- Hardcover: 448 pages
- Publisher: Warner Books (Oct 26 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0446531081
- ISBN-13: 978-0446531085
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 16.3 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 658 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #527,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Two disgraced former Secret Service officers team up to solve a series of copy-cat crimes in this exciting new thriller by a master of the game. Sean King was momentarily distracted when a presidential candidate he'd been guarding was assassinated a few feet from where he stood, and Michelle Maxwell left the Service under a similar cloud when she lost a "protectee" to an ingenious kidnapping scheme, events told in Baldacci's typical terse, fast-paced style in Split Second. Now partners in a private investigation firm in a small Virginia town, they're hired to investigate a burglary at the home of a wealthy local family. But even before the chief suspect in the break-in meets his death in a gruesome slaying reminiscent of a serial killer long since caught and punished, King and Maxwell get caught up in a string of other murders, each of which copies the techniques of another madman, from San Francisco's Zodiac Killer to Chicago's infamous John Wayne Gacy. While the two protagonists aren't especially complex or well-developed, the action never stops, and Baldacci's trademark pacing keeps the reader turning pages until the denouement, which unfortunately isn't quite as satisfying as the rest of the novel. --Jane Adams
Amazon Exclusive Content
Why Hour Game: An Exclusive Essay by David Baldacci
It's hard not to notice that the majority of fictional serial killers are cut from the same mold. When David Baldacci wrote Hour Game, he went out of his way to create a murderous original. Read this Amazon.com exclusive essay to learn how and why he did it.
From Publishers Weekly
Baldacci's last book, Split Second, was a relatively weak offering from this bestselling author, sunk by a cartoonish villain and absurd plot. But it did introduce two of Baldacci's (Absolute Power, etc.) most memorable characters, former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, in business together as private investigators in smalltown Wrightsburg, Va. Baldacci is back in form, and King and Maxwell reappear in this utterly absorbing, complex mystery-thriller that spins in unexpected directions. The novel starts as a serial-killer thriller, for there's a murderer at work in Wrightsburg whose selection of victims appears random but whose modus operandi, differing from kill to kill, mimics the work of a notorious serial killer—the Zodiac killer, John Wayne Gacy, etc. The fifth victim is local resident and international tycoon Robert E. Lee Battle. King and Maxwell have already been tangling with the gothic horror show of a dysfunctional Southern family that is the Battles, as they've been hired to help prove the innocence of a Battle handyman accused of stealing from the family. Then that handyman is murdered, and the duo (along with a clueless local sheriff and an obnoxious FBI agent) must race to figure out if the same killer is behind all the murders and, if so, why. There are terrific action sequences sprinkled throughout, and plenty of suspense, and the King/Maxwell relationship, while not romantic, emits sparks. It's Baldacci's portrayal of smalltown Southern life, however, and his sharp characterizations of the Battles, from the bombastic Bobby and his regal widow to his weird extended family, that give the novel texture and depth: this is Baldacci's most accomplished tale since his nonthriller Wish You Well, and it rivals that novel in its social commentary. Despite fair clues, few if any readers will ID the villain (villains?) before they're revealed, and a snappy surprise ending will have Baldacci's many fans remembering why they love this author so much.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Baldacci's best yet,
By A Customer
This review is from: Hour Game (Mass Market Paperback)
This was an excellent thriller. Full of surprises and suspense. I found it extremely difficult to put down. A very easy and enjoyable read. Two thumbs up! I also recommend David Demello's The Killing Game and John Sandford's Broken Prey.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very descriptive,
By John Egbe (Atlanta,GA, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hour Game (Hardcover)
Hour Game is a novel with a deep look into the mysterious world of a killer's mind, full of dark passions and morbid fear. The cold bloodedness of the killer is entirely credible. The way David Baldacci portrayed him gives us a clue as to how to figure out killers in society. Though rich, the characters in this book are predictable, dreary and mean. The plot of revolving around this psychopath is rich. Based on Sean King and the Michelle Maxwell who are determined to catch the serial killer, this page-turner will keep you on the edge of your seat to the final page. The book has enough suspense and mystery to thrill a reader You can also read DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Our Game,
This review is from: Hour Game (Hardcover)
Two Secret Service agents turned private investigators, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, have been hired to prove a man's innocence in a domestic burglary. As the two investigate the burglary, they are pulled into a separate case, one involving a series of murders based on the criminal methods of the most infamous killers. As the bodies begin to pile-up, Sean and Michelle race to stop a killer, as well as save themselves, but just as they are about to uncover the truth they are hit with one last surprise... 'Hour Game' is a can't-put-it-down, up-all-night page turner that truly deserves to be called a page turner. I don't want to spoil any of the surprises by going into the plot any further, however, I will say that the novel is a bit of a venture into new territory for David Baldacci. This time around Baldacci has decided to write about serial killers, with some forensic detail thrown in for fun and he does so flawlessly. Full of suspense and interesting characters, 'Hour Game' proves David Baldacci is a master of his craft and ranks as one of his best books. Expect to see 'Hour Game' dominating the top spot on the bestseller lists. A MUST read!Also recommended: BARK OF THE DOGWOOD and a book called GOOD GRIEF
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