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, 15:37, 23 January 2011
{{infobox
|title=The Lost Relic
|sort= Lost Relic
|author=Scott Mariani
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=The sixth book in the series and still a great hunt 'em, shoot 'em, kill 'em story with a decent plot. Great escapist reading.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=1847561977
|hardback=
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=448
|publisher=Avon
|date=January 2011
|isbn=978-1847561978
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561977</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1847561977</amazonus>
}}
Ben Hope went to Italy to visit a former SAS comrade and offer him a job, but he's got marriage and happiness – and Ben's trade is far from the front of his mind. It's whilst he's driving away that Ben nearly runs down a small boy and unwittingly walks into a deadly heist which will see the boy and his mother – and many others – brutally murdered. It's only the beginning for Ben though as he find himself fleeing for his life and accused of murder. When the state needs to act people – even heroes – are disposable.
Here at Bookbag we've long said that if you want a hunt 'em, shoot 'em thrill a minute hero then Ben Hope is your man. He's more thoughtful than most (ex-theology scholar as well as ex-SAS, you see), less prone to being a womaniser and more centred on what's right rather than what's expedient. This is the sixth book in the series; they all read well as standalones – in any order – ad even on his sixth outing Hope is still fresh and entertaining. He might sail just a little too close to the wind in some of his escapes but you've got to suspend disbelief in a story like this and go with the story.
He comes up against a formidable opponent in ''The Lost Relic'' and annoyingly they should be on the same side because Commander Darcey Kane is one of ours. She's some woman though and when it comes to the crunch she's more of a man than most men. It's such a pity she's not being told the whole story about the mission she's on – and that mission is to take Ben Hope out as quickly as possible.
It's nearly 450 pages of fast-paced, exciting and sometimes gory writing an I wasn't keen to put it down until I found out exactly what was going to happen. No one is going to call this great literature – but it is a damned good story and perfect escapist reading.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If you haven't read the earlier books in the series then now is the time to [[:Category:Scott Mariani|catch up]].
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