The Innocent: Will Robie, Book 1

Don't judge by other reviews!!!! I have thoroughly enjoyed this book from the beginning. Don't want to give anything away so I will just say it keeps you in suspence to the end and couldn't stop listening. It is the first time I have heard an audio book with sound effects, I must say they did make me jump a few times but it is not off putting but adds to the suspence. Go listen and enjoy........

I've not read any Baldacci before, so found this a real treat. the story is good with some real twists in the plot and some intriguing characters.
There is some production value to the audio with sound affects and music used sparingly, that I found a little amusing at first. But it's not long before you realise it adds tension and value to the story.
Ron's voice is great with good intonation and characterisation and Orlagh playing the female roles works well also.
A cracking production all round.

...apart from the annoying musak and awful sporadic sound effects. I read/listen to books to utilise my imagination I did not like the intrusive additional noise.

This is a fairly mundane narrative.
The writing was quite flat, the characters undeveloped, the plot utterly implausible and unconvincing, and the surprise twists were telescoped from early in the book.

The worse part was the irritating music as the "scary" bits approached and at the end of chapters. If the writing and narration aren't enough, there is something wrong.

Only small plus is that I DID finish the book to see what happened.

Dire story, dire "he said, she said" production and OTT sound effects. In a word - avoid!!!! Would give it zero but the computer says no!!!!

I am a keen Baldacci reader but this was perhaps the weakest book I remember. The last couple I have read have been based in Army CID special agent John Pullar. His investigative expertise is great and I have become used to Ron McLardy playing the part with Orlagh Cassidy playing the supporting role. The main character in this book is Will Robie who is not an investigator but an assassin. After the assassin elements are over in the first half hour, Will Robie simply becomes John Pullar. He morph's from an assassin into an ace detective / investigator and I felt Baldacci had reverted to his comfort zone and of course what he is good at after starting down the road of an assassin. This is not helped by the same narrator playing both parts. After half an hour the story would as well have been a John Pullar story. That was disappointing. The storyline is fine and the book reasonably enjoyable but certainly not a favourite.

David Baldacci is a great writer and Ron McLarty one of my favourite narrators (I have listened to lots of his readings from Recorded Books LLC) given the fine author/narrator combo what this book does not need is the awful, if not offensive, backing track. I know what a gunshot sounds like I do not need "mood" settings... If I wanted a dramatization I would order one, I want an unabridged recording... If you like your books well read and as the author intended then this is probably not for you... Shame as it's a great story ruined by a vanity project production!

I love his books. They strike a great balance between technical details of the military characters and the human side. The relationship between Robie and Julie was a great and really added to the storyline which had the usual twists and turns from one of his books. Well worth a listen! I loved it so much I used my next credit for The Forgotten which was equally good.

Baldacci is always a good read and this offering is definitely up to the mark. The sting is in the tale as U.S government assassin Will Robie sees his life go haywire as he ends up on Washington's hit list. Teenager Julie Getly is devastated by the unexplained murder of her parents. Robie picks up the trail which leads to very unexpected places. Great stuff and a great read.

Enjoyed the content and the narrator. Only stopped giving 5 as ending not quite as good as I expected. Still recommended though.