The Crusader's Cross

Ben Hope #24

by Scott Mariani

THEY THOUGHT HE WAS AN EASY TARGET.
THEY THOUGHT WRONG.

It’s a snowy, peaceful Christmas at Le Val, the rural haven that is home to ex-SAS soldier Ben Hope and his associates. With most of the team away for the festive holiday, Ben, recovering from an accident, is one of the skeleton crew guarding the compound. That’s when a ruthless Corsican crime gang, knowing that Ben is injured and out of action, target the location for a violent raid.

With help from his faithful canine companion, Storm, Ben thwarts the attack – but not before the raiders claim several victims among his best friends. Now he must embark on a personal revenge mission to catch the sole remaining killer, the psychopathic Petru Navarro.

Ben’s quest takes him across France into the lawless gangland of Corsica, his only real lead a priceless historic gold cross that is now in Navarro’s hands. If Ben can find it, he’ll find his enemy. But taking down this murderous psycho is another matter . . .

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Adventure, Crime, Action, Mystery

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2021

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a great day when I can get my hands on a novel by Scott Mariani, particularly when it advances the Ben Hope series. While the novels continue to pile up, there is no lessening to the action or Ben Hope’s determination to protect that which he holds dear. After an accident, Ben is home for Christmas to protect La Val, his training facility. A group of thugs chooses to target him and take one of the prized possessions he recently discovered. What a mistake, as Hope has more gumption than patience. When the dust settles, a single thug has escaped and there are bodies all over. Hope takes matters into his own hands and hunts him down, crossing France and into Corsica. Armed with determination and a desire to get back what belongs to him, Ben Hope will stop at nothing to right a wrong. Mariani does a masterful job once again and kept me hooked until the final page turn.

After an accident left former SAS- soldier Ben Hope in a cast, he’s taking it easy this holiday season. He’s recently discovered a passageway under his rural training facility, La Val, which includes a valuable item from the time of the Crusaders. This cross, while also being quite old, has value in its decorative nature and secret weapon. It would seem that news of the cross made its way to town, and beyond, as a carload of Corsicans choose to target La Val when they know Ben will be at his weakest.

Doing his best to fend off the attackers, Ben is able to defend himself and neutralise the gang, save one, Petru Navarro. Using violence and a ‘shoot first’ mentality, Navarro steals the cross and is able to flee before Hope can catch him. Now, all that’s left around the compound are dead gang members and number of dogs that Hope held dear. This lights a fire inside Hope like nothing else, as he is determined to seek revenge, alone!

Tracing Navarro across the rest of France, Hope tries to make headway and stay under the radar. He removes any impediment he has and follows Navarro to Corsica, knowing that this will make things much more difficult. However, Hope is not afraid and has nothing to lose. He will not allow someone to come onto his property and get away with killing. Slowly and methodically, Hope will find Petru Navarro and delivery justice. An electric novel in the series that goes to show that some characters can stand the test of time and many adventures.

I discovered Scott Mariani and the Ben Hope series a few years ago and have not been able to get enough of them since. I usually mark my calendar when a new book is set to be released, knowing that I will be in for a treat. The action is always high and the impact on point, leaving me to lose myself in the well-paced narrative. Scott Mariani seems never to run out of ideas or scenarios for Ben Hope, in an ever-changing world.

Ben Hope remains a strong protagonist and has certainly grown on me over the years. Much of his backstory has been developed and he is free from too much change nowadays. Still, his grit and determination remains high, choosing to help those who matter to him. Ben is eager to discover relics or things of value, but his true investment is defending what belongs to him. I am eager to see how the series will continue, as this was almost a Ben Hope solo affair, while there are many others who impact the series in their own way.

Less a holiday novel than one that happens to occur over Christmas, this is yet another powerful instalment of a series that never seems to lose its momentum. Mariani develops a strong narrative that pushes the story along and keeps the plot twists coming, this time using a continental chase between Hope and a crazed Corsican. The character development enriches the story, though this one was more about Hope versus Navarro than many of the others who have graced the pages of past books. A strong story that clipped along had me enthused to keep reading and learning more about Hope, his situation, and how he would remedy it. I cannot wait for what is to come and how things will work themselves out.

