Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Ben Hope #5

The Shadow Project

Rate this book
Only one man can foil a plot set to change the course of history…The latest heart-stopping novel from the rising star of the conspiracy thriller genre.Ex-SAS soldier Ben Hope is enjoying life at Le Val, the facility in Northern France where he trains others in the dangerous art of hostage rescue, until a chance incident forces him to take on the role of bodyguard to the Swiss billionaire Maximilian Steiner.The victim of a recent abduction attempt, Steiner believes that a neo-Nazi terror group are bent on seizing a prized document from his personal collection - one that could support claims that the Holocaust never happened.But what initially seemed like a straightforward VIP protection job is turned upside-down by the appearance of a mystery woman from Ben's past. Could he be right about her, or is he losing his edge?On a quest across Europe, Ben finds himself embroiled in a deadly kidnap intrigue and a sinister project that has lain dormant since 1944. The stakes are global - and this time Ben is also fighting to protect the people closest to him…

464 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2010

239 people are currently reading
1542 people want to read

About the author

Scott Mariani

72 books1,141 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,648 (40%)
4 stars
1,605 (39%)
3 stars
681 (16%)
2 stars
93 (2%)
1 star
35 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
Profile Image for Matt.
4,709 reviews13.1k followers
August 11, 2017
With Scott Mariani at the helm, Ben Hope is sure to be back on another thrilling adventure, set to reveal what might have been a significant change in history. Enjoying his life in Le Val, his training facility in Northern France, Hope continues to provide top-notch service for those seeking to protect the more vulnerable people of the world. When a training seminar goes too far and Hope loses his temper, a fight ensues; one that could be more costly than the broken bones that Hope’s opponent suffers. Hope is forced to take the team back to Switzerland and offer the kidnap protection service to billionaire Maximilian Steiner, who possesses an interesting document, having procured piece of the Nazi’s larger plan that never saw the light of day. While guarding Steiner, a group attacks his compound and Hope sends in the troops, only to come across a woman from his past, which derails his efforts and leaves Steiner completely enraged. Hope is fired and returns to France, only to discover that his entire business is about to be financially decimated by a lawsuit related to the aforementioned fight. With everything to lose, Hope travels to Austria to track down these neo-Nazi soldiers in hopes of learning a little more about the woman as he tries to piece things together. Meanwhile, a collective of top scientists have been found murdered. Dr. Adam O’Connor learns that his friends have died, but thinks nothing of it until his son, Rory, is kidnapped. Willing to do whatever it takes to save Rory, O’Connor falls into the clutches of these neo-Nazis, who are resurrecting a new type of weapon, nicknamed The Bell, which might have turned the tables on the Allies back in 1944 and closely relates to the document Maximilian Steiner owns. During his search, Hope crosses paths with this technology and learns that Maximilian Steiner is anything but an honest man. With limited time and a new ally in this mystery woman, Hope must dismantle this weapon and learn all of Steiner’s nefarious plans. A needed jolt in this novel has put the Ben Hope series back on track and scored Mariani some well-deserved points. Fan of the series will surely agree that Hope is back in true form and those looking to learn more about Ben Hope have much on which they can base their first impressions.

After a lull in the writing, Mariani seems to have found his groove again, aided with some breathtaking backstory development of the protagonist. The Le Val complex helps develop some of Hope’s character, as his leadership skills are tested, along with his ability to manage his temper. Mariani tests this and the ability for Hope to hold down the business end of the character through various issues that evolve in the story. There is also some development within Hope’s personal life when the aforementioned ‘mystery woman’ emerges back in his life (I choose to let the reader discover her identity by reading the novel). There is surely an emotional investment in the story and Hope pulls on old memories to help shape his present-day interactions. Significant advancement within Hope’s personal life emerges, which could likely return as a minor thread in future novels. The story itself proves entertaining, as is most anything wrapped in a veil of mystery from the past century. The Nazi angle pulls away from the traditional concentration camp discussion, but does allow the reader to wonder ‘what if’ with some degree of fear. The narrative keeps the story moving forward on two tracks and the ‘hinged’ aspect is surely something for which Mariani remains known. I enjoy piecing together where things will cross or how a seemingly minor side story will eventually inflate and take over the central role in the latter chapters. Mariani is back with some exciting ideas and places Hope in precarious situation that force him to rein-in some of his emotional expressions. The reader benefits most from this, through significant enjoyment and story arc advancement.

