Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Alex Abbott #2

All Or Nothing

Rate this book
Revenge is a game you can't afford to lose...

He turns the groaning Abbott over, puts the barrel of the gun to the back of his head.
'We're doing him a favour,' he says. 'I know a guy with a death-wish when I see one.'
He pulls the trigger.

They say blood is thicker than water. They never mention alcohol. Ex-special forces soldier Alex Abbott has a lead on the killer of his dead brother, if only he can stay off the booze long enough to hunt it down. But the skeletons in Abbott's closet are mounting up faster than the bodies in their bags, and Abbott needs to get his focus back if he's going to get his revenge.

His pursuit takes him to the North of England, where Abbott infiltrates a local gang, forced to carry out jobs to maintain his cover. As he gains their trust he ventures deeper into the organisation uncovering a long-established international network of rich, depraved thrill-seekers, with a sadistic side-hustle in child trafficking.

Can Abbott stay ahead of his quarry and keep those who matter to him safe? The answer will take Abbott into Eastern Europe and a deadly game of cat and mouse, where he will face a terrible choice between his past and his future; it's winner takes all and Abbott has everything to lose.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2021

33 people are currently reading
151 people want to read

About the author

Ollie Ollerton

32 books82 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
184 (43%)
4 stars
156 (36%)
3 stars
61 (14%)
2 stars
19 (4%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Dee.
549 reviews9 followers
November 22, 2021
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️

What a nail-biting, action-packed read that was.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked up All or Nothing; to be totally honest my hopes weren’t that high - how completely wrong I was!

This is the second book by Ollie Ollerton but reads perfectly well as a standalone. Scar Tissue (the first) is definitely on my to-be-read list now.

I was pulled onboard from the first few pages of the explosive prologue, and thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced, thrilling journey right until the very end. The brilliantly characterised protagonist Alex Abbott makes a fantastic anti-hero; definitely a man you’d want on your side.

I’m not usually a huge fan of cliffhanger endings but I loved this one - I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

All or Nothing is a fabulous read; I could also see it being adapted for TV or the big screen. I highly recommend!
Profile Image for Abibliofob.
1,597 reviews102 followers
May 23, 2023
All or Nothing by Ollie Ollerton was even better than the first book. Alex is still having some problems with alcohol but when he finds out the truth about his brother and some other stuff happens he sort of get the drinking sorted out. This story had some great twists I didn't seee coming and it kept me guessing until the end. Now I wonder if there will be a third book in this series because then I will most certainly read it.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,346 reviews
November 15, 2021
Ex-Special Forces soldier, Alex Abbott is a man in a bad place. Reeling from the death of his son Nathan in Iraq, Alex spends his time in a pit of despair, seeking solace in booze and petty fights down the local, but then he receives some information about the childhood death of his brother Chris that brings him a new sense of purpose.

Off on the trail of the people he now knows are responsible for the loss of his brother, Abbott finds himself embroiled in the murky gangland scene in the North of England, and then widens the scope of his quest for revenge to include finally bringing down a crime family with its fingers in some very unsavoury pies - including child trafficking and the very worst kinds of abuse.

This is a reckoning that will bring some hard choices, and Abbott must call on all his skills, and some old friends, to achieve his goal.

All or Nothing is the second book in the Alex Abbott series by former Special Forces soldier Ollie Ollerton, and he has called on all his experience in the field to create a thriller heavy with action and excitement. Being at a disadvantage by not having read the first book in the series, Scar Tissue, there was a bit of catching up to be done at the beginning of this adventure, but by the time I reached the part where the threads pick up from the intriguing cliff-hanger prologue I was hooked.

Ollerton takes you on a relentless journey through the life of an ex-special forces soldier who has seen just about everything in his time, but has been brought low by personal losses from which he seems unable to recover. A nicely conceived chance discovery by an old flame sets Abbott on a path that gives him hope for redemption, and allows Ollerton to throw almost everything at you in terms of military style revenge plots, filled with fascinating planning and operational detail, deep in a gritty gangland setting - and then, if that wasn't enough, to carry you off into a delicious Bond-esque scenario in Eastern Europe that the fear of spoilers prevents me from going into here.

