The Camel Club

Written by David Baldacci

Narrated by Alex Jennings

The Camel Club by bestselling sensation David Baldacci is the exciting first instalment of a breathtaking series.

The man known as Oliver Stone has no official past. He spends most days camped opposite the White House, hoping to expose corruption wherever he finds it. But the stakes are raised when he and his friends, a group of conspiracy theorist misfits known as The Camel Club, accidentally witness the murder of an intelligence analyst, which the authorities seem happy to discuss as a suicide.

For Secret Service agent Alex Ford, the suicide verdict doesn't ring true. His abilities will be tested to the limit during a visit to the president's hometown, where a terrorist cell has spent months plotting an event that will shake the world.

Meanwhile American's powerful intelligence chief, Carter Gray, is unnerved when he glimpses the face of an old acquaintance in Arlington Cemetery - but it is the face of a man supposedly long dead . . .

And as The Camel Club is poised to expose a conspiracy reaching into the heart of Washington's highly secretive corridors of power, Alex Ford finds out that his worst nightmare is about to happen.

The Camel Club is followed by The Collectors, Stone Cold, Divine Justice and Hell's Corner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Nov 17, 2006
• ISBN: 9780230527706

David Baldacci

David Baldacci is one of the world’s bestselling and favourite thriller writers. A former trial lawyer with a keen interest in world politics, he has specialist knowledge in the US political system and intelligence services, and his first book, Absolute Power, became an instant international bestseller, with the movie starring Clint Eastwood a major box office hit. He has since written more than forty bestsellers featuring Amos Decker, Aloysius Archer, Atlee Pine and John Puller. David is also the co-founder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across the US. Trust him to take you to the action.

Reviews for The Camel Club

[eadieb-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Washington DC. 4 eccentric members make up The Camel Club. Oliver Stone is the leader. They study conspiracy theories, current events and the workings of government to find the truth behind their actions. They witness a shocking murder. They join forces with secret service agent to confront a chilling spectacle on American soil which may trigger war between 2 worlds. A slow start but the 2nd half made up for it. Interesting characters and unique plot. Love Baldacci's Maxwell and King, Will Robie and Amos Decker series. Recommended if you love history and political intrigue.

[howhop · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Here is a book with so much wasted potential. I loved the idea that a group of eccentric conspiracy theorists -- The Camel Club -- had stumbled on a true conspiracy which involved the highest levels of the American Intelligence community and Islamic terrorists. So much fun could have been made of this situation but, Baldacci let this one get away from him to the point of absurdity. For one, the chief villain was so unbelievably invincible that not even Batman himself could have taken him on in a fight. Baldacci also seemed to feel it important, throughout the story, to present the Islamic world as superior to America, and to justify its terrorism on the basis of their victimization by the West. Not even the interesting cast of characters -- especially the Camel Club members -- could save this lousy plot.

[judygibson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excellent action story and the start of a promising series.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've read later books in this series prior to reading this one, which is the first in the series. I decided to go back and read Baldacci books that I hadn't read yet because I usually enjoy his books. That said, The Camel Club isn't my favorite of his series. That may be because I jumped into it in later books and there are several characters who form The Camel Club plus ancillary characters that are quasi-members, so it was harder to keep them all straight when I didn't start from the beginning.Now, seeing the dynamics between Oliver, Reuben, Milton, and Caleb in the first book, I kind of understand more what they were trying to do--Oliver seems to be a person who can put pieces from various sources together to see the whole. Milton is the technology whiz. Caleb has research skills plus can keep his ear to the ground for government sources. Reuben gets the common man's take on things. The 4 long-time members of the Camel Club (Oliver, Reuben, Milton, and Caleb) witness a murder. POTUS is kidnapped. Kate Adams brings The Camel Club and Alex Ford (plus Adelphia and Jackie Simpson) together with various pieces of the puzzle.

[sunnydrk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fast-paced "spy" thriller. Well thought out and fun characters. Great book.

