View from the Side: Book Reads (Zero Day by David Baldacci)

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Genre
Fiction, Thriller Novel

Setting Place
West Virginia (mostly Drake), USA

Main Characters
John Puller, Samantha Cole

Book Award
New York Times Best Seller

About the Author

David Baldacci practiced law in Washington, D. C., author of national and international bestsellers is also a philanthropist. He cofounded the "Wish You Well Foundation" together with his wife, a non-profit organization supporting literacy efforts.

His books have been published in over 46 languages and in more than 80 countries. His first novel in 1996, Absolute Power was adapted into film, with Clint Eastwood as its director and lead star. From then on, several of his books have been adapted for film and television shows.

A Glimpse of the Book

The character of John Puller is introduced in this first of a series of thriller novel. Puller is a decorated army combat veteran and the best military investigator in the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigative Command. He has an interesting family… his father, a legendary commanding officer and his brother, a convicted traitor serving a life sentence in a federal military prison.

Puller is assigned to investigate a case involving the brutal murder of a family of four in a remotely rural town in Drake, West Virginia. The family involves a high-ranking officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the officer's wife and their two teenage children. The twist starts when he was told that the case is unusual and there seems interest on the higher-ups, and that he will be investigating the case by himself. Considering the “high-profile” of the victim, under normal circumstances, a group of investigators should have been assigned to handle the case. 

As he unravels deceptions and conspiracies within the military organization including the US Government, he is one man determined to find the truth. 

My Personal Take on John Puller

When the Author started characterizing Puller, I resisted my urge to immediately compare him with Jack Reacher. I love Jack Reacher and I can’t allow that someone would be like him. He is in my world ‘uniquely only one’. Although most readers found some resemblance, I strongly disagree. They are completely different. 

And here is my proof:

Particulars	Jack Reacher	John Puller
Height	6’5’’	Almost 6’4”
Weight	250 lbs.	232 lbs.
Military Experience	Retired, Military Police Corps Major	Active, Investigator of Army’s Criminal Investigation Division; Army Ranger, Combat Veteran
Ways of Fighting Crime	Hitchhikes and fights crime through coincidence	Assigned with complete gears and traveling plan
Permanent Living	None, stays anywhere	A rented apartment
Pet	None	A Cat, named AWOL
Family	None living family member	2 living family members (father and a brother)
Possession being carried	Money, a foldable toothbrush and, after 9/11, an expired passport and an ATM debit Card.	A rucksack (“magically large!?”) that contains almost everything* he needs as an investigator. *A mini crime laboratory;  imaging/photography equipment; bio-hazard suits; body armors; uniforms; guns; etcetera!!!

The only similarity…….  their names start with letter ‘J’.

My Overall Reading Experience

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