Product Description

Following their collaboration in SPLIT SECOND, ex-Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have gone into partnership and are investigating the robbery of some secret documents at the residence of the incredibly wealthy Battle family. It seems like a straightforward case of domestic burglary, but soon they begin to suspect links to larger, more terrifying events now shaking the prosperous town of Writghtsburg . . .

The unidentified corpse of an attractive young woman turns up in the woods; two high school kids, one shot in the back, the other in the face, are found dead in their car; a successful lawyer is discovered stabbed to death in her own home. A serial killer is on the loose. The murderer kills in the manner of famous killers of the past but takes care to leave a stopped watch at the scene of each crime – corresponding to the victim’s position on his hit list.

As the killing spree escalates it seems that the fractured Battle family are somehow involved and Maxwell and King suddenly find themselves racing to solve an intricate puzzle, one that is full of tantalizing clues but barren of solid evidence, and one that is leaving even the FBI confounded. And all the while, the body count is rising . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33411 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Sunday Times
'Baldacci's plotting, as ever, is formidably accomplished'

About the Author

David Baldacci is the nine-time New York Times bestselling author of Absolute Power, Total Control, The Winner, The Simple Truth, Saving Faith, Wish You Well, Last Man Standing, The Christmas Train and Split Second. He lives in his native state of Virginia.

Customer Reviews

Taut Tale of a Serial Killer on a Rampage
My favorite style of crime thriller is one where the criminal matches wits with the detectives and the book alternates perspectives in sharing what each is thinking. Unfortunately, many current authors are unable to carry off this style with enough tension, plot interest and interesting characters to make the story compelling. Having enjoyed Last Man Standing, I wanted to see what David Baldacci could do with this style. I was mostly pleased with the results. I hope he will write more crime thrillers of this sort.

The Hour Game features a slightly over-the-top killing spree that provides many red herrings and twists in the plot. The identity of the serial killer is well hidden until about two-thirds of the way through the book.

The private detectives are appealing. Both Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are former members of the Secret Service whose service ended with less than stellar results. They are bright, determined and counterparts in style. There's also a hint of sexual chemistry between them that makes the story more interesting -- it almost reminded me of The Avengers. They are originally dragged into the case as volunteers when the first dead body appears and are eventually deputized. In that role, they are placed in predictable and unnecessary conflict with the Feds.

The book's main weakness is that the trigger for the crimes lies in a history that is too bizarre to be credible in current times. If the current events of the story had been placed back into the 1960s or 1970s, I think it would have been easier to swallow. There are also just a few too many murders for one book. I think if the solution had been developed about 100 pages sooner I would have liked the book much better.

But I cannot think of new serial killer mystery that I have enjoyed any more in the last few years. So you should give this book a try.

I also plan to go back and read Split Second which introduces this series. If you haven't already read that book, perhaps you should consider doing that as well. I didn't find that I was at sea at all in reading Hour Game because I hadn't seen the earlier book. So it's your choice.

excellent
I too had never read any David Baldacci novels before, but found this excellent. The only thing i didn't like was the relationship between the investigators - i don't see it necessary to keep trying to progress these sort of relationships in books especailly when I haven't read any of the previous books - but at least i know they don't die in an earlier book!!

On the basis of reading hour game and the comments from other reviewers i've bought 3 of his other books to read. Can't get a better recommendation for the author than that.

OVERLONG, FRANKLY TEDIOUS.
Got this because 'absolut power' was a real page turner, at nearly six hundred pages this was a lot to take on and frankly could of done with some severe editing, because it is stretched out to unbearable lengths and so many cul-de-sacs that you lose track of who is who after a while. This is formalic crime writer without say the excitement of his other novels. At times it was just plain stupid and for someone with such a high reputation in crime writing very badly written and cliched. Page turner, by the end i was thinking why did i bother?