BOOK CLUB: Nash Falls

Nash Falls is an excellent start to another series from David Baldacci.  It is a fast-paced and engaging thriller with a sympathetic lead character.

Walter Nash is a middle of the road business man; not very interesting in lots of ways. But he’s good at his job, does well financially as a result, and has a happy family life. He is essentially an office worker with few physical skills.

Then one day, the FBI comes knocking and tells him that the business he’s working for is actually a criminal organization. They pressure him into helping them gain the information they need to destroy the organization. But in so doing, Nash’s personal world is destroyed, and he turns into a man with a singular focus on revenge.

I’ve greatly enjoyed many of Baldacci’s earlier novels, including Simply Lies and A Minute to Midnight. He writes both multiple series and standalone books.

This novel does end abruptly – it’s not even a cliff hanger, really, it’s as if it just stops in the middle of the story. It was quite disconcerting. The following pages confirm that there’s at least one more novel coming. So be warned: nothing is resolved. You will definitely be left hanging.

Having said that, you’ll likely also be strongly engaged. Baldacci’s heroes are often very, very good at one or two things, and in this case, he’s given us a hero who is very good at something which initially seems useless for the task he’s set himself. Readers will appreciate seeing how he uses these skills to good effect as he goes after those who destroyed his life.

Readers will also empathise with him as he tries to change himself into someone better suited to achieve his new goals. Nash is initially someone you could easily see yourself in, and few could fail to sympathise with his destructive desires. This is a novel about a man pushing past his boundaries, and it retains a strong sense of credibility even as Nash changes beyond belief.

The plot is relatively simple, but remarkably compelling. Baldacci provides extra depth by narrating chapters from multiple viewpoints. I wouldn’t say I necessarily developed much sympathy for all of those characters, but I certainly understood them better. It also added some extra dimensions to a straightforward plot.

I enjoyed this a great deal, and I will definitely be looking out for the sequel. Readers who enjoy thrillers, fast-paced action, and strong characters are all likely to find things to enjoy here.

A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Nash Falls by David Baldacci. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.