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Ruthless
Nick White is the only person who can save Abigail Pierce. After uncovering a plot to have her killed, he attempts to warn her but instead puts himself squarely in the crosshairs. They know who he is, they know where he lives, they know how to get at his family.
Drawn into the conspiracy surrounding Abigail, Nick soon discovers the danger is bigger than he ever believed. Now he must uncover the truth to save her and himself. Gripping and intense, this novel is a twisted thrill ride from bestselling author John Rector.
270 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
286 people are currently reading
1019 people want to read
About the author
John Rector
23 books264 followersJohn Rector is the bestselling author of the novels Broken, The Ridge, The Cold Kiss, The Grove, Already Gone, Out of the Black, and Ruthless. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and has won several awards, including the International Thriller Award for his novella, Lost Things.
He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
June 30, 2015
Nick White is having a pretty crappy couple of months. He's lost his job; his efforts to make money as a card player are not going well, and his wife has recently kicked him out. So one can readily understand why the poor guy might be sitting in a bar on a rainy night, sucking down Scotch.
It appears that Nick's luck might finally be changing for the better, though, when an attractive blonde walks into the bar, steps over to Nick and asks, "Are you him?"
Nick decides that he has nothing to lose by playing along and responds by saying, "That depends. Are you her?"
This leads to some witty repartee, but it quickly becomes apparent that the two are talking past each other and that Nick has totally misjudged the situation. If he didn't realize it initially, he gets the picture pretty quickly when the blonde walks back out the door but not before giving him an envelope containing a flash drive, $20,000 in cash, and a photo of the young woman he's supposed to kill before he gets a second twenty thousand.
Once he gathers his wits and realizes what has just happened, Nick races out of the bar after the woman, but she has disappeared into the night and is nowhere to be seen. Totally confused, Nick returns to the bar, finishes his drink, and, of course, is still sitting there, dazed and confused, when the REAL hit man arrives and gets a good look at him.
Of course the logical thing for Nick to do would be to call the cops and turn the whole mess over to them, but then the story would stop dead in its tracks and we wouldn't have the guilty pleasure of watching poor Nick get put through the wringer.
John Rector is a master of taking ordinary people like Nick White, who are usually down on their luck anyhow, putting them into situations like this, letting them make the wrong decisions, usually one after another, and then letting it all play out. It's always great fun watching him do this and Ruthless is a very worthy successor to Rector's earlier books like The Cold Kiss and The Grove.
Suffice it to say that Nick decides not to go to the police but that he should at least warn the young woman who has been targeted for death. And as any fan of noir fiction knows, that means that the excrement is about to hit the fan. This is a book with any number of diabolical twists and turns, one that will keep readers turning the pages very quickly. It's a great summer read.
It appears that Nick's luck might finally be changing for the better, though, when an attractive blonde walks into the bar, steps over to Nick and asks, "Are you him?"
Nick decides that he has nothing to lose by playing along and responds by saying, "That depends. Are you her?"
This leads to some witty repartee, but it quickly becomes apparent that the two are talking past each other and that Nick has totally misjudged the situation. If he didn't realize it initially, he gets the picture pretty quickly when the blonde walks back out the door but not before giving him an envelope containing a flash drive, $20,000 in cash, and a photo of the young woman he's supposed to kill before he gets a second twenty thousand.
Once he gathers his wits and realizes what has just happened, Nick races out of the bar after the woman, but she has disappeared into the night and is nowhere to be seen. Totally confused, Nick returns to the bar, finishes his drink, and, of course, is still sitting there, dazed and confused, when the REAL hit man arrives and gets a good look at him.
Of course the logical thing for Nick to do would be to call the cops and turn the whole mess over to them, but then the story would stop dead in its tracks and we wouldn't have the guilty pleasure of watching poor Nick get put through the wringer.
John Rector is a master of taking ordinary people like Nick White, who are usually down on their luck anyhow, putting them into situations like this, letting them make the wrong decisions, usually one after another, and then letting it all play out. It's always great fun watching him do this and Ruthless is a very worthy successor to Rector's earlier books like The Cold Kiss and The Grove.
Suffice it to say that Nick decides not to go to the police but that he should at least warn the young woman who has been targeted for death. And as any fan of noir fiction knows, that means that the excrement is about to hit the fan. This is a book with any number of diabolical twists and turns, one that will keep readers turning the pages very quickly. It's a great summer read.
