Helpful Score: 1
Having no experience with David Baldacci's writing, I really had no expectations starting this book. It began slowly and I thought it was going to be the first of a series that I didn't desperately need to obtain. About 1/3 of the way into the story, I was enthralled. Really twisting, detailed and unique storyline and a main character I was really pulling for by the end. Anxiously (desperately) looking for the rest of the Decker series!
Helpful Score: 1
Good read
I agree it was different. But still I could not put it down waiting to find out who did it was and why. Don't think you'll be disappointed.The characters grow on you and mellow out a bit.
Excellent book! 9 1/2 out of 10
Suspenseful, but the story line turns out to be very, very bizarre, and I did not find the main character appealing. Seemed to me like Baldacci was trying too hard to write something "different."
Very good book, love the new character Amos Decker, can't wait to read more about him. Thrills a minute, a great introduction to a character who has lots of way to write more!
I'm so glad I got this from the library very quickly, I thought it was very well written, liked the characters and hope for more on them in coming books
I had a hard time putting this down for any reason, it does not drag and does not have unnecessary descriptions to skim over, the story flows from chapter to chapter to keep you turning the pages faster to see what happens next
Excellent!
I had a hard time putting this down for any reason, it does not drag and does not have unnecessary descriptions to skim over, the story flows from chapter to chapter to keep you turning the pages faster to see what happens next
Excellent!
Good read
Baldacci's new character, Amos Decker, is unique, and the whole time I was reading the book, I could feel his pain, frustration, and anxiety. From the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't wait to turn the page. He makes it easy to visualize the scenes and put yourself right there in the room when things are happening, feeling the feelings Decker feels, experiencing the same let downs he does, and rooting for the good guy. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Kick off to the Amos Decker series. Amos was injured in football and now has total recall of everything that's ever happened to him. His wife & child were murdered so he quit the police force & went to seed. All of the sudden someone confesses to the murders and the mystery is on. Assisting his former partner in the police dept and the FBI to solve a school shooting that ties in with his family's murder. Too much recall information playing in his head like a DVR and a ridiculous trail to the murderers. Gender identity, disguises, accents, blueprints in his mind. Just wasn't my type of book and I won't continue the series
good book
Ok not my favorite Baldacci book
great book!
MEMORY MAN was picked as the April 2016 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove. Unfortunately, all I can say is this story was a convoluted, plodding mess.
No, actually, that's not all...
It opens with the gruesome murders of three people, yet somehow there's no emotional connection to any of it. The narrative is also mind-numbingly repetitive, telling you over and over and over again 1) how fat and bulky Amos Decker is, and 2) how much like a DVR his perfect memory is. Seriously. Ad nauseam. (Drinking game for the number of times 'DVR' is printed in this book!)
The resolution, when you finally find out who the killer is, is not only far-fetched and implausible, but utterly laughable and just insults the intelligence of anyone beyond a high school or average level of intelligence (which unfortunately excludes much of the commercial audience :-(.
I didn't enjoy anything about this story. For a police procedural/mystery, it's so poorly constructed that you can essentially read the first chapter, then jump to the last and save yourself a lot of wasted time. The commercial audience is generally impressed with a household name author's clever ideas alone vs. a clever execution of those ideas, and so despite its commercial raves, we can see that MEMORY MAN is definitely not a 'thinking person's' story.
I really hate to say it, but I have to give MEMORY MAN a D. It's definitely not memorable and unless you're one who plans on continuing the series you probably won't remember it in 2.5 seconds...yeah, already forgot. :)
No, actually, that's not all...
It opens with the gruesome murders of three people, yet somehow there's no emotional connection to any of it. The narrative is also mind-numbingly repetitive, telling you over and over and over again 1) how fat and bulky Amos Decker is, and 2) how much like a DVR his perfect memory is. Seriously. Ad nauseam. (Drinking game for the number of times 'DVR' is printed in this book!)
The resolution, when you finally find out who the killer is, is not only far-fetched and implausible, but utterly laughable and just insults the intelligence of anyone beyond a high school or average level of intelligence (which unfortunately excludes much of the commercial audience :-(.
I didn't enjoy anything about this story. For a police procedural/mystery, it's so poorly constructed that you can essentially read the first chapter, then jump to the last and save yourself a lot of wasted time. The commercial audience is generally impressed with a household name author's clever ideas alone vs. a clever execution of those ideas, and so despite its commercial raves, we can see that MEMORY MAN is definitely not a 'thinking person's' story.
