Hour Game

By: David Baldacci

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman is found murdered in the woods with a very special watch on her wrist, and what seemed a simple case soon escalates into a nightmare. The criminal methods of some of the most infamous killers of all time are being replicated by a new predator who stalks and strikes victims with a cunning brilliance. No one can understand the murderer's motives or who the next victim will be.

Drawn into this violent affair are two Secret Service agents turned private investigators, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. Both have been hired to prove a man's innocence in a domestic burglary involving an aristocratic, if dysfunctional, family. Soon, stunning secrets will lead the partners into the middle of a frantic search for a killer unlike any they've confronted before.

As the Hour Game barrels forward, Sean and Michelle face a macabre puzzle and uncover one horrifying revelation after another. Nearing the truth, they will find that their own lives are in danger. And then they're hit with the biggest surprise of all. When you play the Hour Game, you have to play to win. But time is running out...for all of them.

In Hour Game, best-selling master storyteller David Baldacci has created his most mind-blowing and satisfying thriller yet.

©2004 Columbus Rose, Inc. (P)2004 Time Warner Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Utterly absorbing, complex mystery-thriller that spins in unexpected directions....A snappy surprise ending will have Baldacci's many fans remembering why they love this author so much." (Publishers Weekly)

Excellent.

Good narration. A little thick in ending, more realization needed sooner. Overall one of better books

Plot too tangled.

This did not live up to other King and Maxwell stories. There were too many characters and it did not follow an easy to understand plot.

Too Complex

Too many characters and plot too complex. I like more interaction between King and Maxwell.

What's wrong with this book?

I am ambivalent about this book. It isn't a bad read - none of Baldacci?s books are. The narrator does an adequate job - Baldacci?s readers always deliver well read products. The book's production values are A-One. There are plenty of plot lines and plot twists.

So, what's wrong? It is hard to adequately critique this book - I guess that's why book critics make the big bucks. For me, the problem is mainly one of prior expectations; I greatly enjoy Baldacci?s books, and expected this one to be a knockout -- and it isn't. Were it written by another author I would probably be less disappointed (and probably wouldn't be writing this review).
Some of the book's potential strengths are also its weaknesses. For example, the plethora of plot lines and twists sometimes tumble over each other without always getting resolved -- though, maybe they are, but with so many concurrent elements I might have not noticed the resolution.
I could go on with similar types of nit-picking, but, instead will settle on the following: Were Tennessee Williams alive and writing today, he might have written something like this book. Set in the South (Virginia will always be the south for many), mixes characters both smarmy and virtuous, who are rich, ex-rich, never rich, and never will be rich. It has lots of earthy language with enough epithets to satisfy any reader. There are elements of adultery, perjury, divorce, sexually transmitted disease, whores both in and out of their houses, quasi-incest, multi-target love affairs, seduction, and seduction rebuffed, big houses, horses and the riding of same, drugs, murders, serial killing, requited and unrequited love, and lots of characters with southern accents who are at opposite ends of the decorum measuring stick (i.e., good guys and evil ones).
Alas, though multiple forms of desire pervade the book, there ain't no street cars.
Is worth a read? Sure. However, if you aren't able to read the book, it will be no great loss.

Decent Read

This book had a couple of interesting plots and was somewhat intriguing. It has several twists and unfortunately I found it a little difficult at times to keep the many characters and their roles straight. I also was disappointed that the intrigue and charisma between the two main characters wasn’t carried over from the original book in this series. The relationship was not similar or even familiar.

Overall this story was fair, above average — a first out of the numerous outstanding Baldacci books I have read, who’s my favorite author.

Good one

Quite good but too many murders. Wanted closure about one final murder.Still worth the read.

good.....but

Good book but a few to many characters and it gets a touch convoluted at times.

Really poor attempt at a sequel.

While the first book in this series was pretty good, this second one was gross and a joke. It was poorly written and had little substance or cohesion. I've never written a poor review before, but I felt that I had to warn people away from this one.

Not his best.

Would you try another book from David Baldacci and/or Ron McLarty?

Wy too many characters to follow.

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

Could listen to his narration all day. Really brings the story alive.