Rating: 
Summary: read it in 4 hours...
Review: okay I read this book in four hours (waiting to get my car serviced)...so it's a readble read. Unfortunately this doesn't quite reflect the quality of the book. I like david baldacci so this review is biased in his favor!In parts it is very good and a real page turner (particularly in first half!). Other parts (closer toward the end) are really dumb and ruin the story. Personally I don't know why author's use the lame twists they do other than to get themselves out of situations they got themselves into it and don't know how to unravel properly, rather than just taking shortcuts. Here: shortcuts! SO this is a reasonable but ultimately terribly flawed and weak effort. Some of the characters are quite strong: the two leads in particular- when they are not doing dumb things. I love the character device: okay I've worked out the mystery but rather than tell somebody I'll go do some REALLY dangerous so I might get killed and then nobody else knows the mystery- that gets a run here...it's like please! Give me a break...And I swear given the conclusions some of the people reach on the flimsiest of evidence...must have an IQ of 180...how many federal agents have an IQ of 180? But the next turn they do something that a kid with an IQ of 80 wouldn't do...where's the consistency? If you gonna use a genius, keep them a genius, likewise if they are a gumby...It's poor writing... Nevertheless...might be an idea to wait for the paperback or visit the library...Not his best effort by far.
Rating: 
Summary: Baldacci Just Gets Better with Each Book
Review: Secret Service Agent Sean King looked away for a split second, the assassin shot, the candidate died and King's career with the service was over. Eight years later agent Michelle Maxwell let another presidential candidate out of her sight to comfort a grieving widow and the candidate disappeared into thin air. Maxwell believes there is a similarity between what happened to her and King eight years earlier. She goes to King, an attorney now, but he doesn't want to be drawn into the case, however when his law partner is murdered, he decides to help. He and Maxwell work well together and the ... tension builds as the they work with and against the FBI agents investigating the cases. Also, King's former lover, Joan Dillinger, who runs an investigative agency has been hired to find Maxwell's missing candidate, so now there are two woman competing for King's attention as they work to unravel what happened eight years ago and how it connects to the current disappearance. SPLIT SECOND is already a bestseller and my guess it's going to be on the top ten list for a long time and it gets five stars from me. Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Rating:
Summary: NOT BALDACCI'S BEST
Review: The love triangle is the most interesting part of this book. The rest of the book has so many twists and turns that I wonder if trying to surprise the reader was the main purpose of the book instead of telling a great story. You will definitely read the entire book once you start, but may be disappointed when it is over. This is my least favorite book by David Baldacci, my favorite being The Simple Truth.
Rating:
Summary: What Book Did You Read?
Review: I liked the book. I liked Mr. Baldacci's previous efforts better. Let's face it success in some ways is a curse. For a writer, there suddenly is the pressure of creating the next best seller. Granted it is the type of problem we would all like to face, but never the less, Mr. Baldacci would like to spend some of that money he has made and frankly it is hard to blame him. So he cuts a few corners and rushes a book to market to make his editors and public happy. This is not a unique story and certainly not the first time it has occured. Give him a break, the book is still better than most things on the market, a great plot, believable characters, an element of sexual tension that move things along to a conclussion that is a bit tough to believe, but works. I must say that I didn't even pick up on the dialogue problems, that many reviewers complained about. Perhaps I was just enjoying a pleasurable read!
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't finish it, and I read 3 books a week
Review: I never got interested in the characters, they didn't seem real and the plot wasn't believable. Plus, almost everybody gets bumped off or kidnapped as soon as they are introduced. The great mystery of the "elevator distraction" was a big plot flop and I found it to be annoying. I couldn't understand why we had the reason for that fatal distraction withheld until so late in the book. The only reason the main character (an ex-secret service agent) is a lawyer is because that's what Balducci writes about. This book is a who dunnit, but I never cared who dunnit. It seems to be the result of the pressure put on successful authors to crank out more books.
