Simple Genius Reviews

• Sacrificing quality for quantity...

  
  By A39ABKRS1MKFTW on 2007-05-21
  I have been a big fan of David Baldacci from the very beginning and have been impressed with the consistent quality of his work. Unfortunately, with his last three books, he now seems to be sacrificing quality for quantity and Simple Genius is a disappointment.
  
  Baldacci brings back two former Secret Service agents, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. These two appeared previously in Split Second and Hour Game and are now private investigators. Simple Genius opens with Michelle Maxwell having a meltdown--the result of some long-repressed childhood memory. Meanwhile, King is hired by a super-secret company to investigate the death of one of their top mathematicians (which happens on CIA property). King stays at the company headquarters called Babbage Town, where he meets a whole host of scientists who are on the verge of some earth-changing discoveries. But he's not at Babbage Town very long before someone else ends of dead. This case will pit King against the FBI, the CIA and unknown spies and will involve drug dealing, secret codes, illegal detainments, illegal torture, buried treasure and an 11 year old autistic genius. Yup--it's that's hokey. While King is battling all these things, it is uncertain whether Maxwell will be able to pull through for him.
  
  I really liked King and Maxwell in Baldacci's previous books. But in Simple Genius, they're just too one dimensional. It also seems as if Baldacci's plots become more and more far-fetched. I wonder if he's now writing books because he has to meet a deadline and not because he has a riveting story to tell. Baldacci is still much better than many mystery writers today. Unfortunately, I've come to expect much more from him.
  
  
  

• Entertaining enough but less than thrilling. . .

  
  By A237RH4Q5T5PNB on 2007-04-24
  I started reading Baldacci with his very good "The Camel Club" and have slowly been working through his back list. Besides being one of the sexiest thriller writers alive, he also knows how to write compelling stories that keep me turning the pages. I was thrilled to get an advance copy of "Simple Genius" a few weeks ago. I hate to have to report though that this book felt a bit flat to me. The story brings back Sean King and Michelle Maxwell from "Split Second" which I have not read and could possibly had an effect on my view of the book but I don't think so. Michelle seems to have some sort of suicidal wish, which comes to a head when she lets a big oaf at a local tavern beat her into a stupor. With King's pushing she enters a treatment center to try and discover what terrible secrete is eating at her soul--but she is not a willing subject. At the same time Sean is also investigating the death of a scientist at a mysterious top secrete CIA installation. In the end I found the pacing very flat and the awaited trademark Baldacci plot twists were never quite delivered. Not a bad book, but not his best. If your new to Baldacci I recommend you read the "The Camel Club" or "Absolute Power" first.
  
  

• Wonderful summer escapist thriller

  
  By A3E8QNDC7CV44 on 2007-05-21
  The seeds of Baldacci's latest novel "Simple Genius" are sowed a book earlier.
  
  Mentally stressed beyond her ability to continue a normal life, Michelle Maxwell simply breaks down. Her horrifying experience in "Hour Game" with a boyfriend who turned out to be a serial killer and the continuing anguish of a deeply buried secret we will later learn she has carried with her since she was only six years old drives her into a potentially suicidal bar brawl with a complete stranger. Her long-time friend and investigative partner, Sean King, convinces her to check herself into a psychiatric hospital for rest, recuperation and serious examination of the demons she is encountering. Assuming full responsibility for the financial costs of this care, he desperately searches for work and accepts a contract to investigate the suicide (murder?) of Monk Turing, a quantum physicist and computer scientist working for Babbage Town, a high powered corporate think tank located across the York River from Camp Peary, a top secret CIA training facility. (That name, by the way - Turing, that is - is no coincidence!)
  
  But like any good modern thriller, "Simple Genius" draws in far more detail, many more twists and turns, unexpected plot diversions and absorbing information than one would expect from this straightforward plot development in the opening chapters - the basics of public and private encryption keys and the related use of enormous numbers and their correspondingly huge prime factors; rogue CIA agents; the history of German POWs during WW II in New England; a treasure hunt from Colonial England and America's first days as an independent nation; the moral issues of civil rights as they apply to prisoners in the current wars on terror and drugs; hypnosis and the difficulties of diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses; and much more.
  
