January and July

by Jeff Abbott

“Jeff Abbott is one of the finest thriller writers working today.” —Harlan Coben

The latest standalone thriller from New York Times bestseller Jeff Abbott

A disgraced intel officer anxious to redeem herself after a disastrous mission, January Holte vows to uncover the identity of a traitor who is selling her agency’s secrets. The few clues she’s found have led her to a sleepy river Lethey, Texas—and Bill Connors, the one man who might know the truth.

July Whitlock, a rookie bodyguard, searches for his one and only client, who has suddenly disappeared. He too follows a trail to Lethey to find his missing protectee—Bill Connors.

But Bill’s friends and enemies in Lethey have secrets of their own. And as January and July ask questions no one wants to answer, they find a tangled web of murder, greed, and ambition—one that will kill anyone who tries to unravel its mysteries.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

441 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2026

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

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jeff Abbott, and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Jeff Abbott has long been an author on my radar, though this is the first of his novels I have read. After finishing this book, I can confidently say it will not be my last. Abbott delivers a tightly crafted thriller that blends espionage, mystery, and relentless suspense into an immensely satisfying read, while introducing characters who feel strong enough to anchor many stories to come.

After a botched intelligence operation leaves former operative January Holte searching for answers, she refuses to fade quietly into the background. Determined to uncover the traitor responsible for destroying her career, January follows a thin trail of clues to the small Texas town of Lethey. Meanwhile, rookie bodyguard July Whitlock finds himself pursuing his own missing-person case that leads him to the very same place—and to the elusive Bill Connors, a man who appears to be at the centre of numerous secrets. As January and July begin to untangle the truth, they discover hidden agendas, long-buried mysteries, and deadly forces willing to kill to keep the past concealed.

Abbott wastes no time igniting the story. The opening chapters immediately establish intrigue, danger, and unanswered questions, creating an irresistible momentum that never lets up. The pacing is exceptional, with concise chapters that continually reveal new pieces of the puzzle while maintaining a palpable sense of tension. Each revelation naturally leads to another, and the novel steadily builds into a compelling and high-stakes investigation. Abbott demonstrates complete command of the narrative, balancing action, mystery, and character development with impressive precision.

The characters are another significant strength. January Holte is an intelligent, determined protagonist whose personal quest for answers adds emotional depth to the story. July Whitlock, newer to the world of protection and danger, provides an excellent counterbalance, and the dynamic between the two is one of the novel’s highlights. Their differing backgrounds and skill sets create an engaging partnership that evolves naturally as the story unfolds. Abbott also populates the novel with memorable secondary characters, each contributing additional layers of intrigue and suspicion.

The plotting is sharp and rewarding, filled with surprises that feel earned rather than forced. Abbott carefully plants clues, introduces twists at precisely the right moments, and keeps readers questioning whom they can trust. Even in a crowded thriller genre, this novel stands out for its confident storytelling and its ability to sustain suspense from beginning to end.

Although presented as a standalone, the strength of the central characters and the hints Abbott leaves behind suggest the potential for future adventures, and I would eagerly return to this world. For readers who enjoy espionage thrillers, layered mysteries, and compelling partnerships, this is a highly recommended read. Jeff Abbott has gained a new fan, and I look forward to exploring more of his work.

Kudos, Mr. Abbott, for an entertaining read!

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An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Howard Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

January (a disgraced female intel officer) and July (a male bouncer/bodyguard) who don’t know each other find themselves in Lethal, Texas searching for a missing person named Bill. I found this novel to be extremely confusing with too many characters, too many ludicrous situations and too many code names —- Taurus, Annex, Spiders, etc. The story is replete with numerous murders, suspicious money laundering, a church and mysterious preacher, missing laptops and several characters bewildered about their parentage. Adding to the confusion, the reader has difficulty in determining who the “good” guys are and if he/she actually cares. It would be difficult to recommend this novel; but, I thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to its publication.

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Abbott has had a lengthy career that includes both a number of recurring series along with stand-alone novels and each are high-adrenaline thrillers. His latest release, JANUARY AND JULY, is a stand-alone novel featuring a disgraced intel officer and a new bodyguard for hire that are both connected to the same man, a potential seller of government secrets and traitor who happens to have gone missing.

