Reds hands is the third installment from the Ben Walker series. I personally have not read the previous two books, however Ararat has been on my radar for quite some time. Based on the synopsis' for all three books it's does NOT seem essential to read the 1st two before diving into Red Hands.

A mysterious and devastating bioweapon has been released onto the folks of Jericho Falls. The mysterious ailment causes its victims to develop red hands and the touch of death. A pickup truck crashes into the crowd at a fourth of July parade, after exiting the vehichle everyone who the man touches drops dead.

For me personally, the thought of bioweapons is absolutely terrifying! My love for these type of books definitely started with Robin Cook. Monsters I can handle, but things like this..? Idk they just feed my anxiety! I 100 % believe in the existence of bioweapons ( maybe not of this magnitude) but enough that this book had me hooked and on edge from start to finish.

Christopher Golden is an excellent story teller and I will definitely be grabbing up and reading all the "Ben Walker " books.


As always thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Again, I adore Golden and his writing. He's so good at building suspense up and he keeps me guessing. Dare I say he could give even King s run for his money! I recommend.

In this supernatural thriller from Christopher Golden, an escaped bioweapon brings death upon the masses, but also brings eerie power among one carrier. Can sometime-government agent Ben Walker help the young woman who's inherited the killing touch, or is Maeve doomed? The biblically-tinged bioweapon involves more than a lab origin, and overcoming it will require more than science. Those who prefer plain old science and biology to be the baddies might prefer something like David Koepp's Cold Storage. Those who're looking for something bigger, more universal, to tinge their apocalyptic plagues should look into this and Golden's other supernatural thrillers. Sympathetic characters and plights give this thriller a strong emotional core; it's a fast ride and worth taking.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I LOVED Ararat that I read a few years ago. Super good, creepy and just enjoyable. With that, I did not realize that this was the third one with the character Ben Walker, HOWEVER, I have not read the second novel (totally on my immediate to read list now...) so you CAN read this pretty much as a standalone and not feel lost in the story at all.

This novel begins with just a regular small town, fun 4th of July parade....and devolves quickly into a hot mess as a vehicle comes plowing through the crowd and a guy jumps out of the car and people who touch him are dying. Except one person....instead of almost instantaneously passing away she chooses to run into the woods, and the hunt is on. The comes Ben Walker, who has already had to work on some "weird" things for the government and he gets called in to help handle this case too.

Some parts of the novel they are reaching back and discussing Ben Walker's previous experience, which I assume is talking about the Pandora novel before this novel. It doesn't cause too much confusion, however, the novel may be more enjoyable if I had read and understood that novel. There are some few references to Ararat as well, just not as many.

Regardless, this novel was such a good and creepy adventure with an ending that feels a bit more open to continue explaining more about everything that causes the Red Hands in the next novel, which I would completely pick up. Totally worth the read if you like creepy, action adventures with an almost 'weird' type situation that is causing the overall story. Definitely one of those novels that makes you think, could this be real? Could this happen? And then you get that eerie feeling that....it really could.

"Red Hands" by Christopher Golden is the third in a series of thrillers centered around the character of "weird science expert" Ben Walker, but you don't need to have read the other books to get a feel for the character.

This book starts off at a small town 4th of July celebration. Out of nowhere, a car barrels through the crowd striking Maeve Sinclair's father before crashing.

The driver manages to climb out, but starts staggering towards others around him, his touch instantly and brutally killing them. Maeve swears she sees his hands turn red as he deals the killing touch, but she doesn't have time to think about it as she becomes infected with whatever that man has.

Scared, she heads for the nearby mountains, and Walker is called in to track her and bring her back alive.

The problem? Maeve is apparently infected with a deadly bioweapon that was being developed at a nearby government facility. One that everyone wants to get their hands on...whether she's alive or not.

It took awhile for "Red Hands" to really grab me. There are a lot of separate pieces of this puzzle that all had to be introduced. Once all the players were on the board, and the mountain hunt got underway, the book really came together as a fast exciting read.

There are a couple of interesting twists, and several deaths - some quite gruesome. I'm giving it 4 stars out of 5.

I had no clue this was book number three in the Ben Walker series. This is the first book of the series I have read. Overall I really enjoyed "Red Hands" even if I missed some of the back story from the previous books.
"Red Hands" is a captivating story that kept me interested and turning page after page. I definitely recommend this book for readers who enjoy stories like this as well. Four stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Sinclair family is enjoying the 4th of July parade when tragedy strikes. A car plows through the crowd killing several and wounding more. When the driver finally emerges from the vehicle, it is clear that he is ill. But, worse, he begins to touch people who immediately die horribly. Maeve Sinclair tries to stop him but, when she does, instead of killing her, somehow the illness is transferred to her. Ben Walker is called in to deal with the situation before it all completely hits the fan but he is too late and things just keep going from horrendous to downright nightmarish.

