Travis Devine is basically all of us, if "all of us" had a burner phone, a dark military past, and a soul-crushing commute into Manhattan. He's the guy you see on the platform every morning. Cheap suit. Tired eyes. Wishing he was literally anywhere else.
The 6:20 Man isn't just another airport bookstore thriller; it’s a sharp, jagged look at what happens when the cutthroat world of high finance meets a guy who has absolutely nothing left to lose. David Baldacci has been writing bestsellers for decades, but with this one, he tapped into a specific kind of modern anxiety. You know the feeling. The grind. The sense that the people at the top are playing a completely different game than the rest of us.
What actually happens in The 6:20 Man?
The story kicks off with Devine. He’s a former Army Ranger who left the military under a cloud of mystery—something Baldacci keeps close to the chest for a long time. Now, he’s an entry-level analyst at Cowl and Comstock. It’s a prestigious investment firm where the hours are long and the ethics are... questionable.
Every morning, he takes the 6:20 a.m. train into the city. He watches the mansions go by. He stares out the window at the lives he’ll never have. But then, the routine shatters.
An ex-girlfriend and coworker, Sara Ewes, is found dead in a storage room at the office. It looks like a suicide. But Devine knows it isn't. Suddenly, a mysterious figure from his military past shows up and blackmails him into investigating the firm from the inside. If he doesn't play ball, his old secrets go public. If he does, he might end up as dead as Sara.
It’s a classic setup, but it works because the stakes feel personal. We’ve all had a job that felt like it was killing us. For Devine, that’s literally the case.
Why this book hits different than your average mystery
Most thrillers focus on the "who." Who killed the girl? Who stole the money? While The 6:20 Man cares about those things, it’s much more interested in the "how." How does a massive financial institution hide its sins? How does a man rediscover his moral compass after he’s been told his whole life to just follow orders?
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Baldacci gets the details right. He nails the claustrophobia of the trading floor and the hollow luxury of the Hamptons.
Honestly, the best part of the book isn't even the action—though there's plenty of that, including some pretty brutal sequences that remind you Devine is a trained killer. It’s the atmosphere. There’s this constant, low-level hum of dread. You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it does, it’s usually attached to someone wearing a $5,000 pair of loafers.
The Military vs. The Corporate World
One of the coolest nuances Baldacci explores is the parallel between the Army and Wall Street. Devine finds that they aren't that different. Both have strict hierarchies. Both require total loyalty. Both are willing to sacrifice the "little guy" to protect the institution.
Devine is a fascinating protagonist because he’s caught between these two worlds. He’s a soldier who doesn’t want to fight anymore, forced into a suit he hates, fighting a war he didn't sign up for. It’s a gritty, cynical take on the American Dream.
Is it realistic? (The "E-E-A-T" Reality Check)
Look, it’s a thriller. Some of the plot twists are a little "out there."
But the financial elements? Those are grounded in some ugly truths. Baldacci clearly did his homework on how money laundering and high-frequency trading work. He references the way regulators are often three steps behind the criminals they're supposed to be catching. If you look at real-world financial scandals—think Wirecard or the 1MDB mess—the stuff happening in The 6:20 Man doesn't seem so far-fetched.
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The book also deals with the psychological toll of PTSD. Devine isn't a superhero. He’s haunted. He has flashbacks. He struggles to connect with people. This isn't just "flavor" for the character; it’s central to why he makes the choices he does. It makes him human.
Common Misconceptions about The 6:20 Man
A lot of people go into this thinking it’s going to be a "train mystery" like The Girl on the Train or Murder on the Orient Express.
It’s not.
The train is a symbol. It’s the purgatory Devine lives in between his lonely apartment and his soul-sucking job. While key things happen on the commute, the bulk of the story is a corporate espionage thriller. If you’re expecting a locked-room mystery on a railcar, you’re going to be surprised. Hopefully, in a good way.
Another thing? People think Devine is going to be a Reacher clone. He’s not. Jack Reacher is a force of nature who never changes. Devine is vulnerable. He gets scared. He makes mistakes. He’s much more of a "noir" protagonist than a "power fantasy" hero.
Breaking Down the Supporting Cast
You’ve got a weird mix of characters here that keep things interesting:
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- Brad Cowl: The arrogant head of the firm. He’s the guy everyone loves to hate.
- The Roommates: Devine lives in a house with a bunch of other young professionals. It adds a weird, "real world" vibe to the story that you don't usually see in high-stakes thrillers.
- The mysterious "Burner": The man pulling Devine’s strings. He represents the government's dark side, and he's terrifyingly calm.
How to get the most out of reading it
If you’re planning to dive into The 6:20 Man, or the sequel The Edge, here’s a tip: pay attention to the secondary characters. Baldacci loves to hide clues in plain sight through "throwaway" conversations.
Also, don't rush the ending. The final confrontation isn't just about who wins the fight; it’s about the revelation of a much larger conspiracy that sets the stage for the rest of the series.
Where the story goes next
Without giving away spoilers, the ending of the first book changes everything for Travis Devine. He’s no longer just a guy on a train. He’s a man with a very specific set of skills that the world suddenly needs.
The sequel, The Edge, takes him out of New York and into a small town in Maine. It’s a completely different vibe—more of a "backwoods noir"—but it maintains that central theme of an outsider trying to find the truth in a place where everyone is lying.
What you should do now
If you’re a fan of thrillers that actually have something to say about the world, you should definitely pick this up. But don't just read it for the plot.
- Check out the audiobook: Zachary Quinto narrates it, and he perfectly captures Devine’s weary, cynical tone. It makes the commute scenes feel incredibly immersive.
- Look for the "Easter Eggs": Baldacci often nods to his other series (like Memory Man). See if you can spot any subtle connections.
- Read "The Edge" immediately after: The character arc for Devine really spans both books. You won't get the full picture if you stop after the first one.
The 6:20 Man is a reminder that even when we feel like just another face in the crowd, we all have a story. Usually, ours doesn't involve international money laundering and assassins, but hey, that’s why we read fiction. It’s a fast, mean, and deeply satisfying ride that will make you look at your fellow commuters a little differently tomorrow morning.