There are many layers of whodunit. The characters were better written and more interesting and the mystery here made sense for the current times. The tech and situation was up to date. As always, Decker varies from his FBI job and about half way through when you wonder if it's done and there's more book to read; the FBI eventually rolls in on his efforts...like they should have been there in the first place! I liked this one way better than #4. ( )

4.25 stars
• Much better than the last two books in this series. The characters were better written and more interesting, as was the plot there was still a lot going on, but it was much easier to follow and make sense of.
�� GRIPPING!! I read 225 of the 417 pages the first day and finished it the second.
• A bit unbelievable or stretched in places, but still an interesting read. How many killings will happen to Amos?
• I am curious if we will find out what burgundy means.
• Although James was not a main character in this book, she did display outward signs of emotion towards Decker. Pages 35, 64, 393.
• This book had a few quotes I really liked:

“Thus they would live another day to die once more.” (pg. 71) This quote was in reference to Narcan and addicts.

“You can live in the past, or you can live in the present, but you really can’t live in both.” (pg. 212)

“If you don’t grow, you wither.” (pg. 233)

“Old sins cast long shadows.” (pg. 323) ( )

I love Amos Decker... But I think the series may have jumped the shark with this one. Fun read though! ( )

Well, crap. There isn't another one for me to read yet. This book was far better than book #4. I felt like the mystery here made sense for the current times we're in. And, I like where they went with it. Melvin Mars shows up, which was nice since they are friends. I do feel like Amos really treated Jamison like crap though. They are supposed to be friends and he really didn't do that justice. ( )

Synopsis: 'Decker is visiting his hometown of Burlington, Ohio, when he's approached by a man named Meryl Hawkins. Hawkins is a convicted murderer. In fact, he's the very first killer Decker ever put behind bars. But he's innocent, he claims. Now suffering from terminal cancer, it's his dying wish that Decker clear his name.
It's unthinkable. The case was open and shut, with rock solid forensic evidence. But then Hawkins later turns up dead with a bullet in his head, and even Decker begins to have doubts. Is it possible that he really did get it wrong, all those years ago?
Decker's determined to uncover the truth, no matter the personal cost. But solving a case this cold may be impossible, especially when it becomes clear that someone doesn't want the old case reopened. Someone who is willing to kill to keep the truth buried, and hide a decades-old secret that may have devastating repercussions...' From book jacket

Review: Decker is regaining his emotions; throws a twist into personal dealings. ( )

Very good read ( )

Rather than belabor the obvious, I had high expectations for this but found it slow, boring and lackluster. Having read others by this author, this isn't his best work. DNF. ( )

Interesting story line with various twist and turn. Very enjoyable. ( )

Losing a bit of interest but will read the next ( )

really like these mysteries- audiobooks are very well produced lots of red herrings. Don't have to think too hard. Great for long drives. ( )

Redemption is a very good story. From the beginning to the end one is held in suspense. The characters are all believable. The situations are believable. It is just a sad story of personal drama. Along with the personal stories the question of who and why are so many people being murdered is in the back of one's mind. Once again, one asks themself, how does this author consistently write a good story? The book received four stars. Redemption is highly recommended. ( )

Slower start than usual, once it started to unravel though it got interesting. As always Baldacci spins an interesting tale. ( )

Amos Decker, an FBI agent, returns to his hometown & his first convicted murderer he sent to prison approaches him to Please reopen the case to clear his name. He is soon found dead in his hotel room. Decker decides to reopen the case and things begin to happen

Amos Decker is back in his hometown, visiting the grave of his murdered daughter, feeling guilty for not protecting her or her mother Cassie when it mattered, when he is approached by Meryl Hawkins, a man he helped send to prison for murder claiming his innocence. Hawkins was released from a private prison because he is dying of cancer, but is shot to death in his hotel room before Decker decides to listen to his story. Ignoring his FBI orders to return, Amos starts to investigate whether he and his partner had botched their first big case. Town rivalries aside, as Decker digs in, people are being killed to bury the truth of who actually killed Hawkins' alleged victims and why he had not defended himself at trial. A very twisted tale, for sure. Some of Decker's peculiarities (a phobia for physical contact, hyperthymesia, and synesthesia) are fading; in fact, there is only one reference to synesthesia, which I found disappointing. I was happy that Melvin Mars played a significant supporting role in the story. 3.5 stars. ( )

Redemption, the fifth novel in David Baldacci's Amos Decker series, sees the protagonist returning home for the annual visit of his family's grave in his hometown in Ohio. Decker is approached by a former convict whom he put into prison as one of his first cases on the police force. The former convict, who was released from prison early because he is terminally ill, claims that Decker got it wrong and that the case should be reopened in order to find the real murderer. While Decker is not convinced at first, he starts to reopen the case when the ex-convict is found murdered in his hotel room soon after he talked to Decker. Risking his job with the FBI, Decker decides to stay in Burlington, Ohio, to investigate the case and find out the truth. He soon learns that the story is much bigger than he had assumed years ago when first working the case.

