Memory Man by David Baldacci

 

Amos Decker's life has changed twice.  The first time was right out of college.  He was drafted into the NFL but on his first play in a professional game, he was hit so hard that it broke several bones and put him into a coma.  When he emerged, his life was forever different.  His career was over but the biggest change was his brain.  He now became one of the few people that never forgot anything that happened.  All past events were stored in his memory like a DVR and he could play them back whenever he chose.

Decker had to choose a new life and he chose to become a policeman.  He had no trouble passing the exams and was promoted to detective quickly where he and his partner had the highest solve rate in the department.  Then the second change came.

Decker came home one day to find his whole family slaughtered.  His brother-in-law, his wife and his nine year old daughter.  The case dragged and no one found a lead not even Decker.  He underwent a crisis, left the department and even became homeless for a while.  Now he lives in a residence hotel eking out a living as a private investigator.

Then he gets the news after eighteen months.  Someone has walked into the police department and confessed to the murders of his family.  It is soon clear that the man is a false confessor as he was in jail in another town when the crimes were committed.  While he is in jail before that is discovered, another tragedy occurs.  The local high school is attacked and six students as well as a coach and the assistant principal have been killed.  

Decker's old boss asks him to help out and it soon becomes clear that the crimes are related to Decker somehow.  The killings continue as Decker, his old partner and a journalist try to find the killer or killers.  Can they stop the crimes before more people are dead?

This is the first novel in the Memory Man series and crime readers will be fascinated by Decker's story.  This is a real condition and Baldacci has turned it into a case where it is useful in crime detection.  Readers will sympathize with Decker and cheer for him to solve the case and find some resolution in his life.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.