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Victim or Villain: A Gwen Kane Thriller
Not yet published
Expected 21 Apr 26280 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 21, 2026
8 people want to read
About the author
L.T. Ryan
167 books1,459 followersL.T. RYAN is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. The new age of publishing offered L.T. the opportunity to blend his passions for creating, marketing, and technology to reach audiences with his popular Jack Noble series.
Living in central Virginia with his wife, the youngest of his three daughters, and their three dogs, L.T. enjoys staring out his window at the trees and mountains while he should be writing, as well as reading, hiking, running, and playing with gadgets. See what he's up to at ltryan.com.
BOOKS IN THE JACK NOBLE SERIES
The Recruit (prequel short story)
The First Deception (prequel)
Noble Beginnings
A Deadly Distance
Thin Line
Noble Intentions
When Dead in Greece
Noble Retribution
Noble Betrayal
Never Go Home
Noble Judgment
Never Cry Mercy
Deadline
End Game
BOOKS IN THE BEAR LOGAN SERIES
Ripple Effect
Blowback
Takedown
Deep State (coming January, 2020)
BOOKS IN THE CLARISSA ABBOT SERIES
Beyond Betrayal
BOOKS IN THE MITCH TANNER SERIES
The Depths of Darkness
Into the Darkness
Deliver Us From Darkness (coming soon)
Social Media Links
Facebook (L.T. Ryan): facebook.com/LTRyanAuthor
Facebook (Jack Noble Page): facebook.com/JackNobleBooks/
Twitter: twitter.com/LTRyanWrites
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6151659.L_T...
Contact L.T. Ryan at contact@ltryan.com
About the Author
L.T. RYAN is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. The new age of publishing offered L.T. the opportunity to blend his passions for creating, marketing, and technology to reach audiences with his popular Jack Noble series.
Living in central Virginia with his wife, the youngest of his three daughters, and their three dogs, L.T. enjoys staring out his window at the trees and mountains while he should be writing, as well as reading, hiking, running, and playing with gadgets. See what he's up to at ltryan.com.
Social Media Links
Facebook (L.T. Ryan): facebook.com/LTRyanAuthor
Facebook (Jack Noble Page): facebook.com/JackNobleBooks/
Twitter: twitter.com/LTRyanWrites
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6151659.L_T...
Contact L.T. Ryan at contact@ltryan.com
Living in central Virginia with his wife, the youngest of his three daughters, and their three dogs, L.T. enjoys staring out his window at the trees and mountains while he should be writing, as well as reading, hiking, running, and playing with gadgets. See what he's up to at ltryan.com.
BOOKS IN THE JACK NOBLE SERIES
The Recruit (prequel short story)
The First Deception (prequel)
Noble Beginnings
A Deadly Distance
Thin Line
Noble Intentions
When Dead in Greece
Noble Retribution
Noble Betrayal
Never Go Home
Noble Judgment
Never Cry Mercy
Deadline
End Game
BOOKS IN THE BEAR LOGAN SERIES
Ripple Effect
Blowback
Takedown
Deep State (coming January, 2020)
BOOKS IN THE CLARISSA ABBOT SERIES
Beyond Betrayal
BOOKS IN THE MITCH TANNER SERIES
The Depths of Darkness
Into the Darkness
Deliver Us From Darkness (coming soon)
Social Media Links
Facebook (L.T. Ryan): facebook.com/LTRyanAuthor
Facebook (Jack Noble Page): facebook.com/JackNobleBooks/
Twitter: twitter.com/LTRyanWrites
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6151659.L_T...
Contact L.T. Ryan at contact@ltryan.com
About the Author
L.T. RYAN is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. The new age of publishing offered L.T. the opportunity to blend his passions for creating, marketing, and technology to reach audiences with his popular Jack Noble series.
Living in central Virginia with his wife, the youngest of his three daughters, and their three dogs, L.T. enjoys staring out his window at the trees and mountains while he should be writing, as well as reading, hiking, running, and playing with gadgets. See what he's up to at ltryan.com.
Social Media Links
Facebook (L.T. Ryan): facebook.com/LTRyanAuthor
Facebook (Jack Noble Page): facebook.com/JackNobleBooks/
Twitter: twitter.com/LTRyanWrites
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6151659.L_T...
Contact L.T. Ryan at contact@ltryan.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 22, 2026
ARC Read: NetGallery & Podium Entertainment | Podium Publishing
The story follows Gwen who escapes her abusive husband and finds safety at Rhiannon’s Ranch. A secret refuge for survivors of domestic violence. But when she witnesses her best friend’s abuser attacking her, Gwen goes after him!