Kudos, Mr. Mariani, for another winner. You never seem to tire of putting Ben in situations that seem almost ‘hope’less, if you pardon the pun.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[John Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story finds Hope in Le Val roots in this thriller. The backstory was a little less than the last 2 Hope stories so that was better. Even though it took quite a while to start moving. Again sometimes a bit too convenient e.g. finding a priceless treasure buried on his Normandy land.
Overall enjoyable.

[Aniruddha M · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a White Christmas in Le Val, France and Ex-SAS turned Security Trainer Ben Hope is manning his home cum training compound all alone with guard dogs and a skeleton security staff, as his two partners enjoy their year-end holidays. But a gang of thugs from Corsica target the compound, aiming to rob its armory and whatever valuables they can find, knowing that Ben is alone.
But their plans go awry as Ben refuses to give in, and an innocent is killed as well as a priceless relic gets stolen. Ben goes after revenge and recovering his stolen relic, traversing all of Europe till he brings justice to the perpetrators….

Please read my detailed review from the link below:

https://www.aniblogshere.com/book-rev...

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[Alan Cotterell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different feel to this one, very emotional at times

[Jack Holmes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by Scott Mariani and I was not very impressed with it. The plot took way too long to get going in my opinion - the attack on Le Val took 200 pages to happen for what I assumed from the blurb would only be the opening act. I found the villain way too one-dimensional - a bloodthirsty maniac with insufficient reason or backstory. I found the dialogue frilly and the tangents uninteresting.

Saying this I still found the plot interesting enough (once it got going) to finish the book fairly quickly. From some other reviews this is far from the best Ben Hope book so I may try one of the earlier novels and give Scott a second chance.

[Ross Mathieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent easy to read storytelling by the author which retais its momentum throughout...onto the next Ben Hope adventure !

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Ben Hope story so far and the previous twenty three books have been fantastic.
Ben Hope has a fractured ankle and he has to take a back seat for the final two day training course at Le Val before Christmas.
One of the men on the training course is acting oddly, but Ben thinks little of it until a gang of Corsicans break into Le Val with the intention of stealing their guns etc.
Prior to the course, Ben had helped discover a twelfth century gold, jewel encrusted cross in an old set of tunnels under Le Val. During the attempted robbery, a man is killed and the murderer gets away with the cross, as well as four of Ben's German Shepherds being killed.
Ben follows his friend's killer to Corsica, where he enlists the help of the Corsican Mafia gang led by his prey's uncle.
Ben Hope uses his skills as a former SAS major to hunt down the man he wants.
This is a fast paced and exciting adventure, that is very personal to Ben in many ways.
Looking forward to the next Ben Hope book in May 2022, which I pre-ordered on Amazon before starting this one.

[Joe Geesin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another marvellous read in the Ben Hope series.
A tale of two halves; that of a raid close to home (incorporating expansion of La Val, a training session with issues, a rare find, and an unfortunate death), and the trek across Europe to resolve the situation.

In many ways this is classic Ben Hope, with the second half of the book Hope doing what he does best, resolved with the usual fast paced easy to read intensity.

Under normal circumstances the book would be of perfect length, but given the detail of what happens in the first half of the book, the latter part could easily have been extended.
And a very minor / personal quibble - all mention of his first wife, later loves and his son Jude seem to have been forgotten in later books.

But on this evidence, one has to look forward to the next in the series.

[Sam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab

[Ray O'Hare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben doesn't give up and just gets better

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

My love for Ben Hope knows no bounds - this is my favourite book series. This is a strong addition to the series. Ben comes across as slightly more vulnerable this time- thanks to a broken ankle - but he's not going to let that get in the way of getting the bad guys. I love these books so much....

[K]

Ooh a Christmas Ben Hope story...

Christmas Ben Hope style is just about what can be expected to those who've been reading these books for a while..

[Trevor Snape · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book to add to the ever increasing series starring ex SAS Major Ben Hope. This book sees Ben take his favourite dog Storm on one of his adventures. There is even a passage in the book which is written from the dog's point of view. Scott Mariani's writing seems to be getting better and better and we now regularly have two new Ben Hope books a year. They are a highlight of my reading year and may they continue for many more years.