  Like some of his high-powered peers in the thriller racket (Jonathan Kellerman, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child immediately come to mind), Baldacci's side bars on science, history, geography and politics are diverting, informative, interesting and entertaining without interrupting the timing and flow of the plot. This has got to be an art in its own right!
  
  Highly recommended summer escapist reading! If you enjoy thrillers, you won't be sorry for taking a copy of this one to the beach or the cottage with you. And, thankfully, the door is left wide open for return appearances by Sean King and Michelle Maxwell.
  
  Paul Weiss
  
  
  

• A first-class mystery

  
  By A21NVBFIEQWDSG on 2007-04-26
  David Baldacci is a frequent best-selling author who has written 13 books and at least two have made into major motion pictures: Last Man Standing, and Absolute Power. A very talented portrayer of characters, the author tends to stick with the success of two of his characters as he does in this novel. That is: Ex-Secret Service Agents Michelle Maxwell and Sean King, who have gone private with their own investigative agency.
  
  The story begins with Michelle, seemingly suffering from a mental disorder, goes on a rampage in a barroom brawl, intending to kill someone or herself.
  
  She is arrested and placed in jail. Sean, using all of the resources of their successful firm, attempts to get her out of this bind and get her some help from an old friend, psychologist Horatio Barnes.
  
  Sean, in the meantime, with his resources dwindling, seeks work from his old girlfriend, Joan Dillinger, who also runs a successful investigative agency.
  
  Joan agrees to give him some freelance work in Virginia near Camp Perry, the CIA training center for spies. There has been a suspicious shooting death on the training camp's border. The deceased is an employee of another top-secret facility near Camp Perry. Joan's company represents a client who wants to know more about this case and wants it investigated by non-government investigators.
  
  As Sean begins his work, more bodies begin to appear, apparent suicides, accidents, etc. The story evolves into a first-class mystery leading into U.S. secrets and strange events at the CIA training camp.
  
  Author Baldacci, is as usual, innovative--providing us with a masterpiece in suspenseful story telling. The outcome is far less than obvious.
  
  Armchair Interviews says: Baldacci does it again--as expected.
  
  

• Great Thriller From a Tier-one Author

  
  By A2II7TVW6T7WB3 on 2007-05-07
  David Baldacci continues to amaze me with his consistent masterful storytelling ability. Simple Genius is another smash hit for him. Today's Washington Post pegged SG just right by putting it in the Number One spot on its bestseller list.
  I liked DB's use of timely topics (covert CIA activity (BTW I've been to "The Farm" inside the wire), supercomputer research, and encryption code-breaking) coupled with murders in a high-stakes end game.
  DB is a master storyteller and is tier-one of a select few in the thriller department. His style of short chapters, sharp crisp writing, unexpected plot twists, and interesting characters kept the action flowing and me turning the pages late at night.
  A good book should educate and give enjoyment...and SG does just that!
  I give SG five well-deserved stars and can't wait for the next book featuring DB's A Team---Michelle Maxwell & Sean King, the ex-Secret Service Agents.
  Bravo, DB---keep them coming!
  
  
• Not up to his usual standard
  By A9Q41M2GC0SYG on 2007-05-27
  I've read almost all of Baldacci's books -- and eagerly awaited Simple Genius. Previously he had engaging plots, decent dialogue, and solid characters. In this book, Baldacci fell way short of his previous works. The dialogue was trite -- sometimes making me cringe. The main characters were one-dimensional and predictable. I like books that have returning characters -- but will wait next time to see others' reviews before purchasing his next book.
  
  
• Several Good Stories in One Book
  By A16A3MYURJDYS7 on 2007-05-06
  Simple Genius contains several threads.The reader spends time with Sean King and Michelle Maxwell who we met in two previous bookd I found the most entertaining story was Michelle in the mental hospital. I enjoyed the characters and the simple mystery which required deductive reasoning and had a wonderful ending. The other two stories involved Michelle's childhood and the reason for her suicidal streak and sloppiness. This reminded a bit about a Dr. Delaware mystery. It even contained an interesting therapist.
  
  Finally the crux of the story is a convolutated tale about a secret government complex. It was a good page turner with its share of surprises. The young girl Viggie and the way she revealed the clues was great. It was all great until the last 100 pages when Baldacci decided to put every piece of action into it. I think this would have been a case where less was better.
  
