The Hit

The Hit first published in 2013 is the second book in the Will Robie series by David Baldacci. This is yet another brilliant book by David Baldacci which readers will love.

Doug Jacobs is a CIA analyst just doing his job when he is shot and shortly after Jim Gelder the number two at the CIA is executed. Both have been shot by an assassin unknown to any American law enforcement agency. Eventually the assassin is identified by the CIA as one of their own killing machines. Will Robie is tasked to deal with the problem told by me to bring her in and by another senior agent to kill her.

Robie has to work through some very conflicting sides within the CIA and both sides know neither of them can go anywhere need the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security. It is a race against time and an unknown enemy he needs to get ahead but with so many competing interests it is not going to be easy. Maybe the only person he can trust is the person he is tasked to find.

A fantastic thriller.

Watching latest James Bond brought me back into spy action/adventure literature :)

What starts as the hunt for a rogue assassin ends up as a more complex mission for our protagonist Will Robie. As he tries to navigate that middle-ground between blind obedience and analytical thinking about the missions assigned to him, Robie will soon find himself on the wrong end of [multiple] gun[s]. Only by his experience and still quick reflexes he will manage to survive.

Story has whole bunch of twists and turns and although at some points we enter the cliches of the genre, actions and feats of both Robie and other characters seem very realistic.

Highly recommended to all fans of thrillers and spy novels.

Hit man Robie becomes uneasily teamed with hit woman Reel in attempting to head off a high level conspiracy to incite world chaos, and gains some humanity in the process. Not sure I ever figured out who was who, or whether they uncovered everything. Still of course, neverending action.

I found Thai one much more engaging than the first book.

The second volume of the Will Robie series was also gripping. I couldn't put the book aside.
Will gets the job of taking out a colleague because she is suspected of killing important people in the agency. Will can hardly imagine why she is doing this, but over time he finds that she has a mission to eliminate traitors from within the agency. Will supports her in this. They are in constant danger, they can't trust anyone, only Vance, Will's FBI contact is on their side.
There are many dead and Will is also afraid for Julie, since she is his Achilles heel.

The Hit is an excellent spy novel that keeps one trying to guess who Roger the Dodger really is. One also tries to figure out who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. The book takes place today with believable settings, capers and characters. David Baldacci definitely earned five stars with this review. It is highly recommended if one likes a good spy novel with some gore but no romance.

The Hit is the second book featuring government assassin, Will Robie. Whether it's the CIA, Homeland Security, FBI or other hidden government divisions, they have their own top secret people to eliminate traitors, foreign terrorists, or rogue agents. In this story, Will is assigned to stop Jessica Reel, who is deemed a rogue agent, having just killed two top government employees. Jessica is also considered the best in her field, an assassin on par with Will Robie. Now she has gone rogue, and Will has been tasked to find her and bring her back dead or alive.

Seemingly unconnected at first, Reel's initial targets range from a lowly agency handler to the Deputy Director of the CIA, with the promise that more deaths will follow. As the story unravels we begin to learn of a larger and more sinister conspiracy, one with terrifying global implications. Because we are given insight into Reel 19s character through early chapters that feature her inner monologue and thoughts, I don 19t believe that Baldacci ever expected the reader to view Reel as a "bad guy " but rather as part of a larger conspiracy that Robie has to unfold, in order to understand her motivation behind the killings.

Compared to The Innocent, the characters in The Hit are more fleshed out, the story is more compelling and the pace is more rapid and satisfying. I still recommend reading The Innocent first, if only understanding not just Will, but many of the other characters referenced in The Hit. Like every David Baldacci story, this one is taut, action-packed and exciting. Just when the reader thinks they're going to veer one way, Robie or Reel do something completely unforeseen. I plan to get to The Target, book 3 of this compelling series, as soon as possible.

Really, really enjoyed Jessica Reel.

The Hit is the second novel in the Will Robie series. Protagonist Will Robie is a hitman employed by the United States government to get rid of enemies of the state. Of course there are other professional killers just like Will Robie tasked with similar missions. One of those agents, Jessica Reel, seems to have gone rogue when she does not complete her assignment but kills her handler instead. Soon after, she murders another CIA employee and Will Robie is tasked with tracking her down and bringing her in - dead or alive. Robie, who does not like this assignment, starts investigating and trying to find a lead ony Reel's motive. What he discovers, however, makes him question whether Reel really killed the wrong people.