Red Hands by Christopher Golden is the third book with protagonist Ben Walker but the first I've read and I've got to say it's a real page-turner. It starts out with a bang and rarely lets up until the end. It's fast-paced with characters you can easily sympathize with. I would recommend not reading it at night, though, if you are trying to get some sleep because this book doesn't keep you awake, nothing will!

<i>Thanks to Netgalley & St Martin's press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Christopher is a familiar author to Horror fans and throughout his career has worked in a variety of different genres and mediums including video games, comics, and screen plays. Red Hands is his latest novel, which is the third book in the series of novels featuring the character Dr. Ben Walker, though all of them can be read as standalone novels. Red Hands which is an unrelenting horror/thriller that’s packed with action from start to finish, one hell of an opening emotional hook, and features a cast of characters that you can’t help but be invested in. Trust me when I say this is a book you definitely want to add to your TBR and once you start, carve out a few hours because you won’t want to put it down

‘The longer they go without infecting someone, the worse the sickness hits them. But theres’s a hunger, too, driving them to want to pass that infection along.’

I have a bone to pick with Christopher Golden: this book kicks major ass (seriously!), and now I have to read the other two installments of the Ben Walker series.

The level of violence and madness at the beginning immediately caught my interest. A small community tucked away in the mountains of Vermont is celebrating a Fourth of July parade, when car thrashes its way through the crowd, killing various patrons. This is no ordinary vehicular onslaught; the driver, Oscar Hecht, is infected with a tactile bacterial infection, a virus that transfers itself simply by touching someone. Some of the body horror thrillers out there are intriguing enough, but sometimes they focus too much on the medical slang, which obstructs the plot. There is a bit of that here, but I didn’t let that bother me-I became transfixed by the overall atmosphere of he novel. More that in a second.

Before Oscar stifles his last breath, he passes the contagion on to Maeve Sinclair, a local resident of Jericho Falls. She immediately ascends to the nearby mountains and that’s when I was first introduced to Ben Walker, a man called in by the DOD to find Maeve. Walker is sort of an anti-hero during a widespread epidemic. He is soft and tender as far as family is concerned, but is sardonic and hard-nosed when he has to deal with bureaucrats and government cover ups. Wish there were more out there like him.

The rest of the story relies heavily on science, but there’s a lot of sensational action, and some riveting nods that reference the ‘touch of death.’ I was anticipating the story behind the virus from the get go, and when I learned about its origin, it was just as captivating as all the other elements meshed into RED HANDS.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC.

Killer beginning to this book - sets up tension from the get go. Really enjoyed the mix of myth, medical and action.

Thank You to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for honest review.

If you like Dean Koontz, you are going to love this one!

A car plows through a 4th of July Parade, killing and maiming many of the parade watchers. When the car comes to a stop, the driver emerges from the car covered in blood, looking close to death. This is where you think that the horror has stopped but it is only the beginning. Some of the townspeople approach this monster when the horror starts anew. Each person touched by this blood drenched man convulses and dies in seconds.

This story combines the Supernatural with Government secret research for a fast paced horror ride sure to leave you breathless!

I listened to the first book in the Ben Walker series and read the second, so I was excited to check out this third installment. But, honestly, I am not sure that you really have to read these books featuring Ben Walker in order. I always advocate for that, but nothing at all is given away or spoiled here about the previous books' plots, so if you start here, don't worry, this definitely holds up as a standalone thriller! And the plot surrounding a lethal contagion certainly feels timely!

This book is pretty much nonstop action, plus plenty of diversity in the cast. I liked some of these newly introduced characters quite a bit - but I wish that there had been a bit more to the ending. It's just not as uplifting as I wanted it to be. The contagion itself feels unique here - but I can still see some people not finding this to be enough of an escape from reality. I did want the ending to be a bit more plausible... but I am curious to see where the series will go next!

A blisteringly fast paced addition to the Ben Walker series. A necessary purchase for collections where the previous titles were popular.

I find myself in a bit of a catch 22 with this book. This is book three in the Ben Walker series. If you don’t know Ben Walker, he is a government agent / scientist / special forces type. The adventures I’ve shared with him include unearthing Noah’s Ark on the side of Mount Ararat in Turkey and opening Pandora’s Box in a buried city in Iraq.

I think that it is important for an author to keep a series fresh so that the new adventure doesn’t feel like the last. Christopher Golden certainly accomplished this with Red Hands. But I found Red Hands lacking, it was missing that myth or archaeological overtone that was so predominant with the first two books in the series; it felt like Walker’s expertise was not used to its fullest potential. I guess you have to be careful what you wish for.

Red Hands was an advancement of the Ben Walker series. I can’t really say that I learned anything new about Walker; will he or won’t he make any changes with his relationship with his son? Who knows.

I would have to say that Red Hands stepped outside the rest of the series or what I would have expected for the character. It was kind of like if James Bond had gone after some drug cartel instead of saving the world from a mastermind criminal or protecting state secrets. It was good, just not what I expected.

