Option to Kill

A Nathan McBride Novel, Book 3

By: Andrew Peterson

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Nathan McBride, “the most brutally effective thriller hero to appear in years” (Ridley Pearson, author of Killer Weekend), returns in the third installment of one of the best new series in thriller fiction.

When Nathan McBride receives a text message from someone who claims she’s been kidnapped, it triggers a deadly chain of events that has the potential to haunt him for the rest of his life. Nathan will soon learn that nothing from his past could ever prepare him for the crisis he’ll soon be facing. The girl’s name is Lauren and she’s just 12 years old. With virtually no experience with children, Nathan’s patience and compassion are about to be tested to their limits.

In a violent confrontation, Nathan rescues Lauren from her kidnapper, but as he unravels Lauren's story, he realizes his troubles are only beginning. She says she's in the Witness Security Program, and doesn't trust the US Marshals because she thinks they're complicit in her abduction. Not only that, her stepdad was murdered last night.

In a desperate and unlikely alliance, Nathan and Lauren must stay one step ahead of her kidnapper and the brutal mercenaries who will kill anyone who gets in their way. Played out over the course of 36 lightning-fast hours, Nathan and Lauren must learn to trust each other or they won’t survive.

©2012 Andrew Peterson (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

An Outstanding Story with Engaging Characters

Based on the first review of this book, I purchased it to see if the review was accurate. I'm familiar with this author and found it difficult to believe he'd create an unlikable character. My instincts were correct.

Lauren is a twelve-year-old girl who's been kidnapped. Despite being stressed to the breaking point, she's poised and collected. She's not whiney at all, just the opposite. Sure, she's uneasy from her situation (who wouldn't be?) and has to trust a complete stranger (Nathan) but I think she's charming, intelligent, and capable. Part of the the intrigue, is how Nathan and Lauren must learn to trust each other and I think Mr.Peterson did a masterful job developing their relationship!

OPTION TO KILL is a departure for this author and I admire how he's avoided being formulaic with his story telling. We never leave Nathan's perspective in OPTION so the listener unravels the story alongside Nathan.

It's a fast-paced adventure that also reveals a deeper part if Nathan that I didn't know existed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to more stories from Mr. Peterson. Keep up the great work! And Dick is simply amazing! This was a challenging project for him and I couldn't be happier with the result!

option to kill

What made the experience of listening to Option to Kill the most enjoyable?

this is the third book in the nathan mcbride series. it is not as good as the first two, however it is still a worthwhile listen. if you never had kids then it may not be for you. one reviewer said that he thought the girl whinned throughout the story, but i didn't see it that way at all. it was a good book that as in the first two kept me not wanting to put in down. listened to it in three days. i would recommend it.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

make the 12 year old girl a little less bright. i have no doubt that there are very smart 12 yr olds, just not this sharp about tactacles would be more realistic

Have you listened to any of Dick Hill’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yes many. i very much enjoy dick hill as a narrator. he and scott brick are probably my favs

DISAPPOINTING & SAPPY

What did you like best about Option to Kill? What did you like least?

After reading the first 2 Nathan McBride books, I thought Nathan and Harvey were a team. Here Nathan goes off half-cocked rather than wait 15 hours for Harv to return from a family vacation in Istanbul. What was worse is that he made his 12 year old rescued kidnap victim his "wing man" in a very dangerous mission in the middle of the desert against a dozen trained mercenaries and the child murderer the little girl just escaped from. Did he consider what would happen to the young girl if he got himself killed? Plus I found her whining annoying. Nathan was nothing less than a child abuser himself to subject the girl to multiple violent murders in an era when kids can't tell the difference - either morally or legally - between a violent video game like "Call To Duty" and real life murders. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like mixing impressionable babies with my special ops killing missions.

