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Why Hour Game: An Exclusive Essay by David Baldacci 
It's hard not to notice that the majority of fictional serial killers are cut from the same mold. When David Baldacci wrote Hour Game, he went out of his way to create a murderous original. Read this Amazon.com exclusive essay to learn how and why he did it.
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Rated by buyers - good ideas; poor execution
I listened to this book on CD, so some of my impatience with the book may have stemmed from this.
As the story summarizes, we have a group of people going after a copycat serial killer. Each killing has aspects from some former serial killer.
We have, at the same time, a mystery about the theft of stuff from the local muckety-muck dysfunctional family. The case seems open and shut except it's almost certain the assumed culprit is innocent of this crime.
The main characters, with the exception of Sean King (who is practically a superhero), I found to be two-dimensional and frustrating. Michelle Maxwell is supposed to be a 9 year vet of the special service, and yet she can't seem to think. All she is is hired muscle, apparently. Pretty muscle, but muscle nonetheless.
The crimes are all gruesome. The ending is so protracted I felt fast forwarding.
The complexity of the plot and subplots were great. I don't think I've read better in a thriller. But the characters just bored me. I had no investment with any of them.
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Rated by buyers - Baldacci is a great writer.
I like Baldacci's writing. There were numerous characters and all of them were well planned and thought out, a definite challenge as far as I'm concerned. I have to admit the title and summary of the book had me expecting a little something else. I kept thinking where is the "hour game" that I read about in the summary? Otherwise, this book was excellent.
The storytelling was very detailed and realistic with regard to police procedure and crime scene forensics, or so it seemed to me. Overall, this book is well worth a read. I enjoyed it. This was my very first Baldacci book, but it definitely won't be my last.
Rated by buyers 
- An Enthralling Suspenseful Thriller
I found Baldacci's novel excellent. The characters believable. The story seems to have to separate plots in the beginning, which nicely come together as one. There are twists & turns throughout the novel which centers around an elite family in a small Virginia town. The serial killer runs amok. There seems no plausible ties to his killings. Mr. Baldacci brings it all together extremely well at the book's conclusion. The story is very well thought out & attention gripping
Rated by buyers - wow................
I think this is the BEST book I have ever read. I read before work, after work & before bed. I have't even been watching TV. It is riveting....Read it...
Rated by buyers 
- Good Read but....
This was my very first book with the Michelle Maxwell & Sean King characters. It was "ok". I enjoyed it, but the pace wasn't consistent. It did have a lot of characters, but was nonetheless interesting.
I enjoyed Simple Genius a lot more.
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