'The Innocent' by David Baldacci : plot,characters, and review

The Fallen by David Baldacci

Amos Decker is conversing with a six year old genius when he sees lights flicker in the house across the street followed by a sudden burst of flame in the window.

The next thing he knows, he is standing over two dead men in the house.

Will Decker’s eidetic memory help him to solve this case alongside his partner Alex Jamison?

David Baldacci has pulled off another enthralling masterpiece in the form of ‘The Fallen’ that has all the ingredients to spike up adrenaline as the story features not one, not two but three double homicides in a town which is on the brink of an economic crumble.

In this blog, we will dive into all you need to know and all you should know about this highly chilling, unputdownable crime fiction novel by David Baldacci.

Top characters of ‘The Fallen’

‘The Fallen’ is filled with intriguing and memorable characters, each bringing a unique dynamic to the story. Here are the 4 main characters of ‘The Fallen’-

  • Amos Decker - Amos Decker is the protagonist of the novel. He is a former Football player who suffered life-threatening injuries in the head as a result of which he got hyperthymesia, an ability to remember every single moment in sharp detail or in layman terms ‘perfect memory’ As fate would have it, he turned into a sharp detective with eidetic memory and sharp sleuthing skills. Decker, with his razor sharp intellect uncovers the dark truth of Baronville, proving why he is one of Baldacci’s most fascinating protagonists.
  • Alex Jamison - Alex Jamison is Decker’s trusted FBI partner who is intelligent, resourceful and is never afraid of challenging Decker’s methods. She understands Decker very well and balances out his blunt and obsessive nature by her emotional intelligence. Her family connection to the town of Baronville adds a personal touch to the story making her more determined to solve the mystery behind the corruption at play.
  • John Baron - John Baron is the last descendant of the once powerful Baron family which gave the town of Baronville its wealth. But now many residents of the town blame him for the town’s existing economic downfall and crimes. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that he is not the original villain of the story. His role in the story, and complicated past make him an enigmatic and complex character.
  • Marty Green - Marty Green is a local cop who appears helpful and cooperative at first but as the story progresses his true color comes out. He is linked to the corruption and drug operations rampant in the town proving the extent to which corruption is spread among the government officials. His double life and betrayal add danger and tension to the story making him one of the compelling antagonists.

Summary of ‘The Fallen’

Decker along with his partner Alex Jamison arrive in Baronville, a small town in Pennsylvania to visit Alex’s sister Amanda, her husband Frank and their daughter Zoe.

The reason behind their visit is to have a few days of downtime.

But fate has its own plans because while having a conversation with Zoe in Alex’s sister house, Decker sees flickering lights in the house across the way.

Alex and he check it out only to find two dead bodies inside - one man hanging from the ceiling and another shot in the head.

Decker with his superior memory and sleuthing abilities realizes that this crime is not a normal homicide but the crime scene is staged.

Decker investigates further with the local cops to find that there have been more murders recently with the count adding up to half a dozen, including the murders Decker witnessed, which is a highly unusual number for such a small town.

Baronville was once a thriving industrial town but is now filled with crime and poverty.

People in this town blame John Baron, the last descendant of the town’s founding father for the town’s current plight, even for the crimes but Decker is not convinced.

As Alex and Amos Decker dig deeper, they discover that a massive opioid drug operation is rampant in Baronville.

The town’s economy was largely dependent on the local mill but when it shut down the economy collapsed forcing some people to turn to illegal drug smuggling.

Decker learns that whoever is behind these operations is using furniture shipments to hide drugs and move them across the country.

As the story progresses further and so is the investigation of Decker and Alex, they face life-threatening danger which also proves that they are on the right track.

They encounter several suspicious figures, corrupt cops, terrified locals and criminals who will do anything to protect their secrets.

They also find out that people were killed to cover up the truth.

The story takes a shocking turn when Decker uncovers a hidden connection that the Baron family’s old factory is used as the center of the Drug operation.

The criminals which involve some of the high ranking officials of the town are using the factory to manufacture and distribute drugs.

Just when Decker gets closer towards uncovering the truth, Alex gets kidnapped to silence him.

In a thrilling climax, Amos Decker finds out the gang who is keeping Alex hostage.

A dramatic showdown takes place in which a violent shootout occurs between Decker and criminals.

Decker’s eidetic memory again comes to help by which he remembers the finest details that others would miss to outsmart the criminals.

With the FBI as backup, he destroys the drug ring and rescues Alex. It is then the mastermind of the operation is exposed who was manipulating the town for their selfish gain.

Decker thus brings justice to Baronville by making sure that the bad guys and their mastermind are arrested.

However, he knows that the town has a long way to go before it gets back on its feet.

Decker, haunted by his past, finds momentary peace in knowing he has uncovered the truth and saved lives. Yet he also knows that his fight against crime will never truly end.

The Fallen: Review

‘The Fallen’ by David Baldacci is a gripping thriller that makes you read on and on. It’s the fourth book in the Amos Decker series and for sure it makes you want to read more of Amos Decker.

‘The Fallen’ beautifully combines the elements of explosive action, mind-bending mystery and psychological depth.

David Baldacci has pulled off another jaw-dropping thriller in which the partnership of Amos Decker and Alex Jamison

Let me first tell you what is great about the novel,

A. Complex but well written mystery - Baldacci has made the town of Baronville a character in itself which is battling with opioid addiction and is going through an economic crisis. The initial murders become a stimulus for the readers to engage with the story which Baldacci has crafted as multifaceted with a lot of depth.

B. Brilliant protagonist - Baldacci has added a little bit of over the top flavour to the capabilities of the protagonist making Amos Decker a unique but relatable heroic figure. Decker’s ability to recall the finest details to solve the mystery which others would miss is truly enjoyable and spikes up the adrenaline. His emotional struggles make him more human in addition to a genius detective.

C. Non stop action - From the first murders to the end of the novel, the action never drops. The story features high octane action in the form of shoutouts, thrilling chase, narrow escapes with the protagonist himself escaping death nearly 3 times. Tension escalates as Decker and Alex get closer to the truth. The spike in tension at the right moments in the story makes it impossible for the reader to put this book down.

D. A realistic take on Crime and Corruption - those who search for real world issues in a story will find ‘The Fallen’ worth reading because Baldacci has touched issues of small town America such as drug addiction and corruption in ‘The Fallen’ which makes the story not just thrilling but thought-provoking.

So after highlighting the strengths and explaining them in brief, it’s time to go over the weaknesses of the novel

A. Slow pacing in some parts - While mostly the novel is fast-paced, there are some sections in the middle that feel slow, not boring but slow especially when Decker overanalyzes situations. If you prefer straight-to-the-point thrillers, then you might find these moments slow-moving.

B. Antagonist was uninfluential - With such a buildup in which tension kept escalating every moment, the villain came out to be not as compelling as Baldacci’s other books. Their motivations made sense but the chilling presence of an antagonist that makes them unforgettable was missing.

Is ‘The Fallen’ worth buying?

‘The Fallen’ is full of adrenaline-pumping action accompanied by chilling suspense which always keeps you engaged.

A sharp detective as a protagonist with his female side-kick giving it all to uncover the truth in a gritty realistic atmosphere makes it perfect for readers who enjoy solving mysteries alongside characters in a small town setting.

Baldacci has indeed crafted a well aligned mystery which has all the elements to be a thrilling page-turner despite infrequent pacing issues which makes ‘The Fallen’ absolutely worth buying !

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