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The Whole Truth (A. Shaw Book 1) by [David Baldacci]

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David Baldacci

The Whole Truth (A. Shaw Book 1) Kindle Edition

by David Baldacci (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4,814 ratings

Book 1 of 2: A. Shaw

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A powerful defense contractor, a reluctant intelligence agent, and an ambitious journalist race to contain and control an international crisis that could destroy the world in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller.

"Dick, I need a war."

Nicolas Creel is a man on a mission. He heads up the world's largest defense contractor, The Ares Corporation. Dick Pender is the man Creel retains to "perception manage" his company to even more riches by manipulating international conflicts. But Creel may have an even grander plan in mind.

Shaw, a man with no first name and a truly unique past, has a different agenda. Reluctantly doing the bidding of a secret multi-national intelligence agency, he travels the globe to keep it safe and at peace.

Desperate to get back to the top of her profession, Katie James gets the break of a lifetime: the chance to interview the sole survivor of a massacre that has left every nation stunned.

In David Baldacci's first international thriller, these characters face a catastrophic threat that could change the world as we know it.

Print length

497 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Grand Central Publishing
Publication date

April 22, 2008
File size

5482 KB
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Total Price: $20.98

Books In This Series (2 Books)

Complete Series

A. Shaw

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1
The Whole Truth (A. Shaw Book 1)
David Baldacci

(4,814)

Kindle Edition

$10.99
2
Deliver Us from Evil (A. Shaw Book 2)
David Baldacci

(4,870)

Kindle Edition

$9.99

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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

Yet when people wanted to believe something badly enough facts and logic never proved to be difficult obstacles.
278 Kindle readers highlighted this
Why waste time trying to discover the truth, when you can so easily create it?
261 Kindle readers highlighted this
Wars. They were the easiest things to start and hardest things to end.
185 Kindle readers highlighted this

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. If there is such a category as a guys' audio, The Whole Truth fits the bill perfectly. Ron McLarty's gruff voice enhances this fast-moving thriller as he takes the listener through barrages of deadly assaults featuring gunfire, knives, bombs and hacksaws. He portrays Shaw, the unwilling secret agent, as weary yet tough. Nicolas Creel, who needs a good war to help sagging profits, comes across as appropriately cerebral and coldhearted. While McLarty gives different accents to Anna and Katie, otherwise, both sound alike, but he performs a variety of French and Slavic villains in quick succession. The sound track is comparable to a terrific cinematic score: darkly foreboding or quietly romantic when appropriate, raising this audio to an art form and enhancing the already gripping tale. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 3). (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the audio_download edition.

From Booklist

Nicolas Creel, a powerful and wealthy defense contractor, is also a megalomaniac who wants to start a world war, which would help improve the bottom line of his company. Shaw (and that’s the only name he is known by), an agent for a secret multinational intelligence agency, teams up with Katie James, a disgraced journalist, to thwart Creel’s plan. Bullets fly and bad guys die, as do a few innocent bystanders. McLarty’s reading is accomplished, and his precise tone alternates between quiet and measured and furious and fast paced. His strong characterizations make it easy to distinguish the players, and an echo tone effectively signals Shaw’s memories. However the intermittent background music, rather than heightening drama, is somewhat distracting but shouldn’t deter Baldacci fans. --Jeanette Larson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0011UCPM4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing; 1st edition (April 22, 2008)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 22, 2008
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5482 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 497 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #10,928 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #41 in Political Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #78 in Political Fiction (Books)
- #138 in International Mystery & Crime (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4,814 ratings

About the author

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David Baldacci

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David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she'd given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.")

David published his first novel, ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. A feature film followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 41 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into over 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for younger readers.

David received his Bachelor's degree 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.

David is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across the United States.

David and his family live in Virginia.