We are first introduced to January Holte in an event set two months prior to the present day. In Paris, France, She was working an assignment whereby her team was tracking a man named Pierre Joubert, who worked with a syndicate known for turning goods and narcotics into weapons from South America to Europe to Asia. The mission ultimately ends in failure as her group, the Annex, are left without their marked man who is able to evade their clutches in a way that makes them all look foolish, Especially January.

Next, we meet July Whitlock, a former College football player who turned a job as a bouncer into a new career as a bodyguard for hire. His first client is a man named Bill Connors. He accompanied him to Houston, where he claims he is meeting up with some people he claimed were business associate. Connors insists he can attend the meeting without July there, a request that July does not feel good about. Ultimately, Connors slips July’s presence and is not seen again, leaving his first bodyguard case in utter failure.

In present day, January is looking for redemption to put her failure in Paris behind her. She is determined to identify the traitor to the U.S. who has been selling her agencies secrets to our enemies. This search takes her to a small town named Lethey, Texas, on the trail of a man named Bill Conners, who may be the only connection to the truth behind this mission. When she gets there, she not only finds that this man Conners has seemingly disappeared, but she is also being tracked by an enemy agent far more skilled than she herself is that goes by the code name Shade. January just has to bring in a win on this mission to salvage her career and protect her agency and country.

Meanwhile, July has taken it upon himself to find his missing client. This search will take him back to the place where the case began, Lethey, Texas, He begins by visiting the home of Bill Conners to look for clues. All it really does is raise more questions as well as the suspicions of one of Bill’s neighbors, Brenda, who accompanies him as he searches his home. The most alarming thing July finds is a file with his own last name Whitlock attached it, making him wonder why his simple businessman client was scoping him out. July’s suspicions will lead him to a myriad of local individuals that Conners was connected to, many of whom belonged to a local church, that indicates he was involved in something very secretive and suspicious.

January finds herself hot on the trail of some of the same individuals that July had identified, making the inevitable meet-up between the two strangers a moment readers will highly anticipate. July begins to realize just how illicit Conners dealings were, especially when he meets with a man named Anton who allegedly worked with Conners at the local church yet seems quite interested in a laptop that contains information about a good deal of money that goes to people that will not be complaining to the police for involvement. He quickly upgrades his career as a bodyguard to something else and his determination will see his promise to his client through at any cost.

Once January and July eventually connect and join forces, the novel really zings and Jeff Abbott is well equipped to keep the action churning at a high level. They collectively recognize that the alleged friends and very evil enemies whom Bill Conners was associated with in Lethey were a web of danger and deceit that threatened to trap them and possibly leave them dead. Will their combined efforts end with a win by finding Conners and preventing top secret information from getting into the wrong hands? It is this question that makes JANUARY AND JULY so much fun to read and their ultimate success would vindicate both of their previous failures. Here’s hoping Abbott might have more to do with these characters moving forward in another adventure.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved Abbott's early mysteries and I think he does them really well. I got invested in the characters and enjoyed the resolutions. This book involves spies and a bigger venue and it didn't really feel like it worked. I didn't believe the people and the action felt unrealistic too. The mystery ended up feeling more like a trope. There was a death that was disturbing because it tried to be cool.
This didn't work for me. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its complicated

Ive been waiting for a new Jeff Abott read and this one doesn't disappoint. On the other hand, nor does it satisfy. For one, the cutesy names are annoying. Then the last third of the book reads like a keystone cops movie in order to tie up all the loose ends. However the breezy Abbott humour lives on and the twists are mildly amusing so take this to the beach or on a long plane ride and have a good time.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

January and July by Jeff Abbott is a highly recommended mystery/thriller.

After a disastrous failed mission in Paris, intel officer January Holte is demoted and sent on a new mission. Her task is to uncover the identity of an agent who is selling agency secrets and the clues lead her to the small town of Lethey, Texas. January is looking for a man named Bill Connors. She arrives at his house in Lethy, finds it was broken into and there is a older woman there who is a neighbor also looking for Bill. Then someone else shows up for the same reason. It becomes abundantly clear that Lethey is one odd little town inhabited by odd citizens all looking for Bill.