  All in all I enjoyed the characters. It kept my interest and it is worth reading. I would note parts of it reminded me of Plum Island by DeMille which was a far more memorable effort.
  
  
• Another Great Writer Succumbs to Monetary Temptation
  By A1YTIVI0FX7BT5 on 2007-05-09
  Following the footsteps of Parker and Patterson, an author of previously great work produces crap that immediately hits the best seller list....and makes a fortune. Until now every book by this guy has been decent to very good. This book has an impossible plot, ridiculus, undeveloped sub-plots, and characters that are absurdly shallow. This isn't just the worst book Baldacci has ever written, its one of the worst reads of all time. Save your money.
  
  
• Not Baldacci's best
  By A32O5FZH994CNY on 2007-05-05
  One of the problems with the present national malaise about the War on Terror, is that the stream of revelations about certain practices in which our government engages contributes to the plot lines of new thrillers.
  
  Here is a partial list-drug smuggling, extraordinary renditions, collateral damage, kidnapping, torture, waterboarding, and black ops. All of these find there way into David Baldacci's Simple Genius along with repressed memory, codebreaking, martial arts, autism, secret tunnels, suicide, martial infidelity and psychiatry.
  
  This books reminds me of one of those silent films of the 1920's where the heroine would escape a burning building, only to be tied to the railroad track. She always escapes but only to find herself ensnared in another escape-proof situation.
  
  Baldacci is too good a writer to fall into the kind of formulaic claptrap this book presents. Less time with the "thrill a minute" stuff and more with character would have better served Baldacci and his loyal readers.
  
  
• Title Reflects Genius; Story Falls Short
  By A23SB6VGGB9E8U on 2007-09-06
  David Baldacci former Secret Services Agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell should have stayed in finding.
  
  Simple Genius, thir third novel as characters, leaves much to be desired. The heroes of Baldacci's Split Second and Hour Game make their third appearance in a Baldacci novel, we are told on the book jacket "as you've never seen them before."
  
  That is true. But in my humble opinion, they would have been better suited if they turned down this appearance. Baldacci wrote a great novel with his first, Absolute Power. Since then, it has been downhill. While I am sure he has rung the register with his successive books, the reading public would have been better served if he remained a practicing attorney.
  
  It is too bad. Baldacci has enormous talent. He is capable of writing great novels. At his current pace, however it is not happening. Perhaps it is time to reconsider his pace. More time in thought may result in better reads. I finished this one, but it was a stretch.
  
  
• Intrigue filled novel
  By A1YZ3IJXI2J119 on 2007-05-08
  Reviewed by Susan Pettrone for Reader Views (4/07)
  
  Michelle Maxwell presents herself from page one of "Simple Genius" as a woman determined to live life dangerously and take what it offers, no matter the price. Michelle is a woman who is strong in character, and in body, but not so strong in spirit, as it becomes apparent early on in the book that her destructive ways may be linked to something she is fighting from her past. Sean, a man closer to Michelle than any other, knows her well, but not enough to stop Michelle from nearly destroying not only her future but herself in the process.
  
  Michelle finds herself after a particularly violent barroom brawl, at Reston, an institution where she has been placed "for her own good," categorized as "suicidal" in a program that Michelle hesitates to go along with. Horatio, a psychologist assigned to her case, tries to discover what drove her to violence but encounters much resistance from Michelle, slowing down not only her progress but frustrating Horatio as well. During her stay, she meets up and befriends a woman named Sandy who has problems of her own. Seeing an attendant by the name of Barry wandering the hallways of Reston late at night and getting a 'bad feeling" about him, causes Michelle to start investigating Barry and his true reason for being there, one which she believes is far different than that of "helping" the residents. As she continues her investigation, Sean is off on one of his own in a place called Babbage Town where a man named Monk was found murdered. Apparently Babbage town is some sort of "think tank" and the investigation is much more difficult than Sean originally thought. Upon his arrival, he is faced with intrigue, mystery and untold secrets, all of which he needs to uncover to get to the heart of the murder of Monk.
  
