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Greene and Kennicott #0
One Minute More
For fans of Lee Child and Brad Thor, an unstoppable thriller set in 1988 when—a mere 100 hours before world leaders gather for the G7 summit—police get a hot tip that an assassin is on the way.
It’s a long-shot mission. No one thinks much of the information the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. Undeterred, he sends young police officer Ari Greene to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate.
During a festive and colourful July 4th parade, Greene spots his unlikely target and gives chase across borders and boundaries. But as the hours and the minutes until the summit tick down, bodies start to pile up…
And no one, not even international heads of state, are safe.
This prequel to Robert Rotenberg’s bestselling series, including What We Buried and Downfall, is an excellent introduction to one of Toronto’s favourite detectives, Ari Greene, on his first-ever case. An enthralling action thriller in the tradition of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal and Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series, One Minute More is sure to delight readers of Rotenberg’s previous books and attract a whole new audience.
It’s a long-shot mission. No one thinks much of the information the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. Undeterred, he sends young police officer Ari Greene to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate.
During a festive and colourful July 4th parade, Greene spots his unlikely target and gives chase across borders and boundaries. But as the hours and the minutes until the summit tick down, bodies start to pile up…
And no one, not even international heads of state, are safe.
This prequel to Robert Rotenberg’s bestselling series, including What We Buried and Downfall, is an excellent introduction to one of Toronto’s favourite detectives, Ari Greene, on his first-ever case. An enthralling action thriller in the tradition of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal and Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series, One Minute More is sure to delight readers of Rotenberg’s previous books and attract a whole new audience.
336 pages, Paperback
Published February 25, 2025
58 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Robert Rotenberg
23 books205 followersAfter graduating from law school in Toronto, Robert Rotenberg became the managing editor of Passion, the English-speaking magazine of Paris. He then returned to Canada to publish and edit his own magazine, T.O. The Magazine of Toronto. In 1991, he opened his own law practice and is today one of Toronto’s top criminal lawyers, defending, as he likes to say “everything from murder to shoplifting.” Rotenberg lives in Toronto and has three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
January 7, 2025
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Rotenberg, and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Back for another novel in Robert Rotenberg's great police procedural series, I could not get enough of this prequel. Ari Greene is a young officer in the Toronto Police Department with an important job, tracking down a potential assassin ahead of the 1988 G7 Summit. While he tries to follow a fluid lead, Greene soon ends up playing cat and mouse with a determined assassin who has a plan and a means to get things done. The pressure is high and there is no room for mistakes, though Greene and a handful of others will have to act fast as the world is watching, even if they do not know what is going on. A stellar addition to the series that shows Rotenberg is always thinking and developing this Canadian-based series. One that series fans ought not to miss and those new to Rotenberg's work should pick up to begin finding their newest addiction!
It's 1988 and things have just become a lot more interesting in Canada's largest city! After receiving word that there may be an assassin headed to Toronto to kill the heads of government to the G7 countries, the Chief of Police dispatches his up-and-coming young officer. Ari Greene has made quite the impact on his chief and within the Toronto PD, which is why he is headed to a small community between the Quebec-Vermont border to assess the threat.
When Greene arrives, he learns that the threat is real, as a US Customs official is dead and someone saw a mysterious woman flee the area. Now, trying to track her down will be Officer Greene's greatest challenge, as there are only a handful of hours left before the leaders emerge in Toronto to begin their meetings.
As Greene makes some headway, he is always one step behind the alleged assassin, who has him in the crosshairs. With little time to waste, both Greene and the assassin make their moves, playing a game of cat and mouse, trying to ensure they do not end up failing their own missions. The summit begins and the world is watching, unsure what is going on in the background. Greene knows that he is on borrowed time and must find the assassin, as the bodies pile up along the way. Any of the leaders could be a target, or they could all be on the list. Greene has little time to wonder, as the pressure mounts and there is no room for failure. Robert Rotenberg delivers a great story, told from a number of perspectives, all prepared to entertain the reader throughout the reading journey!
I have always enjoyed the writing of Robert Rotenberg, particularly his Ari Greene series. There is something special for me to read a police procedural series dedicated to Canadian perspectives, a rarity in my reading experience. Rotenberg does well to craft a solid story and keeps the reader engaged throughout the experience. The narrative delivers a fast-paced depiction of events leading up to the G7 Summit, told in small increments and packed full of detail. Rotenberg does a masterful job at building a strong foundation and injecting needed momentum throughout the story, using short chapters to keep the reader on edge. The use of minute time advancements also adds a layer of urgency to the story, which provides additional intrigue into the larger storytelling that Rotenberg offers. Many wonderful characters find roles in the story, fulfilling needed roles to keep things edgy and punchy when required. The flavours offered through these perspectives allow Rotenberg to plunge down many rabbit holes as needed. Plot points are plentiful and ever-evolving, another wonderful aspect of this piece. It kept me wanting to learn more in this well-paced novel. I am eager to see what's next for Robert Rotenberg, as well as with this series.