[amandanan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars -- just way too dense in some places. Granted, I know more than Joe Smith about the Middle East and all the wars, old and new, so maybe those history lessons are good for other readers. Or if this book is read 50 years from now.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read some of this series 10 or so years ago and really didn’t care much for it. It has always been my least favorite of everything David Baldacci…one of my favorite authors of all time… ever wrote. The essence of the series is politics and more politics. The characters though, are another matter. Oliver Stone and Agent Ford are what would keep most people reading and coming back for more. Ten years later…I’m back for more…and it was all because it was a group read for the Mystery & Suspense group on LibraryThing…people that make everything worth reading. I still didn’t care for all the politics but the action was superb…especially the last few chapters. If any American, or any other world citizen can read or listen to these last 6 or 7 chapters and not find themselves holding their breath and their heart rate accelerated…then they are already ready for that granite stone. Well done…reading group. I think I’ll join you for the next one.

[froschling-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Camel Club is a good read for a holiday but followed a predictable theme of conspiracies within conspiracies. Some interesting final revelations but nothing that really grabbed me.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Actually, I'd give this a 3-1/2 star rating, maybe even 3-3/4. The biggest gripe I have about the book is that it was a SLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWW first half. The second half moved much more quickly and was much more enjoyable. Loved the main characters. The plot line? Not so much. I am pretty good at suspending disbelief, but c'mon man ... this whole thing would SOOOO NOT happen. Overall enjoyable though.

[pierthinker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Camel Club are a group of four friends, all social misfits, who meet regularly to discuss conspiracy theories. In this book they inadvertently witness a murder and in following up on the investigation uncover and foil a terrorist plot to use a kidnapped US President to start World War III.This is a very long book and definitely a page-turner, but I am not sure where all the words have come from, or, at least, where they have all been used. The action and plot line are fairly limited and tend to take a straight line from supposition ('I bet he is a spy...') to confirmation ('Look, he is a spy...'). Characterisation is pretty good, but there are some characters are so thinly drawn that when they impinge on the central story their impact is limited; we either do not care enough, or we do not remember who they are.The book is dedicated to the US Secret Service and a key character is a member of the Service. In a book this size I expected to read a lot more about the Service, who they are, what they do and, most importantly, how they do it. Overall, a bit of a disappointment, but a reasonable beach read and I will look out for other books in the series, just not that hard.

[gaillamontagne · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

To my surprise, I did not care for this Baldacci book. Many many characters to follow and difficult to remember without having the visual to help keep track of who is who. In addition, the narrator was not sufficiently talented to keep the dialogue of each character separated and distinct. I could only listen to half of it and decided I still did not know what was happening. I moved on to another book. The story has several strings to the story that will eventually come together but again, too many threads to keep straight about who were the good guys the traitors who only worked for money and the bad guys were the militant Muslims.

[tonifgmamtc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had so much going on and so many characters. I started getting confused about who was on which side. It seemed like everyone was bad. I liked the times when the Camel Club met up and conversed. I'll continue the series to see what they get up to next.

[dcarlin-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A typical Good Guys vs Bad Guys with a twist or two for good measure.

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Before we lay this novel to rest in sure and certain hope of a sequel, a reading from the Prologue, paragraph two:"He suddenly glanced out the window as he heard the sound overhead."Suddenly. A completely unnecessary word. When you hear a sound you do glance suddenly. It's not as if, without "suddenly" we're going to think his eyes moved glacier slow. Is Baldacci trying to inject a sense of immediate urgency? This is not how you do it. Unnecessary and annoying.The. This is the first time the sound as been mentioned, so why is it "the sound" and not "a sound"? He doesn't then tell us about the sound. We're given instead five paragraphs on other subjects before he gets back to the point. Is Baldacci trying to inject a sense of ominous doom? This is not how you do it. Annoying.1/6 of the paragraph is annoying and 1/12 is unnecessary. Now I've not done a full statistical analysis of the novel because I can't be bothered but those figures feel about right.I should say that I enjoyed large portions of the book and the climax is well done. Somewhere in here there is a good four hundred page novel, though whether it would be a farce or a thriller is impossible to determine because of the uneven tone. I also liked his politics.There are elements that raise this above a one star, but I'm too old to have my time wasted.