  As the book continues we find Michelle's strong nature and keen instinct to be just what was needed to uncover Barry's true identity and reason for being at Reston, as well as a secret Sandy has been hiding which has consumed her to the point of self-destruction. After accomplishing her goal of exposing Barry and helping Sandy, Michelle leaves Reston to join Sean at Babbage Town. While there, they meet and become close to Monks daughter Viggie, a beautiful yet odd child of incredible talents. Her math aptitude is beyond normal comprehension and her musical talent for composition and performance is far beyond the norm. In short this is one amazing child, but a child nonetheless with a secret that only Michelle can help uncover. Viggie holds the key to Monk's death and to secrets of what is going on in and around Babbage Town, knowledge someone wants to know as badly as Michelle and Sean want to protect Viggie.
  
  What happens next in the book can only be experienced to completely appreciate, but this reader will say that this book is never ending in excitement, intrigue and close encounters with dangerous individuals focused upon their own agendas to the point of destroying any and all who get in their way.
  
  An exciting and fast-paced book from start to finish, with many twists and turns along the way, "Simple Genius" is one of those books where the reader can truly lose oneself in the moment to the point of blocking out all other stimuli. David Baldacci has captured not only the reckless spirit of Michelle, the introspection of Horatio and the keen insight of Sean but he has also captured the innocence mixed with true genius of Viggie and how her brilliance plays into the storyline and finalization of the book.
  
  I would recommend "Simple Genius" to all who like a fast-paced, intrigue-filled novel filled with plot changes and intense characters. With all these aspects, the author has created a book which is bound to appeal to a reader desiring excitement and leave said reader yearning for more. As for this reader, the next novel cannot be written soon enough...I'm completely enamored of the characters and the writing style as well. A great read from start to finish!
  
  
• Simply too much and too far fetched
  By A2K0SFPWDXRB9D on 2007-06-08
  I started reading Baldacci with The Winner, followed by Total Control, Absolut Power and Saving Faith which were all fantastic. The downward spiral started with Last Man Standing and Split Second and went on downwards from there.
  
  His latest novel Simple Genius is the worst so far. It's like he sat down with some people and made a brainstorming of what some interesting themes for the book might be and then tried to put the best 5 in the book.
  
  Nothing makes sense: not Michelle's sudden psychological problems, not the fact the they both want to risk their live for a death guy they didn't even know and so on. Not to speak of the whole plot around the CIA facility with German POW's and Codes and planes that land in the middle of the night etc.
  
  I found myself fast forwarding the pages, scanning them for something important that would actually get the story somewhere. Most of it was a lot of useless information.
  
  Better wait a bit longer with the next book but then make it good with a gripping story like in The Winner etc. and not write a book just for the sake of it.
  
  
• A Code Enthusiast's Thriller
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 2007-05-05
  If you love books about secret codes, Simple Genius will be a book you'll long treasure. If you like thrillers that teem with action, sex scenes, obscure martial arts, and high-tech weaponry, this book will seem like a yawn.
  
  As Mr. Baldacci warns you, don't read the Author's Note until after you finish the book. But don't miss that note if you read and like the book. It's a marvelous look into how the story was constructed.
  
  What I found most delightful about Simple Genius was that the plot development kept surprising me. Sure, the general outlines are foreshadowed intentionally (so that you don't get lost in the maze of details), but the specifics shift unexpectedly. In fact, midway through the book, I literally jumped out of my chair with surprise when one change occurred involving the medical examiner.
  
  Simple Genius is intellectually dense. You'll be exposed to more psychology, code breaking, quantum computers, and history than you would normally find in 20 thrillers combined. To Mr. Baldacci's credit, he keeps it as simple as possible without insulting your intelligence.
  
  As the book opens, former Secret Service agents turned PIs, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have hit bottom. They don't have any work, and Michelle picks a potentially lethal fight with the toughest guy she can find in the roughest bar in town. It takes the last of Sean's money, but he persuades Michelle to seek psychiatric help from an old friend, Dr. Horatio Barnes. Barnes quickly concludes that Michelle is punishing herself, but for what?
  
  Desperate to keep Michelle in treatment, Sean calls his former love and begs for a job. He gets the job, on the condition that Michelle is kept away.
  
  Sean is to find out why Monk Turing, a scientist, appears to have committed suicide inside the CIA's highly classified facility informally referred to as the Farm. The scientist had worked at a very secretive installation cross the river from the Farm. No one wants to tell Sean anything. He cannot even find out who his clients are.
  
