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Panic Attack
An intruder, a desperate struggle, a family under siege.
Dr. Adam Bloom has the perfect life. He's financially secure and lives in a luxurious house with his wife, Dana, and their 22-year-old daughter, Marissa, a recent college graduate. Late one night, his daughter wakes him up and says “Somebody’s downstairs." From that moment on, nothing in the Blooms’ life will ever be the same.
As the family recovers from the break-in and the Bloom's already rocky relationship rapidly falls apart, Marissa meets a young, talented artist named Xan. Adam feels that something's not quite right with Xan, but his daughter ignores his warnings and falls ever deeper in love with him. When suspicious things start happening to the Blooms all over again, Adam realizes that his first instinct about Xan was probably dead on...
With Panic Attack, Jason Starr is at his best, crafting a harrowing page-turner that will blow readers away.
Dr. Adam Bloom has the perfect life. He's financially secure and lives in a luxurious house with his wife, Dana, and their 22-year-old daughter, Marissa, a recent college graduate. Late one night, his daughter wakes him up and says “Somebody’s downstairs." From that moment on, nothing in the Blooms’ life will ever be the same.
As the family recovers from the break-in and the Bloom's already rocky relationship rapidly falls apart, Marissa meets a young, talented artist named Xan. Adam feels that something's not quite right with Xan, but his daughter ignores his warnings and falls ever deeper in love with him. When suspicious things start happening to the Blooms all over again, Adam realizes that his first instinct about Xan was probably dead on...
With Panic Attack, Jason Starr is at his best, crafting a harrowing page-turner that will blow readers away.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2009
24 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Jason Starr
116 books244 followersJason Starr is the international bestselling author of many crime novels and thrillers, including Cold Caller, The Follower, The Pack and The Next Time I Die. He also writes comics for Marvel (Wolverine, The Punisher) and DC (Batman, The Avenger) and original graphic novels such as Red Border and Casual Fling. In addition, he writes film and TV tie-in novels including an official Ant-Man novel and the Gotham novels based on the hit TV show. His books have been published in sixteen languages and several of his novels are in development for film and TV. He has won the Anthony Award for mystery fiction twice, as well as a Barry Award. Starr lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 23, 2019
Stupid people doing stupid things...a family in crisis, a home invasion gone wrong, a stalker out for revenge, but all dumb dumb dumb. Yes, it was a page turner, I wanted to know what happened, but I disliked every character, felt no sympathy for any of them, some of it was so totally unbelievable, lots of diatribes about morals and guns and drugs and killing and affairs and these people all seemed sick and obnoxious and completely self-absorbed. Glad it was a fast read and I got done with it quickly, just made me feel icky and nasty.
Want to read
November 28, 2015I love this cover.
June 22, 2011
Why would David Fincher bother optioning this book to make into a movie? It saddens me that writers like this can get publishing contracts. It reads like something I remember from a creative writing workshop in college. Every character is a type instead of a fleshed out creation. You have the menopausal wife, the ignorant husband, the vapid teenage daughter, and the smooth criminal. It reads like a treatment for a movie by someone who has no real depth to their writing. This novel makes popular fiction look bad. What could have been an interesting story is bogged down by unlikeable characters and terrible exposition.
November 21, 2023
Bought this for $2 and that’s exactly what it’s worth lol
Read
October 11, 2025Di con este libro en 2017 cuando recién empezaba a escribir. Había escrito un mini cuento sobre cómo había vivido mi primer ataque de pánico (cuando en realidad lo que yo había experimentado era ansiedad) y le había puesto el mismo título que el libro y en mi sentido de originalidad sentía que era un nombre muy cool y quería asegurarme de que nadie más había publicado algún libro o texto con el mismo nombre. Menudo coraje (en aquel entonces) me llevé cuando vi que sí había un libro con ese nombre y me picó la curiosidad de querer leerlo solo para sentirme superior de que el mío era mucho mejor. Recuerden solo tenía 14 años JAJAJA.
Entonces cuando vi cuánto costaba en Amazon (en aquel entonces) pensé que entonces no valía la pena leerlo (y porque no estaba en mis posibilidades comprarlo en aquel entonces jaja) y pasó el tiempo hasta que me fui olvidando de todo eso.
