I say it every time I review one of the books in this series by David Baldacci, but I love Amos Decker. Possibly not as much as I did when we first met him and I suspect that’s because his superpower (hyperthymesia) seems to be diminishing, or at least less obvious, along with his anti-social quirks. That’s not to say we’re getting a diluted ‘Memory Man’ now, but perhaps a more realistic one, more fallible and more reliant on his detecting skills than his perfect-recall.
I love Amos Decker. Aka the Memory Man. Walk the Wire is his 6th outing and he and his work partner, Alex Jamison contemplate here how far he’s come socially since they met.
Decades earlier—after almost dying—Decker developed hyperthymesia. Not only is he unable to forget anything but it kinda destroyed his social skills. The remainder of his will to live / ability to feel joy disappeared after the murder of his family.
I’ve made no secret of my love for Amos Decker, a character created by David Baldacci four years ago via the first novel in the series, Memory Man. It was the perfect opener because that’s exactly who and what Decker is thanks to a football injury he sustained when younger.
It left him with hyperthymesia – the inability to forget anything, as well as seeing ‘colours’ around people. The first book opened 16mths after his wife and daughter had been murdered, when former cop Decker had hit rock bottom.
Vengeance, ahem, justice awakened him however and he’s been working with the FBI since, as part of a small task force – though generally given a bit of a free rein.
I happily admitted I fell a little in love with Amos Decker when I met him in Memory Man – David Baldacci’s first book in the series featuring the man who experienced a head injury giving him perfect recall (hence the title #obvs).
The Fallen is the fourth book in the series and probably my second favourite to the original as it’s very much about Decker and his investigation skills and there’s probably less workplace / territorial game-playing in the background.
I was exceedingly tempted to leave this review until 2nd May to publish because apparently I posted my review of the first book in the Amos Decker series, Memory Man, on that date in 2015; and the second, The Last Mile on the same day last year.
But, well… what can I say? I’m impatient and couldn’t really be arsed holding off for another week or two.
What I will say however is that I seriously LOVED this book.
I’d like to pretend that I scheduled my review of The Last Mile by David Baldacci today on purpose. But alas, it’s mostly coincidence that (according to Facebook) – it’s a year ago on this very day – I posted my review of Memory Man, the first book in Baldacci’s new series featuring the quirky Amos Decker.
I adored that book and fell a little in love with Amos Decker. And neither he (nor Baldacci) have done anything in this second outing to diminish my affection.
So.. The only thing you really need to know about this book is that I LOVE AMOS DECKER!
What a fabulous new lead character David Baldacci has given us. I’ve read most of Baldacci’s previous books and series and—without a doubt—Decker is my fave protagonist. And I say this after only spending one night with him. So let’s just say…. I’m hoping for many more. *Inappropriate sexual entendre intended* 😉
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