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Harry Bauer’s job is to take out the trash. He works for Cobra, a secret agency that assassinates tyrants, cartel bosses - and other trash.

Colonel Kostas Marcović was one of the butchers of the Vukovar Hospital massacre. He was a mark like any other. Except that Marcović was hiding on St George Island in the Caribbean, where the Colombian cartel Bloque Meta was trying to open up a new path to Florida. And Harry had a big problem with drug cartels, a problem that threatened to pull the whole mission of track.

That wasn’t the only problem Harry faced on that sultry, tropical island. There was also Maria, the sultry, tropical owner of Old Joe’s - and the local drug lord’s girl. Then there was the mysterious Helen, Maria’s friend. She had a past, and an agenda, that Harry cannot fathom.

Worst of all, when Harry finally tracks down Marcović, it turns out there are two of them. Both hate each other, both claim to be innocent, and Helen loves them both. Now Harry must decide, which one lives and which one dies…

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2021

2220 people are currently reading
170 people want to read

About the author

Blake Banner

153 books399 followers
USA TODAY and Amazon #1 bestselling author of the OMEGA and DEAD COLD MYSTERY series. Learn more about Blake Banner at his website: www.blakebanner.com

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5 stars
2,667 (51%)
4 stars
1,735 (33%)
3 stars
614 (11%)
2 stars
131 (2%)
1 star
39 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
Profile Image for Jim A.
1,267 reviews82 followers
June 16, 2021
Same old, same old Bauer novel. Nothing here to recommend it.
376 reviews6 followers
November 29, 2021
I do like the plots this writer brings to his Harry Bauer books; thus far, they have been original and different from each other – Mr. Banner isn’t rewriting the same old hash over and over. Difficult in a series, but he excels at it.

I am, however, officially tired of the “you’re a terrible agent, Harry Bauer” trope running out of the mouth of Colonel Jane the MacGuffin with the brigadier’s blessing.

Once again the colonel is in the mix and in this 5th book I still haven’t figured out her purpose. She brings nothing to the plot(s) so maybe she is a MacGuffin and while we scratch our collective heads and wonder, the real action is put on our back burners and we do not notice this. (maybe?)

OK, so Harry Bauer must die but geez...with DNA testing and the inexorably powerful agencies after Bauer, as we are told in the first chapter, how is it that Cobra “thinks” it can eradicate the Harry Bauer persona with a fake death? Really? These agencies have no photographs of the man? And no access to his fingerprints? Huh….

Somehow, the destruction in the wake of his contract kills, all seemingly in quick succession, are heaped on Harry Bauer's shoulders. Cobra is hardly blameless, ordering Bauer to perform clandestine activities without intel or planning (as in the previous book, Quantum Kill) or assigning a timetable that is next to impossible to attain (as in The Einstaat Brief).

Surfing Google to find the remotest place on earth where English is spoken? And St. George is what popped up? How about the Maldives? Talk about remote and hard to get to…!

There is another reference to Covid-19 with an acknowledgement of how awkward the elbow bump is. Regardless of how one feels about the virus, it exists, and it’s good to find a writer who admits its existence.

Harry Bauer is still portrayed as an assassin with a conscience as he tries to untwist the lies and subterfuges created by two potential war criminals. He also has an opportunity to lash out at drug lords who destroy innocent lives. These inner thoughts are always well done, I think.

Again, the female characters are cardboard cutouts. Here we have two females figuring fairly prominently in the plot. One is a retired detective whose father was the chief of police; you’d think she would have some serious skills, yes? Nope. The second was a woman who owned a bar and was involved with a local criminal. She is portrayed with even less liveliness. The two could easily have been men except they both have a pash for Harry Bauer and it they’d been men, it could raise some eyebrows.

