One Last Bullet

Adrian Hell Series, Book 3

By: James P. Sumner

Narrated by: Gary Bennett

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

A deadly assassin wants peace. But first, he must find closure.

Confucius says: "If you seek revenge, dig two graves."

Adrian Hell will need a lot more than that.

After the traumatic events in San Francisco, Adrian feels his time as a hit man is coming to an end. But before he can put this life behind him, he must confront the man who killed his family: Wilson Trent—a powerful crime boss, considered untouchable by both sides of the law.

With his best friend, Josh Winters, by his side, Adrian embarks on a crusade of violence to tear down the empire Trent built on the bones of his wife and daughter. But his increasingly reckless behavior makes Josh question whether he really wants to bury the past...or if he simply no longer wants a future.

This gritty, violent tale pays homage to classic revenge thrillers like Kill Bill and John Wick. It shows you how far someone is willing to go to avenge the people they’ve lost. When it’s over, you’ll find yourself asking: How far would you go?

Grab this unmissable thriller today.

©2014 James P. Sumner (P)2023 James P. Sumner

Truly Awesome! A definite DO NOT MISS!

Adrian Hell faces his next crisis of life head-on as he determines it is time to end his career as an assassin. But before he does, he must draw every last drop of blood from the man who killed his daughter and wife, his beloved family.

The author, James P. Sumner, keeps the intense mystery and action moving at breakneck speed! Sumner has already built the character of Adrian Hill in the previous books of this series, but we, as listeners, are given a deeper understanding of the driving force behind Adrian’s career choice. It is this book that allows us to see beyond the determined, hard-nosed assassin into a more complete picture. The dialogue is riveting as well as realistic for each situation Hill finds himself in. In addition, we are privy to an intense relationship with his best friend and colleague, Josh Winters. The relationship that has developed between these two characters is rich and truly demonstrates a true friendship. The deep seeded anger that has kept Adrian Hill moving forward has been fairly secret until now and this has been handled perfectly!

The narrator, Gary Bennett is fantastic and has further enhanced not only the book but each of the characters. He captures and projects the essence of each character vividly through his unique voice and setting a cadence that is reflective of the situation and characters involved. I have heard many performances by Bennett and he NEVER disappoints!

This is a series that I highly recommend. I was on the edge of my chair the entire book and am hoping for more; I can’t wait to see which path Adrian takes next.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

A Gripping and Unforgettable Vengeance Story

One Last Bullet is the third installment in the Adrian Hell series, and without a doubt, it stands as the pinnacle of the series so far. James P. Sumner has truly outdone himself with this book, delivering a roller-coaster of emotions, a riveting revenge narrative, and an unforgettable journey that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

One of the highlights of the book is the fulfillment of the long-awaited revenge story. Throughout the series, readers have been tantalized with hints of impending retribution, and finally, in One Last Bullet, it explodes into action. Sumner’s skillful storytelling weaves together multiple plot threads, delivering a masterfully constructed revenge narrative that left me feeling both satisfied and emotionally invested.

The tension in this book is insane. Several times, just when I thought the story was approaching its climax, Sumner threw in surprising twists and turns, extending the suspense for hours of reading pleasure. This ability to hold onto tension for an extended period showcases Sumner’s talent as a writer and keeps readers utterly engrossed in the narrative.

Adrian Hell is known for his practicality and resourcefulness, but in this installment, he veers from his typical path due to the deeply personal nature of the vengeance he seeks. This makes him more vulnerable and human, allowing readers to connect with him deeper. The addition of Josh being in person (instead of being near Hell with his Winnebago) is a stroke of brilliance. Josh sometimes provides much-needed comic relief, alleviating the plot’s intensity, and serves as the voice of reason, grounding Hell amidst the chaos.

One Last Bullet delves into fascinating territory that will captivate readers. For fear of spoiling too much, I can’t dive any further into the plot details, the twists, and revelations in this book are astonishing and keep me guessing at every turn. The narrative unfolds in unexpected ways, and the emotional depth of the characters makes this a truly immersive experience.