Personally, I think that there are plenty of great myths and legends out there that could use Walker’s expertise and I would love to see the series get back to that.

*3.5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!

This books keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! The author has a way with words...descriptions feel so real you think you are smack in the middle of it running along with Maeve as she manoeuvres Her next moves following a horrific event. She keeps questioning and battling her human nature versus her red hands nature. A battle of evil versus nice internally. What would you do if your touch killed others?

One of the more interesting series that I have enjoyed (and wish they would continue!) in the past was The Hidden Cities books from Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon. So I was very eager to see what Mr. Golden could do with “Red Hands”.

This is a thriller. It starts out very fast and keeps its foot on the gas for pretty much the whole book, with the main part of the story taking place over the course of a day. A small town in the northeastern USA gets rocked when a car careens out of control and smashes through the crowds enjoying the Fourth of July parade. But the horror is just beginning – the driver steps out of the car and begins killing people simply by touching them. Maeve Sinclair sees what’s happening and is able to stop the killer – but not before he transfers the disease/power/curse to her. As she flees for her life, the pursuit begins: the police, the researchers, the government, and other shadowy figures who want to harness the power as a weapon.

Enter Ben Walker, newly recruited into the Global Science Research Coalition, who is tasked to find Maeve before the others. Ben teams up with the family, trying to get Maeve off the mountain alive and protect her from the hunters. But as the disease inside her grows, it might be Ben who needs the protection.

A fantastic joyride. Mr. Golden keeps the action moving, jumping among the viewpoints of several different people, all with competing (and uncertain) motives, all taking part in a great chase. He does a great job portraying Maeve as the victim, even when she slowly becomes the aggressor. There is a very strong touch of the supernatural, but it stays grounded in science and adds to the uncertainty of the situation. I was surprised to learn that this is the third book featuring Ben Walker, I have already reserved the first two from my library so I can catch up!

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

When a contamination descends on the community of Jericho Falls, an infiltration of mysterious coalitions appear not only to quarantine the town but to capture the cause of a potential epidemic. Maive Sinclair finds herself and her family the center of an investigation of unusual proportions known as Project: Red Hands.
Christopher Golden focuses his creative intellect towards a living infection that drives the mind to madness, instills a merciless desire within and a refuses to accept consequences to horrifying actions. The novels fine line whereby reality and fiction straddle is only a filtration mask and a hazmat suite away from the real world. For these reasons Red Hands adorns an all too familiar global face of bio-engineered bacteria, leaving the population and its victims desperate for answers and explanations. Having the backdrop to the story take place on a scenic terrain mountainside truly brings forth the savagery of escape and survival for the consumed and infected. With the race to obtain “the claim” and unlock ancient mysteries, Christopher Golden creates a haunting hunting ground where voices can be heard yearning for life, and lusting for death.
The structure of cliffhanger chapters, subtle momentum of storyline development and relentless unguarded suspenseful shocks make this book a five star home run that you won’t be able to put down. The underlying messages significantly correlating to the mortality of love, comfort and simple joys is an enjoyable theme and life lesson. Red Hands is published by St. Martin’s Press and is available in all formats.

Very different....but good! There is no working up to the plot, you are thrown right into it very quickly, beginning with a car careening through a Fourth of July parade. What is happening? Why are people dropping dead after being touched?

If you loved Stranger Things and/or tales of government gone horribly, horribly wrong, you will enjoy Red Hands.

An out-of-control BMW breaks up a Fourth of July parade in small town New Hampshire. The driver departs the crashed vehicle. Whoever he touches dies. All except Maeve who finally stops him with a baseball bat. But when Maeve is comforted by her mom and brother, they are killed by just her touch. Horrified, Maeve runs into the nearby forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious squad arrives to cart off the bodies. Who are they and what kind of horror is Maeve carrying inside her?

Pacing in thrillers is crucial to my enjoyment of them. Red Hands had a thrilling scene of everyone shooting each other and dying trying to catch Maeve. It was an exciting scene. But there was still more than 20% of the book left. The book then set off at a slow pace showing the same time period from two different characters’ perspective. By the time the conclusion played out, I still wished that the book had ended with the great action sequence instead. 3 stars for this reason.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

‘When a mysterious and devastating bioweapon causes its victims to develop Red Hands, the touch of death, weird science expert Ben Walker is called to investigate.’

The opening scene in RED HANDS gave me a deliciously dark King Of Horror vibe, for more reasons than one, that had me gripping my Kindle and uttering into the darkness that filled the room around me, ‘Yes, Christopher Golden, you have my Attention!’ And by the end, my heart.

RED HANDS is Book Three in the Ben Walker Series, though I can’t wait to read what I’m hoping will be a book four, I look forward to reading ARARAT Book One and THE PANDORA ROOM, Book Two.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for loaning me an eGalley of RED HANDS in exchange for an honest review.