When I read a Bourne book I expect action, deception and a story that does not let go. The Bourne Escape delivered all that. On the Mediterranean, Bourne and his lover Johanna are once again separated when their boat is attacked and blown up. Bourne comes to clutching debris but has once again lost his memory. Flashes lead him back to the village and doctor who treated him years earlier when he first lost his memory. An attack leaves the doctor dead and Bourne on the run. Shadow, the head of Treadstone and Bourne’s former lover, tracks him to Paris. She needs his help to find David Abbott, the founder of Treadstone. Shadow had helped him fake his death and he was in hiding. Now he has disappeared. Abbott raised Bourne after his parents’ death and trained him. Shadow also has a close relationship to Abbott and is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to find him. What Bourne does not know is that Johanna also survived the explosion. She and Shadow have been adversaries in the past. She must find Bourne before Shadow betrays him to save Abbott.

While Bourne is driven by instinct after the explosion, his past returns in flashes triggered by locations and faces. He has no memory of Johanna but knows that there was someone with him on the boat. When they finally reconnect, his priority is to find a way to be together. Johanna, however, has been keeping secrets from him that make her a target and Bourne is wanted by Putin for killing one of his agents. With the Russians and an assassin on their trail Bourne relies on his training, which tells him to trust no one. It is a chase across Europe with betrayals at every turn that ends in tragedy. It will leave you counting the days until Bourne returns. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this book.

It's kind of like Yogi Berra's deja vu all over again: Memory lost and found, falling in and out of love (and beds) and, of course, danger lurking in the doorways of every restaurant, hotel and "safe" house. If I'm honest, it's getting a teeny bit ho-hum after all this time (this is the 21st book in the series) - but on the other hand, I certainly can't say I wasn't on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

One thing I do like is that this installment brings together several of the characters from his past, some to haunt on-the-run former paid assassin Jason Bourne, others to love him, others to deceive him and still others to kill him outright (including no less than Russian President Vladimir Putin). After a period of relative calm with lover Johanna in which he regains some of the memories he's lost over a ton of previous books, his situation takes a dark turn when the boat they are on suddenly goes boom - taking Jason, Johanna with it.

When he's somehow rescued, he finds that the blast took his memories with it as well - so he's pretty much starting from scratch once again. Johanna, he believes, is dead. One memory that remains intact, sort of, is his former relationship with Treadstone and its founder, David Abbott - who's been dead for awhile. But turns out that's not true; when he reunites with Shadow, a beautiful woman who now heads up Treadstone, he learns the truth. His old mentor and employer - the man who made him the efficient assassin he is - is alive and missing, and his enemies will leave no stone unturned until they find him. If they find Jason in the process, so much the better.

Or, maybe it's Jason they really want. Shadow has betrayed Jason before; is she doing it again? One of Treadstone's rules was to "trust no one" - a rule that has so far kept Jason alive. But Shadow is relentless - and irresistible. When she reveals her secret reason for finding and rescuing Abbott, it makes sense - but is she telling the truth? And what, if anything, does her quest to find him have to do with a very powerful government leader?

It's all part of an intricate and deadly game - a common theme for the books in this series. This is another good one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Bourne Escape is a fast paced, action packed thriller that keeps you turning the pages. Jason Bourne is once again thrown into chaos after an explosion kills his lover Johanna and leaves him with memory loss. As assassins hunt him across Europe, Bourne must piece together what really happened and who he can trust.
The story brings back familiar characters from past books while introducing new twists and betrayals. Treadstone, the CIA, and powerful political players all have hidden agendas, making it hard to know who’s friend or foe. I really enjoyed the suspense and nonstop action, and the writing flows well.
Brian Freeman does a great job continuing the Bourne legacy. Even though some parts feel like they’re tying up loose ends, the story still feels fresh and exciting. If you enjoy spy thrillers and political intrigue, this one is worth picking up. A strong entry in the Bourne series!