There are some pesky errors:
“She surprised my by reaching in her bag….” Maybe she surprised ME?
Bauer threw a “gory head on the passenger seat” of a car. A few paragraphs later, “The guy with the mustache and the cowboy boots was still trying to work out what his boss’s head was doing in the back of the BMW.” Somehow that head moved itself from the front to the back seat. And then later Bauer “paused to look at the googling head on the passenger seat.” It even seemed to have moved from the BMW to a Porsche Cayenne, but the way it’s written, that is up for interpretation.
“The fixed it for him….” Unknown: maybe THEY fixed it or some organization beginning with “The” fixed it.

I am not sure where this series is going and that’s perfectly fine, of course; all will come out in the next book(s). However, I am sorry to see the Harry Bauer persona gotten rid of so easily. Hoopla: here and gone. I am sure the mayhem and the inner dialogs will continue and am looking forward to enjoying the next installment.
143 reviews2 followers
December 4, 2022
This Harry Bauer adventure is a little different. Before going any farther--SPOILER ALERT.

Various people, bad guys as well as his own government, have been trying to kill Harry for a while, now. As this story starts, Harry Bauer is found murdered in his Long Island, NY cottage. His death appeared to be execution-style, with a couple of bullets to the face as well as one to the heart. Next, Harry shows up in a tiny, backwater Caribbean island on his next assignment. Confused?

Too many people were interested in Harry Bauer, more specifically, in learning for whom or what Harry worked. That will never do, so Harry had to die. Officially that is.

Supposedly, when he returns from this tropical island assignment, he'll assume a new identity and live in a new Manhattan co-op. We don't know, exactly, because our story ends with the successful completion of the assignment, and Harry still on the island. Ten to one says he returns and we learn more of the details in the next installment of the wild adventures of our favorite killer. . . er. . . assassin.

Never fear, our Harry gets to kill a lot of people on this assignment. He wasn't supposed to, it's merely that with Harry things sort of happen. You see, Harry quickly learns that the little island is awash in bad guys of two opposing but not openly fighting sides. If your flashing back to Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars, and Last Man Standing, you aren't alone.

Like the protagonists in those films, Harry wipes out both sides--I lost count of how many there were--and rides into the sunset. Unlike Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars, rather than leaving town, Harry finally shifts his attention to the job he was sent to do, which he accomplishes during a hurricane.

This Harry Bauer story seems to be focused on violence and killing, but it is fast-paced and a very good read. I started reading it when I went to bed last night, then finished it when I woke up a three o'clock in the morning. The reason it went so fast is a testament to the author's skill at spinning a great yarn.

Side Note: I've never killed anybody, so I can't comment on the accuracy of everything Harry does. However, I was trained as an infantryman by my Uncle Sam, after growing up on a farm around firearms of various kinds. As far as I can tell, Blake Banner's descriptions and uses of the firearms and other armaments Harry deploys appears to be accurate. I like accuracy.
22 reviews
February 25, 2021
I am a big fan of Blake Banners books but was disappointed with Immortal Hate as I found it very poorly written. I found the start a bit hard to get into with too much unexplained and in my opinion unnecessary violence. It did eventually warm up with explanations of Harry Bauers actions but I had already lost interest. I found this story totally unbelievable and failed to connect with me as a reader compared with the other Cobra books. In this book, Harry Bauer is portrayed as a heartless murderer rather than a skilled assassin with a conscience. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous books rating them five stars each and was looking forward to reading this next story but unfortunately, this book did not meet their standard.
Profile Image for Thomas James.
578 reviews12 followers
September 23, 2021
Who is Harry Bauer

I enjoyed this story, but not as much as Banner's previous four. As always, he raises questions that you hope you never have to answer. Is it better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven? Or ate we already in the Hell of our own msking and seeking a way out? Does might always make right? There are disturbing scenes in this story making you wonder who is the good guy. Can we ever, "Turn the other cheek?" Or are we destined to seek revenge forever? The storm scene is amazing, although I have to wonder if anyone could actually drive in those conditions. Finally, who is Harry Bauer?
157 reviews15 followers
October 24, 2021
It Seems You Do Live Twice