June 6, 2016
Ruthless is aptly named. It will ruthlessly steal your time, your sleep, your other priorities, and you won't know what hit you until you come crashing and gasping into the last brilliant page. Rector’s gorgeous, streamlined prose goes down like a fine single malt. A breathless, ruthlessly-efficient thriller that is not to be missed.
January 12, 2016
This new book became conveniently available right in the middle of my mini-binge of some of John Rector's great books. I received an advanced copy of this upcoming novel through NetGalley for an honest review. I've been pretty excited about Rector, who writes tense noir tales that recall the classics in the genre. If he was writing back in the 50's and 60's, his work would totally be published by Gold Medal, Ace, or Signet. This latest novel, Ruthless, with it's case of mistaken identity and ticking clock, would fit right in with Cornell Woolrich's work.
Nick White is broke and recently dumped by his wife, so he's drinking his sorrows away in his local bar, while taking shelter from the rain. Then a sexy blonde fatale in black walks in, mistakes him for a hitman, drops a large sum of money and a picture of the beautiful target on his lap and walks out. Now, not only is the real hitman after him for the dough, but Nick's conscience gets the best of him and he's in a race against time to save the girl in the photo before it's too late.
It's a great set-up that is just ripe for tension and suspense, and for some of it Rector delivers as usual! But there are some narrative decisions made that slow down the urgency and weaken the ticking clock element. And the third act reveals were a bit disappointing to me and the narrative started to fall apart a little at that point. The simpler, more narrowly-focused scope of his other books like The Cold Kiss and Lost Things worked better for me than the choices here. But Rector's usual tight and urgent writing style is on display here, and I'm still excited to continue reading the rest of the author's work.
Nick White is broke and recently dumped by his wife, so he's drinking his sorrows away in his local bar, while taking shelter from the rain. Then a sexy blonde fatale in black walks in, mistakes him for a hitman, drops a large sum of money and a picture of the beautiful target on his lap and walks out. Now, not only is the real hitman after him for the dough, but Nick's conscience gets the best of him and he's in a race against time to save the girl in the photo before it's too late.
It's a great set-up that is just ripe for tension and suspense, and for some of it Rector delivers as usual! But there are some narrative decisions made that slow down the urgency and weaken the ticking clock element. And the third act reveals were a bit disappointing to me and the narrative started to fall apart a little at that point. The simpler, more narrowly-focused scope of his other books like The Cold Kiss and Lost Things worked better for me than the choices here. But Rector's usual tight and urgent writing style is on display here, and I'm still excited to continue reading the rest of the author's work.
April 11, 2015
RUTHLESS is a classic wrong-man tale oozing noir and dripping in conspiracy and sinister motives - all of which become more paramount as the plot unfolds. There is a real sense of mystery with the truth hidden in a dense brume that envelopes the quarry, Abigail - a young women marked for death, and Nick, the right man in the wrong place.
From a drunken case of mistaken identity, Nick is given 20k and a photo with a simple message - to murder Abigail. The contract initiated over a drunken encounter at a bar Nick frequents. Problem is, Nick, isn't a hitman, and the employer, a shady blonde with a thirst for a drop of the hard stuff doesn't give him time to right her wrong.
The plot takes a turn for the familiar from here on in with Nick tracking down Abigail and slowly piecing together who his 'employer' is and why a contract has been put out on this young woman's head. As, author John Rector teases the reader with reason, you do get a sense that there is something Abigail isn't telling her surprise white knight.
RUTHLESS is a great fast paced read that really hits the right cords for the sort of fiction I consume. There is a moment where the script is turned on its head that is simply good writing. What stops RUTHLESS from being on of my top reads is the ending - it felt as thought the story stopped short and then turned another direction without really enhancing what was a highly enjoyable read.
This review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
From a drunken case of mistaken identity, Nick is given 20k and a photo with a simple message - to murder Abigail. The contract initiated over a drunken encounter at a bar Nick frequents. Problem is, Nick, isn't a hitman, and the employer, a shady blonde with a thirst for a drop of the hard stuff doesn't give him time to right her wrong.
The plot takes a turn for the familiar from here on in with Nick tracking down Abigail and slowly piecing together who his 'employer' is and why a contract has been put out on this young woman's head. As, author John Rector teases the reader with reason, you do get a sense that there is something Abigail isn't telling her surprise white knight.
RUTHLESS is a great fast paced read that really hits the right cords for the sort of fiction I consume. There is a moment where the script is turned on its head that is simply good writing. What stops RUTHLESS from being on of my top reads is the ending - it felt as thought the story stopped short and then turned another direction without really enhancing what was a highly enjoyable read.