The Bourne Escape is like many of the other books in this exciting series - breathtakingly fast paced and full of non-stop action, betrayal, double agents, plus romance. So much to enjoy and so thrilling to read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Well-written by Brian Freeman and published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2025, this is an action-packed thriller in the tradition of the Jason Bourne movies, which were highly entertaining.


This story begins with Jason Bourne (the protagonist who was originally named David Webb, but who now carries the code name “Cain”) and his current love, Johanna, aboard a boat anchored off the coast of France. They are being hunted. One team of hunters is assuredly Russian, at the orders of (Vladimir) Putin. His personal assassin, Lennon, was killed by Bourne and Putin wants revenge. The other hunters might well be Treadstone, the private intelligence organization for whom Jason Bourne once worked as an assassin and spy. The CIA might also be seeking him. Those familiar with the Bourne series of movies will recall that Bourne had previously lost his memory after being shot in the head. It happens again. After an intense firefight with a group of would-be assassins, the boat is sabotaged and explodes, hurling both Jason and Johanna into the stormy sea. Jason awakens floating on a piece of driftwood in the Mediterranean Sea. He has no idea whether Johanna has survived the explosion, and he does not see or hear her. Once again, he is rescued by French fishermen, and once again he makes his way to the same doctor who treated him the first time he was injured. At this point, the story is off and running with this new plot.

David Abbot, also known as The Monk, is the founder of Treadstone and was Jason’s personal mentor and initial trainer. That training duty was subsequently assigned to a man named Nash Rollins, who Jason will soon meet again. Treadstone is now being run by a woman whose code name is “Shadow” but whose real name is “Marlen.” She was very close to David Abbot. Abbot is believed to have been killed some years earlier, and Shadow was his primary assistant. She now runs the show at Treadstone but works closely with the current head of the CIA, a totally blind woman named “Holly Schultz,” who is working at the behest of a crooked congressman named Adam Hill. Hill is the Chinese version of the “Manchurian Candidate, a threat to the entire United States government. He is now the Vice President of the United States and is soon expected to become President. That’s a lot of powerful people who want Jason Bourne, and who want him dead. Can he escape? Did Johanna survive the explosion? Read the book to find out!

I found the book to be generally well-written. Most of the metaphors seemed to be appropriate, and the use of the English language is good. I noted one inconsistency: In Ukraine, Jason crosses an “untilled field — nothing but black dirt.” That would usually indicate that the field had been tilled but not, yet, planted. Even though this is an unedited, pre-release copy, I observed very few editing errors. This one is a page-turner, and I liked it. I award all five of the five available stars and recommend it to lovers of the genre, and of Jason Bourne stories.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC to this book in exchange for an honest review

The Jason Bourne saga is always a must read and when its being handled by Mr. Freeman, it is always a treat and a thrill ride. There is a part of me though that wonders as the last few books seem to be tying up question marks from the whole series, where the stories will go from here. I hope that the series does continue with the quality we have come to expect. Once again, this was a really fun read and I highly recommend it. 4-stars

I haven’t read a Jason Bourne book since the original trilogy written by Robert Ludlum so I didn’t really know what to expect with this 21st book in the series. Initially it was disappointing that the author was revisiting nearly the same trope from the first book, “Bourne Identity” but as I got into it and the pace of action drew me in I found it fascinating to revisit so many of the original characters. While I enjoyed the book, and there was definitely non-stop action, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just a bunch of intense action scenes strung together to create a story. That just went around in circles without going anywhere. Fans of the series will enjoy it. Strongly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced reader copy.