  Sean's heart is deeply touched by Viggie, the 11-year-old daughter of the scientist, a mathematical genius whose emotional and social development is retarded.
  
  Sean finds he cannot make much progress until Michelle releases herself from the mental hospital. But can either of them count on her mental stability? Michelle finds herself in the unexpected nurturing role for Viggie.
  
  Michelle is by far the most interesting character in the book. She's super human physically and intensely flawed psychologically at the same time, reminding me of the myth of Achilles. I found in her a metaphor for the modern world with its ability to do increasingly great things materially while becoming ever more spiritually and psychologically barren.
  
  In addition to enjoying the thriller, you'll find this book will also leave you with lots of food for thought.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
• Not a very good book
  By A1Z7B0625INSLE on 2007-05-24
  It may have something to do with the fact that I was not familiar with David Baldacci's characters Sean King or Michelle Maxwell. To be honest with you, I stopped caring about them after the first few chapters. There was nothing about this story that made me care for anyone in the book.
  
  Additionally, the premise of the story was a bit far-fetched. I found it very hard to believe that characters in the story were able to sneak on to CIA property so easily. I'm not giving away anything vital to the story, but this is an essential part of the tale.
  
  Having read The Camel Club and The Collectors, I consider myself a fan of Mr. Baldacci's. I am eagerly anticipating the release of the next book about Oliver Stone. However, I think this book was written solely to make some fast money based on the author's name. Mr. Baldacci, David, please don't go the way of James Patterson. The next thing we know, you will be releasing a book a month of drivel written with a co-author.
  
  
• Didn't measure up to Mr. Baldacci's Skills!,
  By A17BQVMELTYZT9 on 2007-07-12
  I adore my neighbor and she has been a good friend for over 10 years, but lately she has taken on a bad habit of insisting that I read novels that are very nice, good, enjoyable, etc. to read. Each time she pronounces one of these descriptive adjectives for a book I am on guard. "Simple Genius" fell into the "you'll enjoy it" category. "Oh, my."
  
  I'm not a big fan of Baldacci; most of the novels that he has written lately have been as far as I'm concerned simple "beach reads". However, in all fairness to Mr. Baldacci, I did savor his thriller Absolute Power. So, I thought that just maybe he had buckled down and honed his creative writing skills for this novel.
  
  In the story Simple Genius, Sean King, the Private Investigator, is hired to investigate the circumstances behind a suicide that was committed by a scientist at a top secret CIA facility. It becomes clear in the story that no one at the CIA is going to share any information about the suicide. While he investigates the suicide, Sean heart goes out to Monk Turing's, 11 year old daughter, Viggie. She's very intelligent, but with deep emotional problems.
  
  The story also brings back the character, Michelle Maxwell. She seems to come across as a "basket case". For some reason she has this death wish which I didn't see added anything to the story, but Mr. Baldacci spent a considerable amount of pages developing her character and her emotional problems.
  
  In summary I found that the plot(s) were bland and predicable. My expectations of a page turning thriller never materialized. I was anticipating pure satisfaction from this novel, but all I received was a complete disappointing read. If you want an education on secret codes, then this novel will be your read. I'm sure Mr. Baldacci can do better. He has the skills and talent, but he fell short on this novel. Sorry.
  
  
  
  
• Overload is not always a good thing ...
  By A18VICK1AMJS6B on 2007-06-04
  You've heard the adage, "Too many cooks spoil the broth."
  
  Now, try this: "Too many plots spoil the book."
  
  David Baldacci ruined his latest offering by overloading it with too many plots, strange twists and red herrings.
  
  Let's start with the plots. In the first few pages, one of Baldacci's main characters does a great imitation of a suicide attempt. She ends up staring at a long time in therapy.
  
  Then, the author sends his other main character to look into the real suicide of a top-notch quantum physicist.
  
  Will the partner get well with the help of a Hell's Angels-wannabe therapist?
  
  Did the genius really off himself or did he have help?
  
  What's going on in the strange place/think tank where the genius lived?
  
  Had Baldacci addressed just these three issues, the "broth" would have stayed clear, clean and crisp.
  
  But, no. He had to keep adding stuff.
  
  What of the departed's strange child, left in the care of a woman with an aluminum leg? Who is the mysterious woman in the bar? Why does the government seem to be the enemy? Who's the grizzled Viet Nam vet who seems determined to bring our hero down?
  