This review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
June 13, 2015
I've been reading more and more mysteries and thrillers these days. This isn't my usual genre of choice, but the plot of this one really caught my eye and it was definitely worth the read.
Imagine someone handing you an envelope with a lot of money in and a flash drive with photos of a woman on it.
This was a fast paced book that is perfect for a lazy summer day when you want to get caught up in a book. The events that transpire after a night at the bar for Nick will keep you reading until the last page
This is a book where everything really isn't quite what it seems on any account and that includes Nick. Like a lot of the thrillers that I've read recently, he's a bit of screw up. OK, he is a f-up and he lands in way over his head when he pretends to be someone he isn't.
As a result he ends up getting mixed up with Abby and things just get more and more interesting from there. You never know who is lying or who wants what and that's why it is impossible to put this book down.
The only thing that bugged me about this book was Nick's father, Charlie. I liked him, but as far as a man with emphysema is concerned, if he is on oxygen, he isn't at the beginning stages of the disease, he's either stage 4 or End Stage and even then, he wouldn't necessarily need a nurse coming in to take care of him. (Unless, he was in the final stages of the disease) This only bugged me, because I lived with it for 4 years with my father. So I know that it was off.
I find it hard to review thrillers, because I don't want to give much away, but this is definitely a great read and if, like me, you don't usually read thrillers, this one might be a good one to read, to step out of your comfort zone.
Abby made me think of Amy from Gone Girl. So that might give you a clue on the type of character she is.
This was a great summer read!
Imagine someone handing you an envelope with a lot of money in and a flash drive with photos of a woman on it.
This was a fast paced book that is perfect for a lazy summer day when you want to get caught up in a book. The events that transpire after a night at the bar for Nick will keep you reading until the last page
This is a book where everything really isn't quite what it seems on any account and that includes Nick. Like a lot of the thrillers that I've read recently, he's a bit of screw up. OK, he is a f-up and he lands in way over his head when he pretends to be someone he isn't.
As a result he ends up getting mixed up with Abby and things just get more and more interesting from there. You never know who is lying or who wants what and that's why it is impossible to put this book down.
The only thing that bugged me about this book was Nick's father, Charlie. I liked him, but as far as a man with emphysema is concerned, if he is on oxygen, he isn't at the beginning stages of the disease, he's either stage 4 or End Stage and even then, he wouldn't necessarily need a nurse coming in to take care of him. (Unless, he was in the final stages of the disease) This only bugged me, because I lived with it for 4 years with my father. So I know that it was off.
I find it hard to review thrillers, because I don't want to give much away, but this is definitely a great read and if, like me, you don't usually read thrillers, this one might be a good one to read, to step out of your comfort zone.
Abby made me think of Amy from Gone Girl. So that might give you a clue on the type of character she is.
This was a great summer read!
June 18, 2015
Ruthless appears to be a straight murder for money plot, only with a twist, the hitman who took the money and the job was not a hitman, he was only pretending to be one. When the real hitman enters the picture, enraged and looking for Nick, our fake hitman, things are starting to go sideways. Does Nick leave to protect himself? Oh no! He instead drives to the targets house, where they are both attacked by the hitman and his cronies, Nick is forced to return the money, and Nick and the target must complete a task for the hitman within 24 hours, returning to the hitman to verify the delivery. If they do not comply in any way, the hitman will kill them both and kill Nick's soon to be ex-wife.
Nick, having an inquisitive mind, and having been raised by a detective can't help digging into motives, history and bad behaviour. The result is a thundering good tale that smacks you in the face at the end with a well thought out twist after a full rollercoaster ride of a story. We have a squad of killers who are not only professional, but violent, efficient, resourceful and threatening. We have our target, her evil stepmother, the target's dying billionaire father, the target's felonious, scientist, birth mother and Nick, the ever curious good guy who will do the right thing even if it gets his butt in hot water. What exciting plots could you put together with a cast like that?
If you like mysteries, especially the type of mysteries where a good guy is approached by an attractive stranger with an unlikely business proposition that leads to all types of chaos, then let me recommend Ruthless.
Nick, having an inquisitive mind, and having been raised by a detective can't help digging into motives, history and bad behaviour. The result is a thundering good tale that smacks you in the face at the end with a well thought out twist after a full rollercoaster ride of a story. We have a squad of killers who are not only professional, but violent, efficient, resourceful and threatening. We have our target, her evil stepmother, the target's dying billionaire father, the target's felonious, scientist, birth mother and Nick, the ever curious good guy who will do the right thing even if it gets his butt in hot water. What exciting plots could you put together with a cast like that?