Kudos, Mr. Mariani, for keeping your Ben Hope series fresh and exciting. You know just when to crank up the excitement to keep the reader curious.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for D.S. Mac.
Author 1 book38 followers
January 11, 2021
'He’d seen that look plenty of times, the deliberately unthinking stony look, like the expression of a shark, that passes across a paid killer’s eyes in the instant before he does his job. The clearing of the mind, removing all doubt, all hesitation, any last vestiges of humanity. No prisoners, no discussions.'

Yet another fantastic book by Scott Mariani.
This series gets better and better with each book!

‘Who’s Saint Geneviève?’
‘The patron saint of complete and utter disasters and f***-ups. An old friend of mine.’

Ben gets caught up in a tangle of lies when a rich entrepreneur needs bodyguards after a kidnapping attempt over historical notes from nazi pseudoscience experiments.
This starts a chain of events where not everyone is as they seem!

Once again full of action, full of twists a fantastic read.
Profile Image for Terence M - [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!].
683 reviews347 followers
September 1, 2017
Audiobook - 9:56 hours - 4.0 stars out of 5.0
Narrator: Colin Mace

This is a great adventure! While not a gripping page-turner overall, there were times when it was exactly that. Our hero is at the top of his game and, for me, his reputation is restored!

By quickly disposing of quite a few baddies, saving the lives of a number of goodies, finding and saving his long-lost sister (not a spoiler), descending into the depths of a mountain, killing more baddies, he, in effect, saves the world! What more could you want?

My GR friend Matt, who is binge-reading the whole series, just gave five stars to #11 and I don't think he has awarded less than four stars for any of the Ben Hope books. He can express Scott Mariani's writing qualities far more articulately than I can and I agree with whatever Matt has said to date about Mariani and Hope.

Bring on Ben Hope #6!
Profile Image for Kerry.
550 reviews69 followers
January 3, 2017
Another great page turner and adventure for Ben Hope. This time he faces personal and financial issues whilst trying to uncover the truth about possible secrets from the time of the holocaust and the Nazi regime. With people going missing, a long lost relative to look for and danger around every corner, he really does have his work cut out for him.
The body count and extreme violence seem high in this one and I often wonder how that is justified or dealt with. There are no law enforcement agents looking into it either, which although makes for a simpler plotline does make one wonder where on earth they all are during the gun fights, fracas & general destruction caused by each thrilling but violent incidents???? Never the less Scott Mariani does write a very thrilling and exciting story and the world of Ben Hope is anything but boring!!!
Profile Image for Michelle Blackburn.
154 reviews4 followers
December 19, 2018
First I’ve read of this series. Enjoyed the main characters and action. Plot was farfetched. Will probably read another.
Profile Image for Mark Wall.
54 reviews
April 4, 2025
Another great adventure with Ben Hope; just grab it and enjoy the ride
Profile Image for Jacki (Julia Flyte).
1,402 reviews210 followers
April 5, 2015
Ben Hope is an ex-SAS hero who now runs courses in personal security. He takes a short assignment to provide protection for Maximilian Steiner, a Swiss billionaire who has been the subject of kidnap attempts. Hope realizes that the kidnappers are trying to get hold of some secret Nazi documents that Steiner possesses. As he starts to investigate, he discovers that there is a plot to resurrect a mysterious technology that was first developed under the Nazis. The group have been targeting and eliminating a select number of scientists who are experts in this technology. Hope also realizes that the stakes are intensely personal for him.

This is an enjoyable, fast moving thriller. It has no literary pretensions: it's just written to entertain, and entertain it does. Yes, the plot is silly, yes the characters are one dimensional, the villains remain shadowy and the storyline is highly derivative. None of these things detracted from my enjoyment of it. It's relentlessly paced, with short chapters designed to keep you reading and it's very hard to put down. I probably won't remember much about it in a month's time, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is the first Scott Mariani book that I have read. I gather that there are others featuring the hero, Ben Hope, but it didn't seem necessary to have read them.
Profile Image for Grace.
507 reviews11 followers
July 9, 2015
I really liked this book and it was exactly the type of thriller that I like to read. Once again the author did a good job on both the story and the characters. I haven't read a book in this series for a while and had forgotten how much I enjoyed them.
26 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2017
Tiene su algo

Muy buena historia para saber algo de historia, un poco básico pero bien llevada la trama, hay muchos detalles descriptivos que te dan una buena sensación mientras se desarrolla la trama
Profile Image for Susan Freeman.
92 reviews
October 24, 2011
Loved the story in this book, really enjoy the character of Ben Hope,look forward to reading follow on.
Profile Image for Rob Thompson.
707 reviews43 followers
July 16, 2024
A Thrilling Ride Through Shadowy Conspiracies

Scott Mariani's "The Shadow Project" delivers a pulse-pounding adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This installment in the Ben Hope series showcases Mariani's knack for blending high-stakes action with intriguing historical mysteries.

