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Adrenaline (Sam Capra #1)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 1,463 ratings · 277 reviews

"If you knew this was our final day together, what would you say to me?"
“Anything but good-bye. I can’t ever say good-bye to you.”

Sam Capra is living the life of his dreams.

He’s a brilliant young CIA agent, stationed in London. His wife Lucy is seven months pregnant with their first child. They have a wonderful home, and are deeply in love.

They have everything they could h

...more

Paperback, 512 pages

Published June 24th 2010 by Sphere (first published 2010)

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Jul 21, 2011 Viccy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-fiction, 2012-lariat-books

This is another book nominated for the TLA Lariat List. It is one of the most action packed books I have ever read. Sam Capra is a traceur, a parkour runner. He is also a CIA operative. Living in London, he leaves for work one morning, kisses his expectant wife goodbye and heads into the office to give a briefing on "The Money King." The next thing he knows, his wife has called him, told him to leave the office and meet her downstairs, it is urgent. He leaves the meeting in time to see his wife...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Lyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller

Sam Capra's life begins to fall apart after a bomb destroys his London workplace. Both Sam and his wife Lucy are CIA agents and since they were the only ones left standing, they are suspected of treason. Since Lucy is missing, Sam takes the heat for both of them.

He is shipped off to Poland where he is questioned and imprisoned for months. Even after waterboarding and other torture, Sam gives his interrogators nothing because he knows nothing. Not even where his pregnant wife is.

When he is finall...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Roy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

This is the book that made me the reader that I am today. I am so thankful with this book because it got me started into reading. Before this book i did not read anything at all, dont ask me why because i dont know ( i was missing out) but now i have read 14 books just this year. To me that is a great accomplishment because i used to not read anything, so to go from nothing to 14 is awsome! One of my friends asked me if i could go with him to barnes and noble to get some books. While i was ther...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Sue rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, mystery-courtroom-drama

It might be 3.5 stars, not 3, but we'll have to see after the story has had time to settle in my mind. This was the genre of book that I needed in the moment, so I may be rating it higher for that reason.

I really felt that this was many short stories tied together with the same characters and plotlines that flowed (sort of). I found myself thinking more than once "really? more?" Sometimes, when a spy/thriller novel is well-written, you feel like you're being swept away, and you feel the urgency...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Barbi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Adrenaline" is the first novel written by Jeff Abbott that I've read. The premise of the book sounded promising, the beginning chapters were exciting, and then the story simply ran out of steam. In fact, it was about 100 pages too long. I read a fair amount of mysteries and spy thrillers, most of them more suspenseful and better written than "Adrenaline". In my opinion, this book deserves a C+ to B rating.

Without warning, CIA operative Sam Capra's happy life and the world as he knows it are bla...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Robert Carraher rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Thriller lovers, series fiction

Recommended to Robert by: The Publisher

I had previously read Jeff Abbott's novels, Black Jack Point, Cut And Run, Kiss Gone Bad and Panic, and remember them as well crafted, engaging, with shrewd plots and great characters . I had also read about his awards for Do Unto Others, which won both the Agatha Award and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel. So when I had the opportunity to read Adrenaline I jumped at it. The blurb made it sound fun, the plot was intriguing, and the protagonist sounded like my kind of guy.

Sam Capra is an i...more I had previously read Jeff Abbott's novels, Black Jack Point, Cut And Run, Kiss Gone Bad and Panic, and remember them as well crafted, engaging, with shrewd plots and great characters . I had also read about his awards for Do Unto Others, which won both the Agatha Award and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel. So when I had the opportunity to read Adrenaline I jumped at it. The blurb made it sound fun, the plot was intriguing, and the protagonist sounded like my kind of guy.

Sam Capra is an interesting guy, he is a C.I.A. Analyst, newly married, expecting his first child and stationed in London. He is also a `Parkour practitioner'. Parkour (PK) is a method of movement, first developed in France, that teaches participants how to move around obstacles with speed and efficiency employing vaults, rolls, running, climbing and jumping. Free running is a term that is sometimes used in English speaking countries to describe the discipline; urban acrobatics where people seem to run up walls are somewhat representative. The book opens up with Capra going on a run through London that is hypnotic in description and draws the reader instantly into the story.

