The Last Minute

Sam Capra #2

by Jeff Abbott

WINNER OF AN INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD!

Sam Capra must commit an impossible assassination--or he will lose the only person in the world who matters to him . . .

Sam Capra has one reason to live: to rescue his baby son from the people who abducted him. An ex-CIA agent, Sam now owns bars around the world as cover for his real mission-working undercover for a secret network as mysterious as it is powerful, while using his skills to find his child.

Now the kidnappers have offered a deadly deal: they'll surrender Sam's child...if Sam finds and murders the one man who can expose them. Teaming up with a desperate young mother whose daughter is also missing, Sam tracks his prey-and his son-across the country in a dangerous race against time, and must unravel a deadly conspiracy if he's to rescue the only person in the world that matters to him.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

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 are published in several countries and have also been bestsellers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and France.

Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got into the story line really fast and really enjoyed it! which is a relief as book one was so so for me.

Mila is such a great character, really bonded with her.

Three stars.

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. Enjoyable but a little irritating and complicated. Sam Capra has a love-hate relationship with the CIA, his employer. His wife, who lies in a coma at the edge of death, has been declared a traitor resulting in Sam being squeezed out of the Company. To compound matters, their new born son has been kidnapped. Sam and the sultry Mila from Moldova, who we learn is his new boss, have begun the task of locating his child; it becomes apparent the kidnapping is part of an effort to get Sam to assassinate a young computer wiz from Amsterdam, Jack Ming, who has a notebook which might incriminate a world-wide, criminal group called Nine Suns. Along the way he teams up with Leoni, a young mother of questionable means whose daughter it appears has also been taken. Much of the action takes place in Sam's Last Minute bar in New York. Did I say complicated? Get ready for a test later! In the early going, I found the idea of Capra as a competent CIA agent preposterous; it took him so long to devise a plan in response. If you can suspend your occasional urge for a reality check, it's well worth a shot. But guys, watch-out for the mousetrap. (May2018/Nov2024)

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My best advice for this Sam Capra series is to suspend reality before opening the first page and just enjoy the ride. I usually get annoyed with protagonists who are uber-fit and capabable and never seem to suffer the consequences of life-threathening battle after battle. But Sam's trying to be a good guy in a not-so-good world, and he's a bit of a tortured soul. He also isn't a know-it-all or crusader, and that's what makes the series enjoyable.

I didn't care for Leonie but Mina is growing on me, and we should all have friends like August. Looking forward to the next installment!

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book of a series. I recommend reading the first book before this one as this basically picks up the story line from the first book. In this one, Sam is still searching for his baby and the evil organization that is holding him captive.

I liked this book but I think I liked the first offering better. The reason for this is the author tried to incorporate a triangle of different bad guys. This didn't play out as clever as it felt convoluted. I could never truly get into the conspiracy because of this. Even one of the twists at the end with one of the bad guys did not pay off for me. The other flaw with this book was with the main character Sam and his companion for this adventure. The reason for doing this adventure was for their kids and we were reminded about this over and over. There was a reason for this with a twist at the end which I really did like. I just didn't need the constant reminder. What I did like about this book was the side characters. We get Mina's back story and I absolutely loved it. If we get a book just about her I am on board. We also get more of August who is Sam's best friend. I would really like to delve into his character more.

There were aspects that I enjoyed and did not enjoy in this book. But when side characters are out shining the main character there is a problem. The pace was fast and the book did keep my interest. It just wasn't enough for me to jump immediately into the next book. It was enough that I will continue the series eventually.

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

The novel features a fast-paced plot, yet not much character development or attention to setting and location. It reminded me of something that the author James Patterson might punch out with the help of his 'writing team'. Another book to file under 'Lite Summer Reading' or 'Airport Novel'.

[Neyly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I upped the first book in the series Adrenaline to four stars because I had a hard time putting it down. Much of what I liked about it can still be found in The Last Minute, but this time it seems forced. I understand that Sam wants his child back but, in case I don't get it, I'm told over-and-over-and-over-again. Being reminded so continually of Sam's resolve to do whatever it takes pulled me out of the story.

In addition, the multiple threads in the storyline become a little too tangled. There's one "bad guy" ... no two ... no three ... and don't forget the evil sisters who make a brief appearance. Abbott's motto here seems to be "everything but the kitchen sink."