I really hate to say it, but I have to give MEMORY MAN a D. It's definitely not memorable and unless you're one who plans on continuing the series you probably won't remember it in 2.5 seconds...yeah, already forgot. :)
I really enjoyed the main character this first book in the (new) series "Amos Decker". He has some unique talent(s) that really help with his detective skills, and it will be interesting to see future stories with this in mind. A good page-turner.
This is a good book that will keep you guessing until the end.
Book Description
Amos Decker's life changed forever--twice.
The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to go pro. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field for good, and left him with an improbable side effect--he can never forget anything.
The second time was at home nearly two decades later. Now a police detective, Decker returned from a stakeout one evening and entered a nightmare--his wife, young daughter, and brother-in-law had been murdered.
His family destroyed, their killer's identity as mysterious as the motive behind the crime, and unable to forget a single detail from that horrible night, Decker finds his world collapsing around him. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds up on the street, taking piecemeal jobs as a private investigator when he can.
But over a year later, a man turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murders. At the same time a horrific event nearly brings Burlington to its knees, and Decker is called back in to help with this investigation. Decker also seizes his chance to learn what really happened to his family that night. To uncover the stunning truth, he must use his remarkable gifts and confront the burdens that go along with them. He must endure the memories he would much rather forget. And he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
MEMORY MAN will stay with you long after the turn of the final page.
My Review
This is the first book in the Amos Decker series. It is a tale of redemption and revenge with a shocking beginning. An exciting plot with well-drawn characters lead to a satisfying climax. I found the main character of Amos Decker to be rather unique and interesting. This book held my interest until the very end. I look forward to reading the next in the series. If you enjoy Baldacci's writing, I'm sure you'll enjoy this new series featuring Amos Decker.
Amos Decker's life changed forever--twice.
The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to go pro. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field for good, and left him with an improbable side effect--he can never forget anything.
The second time was at home nearly two decades later. Now a police detective, Decker returned from a stakeout one evening and entered a nightmare--his wife, young daughter, and brother-in-law had been murdered.
His family destroyed, their killer's identity as mysterious as the motive behind the crime, and unable to forget a single detail from that horrible night, Decker finds his world collapsing around him. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds up on the street, taking piecemeal jobs as a private investigator when he can.
But over a year later, a man turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murders. At the same time a horrific event nearly brings Burlington to its knees, and Decker is called back in to help with this investigation. Decker also seizes his chance to learn what really happened to his family that night. To uncover the stunning truth, he must use his remarkable gifts and confront the burdens that go along with them. He must endure the memories he would much rather forget. And he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
MEMORY MAN will stay with you long after the turn of the final page.
My Review
This is the first book in the Amos Decker series. It is a tale of redemption and revenge with a shocking beginning. An exciting plot with well-drawn characters lead to a satisfying climax. I found the main character of Amos Decker to be rather unique and interesting. This book held my interest until the very end. I look forward to reading the next in the series. If you enjoy Baldacci's writing, I'm sure you'll enjoy this new series featuring Amos Decker.
good one!
Great read, loved it!
I liked this new series by one of my favorite authors, who never disappoints! Amos Decker is a new kind of superhero for Baldacci, one who had a head collision on the football field leaving him with Hyperthymesia, (Individuals with hyperthymesia can recall almost every day of their lives in near perfect detail). He is an obese, down on his luck former Detective on the Police Force, who gets involved in a murder case that involves his past and present.
The story is very well done and you will have a hard time putting this book down until you finish it. I love the ending!
The story is very well done and you will have a hard time putting this book down until you finish it. I love the ending!
David Baldacci is one of my favorite authors and I am happy to see him introduce a new character series, especially a man with a unique ability; to always remember everything. My enthusiasm at the beginning of "Memory Man" waned by the end, unfortunately, and it took me awhile to figure out why. Amos Decker is an overweight, down and out ex-police detective. He is working his way back from the trauma of finding his wife and child brutally slain in their home and the following period of devolving into a homeless street bum. He just is not all that lovable. The plot revolves around his being enlisted as a civilian consultant by his former boss and working with his ex-partner to investigate a shooting spree at the local high school. Simultaneously, Decker is looking into a man who voluntarily confessed to killing his family but who turned out to be in jail at the time of the murders. The plot is intricate and convoluted, the investigation is clever and progressive, but it just seems to go on too long with too many sub-plots. I am hoping that this first installment clears away some of the complexities of Amos Decker's tragic circumstances and allows him to adopt a more conventional role that will focus on his extraordinary memory and what can be done with it. I will read the next one with high hopes for the future.
