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Alexander Hawke #8.5
White Death
Alex Hawke is tracking one of the world's most powerful villains high in the Swiss Alps
A powerful Swiss banker is found dead, frozen at the base of a soaring Alp. When a second man, the head of a rival banking empire, is found dead deep inside a mountain cave, MI6 suspects a bizarre conspiracy. Vast sums may have been plundered from the Queen of England's accounts. The British royal family's centuries-old Swiss bank holdings are at risk, shaking the foundations of Her Majesty's government and the monarchy itself.
Sir David Trulove, Chief of British Intelligence (MI6), tasks his most formidable weapon, Alex Hawke, with investigating the horrific murders. In Switzerland, Hawke and Ambrose Congreve of Scotland Yard are pulled into a tangled web of international intrigue, deceit, and murder. China and Russia are the prime suspects, and these powerful forces will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
A mysterious figure known as "the Sorcerer" has long been rumored to reside within an impenetrable fortress inside a mountain complex in the Swiss Alps known as "White Death." Hawke must scale perilous heights and breach the fortifications at the top of the world…and find the Sorcerer—or die trying.
Includes a sneak preview from Patriot, the exhilarating new Alex Hawke adventure.
A powerful Swiss banker is found dead, frozen at the base of a soaring Alp. When a second man, the head of a rival banking empire, is found dead deep inside a mountain cave, MI6 suspects a bizarre conspiracy. Vast sums may have been plundered from the Queen of England's accounts. The British royal family's centuries-old Swiss bank holdings are at risk, shaking the foundations of Her Majesty's government and the monarchy itself.
Sir David Trulove, Chief of British Intelligence (MI6), tasks his most formidable weapon, Alex Hawke, with investigating the horrific murders. In Switzerland, Hawke and Ambrose Congreve of Scotland Yard are pulled into a tangled web of international intrigue, deceit, and murder. China and Russia are the prime suspects, and these powerful forces will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
A mysterious figure known as "the Sorcerer" has long been rumored to reside within an impenetrable fortress inside a mountain complex in the Swiss Alps known as "White Death." Hawke must scale perilous heights and breach the fortifications at the top of the world…and find the Sorcerer—or die trying.
Includes a sneak preview from Patriot, the exhilarating new Alex Hawke adventure.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2015
111 people are currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
Ted Bell
51 books868 followersTed Bell was the author of 12 consecutive New York Times best sellers and a former advertising executive. He began his advertising career in the 1970’s as a junior copywriter at Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB), New York. At the age of 25, he sold his first screenplay to Hollywood, as well as became the youngest vice-president in the storied history of DDB. He then joined Leo Burnett Co., Chicago, as a creative director and four years later, he was named President, Chicago Creative Officer where he was credited with developing numerous innovative and award-winning advertising campaigns. In 1982, Bell joined Young & Rubicam, London, and in 1991 he became the Vice Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director. Ted won every award the advertising industry offers, including numerous Clios and Cannes Gold Lions, and while at Young & Rubicam, the Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival. In 2001, Ted retired to write full time. He has 10 New York Times Bestsellers to his credit: The Alex Hawke series of spy thrillers published by HarperCollins and the young adult targeted time travel adventure series, Nick of Time and The Time Pirate published by St. Martins Press.
A native Floridian, Bell graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia and was a former member of the college’s Board of Trustees. He held an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College in Michigan. Bell was also an Adjunct Professor of English Literature at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He was a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA), a program run by the Department of Defense in support of America’s military. He served on the Advisory Board at George Washington’s Home at Mount Vernon, a group chaired by former Secretary of the Army, Togo West. He also served for a time as an advisor to the Undersecretary for Domestic Relations at the U.S. Department of State.
For the 2011-2012 Academic Year, Sir Richard Dearlove, Former Chief of MI6, British Intelligence, sponsored Ted to become a Visiting Scholar at Cambridge University (UK). In addition, he was named Writer-in-Residence at Sydney-Sussex College, Cambridge and studied at the University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLIS) under the tutelage of Sir Dearlove, who was the Master of Pembroke College.
In May 2018, Ted published OVERKILL, the 10th book in the popular Alex Hawke spy thriller series.
In January 2019, Ted and Jon Adler of Jon Adler Films formed El Dorado Entertainment, a feature film and television production company based in New York.
In July 2019, Ted signed a two-book deal with Random House.
In July 2020, the 11th Alex Hawke thriller, DRAGONFIRE, was published.
On December 7, 2021, the 12th Alex Hawke thriller, SEA HAWKE was published.
Ted appeared on numerous television and radio programs and was a featured speaker at associations, clubs, libraries and organizations across the country.
Ted traveled the world and lived in Italy, London, France, Palm Beach, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Maine. He last lived in a beloved 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut.
A native Floridian, Bell graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia and was a former member of the college’s Board of Trustees. He held an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College in Michigan. Bell was also an Adjunct Professor of English Literature at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. He was a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA), a program run by the Department of Defense in support of America’s military. He served on the Advisory Board at George Washington’s Home at Mount Vernon, a group chaired by former Secretary of the Army, Togo West. He also served for a time as an advisor to the Undersecretary for Domestic Relations at the U.S. Department of State.