After this opening sequence, Sam goes to work that day and the novel quickly moves into the gist of the story. As Sam is about to deliver an intelligence report when his wife calls and tells him he must leave the building, NOW! When he does the building blows up, leaving Sam at the hands of the CIA who think either he, or his wife are traitors and perhaps both.

The scene shifts and Sam is now held by his bosses and is suspected of being a traitor, since he was the only one to survive. His captors explain that either he is a traitor in league with his wife, or he is a fool because his wife was the traitor and he, an intelligence officer, didn't suspect.

This is a very intense part of the book as his bosses/captors employ psychological torture, sensory depravation, and finally waterboarding to try and get the truth. all the while you can feel Sam's as he questions his wife's fidelity, his child's fate and tries to convince his bosses that he is telling the truth.

From this point, the story starts to, if not come apart then strain the seams. After some false starts, Sam escapes, determined to find his wife and by now born, child. He is aided by a woman that used to hang out in his bar, and is apparently well connected with a nameless intelligence agency that has info that only the CIA should have. This agency also has hired out to an employer who himself has suffered the kidnapping of a loved one, his daughter. He will provide the resources for Sam to find his daughter and at the same time Sam can search for Lucy. The scene quickly changes to Amsterdam, where we encounter human traffickers, terrorists, smugglers and yet more bars. The plot moves from scene to scene with such aimlessness throwing in unconnected, and unnecessary plot elements that it clouds the story and doesn't at all provide those dead ends and side plots that are the thrillers favorite element.

The story is perhaps a bit ambitious in it's detail, and since this is meant to be the first in a series, perhaps the author over reached in trying to fit too much detail, too many conspirators involved in too many nefarious practices into one book. At times the dialog is forced, the narration is cavalier, as if the hero is showing off for the reader - there are even a couple of `asides' that come off as arrogance and not story telling. The plot also starts to develop holes that are never filled and even though it is linear in nature, you find yourself wondering if you slept through part of the trip.

The story at times stretches credibility in it's technology and weapons and even bad guys but it can be forgiven that fault since it is in a way, a technological `new age' thriller.

One glaring fault is Abbott seems to have forgotten Chekhov's gun. Chekhov's gun, simply stated is "if you introduce a gun in act one, it must go off by act three". Yet, Capra's parkour skills are not used in any obvious way after the opening act. Yet, this detail was what drew the reader into the character and into the story in the first place.

As it stands, Adrenaline is an "okay read", a read and forget weekend escape. But Sam Capra, with a little more development, and a little more focus is enough of an intriguing character that as a series it should work.This is not my favorite read in a thriller this year, but because of certain aspects which were beautifully conceived and crafted, and because of the main character, I'd definitely look for book two and see if the writing comes together and fulfills it's promise.
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Sep 21, 2011 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Adrenelin is a very fast paced novel about the choices a person must make to save himself and possibly that of his child he has never seen. Sam Capra and his pregnant wife, Lucy are working for hte CIA in London. Sam is about to present a dossier on a scarred man who he suspects of being an integral part of the new menace... movable parts modern terrorists or mafia-like organizations. But just as Sam is to deliver his speech, his wife calls... get out of the builidng now. Don't ask me any questi...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Jeff Ventura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Here's the litmus test to determine if you'd like this book:

If, in the middle of an action/combat scene in which the main character is attacked by a swarthy sailor with a switchblade, the main character's reaction is to think to himself, 'The 1980s called and wants its weapon back', do you dig it or almost throw your Kindle into the nearby swimming pool?

There's a reason I'm writing this from my iPad.

If you have nothing else to read except deodorant packaging, sure, pick up this book. It's a pred...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sam Capra is a CIA agent who has refocused his life on his 7 months pregnant wife, Lucy, and their unborn child. Sam receives a call from Lucy while he’s in a meeting, frantically telling him to leave the office. As Sam walks outside, he sees his wife speed away in a car with a very strange man as his office building explodes. Since Sam is the only survivor of the bombing and his wife is missing, the CIA assumes he and Lucy are involved. Sam must now escape the agency and find his wife and child...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Blood Rose Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book that I have read by Jeff Abbott and he explores how far a man will go to get his family back when they have been kidnapped by a terrorist.

It started out as a normal day for Sam Capra, he kissed his pregnant wife goodbye before he leaves to give a presentation to the Company (aka CIA) but he receives a disturbing phone call before he can even start. His wife, Lucy is in trouble and needs to see Sam NOW! As Sam races after Lucy his life is turned upside down when the buildin...more This is the first book that I have read by Jeff Abbott and he explores how far a man will go to get his family back when they have been kidnapped by a terrorist.

It started out as a normal day for Sam Capra, he kissed his pregnant wife goodbye before he leaves to give a presentation to the Company (aka CIA) but he receives a disturbing phone call before he can even start. His wife, Lucy is in trouble and needs to see Sam NOW! As Sam races after Lucy his life is turned upside down when the building he is working in explodes and Sam sees Lucy being taken away by a Scared Man. Sam and Lucy are branded a traitors and while Sam is in the hold of the company who try to break him to admit he and Lucy are a traitors, all he can think of is finding Lucy and the bundle, and this is what drives him to keep going to survive. He is willing to do anything, kill anyone and work for anyone if it mean getting his family back and away from the Scared Man and what ever this man stand for.

This book was great, and the title really fits the name, as Sam Capra is living off non stop Adrenaline through the entire book. It had some great interesting and unexpected twists and turns as Sam fight through everything to find his wife and "the bundle". At the core basis of this book, it is really about Love and Sam willing to do anything to find his family and this includes "taking care" of the people who are trying to get in his way. Abbott really has a bit of everything in this book, but he does not overwhelm himself which is hard to achieve. This book has some great mysteries and surprises throughout that it really keeps you guessing.

I liked Sam as a character, he questions himself when he has to do something bad, and he wonders how his wife and child would see him as if they knew the terrible things that he had done to find him. Sam is an interesting character as he has had field experience but then became an intelligence analyst when he was no longer needed in the field. I think the addition of the analyst role, allows Sam to see things differently and pay more attention to small details and makes him a more well rounded character instead of just a shooting machine. I liked the introduction of Sam using his parkour (the building jumping people, for a video reference watch the first scene in Casino Royale or check out youtube) training through out the novel. It was interesting to see how this training shaped his thought process in difficult situations.

I really like Milia as a character, she is mysterious, deadly and has no problem with hurting those that she deems has done something wrong and she has learned in her past not to trust the justice system. Though her own thoughts of justice, are what hinder in times when she needs to be focusing more on the mission at hand.

I think that Abbott did a good job in his creation of Simon's organization and character. Simon is a true form of evil human, someone who is charismatic enough to get people to follow what he wants done, and if that is not enough he has other ways of persuasion in order to brain wash those he has either taken in or kidnapped. You never really know what Simon's true plan, motivation or what he will do next, which makes him very unpredictable.

The on aspect I question within the books is realism in of some of the action scenes. This may be due to my lack of knowledge of what is achievable in parkour, though watching some of the videos on youtube, there seems to be some crazy things that can be achieved, I just do not know enough about it to determine if what Sam was doing was even plausible. Something that also hindered the realism of the actions scenes if often Sam finds himself bringing only his fists to a gun fight. This is not to say that Sam does not get hurt, actually Abbott does a good job of allowing his character to get hurt both mentally and physically (on that note look up water boarding), but Sam seems to get out of gun fights relatively unscathed and seems to be able to incapacitate or kill others, while all this shooting is going on.

From start to finish you will not want to put this book down. You will get attached to Sam Capra as you will feel his need to find his wife and child and his willingness to do anything to achieve this. I am looking forward to my next Abbott read. If you are looking for an action adventure thriller novel that has more substance to it than just nonstop action, then this book is for you.

Enjoy!!!(less)

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Jan 12, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Adrenaline is (you guessed it) a typical action-packed thriller: a modern tale of the good guy accused of being the bad guy and his determination to prove his innocence. Isn't it ironic that while trying to prove how good he is, he goes out of his way to break every law known to man and associate with the worst people in the world? (Alanis Morissette should have added a verse about this guy in her song) Basically, Sam Capra is Jack Bauer sans his unwavering ability to catch the bad guys. Jack Ba...more

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Mar 02, 2013 SKCircles rated it 4 of 5 stars

Le nouveau Jack Bauer s'appelle Sam Capra ! Car c'est vraiment à la série 24 heures chrono que j'ai pensé en lisant Adrénaline, de Jeff Abbott. Un agent du gouvernement désavoué par sa hiérarchie pour l'unique raison qu'il est le seul survivant d'un attentat survenu à Londres, des trafiquants retors qu'on soupçonne d'être des terroristes, une organisation mystérieuse dont on ne sait pas très bien de quel coté elle penche, des rebondissements à n'en plus finir... Pas un temps mort, c'est de l'adr...more Le nouveau Jack Bauer s'appelle Sam Capra ! Car c'est vraiment à la série 24 heures chrono que j'ai pensé en lisant Adrénaline, de Jeff Abbott. Un agent du gouvernement désavoué par sa hiérarchie pour l'unique raison qu'il est le seul survivant d'un attentat survenu à Londres, des trafiquants retors qu'on soupçonne d'être des terroristes, une organisation mystérieuse dont on ne sait pas très bien de quel coté elle penche, des rebondissements à n'en plus finir... Pas un temps mort, c'est de l'adrénaline à l'état pur qui pulse à chaque page de ce roman.

Sam Capra est un héros attachant. Bien qu'il se refuse à l'admettre pendant toute la première partie du livre, y compris sous la torture, il est sérieusement en proie au doute. Il a vu tout son univers s'écrouler, et il n'a plus qu'une chose en tête : retrouver sa femme et son enfant, découvrir la vérité. Et cette vérité, le lecteur devient très vite tout aussi avide de la connaître ! Crédible ou pas, tout ce qui lui arrive nous touche, on se sent concerné, et les pages se tournent presque toutes seules à une allure folle.

L'intrigue, bien qu'assez compliquée, est très bien ficelée. On découvre les différents éléments qui la composent en même temps que Sam, petit à petit. Elle s'appuie sur des personnages secondaires tout aussi aboutis, sinon plus, que notre héros lui-même. La mystérieuse Mila, pour commencer, dotée d'une présence incroyable ; tout comme Sam, on ne sait pas s'il faut lui faire confiance, mais en même temps, a-t-il vraiment le choix ? Il y a aussi Piet, l'ignoble trafiquant sexuel, à la personnalité complexe et extrêmement bien travaillée.

Même le dénouement est à la hauteur, et bien que je l'ai un petit peu vu venir, il cartonne néanmoins. Le destin de Sam reste un petit peu incertain, tout n'est pas résolu, mais le second volume de ses aventures est paru aux États-Unis en décembre dernier, et j'ai vraiment hâte de le voir traduit et publié en France. Un thriller nerveux et efficace, une découverte vraiment sympa pour laquelle je remercie vivement les éditions J'ai Lu.(less)

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Aug 13, 2011 S.D. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller

Sam Capra and his wife, Lucy, both work for the CIA. During a meeting Sam receives a call from his pregnant wife warning him to get out of the building. The panic in her voice propels Sam out of the building, cell phone still at his ear, as he yells for her to tell him where she is. He spots her in a car racing away from the building. He tries to chase on foot when the building he was in blows up. Now the race is on as the CIA chief believes either Sam, Lucy, or both are traitors. Sam is capture...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Joe Newell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, .....I'm completely exhausted from this book, and yet I think it's a good thing, I think.

This book is absolutely, completely, emphatically stuffed to the brim with twists and turns. The plot never rests, never takes a siesta, never goes for a reprieve. It's insufferable. Yet somehow, just barely it manages to not go overboard to the point of ridiculousness.

It's a fine line our friend author Jeff Abbott has managed to walk.

