The Incident: Inferno Rising

Sam Jameson Espionage & Suspense #1

by Lars Emmerich

Hello friends. Lars here. Due to squirrely rules on Amazon, I can't place this information in the title, so I'm telling you this book is actually a double-volume edition containing Books 1 and 2 of the Sam Jameson series, offered here at a considerable discount. I know the title just says "Book 1," but I've included both books. Hope you enjoy them!

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“LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!”“I couldn’t put it down!”Where do you run when even the good guys want you dead?Special Agent Sam Jameson is having a bad week. People are trying to kill her.That would be business as usual in the counterespionage world, except that it’s the good guys who have her in the crosshairs. Why are the DC Metro police trying to kidnap her? Do her bosses at Homeland want her in a body bag, too? And why does everyone she talks to seem to end up in the morgue? Will a ruthless mercenary, a hapless American traitor, and a dead man’s cryptic clue hold the key to Sam’s survival? As the noose tightens around her neck, Sam must uncover a brutal and deadly conspiracy before she becomes its next victim. THE Inferno Rising is the first installment in the runaway international sensation INCIDENT trilogy from conspiracy master Lars Emmerich.————Interview with #1 Bestselling Author Lars Who are your influences? Too many to list! I started out years ago as a Tom Clancy addict, and I thoroughly enjoy many of Nelson DeMille’s novels. I regularly read David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, Barry Eisler, Michael Connelly, and John Grisham. James Patterson has redefined what it means to be a working author, and I read his stuff as well. My top picks are usually espionage and private detective novels, any of the thousands of thrillers and mysteries best sellers, and, of course, books featuring classic pulp heroes. And I’m greatly influenced by all sorts of nonfiction, as well. I read all the time, and I’m a bit of a magpie about the topics — science, economics, finance, politics, history, mathematics, engineering, biomechanics, medicine… It’s a big world out there, and I love learning more about it. Many of those topics find their way into my fiction, so I can justify it all as “research.” The Sam Jameson series has become quite a phenomenon. What do you think has been the driving force behind the books’ success? I think Sam has something of a unique voice. She says the things we all wish we could say, and she gets away with it about half of the time. The other half of the time, not so much. I think she’s also a very human heroine. She has plenty of flaws and weaknesses, yet she accomplishes some amazing things. She’s kind of like every one of us in that regard, which You have developed personal relationships with your readers over the years, which is unusual in the publishing business. Was that a conscious choice? Absolutely. Books are intimate things. They occupy a person’s mind and thoughts for hours at a time. Good books leave a lasting impression, and great books might even change the way we think about things, but all books are a relationship. I felt that Big Publishing did a great job of distributing novels, but at a very high cost — there was almost no way for a personal connection to form between writers and readers. But I always wanted a conversation. I wanted to learn from my readers, to hear what was on their minds, to listen to their criticism and hopefully improve the books I write. It’s been extremely rewarding, and I’m hopeful it can continue for years to come.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage

600 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2016

About the author

You know that feeling when a story gives you goosebumps? I love that feeling.

And the one where you read something that puts a lump in your throat and smoke in your eyes? I love that one too.

And the feeling that you know what's going to happen next, only to find out to your absolute delight that you couldn't have been more wrong? I love that feeling too.

I love reading stories that move me and challenge my assumptions and teach me something. I love the way a great author lures me in and takes me along for a fantastic ride.

I also love to write stories. It's how I spend my days and a good share of my nights, too. I'm on a quest to write the perfect story full of perfect sentences. I don't know if I'm anywhere close, but I enjoy the gentle struggle.

Reviews

[J.P. Willson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow...

[David Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty so so I feel. Sam is a kick ass Homeland agent who is being chased and attacked. By the end of the book we still are not sure why, or by whom. The first two books (free via author) are really one long story. The author spent a lot of the story on a supporting character (Peter), who I am still not sure how he ties into the over all story (after 400+ pages). I thought he was whiney and did not do anything except get taken advantage of.

And even the main character to me did not do much. One quick car chase early on, but that was it. I did not see her do anything that would make me aware that she was good at her job. I will go on and read the 2nd story And then see how much I like the characters. Right now it is 50-50 if I go on to book 3.

I kind of expect my kick butt action characters to actually kick butt and take names. What makes Sam special? I have no idea. The author tells us she is good but does not show us why she is good. She does not think very highly of her superiors that is for sure. Spent a lot of time in her safe room with her boyfriend.