[mtbearded1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

24 of 75 for 2015. Excellent political thriller. This is a book I got through audible.com and loaded onto my iPod. The iPod has a permanent place plugged into the sound system of my car, so I only listen to books when I'm driving. This book had me wanting to take long trips just so I could keep up with the story. I won't say too much about the book's plot as I don't want to give out any spoilers, but if you're into political fiction, conspiracies, and Washington DC life in general, don't pass by The Camel Club. And since this was a "book on tape" or whatever we call them these days, I need to point out that the reader was excellent. Clear diction, compelling style, not a bit of a distraction from the fast paced action that makes up the novel.

[ladypembroke · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book needed an editor to get rid of so much extraneous information. I ended up skipping whole chunks off text to avoid lectures on Islam and Muslim-American relations. After the first few examples, I felt like Baldacci was trying to show off how much research he had done. The overall plot was also not my cup of tea. I only kind of liked the characters in the Camel Club itself, but they might be worth giving the series a second try. I've heard better reviews of the second book from readers who read it first.

[momsterbookworm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Political thriller, international espionage, page-turner, nail-biter, etc., etc., etc. The scenario presented in the book might be fiction, but who, other than those global powers/persons that be, who hold [and perhaps, manipulate (as in the book)] intelligence reports, and makes those critical and calculated judgment calls, really knows what goes on behind the scenes, how many times the world really comes close to nuclear Armageddon. The first book in the 'Camel Club' series, and Baldacci has set the bar high.... very high! A 5-star read!

[chrisnorbury · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Baldacci at his best. He weaves a unique, intricate, and imaginative plot that takes a while to get going but once it does, you won't be able to turn pages fast enough. Just when you think you've figured out where the story's going, a new twist or character, or motivation, or fact pops up to divert the plot line.

He does a masterful job of raising the stakes during the last fourth of the book, causing the reader to wonder how the heck the good guys will escape this newer, more dangerous peril. Ending is solid, with the probability of a sequel all but certain by how Baldacci left the relationship between Oliver Stone (the protagonist) and Carter Gray (the true antagonist, out of many).

My one minor quibble is I don't feel he introduced the supporting cast of the Camel Club as fully as he might have. It took me most of the book to get a feel for all the relationships and the bonds between the four members. But knowing that this is a multi-book series, I'm sure they'll develop stronger relationships as time passes.

Highly recommended for Baldacci fans as well as all political thriller fans.

[jiraiya_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These type of spy books usually put the onus on the hero, but here the credit for the happy ending was democratically shared. Having said that I'm far from an expert in the genre. I'm just scratching the surface. I'm interested in the book's entertainment value. I like the ending, so much that it bumped the score for the book by one star. I imagined Liam Neeson as Oliver Stone. He would have been great in the role. I was pleased with the handling of the various fronts. The Camel Club is a baffling concept. It's humbling to know that there are homeless people in the USA with brainpower and resources. I'm have been dead of hunger if I were in their place. I read the blurb for the book around 2008. I knew this book could deliver. I'm glad to have been proven right. I'm looking forward to the Camel Club sequels.

[daftboy1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I have read by David Baldacci It started ok but just got silly towards the end. Plot is The camel club a loose bunch of conspiracy theorists witness a murder, they cant go to the police for fear of being murdered. Alex Ford a secret service agent who befriends them helps them.The president of the USA is kidnapped it looks like it was Islamic terrorist but it was US government agents with their own agenda. The Camel club and Alex Ford save the day. Very fsr fetched and to be honest daft towards the end. Disappointing really.

[daye-26 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This novel started with five stars, but it was very disappointing. I'm glad this is the first in the series. I won't waste more time and money. The characters are just cardboard, names or any kind of stereotype. The characters in this novel: Americans are bad and vacuous. Men are stupids and women are w#$%, and the other characters oh.. they have an odor of sanctity. Well and what about the plot, what plot!?

