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.

The Fix
by David Baldacci
Series: Amos Decker #3
Published by Macmillan
on April 20th 2017
Source: PanMacmillan
Genres: Thriller / Suspense
ISBN: 1447277821, 9781447277828
Pages: 432

Goodreads

Amos Decker witnesses a murder just outside FBI headquarters. A man shoots a woman execution style on a crowded sidewalk, then turns the gun on himself.

Even with Decker's extraordinary powers of observation and deduction, the killing is baffling. Decker and his team can find absolutely no connection between the shooter - a family man with a successful consulting business - and his victim, a schoolteacher. Nor is there a hint of any possible motive for the attack.

Enter Harper Brown. An agent of the Defense Intelligence Agency, she orders Decker to back off the case. The murder is part of an open DIA investigation, one so classified that Decker and his team aren't cleared for it.

But they learn that the DIA believes solving the murder is now a matter of urgent national security. Critical information may have been leaked to a hostile government - or, worse, an international terrorist group - and an attack may be imminent.

Decker's never been one to follow the rules, especially with the stakes so high. Forced into an uneasy alliance with Agent Brown, Decker remains laser focused on only one goal: solving the case before it's too late.

Memory Man was one of my favourite books of 2015. Although I enjoyed The Last Mile I didn’t find it quite as appealing in the addictive way I felt about number one (and now) number three.

I recall being a little confused in book two as we met new players and those I thought I knew disappeared. Kinda. I have to admit I couldn’t really remember anyone other than Amos, but vaguely recalled former Alex Jamison… the former journalist, so was glad she was still around. And… it was nice to see Melvin Mars return for an encore appearance after meeting the former prisoner in our last outing.

I again felt terribly enamoured with Amos (and I’m not necessarily attracted to the wounded bird types!) and Baldacci again struck that balance of having the ‘memory man’* demonstrate his personality, compassion and street smarts all while still struggling to regain any awareness of his social ineptitude. I know I said this in my review of book one, but I kinda like the quirkiness.

Baldacci kept the action coming in this latest novel. The plot itself was interesting and offered up layer after layer and the narrative was well-paced. As I wasn’t able to finish it in one sitting I got up early the next morning to do so. (And I am NOT a morning person!)

I struggled a little with a leap or two in logic, and note I’ve said the same thing before, but I’m really enjoying where Baldacci’s taking the characters. Alex and Amos become flatmates in this outing and spend a lot of time reassuring the other they’ve got their backs and I’m wondering if there will eventually be some romance between the pair.

The Fix by David Baldacci will be published in Australia by Pan Macmillan and available from 20 April 2017. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

* To recap for newcomers, Amos sustained a brain injury while playing football 20+yrs earlier which means he ‘suffers’ from synesthesia and hyperthymesia. The latter means he has perfect recall.