Kudos, Mr. Rotenberg, for a stellar reading experience, sure to impress series fans to no end!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Back for another novel in Robert Rotenberg's great police procedural series, I could not get enough of this prequel. Ari Greene is a young officer in the Toronto Police Department with an important job, tracking down a potential assassin ahead of the 1988 G7 Summit. While he tries to follow a fluid lead, Greene soon ends up playing cat and mouse with a determined assassin who has a plan and a means to get things done. The pressure is high and there is no room for mistakes, though Greene and a handful of others will have to act fast as the world is watching, even if they do not know what is going on. A stellar addition to the series that shows Rotenberg is always thinking and developing this Canadian-based series. One that series fans ought not to miss and those new to Rotenberg's work should pick up to begin finding their newest addiction!
It's 1988 and things have just become a lot more interesting in Canada's largest city! After receiving word that there may be an assassin headed to Toronto to kill the heads of government to the G7 countries, the Chief of Police dispatches his up-and-coming young officer. Ari Greene has made quite the impact on his chief and within the Toronto PD, which is why he is headed to a small community between the Quebec-Vermont border to assess the threat.
When Greene arrives, he learns that the threat is real, as a US Customs official is dead and someone saw a mysterious woman flee the area. Now, trying to track her down will be Officer Greene's greatest challenge, as there are only a handful of hours left before the leaders emerge in Toronto to begin their meetings.
As Greene makes some headway, he is always one step behind the alleged assassin, who has him in the crosshairs. With little time to waste, both Greene and the assassin make their moves, playing a game of cat and mouse, trying to ensure they do not end up failing their own missions. The summit begins and the world is watching, unsure what is going on in the background. Greene knows that he is on borrowed time and must find the assassin, as the bodies pile up along the way. Any of the leaders could be a target, or they could all be on the list. Greene has little time to wonder, as the pressure mounts and there is no room for failure. Robert Rotenberg delivers a great story, told from a number of perspectives, all prepared to entertain the reader throughout the reading journey!
I have always enjoyed the writing of Robert Rotenberg, particularly his Ari Greene series. There is something special for me to read a police procedural series dedicated to Canadian perspectives, a rarity in my reading experience. Rotenberg does well to craft a solid story and keeps the reader engaged throughout the experience. The narrative delivers a fast-paced depiction of events leading up to the G7 Summit, told in small increments and packed full of detail. Rotenberg does a masterful job at building a strong foundation and injecting needed momentum throughout the story, using short chapters to keep the reader on edge. The use of minute time advancements also adds a layer of urgency to the story, which provides additional intrigue into the larger storytelling that Rotenberg offers. Many wonderful characters find roles in the story, fulfilling needed roles to keep things edgy and punchy when required. The flavours offered through these perspectives allow Rotenberg to plunge down many rabbit holes as needed. Plot points are plentiful and ever-evolving, another wonderful aspect of this piece. It kept me wanting to learn more in this well-paced novel. I am eager to see what's next for Robert Rotenberg, as well as with this series.
Kudos, Mr. Rotenberg, for a stellar reading experience, sure to impress series fans to no end!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Read
April 7, 2025Love this author. All his books are centered in Toronto or vicinity. I really enjoy his wit and sometimes humor. the twists and turns of the plot keep you guessing till the end. Great story.
December 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "One Minute More", the exciting prequel to Robert Rotenberg's 'Ari Greene' series. Having read all of the books in the series, I was excited to be able to meet Ari Greene prior to his arrival on the Robbery Homicide Squad. And I was not disappointed.
It’s a long-shot mission. No one thinks much of the information the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. Undeterred, he sends young police officer Ari Greene to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate.
During a festive and colourful July 4th parade, Greene spots his unlikely target and gives chase across borders and boundaries. But as the hours and the minutes until the summit tick down, bodies start to pile up… Travelling to Montreal and then back towards Toronto, the assassin leaves a trail of bodies - anyone they can use, and then kill, to get closer to their prey: the members of the G7 (including the Prime Minister of Canada, the Prime Minister of England, the President of the United States and the emerging power in post-Soviet Russia).
This is a conspiracy long in the making, and no one, not even international heads of state, are safe.
Non stop action, from start to finish. Highly recommended.
It’s a long-shot mission. No one thinks much of the information the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. Undeterred, he sends young police officer Ari Greene to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate.
During a festive and colourful July 4th parade, Greene spots his unlikely target and gives chase across borders and boundaries. But as the hours and the minutes until the summit tick down, bodies start to pile up… Travelling to Montreal and then back towards Toronto, the assassin leaves a trail of bodies - anyone they can use, and then kill, to get closer to their prey: the members of the G7 (including the Prime Minister of Canada, the Prime Minister of England, the President of the United States and the emerging power in post-Soviet Russia).
This is a conspiracy long in the making, and no one, not even international heads of state, are safe.
Non stop action, from start to finish. Highly recommended.