On the plus side, I like the main character Sam and his boss Mila and his bars around the world.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel, while exciting and filled with violent action, is altogether too fantastical and the convoluted plot, too unrealistic. The series, although entertaining, is not memorable. However, I’m into gobbling up trash at the moment so I’ll carry on, lol.

[Michael Sherer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first exposure to Jeff Abbott was his last-minute addition as a co-panelist at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference in Seattle last summer (2012). After meeting him and hearing him speak about his new series character Sam Capra, a former CIA agent, I’ve been looking forward to picking up one of Jeff’s books. I started with THE LAST MINUTE, the book he spoke about at PNWA, instead of the first Sam Capra novel, ADRENALINE. (I’m terrible when it comes to starting a series at the beginning.)

Simply put, the title of the first Sam Capra is about as apt a description of THE LAST MINUTE as you can get. An adrenaline-pumping, thrill-a-minute ride, THE LAST MINUTE reminded me not of “The Comet” rollercoaster at the old Riverview amusement park in Chicago, but “The Mad Mouse,” the one that jerked you one way and then another in tight twists and turns before dropping the floor out from under you and putting your heart in your throat.

Abbott’s writing, though perhaps not as lyrical as some of my favorite thriller authors, is taut, spare and perfectly suited to the break-neck pace he sets as well as the desperation and emotional rawness of his characters as they struggle not only to survive but race to accomplish their goals before time runs out.

Highly entertaining and exceedingly well done. I’m definitely a fan.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. I noticed that one of the other reviewers mentioned she read the first book in the series before reading this one. I think that may have helped me as I did not connect with the characters early on. Then the narrator changed and I learned some back history. From that point on I really got into the book and enjoyed it.

The book tells of an underground crime network that has kidnapped an agent's child. The agent must kill someone who holds the secrets of the group to get his child back. It was not quite as "secretive" as some of the secret society books that have come out lately. It was much more crime and violence driven. Not gory, just violent. There was a twist near the end that I missed, but thought I should have gotten.

Overall, I found the book entertaining. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes high action thrills.

***Note: I did receive this copy as a Goodreads contest winner.

[Paulo Pires · Rating 4 out of 5]

E se lhe raptassem o seu filho !!! ... até onde iria para recuperá-lo?
Haveria limites ao que faria para o recuperar? Ousaria matar?
Este é o fio condutor do novo livro de Jeff Abbott publicado em Portugal pela Civiliazção Editora.


É um livro replecto de acção e adrenalina. Impróprio para cardiacos, uma vez que não dá descanso ao leitor e consegue-o fazer de uma forma fluída e deliciosa. As 560 páginas que o compõem são viciantes, a cada revés, a cada novo obstáculo o livro prende-nos e lança-nos numa corrida para conhecer o desfecho do mesmo.

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was perfect - BUT - I can't remember if Jeff did this in his other books ... but what was bothering me a bit here was the use of SO and NOW at the beginning of sentences or as a stand-alone sentence ☺
It would be totally ok if only one character did that - but they all do ☺



♥ SAM CAPRA ♥

[Arnold Kanarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Abbott is a very talented writer and his character, Sam Capra, is great. This is the second in the series and it has the potential for some great stories. It is a thriller with continuous action and written with humor also. This book has a few flaws and I was not sure to give it a three or a four. First, the book should be a lot shorter. There is a tremendous amount of repetition of the theme that he will do anything to get his son back. We get it! You don't have to mention it on every page. Also, most of the scenes are very unrealistic. Yes, most of these thriller/action books have the hero killing and winning fights with amazing skill, but this was a bit over the top. But I will be honest and tell you that I still look forward to reading the third book.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

I have to say that the first 50 pages or so were slow, but then it picked up and I got hooked. Sam is an ex-CIA that wants his kid back from the Nine Suns. The Nine Suns are a criminal organization comprised of criminals from around the world. They will give Sam his kid back, if he kills someone for them.

It's a good book, but there are a lot of characters. Plus, a lot going on in it. My favorite character had to be Mila. She is a badass woman. I enjoyed getting to know her. There was good character development, which I appreciate in a book. It is an espionage , criminal, and hacker book, so if any of that interests you, you would probably like it. I gave it 3.5⭐ because it started out so slow. In fact, I thought about DNFING it, but I am glad I didn't.