All in all I am not very excited. I took a chance on a free couple of books.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars raised to a 4. This is basically the introduction of three sets of people. Sam Jamison and her crew are with counterterrorism in Homeland Security. El Jerga is an assassin with a Venezuelan terrorist group. Quinn and Company are CIA agents who are as dangerous and unpredictable as El Jerga. Most chapters are distributed equally to the stories of each set of people. There is lots of action, a fair amount of sex, some torturing and a whole lot of murders. The reader will get hooked into the stories and anxiously wait for the three different sets of people to meet with the expected explosion, but that won’t happen until a future novel because this ends with a cliffhanger. Thanks to the author and publisher for an e-galley for an honest review.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great story,not my usual genre but I loved it, full to the brim with excitement and intrige, so many characters and all of them interesting and exciting never a dull moment

[Ed · Rating 2 out of 5]

#1 in the Sam Jameson - The Incident trilogy. This 2016 series entry by self-published author Lars Emmerich is a mixed bag. I received it as a free download and it came with what was described as the whole trilogy. Goodreads has it listed as book 1 of an 8 part series. This book is an action packed thriller sure to delight conspiracy theorists. Sam is a counterintelligence agent for Homeland Security. Sam wants to find out why she and her lover are on someone's hit list. Her home is bombed, she is attacked by the DC Metro Police and her bosses seem to blame the situation on her. Meanwhile, minor spy Peter Kitteridge who is passing economic info to a Venezuelan oil company is picked up and tortured by the CIA to turn him. He is contacted by Venezuelan rebels and then released to return to the CIA and tell them all he has learned. Every thread is left hanging, Sam and her lover are the only likeable characters (except her deputy), HSA, CIA, and the Pentagon are peopled by incompetents, sadists and traitors. In an interview the author said that by the time you finished reading everything would come together. I wasn't thrilled, but I'd try a trilogy; now that it's at least an eight pack, I've finished reading, it hasn't come together but I don't care enough to go further.

Where do you run when even the good guys want you dead? Special Agent Sam Jameson is having a bad week. People are trying to kill her. That would be business as usual in the counterespionage world, except that it’s the good guys who have her in the crosshairs. Why are the DC Metro police trying to kidnap her? Do her bosses at Homeland want her in a body bag, too? And why does everyone she talks to seem to end up in the morgue? Will a ruthless mercenary, a hapless American traitor, and a dead man’s cryptic clue hold the key to Sam’s survival? As the noose tightens around her neck, Sam must uncover a brutal and deadly conspiracy before she becomes its next victim.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Part 1 of a trilogy (with 8 parts?).

Nothing is really resolved including the who and why of the baddies. It was a decent read.

I was a bit confused by the gay characters and treatments. Gay CSI was ousted by the FBI (where was HR?) but he got killed and so can be forgotten. Significant gay character - after his lover is attacked and left in a coma, he gets hit on by sexy (baddie) female and he's suddenly rethinking his homosexuality. Most characters make anti-gay comments.

If the author doesn't like gays then just leave them out.

[Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free book from the author but left hanging at the end with another free offer to read Episode 2. Not really that good and I don't like this method of marketing a book. Let it stand on its own and trust the reader's opinion.

[Katie Arias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off with lots of action and I thought this was going to be a great book. However it is a bit long with parts that could have been left out. Then it ends abruptly with a cliffhanger. Not interested in reading book 2 to find out what happens.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow as fk. Read this hoping it would get better. I just didn't care for the main characters at all. Shitey ending after yon marathon of dreary text.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a total failure and I will not be reading any further.

[Roxx Tarantini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Jameson Novels - Lars Emmerich
The Incident, a two volume set

Book One - Inferno Rising

Emmerich builds a labyrinthine plot in this action-packed novel that starts the excitement from the first chapter and keeps it up through to the very last page.  

If you're considering picking this up - it really is a well written story with some great characters, even the ones you don't like - I'd suggest grabbing them both so that your run through is uninterrupted.  See my full review on Book Two.


Book Two - Reckoning

'"I love this spy shit, " Brock said.  "Where do we get our ninja stars and exploding pens? "
'"Sorry, " Sam said.   "We spend all our money hiring people to write emails to each other. "'

So, Book 2.  While I was at first put off by the cliff hanger ending in the first book, all is forgiven.   And, as I mentioned above, you can easily grab them both.   Treat it as one extra long book.   Worth it.

