The author brings back The Camel Club, a group of four men who together fight corruption within our government. Each member has or has had a connection with the government through one job or another and becomes very irritated when things go wrong that shouldn't. The club's unofficial leader is called by the name Oliver Stone. Caleb Shaw, Milton Farb, and Rueben Rhodes join Oliver in this secretive group that live and meet in the strangest places.

When several important government officials were found murdered, The Camel Club jumped into action, if you want to call their movement "jumping" since some are up in years but mostly in good physical shape. The club had a great liaison in the FBI who would help them when called, but the club stayed out of the way and didn't want to be known by others because of the secretive work they do.

Roger Seagraves is a go-between between some government officials and those that would hurt our nation by selling secrets to other foreign powers. Seagraves was a powerful man who thought he could do anything he wished from hurting someone's chance at a job to killing without conscience.

Add to this mix a super-con artist, Annabelle Conroy, with the looks and brains to pull off almost any con even to the best con men and to those that considered themselves con-proof! Oh but she was good. She worked with three others, one of whom was new and not quite up to par with Annabelle and Leo, her key co-conspirator. But he had to learn-and FAST before Annabelle pulled off any more big jobs. While the four of them were learning to pull off cons together, they did rip off a few that felt they couldn't be conned. All this while practicing for the big one with the notorious Jerry Bagger, the owner of a huge organization and one of the best con men around. Annabelle had some big ideas to really get Jerry where it hurt the worst, his wallet, and his pride.

When one con after another was successful, Annabelle felt they were ready for Bagger. Annabelle got very chummy with him and gained his confidence, as no one had ever been able to do. Meanwhile, Annabelle's ex-husband was killed in Washington and was a murder that The Camel Club was investigating. Annabelle was hiding from Bagger knowing if he ever caught her she would be good fertilizer when he was finished with her. But when she heard of her ex's demise she had to try to find out the how's and why's since she still had deep feelings for him. She eventually got to Washington and discovered The Camel Club quite by accident. They made a formidable team as they joined all their talent to delve into the killing of the ex and the other key murders.

I enjoyed the book but felt it bogged down a bit in places. I have always enjoyed Baldacci's books and while I would recommend The Collectors to you, I felt it was stretched out a bit but still contained a lot of action. It just was not the non-stop action I expect from David Baldacci.

playground flooring