😊 Happy Reading 😊

#offtheshelf2024
#readingthrough2024
#thelastminute
#jeffabbott

[Autumn Chastain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fast pace book with the main character going after something he loves...hope this turns into a good series

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's hard to care about anybody in this book

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say that Sam Capra is motivated would be an understatement. His ex-wife, who committed treason against the CIA and cost Sam his job with the "Special Projects", now lies in a permanent vegetative state. His former employers are actively pursuing him for his alleged crimes that occurred while trying to clean up the mess that his wife created. On top of that, a mysterious criminal group, The Nine Suns, has kidnapped his newborn son, Daniel. The only way Sam will ever see his son again is if he finds and murders the man who holds the evidence to expose the Nine Suns. If he fails to kill the man, his son will die. Like I said, motivation is an understatement.

To assist with this assignment, Sam is provided with a hacker, Leonie, whose young daughter, Taylor, has also been abducted. Together, they set out to hunt down the man who stands between them and their children. Emotionally conflicted, the pair struggles to come to terms with killing an innocent man, but they decide that they will do anything to bring their children to safety.

Adding further conflict is Mila, Sam's boss with "The Round Table", a resistance group that he joined after his departure from the CIA. Mila wants to help Sam to find his son, but Sam has been given specific instructions that state only he and Leonie can pursue the evidence. When another force, which is searching for the mysterious Mila (she has a 1 million dollar price for her capture), begins to interfere with Sam's investigation, he is forced also try to protect her.

Being Abbott's second novel to feature Sam Capra, "The Last Minute" begins by picking up in the middle of action. While readers of the previous installment were probably ready for the action that begins in this one, I found it a bit slow to start. Without any character background at the onset, it was hard to really care about all of the opening action. Fortunately, the characters become more developed as the novel progresses, and I became thoroughly invested in their story. The character of Mila is particularly fascinating, and her background story of revenge left me craving more. Overall, Abbott doesn't stray too far from the typical thriller mold, but the novel is a very entertaining read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this read, but it was not as good as the first book. One of my main issues with this story is that Sam just... believes the bad guys that have his kid? When they called him and told him he had to kill someone because they knew too much about them I thought "Okay Sam. What are you going to do? How are you going to work with the person you need to kill to get your kid back? I mean you are not seriously considering killing them right?" Only, I guess that was the plan? Which...how naive do you have to be to think that you do this one thing for the bad guys and they will just give you your son and let you live the rest of your life in peace and quiet? Like really? Why wouldn't they just threaten your son/kidnap him again the next time they want you to do something for them? Like it made no sense that he just thought they would just let him go on his merry way and never bother him again. None. He does say a few times that he needs a way to ensure that he gets his son back, but he does have to kill this person because...they will hurt his son if he doesn't. I don't know. It didn't make much sense to me. That and August being all Sam is cray cray thinking there is another rat in the CIA..I mean obviously it can only be one person that was in this super-secret group and no one else could possibly. Like okay. We all just took super naive pills today I guess. And trying to get Sam to come back to work for the CIA like why would he ever do that?

There was a lot that didn't make sense, that didn't seem like what these characters would have thought or did, but it was still interesting enough that I will read the next book. At least Sam has his son back and he doesn't have to keep reminding me that he will do anything to get his son back. He needs to save his son. His son, his son, his son.

[Craig M · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like plot-driven action thrills, this book is for you. For me, it was a bit too plot-driven.

The main character, Sam Capra, is in a fight to find his abducted infant son. A shady and thuggish organization has the baby, so it's going to be a tough fight. And if you want fights, this book has a lot of them.

The main motivator of this book, the baby, is a bit of a MacGuffin. He exists to drive the story forward. While saving your kidnapped son is surely a good character motivation, it's still rather one dimensional. Sam has the character range of, "I must save my son," up through "MUST. SAVE. SON." There is not much in between, or elsewhere.

After the first book, we know there's a shady organization masterminding a bunch of criminal enterprises. This book introduces more players of that category, but really, it's just different flavors of mustache-twirling secret spy ring.

I happened to read first the third book in this series, Downfall. In some ways I liked that book better, because it breaks free of the enemies of the first book and moves on to another slightly more interesting baddie. However, given that I already knew that Leoni and the baby end up basically out of the picture and forgotten story-wise in book 3, it somewhat lowers the stakes of this book.

