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Cover of Simple Genius by David BaldacciSimple Genius
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Simple Genius

by David Baldacci
2007 · 420 pages · Fiction
66.5Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Near Washington, D.C., there are two secret institutions: an extraordinary laboratory and a CIA training camp. Drawn by a murder, former Secret Service agent Sean King enters a dark world of mathematicians, codes and spies, and meets an autistic girl with remarkable genius.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the third King and Maxwell novel.

By the numbers

66.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (2 weeks at #1)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Simple Genius worth reading?

Yes. It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,704 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Simple Genius about?

Near Washington, D.C., there are two secret institutions: an extraordinary laboratory and a CIA training camp. Drawn by a murder, former Secret Service agent Sean King enters a dark world of mathematicians, codes and spies, and meets an autistic girl with remarkable genius.

How long does it take to read Simple Genius?

About 10 hours (420 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Simple Genius?

If you liked it, try First Family by David Baldacci, Hour Game by David Baldacci or Divine Justice by David Baldacci.