Hell’s Corner-David Baldacci

Hell’s Corner
David Baldacci
Grand Central, Nov 9 2010, $$27.99
ISBN: 9780446195522

American President James Brennan informs retired CIA assassin Stone that his country needs his unique skills. Stone says he is John Carr and not Oliver Stone, American killer; he wants to refuse, but cannot. The Russian control the illegal drug pipelines in both hemispheres and their government is involved in the lucrative trade as they see it as a means back to the top tier of superpowers. Stone tells POTUS that this is his penitence from their last endeavor together when he rejected the Medal of Honor. The impossible assignment is to learn all he can about the trafficking through Mexico and what can be done to disrupt it.

Afterward, Stone is in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, when the British prime minister leaves only to have a terrorist attack occur. Stone’s mission changes to identify who is behind the assault as allegedly the Russian drug cartels are the prime suspects. His partner is British MI6 agent Mary Chapman. They need help as the enemy remains elusive, but neither trusts their own agency any longer as a traitor seems to have infiltrated either the CIA, MI6 or both. Instead Stone reluctantly turns to Camel Club associates as he knows Shaw, Rhodes, Conroy, Ford and Finn has hit back and that they will never stay out of this dangerous inquiry anyway.

The latest Camel Club thriller (see Divine Justice and Stone Cold) is an exciting action-packed tale that grips the audience from the initial meeting between Brennan and Stone. Though the story line is similar to many in the genre, fans will want to know who was behind the bombing. Filled with twists and fast-paced, Stone and the camel Club will soon find themselves trapped in aptly titled Hell’s Corner with no way out except death.

Harriet Klausner