Alex Hawke is back. In this explosive, jaw-tightening follow-up to Ted Bell's "rich, spellbinding, and absorbing" (Clive Cussler) debut national bestseller, Hawke, fearless intelligence operative Lord Alexander Hawke matches wits with a cunning and bloodthirsty psychopath in a desperate race to avert an American Armageddon. In an elegant palazzo on the Grand Canal, an American ambassador's tryst turns deadly. In the seamy underbelly of London, a pub-crawling killer is on the loose. And in a storybook chapel nestled in the Cotswolds, a marriage made in heaven turns to hell on earth. Isolated incidents? Or links in a chain of events hurtling towards catastrophe? So begins Assassin, the tour de force thriller that heralds the return of every terrorist's worst nightmare, Alex Hawke.
A shadowy figure known as the Dog is believed to be the ruthless terrorist who is systematically and savagely assassinating American diplomats and their families around the globe. As the deadly toll mounts inexorably, Hawke, along with former NYPD cop and Navy SEAL Stokely Jones, is called upon by the U.S. government to launch a search for the assassin behind the murders.
Hawke, who "'makes James Bond look like a "slovenly, dull-witted clockpuncher"'" (Kirkus Reviews), is soon following a trail that leads back to London in the go-go nineties, when Arab oil money fueled lavish, and sometimes fiendish, lifestyles. Other murky clues point to the Florida Keys, where a vicious killer hides behind the gates of a fabled museum. And to a remote Indonesian island where a madman tinkers with strains of a deadly virus and slyly bides his time.
Hawke must call upon resources deep within himself. He must enter a race against time to stop a cataclysmic attack on America's most populous cities and avenge the inexplicable and horrific crime that has left him devastated.
Brimming with relentless action and stylish detail, and featuring a hero that readers will stand up and cheer for, Assassin is a gripping adventure. And definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.
About the Author :
Ted Bell was the former vice-chairman of the board and creative director of Young & Rubicam, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. He was the New York Times bestselling author of the Alex Hawke series. Ted Bell passed away in 2023.
Review :
""Assassin" is the most highly imaginative thriller to come along in a long while." -- James Patterson
"A perfect summertime thriller." -- "Dallas Morning News"
"Fascinating characters, a hairpin plot, and wonderfully talented writing. "Assassin" is what you get when you pair a great story with a great writer." -- Brian Haig
"Fast and furious....Readers will be caught in the whirlwind of action and find themselves having a grand old time." -- "Publishers Weekly"
"Hawke is the kind of character somebody really should put in a movie: he is smart, resourceful, attractive -- everything we want in an action hero. Bell is a nimble writer, and fans of the first Hawke adventure won't want to miss this sequel. New readers will be enthralled and will immediately track down the first novel in the series." -- "Booklist"
"I love to read books from authors like Clancy, Ludlum, and Flynn. Ted Bell, the author of "Assassin", is in that league. His research is so amazing you'd swear the events in the book actually took place. And here's the scary part -- they could....If you're going to read just one suspenseful-thrilling-emotional roller coaster spy novel this summer, you've got to read "Assassin" by Ted Bell....Make sure you clear some reading time on your schedule...you will not be able to put "Assassin" down." -- Glenn Beck, nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and author of "The Real America"
"Intrigue you can sink your teeth into and a secret agent who takes you into the danger zone with a ballsy wit that had me hooked." -- Vince Flynn
"Nautical, rugged, and sophisticated." -- "American Way"
"Outstanding...[A] rip-roaring tale with a grand hero....A commercial blockbuster packed with pleasure." -- "Library Journal"
"Ted Bell is the new Clive Cussler...." -- James Patterson
"Booklist"Hawke is the kind of character somebody really should put in a movie: he is smart, resourceful, attractive - everything we want in an action hero. Bell is a nimble writer, and fans of the first Hawke adventure won't want to miss this sequel. New readers will be enthralled and will immediately track down the first novel in the series.
"Publishers Weekly"Whether the novel is taken as a grown-up boy's book or a modern thriller, readers will be caught in the whirlwind of action and find themselves having a grand old time....This second entry in the series will help readers better understand the stylistic underpinnings and originality of Bell's larger-than-life hero. Expect numbers to grow with each new addition to the series.
Brian HaigFascinating characters, a hairpin plot, and wonderfully talented writing. "Assassin" is what you get when you pair a great story with a great writer.
James Patterson"Assassin" is the most highly imaginative thriller to come along in a long while. Ted Bell can really, really write.
Vince FlynnAn international political thriller of the highest order. Intrigue you can sink your teeth into and a secret agent who takes you into the danger zone with a ballsy wit that had me hooked.