All that being said, it was an entertaining action-driven novel. There are a few neat twists, and the setups are fun. Some of the side characters, like Mila and August, are actually more interesting than Sam.

[Read Between the Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright, so this is the second Sam Capra novel. Let's just say the first was a lot better than this one. It seemed like Abbot got lazy while writing this, and figured since the first one was pretty good, this one could slide by. Don't get me wrong, this is a...good...novel, but it's not as good as it could have been. Abbott is a great author, and I don't understand why this book is average while all his others are on par.

First off, Mila has become soft and I don't appreciate the way she is portrayed in this book. You can tell that in the next few books, she's going to become a weak character who lets her emotions get in the way of her work. That's just my opinion anyway. In the conversations with Leoine, that's the way it seems to me.

There's a lot of he said she said in this book. What I mean is a lot of dialogue, and after every line, it's he said. Or she said. Like the reader won't understand that alternating dialogue lines are different people speaking. I don't know, that just irked me for some reason. And the plot for this was so scattered. Too many different things were happening at the same time, and in the end everything ends up working out in their favor anyway. Like the circumstances weren't important.

Plus, the fact that the setting was displayed in front of every chapter was annoying. That wasn't in the first book, and I think it's was fine without it. The setting would have been mentioned in the chapter if it changed anyway. So I saw no real point for that.

Because of the little things that annoyed me, and the fact that this plot wasn't as good as I thought it could be, I will give it a 3/5.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I'm going to try to put my thoughts into some type of order. After book one - I wasn't sure, but liked it well enough to continue. Then there was the novella - which- to be honest, I have no idea what the purpose was. Then, we get to book 2. Here is where he lost me.

The book wasn't horrible. Far from it. It had a whole lot of potential. Heck, apparently it won some type of award. But, for me - there was something missing. There is something in certain books that grabs you and doesn't let go. It is NOT just non stop action. It is the very careful balance of character development (that somehow creates a character that we care about and it matters what happens to him/her) and action. The story develops and we do not even realize that time is going by and the story is continuing because we are so lost in the story itself. With Sam, that first part is there - I really like Sam as a character. Where I got lost was the story itself. I actually felt like, and this is where I am having a problem getting my feelings out - but I felt like there was just TOO much going on. It actually took me out of the story several times. I know that sounds crazy, but I don't know how else to explain it. Then the end - I'm not giving any spoilers...but..really??? Seriously? It was just too much, too crazy to come full circle. But, even before that, I actually had to stop reading for a while because I just had a problem connecting with everything.

Oh well. I'm not doing a good job of explaining, but it was good that I got to a place that I can feel is a good stopping point, but I'm going to stop with book 2. Sam is a great guy, I'm gonna leave it there.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great thriller by Jeff Abbott. This book is the sequel to ADRENALINE, so I suggest you read that first, in order to understand what's going on. Sam Capra is an ex-CIA agent who needs to rescue his son. His son is in the hands of black market child sellers. This book deals with serious issues such as illegal adoption of stolen children, sexual trafficking, rape, forced heroin addiction, and the ethics of murder (is it okay in self-defense? Is it okay if it saves a child's life? Is it okay if the person you're killing is very evil? Or is it always wrong?). This book reads like an action film. But it's BETTER than an action film, because you know what is going on in each character's head. There are plenty of car chases, chases on foot, fights, revenge and suspense. Jeff Abbott has truly developed into a great author and this page-turner proves it. You won't be able to put it down (and that could be dangerous because it is a long book - 468 pages and 91 chapters). I like that Sam is a tough but basically good man. I like that both women and men kick butt (on the sides of good AND evil). An action-packed, full-throttle thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended.

[Cheryl Kage · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book for the most part and I am still committed to the series ... what I did and didn't like falls under the headline of spoilers (possibly)...

I love that Sam finally got his son back . I absolutely LOVED the twist at the end. I knew there would be one but I never guessed it. I loved the twists and turns of the story and my love for Mila grew ... but I HATED the dumb choices Sam (a seasoned CIA agent in his MID-twenties) made over and over and OVER again. Like following the "tell no one or everyone dies" rule because you always end up breaking that rule (and it always works out better when you break it). I found that, as a seasoned CIA agent, he was WAY too whiny and panicky and GULLIBLE. I mean, of all the dumbass things he fell for ... the twisted sisters was the most unacceptable Next (and I've seen this one in several other reviews) why must I hear over and over and over again how young he is ... who are you trying to convince?!

