Collision [Hardcover]

In Hawaii on his honeymoon with his beloved Emily, consultant Ben Forsberg goes to take a shower anticipating more sex before they catch the plane back to the mainland. When he finishes his shower, he finds Emily lying dead in a pool of blood. Two years later; Ben still grieves his loss and has not been on a date with another woman since the tragedy that has become a cold case to everyone but him.

In Austin, sniper Nicky Lynch and cleaner Jackie are to take out the big man and the computer geek Adam Reynolds. Nicky fires at both and watches them fall; he assumes they are dead. Instead not long afterward the big man kills the sniper. Former CIA agent "Pilgrim" wonders why he was set up to die by he assumes his handler or his superior as the objective to frame Forsberg for a murder seems to have included eliminating the consultant's only witness to his innocence. Instead Pilgrim decides to team up with a beleaguered Forsberg to uncover the truth and take down who wants them dead. Forsberg does not trust the operative, but has no choice as someone has set him up to take a homicide fall and that someone wants him dead so he has no trial. What the corporate suit also does not know is his historical connection to Pilgrim; what he believes is the agent plans to terminate the partnership once he cleans out those who want him dead.

The keys to this powerful thriller are Ben and Pilgrim seem real in a deadly cat and mouse game against unknown foes though Pilgrim has a good idea who the opposition are. The story line is fast-paced from the opening sequence two years ago in Hawaii and never decelerates until the final twist of several occurs; ironically even when the reader expects a certain spin because Jeff Abbott is known for that, we marvel at the deftly twist the plot takes. This is an entertaining action thriller that fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Yes, the characters are cartoonish images - the secretly decent killer spy, the fumbling accountant who suddenly acquires survivalist skills, the corrupt former CIA agent turned evil businessman. You've seen them many times before but still they entertain. Needless to say, very few businessmen divide their times between hit squads and the boardroom and few assassins display nascent artisitic abilities.

The plot is complicated and requires a little patience but once you get into the story, it's hard to put down. Two men as different as night and day are thrown together in a double doublecross that's as preposterous as it is exciting. Ben, the accountant and "Pilgrim", the operative become a team and together they thwart the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and all the private agencies and terrorists who want to do bad things to them. The action is non-stop with lots of rather antiseptic killing. Thank God the author is not another latent sadist describing pages of incredible torture. Instead, he works by omission rather than commission, letting the reader imagine the worst.

In one sense it's like a James Bond movie where 5 millions bullets somehow miss the hero yet each of his shots are brilliant and fatal. But that's what readers want and what they like. By the way, this would make for a great movie. My Grade - A-

I have loved Jeff Abbott since the Jordan Poteet books oh so many years ago. He stopped writing those books a while back and has ventured into another series and an occasional stand alone. All are worth reading--and so is this one.

Abbott does an incredible job of accurately weaving Texas (topography, people. culture) seamlessly into intricate plots with exceptional characters. In a lot of ways, Abbott is the Texas version of Harlan Coben. "Collision" is a prime example of this relationship.

The book starts quickly with a death in the first few pages. It progresses on with in depth characterizations (even the bad guys have back stories) and great dialogue. Just when you think you have it all figured out (and, truth be told, you do figure out the big picture early on), Abbott throws in a twist, a new dead body, a flashback.

This is a mystery and a spy novel and a thriller and a story about human tragedy.

Definitely a 5 star read.