If you like mysteries, especially the type of mysteries where a good guy is approached by an attractive stranger with an unlikely business proposition that leads to all types of chaos, then let me recommend Ruthless.
March 22, 2015
Got the ARC from netgalley, thanks! and what a great book, Rector is back to form with this thriller! Everything about the book was top notch, great characters, action and very suspenseful, just what i needed, a quick thrilling book i couldnt put down.
June 3, 2015
I loved this book. And that surprised me. Not my normal choice, but a recommendation by one of my favorite authors had me starting it. And I'm so glad I did. Thank you Mr. Crouch. I couldn't put it down. From start to finish it kept me on edge.
June 18, 2015
Here is a link to my review: http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
May 28, 2015
I had only ever previously read a John Rector novella, which I enjoyed but have read a lot of good things regarding his writing, from his contemporaries, so when I saw his latest release on 'special offer' on Amazon Kindle I thought it was about time I delved further into his canon.
Nick is an unemployed journalist and while sitting drinking in his 'local', he is approached by a slightly drunk female and he decides to play along with her, thinking that she thinks he is her blind date. However it turns out that she believes Nick to be the hitman that she has hired to carry out a job for her. She leaves before Nick can correct his mistake and he is left with an envelope containing $20,000 and details of the proposed victim. Before leaving the bar Nick is also 'clocked' by the real hitman and thus must decide what to do. Instead of going to the Police, he consults his ex-Policeman father, who is now housebound through illness, and they decide to try and resolve the situation themselves by making the victim, Abigail aware of what's going on.
I must admit that I found it difficult rating and reviewing this book having just previously finished reading two five star classic novels and found this one slightly disappointing. There is obviously a bit of tension in the various situations that Nick and Abigail face but between these, they seem to always find time to kick back and have a few drinks, which I found strange behaviour in their circumstances. There are also a couple of nice twists that take the novel into a science fiction/conspiracy theory theme. Also on the positive side, Rector keeps the character true to his nature, as he is not an 'action hero' and he doesn't try to match the hitmen with violence but tries to reason with them. However because of this we don't get a big explosive climax but rather Nick just decides to withdraw from society and make himself invisible, while continuing to track any future events, possibly leaving the ending open for a sequel.
Nick is an unemployed journalist and while sitting drinking in his 'local', he is approached by a slightly drunk female and he decides to play along with her, thinking that she thinks he is her blind date. However it turns out that she believes Nick to be the hitman that she has hired to carry out a job for her. She leaves before Nick can correct his mistake and he is left with an envelope containing $20,000 and details of the proposed victim. Before leaving the bar Nick is also 'clocked' by the real hitman and thus must decide what to do. Instead of going to the Police, he consults his ex-Policeman father, who is now housebound through illness, and they decide to try and resolve the situation themselves by making the victim, Abigail aware of what's going on.
I must admit that I found it difficult rating and reviewing this book having just previously finished reading two five star classic novels and found this one slightly disappointing. There is obviously a bit of tension in the various situations that Nick and Abigail face but between these, they seem to always find time to kick back and have a few drinks, which I found strange behaviour in their circumstances. There are also a couple of nice twists that take the novel into a science fiction/conspiracy theory theme. Also on the positive side, Rector keeps the character true to his nature, as he is not an 'action hero' and he doesn't try to match the hitmen with violence but tries to reason with them. However because of this we don't get a big explosive climax but rather Nick just decides to withdraw from society and make himself invisible, while continuing to track any future events, possibly leaving the ending open for a sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2015
This book starts off really well. Nick goes into a bar, a woman enters and mistakes him for someone else, he plays along. This turns out to be a big mistake as she leaves before he has chance to rectify the error. This would have been all well and good but before she left, she handed him an envelope full of cash and a photo of someone he has to kill. If this wasn't enough, the real recipient of the envelope enters the bar before Nick has chance to leave and from then on in it is Nick avoiding the bad guys whilst also trying to warn the intended victim. To top all that, there is some data also in the envelope which contains details about biological/genetic experiments that were carried out back in the day. This is where the book gets weird.