January 16, 2025
This is another book that I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of thanks to the author (Robert Rotenberg), his publisher (Simon and Schuster Canada), and the fine folks at Net Galley in return for an honest review.
First and foremost, this is my first exposure to this author (and after finishing this book, it will not be my last). Rotenberg does well in crafting a solid story and keeps the reader engaged throughout the experience. The narrative delivers a fast-paced depiction of events leading up to the G7 Summit, told in small increments and packed full of detail. Rotenberg does a masterful job at building a strong foundation and injecting needed momentum throughout the story, using short chapters to keep the reader on edge. The use of minute-time advancements also adds a layer of urgency to the story, which provides additional intrigue into the larger storytelling that Rotenberg offers.
This book is the prequel to Robert Rotenberg’s previously released series of novels, including "What We Buried" and "Downfall", and is an excellent introduction to one of Toronto’s favourite detectives, Ari Greene, on his first-ever case.
It's 1988 and things have just become a lot more interesting in Canada's largest city! The G7 (Group of 7 Nations) is having their meeting in the city of Toronto.
For background information, The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is organized around shared values of pluralism, liberal democracy, and representative government. The G7 members are major IMF advanced economies. The G7's purpose is to influence global trends and address major issues, such as climate change, trade, and security.
No one thinks much of the information as the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious source: a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. After receiving word that there may be an assassin headed to Toronto to kill the heads of government of the G7 countries, the Chief of Police dispatches his up-and-coming young officer. Ari Greene has made quite the impact on his chief and within the Toronto PD, which is why he is headed to a small community between the Quebec-Vermont border to assess the threat.
When Greene arrives, he learns that the threat is real, as a US Customs official is dead and someone saw a mysterious woman flee the area. Now, trying to track her down will be Officer Greene's greatest challenge, as there are only a handful of hours left before the leaders emerge in Toronto to begin their meetings.
As Greene makes some headway, he is always one step behind the alleged assassin, who has him in the crosshairs. With little time to waste, both Greene and the assassin make their moves, playing a game of cat and mouse, trying to ensure they do not end up failing their missions. The summit begins and the world is watching, unsure what is going on in the background. Greene knows that he is on borrowed time and must find the assassin, as the bodies pile up along the way. Any of the leaders could be a target, or they could all be on the list. Greene has little time to wonder, as the pressure mounts and there is no room for failure. Robert Rotenberg delivers a great story, told from a number of perspectives, all prepared to entertain the reader throughout the reading journey!
On a five-star rating scale, I would give my first foray into the realm of Robert Rotenberg a solid four stars as I found this prequel to be an enthralling action thriller in the tradition of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal and Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series. Sure to be a favourite for action aficionados.
As with most of literary ramblings, these are just my five cents worth.
First and foremost, this is my first exposure to this author (and after finishing this book, it will not be my last). Rotenberg does well in crafting a solid story and keeps the reader engaged throughout the experience. The narrative delivers a fast-paced depiction of events leading up to the G7 Summit, told in small increments and packed full of detail. Rotenberg does a masterful job at building a strong foundation and injecting needed momentum throughout the story, using short chapters to keep the reader on edge. The use of minute-time advancements also adds a layer of urgency to the story, which provides additional intrigue into the larger storytelling that Rotenberg offers.
This book is the prequel to Robert Rotenberg’s previously released series of novels, including "What We Buried" and "Downfall", and is an excellent introduction to one of Toronto’s favourite detectives, Ari Greene, on his first-ever case.
It's 1988 and things have just become a lot more interesting in Canada's largest city! The G7 (Group of 7 Nations) is having their meeting in the city of Toronto.
For background information, The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is organized around shared values of pluralism, liberal democracy, and representative government. The G7 members are major IMF advanced economies. The G7's purpose is to influence global trends and address major issues, such as climate change, trade, and security.
No one thinks much of the information as the Toronto chief of police receives from a mysterious source: a would-be assassin is about to cross the border into Canada to kill the heads of the seven most powerful countries in the world. After receiving word that there may be an assassin headed to Toronto to kill the heads of government of the G7 countries, the Chief of Police dispatches his up-and-coming young officer. Ari Greene has made quite the impact on his chief and within the Toronto PD, which is why he is headed to a small community between the Quebec-Vermont border to assess the threat.
When Greene arrives, he learns that the threat is real, as a US Customs official is dead and someone saw a mysterious woman flee the area. Now, trying to track her down will be Officer Greene's greatest challenge, as there are only a handful of hours left before the leaders emerge in Toronto to begin their meetings.
As Greene makes some headway, he is always one step behind the alleged assassin, who has him in the crosshairs. With little time to waste, both Greene and the assassin make their moves, playing a game of cat and mouse, trying to ensure they do not end up failing their missions. The summit begins and the world is watching, unsure what is going on in the background. Greene knows that he is on borrowed time and must find the assassin, as the bodies pile up along the way. Any of the leaders could be a target, or they could all be on the list. Greene has little time to wonder, as the pressure mounts and there is no room for failure. Robert Rotenberg delivers a great story, told from a number of perspectives, all prepared to entertain the reader throughout the reading journey!
On a five-star rating scale, I would give my first foray into the realm of Robert Rotenberg a solid four stars as I found this prequel to be an enthralling action thriller in the tradition of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal and Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series. Sure to be a favourite for action aficionados.
As with most of literary ramblings, these are just my five cents worth.
February 15, 2025
This is a non-stop, engaging story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they follow a young police officer who is in a race against time to catch an assassin before they arrive at their target - the 1988 G7 summit in Toronto where the heads of seven powerful countries in the world are gathering.
This is the epitome of a fast-paced, action-packed story where the momentum does not let up. Complete with short chapters, well-defined characters and multiple POVs (some quite tertiary but who still add a lot to the story), this prequel to Rotenberg's Ari Greene series gives readers a look at Greene's early years as a police officer.
The Gist: When the Toronto police chief receives a mysterious warning that an assassin will be crossing the border into Canada to kill one of the representatives at the G7 summit, he sends young police officer Ari Greene to investigate. What begins in a small Quebec border town turns into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as Greene tries to identify and catch the assassin as the body count starts to climb.
Part police procedural, part high-paced action and one helluva tense ride, this unputdownable Canadian-based series will keep people reading just 'one minute more' to find out if Ari Greene will stop an assassination that would impact the world.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary digital and paperback copies of this book which were given in exchange for my honest review.
November 6, 2025
This was the first of author Robert Rotenberg's series that I've read and it won't be my last! The story was so exciting with the short chapters focusing on a large number of characters in the countdown to the G-7 leaders meeting in Toronto and the threat of an assassin on the group! So many surprises along the way right to the end!
March 16, 2025
I have been feeling very patriotic lately and was pleased to revisit this Canadian author. I really enjoyed the story set during the G7 conference in Toronto during a time when we collaborated with our US neighbours on a joint project.
March 14, 2025
Absolutely perfect!!! This was everything I hoped it would be and more. I cannot wait to read the next Ari Greene thriller!!!
April 28, 2025
A roller coaster thriller !
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March 24, 2025The short chapters really keep this action moving. This chapter has just two pages, the next only 3, the next only.... the next thing I knew I was a 1/3 of the way thru the book and it was WAAYYpast my bed time. I had to force myself to put the book down.
Ari Greene is such a real character - intelligent, imperfect, fallible with a dogged determination to do the right thing.
I am so looking forward to book 9.
..
Ari Greene is such a real character - intelligent, imperfect, fallible with a dogged determination to do the right thing.
I am so looking forward to book 9.
..
September 5, 2025
Robert Rotenberg’s One Minute More completely surprised me. I went in expecting a straightforward police procedural set in Canada, but what I got was a taut, international thriller that felt both cinematic and deeply human. As a prequel to his Ari Greene series, it also serves as a perfect introduction to Greene himself young, a little untested, and yet instinctively sharp in a way that makes you want to follow him through every decision, every mistake, every close call.
The setup is fantastic: a tip about an assassination attempt that nobody in power takes seriously. The Toronto chief of police, rather than ignoring it, trusts his gut and sends Ari Greene hardly a seasoned veteran into a border town in Quebec. The contrast of this sleepy setting with the looming chaos of an international summit immediately sets the tone: we’re watching small-town streets become the stage for global stakes.
The July 4th parade scene is one of my favorites in the whole book. Rotenberg’s descriptions made me feel like I was actually there, watching the floats roll by and the crowds cheer, all while Greene is scanning faces with that gnawing awareness that danger could appear at any second. When Greene finally spots his target and the chase begins, it’s almost exhausting to read in the best possible way you can feel his adrenaline, the confusion of crossing borders both physical and bureaucratic, and the sense that time is running out.
What really worked for me, though, was how Rotenberg balances action with character. The bodies do start to pile up, but this isn’t just about a nameless assassin mowing down people in a vacuum. Every death matters, each one tightening the noose around Greene and making him realize just how far out of his depth he might be. I liked how Greene isn’t portrayed as some flawless hero, he doubts himself, makes choices that backfire, and still keeps pushing forward because he has no other option. It made me root for him in a way I sometimes don’t with the more invincible thriller protagonists.
As for pacing, the book nails it. The ticking-clock structure kept me turning pages late into the night. Every chapter feels like it ends with just enough of a hook to make you think, “Okay, just one more.” And of course, that “one more” becomes five more. By the final act, I genuinely had no idea how Rotenberg was going to wrap things up, and when he did, it was both satisfying and left me hungry to pick up the rest of the Ari Greene series.
If I had to nitpick, there were moments where the international conspiracy aspects felt a bit larger than life compared to the very grounded, Canadian setting, but honestly, that blend is also what made the book stand out. It’s not trying to be a carbon copy of Ludlum or Forsyth. it’s carving its own space by marrying the global thriller format with a distinctly Canadian sensibility.
All in all, One Minute More is a gripping, smartly written thriller that delivers both on action and character depth. As someone who hasn’t read the earlier Ari Greene novels yet, I found this prequel to be an excellent entry point, and now I’m eager to see how Greene evolves in later books. If you enjoy edge of your seat pacing, rich settings, and a protagonist who feels like a real person caught in extraordinary circumstances, this is definitely one to add to your reading list.
The setup is fantastic: a tip about an assassination attempt that nobody in power takes seriously. The Toronto chief of police, rather than ignoring it, trusts his gut and sends Ari Greene hardly a seasoned veteran into a border town in Quebec. The contrast of this sleepy setting with the looming chaos of an international summit immediately sets the tone: we’re watching small-town streets become the stage for global stakes.
The July 4th parade scene is one of my favorites in the whole book. Rotenberg’s descriptions made me feel like I was actually there, watching the floats roll by and the crowds cheer, all while Greene is scanning faces with that gnawing awareness that danger could appear at any second. When Greene finally spots his target and the chase begins, it’s almost exhausting to read in the best possible way you can feel his adrenaline, the confusion of crossing borders both physical and bureaucratic, and the sense that time is running out.
What really worked for me, though, was how Rotenberg balances action with character. The bodies do start to pile up, but this isn’t just about a nameless assassin mowing down people in a vacuum. Every death matters, each one tightening the noose around Greene and making him realize just how far out of his depth he might be. I liked how Greene isn’t portrayed as some flawless hero, he doubts himself, makes choices that backfire, and still keeps pushing forward because he has no other option. It made me root for him in a way I sometimes don’t with the more invincible thriller protagonists.
As for pacing, the book nails it. The ticking-clock structure kept me turning pages late into the night. Every chapter feels like it ends with just enough of a hook to make you think, “Okay, just one more.” And of course, that “one more” becomes five more. By the final act, I genuinely had no idea how Rotenberg was going to wrap things up, and when he did, it was both satisfying and left me hungry to pick up the rest of the Ari Greene series.
If I had to nitpick, there were moments where the international conspiracy aspects felt a bit larger than life compared to the very grounded, Canadian setting, but honestly, that blend is also what made the book stand out. It’s not trying to be a carbon copy of Ludlum or Forsyth. it’s carving its own space by marrying the global thriller format with a distinctly Canadian sensibility.
All in all, One Minute More is a gripping, smartly written thriller that delivers both on action and character depth. As someone who hasn’t read the earlier Ari Greene novels yet, I found this prequel to be an excellent entry point, and now I’m eager to see how Greene evolves in later books. If you enjoy edge of your seat pacing, rich settings, and a protagonist who feels like a real person caught in extraordinary circumstances, this is definitely one to add to your reading list.
Read
August 10, 2025Robert Rotenberg is definitely gaining a name for himself as a top-flight mystery writer, not only in Canada, but around the world. His books never fail to mystify and mesmerize the reader with great plots and characters, the types of which we do not forget. In ONE MINUTE MORE, the book is billed as a prequel to previous books WHAT WE BURIED and DOWNFALL. It brings back Ari Greene a detective from Toronto who has been assigned to the G7 Summit that is heading to Toronto.
The year is 1988, and top leaders from around the world are heading to Canada for the summit. But also heading into Canada, is an unknown assassin who is bound and determined to kill these leaders and create chaos and pandemonium. Ari has no idea who the person is, his assignment is to gather information and insight into just what sort of individual has been given the task to kill. There are a few clues that emerge, when a Customs agent is found dead, along with an older woman on her front porch. The deaths do not seem suspicious, until there is more insight about the deaths.
It appears that a woman may be responsible for the deaths. We do get insight into the nature of the assassin, and discover this person while without conscience, does seem to have a heart and soul when encountering a mother and her children. But for a moment, we ponder if the killer’s dark side will win out, and the mother and children will experience their wrath.
Ari Greene in the meantime has a few leads, as the clock ticks down to the G7 leaders entering Canada. The chapters are short, and told with points of view, that really manage to heighten the tension to major levels. At times Ari seems to be getting closer, but there is still the distance the assassin is putting between the two, as the body count rises, and the ticking time bomb is ready to explode on the world stage.
Rotenberg is more than a pro at ratcheting up the tension, giving readers quite the exhaustive ride. He ranks right up there with Robert Ludlum and other masters of the literary game, creating a book you cannot put down for one single minute, or second, for that matter. ONE MINUTE MORE will give you hours of literary suspense and excellence, as only Robert Rotenberg can deliver.
The year is 1988, and top leaders from around the world are heading to Canada for the summit. But also heading into Canada, is an unknown assassin who is bound and determined to kill these leaders and create chaos and pandemonium. Ari has no idea who the person is, his assignment is to gather information and insight into just what sort of individual has been given the task to kill. There are a few clues that emerge, when a Customs agent is found dead, along with an older woman on her front porch. The deaths do not seem suspicious, until there is more insight about the deaths.
