Hope Never Dies

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Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery is a 2018 novel by Andrew Shaffer, published by Quirk Books.

Contents

The work of fiction is about Joe Biden and Barack Obama, now no longer politicians, working as a team to investigate the death of an Amtrak conductor.

Alexandra Alter of The New York Times described it as "political fanfiction" and "an escapist fantasy". [1]

Its sequel is Hope Rides Again (2019).

Background

Shaffer stated that he chose Biden as the narrator because he felt "it fit the noir narration" and that it was "much easier to get into Joe's head" (understand his personality) compared to Obama's personality. [2] Dean Poling of the Valdosta Daily Times described it as a "grouchy, dad-joke vibe". [3]

Contents

The book is told in the first person perspective from Biden's point of view. Brian Truitt of USA Today stated that the work "has a definite Democratic bent." [4]

Alter stated that, in the book, Obama functions like Sherlock Holmes and Biden functions like Dr. Watson. [1] Kirkus Reviews described the Obama character as "a reasonable stand-in for Sherlock Holmes", while the Biden character is "appealingly modest and laughably self-satisfied". [5]

Reception

Alter described it as "a surprisingly earnest story". [1]

Publishers Weekly stated that people who read works by Carl Hiaasen would enjoy this book. [6]

Kirkus Reviews stated that it has an "unsatisfying" ending and that the secrets being uncovered by Obama and Biden are "wafer-thin". [5]

USA Today ranked the book three stars out of four. [7]

Maureen Corrigan, an instructor of literature at Georgetown University, wrote in the Washington Post that the storyline was "drowsy", and that the work is "sweetly goofy". [8]

See also

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Hope Rides Again: An Obama Biden Mystery is a 2019 book by Andrew Shaffer, published by Quirk Books. It is a sequel to Hope Never Dies, and is part of a series of books in which Joe Biden and Barack Obama are detectives solving crimes. Shaffer stated that the series is "escapist".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Alter, Alexandra (2018-07-12). "The Obama-Biden Bromance Continues. This Time in a Mystery Novel". The New York Times . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  2. Gonyea, Don (2018-08-04). "Barack and Joe Solve a Murder Mystery". National Public Radio . Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  3. Poling, Dean (2018-08-25). "BOOK REVIEW: Hope Never Dies: Andrew Shaffer". Valdosta Daily Times . Archived from the original on 2024-11-07. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  4. Truitt, Brian (2018-07-09). "Obama and Biden ride again (as detectives!) in the fun mystery, 'Hope Never Dies'". USA Today . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  5. 1 2 "HOPE NEVER DIES". Kirkus Reviews . 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  6. "Hope Never Dies". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  7. McClurg, Jocelyn (2018-07-21). "Weekend picks for book lovers, including 'Hope Never Dies,' a mystery starring Obama-Biden". USA Today . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  8. Corrigan, Maureen (2018-07-15). "Obama and Biden are the ultimate crime-fighting team in 'Hope Never Dies'". Washington Post . Retrieved 2024-11-06.

Further reading