Don't get me wrong, the characters are great, the writing style is easy to read and the story has promise. There are some good twists and turns. Who is good, who is bad, who can you trust? Throw in a sick ex-cop father trying to help Nick and an ex-wife getting caught up in the middle of things leading to quite an action packed noir-feeling middle section. Then we get to the ending and here I just felt a little let down. For a book described as a novel, not the start of a series nor book one of a trilogy, I feel it didn't end properly. I have read many books where I have had questions about what happened next, but never as many and as key as with this book. Even if the story does carry on in other books, I feel that this episode could have ended much better than it did.
All that said, I did enjoy most of the book. I found the author's style to be very easy to read and the characterisation very well done and so I would be happy to read more by this author. Especially if he decided to write the rest of this story as I did find the premise to be novel and quite interesting.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Don't get me wrong, the characters are great, the writing style is easy to read and the story has promise. There are some good twists and turns. Who is good, who is bad, who can you trust? Throw in a sick ex-cop father trying to help Nick and an ex-wife getting caught up in the middle of things leading to quite an action packed noir-feeling middle section. Then we get to the ending and here I just felt a little let down. For a book described as a novel, not the start of a series nor book one of a trilogy, I feel it didn't end properly. I have read many books where I have had questions about what happened next, but never as many and as key as with this book. Even if the story does carry on in other books, I feel that this episode could have ended much better than it did.
All that said, I did enjoy most of the book. I found the author's style to be very easy to read and the characterisation very well done and so I would be happy to read more by this author. Especially if he decided to write the rest of this story as I did find the premise to be novel and quite interesting.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2015
Ruthless by John Rector is a highly recommended crime novel that pulls off the feeling of a vintage noir novel in a contemporary setting.
Nick White is down on his luck man who is separated from his wife and drinks too much. While having a drink at his favorite bar a blond woman he does not know mistakes him for someone she is supposed to meet. Nick flirtatiously plays along for fun and she ends up giving him a manila envelope meant for the other man. The envelope contains $20,000, a flashdrive, and the picture of the young woman she wants gone. Nick tries to contact the police, but when circumstances result in the hired killer who was supposed to get the envelope spotting Nick and getting his address, he flees.
Nick eventually, with help from his ex-cop father, figures out the young woman in the picture is Abigail Pierce, and the woman who hired him is Patricia Holloway. They both have a connection to Daniel Holloway, and Nick thinks he knows why Patricia wants Abigail killed. Instead of leaving and hiding out for a while as his father suggested, Nick decides to warn Abigail and soon they are both clearly in danger from a trio of ruthless killers.
Ruthless is a fast paced thriller where the action moves quickly along (except for the variety of occasions where Nick takes a lot of time to drink) so there is a real sense of urgency. Nick is basically a likeable protagonist who is trying to do the right thing and save Abigail, even though he doesn't quite know the best way to proceed and is clearly not a match for the men threatening them. The hired killers are creepy-old-school and very sinister and threatening which keeps the tension high. Rector throws in a nice plot twist that raises the narrative above a routine scenario.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
Nick White is down on his luck man who is separated from his wife and drinks too much. While having a drink at his favorite bar a blond woman he does not know mistakes him for someone she is supposed to meet. Nick flirtatiously plays along for fun and she ends up giving him a manila envelope meant for the other man. The envelope contains $20,000, a flashdrive, and the picture of the young woman she wants gone. Nick tries to contact the police, but when circumstances result in the hired killer who was supposed to get the envelope spotting Nick and getting his address, he flees.
Nick eventually, with help from his ex-cop father, figures out the young woman in the picture is Abigail Pierce, and the woman who hired him is Patricia Holloway. They both have a connection to Daniel Holloway, and Nick thinks he knows why Patricia wants Abigail killed. Instead of leaving and hiding out for a while as his father suggested, Nick decides to warn Abigail and soon they are both clearly in danger from a trio of ruthless killers.
Ruthless is a fast paced thriller where the action moves quickly along (except for the variety of occasions where Nick takes a lot of time to drink) so there is a real sense of urgency. Nick is basically a likeable protagonist who is trying to do the right thing and save Abigail, even though he doesn't quite know the best way to proceed and is clearly not a match for the men threatening them. The hired killers are creepy-old-school and very sinister and threatening which keeps the tension high. Rector throws in a nice plot twist that raises the narrative above a routine scenario.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
June 17, 2015
Talk about fast paced – this book started off strong, ended strong, and didn’t have any downtime in between. It’s been awhile that I read a book in just a few sittings, but this one had me hooked, and had I not needed sleep, I could have easily finished in just one.