If you want a book that never, ever lets up; and has more twists and...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Darrenglass rated it 3 of 5 stars

I lived in the same dorm as Jeff Abbott in college. Granted, we lived there a decade apart, and I never met the man. And the only way I know that he even attended Rice is that the secretary in the dorm knew I was a fan of mysteries and recommended his books to me. But in any event I have always had a soft spot for his writing and I have followed his career with interest due to this personal connection.

Which is partly to say that I may have enjoyed this book more than I should have. Abbott is a m...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Pamela Mclaren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

A CIA officer living in London with with pregnant wife goes off to work with nothing more to think about than the presentation that he will be making. While at the office his wife calls him and urges him to not question her and leave the office. As he does, the building explodes and he sees his wife in a car, apparently a kidnap victim. But is she? As the only survivor of the bombing, Sam Capra also is the number one suspect — or the dupe for his traitorous wife.

So begins this book by Jeff Abbot...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well, Jeff Abbott is no Robert Ludlum, but he'll do in a pinch. Abbott's Sam Capra is plunged into a hellish reality after his pregnant wife is kidnapped and his CIA office blown into smithereens. Surprisingly, after this spectacular beginning, the story slows to a tedious pace as Abbott tries to set up the parameters of the story and develop a believable character. It picks back up, to be sure, but if you're the type who watches James Bond and guffaws about how none of it can really happen, thi...more

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May 16, 2012 Mark Soone rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would rate this 3.5 if that were an option...but since I was closer to really liking this as opposed to merely liking this, I opted for 4 stars.

This was a fast moving thrill ride, with layers upon layers of deception, double crosses and subterfuge. I really liked Sam as the main character and Mila as a supporting one....However at the end of the book I am not totally certain that I know any of them...In that vein I would say this book is much more plot driven than character driven....Not neces...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sam Capra receives a phone call from his pregnant wife telling him to get out of the CIA office in London immediately. She also works in the office but was attending a doctor's appointment. A bomb goes off in the office killing everyone but him. He is arrested and held for several months enduring torture from the company. His wife is missing and the company believe either he or her are traitors. He is finally released but is observed constantly. He works as a bartender, a job he held while he wa...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Amy Billman rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sam Capra has what he thinks is the perfect life: a good job with the CIA and living and working in London, a happy marriage, and, a baby on the way.
A strange phone call from his wife just before his office building explodes sets into motion a series of events that will guarantee that his life will nevr be the same.
Sounds great right? Yeah... Except... This book is like something out of a cheesy hollywood movie.
I wanted to like it; and I did a little bit, but the author took so many liberties wi...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has many blessings and few faults. I've never read a Jeff Abbott book or heard of him until this book. He's a pretty talented writer.

This book has many subplots, some of which you won't see coming. I love how the subplots intertwine. I love how each minor character have their background in the novel, so Abbott thoroughly planned out his characters.

The writing style, however, wasn't my favorite. There were times when I though a cliffhanger into the next chapter could have had more pun...more This book has many blessings and few faults. I've never read a Jeff Abbott book or heard of him until this book. He's a pretty talented writer.

This book has many subplots, some of which you won't see coming. I love how the subplots intertwine. I love how each minor character have their background in the novel, so Abbott thoroughly planned out his characters.

The writing style, however, wasn't my favorite. There were times when I though a cliffhanger into the next chapter could have had more punch. Many times when a twist was revealed or a character unmasked, there wasn't much force in the writing to have me shocked at the revelation. I think Abbot's style is a bit demure in the aspect.

I found it hard to follow what was happening through most of the novel. I had a hard time picturing exactly what was happening in the action scenes. I got lost during those parts. I also had a hard time connecting with the Sam Capra, the main character, on an emotional level. I think the writing was too distant to make me really feel his pain about everything he's gone through in life. It was hard figuring out the tone of many of the 'confrontational' scenes. Couple that with the distance from the character and I had a hard time understanding if the characters were angry (unless it was directly said in the prose), shouting and screaming at each other, etc. Sometimes when they were shouting at each other, I pictured the confrontation as calm! More imagery as far as tone would have been helpful.