Not for the faint of heart, The Incident is about the brutality of today's corporate run world.   There were myriad places where I stopped and told myself "It's only fiction!"  But in the climate today, it rings all too real!

I love that Sam is a tough broad, takes no nonsense, is at the top of her game, and when she knows what's right, she goes no holds barred.   She doesn't need a man to "rescue her", she'll rescue herself - and her man - thank you very much!

This is a convoluted tale of treachery, double dealing, revenge, and avarice . . . rapacious avarice.  Masterfully written, the sordid tale plays out well.  The characters are larger than life, but captivating none the less.  I would advise reading it when you have plenty of time.   Each time I had to put this down, I raced back to continue.   I highly recommend!

[Many thanks to the author for the opportunity to read these books.  The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ]

[Kereth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beware you are about to read a 1/3 of a 3 part series, The Incident: Inferno Rising , is a fast paced novel by Lars Emmerich. I am never happy when a series book is not stand alone, hence my 3 stars. I understand and appreciate a running storyline however, I do not appreciate a cliff hanger. Being forced to purchase the next novel in the series feels like a huge commitment. I did like Sam, the strong female lead in this book, she is a special agent and someone is trying to kill her...the story unfolds from there. Written well with good characters and an intriguing premise.

[Randy Mahar · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll be fair. Book was a great read, excellent character develpoment, dialouge on par with the best writers today. I can't comment on the plot because, and here is the rub, the book was left unfinished. Meaning I (you) have to get the next book to finish the story. I have a great start on defining irony, here goes: I down loaded book direct from the author. You might do the same. You will get 5 emails thanking you for cutting out that "money grubbing Jeff Beo" (Amaon). And then, the author stops writing and I assume back when it was originally written, had you purchase book 2 to finish the story.
As part of my purchase I could follow a link or 2 or 3 to recieve the next book, good times. Not sure it would have been possible to be anymore disaponited, ticked off, and just plain angry, unless it might have happened with no access to wifi to navigate getting the ending. The lack of story resolution is reason enough to not read what was otherwise a pretty darn, no excellently written book.

[Grazyna Nawrocka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad the author generously gave me his trilogy in the eBook format. It was a long time I haven't had anything really interesting to read. The style of language is very smooth. It's easy and pleasant to read, seems well suited for this genre. The characters are reliable and well constructed. I love the swift action and twists in plot.

Only personal problem I had with this part is description of polygraph test. In all movies I watched, the test required only "yes" or "no" answer. There was no point in answering with the whole sentence, because it measured bodily reactions. Perhaps Lars Emmerich misrepresented it intentionally (it fits his plot), or maybe something changed recently, and tests nowadays are able to analyse more features (perhaps artificial intelligence), but I haven't heard about it.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the way Lars Emmerich writes. He has a compact, precise style that is easy to read, and his dialogue rings true. I also liked the pace and scope of this book, and the attention to details. Lars got everything right. My only complaint is that Book One ("Incident Rising") just suddenly stopped, and Book Two ("Reckoning") started up right where Book One stopped, for no apparent reason. There sure didn't seem to be a logical break-point there, and you certainly couldn't read Book Two without reading Book One, and you certainly wouldn't feel satisfied reading just Book One. I guess my point is that Book One and Book Two should be combined into one longer book. I don't know how the transition from Book Two to Book Three ("Devolution") will go.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this Thriller as a free promotion sponsored by the author. It’s part of a series he’s writing based on Government agents contending against Foreign Agents and possibly the US Government.

The plot isn’t bad and the action moves along in this first installment, but the writing is peppered with jarring cliches and annoying attempts by the author to appear cool and urbane. Some sex and violence to establish credentials as a Thriller but overall not very sophisticated. Characters are a little predictable and two-dimensional.

Not a bad initial offering but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. Three stars.

[Romaine Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The Incident:Inferno Rising is a fabulous read!
There are two storylines going on throughout this book which intertwine more as the series continues.
Special Agent Samantha Jameson is on the run after police officers tried to kill her. Another cop bombed her home. Sam doesn't feel the team support from her bosses. Therefore, she has to do some investigating on her own.
Peter is forced into helping the Agency after his torture session with Quinn, an assassin.
Lars Emmerich is a new author to me. Absolutely love this book! I'm already hooked!!
Yes it does end in an amazing cliffhanger.
Onto reading The Incident:Reckoning!!