I like how Nick White, trying to be witty and funny, as I’m sure we all do sometimes, found that he did that at the exact wrong time, with the wrong person. A man used to trusting his gut, soon knew this was not just witty banter with Patricia Holloway but was too far in to get out.
Nick White seemed to be your typical guy. Separated from his wife, just trying to get by, he found himself mistaken for a hitman while drowning his sorrows over a drink one night in Mickey’s, his usual watering hole. His emotions getting the better of him when he sees a beautiful young woman’s life at risk, he soon is on the run doing things he never dreamed of. I love it when a book can put the reader in a position to think what they would do if that happened to them.
Quick read, on the edge of my seat (well bed where I usually read!) Only complaint is that when we get into the “why” part of the book – I felt it got a little too high level for the book. Definitely unexpected and not unwelcome – just a bit more than I think the book needed to go. But overall fun read, great characters, don’t miss this summer read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to preview!
http://mydogearedpurpose.com/2015/06/...
I like how Nick White, trying to be witty and funny, as I’m sure we all do sometimes, found that he did that at the exact wrong time, with the wrong person. A man used to trusting his gut, soon knew this was not just witty banter with Patricia Holloway but was too far in to get out.
Nick White seemed to be your typical guy. Separated from his wife, just trying to get by, he found himself mistaken for a hitman while drowning his sorrows over a drink one night in Mickey’s, his usual watering hole. His emotions getting the better of him when he sees a beautiful young woman’s life at risk, he soon is on the run doing things he never dreamed of. I love it when a book can put the reader in a position to think what they would do if that happened to them.
Quick read, on the edge of my seat (well bed where I usually read!) Only complaint is that when we get into the “why” part of the book – I felt it got a little too high level for the book. Definitely unexpected and not unwelcome – just a bit more than I think the book needed to go. But overall fun read, great characters, don’t miss this summer read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to preview!
http://mydogearedpurpose.com/2015/06/...
June 1, 2015
In Ruthless, Nick is sitting in a bar when he is approached by a woman and is faced with a dilemma. The woman mistakes him for a hit man and gives him a photo with 20 grand in an envelope. Should he phone the police, keep the money and run, or warn the intended victim? I was really intrigued by this scenario. What would you do?
While this wasn't a "hold your breath" thriller, it was a good mystery that did hold my interest all the way through. I read it in one sitting as I was eager to figure out what the heck was going on. It seemed that everyone was lying and the trick was to figure out who and why. I definitely was surprised at the truth of the situation. It wasn't what I suspected!
I do wish that the book was a bit longer. I would have like to know a bit more about Nick and his past. I felt like I was missing out on some details. I did like his character as he seemed like a good guy who was just trying to do the right thing in the end. I'm not sure if this is a stand alone book or not. I'm hoping it isn't because I felt the ending was a bit open ended. I would have like a little more resolution. I say give this one a try. It was an entertaining read.
While this wasn't a "hold your breath" thriller, it was a good mystery that did hold my interest all the way through. I read it in one sitting as I was eager to figure out what the heck was going on. It seemed that everyone was lying and the trick was to figure out who and why. I definitely was surprised at the truth of the situation. It wasn't what I suspected!
I do wish that the book was a bit longer. I would have like to know a bit more about Nick and his past. I felt like I was missing out on some details. I did like his character as he seemed like a good guy who was just trying to do the right thing in the end. I'm not sure if this is a stand alone book or not. I'm hoping it isn't because I felt the ending was a bit open ended. I would have like a little more resolution. I say give this one a try. It was an entertaining read.
July 17, 2015
I have read one other book by this author which I loved.
I had high hopes for this one but for me it was more of a cat and mouse type read.
Its not a straight forward 'hit man' book, it has much more depth to it, however, it didn't keep me focused like I wish it would have.
I actually found myself drifting sometimes and having to shake myself back into focusing on the pages.
As any of this authors books are, they are said to be great, and I can honestly say that the one other book I read was, but this one was not 'doing it' for me.
It reminds me of Colombo or that sort of TV programme, The Avengers, way back in the 60's 70's style of writing which is not altogether bad, but just a tiny bit predictable.
I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer via Net Galley for my copy and a chance to read it.
June 9, 2015
Quick and intense edge of your seat unputdownable thrill ride. I don't want to say a whole lot because any explanation of plot points other than in the description could spoil the story for the reader. I went into this one without even reading what the book was about. There are certain authors I put in this category and John are for is one of them. It doesn't matter what the book is about, I'm reading it. This one did not disappoint. I did have part of the story figured out at an early part in the story, but Rector stuck the knife in and gave it another twist at the end. If you enjoyed Rector's earlier work, definitely grab this one ASAP.