I thought how Abbott eliminated some characters seemed too easy for his hero and heroine. I didn't feel a satisfaction whenever a major baddie was killed. I would have liked a bit more of a struggle or resistance from the main baddies or more hoops to jump through for the main heroes before they killed them.

Piet. I absolutely loved how Abbott made Piet seem human. Those parts taught me a lot about character development. Again, I had a hard time believing that Sam hated Piet because the character is too distant.

Mila. I had a hard time understanding her actions. In the beginning she's ruthless and only has her eyes on the bottom line. So, seeing how she reacted to the women slaves seemed wholly out of character. Either that, or Abbott didn't go into her background well enough to show us WHY she would react that way.

With the Sam Capra novels, Abbott is being compared to Robert Ludlum and Sam to Jason Bourne in Ludlum's Jason Bourne trilogy. I've read Ludlum's Bourne trilogy, and there is no comparison. For starters, Ludlum's writing is clear. I can picture every action of the character in my mind. Secondly, I feel an emotional connection with Jason Bourne throughout the series. I can't say that about Sam Capra or Abbot's writing style.

Lastly, overall, this book is pretty well-written. It captures your attention right off the bat and you don't want to put it down. It offers an interwoven web of subplots and twists that you won't see coming. There is a conclusion to the story, but there is also an overarching plot that lets you know all is not done with Sam Capra's story.

***I got the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of this book. It had many glaring typos, but that will probably be fixed in the published version.***(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book...it's a fast paced modern day thriller with a very interesting cast of characters. Like it's name, the book starts off quickly and careens through the story. I was lucky enough to basically read it in one sitting (thanks to hurricane Irene) and it was a very entertaining read. I've never read anything by this author before and I will now. He created characters with some intrigue beyond the cloak and dagger type normally associated with a spy thriller. Additionally, some of t...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Nathan rated it 2 of 5 stars

It's a quick, fun CIA mystery novel. I was annoyed at certain points though because the author either didn't bother with some basic research or just made dumb changes and falls into cliches.

First, there are the silencers - they don't actually silence the sound, people! Second, a stupid representation of how nanotechnology and DNA works. Third, a single guy fighting large groups of people or shooting large numbers of people and coming out relatively unscathed. Fourth, the obsession with Parkour a...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this thriller. I would have given it 5 stars, but there were parts that I felt were drawn out - I was starting to lose the momentum of the story at times. Usually, those parts of the story were giving you some background or setting up the next big scene, but they did move slower. Other than that, the book was fast paced and suspenseful. I liked the main character, Sam, and you were always rooting for him. The secondary character, Mila, also grew on me and you are never told her fu...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am always up to reading about the birth of a new character aren’t you? I was captivated by Sam very quickly, his wife not so much. But I digress. The twist and turns in this novel are many, the double crosses and triple crosses are plentiful and the action is just about nonstop. I like the title of the novel; it fits. The ensemble cast was fun for me; their morals and code of ethics were pretty plain, and the good guy, well he just rocks. Jeff Abbott took me on a rollercoaster of a ride right...more I am always up to reading about the birth of a new character aren’t you? I was captivated by Sam very quickly, his wife not so much. But I digress. The twist and turns in this novel are many, the double crosses and triple crosses are plentiful and the action is just about nonstop. I like the title of the novel; it fits. The ensemble cast was fun for me; their morals and code of ethics were pretty plain, and the good guy, well he just rocks. Jeff Abbott took me on a rollercoaster of a ride right in my living room and I loved it. This novel was hard to put down, if you haven’t gotten this in your hands yet, do so; the rush and the ride are well worth the trip.
***Starting Monday, I will be running a contest here on Gelati’s Scoop as well as The G-ZONE, my blogtalk radio show, to give away 5 of Jeff Abbott’s” Adrenaline” novels.
Here is the synopsis:
“If you knew this was our final day together, what would you say to me?"
"Anything but good-bye. I can't ever say good-bye to you." Sam Capra is living the life of his dreams.
He's a brilliant young CIA agent, stationed in London. His wife Lucy is seven months pregnant with their first child. They have a wonderful home, and are deeply in love.
They have everything they could hope for...until they lose it all in one horrifying moment.
On a bright, sunny day, Sam receives a call from Lucy while he's at work. She tells him to leave the building immediately. He does...just before it explodes, killing everyone inside. Lucy vanishes, and Sam wakes up in a prison cell. As the lone survivor of the attack, he is branded by the CIA as a murderer and a traitor.
Escaping from the agency, Sam launches into a desperate hunt to save his kidnapped wife and child, and to reveal the unknown enemy who has set him up and stolen his family. But the destruction of Sam's life was only step on in an extraordinary plot-and now Sam must become a new kind of hero.”
New from Trestle Press authors this week: Chantal Boudreau “Weighing Fate”, Mark Cooper “How I met Your Mother”, Darren Sant “A Good Day”, Mark Miller “Daniel’s Lot” & “Meant to Be”, Wenona Hulsey “Burden of Blood”, Joan Meijer “The Rescue”, Robert Ford “The Curse of The Translucent Monster”, Laurie Bowler “Fangs, Inc. The Tortured Revelations”, Michelle Vasquez “Second Hand Bookstore”, Ed & Eunice Vought “Best Friends #4” , Thad Brown, “Lights Out”, William Tooker,”Bad Angels”, April Pohren, “Dream Me To Death”, Angelique LaFontaine & Eddie Frantom,”Thirty -1 Reckless”’ John Reed “Winter Hill Exhumed”, Allan Leverone/Paul D. Brazill ” The Darke Affair”, Julia Madeleine “The Devil’s Music: Raised in Hell”, Paul D. Brazill “Brit Grit”, Molly Edwards “The Willow Spring Killer”.
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Aug 11, 2011 Erika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-have-reviewed, first-reads

