The Simple Truth (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "At this prison the doors are inches thick, steel; once factory smooth, they now carry multiple dents..." (more)
Key Phrases: bench memo, Rufus Harms, Supreme Court, John Fiske (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Rufus Harms is rotting in a Virginia military prison. As readers learn in the terse opening of The Simple Truth, he was convicted 25 years ago of the brutal killing of a young girl. Readers also learn that Rufus did not commit the crime; out of a haze of memories and with fragments of evidence, he has reconstructed the truth about the horrid event that ruined his life. He knows his discovery could cost him his life, so he breaks from prison after sending an appeal to the Supreme Court that details a massive conspiracy tied into the foundations of Washington.

The complex drama of Rufus Harms is only one of the interwoven threads in this massive, violent legal thriller that also draws from the vocabulary of hard-boiled crime fiction. Baldacci offers glimpses into the arcane politics of the high court, where Justice Elizabeth Knight wages war with the manipulative Chief Justice Harold Ramsay. And while Harms struggles to keep out of harm's way and the justices duke it out, Supreme Court law clerk Sara Evans toils with ex-cop John Fiske to discover the import of Harms's appeal (and, simultaneously, to uncover the murderer of Mike Fiske, John's law clerk-brother and the original holder of the appeal). Their interest in the document apparently draws the attention of the same deadly conspirators who manipulated Harms over two decades earlier. While the armed mayhem sometimes rises to the point of excess, Baldacci's novel continues to offer new surprises until the final pages. --Patrick O'Kelley --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Will Baldacci's most recent title be another Winner, like his recent New York Times best seller? Here, a man convicted of a murder he's convinced he committed suddenly realizes that he's been framed and launches an appeal that leads to more murder.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446607711
• ISBN-13: 978-0446607711
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (191 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,126 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All I can say is you have got to read this book., February 24, 2000

By	Andrew Doggett (Byfield Massachussetts) - See all my reviews

I would most definitely recommend The Simple Truth by David Baldacci to any reader. This book is full of suspense, drama, and everything else one might want out of a book. It is an entertaining read that is full of cliff hangers, and twists of plot that read you at the edge of your seat and make you want to read more. This legal thriller is entertaining and it is different from any other on the shelf today. It is the story of Rufus Harms, a convicted murderer and his quest to clear his name. But how can he when he did actually convict the murder? This story tells of corruption, deceit, murder in the Supreme Court, and the United States Army. It breaks the mold set by the typical thriller today in a powerful way. A real page-turner, this book thrusts you to the edge of your seat from page one and keeps you there until the very end. David Baldacci illustrates the horrors of life in a military prison, and how treachery can overrun even the most powerful military force in the world in an outstanding and terrifying fashion. This story is definitely a worthwhile read. The plot of this story is full of twists and turns that can only be fully understood if you read this book. I personally enjoyed reading this book. It was entertaining and fun to read. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone because it holds some of the best qualities in a book. I personally enjoyed everything about this book, and I sincerely believe that anyone who loves a good book will too.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite entertaining, except for the "love story" aspect, January 8, 2002

By	Tammy L. Schilling "tammyl84" (MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Simple Truth is about an ex-con serving a life sentence in a military prison for a murder that he did not commit. As is typical, but completely acceptable, in this type of book there is the expected coverup and mix of unexpected bad guys. I won't go into more details about the book, as it would simply be reiterating what so many other reviewers have already done.

I found this book to be a very entertaining read, with pretty good characters depth, and enough plot twists to keep things interesting and not too shallow. In fact, I read it over the course of one day (I was sick and had nothing else to do). The only problem that I had with this book was the manner in which the author chose to construct the "love story". It was so far outside the realm of likely that I just found it laughable. Indeed, I wish that many authors who write these types of books would simply get over the need to construct elaborate and unlikely love stories. Even with the two main characters being male and female, it would have been perfectly okay, even somewhat refreshing, if there was no romantic relationship between them at all.

Otherwise this was a highly entertaining read that I would recommend to anyone looking to kill a day or two.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine novel, but not his best, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Simple Truth (Hardcover)

I normally try to find all the good points in a novel when I'm ready to review it. I liked this one because it: a) dealt with the Supreme Court, something I'm not too familiar with. b) had good character devlopment. c) had a nice, stratigized plot, and d) it had good suspense.

As in all previous Baldacci books, he tries to incorporate romance into them. No. Don't do that. Leave it out. It hurts the book. If my brother was blown away, I wouldn't be sleeping with another woman half a week later. It's unrealistic. Rufus, on the other hand, is a great character. The best chapter in the book, I think, is the first one. I read it about three times. I loved the beginning, and the end was okay. The dialogue analyzed the characters in itself, but Baldacci uses profanity when it's simply not needed. Profanity is used, in writing, to subdue emotions, to bring out feelings, to support the dialogue or a scene, not for chit-chat. It's pointless. All in all, despite some minor flaws and cliches, I'd give it four stars. It was good reading, and worth the time spent reading it.

Keep it up, Mr. Baldacci.