June 4, 2015
Nick is sitting at the bar when a mysterious lady comes in and sits beside him. She hands him an envelope full of cash and asked him to perform a service. She has obviously mistaken him for someone else. Does he do what she has asked him to do? Another great whirlwind novel by Rector and a short read at under 300 pages.
May 15, 2016
Great book! While I knew the big twists before they happened, the book was still enjoyable. There are a couple of things the author does in all of his books that annoy me (writing OK instead of ok or okay, for example), but I still love his style and his work. The story was great, and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.
May 27, 2015
Not great. This book started well, with a classic 'wrong man in wrong place' situation, and for a while it got quite interesting, with potential conspiracy theories and cover ups. However, this was hashed a little in favour of tired plot twists and predictable endings. Not one I'd rush to read.
September 24, 2024
Me demoré un exceso de tiempo aunque era mega corto.
Sufro leyendo esto, no que era malísimo, si no que pasaban cosas que no tenían nada que ver. Ni siquiera era como un plot twist, solo te dejaba tratando de entender porque había pasado.
Aunque entiendo que el final sea de betrayal no lo hizo mejor ni peor, no tuvo sentido. Pusieron la historia del proyecto en las últimas 50 páginas y no hubo una conexión coherente entre los eventos. La trama tenía mucho potencial pero plenamente lo escribió mal
Lo más raro fue la relación entre Abby y Nick. Ni se porque se me quedó la idea que Abby tenía menos de 18 y nick minimo 30. Aunque dijeron que ella era un adulto legal y tenía como 20 me la imaginaba como una niña de 16 asustada que ni sabía donde estaba parada. Por alguna razón no me entro la idea que quería demostrar el autor. Más encima la escena donde supuestamente lo torturan y a la wna le quitan el sosten y le hacen un corte en la tta?? Porque de todo lo que podían hacer para torture deciden hacerle eso? Para mi es un fetiche raro del autor.
Por último, lo más raro era el supuesto romance entre ellos dos, para mi habían mínimo 10 años de diferencia,pero porq Nick lo disfrutaba en vez de pararla…
En fin, leí este libro porque Blake crouch dijo que era buenisimo y en verdad no lo fue.
Sufro leyendo esto, no que era malísimo, si no que pasaban cosas que no tenían nada que ver. Ni siquiera era como un plot twist, solo te dejaba tratando de entender porque había pasado.
Aunque entiendo que el final sea de betrayal no lo hizo mejor ni peor, no tuvo sentido. Pusieron la historia del proyecto en las últimas 50 páginas y no hubo una conexión coherente entre los eventos. La trama tenía mucho potencial pero plenamente lo escribió mal
Lo más raro fue la relación entre Abby y Nick. Ni se porque se me quedó la idea que Abby tenía menos de 18 y nick minimo 30. Aunque dijeron que ella era un adulto legal y tenía como 20 me la imaginaba como una niña de 16 asustada que ni sabía donde estaba parada. Por alguna razón no me entro la idea que quería demostrar el autor. Más encima la escena donde supuestamente lo torturan y a la wna le quitan el sosten y le hacen un corte en la tta?? Porque de todo lo que podían hacer para torture deciden hacerle eso? Para mi es un fetiche raro del autor.
Por último, lo más raro era el supuesto romance entre ellos dos, para mi habían mínimo 10 años de diferencia,pero porq Nick lo disfrutaba en vez de pararla…
En fin, leí este libro porque Blake crouch dijo que era buenisimo y en verdad no lo fue.
May 1, 2018
I loved John Rector's books as they throw you straight into the action, keep you turning the pages until the (usually) violent finish and then have a cracking twist somewhere down the line. However, for some reason this one didn't grab me the way the others have. It felt maybe too same-y to some of his other novels or perhaps I needed more "oomph" in it. I certainly still fell for the twist though, completely falling for Abby's charms (silly me) but it didn't carry as much bite as I was expecting and after the car crash it felt like it all untangled in a way that tied up no loose ends at all.
Still a good book and still a great writer, this one just isn't up there as my fave.
Still a good book and still a great writer, this one just isn't up there as my fave.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2018
Ruthless starts with an interesting premise, a regular Joe being handed an envelope full of money and information in exchange for him doing a service for the presenter of the package. Problem is, the regular Joe is not the guy who was supposed to be at the clandestine meeting. Sounds fun and it could have been. But it wasn't.