[csayban · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It exists at the fringes of Washington, D.C., has no power, and consists solely of four eccentric and downtrodden members whom society has forgotten. Their simple goal is to find the "truth" behind their country's actions. One man leads this aging, ragtag crew. He has no known past and has taken the name "Oliver Stone." Day and night, Stone and his friends study wild conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government, hoping to discover some truth that will hold America's leaders accountable to its citizens. Yet never in Stone's wildest nightmares could he imagine the conspiracy the Camel Club is about to uncover... After witnessing a shocking murder, the Club is slammed headfirst into a plot that threatens the very security of the nation, full of stunning twists, high-stakes intrigue, and global gamesmanship rocketing to the Oval Office and beyond. Soon the Club must join forces with veteran Secret Service agent Alex Ford, who becomes an unwilling participant in one of the most chilling spectacles to ever take place on American soil. It's an event that may well be the catalyst for the long-threatened Armageddon between two different worlds, and all that stands in the way of this apocalypse are five unexpected heroes.I am a big fan of thrillers and I have been hooked on David Baldacci’s writing ever since I first picked up Absolute Power. In his novel The Camel Club, Baldacci introduces a host of interesting characters from various walks of life who come together in a powerful investigative group. Baldacci did a great job of bringing the characters to life, especially Secret Service agent Alex Ford and conspiracy hunter “Oliver Stone.” The pacing was perfect through the first half of the book and I was truly engaged in the story. Unfortunately, it was at that point that The Camel Club snowballed out of control. Global political thrillers will often times take you right to the edge of believability, forcing you to consider that, yes, this really could happen under just the right circumstances. Baldacci, however, took about two steps over that line and I just couldn’t follow him in. Without spoiling the ending, the plot becomes unbelievable Baldacci really doesn’t provide enough to support what happens leaving the reader to buy-in on their own, which is a gamble that didn’t pay off. The story becomes comic-bookish in the end and looses the tension that built up well early in the book.The Camel Club is the beginning of a series by Baldacci with these characters. Given that I really loved the characters, I am hoping that subsequent books have a more believable storyline for them to romp around in.

[gatorhater · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One man leads this aging, ragtag crew. He has no known past and has taken the name "Oliver Stone." Day and night, Stone and his friends study wild conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government, hoping to discover some truth that will hold Americaa's leaders accountable to its citizens. Yet never in Stone's wildest nightmares could he imagine the conspiracy the Camel Club is about uncover. After witnessing a shocking murder, the Club is slammed headfirst into a plot that threatens the very security of the nation, full of stunning twists, high-stakes intrique, and global gamesmanship rocketing to the Oval Office and beyond. Soon the Club must join forces with veteran Secret Service agent Alex Stone, who becomes an unwilling participant in one of the most chilling spectacles to ever take place on American soil. It's an event that may well be the catalyst for the long-threatened Armageddon between two different worlds, and all that stands in the way of this apocalypse are five unexpected heroes. Camel Club members-Oliver Stone"alais John Carr", Cabel Shaw, Reuben Rhodes, and Milton Farb.

