The Final Hour by Tom Wood

The Final Hour by Tom Wood
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE…

Victor is the ultimate predator. He surfaces to kill, then disappears into thin air. But he’s a disposable commodity for the powerful people he works for—both the good guys and the bad. And no one has his back. Especially now that doing black bag jobs for the CIA has put a target on his head…

…IS TO DIE.

Antonio Alvarez, a high-ranking US intelligence official, is determined to clean house and find the legendary killer who slipped away from him during an operation in Paris. There’s only one person Victor can turn to for help: a lethal female assassin whose life he once saved. And now Victor wants her to return the favor—by killing him….

Antonio Alvarez has been steadfastly tracking a killer for years, ever since one of his jobs with the CIA went very bad in Paris. Back then, he’d been called off by his superior, but now Alvarez has far more power after multiple promotions and Alvarez refuses to let this lie. Victor has continued on his way, but even he understands that sometimes you simply can’t escape the past.

I’ve enjoyed the Victor series for years and this book proves no exception. Usually, these novels can be read by themselves but for this one I’d suggest readers should have read at least a few of the previous installments. A number of characters from the previous books make important contributions to this one and while I admit much of the back story is filled in very well and readers should be able to keep up, I do feel a lot more enjoyment will be gained from having been in on the other adventures and know the history and just how everything has come to pass. I wouldn’t suggest that any of the multiple sub-plots here were left untied in the previous books, but it was fantastic to revisit where various characters are and how they moved on from their experiences – positive or negative – with Victor. I found this an absolute delight.

Victor is definitely a classic anti-hero. While there are numerous redeeming qualities to him, Victor has no illusions about who and what he is. He is a killer. He wants to survive at any cost. This is not a character who can afford to have feelings or sympathy. Readers looking for a softer character or someone who down the track might be good or saved – that’s not what you’ll find here. But for a very strongly plotted, character heavy and action driven storyline that is both thoughtful and enjoyable this is certainly the book for you. I have read each of the previous books a number of times and found this to be an excellent addition to the series.

Different and somehow managing to have emotion and heart despite the content, this is a strong book I feel will appeal to many mystery and thriller readers. Recommended.