If you are Harry Bauer. The craziness continues. I feel I must react this time: previously the irritation was caused by the misspelling of Koch (not Kotch) and other minor issues but in this volume the American oddity of "bimmer" resurfaces! Europeans refer to BMWs as Beamers, the corruption of this to a toddler's burbling really wrenches the reader out of the accepted imagery of the plot with a disruption of the otherwise fluid narration.
Of course I still managed to enjoy the reincarnation of Mr Fleming's favourite womaniser, sorry I mean his cousin. I shall continue, Book 6 awaits.
2 reviews
January 21, 2025
This is the fifth book in the series that I have read. I consider this series to be a lot like James Bond meets Dexter.

The plots have all been interesting. I would call it light reading with some very shallow characters but fun to read all the same.

One annoying thing that has shown up frequently is the lack of or extremely poor editing. Continuity is not good. The Colonel is occasionally the Captain. The passenger seat turns into the back seat. These frequent errors could easily have been rectified with an editor or better editor.

I will continue reading these books because they are easy quick reading entertainment, but certainly not fine literature.
133 reviews3 followers
May 18, 2021
Harry has to die!! But they have to catch him first!!

Harry is sent to find a man who is responsible for mass murder, rape & tourcher. He is a war criminal & Harry will find him! He will e the man's Judge, Jury & executioner. Harry is sent to a small island out near the equader to find his prey but what he finds is 2 beautiful women who need is for to save them from a drug cartel who is holding the island in it's clutches!! With Harry's type of skills - he is just taking the trash...
377 reviews3 followers
May 21, 2023
Didn't like the scale of violence

This one had no soul. The violence was over the top. Couldn't finish the book. I hope I'm wrong but I feel Harry is getting to be a lot like the people he kills. Screaming at people, more or less beating his chest as if he's a god among his subjects! After reading for a while, I lost interest. Harry fancy himself as a sexy idol that women just fall in his bed. I want him to just choose a lady and his zipper shut when on a mission. He should have gotten a infection by now. On to book 6!!
1,477 reviews25 followers
February 24, 2021
Immortal Hate Blake Banner

Harry Bauer works for a clandestine organization called Cobra. An American, ex SAS. A highly skilled assassin. He is sent to a small Caribbean island to eliminate a Serbian war criminal who has escaped justice. Unfortunately, Harry discovers two potential individuals. Each one qualifies as the potential suspect. What unfolds is an extremely fast paced action filled thriller.Suspense,intrigue, this book has it all. Enjoyed immensely!!
877 reviews25 followers
May 14, 2022
Immortal Hate

This story is certainly entertaining! It reads as if you are living the story yourself. I hate to think about what wars do to the people who have to live through them. They live with things that a great deal of the people in my age group will probably never hear or see! Hopefully not a lot more of people will also never have to experience it either! Wonderful reading-hard to put down!
433 reviews8 followers
July 13, 2022
CC1

This was an excellent chapter in the late Harry Bauer saga. Yes Harry played the the big bad guy from the word go . Blaming it all on Helen I guess his way to deflect why he really was there.But once he got going all the trash was taken out quick. Then with the storm coming and Constantine showing up accelerated his primary job. Great job !!! 10 stars plus !!!! Thanks, Carl Clause
359 reviews4 followers
March 5, 2021
A Great Read

I have read all the books in this Harry Bauer series and thoroughly enjoyed each one. For me, this was another 5 star read with all sorts of different and interesting characters. A big thank you to the author, Blake Banner. I am really pleased the 6th book, Silent Blade is on the horizon and I very much look forward to reading it.
1 review
April 5, 2021
Outstanding ...from the first chapter straight through to the last. Blake writes without peers, in my opinion. Thoroughly enjoyed HB5 in a day read, because I couldn't put it down.

Outstanding ...from the first chapter straight through to the last. Blake writes without peers, in my opinion. Thoroughly enjoyed HB5 in a day read, because I couldn't put it down.
28 reviews
June 21, 2021
A whirlwind of action.