[coloradogirl14 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In my effort to read outside of my comfort zone, I picked up this book since I very rarely read political thrillers, and I had never read anything by David Baldacci. Thankfully, this book was a pleasant surprise for me – I finished the last half of the book in less than 12 hours on one of my days off!The story begins with three Middle Eastern men driving on a dark road in the middle of the night, when they are all of a sudden attacked. The implication is that these three men are terrorists, thereby setting the overall tone and subject matter for the rest of the book. The rest of the story follows the four members of the Camel Club, an unofficial organization dedicated to investigating governmental conspiracies. The leader of the group, Oliver Stone (not his real name), lives part of the time in a tent across the street from the White House, where he is able to observe the comings and goings of politicians and overhear interesting tidbits from the Secret Service agents posted outside. The four members of the club, during one of their secret nightly meetings, encounter a murder in progress that is staged to look like a suicide, and suddenly, the four men are engaged in a political conspiracy beyond anything they’ve ever encountered. Added into the mix is Alex Ford, a Secret Service agent and an acquaintance of the Camel Club who gets involved in this deadly conspiracy as well.As far as thrillers go, the set-up is pretty standard – a conspiracy is uncovered and the good guys have a limited time frame in which to thwart the bad guys, whose plan is gradually revealed in a series of short chapters throughout the main narrative. However, Baldacci takes a decidedly political perspective on the issue at hand (Islam and Middle Eastern terrorism) and much of the book is spent discussing the finer points of Islam, as well as the difference between American and Middle Eastern cultures. This didactic approach occasionally comes off as heavy-handed, although I enjoyed these sections overall. Note to anyone suggesting this to another reader: other people might be offended and/or bored by Baldacci’s research & political views, so it’s something important to keep in mind.Another important aspect is that the “bad guys” of the story are not as cut-and-dry as you might expect. I won’t give too much away here, but there’s a lot more ambiguity in terms of determining who’s “good” and who’s “bad” – something I didn’t really expect from a political thriller. It gives the story an extra layer of complexity, and it’s something else to keep in mind when suggesting this to another reader. If you like the morality in a novel to be black and white, you might want to pick up a different book. But even though I am fairly nonpartisan when it comes to books, I enjoyed this particular thriller and might even pick up another David Baldacci novel in the future. Some language and violence, but not excessive. Recommended for: fans of political thrillers, novels that touch on Islam/Middle East, or novels with a particular political focus (more liberal, in this case)Readalikes: State of Fear by Michael Crichton. This is an eco-thriller instead of a political thriller, but Crichton still puts a political spin on his topic of choice – in this case, global warming. The main characters are trying to prevent an act of environmental terrorism, but the real push behind the story is Crichton’s research into the scientific and political validity of global warming. This book takes a more conservative approach, as opposed to the Camel Club, but both Crichton and Baldacci use current events to create a compulsively readable thriller that teaches as well as entertains.. Regardless of whether or not you agree with Crichton’s point of view, State of Fear is sure to generate some interesting debates.The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer. Both books cover political conspiracies and secret historical groups, although the secret group in The Inner Circle is under investigation, as opposed to the one doing the investigating! Both stories are fast-paced and cinematic, and are set in the world of modern day politics.

[adithyajones · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An average thriller with its share of some interesting moments

[booksfordinner · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Usually don't go in for the pop-thriller stuff, but a friend insisted. Now I remember why. I know lots of people love it, but a lot of people think that Roseanne is funny. Got through the first two CDs and just couldn't take the non stop crappy airport fiction dialogue.

[jo3jo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Camel Club is the first novel in a series by David Baldacci that introduces us to an extraordinary group of individuals that have their own way of trying to keep our country safe, even from people that would not usually be suspected. Jonathan Davis narrated this audiobook and did a great job of building the action and suspense within the novel.There are many characters that are introduced within the book, but Oliver Stone, who also leads the Camel Club is the character that we get to know the most. Stone is quite a mysterious man as he doesn't seem to have a past but yet knows many of the in's and out's of secret government issues. When the Camel Club gathers for a meeting in the beginning of the novel, they unfortunately witness a murder, which lands them knee deep in the middle of a conspiracy that will add excitement to all of their lives.Shortly after the murder takes place, we learn about a plot to kidnap the President of the United States. Plans have been in place by a terrorist organization that include people that have been working as nannies to medical doctors. Once the President is kidnapped the Secret Service picks up a trail that somehow leads them right in the path of Oliver Stone and the rest of the Camel Club.These events are somehow linked to the conspiracy and the Camel Club finds themselves working with the Secret Service to unravel the mystery. As I indicated, this audiobook is full of action and suspense to keep your attention through most of the book. I did find my attention wavering in a few parts, which is why I am going to give this audiobook just an average rating. I'm sure that Baldacci fans will eat this one up though!

[rob80ert · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love it! Too bad I'm reading them out of order but it's still nice to read the back story.

[dekan-6 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was very well done. I quite enjoyed it, however i am into the characters much further along. So this would be a prequel to me but that really added to my enjoyment. It is an earlier book about Oliver Stone. It was fun for me to see the group "Camel Club" more in it's infancy. it also answered some questions i had about alex in the later books and now have alot better understanding of his character. good and bad but now in different places. basically this is a group about concerned people trying to keep a watch on things and the crappy, stupid and conspiratol goverment issues that come up. of course they all have their talents and they mix to make a great team, however amatuerist they may seem.

[terribooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Typical thriller, quick moving once it got started. Plenty of plot to keep you interested. Lots of characters, which made it a bit slow to get started, having to introduce and position everyone, but worth the wait. So it's not great literature, but it's a fun read and I like the people in it. I think I'll be enjoying additional books in the Camel Club series.