  As if this wasn't enough, Baldacci starts with the red herrings.
  
  Why did the secondary character end up at the bottom of his bathtub? What does the leader of the think tank have to do with the drowning? What is going on at the Naval Reserve just across the river? Can the think tank crack an ancient code? Will they be able to create an atomic computer? Will a treasure chest full of gold and jewels ever be found?
  
  The final question here is: Who cares?
  
  Baldacci is better than this. "Simple Genius" is a perfect example of overkill (pun intended): Too many plots; too many twists; too many red herrings that leave the reader with a colossal headache from trying to keep up with it all.
  
  Blech.
  
  
• Reasonably entertaining page turner
  By A20VXF9DYI0I6H on 2007-06-17
  Simple Genius is a little cluttered and a little clunky but Baldacci does a reasonable job of building action and suspense and, despite myself, I found myself turning pages.
  
  The novel's downfall lies primarily in the pointless diversions from the principle plot. The principal plot involves the investigation into the mysterious death of a scientist whose body is found on the grounds of a secret CIA facility called Camp Peary.
  
  The diversions both involve Michelle Maxwell, a former Secret Service agent. Michelle has an apparent `death wish' and her reckless behavior lands her in a psychiatric facility. Subplot #1 involves Michelle sneaking around hallways after `lights out' when she becomes suspicious of one of the staff on the ward. Subplot #2 involves delving into her troubled past to find out why she is a self destructive slob. The funny business on the ward is pretty dumb and its only purpose seems to be to give Michelle something to do during the first part of the novel while her partner Sean is investigating the strange events at Camp Peary. As for unlocking the key to Michelle's psyche and finding out what childhood trauma made her the mentally unstable woman she is today - it just didn't interest me. I would have enjoyed Simple Genius a little more if Baldacci had stayed focused on the CIA story line.
  
  As for the main plot - it's a little far fetched but it kept me turning pages. There are some plot holes and a few developments that are hard to believe. For example, why would the killers leave the scientist's dead body on CIA property when they could easily have made him disappear, or at least tossed him on the other side of the river? Having the body found in Camp Peary resulted in nosy investigators like Sean and Michelle stumbling onto all sorts of things they were never meant to see. Michelle and Sean have to make some pretty huge leaps in deductive reasoning to connect the dots and solve the mysteries at Camp Peary but if you are willing to overlook a few things, this is a reasonably entertaining ride.
  
  
  
• Simple Story, Complex Mystery
  By A1VG0K8BQDDJH9 on 2007-05-18
  The Good News is that Sean and Michelle are back, and I hope they are here to stay! Enough with the Camels. Anyway, Simple Genius is a good mystery and NOT a thriller. It is well written and keeps the reader engaged. There is plenty of action but it is generally low keyed and NOT the focus of the story. The plot is actually twofold; a mystery of why different physicists were killed, and what is the deep psychological trauma that haunts Michelle?
  The main thesis is what is going on at Babbage Town and why are elite mathematicians and physicists dying? What earth shattering concepts are they working on; and what is the connection between Babbage Town and the main CIA training facility known as the "Farm", located just across the York River in Virginia? The deeper Sean and Michelle probe, the more layers upon layers of disinformation and mystery they encounter.
  Add to the main thesis Michelle's secret, deep psychological childhood mystery and you have several intersecting stories that collide in an amazing finish.
  Mr. Baldacci does a good job keeping the reader involved and he should stick to this kind of storyline. I hope the relationship between Sean and Michelle is developed in future novels. Generally, character development was better in this book than in his past efforts and I hope he takes Sean and Michelle to the next level; they deserve it.
  No gratuitous language, violence, or sex. Good solid read and recommended to take along on that Summer vacation.
  
  
• With links to foreign countries, clandestine meetings and post-9/11 jitters all wrapped up into a blockbuster plot
  By A2F6N60Z96CAJI on 2007-05-30
  Something is very wrong at Camp Peary, a secure CIA facility in Virginia, and it's not just the dead body found there. The victim, a physicist working across the river in a compound called Babbage Town, appears to have trespassed on sensitive ground. The CIA could have simply claimed national security as a reason for the shooting, and no one would have questioned their actions. So why has PI Sean King been hired to investigate and decide between suicide and murder? And what was the scientist doing at Camp Peary in the first place? His job was in Babbage Town, working on some highly secret computer applications that they claim could change the world. Camp Peary and Babbage Town seem to have nothing in common.
  
