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The Last Second

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This seemed like the authors had a planning session with 20 plotlines from which to choose and decided what the heck - let's just throw them all in there. It was just a bit too chaotic and slow reading for me.

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The Last Second by Catherine Coulter is an exciting thriller. The plot immediately took me to the first female to go into space. What happened to the smart woman while out in space is still under scrutiny. Yet, she claims she talked to aliens. These aliens want her to let the world know about their existence. However, this crazy space lady goes to far in her beliefs. She thinks setting a nuclear bomb off in space will help her become one of the aliens. Talk about insane, intense, and full of surprises. This daring book pushed beyond boundaries and still kept everything real. I enjoyed following the FBI partners, Michaela and Nicholas as they chased after the lunatic. Stopping one of the biggest bombs of all time, at the last second. My heart was definitely racing along with these two. Overall, this novel was a great read.

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In this sixth entry in the, Brit in the FBI series, Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine, special agents, investigate a private French space agency, Galactus (think in terms of a SpaceX rival) that launched a communications satellite with a payload of a weapon that can end the world. Galatus is being run by a madwoman who believes that aliens, the Numen, have been communicating with her and ordered her to arm the communications satellite with an EMP (electromagnetic pulse). She is also convinced that the Numen want her to have the Holy Grail, believed to have been found by Galactus’s owner, Jean-Pierre Broussard deep in the waters off Thailand.

This is a fast paced thriller with excellent writing, interesting plotlines, and characters you can either love or hate. It will keep you up until the wee hours of the morning reading just one more page that turns into just one more chapter..

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A missing friend leads Agents Drummond & Caine to a woman looking to change the world and the Holy Grail. While on vacation in Europe will the Brit in the FBI and his partner be able to save a the world one more time when a former astronaut has plans for everyone's future. Join the very special FBI agents and their team on a world wide trek to save everyone.

Agent Nicholas Drummond and his partner and lover Michaela “Mike” Caine are on vacation in Europe visiting family and friends and hanging out recovering from their last case. When a recently visited friend on a mission for the security company he works for goes missing along with a playboy billionaire looking for the Holy Grail. It's up to Nicholas and Mike to go on a rescue mission to find the whole missing super yacht before a typhoon can hit. They must contend with a former genius astronaut by the name of Neveah Patel, who believes that the Holy Grail and a nuclear & EMP bomb on a recently launched satellite is the answer to bringing her alien friends to Earth to help her achieve peace and immortality. She has the help of her head of security/lover Kiera Byrne. When Patel finds out her boss at the aerospace company Broussard has found the Holy Grail she goes with help of his lover to his yacht and steal it and then sinks the yacht, but there are survivors including the agents' friend. Mike comes up with a way to find the survivors and they track them down only to be hit by a large wave of a fast approaching typhoon. The submarine that their friend is in comes to their rescue and they discuss the threat to the world. Broussard doesn't believe that Patel and his dead lover are behind the stolen Holy Grail and the sunk yacht. Everyone is rescued and Mike, Nicholas, Grant and Broussard head for aerospace company to figure out what is going on. Only to be attacked by the terrorists they think are part of the satellite bomb. They escape and head to Patel's house and find evidence of where her base of operation is and are attacked again. After they take out most of the terrorists their leader gives himself up and reveals his true identity. Broussard is injured and reveals the reason why he needs the Holy Grail. Mike assures him that they will get it back for him. They head to a local military base and Mike gets to fulfill a bucket list activity. They reach their destination in record time and begin the journey to Patel's hideout. An accident has them going in on foot and then a landmine explodes and takes out some of the team. Nicholas and Mike must circumvent guards and the weather and a climb to surprise Patel. They are discovered when Byrne comes into the room. Mike must fight with Byrne. Mike and Nicholas split up to look for the control room. Nicholas reaches the control room and enters only to be surprised by Patel. He still tries to finish the mission. Patel leaves to await her alien friends arrival. Mike makes it to the control room and is told Nicholas is injured and finds a way in. With very short time before the bomb goes off during a lunar eclipse Mike makes a decision to stop the bomb. Pate's friends don't arrive so she returns to the control room and Mike takes care of her. Their back up arrives. Back home in New York Nicholas and Mike recount their adventures.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading this book. It's a suspenseful thrill ride of an adventure. Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison don't disappoint. They keep you wondering if Dr. Patel's alien friends are real or just her insane imagination. I'm still not sure. This is the sixth book in the Brit in the FBI series and I can't wait for more. Drummond and Caine always seem to have the time of their lives. This time they weren't even looking for a world saving event it just fell into their laps. Catherine and J.T. more of this dynamic duo, PLEASE!!