Entonces recién, me apareció de nuevo como recomendación en Amazon (por qué, no sé? Tal vez lo tenía guardado en una wishlist) y entonces recordé toda esta historia y volví a sentir curiosidad aunque ya no me importaba. Lo busqué en Buscalibre y lo encontré más barato aunque tardaría un poco en llegar y decidí comprarlo.
Y pues miren no es la gran historia (aunque la que yo escribí tampoco lo era sino más bien por el valor personal y que lo mío sí pasó pero ese no es el punto)
Parece ser la típica historia de suspenso de una familia medio acomodada que sufre un robo fallido y destapa muchos secretos y una venganza de un cómplice a lo Stephen King. Tiene partes innecesarias, aborda casi todas las perspectivas de la mayoría de personas por lo que se vuelve un poco repetitivo, pero a la vez rápido de leer porque casi todo son diálogos,
un personaje casi al final que no aporta nada, pero también tiene algunas partes entretenidas pero, sentí que estaba leyendo algo que posiblemente ya he visto en películas y mi entusiasmo no lo fue tanto como cuando sentí curiosidad por primera vez que supe de este libro. Pero hey…
al menos es una buena historia de porque lo leí. (Supongo)
Entonces cuando vi cuánto costaba en Amazon (en aquel entonces) pensé que entonces no valía la pena leerlo (y porque no estaba en mis posibilidades comprarlo en aquel entonces jaja) y pasó el tiempo hasta que me fui olvidando de todo eso.
Entonces recién, me apareció de nuevo como recomendación en Amazon (por qué, no sé? Tal vez lo tenía guardado en una wishlist) y entonces recordé toda esta historia y volví a sentir curiosidad aunque ya no me importaba. Lo busqué en Buscalibre y lo encontré más barato aunque tardaría un poco en llegar y decidí comprarlo.
Y pues miren no es la gran historia (aunque la que yo escribí tampoco lo era sino más bien por el valor personal y que lo mío sí pasó pero ese no es el punto)
Parece ser la típica historia de suspenso de una familia medio acomodada que sufre un robo fallido y destapa muchos secretos y una venganza de un cómplice a lo Stephen King. Tiene partes innecesarias, aborda casi todas las perspectivas de la mayoría de personas por lo que se vuelve un poco repetitivo, pero a la vez rápido de leer porque casi todo son diálogos,
un personaje casi al final que no aporta nada, pero también tiene algunas partes entretenidas pero, sentí que estaba leyendo algo que posiblemente ya he visto en películas y mi entusiasmo no lo fue tanto como cuando sentí curiosidad por primera vez que supe de este libro. Pero hey…
al menos es una buena historia de porque lo leí. (Supongo)
March 6, 2024
3/10
Sorry Laetii :(
Sorry Laetii :(
January 2, 2010
This book sucks. Man, it was hyped as being freaking awesome! But it sucked. Straight up sucked.
The book jackets actually told you who dunnit. By page 10 I hated every character and I knew who did all the murders and why.
There was absolutely no suspense whatsoever. Mostly because I was just really annoyed by all the characters; but the person I'm most annoyed at - the Author. Jason Starr, you are not the bomb. Your female characters are one dimensional. Your male lead was an asshole. Your criminals were 1 dimensional AND cliche. Really? Your best description was that Johnny Long looked like Johnny Depp? You even gave him the same name - UGH!
This book was just annoying. I skimmed most of it just so I could end it all. I hate leaving a book unread, even horrible ones (except Twilight, that one I just went to wikipedia and found out the story so I could skip all the stupid teen angst and horribly anti-21st Century Girl Power-ness of Bella Swan - Bella Swan? Seriously?) So this book - it drags out. I think Starr just didn't have a story. Chapter 1 was Adam's perspective of night one. Chapter 2, his wifes. Chapter 3, his daughters. Except that we don't learn anything new and since the characters are so cliche and flat all we got was a retelling of the exact same thing! This goes on the entire book - the. entire. book.
