Shaw is the consummate “tough man” who stands out in a crowded room. Although it is difficult to know if he is a good guy or a bad guy at first glance, everyone knows he is a man to be reckoned with. Few people would even consider that he had a soft side. Shaw is in love with Anna and has decided that the time has come to ask her to share his life. Anna trusts Shaw and knows that he will do anything to protect her, that he would never lie to her.

However, there are things in Shaw’s life that he cannot reveal to anyone, even to his beloved Anna - things that Shaw is not proud of but things that could hurt those he loves, so he shields Anna from the truth.

The world is enraged by the treatment of the people of Russia as it plays across the Internet. The atrocities, said to be performed by the “Red Menace,” are in violation of all world treaties and must be stopped. Even though the Russian government continually denies any participation or knowledge of these behaviors, the blame lingers.

Anna is a part of a think tank, unaware that it is sponsored by the Chinese government, and she is naturally curious about the issue of the Red Menace. Katie James is a washed-up American reporter who has let alcohol become her constant companion. When Katie and Anna become acquainted, Katie also becomes involved in the mystery of the Red Menace.Although books and movies abound with the mythology of where Hoffa ended up and the legend of Attorney General Bobby Kennedy’s crusade to rid the Teamsters of its head henchmen, The Whole Truth is a new perspective that demands to be explored.

Somewhere in an elegant room, with expensive trinkets surrounding him, Nicholas Creel waits for his plan to develop. When it does, he will once again be the wealthy man he needs to be.

Whether in print or in audio, David Baldacci takes his reader to the brink of suspense with his tales. This story of conspiracy, missed opportunities and misguided loyalties is another gem in his crown. The reader will have difficulty knowing which characters to root for until the very end. In this abridged edition of The Whole Truth, narrator Ron McLarty does an excellent job once again at bringing Baldacci’s characters to life.