Hope Rises by David Baldacci
Walter Nash, working undercover for the FBI as Dillion Hope, returns in the latest installment of David Baldacci’s riveting Hope Rises, the second book of a series. In the previous number-one bestseller, Nash Falls, unfounded murder accusations forced Nash to go underground and reinvent himself to protect his wife and himself. Out of necessity, Nash, a former finance specialist for Sybaritic Investments, transformed himself into a killing machine, someone who even his wife and closest friends can’t recognize. He’s using this disguise to seek revenge against criminal kingpin Victoria Steers for the brutal murder of his daughter Maggie and for decimating his life. And every fiber of his being is dedicated to destroying her empire and taking her life in exchange. Before he does, he’s set on making Steers suffer as much as he has.
The novel begins as Nash continues his work as a bodyguard for his former Sybaritic boss, Rhett Temple, as they are flying to meet Steers in Hong Kong. Nash sees this as an opportunity to exact his revenge against Steers, perhaps even kill her, but the meeting takes an unexpected turn. Using leverage against the pair, Nash and Temple are ordered by Steers to rescue her mother, who is imprisoned in Myanmar. Nash must rely on his lethal skills to accomplish the goal — otherwise, he and Temple are dead men. Steers holds Nash’s life in her hands, and even after the mission, she refuses to let go.
A Morally Ambiguous Antagonist
From the jungles of Southeast Asia to the rolling hills of the Northeast United States, Nash is on a quest to destroy Steers. To succeed, he must infiltrate Steers’ inner circle and learn about her operation from the inside. When the opportunity arises for him to become Steers’ ally, he snatches it. Yet, the more he comes to know her, the more conflicted he becomes. He discovers she is not the monster he believed her to be. His world is flipped upside down as he becomes drawn to Steers, making him question whether her death will adequately compensate him for his losses. Or whether he will sacrifice his mission to protect her life from danger.
For decades, David Baldacci has been a pro at creating fast-paced, unputdownable stories, and Hope Rises is no different. From the first page, the narrative accelerates into non-stop action and excitement, grabbing the reader and not letting go. Nash and Steers are complex characters, tortured by their pasts, and complementing each other as good versus evil. But which person is which? Plus, the tension of their relationship propels the story forward to its shocking conclusion.
If readers are seeking a thrill-a-minute adventure filled with international intrigue and exotic locations, Hope Rises fits the bill.
About David Baldacci
David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. Many years later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, “because every mom needs a break now and then.”
In total, David has published 53 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for young readers.
A lifelong Virginian, David received his Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, D.C. In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted literacy advocate and philanthropist. David and his family live in Virginia.