At the same time, Houston bodyguard July Whitlock has lost his first client, Bill Connors. July was to wait outside a warehouse while Bill had a meeting inside. Bill never emerges, a car speeds away, and when July looks inside, he finds a used syringe but little else. Since he is technically still being paid for his time, July continues his investigation at Bills apartment. A confrontation with another man looking for Bill, leads July to the small town of Lethey where, after threats from others, he ends up cautiously working with January to find Bill.

It seems everyone is looking for Bill, all of them have questionable motives, most of them are capable of deadly violence, and there appears to be some sort of major monetary graft going on involving millions of dollars. And the money may be missing, or at least inaccessible. People have turned to violence for less, and that greed appears to be a motive here. At the same time, at every turn someone is out to get January and July. Additionally, there are other players in town looking for someone or something. Nothing is as it seems.

The writing is excellent, while the premise and set up are compelling and interesting. The intrigue and mystery factor, along with the tension, is high, although the pace is even for much of the novel. When things start moving faster toward the end of the novel, the pace takes off at a breakneck speed and throws all manner of twists and new information at you. The twists are surprising and all of them keep the suspense and tension high. The final denouement and lead up to it is all very well done.

The cast of characters are all vastly different and interesting. Both January and July are complicated, well-developed characters with strengths and weaknesses who are facing some real questions along with life-changing information. There is certainly more room for development of these two characters. I mention this because, once I finished January and July, it appears that it may represent the start of a series and, if this is the case, I'm all in. I liked both January and July and the ending presented some real possibilities for future missions and it would be interesting to see them in another thriller. 4.5 rounded down when required.

January and July is a great choice for those who enjoy mystery/thrillers where nothing may be exactly how it appears. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Abbott's high-adrenaline thrillers include both series titles and stand-alone novels. His latest release, JANUARY AND JULY, falls into the latter category --- and I'm happy to announce that it's another winner.

Two months prior to the present day, January Holte is in Paris, France, where her team is tracking Pierre Joubert, who works with a syndicate known for turning goods and narcotics into weapons --- from South America to Europe to Asia. The mission ends in failure as her group, the Annex, is left without their marked man, who evades their clutches in a way that makes them look foolish, especially January.

July Whitlock is a former college football player who turned a job as a bouncer into a new career as a bodyguard for hire. His first client is Bill Connors, who supposedly is getting together with some people in Houston who he claims are business associates. He insists that he can attend the meeting without July there. July eventually loses track of Bill, who is not seen again.

January is looking for redemption to put her failure in Paris behind her. She is determined to identify the traitor to the US who has been selling her agency’s secrets to our enemies. The search takes her to the small town of Lethey, Texas, on the trail of a man named Bill Connors, who may be the only connection to the truth behind this mission. When she gets there, not only does she find that he seemingly has disappeared, she is being tracked by an enemy agent who goes by the code name Shade and is far more skilled than she is. January just has to secure a win in order to salvage her career and protect her agency and country.

Meanwhile, July has taken it upon himself to find his missing client. The search takes him back to the place where the case began, Lethey, Texas. He begins by visiting Bill's home to look for clues. All it really does is raise more questions, as well as the suspicions of one of his neighbors. The most alarming thing that July finds is a file with his own last name attached to it, making him wonder why Bill was scoping him out. His suspicions lead him to a number of individuals, many of whom belong to a local church. They indicate that Bill has been involved in something highly secretive and suspicious.

January finds herself hot on the trail of some of the same people whom July has identified, making the inevitable meet-up between the two strangers a moment that readers will anticipate. Once they connect and join forces, the novel really zings, and Jeff Abbott is well equipped to keep the action churning at a high level.

Will their combined efforts end with a massive victory by finding Bill and preventing top-secret information from getting into the wrong hands? It is this question that makes JANUARY AND JULY so much fun to read. Here’s hoping that Abbott revisits these characters in another adventure.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Daniel Farkas (Neither here, nor there) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF AT 69%.
It’s been a whole week since I last touched this book, and it’s just dawned on me, for the first time with a novel by Jeff Abbott, that I don’t care. I don’t care about the characters and what’s gonna happen to them, and I don’t care about the story, which is boring and bland and pedestrian- three words I never thought I’d associate with a Jeff Abbott novel. Yet, here we are.