Skip it. Just don't even read it. Ignore all the "good things" said about the book but it's all lies. All LIES!!!
Yeah, I hated this book that much.
The book jackets actually told you who dunnit. By page 10 I hated every character and I knew who did all the murders and why.
There was absolutely no suspense whatsoever. Mostly because I was just really annoyed by all the characters; but the person I'm most annoyed at - the Author. Jason Starr, you are not the bomb. Your female characters are one dimensional. Your male lead was an asshole. Your criminals were 1 dimensional AND cliche. Really? Your best description was that Johnny Long looked like Johnny Depp? You even gave him the same name - UGH!
This book was just annoying. I skimmed most of it just so I could end it all. I hate leaving a book unread, even horrible ones (except Twilight, that one I just went to wikipedia and found out the story so I could skip all the stupid teen angst and horribly anti-21st Century Girl Power-ness of Bella Swan - Bella Swan? Seriously?) So this book - it drags out. I think Starr just didn't have a story. Chapter 1 was Adam's perspective of night one. Chapter 2, his wifes. Chapter 3, his daughters. Except that we don't learn anything new and since the characters are so cliche and flat all we got was a retelling of the exact same thing! This goes on the entire book - the. entire. book.
Skip it. Just don't even read it. Ignore all the "good things" said about the book but it's all lies. All LIES!!!
Yeah, I hated this book that much.
April 7, 2019
This is my first Jason Star and from the outset I was impressed. A doctor shoots and kills an intruder in his house and his relationship with his daughter and wife become frazzled as a result. All good stuff. The daughter then takes up with a guy who turns out to have known the intruder and who turns out to be psycho. Ok. The writing still has some quality but our credibility is starting to be stretched. I was still turning the pages but in the last portion of the book it just turns into pure ridiculousness and the ending is absurd.
February 25, 2024
Ich mochte das Buch, auch wenn ich mich nicht gut in die Charaktere hineinversetzen konnte. Aber die Geschichte war bis zum Schluss recht spannend.
March 21, 2021
This wasn’t for me. The premise was good. Two guys break into a family’s home thinking the family is away. Turns out family is home. One burglar gets killed by the homeowner. The other gets away. Then the burglar who got away stalks the family and starts a relationship with the daughter. It all sounds like it will be a good thriller. Except it’s not.
I didn’t care for any of the characters. I was bored reading it. It took me two tries to get through the book. I’m trying to think of constructive criticisms. I would tell the author to give me something about the characters that I can get to know, and care about, them. I disliked everyone. It’s hard to care when you don’t get to know anyone. Also stop telling me the criminal, Johnny Long, looks just like Johnny Depp. I’m a huge Johnny Depp fan and this part just bothered me. I mean I love seeing him mentioned in a book. This was just overkill, though.
The author had an interesting story to work with. Actually there were parts of the break in that were intense but the author lost the intensity rapidly. I should have been worried about Marissa when she met Johnny, (AKA Xan). I should have been wondering how badly thing were going to spiral. I should have been thinking about her father and mother meeting Xan. I should have wanted to hit someone or been scared for someone. Instead, I was yawning and telling myself I can power through reading it.
There really wasn’t any mystery to solve. There wasn’t enough tension or fear. It was just another day in New York City. I just couldn’t get into it. I would tell you, the potential reader, to check out a sample and see if it is for you. Everyone has different taste. Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.
I didn’t care for any of the characters. I was bored reading it. It took me two tries to get through the book. I’m trying to think of constructive criticisms. I would tell the author to give me something about the characters that I can get to know, and care about, them. I disliked everyone. It’s hard to care when you don’t get to know anyone. Also stop telling me the criminal, Johnny Long, looks just like Johnny Depp. I’m a huge Johnny Depp fan and this part just bothered me. I mean I love seeing him mentioned in a book. This was just overkill, though.
The author had an interesting story to work with. Actually there were parts of the break in that were intense but the author lost the intensity rapidly. I should have been worried about Marissa when she met Johnny, (AKA Xan). I should have been wondering how badly thing were going to spiral. I should have been thinking about her father and mother meeting Xan. I should have wanted to hit someone or been scared for someone. Instead, I was yawning and telling myself I can power through reading it.