  Sean's partner, Michelle Maxwell (from SPLIT SECOND and HOUR GAME), is fighting big demons, big enough to take her down --- and soon. She has spiraled out of control in what looked like a personal death wish. While Sean is helping her to get well, he lands the Camp Peary case. It will not only pay some very demanding bills but will mightily test his skills, especially without Michelle to back him up.
  
  Sean isn't at Babbage Town long before he notices a whole lot of strange behavior and way more activity in the middle of the night than makes sense. While the scientists can theoretically work around the clock, there is just too much sneaking around and too many furtive glances to be explained as normal behavior. And couple that with his employer having second thoughts about his very presence in Babbage Town and Sean's suspicion radar goes wild. Then another death occurs, and that tips the scales in favor of murder. A suicide and a fatal accident within that short a time span just doesn't fly with Sean. But the question remains: Why?
  
  He longs to bounce ideas off Michelle, but she is still grappling with her issues, at least one of which threatens to unravel her entire life at any time. Her explosive instability puts them both at high risk that could end with disastrous results. Sean resigns himself to waiting for her doctor to drive out the insidious sickness. He fears it may take a long time.
  
  His wait is much shorter than he expects, because Michelle decides she can handle whatever is eating at her and heads down to join her partner. Not only does she find Sean working on some thorny problems, while thoroughly annoying some folks in high places, but the victim's autistic daughter needs special attention. After all, her father is gone and her entire universe has been turned upside down. Not a good scenario for a savant.
  
  As a nasty storm is brewing in the area, Sean and Michelle finally decode the clues they have uncovered and implement a plan to solve the murders, for they have come to the conclusion that they both most certainly are murders. But the motives are almost too fantastic to believe.
  
  With links to foreign countries, clandestine meetings and post-9/11 jitters all wrapped up into a blockbuster plot, David Baldacci's SIMPLE GENIUS is no simple read. Just a great one.
  
  --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
  
  
  
• Simple Genius: simple escapism
  By A1DYMH30TSRONY on 2007-06-02
  I enjoyed this novel: the pace was quick and the plot was undemanding. The characters were interesting without being intriguing and, in short, this novel provided a welcome diversion during a demanding week.
  
  The novel is action-filled and easy to read. A great way to spend a few hours.
  
  Recommended. I'm currently reading 'Hour Game' in which the characters of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell also feature.
  
  Jennifer Cameron-Smith
  
  
• terrible balachi
  By A2DQ71ORCOZ8KY on 2007-04-30
  I am great fan of this author but found Simple
  Genius not up to his usual speed. Terrible plot and I was so disgusted I put it in book
  exchange pile. He can do much better.
  
  
• Baldacci strikes again!
  By A3UUPG7UD2G5GP on 2007-06-04
  Ingredients for an exciting read: Numbers. Codes. Secrets. CIA. FBI. DEA. Good guys--maybe. Bad guys--maybe. Add a dash of intrigue, drama and a smattering of sexual tease. Blend former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. Serve with crisp writing and expectation. Results: another David Baldacci thriller.
  Simple Genius is at times a scary book. Getting deeper into to the story--actually being drawn into it--one might wonder just how much goes on with the secret doings of government.
  At the beginning, there are two stories being told. Michelle is going through some serious personal issues that push her to the brink of self destruction. Her partner, Sean, arranges to have her cared for. This includes voluntarily admitting herself to a special care facility--we don't want to call it a nut house, although she might. While there, she busts a drug operation. Finally tiring of being analyzed and dealing with psychobabble, she checks herself out to help Sean who needs all the help he can get.
  A scientist from a super secret clandestine laboratory has been found dead on an equally sensitive CIA installation across the river. Sean is sent to investigate what is called a suicide. It isn't long before he is involved with mathematicians, physicists, spies and field agents in battle gear.
  A brilliant young girl is turned into a human code desperately trying to give clues to her father's death in the only way she knows: numbers. Trying to solve the crime opens doors on things long hidden and unknown.
  Early on, Sean's investigation is complicated because of his concern about partner and friend Michelle who is dealing with her own childhood demons after almost fulfilling a death wish.
  As the story unfolds, Sean--later joined by Michelle--soon becomes mired into a world unfamiliar to him. Inhabitants of Babbage Town are all geniuses who live, work and talk numbers, codes and quantum computers. Across the York River are the spooks. Camp Peary Naval Reservation is a highly secure CIA installation where unscheduled darkened big jets land in the late hours. This is where one of the Babbage Town geniuses is found dead.
  Sean King and Michelle Maxwell carry out the plot with agility and enough action to keep any Baldacci fan turning pages.
  Baldacci's writing style is fast paced and Simple Genius is another example of that style. At the same time, he deftly weaves intrigue and suspected (suspected?) government shenanigans. At any moment, one might expect the Camel Club--Baldacci's ex-operative characters who appear again in a soon-to-be-released new novel--to pop into the scene.
  A lawyer, David Baldacci succeeds in writing stories outside his profession. This makes for a refreshing and entertaining read.
  Caution: Don't read the Author's Note at the end of the book before you read the novel. If you do, you'll have Sean King, Michelle Maxwell and the Camel Club boys knocking at your door.
  
