Audible Book Review: Memory Man by David Baldacci

I like this detective with a mental edge.
Memory Man
By: David Baldacci
Narrated by: Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy

Series: Amos Decker, Book 1
Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 04-21-15
Language: English
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Genre: Crime Action, Detective, Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
With over 110 million copies of his novels in print, David Baldacci is one of the most widely read storytellers in the world. Now he introduces a startling, original new character: a man with perfect memory who must solve his own family's murder.
MEMORY MAN
Amos Decker's life changed forever - twice.
The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to go pro. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field for good and left him with an improbable side effect - he can never forget anything.
The second time was at home nearly two decades later. Now a police detective, Decker returned from a stakeout one evening and entered a nightmare - his wife, young daughter, and brother-in-law had been murdered.
His family destroyed, their killer's identity as mysterious as the motive behind the crime, and unable to forget a single detail from that horrible night, Decker finds his world collapsing around him. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds up on the street, taking piecemeal jobs as a private investigator when he can.
But over a year later, a man turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murders. At the same time a horrific event nearly brings Burlington to its knees, and Decker is called back in to help with this investigation. Decker also seizes his chance to learn what really happened to his family that night. To uncover the stunning truth, he must use his remarkable gifts and confront the burdens that go along with them. He must endure the memories he would much rather forget. And he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Memory Man will stay with you long after the turn of the final tick.
©2015 David Baldacci (P)2015 Hachette Audio.

Review:
Amos Decker is a man who can’t forget – literally. A major hit in college ruined his football career and resulted in a photographic memory. Then he became a cop, working up to detective. Two decades later Amos returns home one night to find his brother, wife and ten-year-old daughter have been murdered. He won’t ever be able to forget the sight and he isn’t sure he wants to live with the memory. He falls into a bottle and ends up on the street as a sometimes private investigator.

A year later his life takes another twist. A man confesses to the murder of his family and Amos sneaks into the jail to interrogate him. He is able to slip in because a large portion of the police force has been pulled out to a horrific school shooting. Amos is pulled in to help with the investigation particularly because his partner and Captain also know that his keen eye and remarkable memory will pick up on details that others might miss. In addition to his partner, Amos gets help from the FBI and a civilian. An eager reporter, Alex Jamison, tries to get Amos to talk but when he refuses she writes a rather brutal report. After she realizes her error Alex becomes Amos’ biggest support.

As Amos uncovers clues, suddenly there is a clear indication that the events all tie into him and someone from his past. The killer seems to always be one step ahead. Will Amos be able to discover the identity and location of the killer before more of his friends are killed?

Amos is an interesting character and I liked the relationship that developed with Alex. The villain is diabolical and provides a trail of evil. I like Baldacci’s crisp writing that keeps the reader following the clues through Amos’ past. I liked the team that developed, and I liked Amos’ particular skills. I recommend this to readers who enjoy detective mysteries.

Audio Notes: Ron McLarty portrays the male characters while Orlagh Cassidy provides narration for the females. I wasn’t enthralled or distracted by the narration. It worked fine for me, especially since listening moves books faster for me than visual reading.

Source: December 2018 Audible Daily Deal $4.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.