Title:	The Hit
	Author:	David Baldacci
	Published:	2013, Grand Central Publishing
	No. of Pages:	484
	Cover Price:	$10.00 US

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Will Robie is back in David Baldacci’s The Hit, and his new assignment is to find and bring in fellow US assassin Jessica Reel, who has apparently turned to the other side; during a hit on a known terrorist who was gaining power, she killed the handler who set it up, rather than the target. It happens again to another agent, and as Will Robie is investigating and tracking Jessica, he finds her house, which is booby-trapped, and is almost killed. Jessica then attempts to murder a judge who had previously worked for their agency, but is not successful.

There is a game of cat and mouse going on between Robie and Reel, and things are not as they seem. Jessica is at one scene where Robie is nearly killed, and saves his life. He is aware of this, but isn’t sure why. At another scene, Will saves Jessica’s life. As the investigation becomes more intense, and Robie is meeting with personnel at the top, including the President, it becomes evident that there is corruption in the highest echelons of power, and Will and Jessica are at the center of the danger; the danger intensifies as they uncover clues, and expose some of the corrupt players.

The Hit is vintage Baldacci, filled with twists, turns and suspenseful scenarios. And even though the obvious hero is Robie (it is a series about him, after all), some of his decisions seem reckless when readers who know Robie have generally trusted his judgment. He is on the brink of either losing his job or being killed, and isn’t sure he can trust anyone, including his powerful superiors.

Although Robie is not supposed to care about anyone – he is an assassin, after all - he does care about a young girl, Julie, whom he saved in a previous book; because of some of his actions, he finds that he has put her in danger and wants to protect her while also trying to carry out his assignment. Some of the situations are not particularly plausible, but since this is fiction, anything goes, especially with Robie, who is somehow super human, super smart, and super lucky.

The Hit is another winner for Baldacci fans, especially since Baldacci is able to relate a spellbinding tale without graphic violence and sex. Those looking for a good thriller will enjoy this book. It is a fast read, and cements Robie’s standing as a beloved character with hopefully many more adventures to come.

This book was purchased with personal funds and no promotion of the book was solicited by the author or publisher.

This book may be purchased at Amazon: The Hit (Will Robie)