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| Plot Summary of The Simple Truth |
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"Another interesting suspense thriller from David Baldacci that keeps you on tenderhooks in a tightly woven suspense till the very end. Plots involving relentless investigation seem to be David's forte. The way he develops and etches the main characters is worth appreciating, even the minor and peripheral characters also stand out sharply.
John Fiske, a cop turned lawyer, is suddenly summoned by police to identify the body of his estranged brother Mike, purportedly killed by robbers. Sara Evans, a colleague and close associate of Mike is shocked at this tragedy. She remembers having seen Mike dazed and distracted a few days before his death and also had seen an appeal addressed to Supreme Court by a prisoner in Mike's possession which seems to have a sinister connection to Mike's death.
Sara and John decide to join hands to unravel the truth. Thus begins a tale of meticulous investigation which is not only protracted, exciting but also dangerous and violent. A group of powerful people wants to suppress the truth contained in an appeal filed by a soldier incarcerated in a military prison for last 25 years. The climax leads to surprise unraveling of the mastermind behind the conspiracy.
In course of the story, David analyses and catalogues the power games in Supreme Court as well as in the entire judicial system. The racial prejudice seems to dominate the American psyche, especially in the law enforcement.
Interwoven is a subtle string of romance between Sara and John that provides welcome relief from the tension.
We come across a strange event of full bench of 9 judges hearing a case, and the counsels are rarely given a chance to speak because a junior judge and the Chief Justice are arguing vociferously for and against the case in full public view! Does something like this ever happen?
This apart, it is an interesting book and a good entertainer for a dull weekend. I also chanced to read " Saving Grace" by same author, I don't find it worth writing home about.
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r b siddhanti, Resident Scholar
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"The Simple Truth is about a young, black conscripted soldier, Rufus Harms, who was jailed for brutally killing a schoolgirl. Yet, after twenty five hard years of imprisonment, a stray letter from the US army reveals new facts about the night of the murder and the evil secret shared by some of Washington's most powerful men. Harms seizes his one chance to life and freedom. But within hours the only people who knew about the appeal have been hunted down and eliminated. As the unknown assassins close in on Harms, ex-cop turned criminal attorney John Fiske is drawn into the web. His younger brother is already a victim, the woman he loves is under threat. "
sudhir kontham, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Simple Truth |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 50%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 50%
Special suspect?
- investigator him/herself
Murder of certain profession?
- lawyer creatures
Kind of investigator
- hard boiled/private eye
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- minority/women/homosexual issues
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- bulging muscles
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an organization
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
Eccentric:
Yes
- wild
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
- an above average amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- government bureaucracy
- evil politicians
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Misc setting
- prison
- fort/military installation
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 5-7
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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