The Target - David Baldacci (Will Robie#3)

The mission is to enter one of the most secretive countries and extract the adopted family of an America-friendly North Korean General.  Meanwhile an equal adversary, an assassin borne and bred in the much feared labour camps of that country is plotting to take out the members of the First Family.  Enter into the mix CIA agents Will Robie and Jessica Reel.  Mix in some Southern White Trash Neo-Nazis and a disgruntled CIA high-Chain of command and you've got yourself an overcomplicated spy thriller packed with good 'ol cartoon violence, exaggerated egos and a ridiculously large amount of unnecessary blood and gore.  Of course only the baddies die.  There are a few unresolved issues pertaining to previous books (this is #3 in an on-going series) but in reality this one is still self contained.  There's not much I can add other than it's a story for the moment.  I was never on the edge of my seat - but it did entertain me during those train journeys to and fro to my much more mundane day job.  I can fantasise a little, can't I?  Here's the blurb :

The President knows it’s a perilous, high-risk assignment. If he gives the order, he has the opportunity to take down a global menace, once and for all. If the mission fails, he would face certain impeachment, and the threats against the nation would multiply. So the president turns to the one team that can pull off the impossible: Will Robie and his partner, Jessica Reel.
Together, Robie and Reel’s talents as assassins are unmatched. But there are some in power who don’t trust the pair. They doubt their willingness to follow orders. And they will do anything to see that the two assassins succeed, but that they do not survive.
As they prepare for their mission, Reel faces a personal crisis that could well lead old enemies right to her doorstep, resurrecting the ghosts of her earlier life and bringing stark danger to all those close to her. And all the while, Robie and Reel are stalked by a new adversary: an unknown and unlikely assassin, a woman who has trained her entire life to kill, and who has her own list of targets—a list that includes Will Robie and Jessica Reel.

“Baldacci has been on a hot streak for the past few years, and ‘The Target’ continues the trend. This isn’t a garden-variety thriller or even a garden-variety Baldacci. It’s among his most exhilarating books yet.”
–Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Baldacci knows how to get readers to turn the pages, and he’s in top form here.”
–Associated Press
“Many scenes in this tale would be unreadable, were it not for Mr. Baldacci’s brilliant use of language, his vivid supporting characters and numerous sudden and unexpected plot twists…[Baldacci] doesn’t let the action sag at any point…In [Chung-Cha], Mr. Baldacci has created one of his most memorable characters…”
–Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“As ever, Baldacci keeps things moving at express-train speed…the one will whet appetites for the next appearance of his agent hero.”
–Daily Express (UK)


More at:  http://davidbaldacci.com/book/the-target-will-robie-3/

David Baldacci published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996. A major motion picture adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 28 novels; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries; over 110 million copies are in print worldwide. David has also published four novels for children. He has received numerous accolades for his writing; most recently, he was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame and received the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award.

A lifelong Virginian, David received his Bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, D.C.

While David is involved with several philanthropic organizations, his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of literacy and educational programs. In 2008 the Foundation partnered with Feeding America to launch Feeding Body & Mind, a program to address the connection between literacy, poverty and hunger. Through Feeding Body & Mind, more than 1 million new and gently used books have been collected and distributed through food banks to families in need. 

David and his family live in Virginia.