There really wasn’t any mystery to solve. There wasn’t enough tension or fear. It was just another day in New York City. I just couldn’t get into it. I would tell you, the potential reader, to check out a sample and see if it is for you. Everyone has different taste. Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.
August 19, 2018
Mein dritter Starr nach „Stalking“ und „Top Job“ - sie alle haben gemeinsam, dass sie unheimlich kurzweilig sind, auch die 550 Seiten „Panik“ waren in nullkommanix gelesen. Ich halte Starr an sich für keinen herausragenden Schriftsteller, aber für einen sehr guten Erzähler; seine Plots sind gut konzipiert und durch wechselnde Erzählperspektiven wird ein angenehmer Spannungsbogen konstruiert.
„Panik“ beginnt mit einem Paukenschlag: Protagonist Adam Bloom, Psychologe, wird von seiner erwachsenden Tochter Marissa aus dem Schlaf gerissen - es ist jemand im Haus! Tatsächlich kann Bloom einen Eindringling konfrontieren und erschießt ihn kurzerhand. Während sich Bloom infolgedessen mit der Presse herumschlagen muss, die ihn als „irren Waffennarren“ bezeichnet, nimmt auch eine neue Gefahr Gestalt an: Denn der erschossene Einbrecher war nicht allein. Sein Komplize konnte unerkannt entkommen - und ist auf Rache aus...
Die wahre Hauptfigur der Romane Starrs - zumindest in allen mir bekannten Romanen - ist New York City; diesmal nimmt Starr den Leser mit nach Forest Hills, einer wohlhabenden Neighborhood von Queens. Die Protagonisten sind mir allesamt unsympathisch; von Adam Bloom, dem Psychologen, der selbst psychisch gesehen nicht sonderlich gefestigt ist, über seine gelangweilte und desillusionierte Ehefrau Dana und die farblos-trotzige Tochter Marissa, die bereits über zwanzig ist, sich jedoch wie ein Teenie verhält bis hin zu Johnny Long, dem rachewütigen Möchtegern-Casanova, der eindeutig psycho- und/oder soziopathische und narzisstische Züge trägt, war kein Charakter dabei, dem man Sympathie entgegenbringen würde. Long ist immerhin noch der interessanteste und vielschichtigste Protagonist.
Insgesamt guter Lesestoff für zwischendurch, der für mein Empfinden noch unausgeschöpftes Potential enthält. Die Beklemmung, sich in seinem eigenen Zuhause nicht mehr sicher fühlen zu können (ein Albtraum für wohl so ziemlich jeden Menschen) geht leider im Gedöns zwischenmenschlicher Scherereien innerhalb der Familie unter. Auch die Diskussion rund um das Thema Waffenbesitz und Notwehr wurde nur angerissen. Schade, da wäre noch etwas mehr drin gewesen. Wie gesagt- trotzdem eine gute Lektüre, solide 3 Sterne.
„Panik“ beginnt mit einem Paukenschlag: Protagonist Adam Bloom, Psychologe, wird von seiner erwachsenden Tochter Marissa aus dem Schlaf gerissen - es ist jemand im Haus! Tatsächlich kann Bloom einen Eindringling konfrontieren und erschießt ihn kurzerhand. Während sich Bloom infolgedessen mit der Presse herumschlagen muss, die ihn als „irren Waffennarren“ bezeichnet, nimmt auch eine neue Gefahr Gestalt an: Denn der erschossene Einbrecher war nicht allein. Sein Komplize konnte unerkannt entkommen - und ist auf Rache aus...
Die wahre Hauptfigur der Romane Starrs - zumindest in allen mir bekannten Romanen - ist New York City; diesmal nimmt Starr den Leser mit nach Forest Hills, einer wohlhabenden Neighborhood von Queens. Die Protagonisten sind mir allesamt unsympathisch; von Adam Bloom, dem Psychologen, der selbst psychisch gesehen nicht sonderlich gefestigt ist, über seine gelangweilte und desillusionierte Ehefrau Dana und die farblos-trotzige Tochter Marissa, die bereits über zwanzig ist, sich jedoch wie ein Teenie verhält bis hin zu Johnny Long, dem rachewütigen Möchtegern-Casanova, der eindeutig psycho- und/oder soziopathische und narzisstische Züge trägt, war kein Charakter dabei, dem man Sympathie entgegenbringen würde. Long ist immerhin noch der interessanteste und vielschichtigste Protagonist.