A whirlwind of a book again from Blake Banner. Cyclone Harry rips through a small Caribbean island causing devastation, death and destruction at every turn. There are really 2 different stories in this book, both equally full of action and finished off in true Harry style. Enjoyed this book the most so far I think.
Profile Image for lorna cooper.
26 reviews
January 25, 2022
got to laugh

Seems this one man killing machine can trot all over the world leaving multiple dead bodies and blown up buildings and escape flying a stolen plane or sailing a stolen yacht but you honestly can’t wait for next book to see what else Harry is capable of in fun novels.
Profile Image for Susan Lowe.
70 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2023
Awesome Awesome triple Awesome

Ok, so earlier on today I reviewed book 4. Which I really enjoyed. I've just finished this one.
OMG.....
By the time I'd got to page 81 I wanted to phone Mr Banner, I really did. I wanted to tell him, that as much as I've enjoyed the others in this series.
THIS BY FAR IS THE BEST BOOK..... EVER...
Thank you so much for writing it xxxxxxx
3 reviews
March 5, 2021
Terrific Book!!!

Blake has succeeded in writing another awesome book! The adventures for Harry continue to impress. I can’t wait for book 6 to come out. Blake, please keep them coming. Your work and efforts are very much appreciated....
1 review
April 5, 2021
Weak

We’re told after every book that he likes to produce one a month. I think he needs to spend a little longer. This series, like the Omega series, has got weaker. Nothing really happened in this.
54 reviews
May 12, 2021
Immortal Hate

Good read. To much violence!ence and not enough story. The characters were weak and uninteresting. Basic story, Harry broke up a drug ring and killed a Nazi criminal. Not much spice or history facts.
47 reviews
May 30, 2021
Outstanding Twisting and Turning

I really enjoyed this book, dived right in and kept reading till I was finished.

The story lines to me were so real, I was a!most there

Excellent, excellent story
Thank You
Steven
Profile Image for Kenn Goslin.
815 reviews7 followers
July 11, 2021
When the storm rolls over the cast of characters,anything can happen!!!

What is Mr. Smith aka Harry Bauer doing on a small Caribbean island with nowhere to go and nothing to write home about???
Profile Image for Cynthia.
6 reviews
October 20, 2021
Disappointing

I really enjoyed 1 - 4 but 5 was far fetched
to the point of implausibility, full of holes and i basically had to force myself to finish it. Also the female protagonist was another Helen. What is it Banner and showering with Helen? - gimmeabreak...
27 reviews
March 10, 2022
adventurous

The story unfold with a plan that soon is unsettling. This story has a lot of questions that kept me involved although the violence was over the top but with Harry giving his reasons. Interesting to see another side to violence.
38 reviews
March 30, 2022
Bauer

Was somewhat disappointed in book 5. Didn’t move at your normal pace, jumped around; had trouble following. Random brutal unnecessary killings; took me longer to read than my normal fast pace.
77 reviews
December 4, 2022
Great, as always! Anything by Blake Banner is a totaly good read. I am working my way through the Harry Bauer series and am enjoying every page! I recommend to anyone looking for exciting stories. I am always looking forward to the next in the series.
4 reviews
May 21, 2023
Great Series

I’ve read all 5 books in this series so far and am still hooked. Every story is completely different and exciting. I can’t believe such a prolific writer can continue to write so well. I can’t wait to move on to the next book in the series.
5 reviews
September 15, 2023
More of the same...

Harry is up to the same old business...bringing with him his black cloud of Death...bodies strewn behind him...
Abrupt end. Opened the door with the reveal that Helen knew who he was...should have built up this beforehand.
318 reviews4 followers
October 9, 2023
Immortal Hate

The End in itself was a twist that I was not expecting. Harry Bauer is a well written character that is always doing something unexpected and totally out of place! Waiting for the next adventure!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews

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