While the setting - ex-con approaches cop and claims his innocence - might not be completely new, this story succeeds to keep you engaged by unraveling an unexpected tale of betrayal, dark machinations and foreign spycraft. The novel is highly readable and a page turner. If you are interested in thrillers and have read the other instalments in the series, make sure to pick up this novel. 4.5 stars. ( )

As usual, Baldacci brings us a story that has lots of twists and turns. This is an Amos Decker novel. Decker returns to his hometown to find that he may have made a mistake 13 years ago and sent an innocent man to prison for life. . When that man, Meryl Hawkins who has been released from prison because he is dying, professes his innocence to Decker, Decker must revisit the case that condemned him in the first place. Meanwhile, Hawkins is murdered and cannot be of any help to the investigation. At the same time, there are people who will kill to stop Decker from finding the truth.
This is a great read. A little slow at the beginning but a page turner thereafter. ( )

Decker returns to his former hometown to visit his wife/daughter's grave and enters the investigation of a longstanding Russian program to recruit and train sleeper agents. Typical cast of Washington FB agents and local cops. More implausible plot and ending than many Baldacci novels. ( )

Is it possible for an author to read so many of their own books so that they end up believing their own fiction? Baldacci usually combines writing that keeps you reading just a little bit more with intense action and stories that are stupid and moronic. When he gets the story right, the books are really good. When he doesn't, the books are not good.

This is one of those book without a believable story, with stereotypes instead of characters in the roles of heroes and villains, and without the amazing feats that would make it a Fantasy book.

Amos Decker has returned to his own town to visit the graves of his family when a man he convicted of murder long ago approaches him and asks him to prove his innocence. Before much else happens in the book, that man is shot dead and the story can begin.

( )

What a deep suspense. There were layers upon layers of whodunit.

I'm so glad Decker was back in Ohio for this book. Unfortunately for Decker, he met a guy whom was put away by him and his partner when they were rookie homicide detectives. Now he has to find the truth and right the wrong. Hard to put down. ( )

I like the Decker series. My only complaint was the novel advanced due to all the killing by the bad guys. I do like the memory man series because you get into the head of Amos Decker and follow his thought process.

However, I think Baldacci can start toning down the story of how Amos got to where he was and why...we get it, understand it. Baldacci should concentrate on the story rather than padding the novel with stuff we already know. ( )

I was so happy to find an Amos Decker book I had missed! And what a story---frightening to see how it ties in so closely to the political situation in this country. I love the way Baldacci can introduce so many overlapping pieces of a beginning problem that just gets more and more complicated---short chapters make the story move along quickly. Because I was reading the book steadily it was easy to keep the characters straight...something I can see caused other readers problems trying to remember who was who. ( )

Another great book by David Baldacci. Amos Decker makes his annual pilgrimage to Burlington, OH to visit the grave of his daughter on her birthday. While there a man approaches him with a request. Meryl Hawkins was the first person he ever arrested for murder. Meryl has been released from prison for compassionate reasons, since he's dying of cancer. He asks Amos to clear his name, since he was wrongly accused. 24 hours later, Meryl has been murdered. Reeling from the feeling that maybe he had condemned a man to prison for life, Meryl's murder solidifies the need to pursue it. He is joined with his older partner, and together they try to follow old leads as fast as those who don't want them unearthed try to stop them. ( )

Decker is visiting his hometown of Burlington, Ohio, when he's approached by a man named Meryl Hawkins. Hawkins is a convicted murderer. In fact, he's the very first killer Decker ever put behind bars. But he's innocent, he claims. Now suffering from terminal cancer, it's his dying wish that Decker clear his name.
It's unthinkable. The case was open and shut, with rock solid forensic evidence. But when Hawkins turns up dead with a bullet in his head, even Decker begins to have doubts. Is it possible that he really did get it wrong, all those years ago?
Decker's determined to uncover the truth, no matter the personal cost. But solving a case this cold may be impossible, especially when it becomes clear that someone doesn't want the old case reopened. Someone who is willing to kill to keep the truth buried, and hide a decades-old secret that may have devastating repercussions ( )

Ok, Baldacci. Amos Decker returns to his hometown on what would have been his deceased daughter’s birthday. He is approached by a man released from prison whom he had convicted. The man claims innocence. Decker searches for the truth. Almost too many coincidental to be real. ( )

Loved this book!! ( )