Quite often, I tend to like the second novel in a series less than the first one. While I still like the characters in this novel and find it highly entertaining, I take issue with the plot to a certain degree. Sometimes it just did not feel natural or the events that took place seemed to fit too conveniently and were just there to drive the plot along and keep up tension. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading The Hit a lot, 4 stars.

Oh, dear, Second Book Syndrome strikes again. I loved the first Will Robie novel, and rashly bought the next two books in the series - a year ago, and then forgot about them. Turns out I wasn't missing much. Instead of the Leon style relationship between Robie and Julie, we get a typical 'thriller' about a rogue assassin - female, natch, and Robie's equal, of course - and a plot to bring down the American government. I think. I started skipping through those chapters.

Jessica Reel, the hitwoman, is a walking cliche, a woman written by a man. She's a crack shot and feared by the Agency, hence why they bring in Robie to stop her, but being a female at heart, of course she is driven by emotions, whereas Robie is described as 'a machine'. Pfft. The early chapters are peppered with ridiculous lines like 'Robie versus Reel. Nice ring to it. It sounded like the fight of the century. And she was certain it would be', before descending into pages of tedium, with Robie meeting countless people to talk about how good Reel is. I was already bored senseless, and then the politics started.

I hope book three is an improvement, but I'm not rushing to find out.

Mediocre at best. The artificial suspense around revealing the main plot is clichéd and annoying. We get lines like, "'Let me explain, the plan goes like this…' She broke off. Suddenly they heard the bad guys approaching." Once would be enough, but we get these lines over and over. The scenes from the bad guys' point of view are pure padding, perhaps to cover up the lack of depth of the main characters. The ending—one last hit—is pointless and drawn out. Is it just there to hit a word count? I don't get it.

Orders are orders, right? Or are they? What is Will Robie to do when he is sent after one of the agents whom he knows well as he has worked with her before. Jessica Reel’s skill set almost matches Robie’s, and he trained her too, so how can he carry out the order and come out alive? She is aware the agency will send the very best after her, but can she kill him, or will she hope he listens to her explanation and revelations?
Once again, the plot including the agency, White House and others builds. Who is the face behind the orders given that go against the very foundation of the government? There are those who desire to send America down the tubes and embroil her in an apocalyptic era. Now, how can Robie and Reel prevent what was set in motion years ago, or can they?
Who can they trust and how are they going to stay alive? What Reel reveals to Robie is the most astonishing plot. There are many enemies within and without America, but who can these two highly trained and specialized agents trust? There are some characters who are new and others who are, “eliminated”, shall we say?
There is so much more to the novel than I share here in my review. It is a very fun novel to read. If you choose to read it as a standalone, you will still enjoy it though I believe some of the characters and plot development will be like missing pieces of a puzzle. Either way enjoy the novel, and then get ready to read the third installment titled, The Target!

Synopsis: There is another person who is as good as Robie and she's after folks on the 'good' side. However, as Robie looks at the situation more closely it becomes apparent that she is on the 'good' side. Blue Man seems to agree.
Review: This is the set up for Robie to have a love life.

another thrilling Will Robie story. Very good plot and some pretty great twists and turns.

I goofed, I listened to The Hit By David Baldacci without reading or listening to The Innocent first. So at one point I got a little confused about the main character, Will Robie. Because of that I do not think I had enough back story this book. I did enjoy and was very eager to find our what happens next. There was more action than I am used too. That is me though, I have always preferred character development over action scenes. The sound effects were great on the audio version and I admit that I bounced off the sofa more than once. So my heart belongs to the character of Amos Decker in a different series.

By the third disc, my confusion vanished and I was able to relax and enjoy the story, I do like the female counterpart, Jessica Reel. I liked that she was strong, determined and an achiever. I don't know if she appears in future stories or not but I very glad that author created her.

Oh, I am not telling you about the story but just my reaction to the story. I still want to read or listen to everything David Baldacci writes.

Freaking awesome again. I love how when I feel like the story is coming to a close it fires back up again. So many extra parts. Will Robie is quite the anti-hero/hero, hell, idk where he really falls. I like him and his judgement. I like how Reel is as badass as all the boys. Can't wait to see where the story goes next. I like all the characters from the last and this book, Julie, Vance, Blue Man, Reel. Can't wait to read more.

Fast paced, fun read. Our hero, Will Robie, is tasked to kill his accomplice and has second thoughts...just like last time! There's plenty of drama as he figures out who's the real bad guy here. As always, Baldacci's writing keeps the reader inside our hero's head. The characters are believable, despite their occupation. There's no apparent theme, it's just a fun novel.