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Incident: Inferno Rising: Book One of The Incident Trilogy by Lars Emmerich

This is a terrific book. It is everything it advertised: mystery, suspense, murder, espionage, and an unexpected set of romantic interests. I really loved every thing about this book, except the ending. It is the cliffhanger of all cliffhanger. I knew going in that it is book 1, but that was harsh.

So, the characters are great (and awful) and the plot is realistic and twisty. I'm usually pretty good at figuring these things out and by chapter 38, I was fully committed to my conclusions. Until the very last page...

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason for a 4 star instead of 5 is that it ends in a cliffhanger situation - but I did love this book. Lars Emmerich paints a picture of intrigue, deception, and a ruthless agenda in a battle Sam and Brock have not yet identified but play a very key role. Friends and co-workers are being disposed of, the police have targeted both of them, her bosses are just short of selling her out but to whom she doesn't know, and now an assassin has their pictures marking them as his next targets. Book 2 is going to be without a doubt amazing.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very exciting book. Could it be real? Absolutely. The characters are so well defined I felt I knew them. Lars takes you through a world of corruption and murder and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I had a very hard time putting this down long enough to sleep! Sam is the strongest woman you will ever know, yet she has a little bit of a soft underbelly that peeks out once in awhile. This is one series I will have to finish reading. Don't miss it. Great book.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast paced novel with so many twists and turns. I could not stop reading it until the last page. Good guys are not always good guys and it sometimes takes the bad guys to save your life! Caught in a web of lies and deceit--will Sam Jamison live to see another day?


I read a complimentary Copy of this book sent to me by the author & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[John Vonhof · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the San Jameson series. The action is non-stop. Special Agent Sam is a fun and exciting character who surprises you with her ability to read people, and take charge of the setting, whether with her bosses or the bad guys. The action takes place in Washington DC and South America. There are bad guys everywhere and you can't tell whether the cops and other agency characters are good or bod. Excellent suspense. You want to keep reading.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE INCIDENT : INFERNO RISING. by Lars Emmerich
Hospital room, then bullets flying, can they get to the elevator. Who are the god guys, and who are the bad. Love of job, but it does take it toll, the hours. A great beginning to a fast action story. Looking for a good thriller, then don't miss this.

[Martin Pingree · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW ! WOW! This was in the top 5 of the best books I’ve ever read. I don’t know where to start ! This was an awesome conspiracy story with a terrific cast of characters than meant non stop action from start to finish. If you like modern day governmental conspiracy with loads of fun and action you will nor be disappointed ! Could not put this one down ,

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good effort and action, but disjointed ... partially due to its serialized original format ... which means this edition does not conclude any of the plot lines ... which I have trouble caring enough to follow-up to the next book. Like reading three books at once and having to juggle the disconnected plots and back-stories.

[Jan Staniec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great writing! The characters were really fleshed out and the action kept me reading late into the night. I’ll be a sponge for Lars Emmerichs books. The twists and turns, and the hits just kept on happening! Loved the cliffhanger, but probably because I got the second book in the series right away 🤗

[Kathryn Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special Agent Sam Jameson and her significant other Air Force Colonel Brock James have just recently found each other. They have based their relationship on total honesty and trust. But that trust is sorely tested as Sam's loyalty to the FBI is called into question as evidence that Brock is involved with some shady Venezuelan characters. She sets out to find answers in a riveting story.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has plenty of intrigue, excitement and drama. Fast pace and enjoyable storyline.

There are so many characters, but I found that I had no problem keeping track of who's who and which side they belong on.

Only problem I had was that the ending finished on a cliff hanger.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sam Jameson, a Homeland Security agent extraordinaire. There are lots (almost too many) moving puzzle pieces in this harrowing tale of violent spies versus spies. When everyone seems to be a bad guy, who do you dare trust? This is a page turner but the ending isn’t really an ending; you have to buy the second book to get satisfaction.

[Louise Pledge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish books had ratings like movies do. Or that reviewers would include them. I tried but couldn't bring myself to finish this one because of the language and sexual references. I start to feel tarnished after reading for awhile.