There’s something about Baldacci’s writing style that announces the work is down to earth, an easy read and with little demands on the reader. The plot moves fast and there is plenty of drama. There’s a small team working to solve both an old crime and a modern mystery. Melvin Mars was convicted of murder many years ago, for a crime committed just when he was going to be a well-paid NFL player.  On the day of his execution he is reprieved because someone else confessed to the murder. FBI specialist Amos Decker is called in to investigate and it turns out that that things are more complicated than they seem. The person confessing to the crime was lying. Mars and Decker eventually work together to get to the bottom of it, but their investigation involves some deep exploration of the past. There are plenty of interdepartmental politics and all sorts of details to keep in mind as the plot unfolds, but it doesn’t matter too much if you forget some. The characters are full of quirks and have plenty of secrets, even if they are not particularly believable. The Last Mile is entertaining and intriguing as a page-turner and it also has some interesting discussion between characters, especially about the problems with prison, the conviction of the innocent, and the ethics of the death penalty. It’s also pretty good on its portrayal of race, weight issues, and modern diets. If you want a modern crime novel to pass the time, Baldacci’s work won’t leave you feeling guilty. The unabridged audiobook is performed by Kyf Brewer doing the male voices and most of the narration, and Orlagh Cassidy doing the female voices. Brewer’s voice is appropriately masculine to go along with the big men featured in the story. The characterization gets a bit tiresome, but it gets the job done. The production is clean and professional. The writing is actually very skilled, and the storyline is pretty satisfying.

© 2016 Christian Perring

Christian Perring listens to audiobooks while running.