

Part of a Series: 

Yes. This is Book #5 in the Will Robie series and, from what I can tell, possibly the last one.

Highlighted Takeaway:

A well-crafted tale that brings together mystery, suspense, and the results of social, political, and systemic issues.

What I Liked and Didn’t Like:

I’m combining the two sections that are usually separate in my blog posts because there were a lot of things I liked, but that at the same time could be considered out of character and strange for a David Baldacci book.

The primary one is the Reel/Robie arc. End Game picks up very differently on their relationship than where its prequel, The Guilty, ended. And their relationship remains off as the book progresses, often with irrational behavior. While I actually sort of enjoyed the personal angle, I did find it odd – it simply seemed to be an ‘extra’ to keep readers vested in the characters… something that was just not the norm with Baldacci. And I’m still not sure if it was needed. You could have taken that whole angle out and the book would have not really been much different. Consequently, the other personal/relationship angles that the story went into seemed a bit forced.

The mystery and suspense were good, with a lot of arcs that offered surprises. But, a lot of it was also unrealistic. At this point, Robie and Reel seem more superhuman than skilled (and uncharacteristically boastful too). Their character arcs seem to now be driven by someone who’s crushing on how cool they are. Which is off-brand for them. So there’s that contradiction, which is enjoyable (I mean, cheesy dialog has its moments) but not the norm for these characters.

The tale reads well (better than The Guilty), while still seeming to be written by not-Baldacci. Overall, a good story with a satisfactory (sort-of) end to the Robie/Reel books.

Who Should Read It:

If you’ve been reading the Will Robie series, I’d definitely recommend reading End Game and seeing it through. Also, if you like political mysteries and thrillers in general, the series is a good one (just probably not the best ever).

Who Should Avoid:

If you’ve not read any of the previous books in the series, I’d recommend passing on this one. It will work as a standalone, but you’ll miss out on a lot of the early character development, and that will take a lot out of the story.

Read It For:

The conclusion (again, assuming this is the last one) of the Robie and Reel series. Both are likable characters, even if often unrealistic.

You can get your copy of End Game by David Baldacci in paperback here, and in hardcover here.

Got something to share about David Baldacci’s books or other thrillers/mysteries? Drop us a comment below. And as always, thanks for stopping by The Book Review Station!

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– Rishika

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