JEFF Abbott’s new novel Adrenaline is about Sam Capra, a CIA operative based in London, who receives a desperate call from his pregnant wife to leave his office and meet her outside. Within seconds, a blast destroys the office, and he sees his wife being driven away by a man with a scar. Because of this, Sam is questioned by Howell, arrested as a traitor, and taken to New York. Released on parole, he works as a bartender under the watchful eye of his employers, but manages to arrange the means of his escape to Europe. But before that, he has to fight and kill a person who had been sent from Amsterdam to finish him off. Sam leaves the place and hides himself in the container of a ship. When a helicopter lands on the ship, he suspects that it has been sent by Howell to capture him, but is surprised to meet Mila, who offers him work-to rescue a kidnapped girl Yasmin Zaid-which would give him a chance to prove his innocence.
From now on the plot goes through unexpected whirls, which provides for some heady action. After meeting Yasmin’s father for information about the kidnappers, he manages to win the trust of Nic, who is a part of the gang. Howell and his team also arrive in Amsterdam in pursuit of Sam. Nic takes Sam to meet Piet, where he learns about their involvement with trafficking of women. In a carefully played game, he finishes off Nic, and convinces Piet that he was working against him. Just then, Mila and Howell’s men also arrive on the scene, which leads to a heavy exchange of fire.
Sam helps Piet to find a carrier for smuggling his contraband, which leads to another action-packed scene on a highway. Then Sam gets to see Edward, meets Lucy, and gets to know the truth about her. Because Edward moves to London with Yasmin, everybody else goes there. Yasmin meets her father and kills him. Lucy refuses to tell Sam about his son. The novel ends with Sam back in the US, a trusted person once again, but not before giving us a few surprises.
Adrenaline is a spell-binding narrative. It should be of interest to all kinds of readers.
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