Customer reviews

5 star		68%
4 star		22%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Pretty unbelievable (2.5*s)

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2019

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In this fantastical story, the author has created a super villain, Nicolas Creel, a megalomaniac businessman who is so powerful and all-knowing that he can manipulate even super-power nations and deflect or eliminate any opposition. But on occasion, such individuals can overstep. Through his “perception management” firm, he creates an artificial conflict between Russia and China to induce them both to sign huge defense contracts. Into this craziness steps a clandestine international security body headed by a mysterious Frank. Frank’s principal operative is the hulking, lethal Shaw of equally vague background.

Shaw is a reluctant warrior, wanting out of the intelligence game, but Frank has a hold on him. But suddenly Shaw has a huge incentive to track down the origins of this PR campaign, because his girlfriend Anna, a brilliant professor, is in harm’s way because of her interest in this situation. Katie James, a prize-winning journalist, but now disgraced due to alcoholism, is given a new opportunity to report on this story. Katie, almost inevitably, finds herself teamed with Shaw in a hair-raising, dangerous journey to get to the bottom of this.

Getting past the mostly ridiculous story concept, it is not without interest, especially the ability to manipulate public perception. The characters, Shaw and Katie, are not particularly compelling.

14 people found this helpful

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Dave H

Relevant to the World Today

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2018

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A small group of people manipulate the world into believing that the Russians did a bad thing by using fake news articles, the internet and the media to spread the lies.
I think Mr. Baldacci may be clairvoyant.
Now I see where the DNC got its ideas from.
(Please don't be offended by this humorous observation.)
The book was great. Fast paced and cannot put down.
I will read the next Shaw book and expect that it will be just as good.

26 people found this helpful

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JimK

Another great read by David Baldacci

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2018

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I've been hooked on these David Baldacci books since someone loaned me "The Winner"
Since then I've developed many favorite authors similar to this style of writing. If you're like me and love espionage thrillers and spy type books and "kneecap busting" reads then this book will appeal to you. The character A. Shaw is a real interesting and badass dude, similar in nature to the likes of Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp, and Scott Harvath. The book has a real interesting plot and plenty of action and intrigue. I'll definitely be looking for the next A. Shaw story.

12 people found this helpful

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William Mead

Gripping thriller, with a truth-based premise

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2015

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The Whole Truth (A. Shaw Book 1) is a thriller based on a real issue: that of society's vulnerability to bad information on the Internet. There have been some glaring, real examples of mis- or dis-information over the past decade, many of them in political power struggles. Of course, in the realm of thrillers, such a truism is taken to extremes to make a gripping story, and Baldacci has succeeded in doing this very well. Although this book was published several years ago, the story and writing have been crafted in a way that holds up well in today's world.

On the level of entertainment, this book is top notch. The characters are diverse and interesting. The leading protagonists are appealing, though a bit stereotypical: the "good guys" to be supermen and extremely lucky while the "bad guys" are greedy, power-hungry, and terribly warped genius-types who have a fatal flaw. Baldacci blurs these stereotypes with serious calamities and character flaws for the heroes and significant victories plus a degree of sincerity for the villains. The plot is developed with plausible logic and plenty of surprises. The balance among setting, characterization, and events is excellent.

An additional plus is that Baldacci has used good judgement in relegating gore, profanity, and sex to background factors that do not interfere with the telling of the story.

I'd rate it 4 and 1/2 stars. Highly recommended to those who enjoy large-scale conspiracy thrillers.

28 people found this helpful

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lighthouse88

solid story and entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2021

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The main character in the series is a man whose life depends on his abilities to adapt to every changing situation; his name is A. Shaw. Shaw works for an agency that isn’t revealed in the novel, and he is sent on many missions. As I read the story, slowly the author revealed the character’s family history as well as his hopes for a less lonely future.
Throughout the book, Shaw is battling against those who desire to bring mayhem at any expense to all. As the tale progresses, Shaw wants to live his life with a woman who is intelligent, strong, and loving. Shaw hasn’t revealed much of his past or present to her, then slowly he begins to unravel for her his complicated existence.
Katie James is a journalist who has known success and now knows what rock bottom looks like due to alcohol. When she inadvertently runs into Shaw, she thinks she has hit on a much brighter future. What she does not see is the danger that will become part of her life. The author slowly reveals Katie’s background, including what happened that led to her downfall.
The Whole Truth is a spell-binding novel of danger and intrigue, with many twists in the plot. While I figured out what was going to happen in the book, I can say that I didn’t see it happening the way it did. The author is a master at surprising his readers. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, Deliver Us From Evil. I hope the author plans on resurrecting this series soon as it is very entertaining!