I absolutely loved the start of this series and I’m desperate for more. This story had me on the edge of my seat!
Gwen and Sebastian’s developing relationship is so sweet and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone at the refuge.
There were so many cliffhangers and unanswered questions and I need to know what happens next!!
The story follows Gwen who escapes her abusive husband and finds safety at Rhiannon’s Ranch. A secret refuge for survivors of domestic violence. But when she witnesses her best friend’s abuser attacking her, Gwen goes after him!
I absolutely loved the start of this series and I’m desperate for more. This story had me on the edge of my seat!
Gwen and Sebastian’s developing relationship is so sweet and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone at the refuge.
There were so many cliffhangers and unanswered questions and I need to know what happens next!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fiendish. Flawed. Fantastic.
L.T. Ryan has been loitering on my T.B.R. pile for an embarrassingly long time (in my defence, the pile is a monster), but after reading “Victim or Villain”, those other books have been aggressively promoted. Consider this my formal apology for the delay.
The story wastes absolutely no time—no throat-clearing, no scene-setting pleasantries—just straight into the action. The writing is slick, compulsive, and dangerously readable; I finished this in a couple of hours, which suggests either excellent pacing or very poor self-control on my part.
The pace does ease off slightly as the plot develops, but the tension never does. The setting is vividly drawn, rich in detail without ever bogging things down, and I was fully immersed from start to finish. This is very much a “just one more chapter” book, except that lie doesn’t hold up for long.
What really elevates this, though, is the character work. Nobody is neatly good or bad—just complicated, damaged, and human. The characters felt uncomfortably real, which is always my highest compliment. The exploration of domestic violence is handled with care and realism, showing the many different paths (and emotional costs) involved in escaping it. It’s uncomfortable in places, as it should be, and refreshingly honest.
Vigilante stories are my not-so-secret weakness—I love watching someone reclaim their power and tip the balance back in their favour—and “Victim or Villain” does this exceptionally well. This is one of the stronger entries in the genre, and I will be deeply unimpressed if this doesn’t turn into a series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Podium Entertainment for the ARC of “Victim or Villain” by L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray.
L.T. Ryan has been loitering on my T.B.R. pile for an embarrassingly long time (in my defence, the pile is a monster), but after reading “Victim or Villain”, those other books have been aggressively promoted. Consider this my formal apology for the delay.
The story wastes absolutely no time—no throat-clearing, no scene-setting pleasantries—just straight into the action. The writing is slick, compulsive, and dangerously readable; I finished this in a couple of hours, which suggests either excellent pacing or very poor self-control on my part.
The pace does ease off slightly as the plot develops, but the tension never does. The setting is vividly drawn, rich in detail without ever bogging things down, and I was fully immersed from start to finish. This is very much a “just one more chapter” book, except that lie doesn’t hold up for long.
What really elevates this, though, is the character work. Nobody is neatly good or bad—just complicated, damaged, and human. The characters felt uncomfortably real, which is always my highest compliment. The exploration of domestic violence is handled with care and realism, showing the many different paths (and emotional costs) involved in escaping it. It’s uncomfortable in places, as it should be, and refreshingly honest.
Vigilante stories are my not-so-secret weakness—I love watching someone reclaim their power and tip the balance back in their favour—and “Victim or Villain” does this exceptionally well. This is one of the stronger entries in the genre, and I will be deeply unimpressed if this doesn’t turn into a series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Podium Entertainment for the ARC of “Victim or Villain” by L.T. Ryan & C.R. Gray.
December 5, 2025
Gwen llegó a Rhiannon’s Ranch buscando un lugar donde recomponer los pedazos de una vida marcada por el miedo. Entre clases de defensa personal que siempre parecen ganarle la batalla y la calma que encuentra cuidando de su perrita Honey, empieza a creer que tal vez pueda construir algo parecido a la paz. Pero una noche, cuando el pasado de su mejor amiga irrumpe en la entrada del refugio, todo se desmorona. Lo que ocurre en la carretera helada la obliga a cruzar una línea de la que no hay regreso. Mientras intenta proteger a quienes ama y mantener en pie el único hogar seguro que ha conocido, Gwen deberá enfrentar la pregunta que todos prefieren evitar: ¿hasta dónde puede llegar una mujer que ya no piensa vivir arrodillada? Y sobre todo, cuando la verdad salga a la luz, ¿la verán como víctima o como villana?
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Necesito el siguiente libro, me niego a creer que ese es el final.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
__
Necesito el siguiente libro, me niego a creer que ese es el final.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
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December 5, 2025RTC 😊
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews