Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #619336 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-29
• Released on: 2005-06-29
• Formats: Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Audio CD

From Publishers Weekly
Experienced action-adventure readers know that it's almost never a good idea for their favorite heroic characters to get married. In the opening pages of Bell's fast and furious second novel featuring the large-living Alexander Hawke, the groom-to-be is having a case of nerves, and readers will find themselves uneasy as well. Sure enough, Hawke's intended, the lovely Victoria Sweet, is shot dead by a sniper minutes after the wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, America has been targeted by the nefarious Snay bin Wazir, known as the Dog for the curious doglike sound he makes when laughing, usually while throttling someone to death. Hawke is joined once again by his "merry band" of series regulars in stopping not only bin Wazir but in finding Victoria's killer, the infamous Scissorhands, risen anew from the pages of the previous Hawke novel. There's a huge cast of colorful killers in a conspiracy spanning the globe, and Hawke and company race from New England to Indonesia dodging bombs, poison and exploding shoes. 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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
John Shea skillfully handles even the outlandish aspects of this entertaining thriller, a follow-up to the 2003 bestseller HAWKE. Shea projects ironic admiration during scenes involving the villain's team of beautiful female assassins and realistic tension when the focus shifts to acts of terrorism. Shea's range is also impressive as he creates compelling voices for an aged English butler, a blustery Scotland Yard inspector, an African-American ex-NYPD detective, and the main character they all look up to: dashing millionaire adventurer Alexander Hawke. Like Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, this series is a mix of over-the-top thrills and grounded characterizations. The mix is well served by Shea's efforts. J.P.M. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
In this sequel to Hawke [BKL My 15 03], which introduced readers to superspy Alexander Hawke, descendent of a notorious pirate and a modern-day swashbuckler, our hero is recovering from a devastating personal tragedy. When the U.S. secretary of state comes to Hawke with a mission of utmost importance--someone is murdering American ambassadors and their families--he puts his emotions aside (or tries to) and takes off after the killer. 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. The obvious comparisons to James Bond are only partly deserved; there is less of a cartoon element here. Fellow Britisher Andy McNabb's Nick Stone series is a better parallel. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Outrageous Espionage Story
Second book in the series about secret agent Lord Alexander Hawke

A group of Islamic terrorists are systematically assassinating American ambassadors and their families worldwide while working on a plot to launch a devastating attack against the United States on American soil.

Secretary of State Consuelo de Los Reyes asks Alex Hawke the only man able to foil this conspiracy to join Jack Patterson in the investigation. Assisted by Stokely Jones a Navy Seal, they embark on an action packed mission stretching from London to Indonesia and from Washington to the Florida Keys, their objective: to find the men responsible and avert a cataclysmic attack that would cripple the nation.

"Assassin" is exciting, action-packed with an outrageous espionage story. The characters are fascinating, the good guys are larger than life heroes and colourful, Hawke is smart, resourceful attractive- everything needed for an action figure. As for the villains, they are very eccentric and set on ruling and destroying the world at any cost, you hate them right from the start. This adventure is similar to watching a James Bond movie: it is set in exotic locales, with hairpin plots and twists, bleeding edge technology, fancy cars, haute couture, gourmet eating, hot men and women. Mr Bell has captivated me with his seamless writing and his intriguing story line, I was completely engrossed from page one.

Fast fun
A sequal to HAWKE by Mr. Bell, ASSASSIN is a thriller of great magnitude. With a cast of colorful characters worthy of a Carl Hiassen novel, this rollicking fast-and-furious page turner will keep you on the edge of your seat. Leave it to Ted Bell to turn something as non-dramatic as a wedding ceremony into one of the most riveting opening sequences ever put on paper.

Also recommended: SKINNY DIP and THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD.

Favorite Thriller of All Time
A lifelong thriller junkie, I thought I'd read the best: Forsythe, Ludlum, Alastair Maclean, and Le Carre.
I have to put this author in that league. This is an amazing book. It is, from first page to last, riveting.
And, because of the humor and quirkiness of the great supporting cast, tremendous fun as well as
a heartstopping action adventure. This is my personal favorite, but read the whole Alex Hawke series.
You will NOT be disappointed!