A Necessary Kill

Adrian Hell Series, Book 5

By: James P. Sumner

Narrated by: Gary Bennett

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

An impossible target. A necessary kill.

This is the number one international best-selling thriller from James P. Sumner.

Adrian Hell has nothing to lose…and a cause worth dying for.

The explosive events in Deadly Intent changed the world forever. Now, Adrian is separated from his allies and on the run, hunted by the US government, who believe he was responsible for a devastating terrorist attack.

But only he knows the truth.

This intelligent and frighteningly-plausible thriller won the 2015 Kindle Scout program. Filled with intense action and award-winning dialogue, this is simply unmissable.

Add this instant classic to your library today.

©2017 James P. Sumner (P)2023 James P. Sumner

Wild… In The Best Way.

I know that comparing any action/trained assassin story to Bourne is a bit of a faux pas. Still, there were scenes in this that the only way that my brain could compute was by going to the highlight reel in my head of scenes from those movies and pulling up the ones where he gets out of insane situations with planned, fast movements. Adrian Hell is such a great assassin that the comparison is meant as nothing but a compliment.

A Necessary Kill, besides containing one of my least favorite words to try and remember how to spell, was an excellent story from beginning to end. Sumner absolutely nails the nonstop action in this one. I don’t know if I was breathing properly for a while. The action was so fast that I felt like I was reminding myself to take a breath. Adrian is forced to team up with some interesting and unique characters in this one and the back-and-forth this creates is hilarious and great at the same time.

I won’t spoil the storyline, people, or crazy things that happen but there were surprises around every corner. This one was a wild one from beginning to end in the best way possible. I’m struggling to write much more without spoiling, so fair warning for the next paragraph.

SPOILER ALERT: There is one benefit to an audiobook being done before the ebook editions – a book like this, with the steepest of cliffhanger endings can be somewhat quickly answered by looking to see if there are more books in the series. Spoilers aside, I’m thrilled that there will be more Adrian in my life, and I hope that Bennett keeps getting the honor of performing them.

Overall, A Necessary Kill was brilliant from front to back. Sumner has solidified himself as a master thriller writer and Adrian is one of the best fictional characters I’ve read in a long time. Throw in the excellent performance by Gary Bennett and you’ve got an EASY top rating from me, and this will likely go down as one of the top books I’ve read in 2023.

Oh and the scene(s) with his “dark side” for lack of a better term. Bone-chilling.

Rarely do I have to come back and add more to a review after, and likely a small spoiler alert. Sumner, you should consider writing a post-apocalyptic story based on the world that you created in this story (trying so hard not to spoil much more).

captivating and action packed book

Adrian is never involved with anything unless it is action-packed and deadly! The last book ended with his witnessing a devastating, life-altering disaster. Adrian knows the players, their game plan, and their ultimate goal. The true question is can he stop them in time?

The author, James P. Sumner, has created a character and content that resonates with audiences regardless of their beliefs and values. Sumner artfully fuses genres, capturing today’s fears and headlines thus highlighting his creative genius. His imagery and storyline are vivid and engaging. His plot twists are satisfying and action-packed. Each character is vital to the storyline and twists further engaging the audience.

The narrator, Gary Bennett, once again captures the essence of the story and the depth of each character thus enhancing this listening experience ten-fold. Bennett is natural for this genre of storytelling. The ease with which he slips into each character is refreshing and makes for a rewarding experience.

Sumner and Bennett have influenced the growth of my favored writing genres to include thriller suspense due to their talents. I cannot wait for the next book in the Adrian Hell series.

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

Seeking the impossible target

If you are in the search for a series of action thrillers, look no farther than the “Adrian Hell series”. The series starts off strong, but the wonderful writing and narration keeps the excitement coming even into book number five. The series is like a title wave that slowly grows into something that can devastate an entire city. Yes, “A Necessary Kill” is the latest installment in the series and this one seems to pack a punch that the previous ones were not able to achieve. If you have been a fan and listened to the audiobooks in order, you know it all leads up to the big climax, and I can say that it is one Hell (pun intended) of a ride. James P. Sumner (author) continues to team up with Gary Bennett (Narrator) to bring the Adrian Hell series to life and I can say that all of them are done very well. Nearly all the audiobooks in the series end with a surprise, but this one tops them all with a rather new twist. It excites me to know what comes next in the series. If you are one who enjoys action thrillers, you will find this an entertaining series, and this one holds the reigns as one of the best yet.

In a way, I would say that this is actually part two of the previous audiobook in the series as it starts right where the last one left off. The world is very different and now Adrian needs to focus his attention on the most difficult target he has ever faced. He is already known to be the most wanted man alive. He even admits to himself and others that this may be the last mission he will be able to complete, and the level of difficulty does not even assure him of victory. One of the best assassins may have met his match. In this series, we see even more of Adrian’s emotional side. We see his dedication to friends and family, yet he knows the risks he must undertake to right these massive wrongs done too so many. He even said that it would be the impossible hit, and he knows he cannot do it alone. There is no more time for rest in his past retirement and wanting to settle down. Not at all, instead he needs to act and try as much as he can to complete the task at hand to save the world. I would not want to spoil it for the reader, so if you want to find out what happened, I recommend you pick up the audiobook and give it a listen.

Nearly everything in this audiobook seems elevated and heightened. Adrien even tries to distance himself from those he knows and loves to keep them out of the mess he has gotten himself into. The fights are bigger, the technology is cooler, and the action is a non-stop tap that continues to overflow with excitement. How is Globaltech involved? What about Josh? There are many questions that are fully addressed as you progress thought this story. For me, I always enjoy the various pokes at companies that make me want to laugh out loud. Here we get some insight into the Dunkin franchise and a perception of people who live in New Hampshire. All in good fun and laughter. As stated earlier, we get to see a few different sides of Adrien as well throughout this audiobook. We see his deep-seated revenge against those who wish harm to those he loves, and even those who have been wronged. For an assassin, I have enjoyed seeing his moral ground, yet he does have a tight hold on his desire for swift revenge. Adrian is a rather complex individual who has continued to grow and develop over the series. After this audiobook, it will be interesting to witness his next direction.

About the audiobook’s narration, I have never been disappointed by anything narrated by Gary Bennett. His works have a high level of professionalism, and he knows the stories he is reading by adding the necessary inflections, etc. I do not recall any issues with the audio itself and the character voicing is consistent thought out as well. Mr. Bennett has voiced a number of different genre of audiobooks, so I’m sure you will find one you will like of his. For me, it is the smooth and reliable flow of his voice, even for a long running series, that I enjoy the most. I just glad such people take time to bring audiobooks to the masses.

For parents and younger listeners, this audiobook contains quite a bit of profanity and graphic violence. There are also a few more mature subjects that may not be fully appropriate for younger listeners. I would recommend this audiobook for only mature listeners.

In summary, this latest audiobook in the series is loaded with both caffeine and adrenaline. The action is heightened, the fights are impressive, and the target is believed to be impossible. The narration is strong, consistent, and well delivered. It really is a rollercoaster ride that has many highs and many lows, yet this one has multiple big drops that the listener may not see coming. Pure entertainment.

Yet Again, Outstanding!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series so far; & this one is no exception!
Anticipating the next one already!