There so many problems with this book, from the author using every cliche and stereotype he can think of, to just uninventive writing. I saw every single " twist and turn" coming for miles. Bummer that the writing didn't live up to the initial idea of the book.
There so many problems with this book, from the author using every cliche and stereotype he can think of, to just uninventive writing. I saw every single " twist and turn" coming for miles. Bummer that the writing didn't live up to the initial idea of the book.
August 16, 2018
Scotch, please, if you have it!
Good development of multi-faceted characters, just like real people! I especially want to know more about Charlie, maybe the most interesting character. Pretty well crafted plot, not as far fetched as you might think at first blush. I cannot see any reason to set this story in Denver, rather than Chicago or Seattle. Perhaps Mr. Rector could throw in some local references to make the story more grounded. Overall, pretty good!
Good development of multi-faceted characters, just like real people! I especially want to know more about Charlie, maybe the most interesting character. Pretty well crafted plot, not as far fetched as you might think at first blush. I cannot see any reason to set this story in Denver, rather than Chicago or Seattle. Perhaps Mr. Rector could throw in some local references to make the story more grounded. Overall, pretty good!
January 15, 2020
FREE W/PRIME
NICK’S NOT A VERY LIKABLE CHARACTER, I AM TRYING TO. THIS BOOK HAS SAT ON MY TO READ SHELF FOR QUITE AWHILE. I REALLY DIDN’T CARE FOR THE COVER, COULDN’T FIGURE OUT JUST WHAT IT WAS (A LEAF OR A SNAKE). AFTER READING IT I CAN NOW ADD THAT I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE STORY LINE. I DID FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WAY BEFORE NICK DID. I JUST COULDN’T LIKE NICK OR MOST OF THE CHARACTERS AND THE ENDING IT SEEMED THAT SOMETHING MORE COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED, SORT OF INCOMPLETE. ;<
NICK’S NOT A VERY LIKABLE CHARACTER, I AM TRYING TO. THIS BOOK HAS SAT ON MY TO READ SHELF FOR QUITE AWHILE. I REALLY DIDN’T CARE FOR THE COVER, COULDN’T FIGURE OUT JUST WHAT IT WAS (A LEAF OR A SNAKE). AFTER READING IT I CAN NOW ADD THAT I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE STORY LINE. I DID FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WAY BEFORE NICK DID. I JUST COULDN’T LIKE NICK OR MOST OF THE CHARACTERS AND THE ENDING IT SEEMED THAT SOMETHING MORE COULD HAVE BEEN ADDED, SORT OF INCOMPLETE. ;<
May 3, 2019
Decently suspenseful, a lot of little stuff that drove me nuts
Initially I loved the plot of this, and kind of did off and on as I went. However the more I got into the plot, the more unnecessary twists it had? Parts were a little too out there, and there is a weird scene that describes an assault a little too sexually for me. I don’t regret it, but not a favorite.
Initially I loved the plot of this, and kind of did off and on as I went. However the more I got into the plot, the more unnecessary twists it had? Parts were a little too out there, and there is a weird scene that describes an assault a little too sexually for me. I don’t regret it, but not a favorite.
July 3, 2017
Just okay. It's a what if premise, what if you pretended to be someone else and it turns out that guy is a hired killer. Meh. Okay, not as good as Rector's others.
And a weak ending, to boot. Oh, well.
And a weak ending, to boot. Oh, well.
October 17, 2017
Well written but nothing too shocking here. I also felt the last few chapters weren’t needed, they did not add to the overall plot. Still it was an entertaining story and a quick read, it only too me 3 hours from start to finish.
October 26, 2018
Ruthless is a good read
I enjoyed this book but I feel as though the characters could have been more fully developed and answer the question about what happened between Nick and Kara bett
I enjoyed this book but I feel as though the characters could have been more fully developed and answer the question about what happened between Nick and Kara bett
November 25, 2019
It was really just OK. The idea required way more suspension of disbelief than what I feel like I could give it. Also, the protagonist is beyond obtuse and naive; he can't see any signs of what was so clear in his face…
July 31, 2017
Was hooked throughout
I was hooked through out the book as the story kept me guessing and having to know how it would end. The book was fast paced and a quick read.
I was hooked through out the book as the story kept me guessing and having to know how it would end. The book was fast paced and a quick read.
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