Hope Rises

Walter Nash #2

by David Baldacci

Walter Nash began a journey down a dark path of seemingly no return, and now he  finds himself questioning everything that got him there in this thrilling sequel to Nash Falls from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.

Walter Nash, working under the alias of Dillon Hope, is on the road to revenge after becoming an informant for the FBI against a global criminal operation headed up by Victoria Steers. Steers has ripped everything Nash held dear away from him. He has nothing left to lose and with long, rigorous training under his belt the gentle and sensitive Nash has transformed into something he never thought he’d a physically imposing man with lethal skills. And now he has only goal left in taking down Victoria Steers.

In order to succeed, he’s going to need to cross enemy lines and work the job from the inside. But Steers is shrewd and only brings those with her complete trust into her inner circle. Nash must rely on every ounce of his hard-earned skills in order to prove himself an ally to Steers if he’s ever going to get close enough to decimate her criminal empire.

Yet, despite hating the woman for destroying his life, Nash finds himself oddly drawn to Steers in ways that he never could’ve imagined. And what he ultimately discovers will turn all he believed upside down, forcing Nash to do something truly unfathomable.

So, will the truth set Nash free?

Or end him?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Thriller Suspense

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.

In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.

A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Reviews

[Stacy DeBroff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This great sequel to Nash Falls (and yes, you have to read the first book in the series to jump in here!) leaves you plunged breathlessly back into the life of Walter Nash, astute businessman turned vigilante, working with the FBI to revenge the kidnap and murder of his daughter. After turning FBI spy against his corrupt company and its CEO boss Temple, Nash’s family was attacked, his daughter murdered and his wife taken into protective custody – all due to a global crime syndicate headed by Victoria Speers. Nash retreated to a friend of his vet father to turn him into a skilled fighter and assassin, emerging ripped and tattooed such that no one in his former life recognizes him.

Still working with the FBI and seeking to bring down Victoria Steers, Nash goes undercover as Dillan Hope to work as a bodyguard for Temple as Nash knows he’s stilling doing business with the Steers syndicate. The book opens with Temple being summoned to meet with Victoria in Hong Kong, with Nash in tow. Steers threatens both men’s lives and sends them into Myanmar to rescue her aging mother from a private prison. Endless treachery, betrayals, death attempts, and all out mayhem ensues. In the process, Nash works to get close to Steers to bring her down.

Amidst the thrilling action, we get to see intimate layers of depth slowly revealed in both Nash and Steers. For Nash, despite all he’s been through and all he’s lost, he retains a deep sense of humanity, compassion, and kindness that will shape his future. For Steers, we find a woman who’s been tormented by her manipulative, cruel, and power-hungry mother such that the sweet curious child she was got flattened and turned vengeful. Romantic tensions flares between the two as they spend more and more time together, and secrets get revealed. Can either Nash or Steers find spiritual salvation or something that even that approaches redemption in their lives? Can Nash (aka Hope) rise?

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

[Andrea]

After being sorely disappointed by Nash Falls (book 1), largely due to the cliff hanger ending, I felt compelled to read book 2. While definitely better than the first, I'm still underwhelmed. A good editor would have cleaned up and stripped down book 1 to the bare essentials to establish the back story and then proceeded directly into book 2 (which could use some liberal editing of its own). Hope Rises clearly doesn't work as a stand alone, but these are two books that would benefit from being one. On its own, Hope Rises is a more interesting story, although a few of the twists are predictable and some are not quite believable. Still unimpressed.