Meet Sam Barker, just a ordinary guy working in computers until one day on his way to work traveling through London's underground a terrorist bomb goes off. Sam escape with his life with just a few bruises and cracked ribs, many others have lost their lives. Whilst in hospital he has a visit from a friend telling him someone needs to speak to him about the attack. Instead of Sam going home or the police station Sam is blindfolded and is taken somewhere to meet the Firm. Sam is now working for the Firm. Sam has the skills to access information from the attack and secrets about the British Government, is Sam prepared to bring down the British Government to save his beloved country? A wonderful political thriller with plenty of twists and turns.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November..... this is a genius time to release this book, given the subject matters within those pages.  A terrorist attack, survivor's guilt, a potential conspiracy theory - could the government really be corrupt? And just who is "The Firm"?  There's a lot in this book that packs a punch and to keep people wanting to read more. I certainly wanted to keep reading on and on. If only I didn't have a job to go to, I'd have read it in one sitting. I never gasp at books, but I did when I started to read Absolution. It is a fantastically well conceived beginning with a terrorist on a London tube. So current and topical and written in a way that not only captures the imagination, it is written in a way that brings to to the forefront of the mind, that this has happened, could happen again and anyone could be there. I love that it isn't just any tube station, movements are very specific. For those living in or been to London before, it is easy to picture the Geography of it all. Sam Barker works for the IT department in the Home Office and also likes to go down the pub with friends and has a lover called Dee. I like that we get a good sense of the man and how ordinary life all seemed 6 weeks ago, where chapter 1 begins. It is interesting and also very real with cancelled leave as his department gets used for cyber crime, meaning he can't see his son in Edinburgh. The book then jumps to 2 weeks ago. The book does however flow really well and it is great concept and tool to use. The book also then moves to Edinburgh, a place I also know well. Adam Croft has done his research well. It's great how readers can find out a bit more about the relationship between him and Leila and his son. Chapter 3 takes reader to 1 week ago. As a result to the beginning, I felt the anticipation and tension, even though not written as everything seems relatively normal, as time was getting closer to what went before. Chapter 4 brings time to today with the location back in London. The contrast between a normal day changing into one of devastation is stark. The reactions feel real and natural. The atmosphere on the tube feels intense and I certainly feel a mix of emotions as I read on about the day that changed so many lives and especially Sam Barker's forever. The book explores survivor's guilt through Sam's character. Time in general is used very cleverly within this book. It adds to the tension and makes you want to read on. The book moves on and the organsation called "The Firm" is sinsterly intriguing as is reading about Abdul and a terrorist cell. The authors have made an interesting comment about how Sam could count on one hand only, the amount of people he knows where he lives. It's a quick sentence, but that packs a lot into it, so much that I can only hope that people think about the number of people they know and set about to change that and get to know more, but without the suspicion Sam has, who is still shocked by recent events. There are clever uses of the usual types of talks and articles that are published after a terrorist attack, that are echoed within this book. This is an excellent political thriller that will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end. I certainly was gripped. It has an excellent balance between the terrorism, political life and the more ordinary life. It has a great pace and is an excellent start to a new series featuring Sam Barker. It's one that will almost undoubtedly leave make an impression and a good one, but also a thought-provoking one at that. It is perhaps worth me mentioning that there will be an audiobook version of Absolution coming soon.  I recommend taking time to read the acknowledgements at the end. They are so interesting. I am now looking forward to the next book, whenever it is written, with a start like this one, who wouldn't want to read the next installment?! *With thanks to Adam Croft and his wife - Joanne for allowing me to review Absolution - the first book in his new series