Vladimir Putin is determined to find and punish Jason Bourne after the Treadstone agent kills Putin’s assassin, a mole in the agency. Putin is not the only threat to Bourne. He has enemies at home as well as at Treadstone, in Washington D.C., and in the CIA. He does eventually get caught by Putin’s men who have been chasing him across Europe, thanks to a double cross by his boss at Treadstone. Bourne has a face to face sit down with Putin who decides to use him as a pawn in his war against Ukraine. Wait, you say, you’re going too fast? Well, speeding up the story in The Bourne Escape (it should really be Escapes) begins at the beginning and never lets up. Treadmill (sorry, I mean Treadstone. It just seems like the reader is on an exercise run) is back with all of its evil and evil characters.
In the event that you have not read The Bourne Vendetta, Book 20 in the series, or if you have, or simply have lost your memory, the plot picks up with Bourne floating on the wreckage of the boat he was on with Johanna, his lover, in the Mediterranean, attempting to escape the favorite bad guys of the books: assassins. Johanna is gone, as is, not for the first time, Bourne’s memory. He cannot trust anyone (his mantra) which is exacerbated by the names, faces, and events he is unable to recall.
The story involves a large cast of characters along with their aliases. Shadow, born Marlen but aka Monika Roth, Johanna, born Annie, David Abbott aka Monk, Vandal, born Sylene Jasper and Jason Bourne, born David Webb, aka Cain, along with the names on his half dozen passports. Abbott, the son of an auto industry billionaire, who had roots in the CIA, started a clandestine black ops intelligence service, Treadstone. Bourne lived with him for 10 years after his parents were killed as Abbott served as his mentor and recruited him for Treadstone, which is now headed by Shadow. Adam Hill, Vice President of the United States, had been a senator with a dark secret and now is a threat to his past victim and the man who loves her. He has been compromised due to his past actions and is now being threatened, as he sits on the House Intelligence Committee, in to passing secrets to the Chinese. Vandal is playing both sides as a double agent. She, too, was compromised after killing her husband and being sentenced to 20 years in prison and only assisted in becoming a prison escapee so that she could act as a Treadstone agent while acting as a spy for Holly Schultz of the CIA. Putin is not the only notable name mentioned. Former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance is mentioned as he is spotted in a photo cozying up to Abbott.
There are many more minor characters referred to or involved in the action including retired spies, mercenaries and past lovers. As in the past, an important motive behind all the action is the Files, an AI engine combined with a hacked database, developed by the Chinese and a threat (there are oh so many threats!) to lives and careers.
The reports of David Abbott’s death having been greatly exaggerated, Bourne must track him down. He was safely hidden away but placed himself in danger in an attempt to denounce the vice president and is now missing.
The settings include Italy, an island off the French coast, Washington D.C., Paris, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, and Bulgaria.
The Bourne Escape is more than a political thrilller. It is a summer escape. It is big screen, nonstop action on a paper page or digital page or as an audiobook. It is excessive, contrived, hammy, over-the-top and loads of fun. It’s for everyone. Men love a strong, invincible guy attractive to women and women love…..well, the same. How many injuries can one man survive? How many explosions? How many adversaries can one man outrun? How many times can you lose and retrieve your memory? Admit that you would like to find out. You can start the Jason Bourne series with Book 21. The author does a great job with bringing the reader up to speed without weighing down the story flow.
I would like to thank NetGalley for an advance copy of The Bourne Escape. This is my honest review of Brian Freeman’s book.

Absolutely couldn't put this down. It was a huge race through Europe and Greece and Bulgaria, I felt like I was there. Very vivid scenes on the Ukraine/Russia board. Read it in 2 days flat. Please, can I have another?!

The Bourne Escape felt like The Bourne Identity 2.0, which was a great book to start the Bourne series. The book reunites a lot of former characters from Jason's past and tells some background info about the years past till now. Can you trust anyone in the government or the 3 letter agencies?
All politicians and spies have their own agenda and will do everything/anything to achieve what they want, as Jason finds out...Don't Trust Anyone!
There is plenty of action throughout the book, a whole lot of lies/deceit, and an ending that is sad and good at the same time. Another Bourne novel on the way...YEA!! Thank you Brian Freeman for continuing the Bourne saga, Putnam Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I totally recommend
the latest Jason Bourne novel coming out in late July.