It appears that a woman may be responsible for the deaths. We do get insight into the nature of the assassin, and discover this person while without conscience, does seem to have a heart and soul when encountering a mother and her children. But for a moment, we ponder if the killer’s dark side will win out, and the mother and children will experience their wrath.
Ari Greene in the meantime has a few leads, as the clock ticks down to the G7 leaders entering Canada. The chapters are short, and told with points of view, that really manage to heighten the tension to major levels. At times Ari seems to be getting closer, but there is still the distance the assassin is putting between the two, as the body count rises, and the ticking time bomb is ready to explode on the world stage.
Rotenberg is more than a pro at ratcheting up the tension, giving readers quite the exhaustive ride. He ranks right up there with Robert Ludlum and other masters of the literary game, creating a book you cannot put down for one single minute, or second, for that matter. ONE MINUTE MORE will give you hours of literary suspense and excellence, as only Robert Rotenberg can deliver.
August 23, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
A taut, time-sensitive thriller that fuses historical fiction with pulse-pounding suspense, One Minute More is a masterclass in pacing and atmosphere. Rotenberg’s prequel to the Ari Greene series plunges readers into a high-stakes manhunt that unfolds across borders, ideologies, and ticking clocks.
Set in 1988, just 100 hours before the G7 summit in Toronto, the novel follows young officer Ari Greene as he is dispatched to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate a tip about a potential assassin. What begins as a long-shot mission quickly escalates into a deadly chase through Montreal, Brockville, and the Thousand Islands, culminating in a race against time to prevent the assassination of world leaders.
Rotenberg’s countdown structure—starting with hours and narrowing to minutes—creates a relentless sense of urgency. The pacing is elastic yet explosive, with short, clipped sentences (“cut the siren and hit the brakes”) that mimic the breathless momentum of Greene’s pursuit.
- History Meets Fiction: Rotenberg blends real-world figures and events with fictional characters, echoing the style of Robert Harris and Frederick Forsyth. This interplay adds gravitas and a sense of eerie plausibility.
- Borders & Boundaries: The literal and metaphorical crossing of borders—national, moral, and procedural—underscores the novel’s tension.
- Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stakes: Victims are given poignant backstories, reminding readers that collateral damage in political games is deeply human.
Ari Greene, in his first-ever case, is portrayed with youthful determination and emotional depth. His dynamic with Nora Bering adds texture, though the assassin herself steals the spotlight—her calculated brutality and near-mythic elusiveness make her a formidable antagonist. Rotenberg’s characters are not just pawns in a thriller; they’re emotionally resonant and morally complex.
One Minute More is a cinematic, high-stakes thriller that doesn’t just entertain—it interrogates the fragility of global diplomacy and the human cost of political theater. It’s a compelling entry point for new readers and a rewarding origin story for fans of the Ari Greene series.
A taut, time-sensitive thriller that fuses historical fiction with pulse-pounding suspense, One Minute More is a masterclass in pacing and atmosphere. Rotenberg’s prequel to the Ari Greene series plunges readers into a high-stakes manhunt that unfolds across borders, ideologies, and ticking clocks.
Set in 1988, just 100 hours before the G7 summit in Toronto, the novel follows young officer Ari Greene as he is dispatched to a sleepy Quebec–Vermont border town to investigate a tip about a potential assassin. What begins as a long-shot mission quickly escalates into a deadly chase through Montreal, Brockville, and the Thousand Islands, culminating in a race against time to prevent the assassination of world leaders.
Rotenberg’s countdown structure—starting with hours and narrowing to minutes—creates a relentless sense of urgency. The pacing is elastic yet explosive, with short, clipped sentences (“cut the siren and hit the brakes”) that mimic the breathless momentum of Greene’s pursuit.
- History Meets Fiction: Rotenberg blends real-world figures and events with fictional characters, echoing the style of Robert Harris and Frederick Forsyth. This interplay adds gravitas and a sense of eerie plausibility.
- Borders & Boundaries: The literal and metaphorical crossing of borders—national, moral, and procedural—underscores the novel’s tension.
- Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stakes: Victims are given poignant backstories, reminding readers that collateral damage in political games is deeply human.
Ari Greene, in his first-ever case, is portrayed with youthful determination and emotional depth. His dynamic with Nora Bering adds texture, though the assassin herself steals the spotlight—her calculated brutality and near-mythic elusiveness make her a formidable antagonist. Rotenberg’s characters are not just pawns in a thriller; they’re emotionally resonant and morally complex.
One Minute More is a cinematic, high-stakes thriller that doesn’t just entertain—it interrogates the fragility of global diplomacy and the human cost of political theater. It’s a compelling entry point for new readers and a rewarding origin story for fans of the Ari Greene series.
