An interesting story that kept my attention. However I thought the dialogue was (to quote from the text) "out of a bad mobster movie". If you are a fan of David Baldacci you will enjoy this book.

This instalment of the Camel Club, did not charm me in the way the others did, possibly because it focuses on an additional group of con artists. And it seems like a lot of people die nasty deaths. ( )

I enjoyed seeing the characters from The Camel Club again. ( )

Baldacci's second book about the Camel Club, a group of social misfits busting global conspiracy theories. This novel features espionage at the library of Congress and introduces a new member of the club via a "long con" in Atlantic City.
This is a good read. The Camel Club members are likeable characters and the plot moves along at a healthy pace. I am finding Baldacci's writing increasingly clunky though, and the dialogue especially in this outing seems contrived. I am hoping for better next time out, one of the plot threads here is left open. ( )

Perfect book for reading on airplane. Plenty of action to keep one's attention. Ties together rare books, Atlantic City con, group of avenging talented Vietnam veterans, a professional assassin, and the Library of Congress. ( )

This was the second David Baldacci book I have read and I have 2 more waiting to be read. I found this book a little confusing in the beginning with the 3 separate stories going on but just before half way through the book the stories started to connect and made so much more sense. After that I could not put the book down. I wanted to know what happened next. The book did end leaving one of the story lines open so I'm looking forward to finding that book to complete the story.

I liked The Camel Club and at first I found this book slow as new characters were introduced and I wasn't sure about two separate stories but after the first hundred or so pages I could not put it down and stayed up late to finish the book. Baldacci weaves the two stories together masterfully. I missed not having as much from Alex but he developed the other characters more thoroughly and I enjoyed his new woman character. As the book neared the end I realized that the one storyline would not finish and I was disappointed. Some like that but I tend to like stand alone books. The Camel Club series is definitely a series you need to read in order which will limit its readership. ( )

This is the second installment of the Camel Club series of stories by bestselling author David Baldacci. The first - The Camel Club - was previously reviewed. This installment picks up shortly after the conclusion of the first. As with the first, this story really revolves around the core group of four characters that make up the Camel Club, and Baldacci has once again done a wonderful job of drawing the reader into the lives of idiosyncrasies of each of the characters. However, unlike the first book, I don't have a complaint about the story becoming outlandish or unbelievable. Quite the contrary, the story is very timely and a bit frightening in how easy it is for a small number of individuals with the right contacts can put a lot of people's lives in jeopardy. I think it also rings quite authentic when the driving force for it inevitably about money.

The story has a few good plot twist along the way. Of course - as a book collector - I was fascinated by the intricacies of the Rare Book Room of the Library of Congress and the detailed research of the book trade as a whole. While I would not put this book on a par with Baldacci's masterpiece, Absolute Power, I think it is an improvement upon the Camel Club storyline and continues to develop the characters in an interesting way. It is a fast-paced read with very little unnecessary fluff to slow you down. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good thriller and especially for anyone who has enjoyed previous books by David Baldacci.

http://chadintheazdesert.blogspot.com... ( )

At what point do bad characterisation and dialogue outweigh the attraction of a fast-moving crime plot? I guess everyone has their own tolerance limit; this definitely fell below mine. I enjoy crime fiction and wildly silly plots, but here Baldacci's characters were just too paper-thin and the dialogues so obviously 'crafted' that even the fast pace couldn't make up for it. There also seems to be a bit of an imbalance: the whole plot is unravelled in the last few chapters in unnaturally long and explanatory confessions from the characters.

My first Baldaccio book, and probably my last unless he's the only author on the airport bookstand. ( )

A murder at the Library of Congress marks the beginning of the Camel Club's focus on rogue CIA agent Roger Seagraves, who is selling classified political information to the highest bidder. Caleb Shaw, an ex-CIA assassin, and the other members of the Club must stop Seagraves before his deals demolish the foundation of national security for good. ( )

Not bad. I'd not read a Camel Club book before, but I liked it OK. ( )

The four members of the Camel Club are back in the second book of the series. The Collectors focuses on a conspiracy behind the death of a rare book collector. One of the club's members, Caleb, is appointed to value and distribute the books in the deceased man's collection. This endangers Caleb as well as the others who are helping him in the process. Annabelle Conroy, a con, is introduced in this story. She is the ex-wife of the deceased and two plots gradually come together.

I like that there is more information in this story about the pasts of the characters. I got more of that information from this book than I did the first in the series. However, this is my least favorite of the series so far. And I have high hopes for book three, Stone Cold. I did listen to the abridged version, so I'm thinking of going back and listening to the unabridged to see if I would have a better opinion of the story, and to see if I would get even more information about the characters. Overall, I'm addicted to this series much like a drug addict. I cannot stop listening!! ( )

I loved this book. It is another great Camel Club book. ( )

The Collectors by David Baldacci is the second Oliver Stone novel. He is still the leader of the Camel Club, a group of conspiracy theorists. And they are all still about as quirky as before. This book includes memories back to the first book, The Camel Club. Those memories add richness to the characters, but are not critical to the plot. So it would be OK to read this book without first reading The Camel Club. On the other hand, why not start at the beginning?