  
  
• Don't Waste Your Time or Money
  By A3Q697AZTSOWTO on 2007-07-19
  Baldacci has put his publisher's (or his own) deadline ahead of a new and plausible plot. The stories of hidden, sinister or rogue government agencies is so worn by now, I couldn't believe the same guy that wrote Absolute Power would produce such an inane and copycat book. I guess in the world of writing to a publishing drop-dead date, this is what we get. He has been a gifted writer but I will not be taken in again. No more Baldacci for me.
  
  
• not his best
  By A3NFP78MGDC6ZC on 2007-05-09
  i loved the subject material but it did not keep my attention
  
  
• Very Disappointing
  By A3LALR8PSNGG9W on 2007-05-15
  Definitely not up to Baldacci standards...convoluted subplots, corny dialogue and shallow characterizations. Michelle and Sean did not even seem like the same characters from previous novels. VERY Disappointing
  
  
• Not up to past efforts
  By A1O3SIR5J1I329 on 2007-05-21
  Baldacci is falling into the trap so many other fine authors have done in recent years....produce,produce, produce whether you have a good story or not! He simply did not match his other recent efforts in this book....trite, anti-CIA, and not at all plausible! A terrific story-teller needs to get back his prior standards.
  
  
• Hard to put down
  By AHLZRSA3VPP1H on 2007-05-29
  I'm going to go against the norm of recent review here, and say I loved this book. I really had trouble putting it down. During the first part of the book, the Michelle/Horatio storyline worked better for me than the Babbage Town/Camp Peary storyline set-up. Once the storylines merged, the book really became a page-turner. I even continued reading in the middle of a sleepless night, something I never do.
  
  I've always like the characters of Sean and Michelle. I found Michelle's backstory compelling. The characters have a unique bond that is outside of sexual chemistry which is the norm for male/female pairings. The plot was far-fetched, but somehow it worked for me. I don't always look for realism in novels as long as the basic premise is believable on some level.
  
  
• Simply Boring
  By ACDB2RGVBVH9X on 2007-06-07
  I've read every one of David Baldacci's books and enjoyed them immensely. I was so looking forward to the Sean and Michelle characters involved in another adventure. I've decided David Baldacci did not write this book. It's boring and simply idiotic. I found myself plodding through thinking at some point it would improve, but to no avail. The plot, if you can call it a plot, was so stupid I found myself continually rolling my eyes while reading the book. I could not wait for it to end. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!
  
  
• insult to my intellegence
  By AJXYLMZH2ZMUG on 2007-05-03
  I am a big fan of Baldacci, but this one was a tremendous letdown. It was so bad tat i left it on the airplane. If you had a negative star rating system this would be a negative 5
  
  
• Simple Genius
  By A3VMCKYN22X0CO on 2007-05-08
  I found this novel to be filled with both intrigue and suspense. With its cast of characters and fast paced plotting it's a winner. No disappointment with this reader.
  The very talented author has come through again.
  
  Highly recommended.
  
  

• Stone Cold
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• The 6th Target
• Invisible Prey
• The Woods