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This will be a satisfying read for those who look for fast-moving plot rather than literary writing. Although it is fifth in a series, it stands well alone, and past episodes and characters are woven well into the narrative, at least until the 2nd epilogue. Mike and Nicholas are the main characters, but their point of view alternates with that of Pierre, a wealthy treasure seeker looking for a magical cure for his dying daughter, and that of Nevaeh, a disgraced astronaut looking for immortality. Since Nevaeh believes that aliens are speaking to her and urging her to find the holy grail in order to destroy the earth as we know it, the time countdown until that destruction builds suspense as Mike and Nicholas hurry to uncover and thwart that plot.

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Nevaeh Patel was a US astronaut assigned to the International Space Station, but a major problem during what should have been a routine spacewalk results in her being sent back home and permanently grounded. She insists that she made contact with an alien race and is determined to reunite with them – at any cost.

This is the sixth book of this series, and I found this book just as engrossing as the previous books in the series. As usual, the readers know the identity of the villain right from the start, so it's up to us to go along for the ride, figuring out how Mike, Nicholas and the rest of their team will end up involved in the situation, then how they will once again save the world on time. The usual characters are in place for this book, with a few additions that we have to decide whether they are trustworthy or not. I have always been fascinated by space exploration, so that aspect of the story made it even more appealing for me, but once again, I finished the book with a shudder, realizing that, in the right (wrong?) hands, this kind of thing could conceivably actually happen. That is more scary to me than other books that are far more unrealistic. That said, I can't wait to read about Mike and Nicholas's next adventure.

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It may have just been me, but I thought this book introduced too many topics. Alien species, Space work, launches, searching for the Holy Grail, and FBI agents, with their own stories / history. Loved the spaces part, but not the FBI parts???

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Love the Brit in the FBI series. With the added adventures of an astronaut and space, this book explores new realms. Characters continue to develop and the dialog and interaction are just plain fun. Recommend.

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Hang on tight for the “thriller” ride of your life! A little science fiction, a lot of daring imagination, tons of deceit and intrigue and action, action, action! THE LAST SECOND by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison have created a high-powered race against time and the twisted machinations of a former astronaut who believes she has spoken to aliens, even as her wealthy boss is off searching for the Holy Grail, convinced it will save his young daughter’s life.

A satellite has just been launched into space, but unbeknownst to its creators, it has been armed with a deadly nuclear device capable of bringing the world to its knees. Special Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine must do the impossible, breach a well-armed fortress and disarm the satellite before its deadly payload is activated, all while attempting to stay alive and out of the clutches of former astronaut, Dr. Neveah Patel and her alien friends.

This one will go down to the wire before you will feel safe to take a breath, even if for only a second! Forget relaxing into this read, it’s a nail biter and terrifyingly too real!

Over-the-top action and characters with out-of-this-world implications!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Gallery Books!

Series: A Brit in the FBI - Book 6
Publisher: Gallery Books (March 26, 2019)
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
Genre: Thriller
Print Length: 464 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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I like my thrillers to be plausible, and in this case I was disappointed. While the premise of The Last Second was somewhat believable (megalomaniacal scientist outsmarts everyone and nearly destroys Earth), the execution was not. There were too many elements of fantasy (not even mentioning the actual Holy Grail), too many glib occurrences of skating past insurmountable obstacles in impossible time spans.

And the characters: Each of them was either all good, chipper, optimistic, inhumanly capable, or else unremittingly evil. No complexity. As I said, a disappointment. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy. Sorry I couldn't be more enthusiastic.

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I love this series between Catherine Coulter and J T Ellison , The Last Second is a fast paced. I am a sucker for any thing FBI . I have read all her books that involve this concept. The book covers ground from South America, to France, to an island in the Indian Ocean. Makes you want to visit in a sense.

Even thou i love anything FBU I was not sure I would like this particular book because the concept, its a little implausable. Dr Patel has a near death experience while in outer space. From there we follow the events of the aftermath is interesting, to say the least. It was a good read but not my favorite by these 2 authors.