For the 2011-2012 Academic Year, Sir Richard Dearlove, Former Chief of MI6, British Intelligence, sponsored Ted to become a Visiting Scholar at Cambridge University (UK). In addition, he was named Writer-in-Residence at Sydney-Sussex College, Cambridge and studied at the University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLIS) under the tutelage of Sir Dearlove, who was the Master of Pembroke College.
In May 2018, Ted published OVERKILL, the 10th book in the popular Alex Hawke spy thriller series.
In January 2019, Ted and Jon Adler of Jon Adler Films formed El Dorado Entertainment, a feature film and television production company based in New York.
In July 2019, Ted signed a two-book deal with Random House.
In July 2020, the 11th Alex Hawke thriller, DRAGONFIRE, was published.
On December 7, 2021, the 12th Alex Hawke thriller, SEA HAWKE was published.
Ted appeared on numerous television and radio programs and was a featured speaker at associations, clubs, libraries and organizations across the country.
Ted traveled the world and lived in Italy, London, France, Palm Beach, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Maine. He last lived in a beloved 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 5, 2017
This book could have easily earned a 4-star rating; however, the ending was lackluster and really didn't explain the reasoning the guilty party did what they did. It was exciting and really kept you wanting more, right up until the bad guy / gal was revealed, then it fell off the side of the mountain. Final rating is 6 out of 10, when it could have been 8 out of 10.
August 2, 2015
Ted Bell is back with another Alex Hawke novella that will pave the way for his next full-length novel. During a rescue climb in the Swiss Alps, a member of the military's alpine division comes across a severed head, free of its body or any trace of why it rests in a crevice. Enter Lord Alex Hawke, who is summoned by MI6 to investigate a series of illegal computer transactions that have jeopardised the holdings of the upper echelon of British society. Could this head, eventually identified as a prominent Swiss banker who recently returned from London, play a role in the hacking that has members of Buckingham Palace in a tizzy? Working with Scotland Yard's Ambrose Congreve, Hawke heads to Switzerland, where he works with Baron von Stuka, 'Wolfie', an affable member of the country's military who has been helping Swiss officials with the case. Speculation about who might be behind the hacks into the prominent accounts opens numerous options, but no firm leads. Hawke and Congreve agree to go undercover to crack open the case, supported by all resources Wolfie can allow. Working with a new romantic interest, young banking official Sigrid, Hawke begins looking into the mysterious disappearance of another banking officials from decades before. The Sorcerer, suspected of having fallen off a mountain while scaling it, could be hiding in one of the honeycombed area of the Swiss Alps, long-ago thought to have been sealed. As the trio investigate, they realise that Hawke must scale White Death, the only mountain in the area Hawke has failed to overcome, while Sigrid and Congreve extract information about the hackers on terra firma. Beginning his trek up the mountain, towards Murder Wall, where he lost his grandfather, Hawke is determined to find the Sorcerer and uncover the hacker before anything else goes awry. With a limited time before more hacks emerge, Hawke must rely on his oldest friend and a woman who warms his heart to track down the killer and stop the flow of illegal transactions. A great novella that opens the door to new characters and plot lines for Bell's avid mind.
While the Hawke and Congreve characters can be somewhat pretentious as they pretend to be the modern incarnations of James Bond, Bell has been able to keep his stories chock-full of great adventure and drama. The characters are always witty and usually have far-reaching knowledge, which thickens the plot and allows for a vast array of adventure. With each novella, there is some useful tie-in to the subsequent novel, useful as a prize for those who take the time to read them. While I can likely predict what is to come, I chose not to read the teaser segment of PATRIOT, for I always let John Shea narrate the full novels for me, with his uncanny accents and presentation. Bell has a great repertoire and wonderful ideas, for which I am eternally grateful. Now, if only he could scale down a little of the hoity-toity nature...wait, that would ruin the Hawke character demonstrably.
Kudos, Mr. Bell for another great mini-instalment to the series. Keep this work coming!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While the Hawke and Congreve characters can be somewhat pretentious as they pretend to be the modern incarnations of James Bond, Bell has been able to keep his stories chock-full of great adventure and drama. The characters are always witty and usually have far-reaching knowledge, which thickens the plot and allows for a vast array of adventure. With each novella, there is some useful tie-in to the subsequent novel, useful as a prize for those who take the time to read them. While I can likely predict what is to come, I chose not to read the teaser segment of PATRIOT, for I always let John Shea narrate the full novels for me, with his uncanny accents and presentation. Bell has a great repertoire and wonderful ideas, for which I am eternally grateful. Now, if only he could scale down a little of the hoity-toity nature...wait, that would ruin the Hawke character demonstrably.
Kudos, Mr. Bell for another great mini-instalment to the series. Keep this work coming!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 7, 2017
Alex and Ambrose are called in by C to investigate a series hacking attacks in Switzerland involving Her Majesty and other Brit interests including Alex's private and industrial accounts. Plus they need to identify and stop a shadowy person named the Sorceror who seems to be behind these attacks. Whew!
