Even while writing standalone thrillers like Absolute Power, David Baldacci has always managed to maintain a variety of character-driven series. His latest concerns the exploits of World War II veteran Aloysius Archer, fresh out of prison and using his toughness and street smarts to make his way in mid-20th-century America, hoping to avoid trouble even as it seems to seek him out.

Heading to Poca City, Aloysius Archer takes what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman. But in this series debut, the man doesn't want to pay up, and Archer has to deal with a stern parole officer and Hank's flirtatious mistress. When a murder takes place right under Archer's nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison if he doesn't use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer.