Pledge to Protect Orphaned Teen Brings Danger to the 6:20 Man in New Baldacci

To Die For by David Baldacci

Trouble always seems to find Travis Devine, former Army Captain and Wall Street trader, and now a member of a stealth sub-group of Homeland Security. In To Die For (Grand Central Publishing) the third installment of David Baldacci’s 6:20 Man series, trouble comes in a small package. Devine is assigned to supervise visitation between Betsy Odom, an orphaned 12-year-old under FBI protection, and her rich, criminal uncle Danny Glass. Glass is eager to adopt his niece, but the government, Devine, and even Betsy, are suspicious of his motives. 

Glass is presently under federal investigation for RICO charges in Seattle, and the feds’ witnesses against Glass have been dropping dead, nearly foiling their case. With his vast criminal empire and connections, Glass is capable of masterminding any criminal plot imaginable, and not getting caught. Betsy, who may have knowledge about her uncle’s criminal activities, is the last person standing, and she is confused about whether she wants to be adopted by a man she barely knows.

Mysterious Deaths to Investigate

Glass and Devine were old army buddies, so the higher-ups decide Devine is ripe for the babysitting job, just in case Betsy has a target on her back. Recently, Betsy’s parent died under mysterious circumstances. The police claim it was an overdose, but Betsy denies the allegations. She, her parents’ friends, and Devine believe her uncle may have ordered the hit, but to what end? Are the police covering up the Odom’s death and why?

When an ex-con named Perry Rollins offers to sell Devine dirt on Glass, Rollins also turns up dead. Are Glass and his thugs responsible for his death, too? What was Rollins going to reveal about Glass? And why is Glass important to the feds? Is there a larger play at hand being hidden from Devine?

At the heart of the plot, Devine is on the hunt for how Betsy’s parents died and the reason why Glass is desperate to adopt his niece. The investigation throughout the Northwest is interrupted when bullets fly in his direction. “The Girl on the Train”, an old nemesis from a prior book, reappears with an unsatisfied vengeance for Devine. She wants him dead, and her mad marksmanship and surveillance skills have him on edge. Is GOTT a substitute for Glass, and how can Devine possibly protect himself while trying to safeguard Betsy at the same time?

Blurs Lines Between Good and Evil

Baldacci’s To Die For is a fast paced thriller, which zooms along at the speed of a Japanese Bullet Train. The action is non-stop, the dialogue is crisp, and the characters are equally likeable and unlikeable. It is easy to discover who’s wearing the black hats, or is it? The deeper the reader delves into the intricate story, the more the lines are blurred between the good guys and the evil ones.

Baldacci does an excellent job in fleshing out Devine’s softer side in having a teenager in his charge. At first, he feels ill-equipped to handle the grieving girl, but as their bond grows, Devine matures. He empathizes with Betsy’s fears and needs, overcomes his own discomforts, and vows, if necessary, to lay down his life for Betsy. While he swears to keep Betsy out of harm’s way, is it even possible when the government, Glass and GOTT are involved? Are Devine and Betsy sitting ducks without anyone to protect them?

To Die For is pure fun. It’s a quick read that sucks the reader in from page one and never lets go. Let’s hope Baldacci never lets Travis Devine hop off the 6:20 train.