The Whole Truth, by David Baldacci (Read by Ron McLarty)
When is the truth really the truth? After this story is over, you'll be wondering if world situations are what they seem or if they're fabrications that money can be used to create. The Whole Truth is about a billionaire using great sums of money to set up situations that cause major conflicts to occur between nations. Taking Russia and China to the brink of war, of course, means that his arms company can sell his products -- weapons of mass destruction -- to all countries that fear attack. Billionaire Nicholas Creel hires perception manager Dick Pender to plant false information via the Internet and create the impression that war is about to break out. The good guys in this thriller are A Shaw (no first name), an operative for a shadowy international agency, and Katie James, a disgraced journalist whose reputation has been tarnished because of alcoholism.
Baldacci has written an international thriller with enough references to current world conditions to make the listener wonder if he has inside information about covert government operations. There can be little doubt that corporations, government and the media employ perception mangers to control public opinions. The listener will be amazed at how easy it seems to be able to use outright lies to create "facts" that are believed to be the truth.
Although this suspenseful story is full of excitement, it's also one of true love which ends in tragedy. It is made especially enjoyable by the excellent result the narrator achieves in giving life to the characters and using proper foreign accents for the various voices. As in previous novels, Baldacci proves himself to be an outstanding storyteller. The international locations in this book give an added aura of mystery and intrigue to the spellbinding tale. Listeners who want a thought-provoking, if unsettling story involving big business, rogue government agents and global terrorism will not be disappointed in Baldacci's latest audio book.
John
Mormon
5/30/08