[Keshav Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another action-packed saga in the 24th installment of the Ben Hope series by Scott Mariani. Each of the author's books has always had me riveted to my seat and this was no exception. I am truly fascinated by the protagonist, an indomitable ex-SAS officer, who holds his loved ones close to his heart and is compassionate to their sufferings. After a freak accident in the backyard of his remote training facility in Le Val, Ben decides to spend his Christmas holidays in solitude after seeing off his friends and business partners Jeff Decker and Tuesday Fletcher to their respective hometowns. A group of thugs decides to lay seize the Le Val facility that is now scarcely guarded and make way with the rich cache of arms and ammunition. Following a fierce gunfight, he is saddened by the sight of the mortal remains of four of his favorite dogs, an old friend, Victor who had Ben's recently discovered valuable item that had now been stolen by one of the thugs and a couple of his injured adversaries. The story flashbacks to a few days before the attack when Ben finds a secret passageway from the backyard of his facility to the ruins of a church in the woods and discovers a valuable cross that dates back to the time of the crusaders. During his interrogation with the captives, he realizes that their heist motive was masterminded by a Corsican crime Lord and whose nephew by the name Petru Navarro escaped the scene with the bounty of the Crusader's cross. Been is furious at the devastation of his facility, the death of his very few loved ones and embarks on a vindictive journey to track and punish Petru Navarro and get back the valuable cross that rightfully belongs to him. He travels through the length of France into Corsica, knowing that he is entering a den that will make things more difficult and a possible one-way journey. However, he has nothing to lose and so together with his German Shepherd, Storm he begins his hunt. From here on, the plot picks up the pace and one can feel the heartbeat rise and blood pressure soar as Ben begins to close in on Petru Navarro. The last few chapters resemble a Hollywood-style car chase with the antagonist giving a slip each time. A riveting and satisfying read that is bound to culminate in a book hangover. One of the best in the last five to six books in the Ben Hope series. Hope the next one in the series will also keep the readers sucked in. Waiting for the next one, Scott Mariani.

[Melly Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gosh, this book was such a rollercoaster! I don't remember reading another book of Ben's where he was injured like this. It was definitely a very different book from the rest. We could see Ben in a situation where he was far from his best form. Yet, despite his limitations, he remains just as deadly. His situation gave an excellent opportunity to have the bad guys underestimate him big time - well done to Scott about this.
The Crusader's Cross was action-packed and intense as usual. I love seeing Ben in action, he's one fine man with a very specific skillset which he perfectly excels at. Despite how heartbreaking some of the losses in this book were, they filled the story with so much intensity, sorrow and anger - represented in Ben himself. He's torn by grief and rage, yet he still manages to follow his goal to the bitter end.
For some reason, I want more scenes with Jeff. I take that back, I want some book with major Jeff presence, but not like The Babylon Idol (no spoiler here). His personality is just so amusing, Jeff is so outspoken and has such a zero filter it's hilarious actually. Probably I find something of myself in him which makes me like his character, I hope we see more of him in action at some point.
It was another great read and it's needless to say I cannot wait to read the next instalment!

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crusaders Cross. Scott mariani

Another, as usual, which I have become to expect...... EXCELLENT read in this series. Ben Hope discoveries a priceless historical relic a sword on his property while doing reconstruction on an old church. The Christmas holidays have arrived and Bens two closest friends and business partners have left to be with their families. Ben who is recuperating from a broken ankle elects to stay at home. The compound is attacked by a group of Corscian thugs with the intention of breaking into the armory. Ben is able to repel the attack but the cost is high. One of his dearest friends is murdered, the cross is taken and several of his beloved dogs are killed by the attackers. Ben is now on a quest to settle the score. Revenge. Justice. He is successful and this magnificent read has action, treachery and suspense on every page. Enjoyed immensely !! My highest recommendation!!

[Larry H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One the night before Christmas, a bunch of twits infiltrate a training site in an attempt to steal military grade weapons. And then they messed up horribly. First, the site belongs to ex-SAS Major Ben Hope. Second, the psychopath that they hired on their crew took it on himself to kill some of the dogs (German Shepherds!!!) that were part of a pack that belonged to (and adored by) Hope and his mates. You'd think folks would learn a thing or two from John Wick about killing folks beloved canines. And so some folks have to learn the hard way. Ok, two dogs did survive (not a spoiler). A delightful adventurous ride that takes us through brightly lit museums and streets of France to the forest regions of Corsica and its terrifying criminal underworld. I need to read more Ben Hope books.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently I’ve found that the newest books in the Ben Hope series follow a similar sort of pattern. It’s always enjoyable but I can look at how far I’m into the book and roughly know when the big final showdown will be. This one was a bit different as that order was changed up. It was a bit unsettling which was a great feeling as the start was all about how unsettled Ben felt (although there was a little bit of worry that this would be a two-parter again and I’m not sure I can deal with the anxiety of Star of Africa/The Devil Kingdom again, no matter how good it was!).