September 4, 2025
Mixing the suspenseful tactics of a Louise Penny novel, with the psychological build up of a Robyn Harding, @rhardingwriter, or Samantha Bailey @sbaileybooks, (shout out to #Canadianwriters), Robert Rotenberg’s eighth novel, @robertrotenberg, #ONEMINUTEMORE (@simonschusterca), is a compelling, fast-paced page turner that shifts between a Quebec-Vermont border town, Toronto and Montreal. (#screwthetarriffs).
Set in Toronto in 1988 at the time of the 14th G7 summit, a gathering that hosts the most powerful leaders of the Free World, Toronto police, (cue in the RCMP), get a tip that a potential assassin intends to infiltrate the event and assassinate the leaders of these seven most powerful countries. A local police officer is sent to the US border where he finds an American border guard dead on the Canadian side.
Enter Toronto detective Ari Greene, who fans of Rotenberg have met before in his bestselling series of books, including What We Buried, and Downfall. A prequel to these books, Ari Green is, in #ONEMINUTEMORE, on the road to solving his first case.
Torontonians will love the salty Toronto landmarks that Rotenberg embeds into the pages, ones that are both famous and infamous, such as the old police station on Jarvis Street and the bridge over the Don Valley, which back in the day was notoriously known for its suicide attempts.
Suspense is built through the parsing down of hours, which begins with whole numbers — 75 —which oft times splits into half hours — 46.5 — until we hit 35 minutes – and then the #ONEMINUTEMORE. It’s a tactic that keeps the tension elastic-snap tight as our minds scurry forward trying to telepathically send Greene hints as to “who” the unanticipated assassin is.
Told in short static sentences — “cut the siren and hit the brakes” —Rotenberg delivers the kind of breathless flurry of compounded events that guarantee once you start the read you have to keep going, if only for #ONEMINUTEMORE.
Set in Toronto in 1988 at the time of the 14th G7 summit, a gathering that hosts the most powerful leaders of the Free World, Toronto police, (cue in the RCMP), get a tip that a potential assassin intends to infiltrate the event and assassinate the leaders of these seven most powerful countries. A local police officer is sent to the US border where he finds an American border guard dead on the Canadian side.
Enter Toronto detective Ari Greene, who fans of Rotenberg have met before in his bestselling series of books, including What We Buried, and Downfall. A prequel to these books, Ari Green is, in #ONEMINUTEMORE, on the road to solving his first case.
Torontonians will love the salty Toronto landmarks that Rotenberg embeds into the pages, ones that are both famous and infamous, such as the old police station on Jarvis Street and the bridge over the Don Valley, which back in the day was notoriously known for its suicide attempts.
Suspense is built through the parsing down of hours, which begins with whole numbers — 75 —which oft times splits into half hours — 46.5 — until we hit 35 minutes – and then the #ONEMINUTEMORE. It’s a tactic that keeps the tension elastic-snap tight as our minds scurry forward trying to telepathically send Greene hints as to “who” the unanticipated assassin is.
Told in short static sentences — “cut the siren and hit the brakes” —Rotenberg delivers the kind of breathless flurry of compounded events that guarantee once you start the read you have to keep going, if only for #ONEMINUTEMORE.
November 7, 2025
If I could give 6 stars I would. This book was so much fun to read. I have read all of Rotenberg's novels and I believe this one might be my favorite and according to the notes at the back this was actually his first.
This book is a prequel to a loved series featuring a Toronto Police constable before he became Detective Ari Greene. The year is 1988 and Toronto Police have recieved a tip that a killer is enroute to take out the world leaders that will be in Toronto for the G7 summit. Starting at Derby-Line, Vermont and Standstead, Quebec; Greene is on the hunt chasing a faceless assassin and the bodies start to pile up. Following the route from this sleepy border town all the way to Ontario's big city Ari and his partner Nora whom is working out of a Toronto hotel room chase the killer who always seems to be just one step ahead of them.
I am a wife of a former Via Rail employee and a mother of a librairian. I have spoken with my child about this specific town due to the fact that there is a shared international library there, I have taken the Via train from Montreal, I currently live in Trenton (also mentioned in the book) and I was born and raised in Toronto so it is very excited when I can picture in my mind and have been to the places where the novel is taking place but even if I could not do this, this master story teller can create the visual for you. He has developed a cast of characters with backgrounds and experienced hardships that makes them feel real and allows you to draw connections with them.
I can not wait for his next book and even though I picked up this book from my local library I guarentee I will be buying a copy to complete my collection.
This book is a prequel to a loved series featuring a Toronto Police constable before he became Detective Ari Greene. The year is 1988 and Toronto Police have recieved a tip that a killer is enroute to take out the world leaders that will be in Toronto for the G7 summit. Starting at Derby-Line, Vermont and Standstead, Quebec; Greene is on the hunt chasing a faceless assassin and the bodies start to pile up. Following the route from this sleepy border town all the way to Ontario's big city Ari and his partner Nora whom is working out of a Toronto hotel room chase the killer who always seems to be just one step ahead of them.
