Book Review: Panic

This morning I finished 'Panic' by Jeff Abbott. What a ride!

This book stars Evan Casher, a young film maker who journeys home to find his mother murdered and his own life in danger. Alone, without anyone to trust, Evan finds himself on the run- nothing in his life as he thought it was. There are secret files to be found, high-speed chases to be had, cold-blooded killers to fear, bullets to dodge, and government agents to mistrust. Evan crosses both state and country borders, travelling from Austin to New Orleans to Miami and to London. Bombs explode, people die, secret lives are uncovered, and questions are raised. And did I mention the alligators?

Evan is cut off from the world he once knew and thrust into one of danger and misconception within the first seven pages. I could feel the weariness that took hold, the distrust Evan had for everyone that tried to get to him. He was stuck in the middle of a deadly tug-of-war between the government and Jargo, the leader of the Deeps: a group of spies/assassins that cannot be caught. Great detail went into setting up both the story's architecture and the character's backstories. It all tied together very nicely in the end, and several times I had to smile at how I'd been caught by surprise. 'Panic' has some smart twists and turns, truly living up to its name. There are some stunningly visual action sequences- particularly a foot chase through the zoo and a high-speed car chase down a busy highway. Evan, though never shown as weak, comes out of this journey a changed man. He loses his family but gains a new one. He finds himself the star of his own documentary, and I doubt that any projects he pursues after this will live up to his own life story.

I've never been a fan of political stories, as I know little about warring countries and hierarchies of power. Reading the 'big secret' in this story mostly went over my head, but the climax was still very enjoyable (and bloody). All the ends were tied up with satisfaction and I was able to completely lose myself in the story.

I'd love to check out more books by Jeff in the future. His writing is strong and masculine, the style is clear and vivid, and the characters were three-dimensional and enjoyable. Very good book.

Only a week and a half until my vacation!!
me