Overall another classic edition to this series and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

[Arnold Masayila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Also enjoyed Ben’s companion throughout the story.

It was a welcome change from secret organisations and new world order. Sometimes simple is best. This is one of the best ones in the series.

Colin Mace is a terrific reader & story teller. Thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook.

This also concludes the Ben Hope series for me, or rather I have caught up to all the existing books, including #25 ‘The Silver Serpent’.

It is bittersweet as the Ben Hope series has been a part of every day life for the better part of the last 5 months. Having read all the books, starting with #22 and then again from 1-25.

[Ian Birtwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book, as I have all the other Ben Hope books in the series. Although a bit samey the stories are all different; a contradiction, I know, but there's always the familiarity with the main characters, with new ones (and old ones) moving in and out of the plots.
Would I recommend this to others? Of course I would and it works as a stand-alone too, as there's just enough recap at the start and throughout (where necessary) but it certainly would help if you'd read the previous books in the series.

[Tom - Reader of Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Hope is a cracking character and he’s had some brilliant adventures over the years. But maybe at number 24, he’s running out of steam. This is basically one overly long action sequence with some historical intrigue shoe-horned in. Whilst it’s done very well and there is some genuine peril throughout, it just felt a bit unnecessary and wasn’t as good as we’ve read before or, I hope, will read from Mariani in the future.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book kicks off with some renovations and an exciting find. La Val is targeted, not for its newly acquired relic, but its weapons cache. Many of La Val's operators are away during Christmas and Ben's foot is in a cast, so it is deemed a soft target. A miafioso black sheep angers Ben, as he vows a personal vendetta against a Corsican foe. Ben hunts him down like a dog, but underestimates the fallout to come. Not the best book in the series, but still good.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Variation Of A Theme

I like the Ben Hope series, have read them all and in order. Some might call them formulaic but each book works well as a stand alone story as well as part of the series.
This one is no different bad guy gets his comeuppance.
Give the Ben Hope books a try, you won't be disappointed.

[Maitreyie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the Mariani and Hope whom I know

Very weak plot, very unworthy opponent. Mariani is losing the art of webbing the story which gripp the reader till the last line.
Its not the ben hope but a shadow of him and mariani is becoming the distant shadow of that Mariani who wrote the series till 15th novel.

[Gary Franklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always a good read, Ben Hope doesn’t let you down, despite certain levels of predictability. This one is full of the Hope Tropes although some are more diluted than others. More in keeping with any violent vengeance thriller than his earlier adventures saving ancient treasures or antiquities and therefore not the best but still a decent read

[Tamil · Rating 4 out of 5]

24th installment of Ben Hope series.
For me, the premise of this story resides both in like it but didn't like it zone. Antagonist of this story is no match to Ben's calibre. But when our great Ben got fractured leg and not in his full capability, it may do.. The more you read about Ben Hope, the more you love him.

[Mrs Linda Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Storm

I've just finished your brilliant book and I'm in tears. This book, as all your brilliant books, is fast paced and completely addictive. Scott Mariani you must be a dog lover in your personal life, or even own a beautiful dog. I'm tru!y sorry for what happened but Storm got his man. Thank you for making me happy 🐾🐾

[Hilary Mccarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast moving drama with the excellent Ben Hope in the driving seat .
A page turner with many twists and turns .
Doesn’t matter if it is a little unbelievable at times , it’s the combination of good plot and interesting characters that makes this series so readable .
I think Mariani is on top form again .

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read many of these generic thrillers featuring a crime family, good guy outnumbered but tenacious, overwhelmed but stubborn, despite multiple injuries and about 20 highly trained hard-core crooks, who can act without conscience and disappear into the night.
But as they go, from my limited experience I would have thought this a really good example of the thriller genre.

[Louanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cheese and bread, this was a good book! I read it in one sitting - couldn't put it down. I have read all of the books in this series, many more than once. This one may be the best one yet. Way to go, Scott Mariani. Long live Ben Hope!!!