Member Review

Hope Rises by David Baldacci follows Walter Nash, who lost everything he held dear — job, wealth, family, reputation — to the ruthless designs of Victoria Steers, head of a global crime empire. Driven by vengeance, he remakes himself into the unrecognisable Dillon Hope, a hardened fighter determined to dismantle Victoria’s empire from within and ultimately kill her.

After daring exploits in exotic Myanmar carried out at Victoria’s command, Dillon finds himself close enough to strike. But certain new revelations threaten to turn his perception entirely on its head. Torn between hatred for the woman who destroyed his life and the loyalty and empathy he begins to feel toward her, Dillon wrestles with dilemmas that pit head against heart. His plight grows more precarious as more deadly players enter the game and conspiracies of international scale unfold. Dillon must trust his instincts — though they may betray him — if he wishes to outwit his enemies and stay alive.

Dillon is as good a character from Baldacci’s arsenal as any: strong, resourceful, and guided by a solid moral compass. I hadn’t read the first book, Nash Falls, and found it a little difficult to get into this sequel; moreover, reading it serves as a spoiler for its predecessor, so I would recommend tackling the series in order. Perhaps for this reason, it took me a while to get into the plot, but it became engaging soon enough, with a few genuinely surprising twists. While the narrative held my attention at all times, I occasionally felt lost amid the inexplicable acts and shifting motivations of a few members of the cast.

For me, Hope Rises didn’t leave the same impact as the last Baldacci novel I read, To Die For, largely because it has too much happening at once. Yet its emotional heft, morally complex characters, and crisply rendered action make it a fine read and a fitting continuation of Dillon Hope’s saga. The novel ends on a note of resolution, though Baldacci’s acknowledgements — referring to the “Walter Nash series” — hint at more books to come, even if the path forward remains uncertain. I, for one, am ready to pick up his next, whichever series it may belong to, or be it a standalone.

I am heartily thankful to Pan Macmillan for the advance copy of Hope Rises through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.