For review of all books in the Amos Decker series, go here.
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: It is still a well-written and engaging story, even though it leads to unexpected roads. Definitely not fast-paced since a lot of redundancy and droning goes on. Somehow Baldacci still managed to keep the reader gripping to the tale. That is what this makes readable!
The Fix is the third book in the Amos Decker series by David Baldacci and originally published on April 18, 2017.
The stories in this series center on Amos Decker, a detective turned private investigator who has an excellent memory, that he doesn’t forget anything and can recall things from his past and personal experiences and also everything he heard or read about in history. His condition – hyperthymesia and synesthesia – is due to the helmet-to-helmet collision with opposing team player on his very first NFL game, that almost killed him. He was revived twice which caused his brain to retain memory; and also see world in a kaleidoscope of colors and numbers. He uses his skills to catch killers as a detective first and later as a private investigator.
Amos Decker is still a consultant to FBI, but his partner Alex Jamison becomes a full agent. We see Ross and Mulligan reprise their roles in this plot, but Lisa Davenport leaves for greener pastures. A seemingly innocent plot where a man kills a woman in cold blood where there seems to be no connection between them. And a murder witnessed by the memory man himself.
And like a dog with a bone, he pursues the case until he uncovers a spy ring and also thwarts an assassination attempt. Yet he doesn’t impress the FBI and he finds himself ready to get the boot. He is forced to work with Harper Brown from Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Melvin Mars continues to be a presence saving Decker and aiding him where needed. This is not a simple tale as it seems leading Amos Decker down a path that opens doors to unexpected avenues. There is still a lot of paraphrasing and repetitive scenes and scenarios that we could have gotten away with it and still have a decent story. It is unusual for Baldacci’s books since I read a few of his novels in a different series. Perhaps to show Decker’s synesthesia and hyperthymesia, he had to take this approach.
Decker still remains a fat agent as he describes himself. He continues to be very human with real emotions as opposed to having a god-like figure and overtly rich as shown in many TV shows. This was the one of the saving graces that made me give 3 stars. I see a lot of football euphemisms included in the plot and also different plays that they use on football. We read a lot of history about FBI and also DIA.
It is still a well-written and engaging story, even though it leads to unexpected roads. Definitely not fast-paced since a lot of redundancy and droning goes on. Somehow Baldacci still managed to keep the reader gripping to the tale. That is what this makes readable!
Spoiler Alerts:
Plot Reveals:
1) Melvin buys up buildings in DC and refurbishes them and makes it affordable for low-income folks. He partners with Alex, and Decker becomes her roommate as she oversees these buildings
2) Melvin and Harper Brown date in this plot.
Sub Plots:
1. FBI Joint Task Force – Special Agent Ross Bogart; “Alex” Jamison, FBI consultant.; Todd Milligan;
2. Amos Decker’s family and friends: His dead family – Cassandra “Cassie” his wife, Molly his daughter and Johnny his brother-in-law; he has two sisters too with spouses and kids.
Galavant Reflections 