Fast paced, lots of shooting and killing, espionage, twist and turns, just a typical Baldacci book. This is book two of the life of Will Robie, government assassin. I'm a huge fan of Baldacci and this one did not disappoint. Very enjoyable. Likable characters in Robie and Reel. Thanks for another enjoyable ride.

The Hit by David Baldacci.

What happens when Will Robie, extremely efficient American assassin, is sent to take out another highly effective American assassin, Jessica Reel? She is deemed to have gone rogue, killing American operatives and not her Syrian target.

Robie has to find her first of all, and then deal with traps that she has set for whoever comes after her. On making direct contact it becomes clear that not everything is as clear as it might be, with both protagonists very cautious of the skills of the other. Who can each of them trust when they discover that senior officials with access to the nation’s highest levels of intelligence are also not to be trusted?

Who are the traitors in this book? To find that out you must read it for yourself. Sufficient to say that the author weaves a very taut storyline in which it only gradually becomes clear what is going on and where. “Super Agent” Vance is again involved and proves to be a staunch ally of the truth, whatever it may be.

It is yet another cracker from David Baldacci, a tremendous page turner that is full of surprises, and also providing what seems to be a very satisfactory outcome for all concerned, apart from those whose lives are terminated throughout the course of the book!

good read, plot keeps you hooked for the whole book

Having only read one other Baldacci novel from a different series, I wasn't aware that Will Robie was a recurring character in some of his novels. As a result, I at first thought Robie was the villain & Jessica Reel the heroine. Once I got straighten around on who was who, I suspected Jessica wasn't the problem the agency had portrayed her to be and she would prove to be on Will's side of the battle.

In the novel, there are many sinister men plotting to change the world as we know it and trying to figure out who can be trusted keeps the reader and Jessica & Will busy sorting it out. In essence, a group of men high in USA security offices plan to kill all the leaders of the Middle Eastern powers and replace them with their men and thus change the balance of power in that area so it can be controlled by the US. Of course they are operating without government authority and as our heroes sort it all out, their lives are in danger as well.

When the U.S. Government needs a black op commissioned to rid the world of undesirables and threats, they call on their number 1 hitman, Will Robie. He is effective, deadly and will leave no trace back to him or his handler, the Government. Enter Jessica Reel, a fellow agent; lethal assassin also, nearly as good as Will, and has just gone rogue. Will's instructions are clear - remove the threat of this rogue agent by any and all means, dead or alive, they want her out of commission, permanently.

But there are two sides to every story. Has Jessica really gone rogue, or has someone high up in Government made it look like she's a threat? Things are not what they appear at first glance.

I have nothing but praise for Baldacci's first book, The Innocent, in the Will Robie series and this one is just as good. It has great action and characters and will keep you guessing to the end so sit back and make time to read this book because once you are hooked it will be hard to put down.

When you pick up a book by David Baldacci you know it's going to be action packed, you know it's going to be a thriller. Well, "The Hit," is no different. Will Robie is assigned to find a "rogue" agent who seems to be decimating the agency by killing key personnel. Is she/he really a rogue or is there any validity to the killings? A few more violent scenes involving deahs where men die like fleas and a surprising finale and you feel the world is a better place at the end of it all.

Not a great book but definitely a good book.

Remember Will Robie? CIA still does not truly trust him after him going a bit crazy the previous book and uncovering the big conspiracy and saving the world and the president in the aftermath. But he is still the best agent they have and when one of the other killers on their payroll gets crazy and start killing their own people, they send him after her.

Jessica Reel, the second best agent in the agency, is on the run - instead of killing who she was told to, she killed the people that were giving her the orders. It looks like she had become a traitor - the big question is who she is working for and how did this happen - she was/is really good after all. But it is a Baldacci novel - chances of this being the whole story are non-existent.

And of course it is not - Jessica almost kills Robie a few times, he does start genuinely hunting her but the more he learns the more he starts wondering if she really is a traitor. He knows he was not a traitor when he turned on the agency and even if Reel went after them in a different way, there are way too many similar points.

And the game is on - Reel and Robie against the world. And the same way we learned Robie's backstory in the first book, we get the glimpses into Reel's - both of them broken by their families and circumstances, both of them managed to build new lives.