The story follows ex-SAS operative Ben Hope as he's drawn into a dangerous web of secrets surrounding a clandestine World War II operation. Mariani's pacing is relentless, propelling the reader through a maze of twists and turns that span from wartime Europe to present-day intrigue.

What sets "The Shadow Project" apart is Mariani's attention to historical detail. The author weaves real-world events and figures into his fictional narrative, creating a rich tapestry that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. This adds an extra layer of intrigue for history buffs and conspiracy theorists alike.

Ben Hope remains a compelling protagonist, with his complex past and formidable skills making him a force to be reckoned with. The supporting cast is well-developed, though at times some characters can feel a bit archetypal for the genre.

While the plot is gripping, there are moments where the suspension of disbelief is stretched a bit thin. Some of the escapes and coincidences can feel a tad convenient, but they're forgivable in the context of the fast-paced thriller genre.

Mariani's prose is efficient and descriptive, painting vivid pictures of both action sequences and European locales. The dialogue crackles with tension, though occasionally it can veer into expository territory to explain historical context.

"The Shadow Project" is a solid entry in the Ben Hope series, offering a satisfying blend of historical intrigue and modern-day thrills. While it may not reinvent the wheel, it executes its formula with polished skill.

For fans of the series, this book delivers everything they've come to expect and love. Newcomers may want to start with earlier installments to fully appreciate Ben's character arc, but "The Shadow Project" can still be enjoyed as a standalone adventure.

In conclusion, Scott Mariani has crafted another entertaining page-turner that will satisfy thriller aficionados and history enthusiasts alike. Despite minor flaws, "The Shadow Project" earns a strong 4 out of 5 stars for its engaging plot, well-researched historical elements, and non-stop action.
Profile Image for Henri Moreaux.
1,001 reviews33 followers
April 2, 2019
I picked up Shadow Project without realising it was part of a series, rather because I enjoy a well told romp about the discover of old nazi technology and the blurb indicated that's what this was about. A mysterious technology which has lain dormant since world war 2 that has been rediscovered and an aggressively violent bunch of criminals is kidnapping scientists in an attempt to force them to make it work.

All the while the main character, Ben Hope, bumbles into this scenario whilst working for a swiss billionaire who narrowly avoids being kidnapped by neo-nazis in an attempt to compel him to produce a document from his collection which allegedly can prove the holocaust never happened.

I found the story to be decent, the nazi it's based on actually existed, although not in the capacity detailed in the book, the layers of story telling were good and the ending wrapped things up nicely. I also found I was not worse off for having not realised this was part of a series - there's plenty of character background there for the purposes of an action slash adventure story.
Profile Image for Zallee Pepper.
37 reviews
September 17, 2019
Oh - the pleasures of reading a good book!

The story is well constructed, tight and well written. I very quickly cared about what was happening (it's a while since I've had a chance to read a Ben Hope story), and the tension just kept on building up. The dialogue (often overlooked) was good, and words were made to count (I'm always amazed at action books which manage to describe the action instead of showing it... You'd think that would be a first priority)

I love this genre, though there are, perhaps as with most genres, a lot of mediocre writers. Scott Mariani is less known of, maybe because he's not American (which simply has the biggest audience), but I put him up there amongst the best. Chris Kuzneski, James Rollins, Scott Mariani, and Clive Cussler. This is the quality I'm aiming for. Now - where can I get my hands on the next one...
Profile Image for Balthazar Lawson.
758 reviews8 followers
October 8, 2023
I've read many books in the Ben Hope series but have always been left with a few unanswered questions regarding his sister, who was kidnapped in Africa on a holiday. This book answers those question and how they were reunited.

Following a training incident at his place in France, Ben takes over a security job in the hope of not being sued for millions. But the job doesn't go well as it was poorly organized from the beginning. However, the job gives him a clue to his missing sister and one he embraces and runs with.

This brings him into conflict with a shadow group that is pursuing the aims of a Nazi general, who went missing at the end of the war, that was working on a secret project

I really enjoyed this and is a must if one enjoys the Ben Hope series.
Profile Image for Sean Loone.
Author 11 books5 followers
January 18, 2020
If you like the Ben Hope books then you’ll love this. I’m working my way through the series chronologically and this one compares favourably with its predecessors. Lots of action, plenty of twists and turns. This time you’re taken deep into the mysterious world of the Nazis and their so called Shadow Project. There’s kidnapping, torture, plenty of corruption and even a love interest for Ben, will he won’t be? It’s a great read and pulls you easily into an exciting world of adventure. If you’ve read these books before you’ll know what to expect. If you haven’t the series is well worth a try and what’s more you can begin anywhere.
Profile Image for Justine Peroni.
211 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2018
Another amazing rollercoaster of adventure!

Scott Mariani has done it again! I absolutely love these books with Ben Hope. It's a touch of James Bond and Jason Bourne rolled into one! this time he ends up being a bodyguard to Maximillian Steiner and what starts out as a simple job turns into something more dangerous. With connections to WWII and the atrocities of the SS and experiments leaves a lot to be desired but makes for an interesting read! Highly recommended!!
Profile Image for Steve.
104 reviews1 follower
April 12, 2020
The Ben Hope series are definitely the literally equivalent a 'popcorn movie' starring someone like Jason Statham, but sometimes it is good to give the brain a rest and kick back with something light hearted and full of gunfire and explosive entertainment!

It had been a while since I read book 4 of the series but picked up the character threads quite easily and enjoyed this yarn thwarting Neo-Nazis and rediscovered WW2 uber-tech.

If you like Jack Higgins or Matthew Reilly, Scott Mariani's Ben Hope series will most likely float your boat.
696 reviews3 followers
February 26, 2021
Good, if a tad far fetched

Not the usual story of lone super soldier/mercenary being unstoppable, but a slight twist with "out there" physics and megalomaniac bad guys
You need to take a bit of the storyline with a pinch of salt, but overall a very enjoyable story
Good to see that some of the previous storylines have carried through and are starting to be relevant to the whole
Profile Image for Eadie Burke.
1,972 reviews16 followers
March 27, 2021
So happy that Ben Hope was able to find his lost sister, Ruth, after she had been missing for 20 years. I am enjoying these books and traveling along with Ben to the different places he visits. I‘m looking forward to the 6th book of the series, The Lost Relic, which takes us to Italy. I highly recommend this adventure and thriller series.
678 reviews8 followers
June 22, 2024
Yes, Benedict fell in love and found his long lost dead sister still alive and well. But this book did not have the saemd rama and excitement as other books, with a weak storlyine about intrigue and hidden projects dating back to the Nazis. But there was enough to mak eme continue on with the remainder f the series.
Profile Image for Jess.
39 reviews
July 11, 2017
Ah, Ben. I love Ben Hope and this one is a classic and a typical Ben Hope book. There are twists, turns, conspiracie, and plenty of guns. The investigation at the heart of the book was a bit odd, but there was more than enough Ben action to make up for it.
Profile Image for Mr Michael R Stevens.
462 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2018
Into The Swing

Easy reading, enjoyable reading. As a recent to see if Ben Hope i have read the first five quite quickly, I find them quite relaxing and a pleasure to read.
Looking forward to working my way through the series.
121 reviews1 follower
November 27, 2019
Storm

Another brilliant book Mr Mariani. I think that you learn more about history from novels like yours. I adore German Shepherds and cried for the dogs ... But then there's Storm. You have a gift and I'm very grateful that you have.
69 reviews
May 19, 2022
Typical Mariani. Fast-paced, fun, everything you would want from an action novel with a bit of sci-fi / mystery thrown in. It isn't Austen, but it provides exactly the sort of easy thrills you want and expect from a book like this.
74 reviews
June 8, 2023
So good

Such high standards to keep turning out the most amazing stories. So descriptive, totally enthralling, fast paced brilliant story, fine read alone, better if you buy the whole set and follow Ben Hope.
250 reviews
August 29, 2023
Very good boys-own adventure stuff, featuring the invincible Major Ben Hope. In this instalment he’s taking on some Nazis and at one point he manages to disarm two of them toting sub machine guns just using a sofa and a bit of broken glass. Some suspension of disbelief required, but all good fun.
Profile Image for Miles.
313 reviews42 followers
November 5, 2023
I enjoyed the book and the few surprises it threw up but unlike the last four books in the series I did find this a little harder to read, I didn't find it as fluid as the previous reads. That said I still finished it, I enjoyed the ride and was thoroughly entertained.
Profile Image for Sophie.
116 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2024
A bit more realistic than the last one tbh at least Ben didn’t ’fall in love’ with someone he legit met two chapters prior!!! Still wonder how Mariani comes up with these crazy ideas, his historical knowledge must be wild!
29 reviews
July 20, 2025
Quote enjoyed this. . . . Mariani forgoes long descriptive passages in favour of action - all to the good IMO. I very much liked a couple of the lead characters (Ben & Brooke) and will be looking out for future books featuring them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.