I am still reading the books, but I sure hope Sam grows up some ... I need him to be less whiny and more kickass-ish.

[Mekerei · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Minute is actually Number Three book by Jeff Abbott in a series about Sam Capra, a ex-CIA agent.

They framed me.
They abducted my wife.
They took my child.
I want him back.

Sam Capra has one reason to live: to reclaim his baby son from the people who kidnapped him. Teaming up with a young mother whose daughter went missing, he tracks his child across the country in a dangerous, desperate race against time.

This wasn't a bad story, it only took me a couple of days to read it; it was fast paced and made me want to turn the pages - I'm just not sure whether I want to read the previous two books. Maybe if I have spare time I'll consider them.

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Capra is a motivated man. He is motivated to kill Jack Ming, a Chinese hacker, in order to rescue his son, Daniel, who was kidnapped by Nine Suns. Nine Suns is an elusive, secret, global crime society, who sows chaos and reaps the profits. Jack Ming has a red notebook with a lot of Nine Suns' secrets in it. Sam has left the CIA in order to focus on dining Daniel, but he still has friends within the Agency. He also has Mila, his contact and partner with the Round Table, the anti-Nine Suns. Then Leonie shows up, a skilled forger and creator of secret identities for various organizations. And, she, too, is pursuing her stolen child. Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

[Stacy Bearse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abbott’s novel is an excellent thriller, reminiscent of the early books of Robert Ludlum which featured solo heroes raging war against murky global conspiracies. In “The Last Minute”, the son of retired CIA officer Sam Capra is captured and used as leverage to turn Capra into an on-demand killer. Capra reacts by walking on the razor’s edge to both save his son, and to bring down the organization behind his capture. The book features lots of action, and a strong, surprising conclusion. I’m glad I discovered this series (which kicked off with “Adreneline”), and have already ordered the third book in the cycle.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was intense and hard to put down at times. The plot was complex and had several characters to keep straight. I found myself having to go back a couple times to figure out who the author was talking about. I will read more books by Jeff Abbott. I do like his writing style and the story line was interesting. There were some things in the book that if was left out it would not have been missed. I guess it was longer than it needed to be. Overall i did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone that likes thrillers and suspenseful books.

[Frank · Rating 1 out of 5]

{library audiobook, plot summary elsewhere]

I'd read [listened to] the previous in this series, thought I would try it again. Previous book was heightened by the pain of betrayal by Capra's wife, although it was detracted by the elaborate conspiracy organizations. As I got to the second "disc," the main character was just too emotionally out of control to be interesting enough to see how it came out. Also, the two competing hidden conspiracies were too far fetched, even for the genre.

Abbott goes to the back of the line after this.

[Ada Iaboni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first book of this series sometime ago. I recalled it being quiet a fast moving and crazy story. This one too was in the same vain. Crazy and fast moving... BUT with so many turns that I ad to go back, at times, to recap and seeing who was who.
Way too many things happen to the Sam Capra, the main character. Way too many mysterious things surrounds him and those who appear to be on his side, and way too much to deal with.
It was also a bit long! Cutting it 50 to 75 pages would have made it less onerous to finish it.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sam Capra is still trying to retrieve his baby from his kidnappers, an evil group of people name Nine Suns. They're holding the child primarily to make Sam kill a young computer hacker who has found out their secrets. Sam doesn't want to kill the young man, but he has no choice. Then another hacker's young child is kidnapped as a way of forcing her to work with Sam and the duo careen from Las Vegas to New York to try and save their kids. Interesting ideas, tons of action and interesting characters, but could have benefitted from clearer writing and tighter editing.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in the Sam Capra series is a bloated book which could have benefited from some ruthless editing!! Finally, almost exactly halfway through this 550 page epic the pace picks up and it became a page turner! Sam is still on the hunt for his newborn son, his traitorous wife is in an irreversible coma and he is eluding the CIA, his former employer. He practices a skill called parkour that involves using walls, rooftops and other obstacles to race through an otherwise difficult environment. I am going to take a Sam Capra break for now!