For the past 14 years or so, I really loved Abbott’s novel, especially his Sam Capra series. What makes (or rather, made) Abbott such a good novelist was his ability to create complex yet fun stories to read, but first and foremost- a brilliant ability to create three dimensional, living characters and giving them so much depth, making the reader understand, good or evil, why they were making the choices they made (“Don’t Ask Me” is a perfect example of this, by the way, and it’s very recommended).
But the last two novels by Abbott (the unnecessary sequel to his Capra series, “Traitor’s Dance”, from 2022, that butchered his already established characters, particularly Mila) and now “January and July” has been disappointments. J&J is as bland and boring as a novel can get. The story itself just doesn’t take off, and just relies on the stupid decision making, forced “twists” to get the story going. The characters are all one dimensional, no real motivation for what they’re doing and why. The story revolves around a small town that has dark secrets and that something very eerie and weird is going on there…. Yet the town itself has no character either, as you never get a full description of it and what it feels like to live in it, how it changed, etc. You only follow a very specific set of characters in that town- and you only get the feeling only these 8-9 people are occupying this small town. That’s how superficial and shallow this whole affair is. Add to that a continuous, un-stopping pile up of events that are never explained, and what you get is a story that has no meat, not even bones, no characters to hold it through, and you find yourself pretty much bored and you finally realize you just don’t care.

At this point, I’m considering getting off the Abbott train. Nothing wrong with fast pace thrillers, but you need a good story (even if it’s not original) and characters to make the reader care and finish it. But both J&J and “Traitor’s Dance” feel as if Abbott has decided to give up on doing what he did best- which is creating characters with depth and tight, thrilling stories, and write, well.. pedestrian, bland, below average thrillers. I really wanna hope this just temporary, but I’ve seen too many authors doing this, reducing and dumbing down their material in order to sell- which again, that’s ok, they all need to sell their product, but if everything is becoming soulless, drab, bland and mediocre, then what are we even doing?

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

January and July by Jeff Abbott is a standalone thriller with twists galore. Mr. Abbott is a published novelist known for his mysteries and thrillers.

January Holt is an intelligence officer who would have been fired if her mother was not a legend in the agency she works for. She has been tasked with tracking a traitor selling agency secrets.

July Whitlock is a bouncer/bodyguard whose first client is Bill Connors, the man January is searching for. Both January and July end up in the same small Texas town trying to find out what they're in for.

I do enjoy a good espionage book, and I was looking forward to reading this one as well. But I quickly discover that the book is more to a police procedural than one of a geopolitical or realpolitik nature.

I thought that the dynamics between January and July were done very well, and a refreshing way to tell a story, January is a cynical woman, hardened by her mistakes and intelligence background. July, on the other hand, is has a less analytical and more physical approach to his investigation-or more accurately, "investigation."

The story of January and July by Jeff Abbott is takes place in a small town of Lethey, Texas which gives the book a claustrophobic feel, which the author managed to capture wonderfully. The town itself, with its set of individuals and characters who might, or might not, be part of the mystery, gives the novel the shades of gray I enjoy in such genres.

The setting up of the story is fantastic, and I thought I was in for a great ride. But the middle of the book is just a slog to get through. It plays like a police procedural with repetitive questioning of the town folks that drags the narrative and stops the tension dead in its tracks. Luckily, the pace picks up towards the end-but the slow grind is much of the book.

There are also a lot of characters and many things which happen in January's life, which are either parallel or intersecting with her investigation. Much like real life, I know. But between the agency's politics and drama, the family secrets and small-town politics it was difficult for me to keep to track of who's who and what's going on.

Nevertheless, this is a sold summer thriller. The two main protagonists are very likable and the premise is enticing. It's a fun book, with action and twists which took me on an enjoyable ride.

[Savonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read several of Jeff Abbott’s books and enjoyed them very much. This one, JANUARY AND JULY, a little less so.