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A rogue astronaut running a space program, nuclear EMP, and aliens? With FBI agents? Yep. Despite the incredibly implausible basic plot line, this is one heck of a thriller. Nicholas Drummond and Mikey Caine must save the world from Dr. Neavah Patel, who is on a quest to reunite with aliens. I know, I know. Go with it even if it seems silly. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This one is perfect for travel reading.

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This was okay. It was the story of an astronaut who has a terrible accident in space and is untethered during a space walk but manages to pull herself toward her fellow astronaut and be saved. She undergoes a psychotic break and begins conversations with space creatures called Numen who coax her into stealing plutonium and killing a few people. This is all done in the name of bringing peace to earth. The story is too long, could have been cut by 50 pages. On the plus side, the main characters are well developed and there is humor frequently enough to lighten things up. Although I wouldn't recommend this read, neither would I say avoid it. I found it rather slow and plodding but someone else might see it differently. (I posted this review on Goodreads and will post on Amazon when they accept reviews. Thank you for allowing me to read this galley.)

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The Last Second is a GREAT story, not quit what I expected, but definitely did NOT disappoint. You will stay very interested in the story....so don’t start reading if you have important stuff to be done. That important stuff won’t get done until the books over.
This is a series, number 6. I’ve read none of the others, yet, but I certainly plan on it. The characters are all GREAT!!! They’re very real and believable.
This is more a Sufi book, about going into space. While that’s not what I typically read, I’m VERY glad I read this one. Great great great story!!! Happy reading. :)

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I love this series. I have always been a fan of the Savich and Sherlock books, but I think this series is even better. Hope it continues for a long time to come!

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Catherine Coulter is an amazing author. I was not sure that I would like this book, but knowing her reputation, I took a chance. I enjoyed reading this book. There were times that I felt I could not put it down. Then there were couple of times that I felt that the book was just ok. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
This book revolves around Dr. Navaeh Patel. She is a former astronaut with a plan to take over the world. The last time she was in space she heard the voices of the Numen. She believes that they saved her from going into space when her tether failed. She will do anything for them. That includes setting off an electrical pulse in space to destroy all the satellites. Then her beloved Numen will come and deliver her.
Two Agents are in charge of the case. Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are in charge of finding out what is going on.
The book is filled with action and suspense. Sometimes Dr. Naveah Patel seems a little crazy but that would happen if someone started hearing voices in their head.
I enjoyed this book.

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This was a first read for me by these two Authors. I have to admit that once I started this one, I was afraid that it might be way over my head with all the technical terms that were thrown at us in the beginning. I pressed on and found that it was not as bad as what I had feared. I thought that Coulter and Ellison did a very good job with using all the technical terms but also making it to where the reader would still understand.

When Astronaut Nevaeh Patel is faced with the unimaginable on one of her first extravehicular excursions, she has to decide if what she heard and felt was for real or not. When Nevaeh's tether became severed she saw her life flash before her eyes. How was she going to get back to the ISS (International Space Station) when she was drifting further and further away from it. Just when she thought there was no hope, an alien voice that was so melodic spoke to her and she felt something push her back toward the ISS. Could this really be happening? When Nevaeh got back to Earth, she was questioned and put under hypnosis to try and catch her in a lie about the alien, but nothing could trip her up. When her story could not be swayed, she was permanently grounded and forced to find another job.

Nevaeh becomes an executive in a French company that sends satellites into orbit, Galactus. She has one goal in mind and that is to return to space so that she can speak with the aliens that she still believes she has conversations with. We also get to meet the FBI special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine, both part of the Covert Eyes Team. I loved the banter between all the characters in the book and thought that they each brought something special to the story.

You will have to go into this story with an open mind and just keep pressing on through it. I did enjoy it once I got to understanding everything that was going on. These two authors put together a great story and I look forward to more from them in the future. They make a great team!

I voluntarily read and reviews this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the authors and the publisher for a copy of this book.

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This is the sixth Brit in the FBI book by Catherine Coulter. I've read them all and they are all incredibly entertaining.

In this book, Nicholas Drummond is a former British agent now with the FBI who works his with his partner Michaela (Mick) Caine. They need to stop a former astronaut, who thinks she can talk to aliens, from disrupting world communications so she can "take over the world". The book is a mystery thriller in the truest sense of the word. Some of the scenarios are a little far-fetched, but in my opinion, they make the story more fun to read.

