Mentally stressed beyond her ability to continue a normal life – the result of some long-repressed childhood memory, Michelle ends up in a bar brawl fighting a huge guy, nearly getting herself kill in the process. Sean’s concern for his friend and partner makes him push Michelle to check herself into a psychiatric hospital for rest, recuperation and examination. Sean’s friend Dr Horatio Barnes comes in to help her at the rehab.In order to pay for the facility, Sean accepts a contract to investigate the suicide (read murder) of a quantum physicist and computer scientist, Monk Turing from his ex, Joan Dillinger.
Monk was working for Babbage Town, Virginia, a high powered corporate think tank located across the York River from Camp Peary, a top secret CIA training facility.
Meanwhile, the scientists at Babbage Town are very protective about their codes and quantum processors. And they need to know if Monk was murdered or did he commit suicide. Since the murder took place on CIA property, Sean knows that the FBI would be involved, making things difficult for him working on the case.Not long after this, Len Rivest, the head of Babbage Town, is found dead. This leads to further suspicions and confusions in the case. And Sean is seen pitting against the FBI, the CIA and unknown criminals involved in drug deals, secret codes, illegal detainments, illegal torture, buried treasure and Monk’s 11-year-old autistic genius daughter.
Viggie Turing is emotionally and socially disabled, but she is a mathematical genius who speaks only in codes. She holds vital information that could help Sean crack the case.Although busy with his work, Sean is really worried about Michelle and whether she’d be able to pull through for him.
Meanwhile, at the rehab, Michelle begins to notice strange activities at the centre. She uncovers a drug ring, saves a fellow inmate’s life but soon leaves the centre and lands up at Babbage Town followed by Dr Horatio Barnes.Michelle then befriends Viggie and tries to help the case by talking with her.
A mesmerising and entertaining story with an interesting plot twist, featuring many eccentric characters, and a surprising ending.Baldacci has a skill for creating suspense and engaging his readers from the very first page.
Simple Genius is informative, riveting, entertaining and flows without any interruptions, hooking the readers to each word. An excIting read.