Title: Dream Town
Author: David Baldacci
Genre: Mystery Thriller
About the book: It’s the third book in the Archer series that follows private investigator Aloysius Archer in the 1950s. After a dead body is found inside a screenwriter’s home and she disappears, Archer is set on finding the murderer and her. The investigation takes him from Las Vegas to Hollywood to Los Angeles where he discovers dark truths and deals with deadly threats.
First impressions: I enjoy reading Baldacci’s books, so I was excited to jump back into this series. The beginning introduces some new characters and sets the tone for the story.
Characters: I liked Archer and his development. There are a lot of characters, so I had to keep track of who everyone was to follow along. I wasn’t too sure who the villain or villains would be, especially early on.
Quote:
“Everybody has to get to where they have to look in the mirror and say, ‘Is it really worth it?'”
Writing: It’s a little over 415 pages with short chapters. The pacing is slower at the start but picks up as the plot unfolds. The plot has a lot of moving parts. I didn’t know how everything connected until the big reveal. Some scenes are more mature and graphic in nature.
Final thoughts: I enjoyed the ending because I think it does justice to the novel as a whole. It’s a fun and entertaining read set in 1953. I would recommend Dream Town, especially if you’re a fan of historical crime thrillers. It can be read as a standalone, but I appreciated the story more after having read the rest of the series.
Herminia Chow 