THE LAST MINUTE by Jeff Abbott

Finished Tu 11/13/12

Post on Good Reads-

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


Link to Amazon-

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Minute-Sam-Capra/dp/0446575208

Sam Capra- Ex-CIA; His boy has been kidnapped. His son, Daniel, is only a few months old, and he has never seen the kid. Capra's wife is a traitor who also worked at the CIA.

The plot is that Sam Capra teams up with another woman who has had her baby kidnapped, and they must collaborate to murder a man.

NINE SUNS (NOVEM SOLES)- This is a group created by the CIA composed of powerful criminals who would do things that were not sanctioned by any government agency. Murder, Mayhem, etc. 

Jack Ming is a Hong Kong hacker who has a notebook (red binder) which contains incriminating evidence about the CIA's involvement with the '9 Suns' criminal enterprise.  
Jack Ming is the man that Sam and Leonie are assigned to kill.

Leonie is a specialist in creating false identities, and her real name is Lindsay. 
Sam would be the 'hit man', and she would be able to locate Ming using her talents at being able to 'hide' people. 

Mila- She is Sam's boss and is an ex-school teacher from Moldova. Her sister was  tricked into becoming a sex slave, and Mila attacked the group, and although her sister was killed in the cross-fire, she realized that she was a 'natural born killer'.

THE LAST MINUTE is a bar that is run by Sam Capra, but it is really just a string of bars that he manages for 'the outfit' all over the world. These places are staffed and run as 'safe houses' for agents in need. 

The twist at the end of the novel is that there is really only one kidnapped child. Leonie's girl had died, and she was 'given' Sam's child by the cartel. 
But, he realizes what a wonderful person that she is (he slept with her). and he allows Leonie to act as the kid's mom as he manages the string of international bars.  Or, so it seems.