Rating: 
Summary: Split Second
Review: I love all of David Baldacci's books, but this is one of my favorites. With its unique plot, typical Baldacci timing, and excellent writing, this "can't put it down" novel will keep you glued to every page. Highly recommended. Also recommended: BARK OF THE DOGWOOD by McCrae
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good read
Review: A split second is all it takes for two Secret Service agents to end up with ruined careers. The first incident involves Sean King who is distracted momentarily while protecting a presidential candidate who is then killed. The second involves another presidential candidate who is out of sight of Agent Michelle Maxwell just long enough to be kidnapped. The two former agents join forces to try to find out who is behind these incidents. The plot becomes convoluted and complex as many people seem to have a motive for masterminding the kidnapping and the murder, but nothing seems to tie the two together. A third person enters the picture as King's former lover Joan joins the investigation. Baldacci is a slick writer and he knows how to weave a web of plot and then to unravel it when the moment is right. The ending does stretch credibility, but suspending disbelief has its rewards in an entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: Scorching plot...Average climax
Review: Like many of the reviewers here, I too have an affinity for "all books Baldacci." And, while I admit Mr. Baldacci has penned a few a novels which stand alone, I cannot bring myself to say his new offering, SPLIT SECOND, is not a thrilling, fun read. Baldacci has an impressive skill of weaving subplots in and out of his storyline controlling the reader's focus until he decides to change directions...typically in mid-thought. This skill is what makes Baldacci an up-and-coming star in the literary field. And while SPLIT SECOND won't rival TOTAL CONTROL or ABSOLUTE POWER, it is a book well worth it's price. As in several of his other books, Baldacci spins the storyline of SPLIT SECOND around the Secret Service. Baldacci links two crimes separated by eight years and brings together two publicly disgraced Secret Service agents to solve their respective mysteries. Eight years earlier, Agent Sean King was guarding a presidential candidate and took his eyes off the candidate for a split second, a split second that changed King's life forever and ended the life of the candidate. Current day...Agent Michelle Maxwell allows a presidential candidate to override the Service's chief mandate of never losing track of a subject. The result, while not as final as King's, is just as disastrous...Maxwell's subject is kidnapped. Unbeknownst to King and Maxwell, these two agents lives will become linked by two separate and ostensibly unrelated crimes all due to a "split second" hesitation. One candidate is dead, the other missing, and two careers are seemingly trashed. Though she's been put on leave and publicly vilified, Maxwell is determined to find her missing candidate. The similarity between what happened to her and King's situation eight years earlier leads her to believe there could be a link, or at least clues to assist her in solving the crime. In the meantime, King has used the proceeds of a libel lawsuit to go to law school, become a successful small-town attorney, and live a quiet, solemn life. That quiet life ends when King is reluctantly drawn into the intrigue of Maxwell's case and, his own. Joining the cast of characters and adding wrinkle to wrinkle is Joan Dillinger, King's former lover and Secret Service partner. Dillinger now runs an international investigative agency and has been privately hired to find Maxwell's missing candidate. As the plot twists through one dead end after another, the subplot involving the two women vying for King's affection thickens. This, as always, throws additional emotional baggage on King as he tries to close the unclosable case. With unexpected twists known to Baldacci readers, the storyline throws curve after curve spinning this thriller toward its climax. With SPLIT SECOND, Baldacci proves himself adroit in combining his storyline with poignant, tight subplots, developing deep, interesting characters, and providing "edge-of-your-seat" action leaving the reader thirsting for more. And, while the climax may not have been up to the quality of the storyline, this is an excellent read and is highly recommended by this reviewer.
Rating:
Summary: Baldacci bags another win!
Review: Secret service agent Sean King will never forget the day a presidential candidate he was guarding is gunned down. Eight years later another agent, Michelle Maxwell find herself in the same hot water when the candidate in her charge disappears. She seeks out King to help her unravel the mystery. The narrative that follows is filled with unexpected danger as it becomes unclear as to who is tracking whom. As usual with Baldacci's plots it is hard to figure out who is the pursued and who is the pursuer. Another hit for this talented author.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge, Ruth Fever and Jena's Choice.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling and well-written
Review: I agree with another reviewer that the best aspect of this book is the love triangle--steamy! My only hesitation with this work was that a few of the twists and turns didn't need to be there--there were enough to keep your interest and a few less might have been less of a distraction. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a page turner. Would also recommend another book I read recently called "The Bark of the Dogwood."
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