This book was so much fun, full of twists turns and emotive themes - be prepared from some gut-wrenching scenarios to play out on the abuse side of things, which are integral to the plot on more than one front, even if they make for disturbing reading. The baddies are ones you can really get your teeth into, and you are firmly behind broken-hero Abbott throughout, despite his many faults, which always makes for a very engaging yarn. This book kept me turning the pages well into the night, until all the threads had reached their highly entertaining conclusions... and there is a lovely hook into the next book, which means it will definitely be on my reading pile too!
Profile Image for Sharon Rimmelzwaan.
1,459 reviews43 followers
November 21, 2021
An action packed thriller that doesn't let you catch your breath from the prologue to the conclusion. A flawed ex- special forces soldier, Alex Abbott, who has faced more than you would expect in his life. A man who relies a bit too much on alcohol to try to escape, that is, until he realises there is no escaping the situation he is in.
I could tell Ollie Overton had personal experience in the Special Forces, he has certainly used every bit of it to create a thriller that gives us authenticity and plenty of action. I felt like I could know Alex Abbott, I empathised with him and could understand why he was the way he was. This enhanced my reading experience as I felt like I was part of the action.
A compelling story that takes you on an adventure that is so tense you find yourself holding your breath. I will say the bad characters aren't just bad, they are among the most evil I could bring to mind. A story not always easily read as Alex's investigations uncover some heinous things, so be prepared!
All together a cracking book which also gives you a glimpse of the way Special Forces do things, that was a bonus for me!
Profile Image for Helen.
67 reviews
November 11, 2021
A rollercoaster of a book, this one is heavy on action and excitement. The story is compelling and carries you along with it, breathless during the very tense action scenes, meeting some very depraved people along the way. Some parts of the book are hard to read as Alex's investigations discover a child trafficking ring so this book is not for the faint-hearted.

It's definitely of its genre, so it's light on characterisations - the protagonist, Alex, is mainly depicted as a struggling alcoholic ex-Special Forces soldier - and personally I could have done with a little more depth to the characters. Having said that, I'm probably not the main target market for this book, and I found it really interesting to read about the planning that goes into Special Forces operations.

Thanks to Pigeonhole for letting me read this book and introducing me to this author, who is probably best-known for his role on the TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins - he definitely knows his stuff and I'd read another book in this series.
Profile Image for Deb.
702 reviews22 followers
November 22, 2021
I’ve never read one of this author’s books before; I really don’t know why. What a fantastic read.
This is part of a series but reads well as a standalone.

Ex-special forces, Alex Abbott is on a mission. A personal mission.
A borderline alcoholic, still in the midst of grief, he is given information about the historic death of his brother which could tip him one of two ways.
Brilliant writing & a relentless pace are what define this book. Ollerton obviously knows what he’s talking about, as Abbott finds himself in various shades of trouble.
There is violence, some of it graphic, & child abuse is hinted at, but that isn’t what stays with you. It’s the never-give-up attitude of Abbott. Almost an anti-hero. But I loved him & couldn’t help rooting for him, no matter what he did.
A brilliant introduction to this character & author for me. I’m now off to buy the other books. Well & truly recommended.
20 reviews
March 15, 2022
Way to go Ollie, you did it again!!! Alex Abbott is a badass.

Alex is a guy that anyone would want in their corner. He may have his issues from his time serving overseas and having people he thought he could trust stab him in the back but he literally puts his life on the line for his loved ones. I hope there is more to come from Alex.

Loving Ollie’s books, find it hard to put them down which is always a good sign.
You can definitely tell that the SAS stuff is something Ollie knows a lot about, it comes over in the way and amount of technical information used as someone who doesn’t have that knowledge (even though they did lots of research) would not use it in quite the same way I don’t think. To begin with I was unsure of some of the technical terms used (I know nothing about guns and various types were mentioned) but this did not put me off and made me feel like I was learning about a way of life I knew nothing about and I loved it.

Profile Image for Lucy-Bookworm.
767 reviews16 followers
January 28, 2022
Ex-Special Forces soldier, Alex Abbott is battling a number of personal demons including alcohol & the death of his son. When he receives new information about the death of his brother Chris when he was a child, he sets out on a mission to “right the wrongs”.
What follows is an action-packed thriller that’s quite easy to read (once you get the cast of characters straight in your mind). It had too much bloodshed for me, and was both predictable and a bit far-fetched at times, but I am sure it will be popular with others.