The premise is an interesting one. A young spy, January, bungles an assignment in Paris. A bodyguard, July, loses his protectee in Houston. Then not long after these unfortunate events, they wind up in the same little town, Lethey, Texas, looking for the same man, Bill Connors, so they can reclaim the good reputations they feel they’ve lost. The town is populated by a bunch of weird people with questionable motives, and wouldn’t you know it, they’re all asking the same question as January and July: “Where’s Bill?”

The ensuing investigation, studded with slow-moving intrigue and a couple of murders, comprises the first three-fourths of the book. The last quarter is a torrent of rumination, explanation, and revelation that flows so fast I had to go back and re-read just to be sure I understood what was going on. I’m not altogether sure I succeeded.

JANUARY AND JULY is not a bad book; it’s just a sluggish one. By the end, I surmised it has to be the the introduction of a new series. I’m pretty sure I’ll read installment two. First, because January and July are such likable, flawed characters I want to get to know them better. Second, Bill Connors, the enigma nobody really seems to know, must have a fascinating story to tell. And finally, maybe we’ll be let in on the secret of what’s up with those names that just happen to be months of the year. If a second book does come to pass, I’m hopeful that Abbott will return to the fast-paced, riveting tales I so enjoyed in his other books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing a digital review copy of this book.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review

January Holte is a disgraced intel officer who made a huge mistake on a mission, creating a diplomatic incident. Since then she has tried to redeem herself after what she has dubbed "My Paris Mistake". When the agency sends her to the quiet town of Lethey, Texas to try to uncover the identity of a traitor who is selling her agency’s secrets, she vows to complete the mission successfully. July Whitlock is a rookie bodyguard for Bill Conners. When they go to a warehouse and Bill insists on going into the warehouse alone, July tries to fight him on it, but he insists. He also gives the instructions not to call the police if he doesn't return. When July goes looking for him and he is not in the warehouse, July follows a trail to Lethey to find his missing protectee. But Bill’s friends and enemies in Lethey have secrets of their own. And as January and July ask questions no one wants to answer, they find a tangled web of murder, greed, and ambition—one that will kill anyone who tries to unravel its mysteries.

This book was non-stop action from start to finish. There were so many moving parts. It seemed like everyone was looking for Bill and therefore everyone was gunning for everyone else & trying to take them out, so they wouldn't get to Bill before them. There was a fake church with a creepy "pastor", an extensive money laundering operation, multiple agencies were involved, and it was extremely hard to tell who were the bad guys and who were the good ones. This is perfect for fans of Lee Child and David Baldacci.

[Stephen Bochniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

January and July is the newest upcoming thriller from Jeff Abbott, which follows January Holte, a recently demoted agent, and July Whitlock, a former bouncer turned bodyguard to his only client, Bill Connors. After a failed mission, January goes in search of a possible traitor in their agency, while July loses his client, and they both end up in the town of Lethey. Even though each has their own motives, after a few threats and attempts on their lives, they team up to uncover what happened to Bill Connors and what is happening in the town of Lethey, Texas.
I have read previous books by Jeff Abbot and have thoroughly enjoyed them, but this one was a little more difficult to get into. I enjoyed the beginning, but immediately struggled with the character names. I’m sure they lead up to something, but I kept reading July as Julie. I wish it were a more common name, such as August, but again, I’m sure there is a reason. On that note, I found there to be too many characters, and it was difficult to keep track of who each person was. Even though it was difficult to keep track at times, I did enjoy the storyline. I found it clever, and I was wondering who the protagonist could trust, because everyone has an angle. This is a good whodunit, with many twists to keep the reader guessing. Even though I have my personal issues with it, I think many people would enjoy it, and I would suggest it.
Thank you Netgalley, Jeff Abbott and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read an advance copy.

[Samir Abou Assi · Rating 3 out of 5]

January and July has a premise that immediately hooked me. A disgraced intelligence officer and a rookie bodyguard, both searching for the same missing man, made for a mystery I genuinely wanted to unravel. Jeff Abbott knows how to create intrigue, and there were plenty of moments that kept me wondering who could actually be trusted.

