The Babylon Idol

Written by Scott Mariani

Narrated by Colin Mace

FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR

‘Deadly conspiracies, bone-crunching action and a tormented hero with a heart . . . packs a real punch’ Andy McDermott

THE HUNT IS ON

When a sniper leaves Ben Hope’s friend fighting for his life, the former SAS major declares war on the men responsible. But what begins as a straightforward revenge mission gets complicated when a mysterious letter reveals Ben to be the real target.

And his isn’t the only name on a crazed killer’s list.

Professor Anna Manzini has no idea she’s in grave danger from a man she’d thought dead. She’s on the cusp of a major discovery: the location of the lost Babylon idol, a golden statue of immeasurable value.

But when word of Anna’s work reaches her enemies, it sets off a cat-and-mouse chase that will lead Ben and Anna halfway across Europe and into the heart of war-torn Syria.

To reach the precious idol first, Ben must keep one step ahead of a powerful maniac. If he fails, it won’t just be Ben and Anna’s lives in danger, but the world.

The Ben Hope series is a must-read for fans of Dan Brown, Lee Child and Mark Dawson. Join the millions of readers who get breathless with anticipation when the countdown to a new Ben Hope thriller begins…

Whilst the Ben Hope thrillers can be read in any order, this is the fifteenth book in the series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: May 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9780007567454

Scott Mariani

Scott Mariani is the author of the worldwide-acclaimed action / adventure series featuring maverick ex-SAS hero Ben Hope. Scott’s books have topped the bestseller charts in the UK and beyond. Scott was born in Scotland, studied in Oxford and now lives and writes in rural west Wales.

Reviews for The Babylon Idol

[ameise1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was the first book in the Ben Hope series that I read.It contains everything a suspenseful thriller should contain. An ex SAS major and his friends, archaeological excavations, the chaos of war in the Middle East and a villain from the highest ecclesiastical circles.While repairing a fence in Normandy, Ben Hope's friend is seriously injured. Who was this attack on? Who is behind it? Hope soon realizes that the past has caught up with him and that the former Bishop of Milan is behind it. But until he finds his trail, more people and friends from the past are dying in mortal danger.Hope can only catch the villain when he travels to Iran with an archeologist friend to find the statue of Babylon. They get from one ambush to the next.

[adam.currey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book marks a return to the formula that Mariani deviated from with the previous couple of books - history, an ancient mystery, bad guys, and lots and lots of action and fast pacing. Well worth a read,Also, a word about the "Ben Hope universe" - others have said that it's not necessary to read them in order, and strictly speaking that's true in the sense that each book is a self-contained story. However, Mariani does tend to reference earlier incidents in all of his books. Thus, reading them in order allows you to understand those references - this, along with the deeper understanding of the Ben Hope psyche, provides a greater reading experience in my opinion.

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was great to see Scott Mariani take Ben Hope back to grass roots with this excellent book. This has to be one of my favourite series, but felt recent ones had dipped with Ben hiding away & frankly feeling sorry for himself! Life has to go on Ben. This has become one of my favourites in this series & I look forward to No 16 which is published this month. If you like adventure books, a great male lead & some history thrown in, give these a read.