So of course there will be extreme climbing involved which will be Alex's part of the expedition while the newly married Constable will investigate the murder which might be part of this mystery.
Of course, Alex finds a possible new love interest.
In short, this is a very consolidated and short-handed adventure.
Personally, I think this would have made more sense as a portion of a full-length novel.
But anyway, the best part of the entire novella was the opening chapters in which the young Swiss mountaineer was scaling the deadly sheer face of Der Nadel. Having seen the German movie "North Face" recently, it was easy to picture the frightening climb. The movie is a gripping adventure about the Nazi-sponsored competition in 1936 to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps, the north face of the Eiger. It featured some incredible scenes with similar conditions.
So of course there will be extreme climbing involved which will be Alex's part of the expedition while the newly married Constable will investigate the murder which might be part of this mystery.
Of course, Alex finds a possible new love interest.
In short, this is a very consolidated and short-handed adventure.
Personally, I think this would have made more sense as a portion of a full-length novel.
But anyway, the best part of the entire novella was the opening chapters in which the young Swiss mountaineer was scaling the deadly sheer face of Der Nadel. Having seen the German movie "North Face" recently, it was easy to picture the frightening climb. The movie is a gripping adventure about the Nazi-sponsored competition in 1936 to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps, the north face of the Eiger. It featured some incredible scenes with similar conditions.
May 1, 2018
Don't waste your money. This was a joke.
November 20, 2021
To this point I have really enjoyed the Alex Hawke series. However, if this had been my first Ted Bell, Alex Hawke book it also would have been my last.
I thought I had picked up a book written for a "very" young adult. To say it was lackluster is giving it too much praise
I thought I had picked up a book written for a "very" young adult. To say it was lackluster is giving it too much praise
December 18, 2017
Great Reading
I have read all of Ted Bell's Alex Hawke's novels and have thoroughly enjoyed every one, including his White Death Novella! I look forward to reading his next book.
I have read all of Ted Bell's Alex Hawke's novels and have thoroughly enjoyed every one, including his White Death Novella! I look forward to reading his next book.
March 29, 2018
Good fill in story
This story filled in some of the blanks in the full novels. Good background for future use. I look forward to more from Mr. Bell and Alex Hawke.
This story filled in some of the blanks in the full novels. Good background for future use. I look forward to more from Mr. Bell and Alex Hawke.
June 24, 2021
Compared ti the first 8 Alex Hawke books: Pretty Ho Hum, especially the ending. It did pique interest about Alex’s future with Sigrid.
December 20, 2025
I felt like this book had potential and was going somewhere. Then it abruptly ended within a couple pages.
March 20, 2017
A short novella... a body is found by a mountain climber in the ALPs.. Hawke is asked to do some searching and to find out if this had anything to do with a rash of hackings into the monetary accts of some very influential people... include the queen of England
October 28, 2015
A quick yet enjoyable Hawke story
Just enough Hawke to satisfy yet leave you wanting more. Hopefully an introduction to new characters that will be present in future stories. The one complaint is that because it's a short novella, details the author would normally include are very obviously skipped over. Still an enjoyable read.
Just enough Hawke to satisfy yet leave you wanting more. Hopefully an introduction to new characters that will be present in future stories. The one complaint is that because it's a short novella, details the author would normally include are very obviously skipped over. Still an enjoyable read.
December 3, 2015
White Death. Ted Bell
Alex Hawke and his closest friend Chief inspector Ambrose solve another mystery....someone has hacked into the Queens personal accounts in Switzerland. A highly enjoyable mystery, extremely well written.
Alex Hawke and his closest friend Chief inspector Ambrose solve another mystery....someone has hacked into the Queens personal accounts in Switzerland. A highly enjoyable mystery, extremely well written.
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December 18, 2015Captivating
The book reads like something out of James Bond movie. This being said, it reads fast and well pretty quickly. Not too many twist in plot but a good read and a great book for vacation especially if your traveling to Switzerland!
The book reads like something out of James Bond movie. This being said, it reads fast and well pretty quickly. Not too many twist in plot but a good read and a great book for vacation especially if your traveling to Switzerland!
August 11, 2015
A quick read featuring Alex Hawke that leaves the reader looking forward to his next full novel, to be published soon.
September 11, 2015
Whoo boy ! Another rip roaring story involving Hawke. Could not stop reading it. Excellent !!
October 2, 2015
Short but suspenseful
Great short that gives you a new dimension into what makes ALex tick. A great read for a Sunday afternoon while everyone else watches football.
Great short that gives you a new dimension into what makes ALex tick. A great read for a Sunday afternoon while everyone else watches football.
October 14, 2015
Truly a novella; quite rushed at times; I thought Sigrid was going to be one of the bad guys.
February 15, 2016
Never disappointed!
Good short story. I do hate it when these stories end. Looking forward to the next Lord Hawke book. Keep them coming please.
Good short story. I do hate it when these stories end. Looking forward to the next Lord Hawke book. Keep them coming please.
March 29, 2017
Save your money. Reading this was like reading a movie script.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews