David Baldacci offers to his many readers a new hero, ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine in The 6:20 man. Out of the service after events he’ d rather not remember but cannot forget, Travis is working in as aWall Street analyst , just another number- crunching trainee. Every day,six days a week (money never sleeps) he rides the 6:20 to work, pasting the palatial estate of his managing partner. Every day he sees a beautiful woman swimming in the estates’ pool. Travis will soon meet her , and their lives enmeshed in murder and the manipulation untold millions of dollars.

Well written with a plot that keeps the reader involved in following as Travis finds himself accused of murder and as the fall guy for a deep- cover plot.
Cautions: some sexual interludes and occasional violence.
I received a free digital copy of The 6:20 for Net Galley.

I’ve decided to get caught up on David Baldacci’s novels — he’s one of my favourite authors, but for some reason I’ve allowed myself to fall very far behind (he’s increased his output, lately, which is partly to blame for this). The 6:20 Man is the first in his Travis Devine series, and it’s an interesting, timely mystery set in the world of New York finance.

Baldacci doesn’t waste time, with this novel. We’re dropped right into the action, when Travis learns of the death of his co-worker (well, sort-of his supervisor). The story moves quite quickly, as we slowly learn more about Devine’s past and why he left the military for the world of finance (which he clearly, and quite openly despises), and as more bodies start to drop. Why has this financial firm been targeted? Who is the actual audience for these deaths: Devine? The firm? Someone else?

Travis Devine is a pretty interesting protagonist — his age sets him apart from many others in his cohort, as does his experience in the military. He has an interesting motivation, too — for shifting his career into finance, but also for inserting himself (rather unwisely, if you ask me) into the investigation. When the cops start sniffing around his life, others start to look at him and treat him with suspicion. The fact that many of the people dying have a connection to him only exacerbates the problem. The cops are circling, as are some other shadowy forces. Despite the fact that he’s not in law enforcement, Devine nevertheless starts to investigate the deaths for himself (which, of course, does not endear him to the detectives who are supposed to be investigating what’s happening).

Sometimes the story takes some fortuitous turns, at others rather sudden shifts. There are plenty of red herrings, and they’re mostly well-executed. Almost every character has an ulterior motive; readers will even come to question his roommates, who are an interesting and diverse cast of characters. The novel contains pretty much everything we’ve come to expect from the author’s books. There’s also plenty of commentary about the finance industry, including its brutal entry-level work, the exploitation, the shadiness of so very much of it, and the questionable ethics of anyone able to amass fortunes in the billions.

Overall, though, this isn’t among Baldacci’s strongest novels. Sometimes certain story beats came about in ways that felt a bit too easy — not that Devine et al have an easy time of things, but some of the plot shifts felt a bit obvious as they were happening. I don’t think it’s a case of this being mystery-paint-by-numbers, but I’ve certainly read better from Baldacci. The 6:20 Man nevertheless held my attention and his writing and plotting pulled me through; and I finished reading it wanting to read The Edge as soon as I can (and, eventually, the recently-announced, upcoming third book in the series).

This was a fast paced book, with so many twists and turns. I couldn’t guess what was coming next. I thought for sure the bad person was one character, something would happen and it would change my opinion. The ending for me was a total shocker. I’m so glad this is a new series.

David Baldacci does it again! His thrillers pull me in and never let me go until the last page and The 6:20 Man was no exception. Travis Devine, ex-military turned entry-level analyst, finds himself riding the 6:20 commuter train into the city to his cutthroat job in finance. His life is very routine and mundane until he gets an anonymous email that his ex-girlfriend and co-worker, Sara Ewes, is dead. Not only does the NYPD want to question him, but he receives another visit that brings up secrets from his past and if he wants to keep them hidden he must secretly investigate the firm he is working for.

The 6:20 Man was a super fast-paced story and I didn't see the twists coming. I love all the characters that Baldacci creates because he does such a great job of fleshing them out when he creates them and his storylines are so captivating. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I am a big fan of David Baldacci’s books. The 6:20 Man is true David Baldacci - a crime thriller full of suspense and twists and turns.

Travis Devine is a former soldier with a troubled past. He is now working as a financial analyst on Wall Street, a job that he hates. A coworker and former girlfriend of his is found hanging in a supply closet at work. He receives an anonymous email detailing her death. The email is untraceable and has been sent only to him. Something is going on at the firm. His past comes back to haunt him as the government gives him no choice but to help with the investigation. There are many red herrings and I was unable to predict who was behind the murders. Yes, I said murders… there are more than just the ex-girlfriend. You will not be disappointed in the 6:20 Man. It was a page-turner. It appears that this is the first book in a new series. I look forward to reading more Travis Devine books.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved that this was a stand alone thriller from David Baldacci!
It gave me Jack Reacher vibes, but was very solid. and exciting. I have been a fan of Mr. Baldacci for a long time, and this book fit his patterns perfectly. It was a solid plot, good character development and some thrills and twists. Thankful for this ARC!

Former soldier turned financial analyst Travis Devine ends up in the middle of a situation for which there seems to be no end.

As I started reading The 6:20 Man, the idea that the book was like The Firm by John Grisham took hold and would not let go. The main characters in both books were very similar in manner and moral compass, the stories both with secrets, corruption, and danger. Though this did not ruin this novel for me, I had a hard time separating the thought in the back of my head that this book paid homage to the other.

Travis is a smart guy, but makes some questionable decisions. He does a lot of analysis in his head, but sometimes his mouth gets him into trouble. The plot is fast paced, but some of the story is too incredible for words and not in a good way. If Travis becomes a regular character, I am not sure where the author can go from here. What you see is what you get and there is not much further to go.

Having read almost all of David Baldacci's other books, The 6:20 Man falls somewhere near the bottom of the pile for me. Readers who like fast action and quick talking might like this novel.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

I’ve read twenty-seven books written by David Baldacci, some I gave two stars, some earned five. I’m thinking four stars is just right for The 6:20 Man.

Every day without fail, former Army Ranger Travis Devine boards the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as an entry-level analyst at Cowl and Comely, the city’s most prestigious investment firm. He gazes out the train window at the lavish homes of the uberwealthy, dreaming about joining their ranks.

Then one morning Devine receives an anonymous, untraceable message which reads: “She is dead.” Sara Ewes, Devine’s coworker and former girlfriend, is found hanging in a storage room of his office building—presumably a suicide—prompting the NYPD to put him on the suspect list. If that wasn’t enough, Devine is blackmailed into digging up dirt on his firm.

Baldacci gets serious points for his characterization of protagonist Travis Devine, and the complex, twisty plot has me turning the pages late into the night. I thought the details on computer hacking were also fascinating. He lost a few points, however, because the way Devine interrogated people was ridiculously unrealistic. People spewed info with little encouragement. Actually, the entire plot is implausible, but hey… this is fiction! Baldacci is a reliable thriller writer, so it won’t be long before I pick up another of his books.

Genre: Thriller

“The money folks will forgive a lot if the cash keeps rolling in. Same goes for the government.”—David Baldacci, The 6:20 Man

I’m a David Baldacci fan, but I couldn’t get into this book. I had to DNF about 40% through.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I am a huge David Baldacci fan. I have my favorite characters and series and am always willing to try something new. It took me a few beats to warm up to our new hero but once I dove in, I enjoyed the book. The ending made me feel like there will be a sequel and I plan to read it ! I am recommending this book to fans of other Baldacci series and Brad Meltzer fans.

David Baldacci has done it again. He has written a book that pulled me in and held me captive to the very end. There are so many twists and turns as you find yourself flipping through the pages as fast as possible. The characters are well developed and you will find yourself making judgments about them … who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. And hold on tight, because the ending will sweep you away. I hope this is the beginning of a new series because I would love to go on another adventure with Travis Devine!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I've read many books by David Baldacci and have enjoyed them all. This one was no different. Fast paced, and easy to follow along with characters I've come to know and love. His books grab you and keep you wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book.

I love a good David Baldacci standalone thriller. This one has a lot going on at one time: conspiracies, murder, financial crime, and more. The protagonist is an intriguing character and the story moves along at a good clip, especially once more and more become revealed.

Although, I have loved other Baldacci books, I was not a fan of this one. The plot was boring and did not hold my attention. I thought it lacked any suspense as well. So sorry.....I won't be recommending this one but I will try others in the future.

Another enjoyable book from David Baldacci, and most likely another enjoyable series. This had more great characters, with a good story/pacing/plot that kept me on the edge until the very end. Can't wait for another in this series. #The620Man #NetGalley

David Baldacci never disappoints us with his new characters. Intriguing idea of plot built around a morning commute on a train.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Baldacci does it again! He has the magic touch. This book is about the recruitment of former Ranger, Travis Devine, by the government, for a secretive job looking into the wall Street company Devine works for.

The book has murders, revenge, technology secrets, financial deals, politics, foreign intrigue, you name it. I love that it is so twisty that I, at least, could not figure it out before the actual ending.

I am looking forward to more books with the ‘nice guy’ very capable,
Travis Devine figuring things out.

Cheap suit? ✔️ Faux-leather briefcase? ✔️ Entry level analyst? ✔️

Travis Devine boards the 6:20 a.m. train to his job in Manhattan at a prestigious investment firm. The train's route passes an affluent neighborhood giving Travis dreams of someday living in one of the lavish homes with a hot lady poolside.

Until one morning his routine is changed by an anonymous email: She is dead. Devine's ex-girlfriend/co-worker is found hanging in a storage room at the office. He is tasked by his past in the Army to participate in the investigation into her presumed suicide and shady dealings of the firm.

This new novel penned by the great David Baldacci is the perfect example of thriller buildup. At 88% through, it was not even close to over! I was wondering how this would wrap up. Bodies were dropping left right left. The little details all lead to a very satisfying end. The 6:20 Man is a realistic deep dive into dark finance at its finest.

Happy Pub Day, David Baldacci! The 6:20 Man is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

~LiteraryMarie

I love Baldacci and tear through every novel. This was a fun beach read, but I must admit, that I found the plot to have more holes than Swiss cheese, and the characters all had the depth of cartoons. While this was an entertaining yarn, I can’t say it was one of the better ones. But, as I said David Baldacci is one of the best, and I look forward to the next one, but even the greatest are allowed to stumble nice in awhile

A good beach read thriller. This seems to be the first book in what could be a series. I can’t say that it feels very original but it moves along and entertains. In the Goodreads sphere, I wish they’d allow half star because this isn’t the caliber that I give 4 stars but maybe a little better than 3. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.