Killing Hope

Gabe Quinn Thriller, Book 1

By: Keith Houghton

Narrated by: David Doersch

When homicide detective Gabe Quinn returns to the Los Angeles streets after the senseless murder of his wife Hope, he thinks he's fought off all the demons that life can throw his way. But his first case back may prove to be his last.

A repeat killer is in town. A killer who is on a personal mission to bring Gabe to his knees, luring him into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

With the body count rising and new killings popping up in Vegas, Gabe comes up against an FBI outfit eager to snatch the investigation away from him. But the killer hasn't finished playing with Gabe just yet. It's time to take the killings to the next level and make them even more personal. It's time to make Gabe pay for the mistakes of his past and choose between life and death.

One man stands in the way of murder.

One man will try to stop him.

Only one will succeed.

Could you kill someone to save countless lives?

Author's note: The backstory in Killing Hope continues into the second book Crossing Lines, and then into the third book Taking Liberty. To enjoy the whole nail-biting experience as intended, I recommend listening to the Gabe Quinn thrillers in numerical order.

©2011 Keith Houghton (P)2014 Keith Houghton

Good book

What did you love best about Killing Hope?

How the murderer stayed just ahead of Quinn.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It was good the first half, awesome the second half. There is more going on and the cops think they know who it is, but don't .

Which character – as performed by David Doersch – was your favorite?

Quinn without a doubt.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I am looking forward to the next book of the author.

Excellent first book in a series

Wow, the undertaker is an unusually public and prolific serial killer and Gabe Quinn is an unusual celebrity cop who is guilty of excessive introspection and self blame. I enjoyed this book but still had issues awarding it 4 stars rather than 3. The next two books in this series are much higher rated so I look forward to listening to them. Killing Hope is my third novel by this author. He is very talented.

A gripping story

Where does Killing Hope rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the first audio book I have listened to, so I guess that makes it the best.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot is full of twists and turns, Gabe Quinn is a great lead character, he is a flawed person, not some perfect super-cop like some books and movies have for their lead. You never know just what Gabe or the killer, will do next.

What does David Doersch bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

David Doersch does a fantastic job of bringing the story and characters to life, he breaths personality into every one of the characters in the book in a way that can be hard to imagine if you are reading it yourself.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Although the book is a crime story, there were moments while I was listening that I found myself having a little chuckle at some of the lighter or funnier parts of the book.

Any additional comments?

Some of the reviewers of the book have complained that the book leaves loose ends, I don't mind that, I very much enjoyed the book, there is two more books in the series so far and I have read those, the loose ends are what leave way for the additional stories. Besides, since when does real life wrap everything up neatly with a bow at the end of a week or month?
If you enjoy a good mystery then this audio book is for you, it is a good mystery right up to the end, as it keeps you guessing.

great book in a great series

I really love this whole series. it's full speed from beginning to end and will have you guessing until the end and top it all off it's really original, imho. I love that the hero's not Mr. Perfect, Crime fighter extraordinaire. just the opposite in fact. this hero is constantly being told 'you look like $h!t" and he has every right to look that way after the torture he's been put through but he's still very personable and likeable and I pulled for him the entire time. it's not a literary classic but it's a great who done it but written from the point of view of a guy who has been dragged through a ringer but never gives up. read it. you'll enjoy it. it is pretty graphic though and has some rough language and scenes in general so be prepared.

couldn't put it down

Amazing!! awesome narrator awesome story haven't listened to a book like this in a long time got me hooked five stars all the way

Meh

Did not care for the way the story was written, jumps around a lot. Pretty unbelievable.
Narrator was good.

Amazing Fast Paced Thriller!!!

If you could sum up Killing Hope in three words, what would they be?

Exhilarating, Relentless, Shocking!

What other book might you compare Killing Hope to and why?

This is a crime thriller which some compare to the likes of James Patterson. And while I think that is a good comparison to explain to you the type of book this is, I personally feel that this book far exceeds Patterson or any other writers I've read in this genre. In fact, it is hands down the best thriller of its kind that I have read. Easily the best! I read the book first on Kindle and was overjoyed to find out it had been made into an audible book. In fact, this book is the very reason that I finally started an audible subscription! Just like the first time I read the book, I was so sad when it was over because I wanted it to never end! The ending is shocking and mind blowing which is not something that can be said of many other books in this category. It is unforgettable and I can't wait until books 2 and 3 of this series also come to audible. I will definitely be buying them the day they come out.

What about David Doersch’s performance did you like?

Having read the Kindle book first, it was really fun to hear good ole Gabe Quinn come to life! I enjoyed his gruff, Southern accent and thought David Doersch did a great job with all the characters and he certainly did this book justice with his performance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

What really stood out to me pretty much immediately when reading/hearing this book is the way Keith Houghton describes the scenes. He does it in a way that really makes you feel like you're right there with Detective Quinn! The weather, the atmosphere, the setting...it's all l laid out in great detail without an over-abundance of words. That is what certainly impressed me right away. He is able to capture a moment and a feeling so descriptively, yet so concisely that it's a very noticeable and striking contrast to most books I've read.

Any additional comments?

The ending of this book literally had my head spinning. I just COULD NOT BELIEVE what I was reading! I had read a long string of crime thrillers prior to picking up Killing Hope and since I almost always guess the end of such books, I was so sure I knew who the killer was in this one too. That is, until the ending actually came and practically hit me over the head like a ton of bricks! It was such a great thrill to be genuinely flabbergasted and gobsmacked!

I cannot recommend this book enough and I highly encourage everyone to pick up this audible book and also the Kindle edition. You'll be left wanting more and thankfully there are 2 more to dive right into on Kindle - Crossing Lines and Taking Liberty. Hopefully those will soon follow on audible. Unbelievably, Keith's books just get better and better. I have no idea how he does it and I'm so happy to have discovered this wonderful writer. I feel a slight tinge of jealousy for people who are reading Killing Hope for the first time!

Great Start to a New Series

I don't always leave reviews, but feel this new series deserves a recommendation. I really like the narration by David Doersch. He is now one of my favorite narrators.

The story is long and at times a tab slow, but is worth the listen or read. You really get to know the main character as the plot develops. There are twists and turns throughout the book. May be a little far fetched but it is fiction after all.

Bottom line: I'm looking forward to starting the next book. The quality of the narrative is great! The series will be one that order matters. Worth taking a chance on a new author if you are not familiar with Keith Houghton.

BEGINNING OF A GOOD SERIES!

Although I think this is a good series, I had a hard time keeping up with the characters in this first book. There were parts that were just ho-hum so I found my mind wandering and would have to go back and listen again. I managed to get through this first book because I wanted to listen to the other two in the series. I'm so glad I did! The last two were excellent. I did enjoy David Doersch's narrating talents on all three books. I would highly recommend starting with the first book since it does build character base.

SHOCKING

What a story .... completely unexpected. Can hardly wait to start #2 in this series!