THIS REVIEW HAS SOME SPOILERS!!!!

I won this book from Goodreads First Reads!!!!

I really liked this book, it was filled with a lot of action and it was really well written!

This book is about a guy named Sam who works for the Company. He is accused of treason because his office blew up and he was the only that survived other than his wife, who was with child, so the Company thought that both of them were traitors. So the Company puts him into a prison and interagate him for months. But one day the...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Larry Rogers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sam Capra works for a CIA front in London that investigates crime syndicates. When it is destroyed by a massive explosion following a warning call from his fellow CIA agent wife, he survives and is viewed as responsible. She disappears with a great deal of money. Though thoroughly distrusted by the agency, Capra is used as bait for those he claimed blew up his office. Unwilling to wait passively, having ducked a death attempt, Sam Capra goes on the offensive. Action is steady and constant, and S...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Adrenaline? I would say has a combination of elements from these movies: Taken, The Bourne Identity, Mr & Mrs Smith, Minority Report, Salt. Or maybe that's just me being a poor "thriller" reader and grabbing at these movies to explain this book. I was hooked from the first line and I powered through the story with the limitless actions and crazy twists.

This is not my usual book, but nonetheless, it was a great read. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars (I wish there were half stars!), but ultim...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Annie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Definitely fast paced and exciting. However, it was ridiculously unbelievable. The author does not seem to be interested in adding any content of emotional or intellectual value. The main character pauses about 3/4th of the way through the book to announce "I discovered that I didn't want to die." Wow. profound. Until then I hadn't realized he was suicidal? He is chasing his wife and son across Europe and feels now is the moment for "deep thoughts by Jack Handy"???
Also, *spoiler alert*, he never...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

effing amazing book ! I couldn't put it down ... seriously non stop action and so many twists and turns my head hurt ..
Sam works for the CIA and is stationed in London ... in love with his pregnant wife Lucy . when at work one morning Lucy calls and tells Sam.to get out.of the building NOW .... all hell breaks loose ... the building explodes ... Sam is a parkour runner and sees Lucy in a car with a man trying to drive through the madness ... Sam is flipping , rolling.,.swinging , climbing and.r...more

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About Jeff Abbott

Jeff Abbott (born 1963) is a U.S. suspense novelist. He has a degree in History and English from Rice University. He lives in Austin, Texas. His early novels were traditional detective fiction but in recent years he has turned to writing thriller fiction. A theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. His novels ar...more

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Adrenaline (Sam Capra #1)

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