What could Andrew Peterson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Even if Harv was out of the picture, Peterson should have first secured the safety of the little girl, THEN let Nathan go on the mission. My favorite assassin Court Gentry of Mark Greaney's "The Gray Man" series does all of his assignments alone. To take that child along to meet with a guy who is an admitted child rapist was extremely stupid and implausible. Plus she's one of those kids who grew up with "time out" rather than "knocked out" - she was stubborn, obstinate, and smart-mouthed, rarely doing what Nathan tells her to do in time-sensitive situations. Her repeated "Whyyyyy?" would have driven me crazy and I'm a mother, not an unmarried, childless sniper. If Harvey had been been on the scene, as a father and the duo's voice of reason, he'd never allowed that little girl to accompany them on the various assignments in this story. I found the child to be a distraction rather than an addition to the story.

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

Dick Hill is a favorite of mine. He does better here than in "Forced To Kill" where he got his male character voices mixed up and had the females sounding like they sucked on helium. The "Daffy Duck" voice works better on the 12 year old.

Was Option to Kill worth the listening time?

In a way it was. Overall it is a thrilling ride from start to finish. My only issue is that having that child along almost ensures that Nathan will live - which pretty much gives away the ending. The epilogue is rather sappy considering the main characters' backgrounds and all of the killing.

Any additional comments?

Again, the child makes the story totally unbelievable. In the final mission, she's left on a hill in the Mohave Desert dressed in a camouflage gillie suit, acting as Nathan's spotter. She's given a crash course in covert ops hand signals, location coordinates, the use of a 2-way radio, AND the ELT on his Bell helicopter hidden nearby. She even drives the getaway car in a prior mission and in the final one. Really? Nathan did everything except give her a Glock!! He even admits that a Search and Rescue team was likely not to reach her in time. Plus the mission was to rescue the child's mother from a sadistic serial killer with a thing for adolescent females and whom kidnaps young orphaned Latino girls (for a reason a reason I won't reveal here) and then allows his posse to rape the girls before they are murdered and their bodies dumped. Without Harvey in the picture, Nathan makes a lot of bumbling mistakes which should have gotten him killed. The shoot out in Nordstrom and the mall was just plain dumb because with an Amber Alert in place for the girl he'd just rescued in a nearby street shoot out would have caused mall security to immediately lock all doors preventing his egress from the area. I understand that the lure of this kind of thriller is that they are improbable but not impossible. However this story asks the reader to overlook blaring inconsistencies and implausible actions by a normally organized person. I will read any upcoming books in this series since I feel this was an aberration. I'm just stunned to see the large number of other reviewers who didn't find having that child take part in dangerous operations involving torture, rape, and killing a bit ridiculous and disconcerting. Maybe none of them are mothers........😡

Another winner...

As far as I am concerned, Nathan McBride is going to join the ranks of Mitch Rapp and Jack Reacher. I find this character very likable and the author keeps developing new characters that are equally likable and interesting. I will look forward to the next one. I do not like to give away any plots or endings. I only hope that you give this series a try.

Not as good as others in the series

Although I enjoyed the book it was not as good as the other 2 in the Nathan McBride series. The story was not very believable but with Dick Hill performing it was still a good listen. If you have not listened to others in the series I would not make this your first listen.

Great story

Nathan working hard as usual and with a brand new partner what a great twist on the series. Looking forward to next installment.

Grabs you from page one and never lets go.

A different book from the first two McBride novels. Focus is kept on the two main characters throughout. The developing relationship between McBride and Lauren is interesting, sad, harrowing and at times even (yes) hilarious. Arm yourself with a little "suspension of disbelief" at some of McBride's decisions, and you will love this book. Way more enjoyable than the last one.

A brutal story, yes. But also al lot of emotions that fits the McBride/Lauren theme.

Dick Hill - great as always.

as good as it gets

This story grabs you on the first line, and never let's go. Nathan Hill is as good as Jack Reacher.

excellent

couldn't stop listening. excellent narration and story.
my new favorite series alone with David Baldacci and Lee Child.

Really enjoyed this one

Nathan and Harv are two of the nicest characters and it really feels like you want to invite them over.
They always take out the baddies while not being boring and predictable.
I am really enjoying this series