Mozart Conspiracy (Ben Hope 2) [Paperback]

Scott Mariani (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ben Hope 2 | Publication Date: July 14, 2008

An ancient murder! A clandestine society! A conspiracy that will end in death! Former SAS operative Ben Hope is running for his life. Enlisted by the beautiful Leigh Llewellyn - world famous opera star and Ben's first love - to investigate her brother's mysterious death, Ben finds himself caught up in a centuries-old puzzle. The official line states that Oliver died whilst investigating Mozart's death, but the facts don't add up. Oliver's research reveals that Mozart, a notable freemason, may have been killed by a shadowy and powerful splinter group of the cult. The only clues lie in an ancient letter, believed to have been written by Mozart himself. When Leigh and Ben receive video evidence of a ritual sacrifice being performed by hooded men, they realise that the sect is still in existence today!and will stop at nothing to remain a secret. From the dreaming spires of Oxford to Venice's labyrinthine canals, the majestic architecture of Vienna and Slovenia's snowy mountains, Ben and Leigh must forget the past and race across Europe to uncover the truth behind THE MOZART CONSPIRACY! An electrifying and utterly gripping must read for fans of Dan Brown, Sam Bourne and Ludlum's Bourne series.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

British author Miriani makes his U.S. debut with the second in his series featuring ex-SAS warrior Ben Hope, a fast, exciting read in The Da Vinci Code tradition. Ben is on his way home from a mission when he receives a message from Leigh Llewellyn, an old flame and international opera star, saying she needs his help. Leigh is the sister of Ben's late friend, Oliver, who was at work on a book on Mozart when he died under mysterious circumstances. When Ben takes Leigh to the English countryside to guard her, deadly thugs attempt to kill them both. A lost Mozart letter, written in 1791 shortly before the composer's death and first discovered by Leigh's father, implicates a shadowy European group known as the Order of Ra, which remains a powerful secret force in Europe today. None of this matters much to either Ben or the reader as he singlehandedly kills his way to the top of the evil cabal. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

First-time author Mariani channels Dan Brown on steroids in this exciting (and violent) historical puzzle thriller that postulates a link between the secret order of Freemasons and the mysterious death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Former British SAS officer Ben Hope travels the globe as a crisis-response consultant (aka �a hero for hire�) performing good deeds like rescuing kidnapped children from pedophiles and protecting famous politicos from assassins. Fifteen years after Hope dumped her, ex-flame (and now famous opera star) Leigh Llwewllyn calls him out of the blue and asks for his help. Her brother, Oliver, who had been in Austria researching the death of Mozart, recently died under mysterious circumstances, and now she fears for her own life. The reunited couple attempt to complete Oliver�s research but find they have aroused the malevolent interest of a sinister group of power brokers whose origins date back to the eighteenth century. Persistently under attack by murderous agents of the cabal as they get closer to solving the riddle of Mozart�s death, Ben uses every weapon at his disposal to dispatch his assailants, including an iron skillet, a nail gun, a pool cue, and even his bare hands. Racing along at breakneck speed and promising more in a series, this action read will excite fans of Brown, James Rollins, and Robert Ludlum. --Michael Gannon --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: AVON, a division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (July 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847560806
• ISBN-13: 978-1847560803
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,419,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I threw the book on the floor when I finished..., April 30, 2011

By 

Markus - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mozart Conspiracy: A Novel (Ben Hope) (Hardcover)

This story is full of cliches. There is nothing novel or exciting about it. It had a very run-in-the-mill plot, and the dialogue was ****. These people aren't kidding about the ending either. It was like Mariani was trying to end it like the Bourne films(leaving you with a smile on your face), but really just left the reader unsatisfied. I was excited about the possibility of some interesting history on Mozart, even if it was going to be pseudo-history. But there again I was dissapointed. Just don't waste your time on this rubbish.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poor Ending, April 5, 2011

By 

Sean O'Se (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mozart Conspiracy: A Novel (Ben Hope) (Hardcover)

This book was marginally entertaining until I got to the end. The ending to the book was awful and I now wish that I had not spent my time reading it. Everything about the book is marginal -- character development, plot,etc. -- all ok and decent enough to keep you interested. I would have bought another book by the same author . . . until the ending. Now, why would I want to invest my time reading a book like this, only to come to this totally unsatisfactory ending? Not only did . . . well, I won't give that away . . . but there was nothing to suggest that the protagonist had any umph to continue on for another mission. He just sort of fades . . . .

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The ending sucks! And the rest of the book ain't so hot either, June 18, 2011

By 

charlie_boulder (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mozart Conspiracy: A Novel (Ben Hope) (Hardcover)

Luckily I did not waste any money on this book.

I checked it out from the library suckered in by the "Jason Bourne meets 007" psuedo review on the cover.

And it would have been a tolerable if forgetable read except for the ending. The book had
already ended (so you think) and there is this sort of epilog where you expect him to wrap up a
few storylines. [spoiler alert] And, instead, there is this meaningless (and totally unbelievable)
resurrection of the villian (or one of them) from what seemed certain death. And he captures
one of the few likeable characters in the book and kills her by stabbing her in the stomach while the
"hero" watches helplessly.

At the end! Why would you do this at the end? Do you want your readers to hate you? Are you stupid?
Do you want to make sure no one ever buys another one of your books? Well you accomplished all that and
more in my case.

Rated: Do not buy or read!