It is another good entry in the series. Julie continues being Robie's only family. By the end of the book, a new team is built and Baldacci pulls yet another tale of an assassin with a golden heart that had not forgotten to be human.

A book that hits the ground running and never lets up. Two high level government assassins at odds with each other until one convinces the other that a conspiracy is in place--one that reaches higher into the US government than either would like. When they team up, they are all but unstoppable.

This book was literally picked by impulse: during my last visit to the library, this "The Hit" was on the shelf of the featured books. On the cover, the marketing messages "# 1 New York Times" and "The thriller of the year - The Times" fulfilled their mission and captured my attention. After reading the synopsis, I thought "Well, I have nothing to lose, and a thriller is usually a nice summer reading. Let's have it!"

This is a book of easy reading, that quickly catches the reader's attention. However, the story becomes somewhat less interesting as we move throughout the book. At first, it begins with quite pace, but the author seems to have some difficulties in keeping the rhythm as the pages pile up, with a story that almost crumbles on itself and which becomes quite predictable at the end.

Honestly, the initial good impression on the book got blurred over time. Yet, this is still a - let's say it - a nice summer book: to read, to have a good time with it and to let it go.

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Este foi um livro literalmente escolhido por impulso: durante a minha última visita à biblioteca, este "O Atentado" estava na estante dos livros em destaque. Na capa, as mensagens de marketing "#1 New York Times" e "O thriller do ano - The Times" cumpriram a sua missão e captaram a minha atenção. Após ler rapidamente a sinopse, lá pensei "Bem, não tenho nada a perder e um thriller é sempre leitura de verão. Bora lá!"

Trata-se de um livro de leitura mais ou menos fluída, que rapidamente prende a atenção do leitor, mas é uma atenção que se vai perdendo ao longo do livro. Se é verdade que começa com bastante ritmo, o autor parece que tem dificuldade em mantê-lo à medida que as páginas se acumulam, com uma história que acaba por se enrolar nela própria e afigurar-se bastante previsível no seu final.

Confesso que a boa impressão com que fiquei no início do livro se foi esbatendo com o passar do tempo, sem que, com isso, deixe de ser um livro de verão: para ler, passar um bom bocado e já está.

I'd have to say this was my favorite book out of this trilogy. I actually picked it up first because the blurb hooked me right off the bat, and then I realized it was Book 2 and had to go find a copy of the first one.

I've always been a huge fan of spy/assassin stories, particularly ones that pit two spies/assassins against each other. See why the blurb would have caught my eye? The plot was great and left me continually wanting to find out what happened next. Will Robie is a very well-written character and it was a lot of fun to get reacquainted with him.

So far I've really appreciated the way Baldacci writes female characters. Even though they don't have major roles in this book, Julie and Agent Vance are both strong and lovable. I think Jessica Reel is one of the best-written female characters I've ever come across. She's a hardcore assassin who can shoot and fight and get down and dirty with all the male characters. I believe she's even supposed to be 5'9" - there are way too many little tiny petite female assassin characters who realistically wouldn't be able to handle themselves in certain situations, simple as that. She's an intriguing character, but she also seems very real.

If you like a good spy story and appreciate well-done female characters, this book and series are for you.

Have read a lot of David Baldacci’s books and this series is not my favorite. Purchased the audio and of course the narrator does a good job, as well as the author; however, it was a little slow moving starting out. I have read some good books lately, so did not enjoy as much as others I have in comparison. I am sure his fans will love.

Excellent read ... as usual for Baldacci. Expect the usual unexpected plot twists. Although the story line starts a little slow, it builds into a "hard-to-put-down" story. Highly recommended.

Will Robie is back - this book occurs immediately after The Innocent. The characters are all there - Julie Getty, Nicole Vance (FBI agent) and the Blue Man (Robie's connection inside the CIA).

And there has to be a bad guy - right. This time the bad guy is a collegue - the second best shooter at the CIA - Jessica Reel. Reel has decided that it is time for justice and begins killing off a secret group of collaborators. It just happens that the group includes her handler and the second in command at the CIA.

Robie is put on her trail. And because he has been slowly growing a brain again, he doesn't blindly follow his orders - he thinks a bit.

This was another great and fast read. It was more predictable and more far-fetched. But, that makes for an interesting story. Robie and Reel are frenemies. You see it coming and it doesn't disappoint. The government machine is the big, bad ogre that they are really both against. That also is not a surprise. But there is comfort in that formula.

I enjoyed this one as well!