I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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For FBI Special Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine, recovering from their last adventure in saving the world has given them a few days of peace but when one of their friends is lost at sea on a regular security job, they leap into action and find they are in the middle of a case that will change the face of the world if it succeeds.

Former astronaut Dr. Nevaeh Patel is booted from the NASA program after an unexpected calamity when she was out on the International Space Station. Deemed crazy as she raved that aliens called the Numen, wanted to bring peace to the world when they saved her. Pushed from the world and a job that she has trained for over the years, Patel is determined to quiet the space above earth with an EMP attached to nuclear device on a satellite for the Numen and help remake the world into her favor. But as Drummond and Caine find out, all things are not as it seems when the fabled holy grail is found then stolen by Patel. With the clock ticking, they must stop Patel from activating the EMP and bringing about World War III.

THE LAST SECOND is a thrill ride from start to finish and these two authors deliver the thrills and chills with a breakneck speed that will leave you breathless. I love this series and find each book a thrill a minute as the cases Drummond and Caine get involved in are intriguing and unique. The series just gets better with each book and I love how the characters continue to grow with each book. Ms. Coulter and Ms. Ellison deliver lots of action scenes that left me gasping as I flipped the pages on my kindle. The mythology of the Holy Grail was intriguing one that added much to the other aspect of the storyline, the ‘aliens’ and their representative here on earth, Dr. Patel. The story starts off slow as we meet the new players in the series and catch up with Drummond and Caine who are taking a much-needed break after their last adventure almost killed them. This time going to help a friend leads them into a bigger mystery that leaves them nothing to do but see to it till the end. Full of amazing characters that fairly leap off the pages and a storyline that just keeps you glued to the edge of your seat, the reader is lost within the pages of THE LAST SECOND till the very end.

THE LAST SECOND delivers so much within the pages that you can not help but get sucked in. I couldn’t put this book down and I just loved all the twists and turns the characters took as they chased down leads to Patel and her evil plot to ‘quiet’ the world. These two authors are so good together in this series and I loved every minute of THE LAST SECOND. If you haven’t read A Brit in the FBI series, then I highly recommend it, though start at the beginning with book one, The Final Cut, as you get to meet all the main players and continue from there to the other books in the series. I am looking forward to seeing where these two authors go next in their next adventure for Drummond and Caine as well as the rest of the Covert Ops group of the FBI. Run-don’t walk-to the check this series out. You won’t want to miss all the fun times they get into and the unique cases they need to solve.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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The Last Second – Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Nicholas Drummond & Michaela Caine are back, as they become embroiled in a case that may result in the Earths destruction…

Astronaut Nevaeh Patel, formerly of NASA, is now the CEO and President of Galactus, a private company that has excelled in flawless launches into space. Grounded by NASA after experts disbelieved her story of extraterrestrial contact while on the International Space Station, Nevaeh has one goal – to either return to space, or to provide an opportunity for the Numen, a highly intelligent species that saved her from drifting off into space on a spacewalk, to descend to Earth. Is she truly in touch with other life? Or suffering from a psychiatric break??

It’s launch day at The Guiana Space Center, and the Galactus 5 rocket is on the pad and in its countdown. Unbeknownst to anyone, the payload, a satellite, has been loaded with plutonium, and Nevaeh has altered its trajectory. When the satellite doesn’t respond to ground control, it is presumed lost, due to a faulty system.

Meanwhile, Galactus owner Jean-Pierre Broussard is out on his yacht, the Griffon, in the Strait of Sumatra, where he has discovered the remains of the Flor de la Mer, a ship that sunk in these very waters over 500 years ago and was rumored to be carrying the Holy Grail. As the object of his search is brought to the deck and revealed, a traitor is drugging the evening meal, and the item is very quickly stolen, before a ballistic missile is fired that strikes the ship and her sleeping crew. Amongst the crew is Grant Thornton, friend of Nicholas & Mike, now missing and presumed dead with the disappearance of the Griffon from radar.

As Nicholas & Mike search desperately for the Griffon and their friend, the clock is ticking on Nevaeh’s plan to detonate a nuclear bomb in space. But can they put the pieces of the puzzle together in time?? A heart-pounding new thriller from the ‘Brit in the FBI’ series. This one will keep you up well into the night!! Great read!!

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