Imposter

by Davis Bunn

Book Overview

Matt Kelly's knack for concealing his identity is his greatest asset as a federal agent. But when an assignment gets personal, discovering who he really is may prove to be the toughest mission of all.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1595542264
• ISBN13: 9781595542267
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Great Mystery/Suspene Novel

What I like about Davis Bunn is that he doesn't "dumb" down his books but requires you to think. Instead of having a good idea "who done it" at the beginning, the plot keeps you guessing with clues from the US to Europe. Matt's "gift" was a little Mission Impossible-ish, but it was fun to read about. Two Thumbs up!

A riveting story full of twists and turns, vivid characters, and smart dialogue

In the opening pages of IMPOSTER, Megan Kelly is shopping with her son Matt, a new FBI agent, in Lexington Market of Baltimore. Upon returning home, Matt leaves his gun in the car and his mother moves ahead to the front door. As she uses her key to open the door, her phone rings, triggering an explosion that destroys the front of their house. Suddenly the person closest in his life is dead, and Matt is on a new mission to find the culprit. He has the unique ability to adapt completely to any situation. While handsome, he can hide his emotions and blend into any crowd. In sharp contrast, Matt's father, Paul, has an explosive side that Matt tries to avoid at all costs. Paul Kelly, a Baltimore businessman, is in the final two weeks of a campaign for U.S. Senate when his wife is murdered. Paul buries his beloved wife, but doesn't slow down any of his campaign and in fact is infuriated that his son isn't following through with his promised involvement. Matt is much more interested though in solving the crime than his father's election bid. A rivalry between federal government agents and the local Baltimore police is in full swing. Matt ignores this potential minefield between his FBI role and the police since he teams with homicide detective Lucas D'Amico, a veteran policeman, to follow every lead. As Matt searches for the killer, he discovers that his mother's murder is only a small part of a much larger conspiracy. Matt seeks and receives assistance from Allen Pecard, a British citizen who is an expert in unidentified explosives and imposters. The trail leads to a long-ago death from the Vietnam days and involves a quick flight aboard a military transport to a base in England, so Matt can look for clues. Early in the book, readers meet Connie Morales, a rookie cop who has confronted a lieutenant about his sexual harassment. With the confrontation, Lieutenant Calfo, nicknamed Hands, is committed to making Connie's life miserable. She escapes her desk job on an innocent mission to retrieve some records, picks up Matt to take him along, and is drawn into a shootout situation. As Connie shows her expertise, Lucas moves her into homicide. Connie, Lucas and Matt become an unlikely trio working together to solve the mysterious explosion. The story even includes a touch of romance between Connie and Matt. On the outside, Matt appears to be a calm, unassuming agent. Yet, ever since he was a teenager, he has trained in the martial arts, and at several points in the book his skills are used and surprise those around him. The drama and the frantic search for the killer leads Matt to an unexpected culprit. Davis Bunn is a master at twists and turns in his plot. As a reader you believe the story is headed in a certain direction, but when you flip the page and experience another event, you are headed in the complete opposite direction. The characterization and dialogue move this book, and its riveting story demands the reader discover the imposter. --- Re

Attention please! Will the real Thomas Locke stand up?

Ok, if you know anything about Bunn as an author, then you'll probably get what my title means immediately. If not, I'll leave it for you to figure it out. This was great! I haven't enjoyed a Bunn novel this much since "The Great Divide". This packed a similar punch, and I'm still reeling! Coming back with another international thriller right after "The Lazarus Trap", I wasn't so sure. Just the title made me go HMM, yet at the same time I was very eager to see what was in store. What will we learn about Paul Kelly, Matt Kelly's dad. A big shot in a senatorial race and having just lost his wife, a big light in the spotlight. Matt, who is a fed, is very talented, and in more than one way. But sometimes this boy just clams up. Matt wants justice for his mom's killer, and let me tell you, Bunn has some pretty good twists in this bad boy! Allow this to slowly grip the heart, because it dives deeply, and it really pumps you up! If you've ever read Bunn before, you know he can get a little complex at times. He does so in this, yet he doesn't fail to please the masses. Through the person of Lucas D'Amico, he displays great heart combined with faith, and maybe even a question or two. So I can easily say that Bunn has nothing to prove. This will be among his best. Can't wait for what he dishes out next!

terrific investigative thriller

FBI Agent Matt Kelly is stunned when he observes his mother killed by an apparent terrorist bomb. Unable to gain closure and told to take some leave to grieve his loss, Matt instead of relaxing is determined to find the culprit. Baltimore police officer Consuela "Connie" Morales rejects the sexual assaults of her boss; in retaliation for her refusal, her superior takes her off the street ands puts on internal desk duty. Outraged by the harassment and subsequent "unofficial" punishment, Connie decides to help Matt uncover the identity of his mother's killer. As they find clues, the dots seem to connect back to his father's military time in Viet Nam. His dad, a potential senatorial candidate, has received a major boost in the polls because of sympathy due to his wife's homicide; he demands Matt stop his investigation, but the Fed needs to know who and why. IMPOSTER is a terrific investigative thriller that grips the audience from the moment that Matt unable to not visualize his mom's death becomes fixated with the truth. The story line is loaded with suspense as he with the help of Connie finds each step closer to fulfilling his quest that much more dangerous and personal. The key cast is solid as the initially aloof Matt becomes ardent with his desire to know what happened while the women who enter his life during his pursuit soften him a bit with their beliefs in right and wrong yet also imbue him with courage and determination. Davis Bunn provides a powerful suspense thriller with the faith elements cleverly enhancing the superb story. Harriet Klausner

Awesome plot, well-rounded characters, & real justice

Matt Kelly is an FBI agent investigating his mother's murder. To prevent the local police from just pulling any man off the street and claiming they caught "the bad guy," Kelly is straining for all levels of the law to let him have a role in the investigation to see that real justice is served to the right guy. He eventually gets the position he wants and begins the emotionally and physically demanding investigation with the constant distractions of criminal justice politics. Oh, and don't forget about the hint of love in the air for both Kelly and his supervising detective. The plot was good and not totally Christian, however, the lead detective is a discerning Christian. The church Kelly's mother attended is a minor part of the story, and the pastor we find has a history that is key to the investigation. Yet Bunn leaves out the in-your-face plug for Christianity. Imposter has Vietnam War history and accounts spread throughout, and the word picture of men being real men underlies the story. In spite of that, the book is not written for any particular gender. And at times the writing becomes confusing with names and descriptions of guns, bombs, and explosives, which can make it difficult, but not impossible, to follow. Kelly's partner is a female detective, Connie, who is dealing with sexual harassment from her supervisor "hands." Connie is a strong woman who copes with her past in the story. Overall, an awesome plot, well-rounded characters, and real justice equal the recommended read, Imposter. - Holly Wells, Christian Book Previews.com