I was holidaying in France and I'd finished the book I'd taken to read. The house we were staying in had loads of books and this was one was on the shelf. To be honest, by the look of the cover, I wasn't holding out for a classic. Moral of this story - never judge a book by its cover!

Seriously, I couldn't have been more swept away by a book if I'd tried. More or less right from the start the mystery and the suspense unfolds with breath taking speed and palpable intrigue that keeps you reading. I'd only really experienced reading like this in book's like Daphne Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn and some Agatha Christie novels. I couldn't actually put the thing down, it was so addictive, and I actually took only a day to read it.

I was lucky also as this is the first installment in a four book series by baldacci that focuses on the lives and case of ex bodyguard to the president Sean King and his soon to be partner, Michelle Maxwell. I don't want to give away the plot because it genuinely will spoil the suspence, but basically Sean King has to relive an event which saw him resign from the president's service which takes him on a rollercoaster to get to the bottom of the terrible crimes that begin to happen. Michelle also has the same kind of thing happen to her as she is the polic guard in charge of protecting a presidential candidate, who gets kidnapped. They meet on the case and the rest is fictional history.

Its got more twists and turns than a rapids race and its faster too. It also gives an interesting insight into the world of the FBI and the american secret service. The story is really involved but still easy to read - its cliched to say - but it really is a page turner. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the books by authors such as Dan Brown, as its really contemporary, a thriller for the modern age if you will, and is a book that makes you think without making your brain hurt. Its also one of those books that really scares you - and I don't mean scaring as in horrible or gory frightening, but just that chill down your spine as you sit in bed with the bedside light on. While I was reading it in France I was convinced there was someone downstairs, ready to leap out of the pages and into reality!

I think any book that can move us in that way deserves a read, and I'm sure if you decide to dip into David Baldacci, this book is the perfect start. Enjoy!