First Family

By: David Baldacci

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

When she turned the page and her gaze flickered over the date on top, it was as though the lightning outside had somehow grounded right into her. A billion volts of pain, a shriek of anguish you could actually see and feel as it pierced her.

Camp David, USA. A birthday party turns into a nightmare when a child is snatched after the celebrations. The first lady enlists the services of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell to bring the child home safely. But she and King share a past. Years ago he saved her then-senator husband from political disaster. And this may not be all that passed between them. With Michelle still battling her own demons, the two are pushed to the limit, with forces aligned on all sides against them - and the line between friend and foe impossible to define...or defend.

©2009 David Baldacci (P)2009 Hachette

Great Baldacci Read

This book further proves Baldacci's genius as a writer. It is one of his all time best among many great books. I highly recommend it.

Good entertainment however..

I found the underlying music and sound effects distracting and annoying. However the story was very well narrated and it is a great story.

Finally

Thank you for finally allowing Sean and Michele to show their feelings for each other.

Great Continuation

Twists, turns, drama, and suspense. Another great addition to the King and Maxwell series. Can't wait for the next one.

Great book mostly

It would seem to me that some basic research could have resolved at a couple of glaring errors.
First off, there were zero pilots of any aircraft in Vietnam piloted by persons without a college degree.
Secondly Sig Sauer 9mm handguns don’t discharge when dropped.
While “fiction “ umbrella may encothese issues the still detract from the overall story.

Great plots but…

His stories are always very clever, and well thought out and his main leading male character is well developed, however, all of his prominent female characters are shallow

Please get rid of the annoying music in your books.

I like the writing. Would like for female characters to be more developed please. I’ve read every one of your books. The only think I hate is the music
I’m a professional musician and the music is very distracting.

Annoying sound effects

The book was great, as expected. My only criticism is around the sound effects of the audiobook. It is the first audiobook that I have listened to that contains gunfire, explosion, lightning and other sound effects. It either implies the listener has no imagination or some sound tech was overzealous and couldn't keep his newly acquired sound clip library in check.

Baldacci's Loosing Steam... Pass this one up.

Okay... if I were a reader (as opposed to a listener) I'd report that this was, well, maybe not an eye glazer but at least an eye mister. The plot's ok... but the narrative demands more disbelief suspension than the writer's earlier novels. The magic's gone between the author's male and female leads. There's a filler mystery carefully inserted into the middle of this thing so, I suppose, the principle tale wouldn't have seemed a short story. And there are more addendum-type chapters at the end than there are dwarfs skipping after Snow White.

While not a total waste of time, knowing now, what I gathered from listening to the entire novel... I'd not have started "First Family." Can't recommend it even though Ron McLarty does a very serviceable job of reading - I will buy more of his work.

One last point, I skipped over a number of Baldacci novels this series because they were read by the portentous Scott Brick. Maybe if McLarty had read them to me... this one would not have been so much like wet cardboard? Who knows?

Dunno if I'll purchase another Baldacci even though I've enjoyed his work in the past.

Maxwell and King and the dirty truth

This book takes the duo to a new level in more ways than you'll guess. it takes place right on the heals of Simple Genius with a still distraught Michelle. This is a journey of bad guys becoming good guys and vice versa with an exciting rescue and escape. Ron McLarty does a great job, as did Scott Brick previously, and sets the stage for he and Orlagh Cassidy to co-narrate the next two books.