My biggest struggle was simply keeping up with everything. There are a lot of moving pieces, organizations, code names, and secondary characters introduced throughout the story. Instead of making the mystery feel richer, it occasionally pulled me out of it because I was trying to remember who everyone was rather than fully investing in what was happening. By the time many of the answers arrived, I found myself needing to mentally reconnect pieces I’d almost forgotten.

That said, I really enjoyed January and July themselves. Their dynamic ended up being my favorite part of the novel, and I honestly would’ve loved even more time with them. The ending brings everything together in a satisfying way, even if it feels a little rushed after a slower middle section. Overall, this was a solid thriller with an interesting concept and two protagonists I’d happily read again, even if this particular mystery didn’t completely work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.25⭐️

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: January and July
Author: Jeff Abbott
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing~ Audiobooks
Audiobook Pub Date: September 9, 2026
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Pages: 389

Story features January Holte and July Whitlock.
January Holte is a disgraced intel officer anxious to redeem herself after a disastrous mission. She vows to uncover the identity of a traitor who is selling her agency’s secrets. The few clues she’s found have led her to a sleepy river Lethey, Texas—and Bill Connors, the one man who might know the truth.

July Whitlock, a rookie bodyguard, searches for his one and only client, who has suddenly disappeared. He too follows a trail to Lethey, Texas to find Bill Connors

I was looking forward to reading this. I liked both January and July. However, it was a bit long and more police procedural than I was expecting. I was curious about what was really going on at the Church of Constant.
I hung in there as the ending was worthwhile!!!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishers for this audiobook.
AUdiobook Pub Date scheduled for September 9, 2026.

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Go with review by Howard Davis dated July 12, 2026.

I would add that it's a stand alone novel but I prefer the Sam Capra series (last installment 2022) and wouldn't read another if this were a series.

It's about July (bouncer/new bodyguard) in Texas and January (agent for the Annex in DC) who end up simultaneously in small town Lethey, Texas searching for "Bill". Much of the book is background on each of these three characters, while there are so many others it becomes confusing (Anton/Millicent/Pettyjon/Gabe/Alicia etc.,etc).

So many groups Annex/CIA/Spiders/Stonehawk it's hard to keep them straight or to distinguish the good guys from the bad.

[Terrance Layhew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What appears to be a domestic spy thriller, quickly becomes a small town mystery. On probation for an operation gone wrong, January Holte is assigned to investigate a potential leak in her organization. At the same time, July Whitlock has lost his client. Not good for a bodyguard. They both converge in Lethey Texas. This small town with a big Church has more beneath the surface.

There are themes in this book that remind me of crime fiction in the post-WWII era. Jeff Abbott masterfully weaves present day technology and espionage into a story with timeless qualities.

If you’re looking for a spy thriller with a different angle, pick up January and July.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blackstone Publishing provided an early galley for review.

This novel starts out presenting two flawed protagonists, bringing them eventually together by the end of the first half through a common connection. Abbott does a lot of worldbuilding on multiple levels, from an international operatives organization to a robust Texas community.

Given all of that, I found myself really unable to hook into this one. It may have been the layering or the pacing or just a lot of characters to keep tabs on. I may have to try to revisit again.

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

JANUARY AND JULY - I have always liked this author, for a couple of decades. This is an interesting, laid back read with plenty of characters and humor. The language is clean, thank you, Mr. Abbott, for that. This story is less continuous action and more reasoning. Friends, family, and twists are included in the story lines. Source: NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing. 4*

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well paced thriller with multiple levels of intrigue, well developed characters and several unexpected twists. This is a stand alone but would make a great series. Strongly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

[LecturerRich · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of unexpected twists and turns - it was good

[Ryan Ramkissoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[D.]

DNF

[Sharon Bell tabbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you get into this book, its really good. I just wonder if there is going to be another one after this one. I really like Jeff Abbotts books, check it out.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Jeff Abbott. His books are always full of mystery and intrigue. A lot of characters are intertwined, and I thought I had it figured out, but I didn't!

[Dennis Mele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this author’s previous books, but this one was cumbersome and hard to follow. It just wasn’t very good.

[Mim-Is-Reading · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave it a shot, but it turned into a chore to read. Not for me 🤷🏾‍♂️