As a reader, I’m left eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series (I had to look it up, there appears to be ten books in the series at the time of writing – with three of them being available as an audiobook). The book’s conclusion hints at exciting possibilities, especially concerning a character who ends up in the hospital near the end of One Last Bullet. I can’t help but wonder how their fate will influence the future of Adrian Hell and the direction the story will take.

One Last Bullet is a tour de force in the Adrian Hell series. It surpasses its predecessors with its gripping revenge narrative, expertly maintained tension, and intriguing character development. James P. Sumner has crafted a masterpiece that will undoubtedly leave readers craving more. This book is a must-read for fans of the series and anyone who enjoys a thrilling and emotionally charged tale of vengeance.

More mature yet revenge gets in the way

Wow, I can say that I was not ready for the level of action and excitement that was delivered in the third installment of the Adrian Hell series. “The Last Bullet” was an audiobook that kept my attention from start to finish, and everywhere between. This tale had more twists than the past ones in the series, and I can say that I really could sense the rage that revenge causes and the mistakes that happen when you are so narrowly focused. This series is the premiere work of James P. Sumner and I can say that I have enjoyed them quite a bit. What makes the story even better is that it is narrated by Gary Bennett, a rather prolific and veteran of audiobook narration. He has voiced some of my favorite characters, yes, each time I hear his voice it never sounds routine or the same. This audiobook, and the entire series, provides a well-rounded story that is loaded with action and thrills. If you like your listens to be on the gritty noir side of the spectrum, you will not go wrong with this latest installment in the series. Well worth the listen.

The story opens with a requested personal hit as our main character is an assassin for hire. This request turns into more a tedious project that leads our character on quite a different path. What appears to be a simple request to off a known wife beater, quickly devolves into something that could completely turn the luck of Adrian and potentially even be life threating. What was a bit different in this story from the previous in the series is that Josh is in the field with our main character. I have always seen him more of an agent Q, from the James Bond series, sitting in his lair helping from behind the scenes. However, here we have him front and center to the action. I liked that. The story pivots and we see just how revenge can cause a logical person to begin making mistakes. Our character often felt as if he was invulnerable, but now we begin to see he is vulnerable and has growing chinks in his armor. This is because of the personal nature of his new task and his mind is clouded by the anger and revenge.

I found the writing in this third audiobook in the series to be more detailed and provided more background information from the previous ones. Here we are given some flashbacks to allow the listener to better know the main character and feel his pain. I also enjoyed the many references to music of the time and that every mission needed to have music as well. Although it is often vintage songs, they brought memories back to me. The level of gun knowledge and technology also was evident in this audiobook. Either the author has this from previous work experience or has performed some in depth research into this subject matter for his writing. The previous stories had some moral decision making by our main character choose which was often easy, but this one felt like such choices were heaver and weightier on Adrian. For some reason the consequences seemed like they would be harder to accept and swallow, even for a trained killer. Will this be the last of our character’s adventures, you will have to listen to find out.

The audiobook’s narration is done by one of my favorite narrators, Gary Bennett. As I said earlier, he has voiced some of my favorite characters, and this series is no exception. The audio is crisp and clear. I do not recall any pops, clicks, background noise, etc. while listening. The signs of an expert in his field. Even his ability to properly voice female characters so that they do not sound like a chipmunk or baritone is often welcomed. This is a skill that takes much time and practice to perfect. I recommend picking up any of his works as his voice is easy to listen to and he provide a means of bringing all the characters in a tale to life.

For parents and younger listeners, I have to say up front that this story is not written for younger audiences. It contains a fair amount of foul language and adult themes such as drugs, sexual topics, and quite graphic violence. I would recommend it be listened to by more mature individuals.

In summary, for the third tale in the series, I can see that the author and characters have matured over time. This story seemed to have more background information and moral decisions with meaning than I recall from the previous ones. No question that the narration is solid and pleasant to listen to. If you enjoy that noir genre and action-packed adventure, I suggest you pick up the stories and give them a listen.

Loved it

So thrilling and filled with action. Can’t wait to listen to book four in the series. This man is never phased by anyone.