It is a Bourne action adventure. Jason Bourne continues to be unlucky in love, loses his memory and picks the wrong friends. Or does he? It follows in the series and references parts of other books but does it in a way that you don't feel like you are missing something if you haven't read that book or just don't remember. For a minute it felt like a tying up lose ends book but hang in there it gets interesting. It provides a few new twists on the characters and there is lots of action.

A scene that is familiar to Jason Bourne. He is on the Mediterranean Sea and he losses his memory. This time it is due to a firefight and a bomb that blows up his ship. Bourne retraces his steps back to the alcoholic doctor that helped his many years ago when he first lost his memory. As he begins to regain some of his memories, he comes to realize that his soulmate was also on the ship, may have perished when the bomb exploded. To make things even more complicated, his former boss and father figure, David Abbott, who Bourne thought was dead. Is alive and missing. The head of Treadstone, Shadow, makes contact, and asks Jason to help find Abbott.

I have to admit, after reading the first couple chapters where Jason Bourne loses his memory again, I thought this book was going to be awful. I thought having Bourne lose his memory again was cliche and repetitive. It turns out the concept grew on me, and I really enjoyed this installment in the series. There was enough variation to make this memory loss believable and different from the first time.

The book itself was fast paced, and provided a good amount of action. The dynamic between Bourne and Shadow was intriguing. You never knew if it was a love or hate relationship. There were a couple of nice twists during the story, and the ending was solid. It really wrapped up this storyline, and allows Jason Bourne to move on. I look forward to the next installment in the Jason Bourne Series. Thank you to NetGalley, Brian Freeman, and Penguin Group Putnam for a free advanced readers copy for an honest review.

Another good read in the Bourne series. I have not read all the books in the Bourne series and was able to follow the book easily. Lots of action and a fun read. Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Books for allowing me to review this book.

The Bourne Escape doesn't have Jason Bourne going after criminal masterminds, here he is dealing with office politics! Yes, even Treadstone operators cannot trust anyone else in the operation, yet they manage to work together when it suits their purpose. Otherwise they are often at odds. Credit author Brian Freeman for creating this Bourne novel with a different point of view. He adds interesting settings and dramatic battles to go with the cast of colorful characters.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Despite a plethora of action and several exciting scenes, I did not find this book compelling. The book is very similar to others in this series with Jason Bourne awakening one day to find he has amnesia. I also found it extremely disconcerting to have many of the major characters constantly referred to by different names —- Jason Bourne as David Webb and Cain —- Shadow as Marlen and Monika —- Johanna as Annie —- David Abbott as Monk. I cannot recommend this book to others but, nevertheless, thank NetGalley and Putnam for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

This book starts where the previous author ended with Bourne and Joanna escaping the world on a boat. Of course the world find them causing more and more problems. This book is mainly set in Europe and fills in a lot of backstory we’ve never known. Can’t wait for you to read it!

Brain Freeman writes his darkest and most thrilling bourne adventure yet as he retreads his past with a new twist. It’s a bold move and one that keeps a renewed interest in the series. While the retread is unconventional, it works to keep the momentum going.

Jason Bourne is back and if possible, better than ever.
When he and his lover Joanna are blown out of the water while cruising on their yacht in
the Mediterranean, he is rescued by a group of local fishermen who attempt to blackmail
him into paying them millions or risk being turned over to people who are looking
for him, he does what Jason Bourne does best: he overtakes them and goes hunting.
Having lost bits and pieces of his memory once again, as a result of the explosion at sea, he
starts looking for the people who were behind Joanna's death, while renewing old relationships
as he moves along, always in the shadows, just trying to stay alive.
Great story with non stop, riveting action and visits from characters in his past
who begin to reappear in his present, just as his memory also begins to.
Another fabulous Bourne thriller that you can not put down.
My only regret is not being able to give it 10 stars.
But I think I shall, anyway, right here:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