“I’m an investigator. It’s my job to find out about things.”

-John Puller, Army CID

That quote well describes his motivations as we (the listeners) follow him through the twists and turns this story takes through the West Virginia hills. This tale opens with the surprisingly brutal murder of an entire family in a rural West Virginia town. John Puller becomes involved because the father of this family is Army brass. Along with local law enforcement – a female homicide detective with invaluable local knowledge and contacts – we follow his logical step-by-step uncovering of the facts that lead to this series of crimes. The military and police jargon add realism to the telling of this tale.

This initially one-of murder spreads to seemingly unrelated deaths throughout the hamlet of Drake, WV which leads John Puller to investigate up the military chain of command calling in a favors and reaching out to unlikely associates to help in the solving of this mystery.

The readers, Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy, use their voice talents to add even more intensity to the author’s great descriptions of action, characters, and place. The use of West Virginian accents also help pain the setting for the listener.

The author adds depth to the characters in this story by shedding light on their softer side, ie. John Puller has a pet cat who he checks in on from time to time. He is also a very identifiable character in his relationship with his father suffering from dementia. This story has it’s share of tough guys with tender hearts trying to do the right thing. There is also a generous sprinkling of false leads…false clues…red herrings…planted clues, so if you’re a fan of misdirection that is all neatly tied up at the conclusion, this is the book for you. It’s a real treat the second time around, too! Anticipation of the upcoming action is sweet.

I have loved every book written by Baldacci. He continues to be one my favorite authors and characters are all interesting.

Gee, I never knew Jack Reacher had a twin brother.....or at least, a cousin who shared so many traits. Let's see.......Both have Military Law Enforcement background. Both are loners and men of few words. Both end up working a dangerous case in conjunction with the female head of the local law enforcement detachment. And both are romantically and sexually attracted to their female counterpart, yet don't take the first step (as in this case), or as sometimes happens with Reacher, gets involved.
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy this adventerous yarn. It's just that more often than not, I found myself reflecting that all literature is derivative.
Having said all this, I'd welcome any comments on my observations. By the way, I think the older brother deserved a pardon, or at least a new identitiy in the witness program and a release. But alas, as in real life, one is never guaranteed a happy ending.

Excellent writing. John Puller is a kick-ass army Investigator, much like Jack Reacher.
This book is full of suspense, action and intrigue. A Five star rating for me. Loved it!!!!!

Just what one expects from a Baldacci book - lots of action, twisty, turny plot, - coupled with a murder mystery and a long shuttered secret military project.
I had to dock a few points for the conclusion, however, which came a bit too fast and without enough explanatory material. The bi t with the DHS agent strained credulity a bit. But otherwise an excellent read and quite an accurate look into the murky world of military politics.

Zero Day is the first book in Baldacci's John Puller series and I enjoyed the read, rating it a solid 4 star book. Puller is a military investigator sent to investigate a multiple murder in rural West Virginia. Working with a local cop, Sam Cole, Puller discovers this was no ordinary murder and as the bodies keep piling up, he realizes that nothing is as it appears to be and the stakes might be higher than anyone believed. A good thriller and a real page turner. Another good Baldacci read.

I liked the characters but the plot seemed to jump all over the place. The big ending lacked credibility and did not contribute at all in making the book better

First in John Puller series. My favorite of the three in series so far. Plot is interesting. John Puller is likeable and mystery surrounding his brother adds intrigue. Baldacci struggles to develop lifelike female characters but he creates a female lead in Zero Day with subtlety and nuance. Narrated by duo Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy who do a good job.

Featuring special army agent John Puller who is smart,super strong, attractive and on and on. Not neccessarily a believable character but the story is top notch. A good detective story about a family found dead, the father who is high up in the military. A good who done it. The clues and evidence are meticulously examined and laid out for us so we can follow along.

Another great novel by Baldacci. It's another John Puller "can't put it down" book.