The Whole Truth
David Baldacci
Reviewed by Joan Johnston
When a writer, like me, discovers a really wonderful book — and David Baldacci's THE WHOLE TRUTH is truly exceptional — I first read to enjoy it. Then I take it apart to see why it's so successful on so many levels, in the hope that it will help me to become a better writer.
I've thought of David Baldacci as the King of High Concept ever since he wrote ABSOLUTE POWER, where a cat burglar witnesses the U.S. president killing his sex partner, and then has to outwit the president's minions, who are determined to cover it up. Clever idea, well executed.
In THE WHOLE TRUTH, Baldacci creates a philanthropic, on-his-knees-to-pray-for-forgiveness arms dealer determined to start WW III through PM — perception management — as his villain. Perception Management is the process whereby governments, or the military, or someone with enough wealth and power to employ it, uses the Internet and other available communication resources to sell the gullible public on whatever it wants the public to believe is the truth. In this case, that Russia is once again the Red Menace. That way, the arms dealer can sell trillions of dollars worth of weapons to every major nation of the world and reestablish the military "balance of power."
PM is a frightening idea all by itself — that governments can convince the public to start a war based on a false premise (sound familiar?). What makes Baldacci's take on Wag the Dog (a president creating an imaginary war with actors to improve his image with the public) so wonderful and terrifying is that it's so believable.
Baldacci gives us a 6'5" physically and emotionally wounded hero to root for, complete with "intense blue eyes." Shaw is the very best at what he does — which is taking down whatever target a secret government organization gives him. In true Firm and Jaws form, Baldacci gives the hero both a "good villain" — his boss, who hates him and would rather kill him than see him retire, and a "bad villain"— the arms dealer determined to start WW III, to fight against. Baldacci tweaks this formula by having the "good villain" morph into a "good guy." To show the breadth of the international danger, Shaw chases his demons all across the European Union — from Amsterdam to Paris to London to Dublin to Edinburgh to a small town in Germany and back.
Every rugged hero needs a smart, spunky heroine. Once again, Baldacci steps outside the norm. All I can tell you is that Shaw starts out in love with an intelligent woman of grace and ends up with a smart, alcoholic wreck. I'd be spoiling things if I told you how Baldacci manages this oh-so-unique twist.
This is the best thriller I've read in a long, long while, an action novel that will make you think twice before you ever again accept anything you read on the Internet — or anywhere else — as THE WHOLE TRUTH.
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About the Reviewer:
Joan Johnston is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of 47 novels and novellas with over 10 million copies of her books in print. Joan has a B.A. and M.A. in Theater and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She has been a director of theater, drama critic, newspaper editor, college professor and attorney on her way to becoming a full-time author. Joan splits her time between homes in Florida and Colorado.
For more about Joan visit www.joanjohnston.com.
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