One person found this helpful

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Pat

Lots Of Action

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2020

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I really liked The Whole Truth. David Baldacci is a great writer who produces one interesting story after another. A. Shaw is a new character in his books and a very exciting one. There is lots of action. Shaw is a sympathetic killer who works for a secret agency of our government. Most of the book takes place in Europe. His true love is killed by a fiendish bad guy who likes to stir up wars so he can sell weapons.
A female free lance newspaper writer who has a drinking problem joins Shaw in pursuit of the bad guy. A very action filled page turner.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Alec

Almost Unbelievable!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2018

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It is almost as if Baldacci is before his time. Like others I found this book to be almost preposterous when I first started reading it but then I thought of Trump and his obsession with "Fake News".
Baldacci seems to have hit on Fake News a long time (this was published in 2008) before Trump came up with the phrase - assuming of course that it was in fact Trump.
I have read quite a few Baldacci books and some of them are almost beyond belief as Mr America seems arise in every one and is indestructible. It gets a bit over the top at times. I found that the "Camel Club " quintet among his more believable offerings.
However, The Whole Truth is something else. It certainly made me think and ask myself "Could it really happen". Easy to say no but how sure can you be?
Best book that I have read in a long time. OK it's not a classic but VERY, VERY different to anything else that I have read.

4 people found this helpful

Philip Spick

Disappointing on what should have been good.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2020

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I don't know who transfers text to electronic versions for Kindle but this book was an appalling example of how badly it can be done. Quote " my father immigrated to France" when clearly emigrated was the word. Dozens of miss wording, he "just only" when it should have been only just. Really made a disappointing read. I also know writers evolve and David clearly feels strongly about Perception Management with good cause. I really struggled to accept this was his book. I have read all King and Maxwell, Amos Decker and Attlee Pine stories. This book,for me, did not match up to the personal style of individual detective and thriller element of his previous books. Having introduced other people to the titles mentioned, I will wait and see if anyone else feels like I do about this book. I would not advise anyone to buy this Kindle version of was so full of obvious errors.

s symington

Absolute rubbish. Great disappointment.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2018

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I cannot believe this book was written by David Baldacci. I have read more than 50% and it is a real struggle to continue. It’s all over the place. Jumps from one character to another with no obvious continuity. Was taught Introduction, story content, ending. Read 55% and main story not in sight.
I noticed this was released from publication 1 year after book 2. Was this an afterthought or was it rejected by the publisher. David Baldacci has written fantastic novels and I have read all of them but I will probably bin this.

4 people found this helpful

Page-Turner'

It took a bit...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2021

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I don't know whether it was reading in bed while sleepy or a slow start but I almost gave up on this book. I'm normally hooked by David Baldacci's books but it took a while, about a third of the book. Also knowing it was a new Shaw and James series I didn't worry too much they would be killed.

All in all though, it was a thought provoking book, that makes one think about all the cover ups and staged events in actual news, so for that I enjoyed this book and was glad I stuck with it.

RJR

Different for David Baldacci

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2016

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This was the second book by Baldacci that I have found difficult to get into but unlike the other about half way through I really started to enjoy the story, the plot seems unreal at first and the story difficult to follow unlike his other books. I thought my recall memory was failing me at one point whilst reading the book as I seemed to have lost the plot but after reading further on it turned out to be good in that he incorporates many present day current events to make The Whole Truth very realistic. I got a feeling of the characters more life like and by the end thoroughly enjoyed the book by no means a great thriller but worth reading.

2 people found this helpful

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