It's interesting that two German versions of this title have different translations: one means "The Temptation" Die Versuchung Baldacci, the other "The Conspiracy. Die Verschwörung Baldacci" Neither is remotely close to the original English: Saving Faith. The pun, of course would have been lost in translation, but I'm not sure why two CD editions would have different titles.This book has everything: a really evil CIA character, conspiracies, interagency antagonism between the FBI and the CIA and a satisfying resolution, not to mention a title with a double-entendre. Faith Lockhart is the protégé of Danny Buchanan, a spectacularly successful lobbyist who had something of an epiphany several years earlier and is now using his considerable skills to lobby for foreign aid for underdeveloped nations. Unfortunately, he has had to resort to a sophisticated bribery scheme involving the less scrupulous representatives (a substantial number of folks) that involves making their retirements quite lucrative. Danny falls into the clutches of Thornhill, a satisfyingly evil CIA deputy director, who wants to use Danny’s inside information to get support for the agency and to increase the number of clandestine operations using non-technological methods. Faith, in an attempt to extricate Danny – from what she knows not– tries to make a deal with the FBI, a tactic that enrages Thornhill, who orders Danny’s assassination along with that of Faith’s FBI guardian, Blake Reynolds. Buchanan has taken several steps of his own, however, and a private detective, Lee Adams, who does not know who or why he has been hired, only that he should follow Faith, sabotages the assassination. Soon he and Faith are on the run together, united unwillingly as the CIA and the FBI both engage in a gigantic manhunt to find them. In the meantime, Blake Reynolds has been sabotaged by parties unknown (guess who) and is suspended, so Blake and her partner engage in some clandestine operations of their own. It’s all nicely put together and wonderfully read by Michael Kramer, one of my favorite readers.
