The Sixth Man is the fifth book in the King and Maxwell series by David Baldacci and was first published in 2011. Once again Baldacci has created a thriller worth its weight in gold. This is gripping dissecting what many Americans think about their alphabet soup of federal intelligence agencies. This book could make you paranoid or more paranoid about the amount of information our government’s collect about us. King and Maxwell have been hired by King’s former mentor as an investigative team in a complex case. On the way to Cutter’s Rock a federal psychiatric unit somewhere in Maine. On the way to meet their ‘employer’ Ted Bergan they discover his dead body at the side of the road, shot, in the back of beyond Maine. The case has taken an unexpected turn, and they need to find the reason why Ted Bergan was murdered too. They also need to visit Bergan’s client that is being held in the psychiatric unit. Not that it is going to be easy with the FBI taking over the case. They need to work out why Edgar Roy is so important to the FBI and the other gathering federal agencies. The further King and Maxwell dig into the case the further away from the truth it seems they are with an increasing body count and the flow of information confusing it becomes about who you can trust. Dealing with the intelligence agencies in the US does not mean you are to get anywhere near the truth. You might get their version of the truth though. Will Edgar Rory remain safe? How many times can you play with the lives of others in pursuit of power and money? Will King and Maxwell survive? This is a fantastic read and brilliant thriller by a master of the genre.

another good Baldacci book!

Michelle Maxwell and Sean King reprise their roles in this brilliant story. Spymasters grappling for power, bodies pile up and great action make this a page turner. There are a few twists in the story, and a couple of surprises. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling the story, but its well worth buying.