OPERATION: Running Brook, a Rapid-Fire Spy Novel by Alex A. Jameson

By BestThrillers Staff / April 27, 2024 / Kimberly A. Biggerstaff / 2 minutes of reading

The Bottom Line: This rapid-fire spy novel features an irresistible premise and brims with ample doses of romance. 

A young woman wakes up at City Memorial Hospital with a broken ankle, a concussion, some abrasions on her hands and face – and no recollection of how she got there. The possessions in her hospital room reveal a flip phone and ten dollars, but no identification or credit cards. She knows only that her name might be Jamie.

Thankfully, she has left herself a well-marked trail of breadcrumbs leading to essential resources. Around her neck, she finds a locker key with the name of a local gym on it. In the locker she finds a safe, opened with her thumbprint, containing two thousand dollars and the key to a storage unit. At the storage facility, she finds a Harley-Davison and a vintage Mustang, both with keys in the ignition.

But not everything on the path to discovering her identity will come so easily. Much like Jason Bourne, she finds herself in mortal danger before she even knows who wants her dead. And fortunately, she hasn’t forgotten her military training. Despite not knowing her true identity yet, she finds she can outrun an assassin on a motorbike, hit a dime with a 380-caliber handgun from 25 yards, and – once she gets her cast off — is still fit enough to run for 20 minutes without stopping (That’s just for starters, she’ll discover additional learned skills throughout, including how to remove a bullet from a live body with nothing more than vodka and a small trauma kit). Her skills create plenty of high-tension scenes as she tries to stay alive long enough to recover all her memories and complete unfinished business.

Fans of author Kimberly A. Biggerstaff’s Rogov Romance series will be delighted to find a major character from that series as a core player in OPERATION: Running Brook (to reveal which one would be a major spoiler). As in earlier books, Jameson and Biggerstaff’s prose don’t linger for long on details or settings. The action-oriented plot moves from scene-to-scene quickly while spending ample time pondering the complications of romance while in public service. That includes time for new lovers, as Biggerstaff’s heroine is gifted at the art of seduction. Highlights are scenes in which she brims with emotion as she uncovers layers of her former life, before compartmentalizing them so she can get on with her mission.

Operation Running Brook: A Sam Barrett Novella, by Alex A. Jameson, is an engaging entry in the mystery and thriller genre, characterized by its swift pace and a compelling central storyline. The narrative revolves around Sam, a female protagonist grappling with amnesia following an accident. This intriguing premise of a lost identity sets the stage for a journey of self-discovery, propelling the narrative forward.

Jameson is adept at maintaining momentum, a crucial element for novellas, where brevity is key. The story immediately immerses the reader in the central mystery of Sam’s forgotten identity, maintaining this intrigue until the very end. This approach effectively hooks the reader, creating anticipation for a sequel. Although the novella primarily focuses on the richly developed character of Sam, offering an in-depth exploration through her perspective, it also leaves room for the secondary characters to be more fully realized in future works. This approach foregrounds Sam’s journey, setting the stage for potential expansion and deeper engagement with the supporting cast in subsequent narratives.

The novella’s efficient progression from point A to point B lays a solid foundation for the story, while also presenting an opportunity for future works to delve deeper into the intricacies of Sam’s psychological landscape. I feel such exploration could add further richness and depth to the narrative, enhancing the reader’s connection with Sam’s journey. Jameson succeeds in capturing the essential energy and suspense that fans of the thriller genre expect. The story’s pacing and central mystery are its strongest assets.

Operation Running Brook starts and ends on high notes, though I believe the supporting cast could benefit from further development to leave a more lasting impression on the reader. The story of Sam, or Jamie, stands out as a notable exception, leaving readers curious about her continued journey.

Pages: 126 | ASIN : B0B8L8ZZMX

Reviewed by Jon Michael Miller for Readers' Favorite

Operation: Running Brook by Alex A. Jameson is the first in a series of military-type stories titled The Sam Barrett Ops. Sam is short for Samantha, and in Running Brook, the tale opens as Sam has lost much of her memory. She wakes up in a hospital, her left foot in a cast, with muddy boots, $10, and no ID. Thus begins her odyssey to discover who she is. The first half of the novella involves this identity-seeking process during which we discover her to be highly intelligent, courageous, sensual, and good with guns and Harleys. The second part of the operation involves her becoming a personal security guard (an undercover Air Force assignment) for the daughter of the owner of a large military supply corporation specializing in body armor. This corporation may be selling the government defective equipment to increase its profits and, while protecting Brooke, it is Sam’s mission to find out.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the story. Alex A. Jameson does not mince words nor wax poetic. I liked the short, declarative sentences designed to perpetuate action, which is constant as Sam discovers who she is and then takes on a dangerous assignment that involves love affairs (straight and bi), guns, workouts, lockpicking, cybercrime, stakeouts, shooting ranges, secret meetings, self-defense lessons, office sex, drinking, kidnapping, sentimental reminiscences, Paris, disguises, tech savviness, spyware, shootings, deception, shell corporations, car chases, stabbings, car bombs, hot-wirings, military supply exhibitions, and family emotions—to name a few. Jameson’s military-like writing style is built for speed and clarity, though the plot twists kept me mentally alert. Albeit the focus is on Samantha, the author switches points of view with ease when necessary. Operation Running Brook made me want to read more in this exciting series.