THE RIDGE by John Rector

John Rector has written a handful of absorbing, propulsive thrillers through the years that moved like roller coasters. The Ridge, his latest, is different, but still engaging. Rector steps away from his usual relentless pacing with this one, maintaining a slow and steady buildup of paranoia that I really enjoyed as Megan Stokes begins to suspect that her perfect new subdivision community and her friendly neighbors are not what they seem.

This "Stepford Wives"-ish concept has been done many times before but Rector holds his own here. My only gripe is that at times I found myself ahead of the story. But other than that, it's a usual John Rector page-turner that I suspect will net him even more fans this year.

*I received an advance copy of this novel from Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

GRADE: B

OUT OF THE BLACK by John Rector

Once again John Rector has written a potent thriller that is addictive and enjoyable and guaranteed to

keep you turning pages. Following Rector's usual theme of protagonist getting in way over their heads in crime, this novel follows Matt Caine, a recent widower who is struggling with finances and taking care of his daughter on his own. Adding to that, he is in deep to a loan shark gangster that he has a history with. He is approached by a shifty, drug-addicted old buddy with a quick kidnapping scheme. From the beginning, he thinks it's a bad idea but feels like it's only choice, as long as he can keep control of the situation. And of course, he realized that's a bunch of bull and control quickly starts to spiral away. 

The novel is a great read for a lazy afternoon, a day at the pool or on a long bus or plane ride. Rector always has a knack for sustaining a great pace throughout his novels and you'll never be bored. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if people flew through this in one sitting. It really moves. You can really feel Matt's desperation as the issues escalate and the villain is particularly menacing this time around. I did have a little issue with Matt's relationship to Brian Murphy, the loan shark that he's in debt to. I never really bought into him being such a great friend to Matt; such a great friend that he'll help him out when shit hits the fan in the story, but not a good enough friend to forgive his debt and not threaten to hurt him if he doesn't pay it back. I never truly bought into that. But the scenes between Brian and Matt feature some great moments and cool dialogue. I also felt like the ending is a bit anti-climactic and not as dark as I was hoping for, but who says that a noir ending ALWAYS has to be a downer? It's a fun and exciting read, so any issues were minor to me and I enjoyed it! Definitely recommended to thriller fans!

I reached out and lifted her chin until our eyes met, then I leaned in and kissed her. I wanted that kiss to say all the things I couldn't. I wanted it to tell her how sorry I was, and that no matter what happened, she wasn't to blame. But most of all, I wanted the kiss to take away all the pain I'd caused.
   Of course, it didn't.
   And when I pulled away, all I could taste was the salt of her tears on my lips.

GRADE: B

RUTHLESS by John Rector

GRADE: C+

 

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.

THE COLD KISS by John Rector

GRADE: A

Yep. This guy John Rector is the real deal. I very recently enjoyed his novella, Lost Things, and now I LOVED his second novel, The Cold Kiss. He writes the kind of thrillers that I enjoy the most: dark suspense stories featuring ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations, making decisions that cause a tragic snowball effect as they struggle to get out of what they realize is actually a lose-lose situation. Wait a minute...you could say that is the definition of noir, my favorite genre! And I would agree; this book is probably the best example of modern noir I've read since A Simple Plan, and that's saying a lot!

Newly engaged couple Nate and Sara are driving from Minnesota to Reno to get married and start a new life with their unborn child. But on the way, they pick up a hitchhiker and are forced to stop at an isolated motel to wait out a terrible snowstorm. But once they get there, they discover their hitchhiker is dead of a festering gunshot wound and with a sack full of cash money in his bags. And it's a lot of money. Definitely enough for a new family to start a good life with...

Rector ratchets up the tension as Nate and Sara try every way to make it through the next 36 hours and get away with the money scot-free. And he builds such a great atmosphere at the motel, with the constant snowfall, and lack of electricity or phone service. And as I mentioned in my review of the last book I read by him, Rector's prose is pitch-perfect. This guy really knows how to craft a plot that moves without feeling like anything's lost. Some people might be able to see some of the twists coming but I didn't care. I was taken for a ride. So f&*% it. I'm throwing an A at this book. And I'm locked in as a fan now. 

Hard Case Crime founder Charles Ardai says this about noir:
There is a feeling of dread and doom that suffuses the action; the story typically features a protagonist who's in trouble, who often doesn't deserve the trouble he's in (even if he's a bad guy, he often doesn't deserve the *particular* trouble he's in), and whose trouble just gets worse as the narrative grinds inexorably toward an unhappy -- often tragic -- ending. 

And that's a great way to describe this book. 

"Kiss me, for good luck" 
I frowned. "That doesn't work."
"Of course it does," she said. "It always works. Now kiss me."
I stared at her for a moment longer, then bent and pressed my lips against hers.
It was a good kiss.
But it didn't work.

LOST THINGS by John Rector

GRADE: B+

I've been discovering some great authors lately and John Rector is definitely one of them. I've had him on my radar this year and I decided to start with this tight novella, which did not disappoint! This is a tense, tragic noir thriller about two men whose close friendship is put to the test after a violent altercation with drunk muggers one dark night. Rector is really a natural when it comes to that great, propulsive writing that never lets up, but somehow never feels rushed. I had a lot of work to do at home today and I kept taking a break to return to this story, needing to see what happens next. Now, more of John Rector's books have rudely elbowed their way to the top of my reading list!