Insgesamt guter Lesestoff für zwischendurch, der für mein Empfinden noch unausgeschöpftes Potential enthält. Die Beklemmung, sich in seinem eigenen Zuhause nicht mehr sicher fühlen zu können (ein Albtraum für wohl so ziemlich jeden Menschen) geht leider im Gedöns zwischenmenschlicher Scherereien innerhalb der Familie unter. Auch die Diskussion rund um das Thema Waffenbesitz und Notwehr wurde nur angerissen. Schade, da wäre noch etwas mehr drin gewesen. Wie gesagt- trotzdem eine gute Lektüre, solide 3 Sterne.
June 6, 2020
One of his better works, though not quite as good as Hard Feelings. It's about on par with The Follower, and probably just a tad better. Full disclosure, I was going to quit about halfway through. I got bored by the usual Starr-isms. I'm glad I stuck with it, because the ending was really great! About as good as Savage Lane, not as good as Fugitive Red. Better than MOST of Twisted City, although the Twisted City ending takes the cake. If you like his work.... then you're probably going to read all of it, so who even cares about this review?
June 25, 2019
This one has been on my "to read" list for years and I finally got around to it. Definitely a page turner of a thriller, not really a mystery. To me the biggest drawback was the fact that every character was unlikeable, even including the secondary characters. Whenever you started to have for empathy for a character, they said or did something stupid. This continued all the way to the very end of the book. Still, a good summer read, and I definitely flew through it.
July 17, 2023
Das Buch hatte definitiv seine spannende Elemente, die Charaktere wurde gut ausgearbeitet und man konnte ihnen gut folgen. Anfangs war es ein wenig verwirrend da aus jeder einzelnen Sicht die Situationen beschrieben wurden, aber daran hat man sich schnell gewöhnt.
Zum Ende hin wurde die Spannung wirklich weniger, ich habe auf einen Plot gehofft, meiner Meinung nach war das Ende wirklich relativ langweilig.
Trotz alle dem ein Buch was ich empfehlen kann, um mal rein zu lesen.
Zum Ende hin wurde die Spannung wirklich weniger, ich habe auf einen Plot gehofft, meiner Meinung nach war das Ende wirklich relativ langweilig.
Trotz alle dem ein Buch was ich empfehlen kann, um mal rein zu lesen.
October 25, 2023
Page turning psychological thriller that had me guessing & miss guessing nearly the entire time. At first I didn't like hearing the different view points as they were saying the same story repeatedly...but then it really started to add to the story...so damned if you do & damned if you don't on this one. I did chuckle at some points and was taken aback by others. The ending definitely could've been better but overall this was a good read.
April 20, 2018
One star for ignorance. The author is unaware that paramedics and police do not clean up messes made by bad people who have been shot to death in people's homes during a burglary. I can suspend disbelief for aliens, monsters, ghosts etc. but not stupid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
February 11, 2023A world record for DNFing at page 3, and the first DNF I've had purely based off the technical aspects of the prose in a loooong time. I've literally read better prose by middle schoolers. I am amazed this was published.
November 4, 2023
if you want to read a 9th grader’s first attempt at writing a story, this is a great book! if you want to read a book with any sense of character development and a decent plot, written by a talented author, do not pick up this horrible book!!!
March 19, 2025
3.25. I thought it sounded more interesting than it was. Scary how a con man can act the way someone needs him to act, be so charming, and so ruthless. The book was a downer, and spoiled brat Marissa a pain to the end. The grandmother was the only one with any common sense, imo.
July 23, 2018
A really assured thriller that left me thinking I will definitely read more from this author.
August 23, 2018
twistand turns what a book very good thought:)
June 21, 2020
Unputtdownable.
September 4, 2023
Deutlich eher seichte Lesebeschäftigung, denn große Literatur. Absolut keine Tiefe, eins der Bücher, die ich bei der Aufzählung Ende des Jahres welche Bücher ich gelesen habe vergessen werde.
September 17, 2011
Yeah, Jason Starr is now officially one of my favorite authors.
I already thought he was pretty cool after I read The Chill, a graphic novel he wrote for Vertigo, but I was slightly biased because I pretty much love everything Vertigo gets on ink. While I liked the story, The Chill wasn't horribly memorable to me...but it did have boobies. Lots and lots of boobies.
This book reads extremely fast! I kept telling myself "only one more paragraph" up until the point where I'm like "ok I can finish the chapter, no problem" and then I'd have to look away from the book before I started reading again.
The dynamics between the Blooms was pleasant to read. It was nice to read a family that actually sounds like a family! (The fact that Marissa has no job after college graduation was quite realistic, especially these days.) They aren't the Sopranos but they aren't the ****ing Cleavers either: The Blooms have problems. Like you, like me.
On top of of that, they seem miserable and full of contempt in almost every page. One feeling that I really touched with was that idea where just when things are starting to get better, BAM! the floor drops and the downfall begins. You never get the feeling that they were never happy; just that it is difficult in this current year of their lives to seek an equilibrium. Though they try so hard after someone attempts to rob their house, and Adam blows him away.
The villain of this story also was quite believable and his pages seemed to be the ones I read the fastest. You start to sympathize with what he is doing to the point where it is like "Whoa, why was I rooting for this man?!" I had no problems understanding all the actions he took, because Starr did such a fine job giving us the minute details of the dude.
I know (filmmaker)David Fincher has acquired the rights for this book, and I have to say I will go see this if it is adapted. I don't think I will read it again so that's why it gets four stars from me. Amazing story, and I do recommend it for anyone who loves a thriller (which I'm hoping is anyone who reads books).
I already thought he was pretty cool after I read The Chill, a graphic novel he wrote for Vertigo, but I was slightly biased because I pretty much love everything Vertigo gets on ink. While I liked the story, The Chill wasn't horribly memorable to me...but it did have boobies. Lots and lots of boobies.
This book reads extremely fast! I kept telling myself "only one more paragraph" up until the point where I'm like "ok I can finish the chapter, no problem" and then I'd have to look away from the book before I started reading again.
The dynamics between the Blooms was pleasant to read. It was nice to read a family that actually sounds like a family! (The fact that Marissa has no job after college graduation was quite realistic, especially these days.) They aren't the Sopranos but they aren't the ****ing Cleavers either: The Blooms have problems. Like you, like me.
On top of of that, they seem miserable and full of contempt in almost every page. One feeling that I really touched with was that idea where just when things are starting to get better, BAM! the floor drops and the downfall begins. You never get the feeling that they were never happy; just that it is difficult in this current year of their lives to seek an equilibrium. Though they try so hard after someone attempts to rob their house, and Adam blows him away.
The villain of this story also was quite believable and his pages seemed to be the ones I read the fastest. You start to sympathize with what he is doing to the point where it is like "Whoa, why was I rooting for this man?!" I had no problems understanding all the actions he took, because Starr did such a fine job giving us the minute details of the dude.
I know (filmmaker)David Fincher has acquired the rights for this book, and I have to say I will go see this if it is adapted. I don't think I will read it again so that's why it gets four stars from me. Amazing story, and I do recommend it for anyone who loves a thriller (which I'm hoping is anyone who reads books).
November 16, 2014
Oh my gosh - I don't know what to say!
I mean the story, the idea itself is actually not to bad but seriously? This is supposed to be a good book? Don't think so!
But let us start at the beginning :) this was my first Jason Starr novel! I bought it because I thought it sounds great when seeing it in the bookstore. This was already a few years ago (I always buy too many books to read them xD). Well anyway in the beginning I really thought this could be a good book, even when I finished the first chapters. But it turned out not to be - it's a slow, boring and predictable story!
To say something about the characters:
Marissa Bloom: Seriously? I mean this girl is like 22 but behaves like a pubertal 13 years old. She doesn't miss a single chance to upset her parents in such a childish way. And when she mets Xan it seems like she's in love for the very first time....
Adam Bloom: Alright he is a Psychologist but only because he is doesn't mean he thinks about everything he says. Psychologist are just human like everybody else and yes, they are making mistakes! What Mr. Starr wrote seemed more like a whole bunch of preconceptions he has of psychologist. An oh my good in some chapters it seemed like he wanted to explain why he wrote stuff that way. "hey maybe they're going to read this novel at school or Uni so I might explain what I meant by every sentence so it's easier for the students!" How foolish!!
Also this book is written from 4 different perspectives. But that's not leading anywhere. You're just reading the same part of the story for chapter and chapter without learning anything new.
I'm really sorry but I don't think I'm going to read another Jason Starr - this one already fed me up :(
I mean the story, the idea itself is actually not to bad but seriously? This is supposed to be a good book? Don't think so!
But let us start at the beginning :) this was my first Jason Starr novel! I bought it because I thought it sounds great when seeing it in the bookstore. This was already a few years ago (I always buy too many books to read them xD). Well anyway in the beginning I really thought this could be a good book, even when I finished the first chapters. But it turned out not to be - it's a slow, boring and predictable story!
To say something about the characters:
Marissa Bloom: Seriously? I mean this girl is like 22 but behaves like a pubertal 13 years old. She doesn't miss a single chance to upset her parents in such a childish way. And when she mets Xan it seems like she's in love for the very first time....
Adam Bloom: Alright he is a Psychologist but only because he is doesn't mean he thinks about everything he says. Psychologist are just human like everybody else and yes, they are making mistakes! What Mr. Starr wrote seemed more like a whole bunch of preconceptions he has of psychologist. An oh my good in some chapters it seemed like he wanted to explain why he wrote stuff that way. "hey maybe they're going to read this novel at school or Uni so I might explain what I meant by every sentence so it's easier for the students!" How foolish!!
Also this book is written from 4 different perspectives. But that's not leading anywhere. You're just reading the same part of the story for chapter and chapter without learning anything new.
I'm really sorry but I don't think I'm going to read another Jason Starr - this one already fed me up :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2012
Dr. Adam Bloom takes pride in his job as a psychiatrist, he loves to help patients that are dealing with the pressures of life. On the other hand, his life is as hectic as his patients not only does he have to deal with his daughter's erratic behavior but his wife is a thorn in his side. Married to a stranger, he attempts to reconcile his marriage by trying to reignite the flame but to no avail. Marissa his twenty two year daughter makes things complicated when she warns him of a intruder that is evading their house. Adam considers it to be nothing but his wife convinces him that something dangerous can occur. Using his gun, he shoots one man dead,and claims self defense. Although the police does not buy his story, also his wife is furious cause she warned him about having guns in the house. In addition,as Adam's life fall apart, Marissa starts to develop an interest in a guy name Ian, who her father is suspicious about.
When the world gets out that they were actually two intruders that was trying to rob his house,Adam fears that the second intruder is just lurking around for a time to kill. During this period,he finds out a dark secret from his wife but acting like he is betrayed will only reveal his own secret. As Marissa grow deeper involved with Ian, her life and her family life could be in danger.
I have read a few others books by Starr and it enjoyed them. However this one was not all that thrilling, it gave too much away in the beginning. There was no build up or had little anticipation, but the characters were lively. I was disappointed with the way it ended but it is still a decent read.
When the world gets out that they were actually two intruders that was trying to rob his house,Adam fears that the second intruder is just lurking around for a time to kill. During this period,he finds out a dark secret from his wife but acting like he is betrayed will only reveal his own secret. As Marissa grow deeper involved with Ian, her life and her family life could be in danger.
I have read a few others books by Starr and it enjoyed them. However this one was not all that thrilling, it gave too much away in the beginning. There was no build up or had little anticipation, but the characters were lively. I was disappointed with the way it ended but it is still a decent read.
March 17, 2015
Ich lehne mich mal weit aus dem Fenster und behaupte, dass kaum jemand so wahnhafte Charaktere wie Jason Starr entwirft. Es ist wirklich jedes Mal ein Hochgenuss wie sagenhaft verrückt sich die ProtagonistInnen ihre eigene kleine Welt zu einem gigantischen Universum des Wahns ausdehnen. Das klappt bei Starr leger wie mit einem Kaugummi. Nur manchmal ist in dem Kaugummi Süßstoff drinnen, der dann eben dann doch nicht so wie Zucker schmeckt. Und das ist auch genau das Problem bei »Panik«. Weite Strecken des Romans wirken wie ein Light-Produkt. Durchaus in Ordnung, aber jetzt auch nichts, wo man unbedingt ständig mit Wonne reinbeißen will. Stellenweise ist der Roman zäh und geschmacksneutral wie ein ausgekautes Stück Kaugummi. Nicht gerade förderlich ist, dass in »Panik« wirklich alle wesentlichen Charaktere wahnhaft sind. Das wäre für sich genommen nicht so schlimm, wenn Starr nicht einem - durchaus bewährten - Schema folgen würde, das bei mehrmaliger Wiederholung nicht mehr so zündet. Charakter A sagt B und denkt C, während Charakter B Charakter A zuhört und D versteht usw. usf. Irgendwann fehlt dann einfach das Überraschungsmoment. Unterm Strich bleibt aber solide Kost, auch wenn »Panik« sicher nicht das unterhaltsamste Werk von Starr ist und dem Roman mindestens 100 Seiten weniger ganz gut getan hätten.
January 5, 2016
Panic Attack by Jason Starr is the type of book you read when you're staying in the house all day and do not feel like watching television. The book itself can serve as its own single entertainment, even better than television. Panic Attack will have you on your toes, anticipation dancing on your fingertips until they flip the book to the last page, and have to settle with the very last sentence. Although this book was very well conducted, the lack of stating emotions for individual character's dialog was quite bothersome, and the repeated use of the word "said". These instances made the book rather bland at times and repetitive. Overall the Panic Attack was dangerously moving, suspenseful, and a rare form of a psychological thriller. Some events may be predictable but it occurs in a rather stupefying manner, which immediately attracts the readers to continue and keep flipping the page until they get to the end and see the final battle. This is a magnificent read, and I highly suggest Jason Starr's, Panic Attack.
January 24, 2010
It was a slow moving plot, but not really a slow reading book, if that makes sense. It was pretty sick. And when I got to the end, the photo of the author was kindof what I envisioned the psycho in the book to look like, so that was creepy.
The book was good, but not great.
Adam Bloom, a psychiatrist, wakes in the night to find 2 intruders. He shoots and kills one, then spends a great deal of the book basking in the media attention and thinking he's a hero.
The second intruder vows to get revenge and worms his way into the lives of the family.
I liked how it told a scene of the story, then backed up a little and told it from another character's perspective.
The book was good, but not great.
Adam Bloom, a psychiatrist, wakes in the night to find 2 intruders. He shoots and kills one, then spends a great deal of the book basking in the media attention and thinking he's a hero.
The second intruder vows to get revenge and worms his way into the lives of the family.
I liked how it told a scene of the story, then backed up a little and told it from another character's perspective.
June 27, 2010
I'm usually a huge fan of Mr. Starr. I consider him to be the Jim Thompson of Generation X. His plots are always noir-ishly dark and you often can't tell much of a difference between his heroes and his villains.
His latest book starts with a house robbery gone bad. And the rest of the book deals with the consequence of that robbery. Unfortunately, I just couldn't seem to get into the main protagonist or his family. They were just too unlikeable and I didn't want to root for any of them to succeed.
The main antagonist's main motivation behind his actions also did not seem plausible enough for him to justify his actions.
Definitely worth waiting for a user paperback edition.
His latest book starts with a house robbery gone bad. And the rest of the book deals with the consequence of that robbery. Unfortunately, I just couldn't seem to get into the main protagonist or his family. They were just too unlikeable and I didn't want to root for any of them to succeed.
The main antagonist's main motivation behind his actions also did not seem plausible enough for him to justify his actions.
Definitely worth waiting for a user paperback edition.
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