Craig and Cate are wealthy, smart, driven business professionals who have their idyllic world shattered and turned upside down. Their two children are killed during a hate crime shooting. They are devastated and consumed by grief. After the killers are set free, the two take matters into their own hands. They embark on a calculated quest to avenge their children while finding out who was really behind the shooting. Unsatisfied with their revenge taken, Craig and Cate plan on the destruction of a neo-Nazi organization that sponsored and planned the shooting.

They hire a retired, expert to teach them the skills they need, in order to carry out their dangerous plan. All the while, the FBI is one step behind them putting the pieces of the puzzle together, trying to figure out who is behind these high profile shootings and why?

The pair’s exploits become a catalyst, sparking a national debate about free speech versus hate speech.

REVIEWS

Independent Book Review:
A hard-nosed thriller of revenge and political consequence by: Anonymous

Hate doesn’t hold back. Author Brad Randolph approaches his first novel with vigor and purpose, sending his main characters down a path of heartbreak and revenge toward an important political end. This thriller introduces us to Craig and Cate Winter, the wealthy parents of a pair of good kids in a good neighborhood. Their life is exactly how they hoped it would be, until their children are murdered at school by a Neo-Nazi hate group. But Craig and Cate’s mourning period doesn’t last long. They don’t let it. Motivated by hate and love, they embark on a revenge plot to bring an end not only to the murderers but to the entire group that organized the massacre. Will Craig and Cate’s revenge make them feel better, or worse?

Brad Randolph constantly illustrates his ability to write crisp and clear prose in this book. Hate is told from a distant voice, a deep omniscient that allows us to both step away from the conflict and see the repercussions in our own lives and also to get close enough to the characters to feel their pain and motivation. Alternating POVs take us through a narrative that keeps us guessing whether our protagonists will get away with their crimes and what hiccups will stand in their way. It is undoubtedly a powerful book capable of sparking a political debate worthy of our attention. It covers themes of hate speech vs. free speech in a narrative scenario that hasn’t happened yet but seems like it might be right around the corner. This is an excellent read for fans of political thrillers and tales of revenge.

Grumpy Book Reviewer:

The first in a trilogy, it is a compelling story of a couple whose children are killed in a school shooting by two men from a neo Nazis/white supremacist group. This is another case of people not knowing what they are really capable of until faced with a particular situation.

Cate and Craig are devastated at the loss of their beloved son and daughter, teenagers at the local high school. Completely absorbed in their grief, they decide to take matters into their own hands – to find the two domestic terrorists, and take out their own version of revenge.

What happens when decent, law-abiding citizens are so emotionally destroyed they morph into the equivalent of well-trained covert-operators? Will they ever be able to return to a normal life? Will they ever get over the loss of their kids? Will they get caught? Will their plan fail?

Hate is a gripping tale of revenge and, yes, hate triggered by devastating loss.

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Katie Groginsky rated it 4.5 Stars: “Really liked it”

David Mahrenholz rated it 5 Stars: “It was amazing!”

CHATABEANAOL.COM rated it 5 Stars: “It was amazing!”

“I was drawn to this book by the relevance of the subject matter. It's the first time I have read a book by Brad Randolph. Unfortunately, hate speech is becoming more prevalent in today's society and Randolph tackles the difficult subject with ease. The writing is good and the characters and dialogue are believable. This is not a typical story of vengeance where an ordinary person suddenly becomes Superman. Randolph adeptly makes us believe that two ordinary grief-stricken parents with the right amount of time, training and money could learn the skills necessary to take on a dangerous neo-Nazi organization. The story unfolds easily and quickly. It is definitely recommended.” -BF

Brad’s entry into the realm of writing is off to a good start. Having listened to numerous books, various writers and styles, HATE’s story-line not only held my interest but had me excited for getting back on the road to listen to more. Brad’s story telling has earned a place in my listening rotation along side Baldacci, Brown, Connelly and Ludlum. I’m looking forward to BURNED.” - LT

“This book keeps you in suspense. I found myself wanting to keep reading because I had to know what was going to happen. I love how descriptive the author writes about the characters, it draws a very visual picture of what they look like and who they are. Looking forward to reading the next book” - Holly

“What started out as a fun read about revenge, quickly turned into an apropos story about protecting hate speech under the First Amendment. The book was thought-provoking, well written, and a total page-turner! Full disclosure, I cried during a couple of parts. The author describes the characters and situations in a way that made me feel really invested. I hope there’s a second book because I can’t wait to see what happens to Craig and Cate next.” - JW

"Because of the novel’s do-it-yourself solution to seeking justice and the way it involves a famous anti-racism organization, HATE may displease civil rights advocates as well as the alt-right… This is a daring, high-tech, shoot’em up that likely will attract Hollywood attention with its hot topics of white supremacy and hate crime.”- Alicia Rudnicki for IndieReader

“Of the two books I carried on a recent cross-country flight, I put off reading the book about beating procrastination, and chose Hate instead. The opening paragraph describes the weather in San Diego, pleasant as expected. Paragraphs two and three introduce two men sitting in a parked truck in front of a school, semi-automatic rifles on the floor. What happens to the bad guys, and there are many in this novel, is not pleasant, and how they meet their ends, at the hands of Craig and Cate, the aggrieved parents, is a thrilling and morally ambivalent journey of the unexpected. The author crafts a masterful plot of vengeance, supported by interesting characters, exquisite detail, suspense, and surprise. According to the author’s website, his novel was first written as a screenplay. I could easily imagine watching this adventure on the big screen. Five stars to Brad Randolph for an excellent read.” - GM

“Great read. Exposure to the inner workings of the justice system, as well as hate crimes and hate groups. Randolph’s look at the inside of powerful groups as well as ethics, morality and personal sacrifices in a time of despair. Great thriller.” - KG

“Lots of twist and turns and with unexpected results. Present day story line keeps you reading and rooting for the main characters. Hope book two comes out soon.” - MO