Content warning for violence, paedophilia, sex & child trafficking.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book free via ThePigeonHoleHQ. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Di Paterson.
501 reviews18 followers
November 9, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's tense, yet light-hearted as well, and very easy to read. I enjoyed the characters, but I think the book was more about the action than character development, which didn't bother me in the slightest. Predictable to some extent, as this genre often can be, but some unexpected turns which I enjoyed. I'll be seeking out the first in the series, although not having read does not detract from this book at all. Thank you Ollie and the Pigeonhole for giving me the opportunity to read it.
Profile Image for Linda Kendell.
230 reviews3 followers
November 9, 2021
A high body count in this tense thriller that also contains some humour.
Alex wants revenge for his brother’s death when he discovers that it didn’t happen the way his parents told him. Along with his ex SF teammates he hunts down the perpetrator finding out along the way that there’s another level of scumbags to be dealt with.
Ending left open for a sequel which I’ll happily read, Ollie Ollerton going onto my list of wait-for-the-next authors
Profile Image for Amelia.
161 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this gripping thriller. Action packed and very tense in places. Exposing the vile underbelly of society with gun fights and revenge thrown in. It deals with some heavy subjects but has just the right amount of humour to balance it. I was lucky enough to be able to read Ollie’s book via the Pigeonhole App in instalments over ten days. I really looked forward to each one arriving and I look forward reading more about Abbott in a sequel.
Profile Image for Sue Wallace .
7,401 reviews139 followers
December 26, 2021
All or nothing by Ollie Ollerton.
Alex Abbott book 2.
They say blood is thicker than water. They never mention alcohol. Ex-special forces soldier Alex Abbott has a lead on the killer of his dead brother, if only he can stay off the booze long enough to hunt it down. But the skeletons in Abbott's closet are mounting up faster than the bodies in their bags, and Abbott needs to get his focus back if he's going to get his revenge.
A brilliant read. Loved this author. 5*.
Profile Image for Nona.
353 reviews3 followers
August 17, 2023
A great story by Ollie OLLERTON. It has action, emotion, stupidity, ignorance and most of all commeradarie.
Whilst I am not an advocate of books about death and murder, this one, even though it has both, is very well written. Whilst a lot of the scenes and their aftermath, would not occur in modern-day life, somehow OLLERTON weaves these events into his book.
Yes I would recommend this one, mainly because I can identify the talent of OLLERTON.
Profile Image for Barbara.
541 reviews15 followers
November 9, 2021
Although it contained rather a lot of violence for my taste, I did enjoy reading this book and particularly liked the humour in it. However I did find some of it hard to read. If you like a lot of blood and guts in your books, this is the one for you. Thanks to the Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity of reading this book.
Profile Image for Alison .
164 reviews7 followers
November 16, 2021
All or Nothing by Ollie Ollerton is a first class if not an explosive read, which I read on the Pigeonhole app book club with my pigeonhole friends from around the world. His point of view narrative makes it feel as if we are with Abbott in the action, with some horrendous scenes and difficult to read, some viscerally descriptive scenes. Human. An extremely enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Christine.
1,449 reviews41 followers
November 9, 2021
A really good thriller that has kept me breathless!! I loved the wry humour along with Abbot. The end seem to promise a sequel which I would definitely read!
Thank you very much for letting me read this novel for free on Pigeonhole!
Profile Image for Pheadra.
1,066 reviews56 followers
November 11, 2021
I read this through my online book club Pigeonhole. Not my preferred genre, I wasn't as invested in the story as many of my fellow book clubbers. I found the telling of a most disturbing tale overly simplistic that sees an alcoholic ex-SAS military man, Abbott, on a mission to right the wrongs of a depraved millionaire family including sex trafficking and paedophilia. If you're into fighting, guns, bloody scenes etc, you'll love this. I did like the pace though. 3 and a half stars.
291 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2021
All or Nothing, it’s all in the title! This is the first Ollie Ollerton book which I have read and it was an easy, action packed read although I did find it a bit too far fetched for me. It was a full on guns a blazing revenge mission with a wacky ending.
114 reviews
October 11, 2024
Mental Ha Ha Ha

What a read.
Some tough to rest elements of the book in terms of people trafficking etc, but a nonstop action book from start to finish with a constant adrenaline spike.
The AA part a little more accurate in this book and a fantastic read all in all.
Profile Image for Christine Rennie.
2,965 reviews40 followers
November 9, 2021
All or Nothing by Ollie Ollerton is an easy to read action packed thriller which will obviously continue in another book. It was at times a predictable read but it was an enjoyable read.
Recommended
Profile Image for Katie  Kaye .
12 reviews
November 25, 2021
Gripping but easy to read. Works as a stand-alone as well as the sequel.
Fantastic writing could visualise the whole thing in my mind as you went.
Profile Image for Sowah.
26 reviews
December 1, 2021
Great read.
Action, action and action all the way to the end.
Highly recommended for an unputdownable read.
Ollie delivered a knockout!
Profile Image for Nat.
163 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2022
An easy and progressive read. I actually thought this was an autobiography that's why I picked it up and quickly realised it was not. Still a great read like a bond movie sort of vibe
Profile Image for ross west.
3 reviews
April 23, 2022
A great read

Another brilliant book!

Really enjoyed both of the Alex Abbott books, very well thought out and executed.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.
10 reviews
May 26, 2022
Loved this one more than the first. A great easy read which nice twists and like the first the story has a conclusion but at the same time you know there is more. Looking forward to the next. X
Profile Image for Terry Rudge.
543 reviews62 followers
May 31, 2022
Solid enough book, the MC is a really intriguing character with a good amount of depth. The final 20 percent was a bit nonsensical, but was at least well told
13 reviews
July 25, 2022
Average but on the good side of average. Enjoying the series so far. we'll see how the next one pans out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.