The Collectors comes to a solid, satisfying conclusion to the main plot lines. In other words, we are not left dangling waiting for the next volume. So the book can stand on it’s own.

My complete review in on my Blog, Nate's Library, specifically at: http://nates-library.blogspot.com/200... ( )

http://www.book-blog.com/2008/10/bald... ( )

This is the first Camel Club book I've come across, but I'll be looking for
the others. This is an eclectic group of men with pasts as varied as their
hair lengths, each with a talent that comes in handy while keeping
Washington in line. It was well written and rather intricate, drawing three
plotlines together by the middle of the book and summing each one up nicely
by the end. Once in a while I'm in the mood for a bit of political intrigue
and The Collectors fit the bill quite well. I give it a 4.

After having read and loved The Camel Club, I was eager to read the sequel, The Collectors. While it is still quite good, unfortunately, it doesn't quite measure up to its incredibly clever predecessor. The main story line is interesting enough, and the 'bookish' plot is something most bibliophiles will appreciate. But Baldacci has basically created two separate stories here and fused them together via one character, turning it into one somewhat disjointed novel. There is a subplot surrounding an ambitious scheme to con a dangerous casino owner that doesn't fit well enough with the Camel Club cohorts, in my opinion.

Aside from that, though, The Collectors is pretty flawless. Eccentric and quirky characters along with clever dialogue and exciting action sequences combine to create a very entertaining reading experience.

As this is a review based on the audio book, I feel I should mention that I found the narration to be unpleasant. The secondary 'players' were adequate, though annoying at times, but the main narrator, LJ Gasner, has a voice that just did not work for me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem was, but I struggled throughout the book. And, I feel that I would have enjoyed the experience more had I read the book myself.
( )

Good character but quiet formulaic ( )

Soon after the Speaker of the House is assassinated, Caleb Shaw a quiet librarian stumbles upon the body of his boss Jonathan DeHaven at the Library of Congress narrowly escaping the same fate. “The Camel Club” group promptly sets out to investigate and it becomes a race to stop a man who is determined to auction off America to the highest bidder.
On a local level, Annabelle Conroy, a gifted con artist, is out to pull off a major con against a ruthlessly violent casino boss. She gathers three other scammers and together they undertake a heist that promises to make them all rich. She eventually meets up with the Camel Club after she attends the funeral of Jonathan DeHaven (her ex husband). She then joins the group in the hopes of solving the crime. Their lives become more and more in peril as they come closer to the truth. (Tigerpaw70) ( )

David Baldacci peoples The Collectors, his second book featuring The Camel Club, with a host of entertaining and familiar stereotypes. The story flips between three threads: the ingenious exploits of a conwoman and her gang, the ruthless killings of a highly placed traitor, and the actions of the oddball and eccentric members of the Camel Club.
Rare books, bibliophiles and librarians feature largely in this engaging tale, often to hilarious effect. A thoroughly entertaining read, marred only by the unnecessary and unconvincing romance, and the fact that it ends on a cliffhanger - which spoils what would otherwize be a good thriller. ( )

The Camel Club investigate a series of unrelated murders... ( )

I found this sequel to The Camel Club a reasonably quick read, but a bit disjointed. The first book was a bit better. ( )

Sequel to “The Camel Club”

Soon after the Speaker of the House is assassinated, Caleb Shaw a quiet librarian stumbles upon the body of his boss Jonathan DeHaven at the Library of Congress narrowly escaping the same fate. “The Camel Club” group promptly sets out to investigate and it becomes a race to stop a man who is determined to auction off America to the highest bidder.

On a local level, Annabelle Conroy, a gifted con artist, is out to pull off a major con against a ruthlessly violent casino boss. She gathers three other scammers and together they undertake a heist that promises to make them all rich. She eventually meets up with the Camel Club after she attends the funeral of Jonathan DeHaven (her ex husband). She then joins the group in the hopes of solving the crime. Their lives become more and more in peril as they come closer to the truth.

This crisp action thriller is a blend of two masterfully intertwined plots, truly entertaining. The characters may be a little too eccentric but they are likeable and interesting. As the storyline unfolds you are left turning the pages to a very interesting conclusion that is obviously leading to a sequel. I would recommend reading “The Camel Club” first. ( )

Second Baldacci book, enjoyed The Camel Club, ( )

A great story, though overly complex at times. I loved the characters, and I was definitely hooked throughout the whole story. Judging by the ending, I'm thinking it's written with a follow-up book in mind. ( )