In Andrew Shaffer’s HOPE NEVER DIES we got introduced to a “retired” Joe Biden. Through circumstances he ends up enraptured in a murder mystery in his hometown on Delaware. At the end of it he returns to the quiet life.
The sequel HOPE RIDES AGAIN brings back the character of Biden, but he’s a slightly different man this time. He’s no longer retired, he’s on a book tour, considering running for president and his curious nature now pulls him into the underbelly of Chicago. This backdrop allows for references from people to locations that places the book clearly as a bigger, louder sequel.
I loved everything about this book. The action, the humor, the bromance, the mystery, the twist and the turns. This is a non stop adventure comedy of the akin on the screen with any of the 80s cop and robber rip roaring buddy and solo escapades.
Non-stop is an inaccurate statement actually as there are plenty of moments of introspection in which Biden studies the investigation, his choices in life and Chicago itself throughout. It’s actually where Shaffer’s shines as he really has a handle of the character and the voice chosen. It’s not the Biden one might see on television or real life, but it’s a relatable character of a man who has seen time pass him by while trying to to stay relevant.
I have so much more I could say about this book and my enjoyment of it but I’m better off sharing this informal conversation I had with author Andrew Shaffer at Book Expo 2019.
HOPE RIDES AGAIN comes out from Quirk Books on July 9th, 2019. Click through the link for all the places to purchase it.