Recently, Baldacci has ventured with success beyond the thrillers that made his reputation, first in 2000 with the historical melodrama Wish You Well, then earlier this year with the SF mystery novella The Mighty Johns. Here's another stretch, one that he performs with good spirit, a lot of humor and only a bit of strain a Christmas charmer set aboard a cross-country train. Tom Langdon's life hasn't been the same since his all-time love, Eleanor Carter, left him years ago while the two were hotshot journalists, and since he's quit serious reporting for writing fluff. Banned from flying for a year because of an air rage incident, he's decided to write about riding the rails over the Christmas holidays, planning to link up with his erstwhile girlfriend, a Hollywood star, in L.A. Aboard the Capitol Limited, running from D.C. to Chicago, Tom meets a host of unusual fellow travelers, including rambunctious train personnel, lonely wanderers and a pair of elopers; he also runs into Eleanor, now a screenwriter for a legendary film director who's on board researching a possible film about trains. Matters complicate further aboard the Southwest Chief, running from Chicago to L.A., as Tom's Tinseltown girlfriend shows up and proposes marriage just as Tom and Eleanor are working their way back together; a sneak thief nabs valuables; and an avalanche traps the train in the midst of a historic blizzard. The narrative is loaded with cool train lore (Baldacci dedicates the book to "everyone who loves trains and holidays") and plenty of romance and good cheer, though suspense is low who can doubt how things will work out? and the author gets a bit preachy about the advantages of train travel and the lessons of Christmas. This is a more warmhearted and enjoyable novel than Grisham's comparable holiday offering last year, Skipping Christmas, and Baldacci's fans will snap it up as the Yuletide treat it is. Expect this to stuff plenty of stockings on December 25; all aboard!
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Available for trade and it is a hardback.

Promised to savannahblue.

Mailed out to savannahblue today. Enjoy!

thanks to bookaholic1346 for sending this to me as part of a trade - will read soon (although from the looks of my TBR pile, it may BE christmas when i do!!! ;)

I'm sending this one out on a small bookring, since I haven't read it yet, and the holidays are fast approaching!

Participants:

1. watergirl - WA
2. DSM - MI
3. summermarie - VA
4. penny-n-chaos - GA
5. WarEagle78 - AL
6. savannahblue - OR ~ rec'd 3/22

If you've just received the book, please pm the person following you so that you'll have their address as soon as you finish reading. Please be considerate of those who follow you, and read/mail in a timely manner - we'd all like to read it ~close~ to the holidays! Enjoy!

Received in mail from Savannablue, read it quickly, liked it a lot, made me want to take a train trip. Mailed to DSM November 24, 2003.

Arrived today in perfect condition! ;o) Thanks!

I'm just finishing up a book and will get started on this soon! (12/05)

Thank you Savannahblue! This book brought back memories of my one and only train trip as a small child! I now, want to take another (in the SUMMER months however!) and can't wait to do so!

What a wonderful little book about second chances, the meaning of Christmas, and the way life should be all wrapped up with mystery, love and adventure!! And the end - not at all what I was expecting!! That Max is one in a million! ;o) Thanks again Savannahblue!

As soon as I get Summermarie's addy - I'll get this book off to her!

Released on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 at Post Office in Bad Axe, Michigan USA.

Sending off to Summermarie - next person on the bookring! Happy Reading!

Got this book yesterday afternoon...I was very, very excited =) YAY! Can't wait to read and send on!

next on my reading list:-)

Well, it's closer to St. Patrick's Day than it is to Christmas, but I still enjoyed this book. Thanks SavannahBlue. It's all packaged and ready to mail to WarEagle tomorrow.

Arrived in mail today. Will journal again when read, although it's not too easy to get in the Christmas spirit when it was in the mid 70's today! Seriously, I love David Baldacci and would read him any time of the year. Thanks penny-n-chaos for sending it on.

This was an interesting little book, quite the departure for Baldacci but a good read nonetheless. It made me look up the Amtrak website immediately to try to convince my husband to take a train vacation!!!

On its way back home again in today's mail.

back home with me. now the question is: do i read it as spring is springing, or just let it sit in mt. TBR until the holidays approach once again??