I am a wife of a former Via Rail employee and a mother of a librairian. I have spoken with my child about this specific town due to the fact that there is a shared international library there, I have taken the Via train from Montreal, I currently live in Trenton (also mentioned in the book) and I was born and raised in Toronto so it is very excited when I can picture in my mind and have been to the places where the novel is taking place but even if I could not do this, this master story teller can create the visual for you. He has developed a cast of characters with backgrounds and experienced hardships that makes them feel real and allows you to draw connections with them.
I can not wait for his next book and even though I picked up this book from my local library I guarentee I will be buying a copy to complete my collection.
February 26, 2025
It is 1988, on the eve of the G7 Summit in Toronto. In this prequel to Robert Rotenberg’s Ari Greene series, Greene is a young constable with the Toronto Police Force. The Chief of Police gets an anonymous tip that an assassin will cross into Canada at a small town on the border of Vermont and Quebec. The Security Assessment Committee of the G7 countries dismiss the threat. Chief Keon sends Ari Greene to investigate anyway. When two people are murdered in the town, Ari realizes that the tip is real.
Ari pursues the unknown assassin to Montreal and on toward Toronto. It is 75 hours to the summit and the clock is ticking down. The chase is on and Ari is following a string of bodies leading closer and closer to the G7. It will take some solid detective work and a lot of luck to track the lethal assassin down in time to save the world leaders.
It is an understatement to say this novel is action-packed. The suspense ratchets up through every minute of the countdown. It is a thrilling read. I loved all the details that set the stage for what life and policing were like in the 1980s. Unbelievable now that mobile phones were the size of bricks. Rotenberg’s character development is fantastic. You get a great insight into Detective Greene’s early work. The ending was riveting and had a nail-biting conclusion. I didn’t see that twist coming. I highly recommend reading One Minute More. It will keep you up into the night.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.
Ari pursues the unknown assassin to Montreal and on toward Toronto. It is 75 hours to the summit and the clock is ticking down. The chase is on and Ari is following a string of bodies leading closer and closer to the G7. It will take some solid detective work and a lot of luck to track the lethal assassin down in time to save the world leaders.
It is an understatement to say this novel is action-packed. The suspense ratchets up through every minute of the countdown. It is a thrilling read. I loved all the details that set the stage for what life and policing were like in the 1980s. Unbelievable now that mobile phones were the size of bricks. Rotenberg’s character development is fantastic. You get a great insight into Detective Greene’s early work. The ending was riveting and had a nail-biting conclusion. I didn’t see that twist coming. I highly recommend reading One Minute More. It will keep you up into the night.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.
May 4, 2025
Here’s what I appreciated about Rotenberg’s ONE MINUTE MORE:
- the historical setting of a G7 meeting in 1988 with Mulroney, Thatcher, Reagan, etc, plus an invitation to Mikhail Gorbachev. Rotenberg captures the zeitgeist of the time: the very first mobile phones are just appearing and aren’t in common use and cops feed quarters into pay phones to communicate with each other.
- the Canadian setting ranging from southern Quebec to Montreal to Thousand Islands (St.Lawrence River) to downtown Toronto and the U of T campus. Very appealing to us Canadians feeling extra-nationalistic due to recent threats from #47.
- the entertainment value of a fast-moving, page-turning thriller.
The weaknesses I found were these:
- The investigative leaps made by the police protagonists strained credibility.
- some of the action scenes were a little too Ian Fleming: e.g. jumping into speedboats from helicopter, fights on rooftops, etc.
- the prose quality is competent but not rich or imaginative.
- low impact, by which I mean I probably won’t remember this book six months from now.
All in all though, solid entertainment value.
- the historical setting of a G7 meeting in 1988 with Mulroney, Thatcher, Reagan, etc, plus an invitation to Mikhail Gorbachev. Rotenberg captures the zeitgeist of the time: the very first mobile phones are just appearing and aren’t in common use and cops feed quarters into pay phones to communicate with each other.
- the Canadian setting ranging from southern Quebec to Montreal to Thousand Islands (St.Lawrence River) to downtown Toronto and the U of T campus. Very appealing to us Canadians feeling extra-nationalistic due to recent threats from #47.
- the entertainment value of a fast-moving, page-turning thriller.
The weaknesses I found were these:
- The investigative leaps made by the police protagonists strained credibility.
- some of the action scenes were a little too Ian Fleming: e.g. jumping into speedboats from helicopter, fights on rooftops, etc.
- the prose quality is competent but not rich or imaginative.
- low impact, by which I mean I probably won’t remember this book six months from now.
All in all though, solid entertainment value.
February 10, 2025
One Minute More is a crisp yet cinematic prequel to the Ari Greene detective series. When international leaders are about to descend upon Toronto for the G7 summit in 1988, a tip alerts security forces to an assassination plot. Plans developed across continents, and carefully built over several years, begin to unfold as members of the Toronto police force race to track the would-be assassin. Rotenberg once again utilizes his own expertise as a lawyer to expose the depths of some insidious political plotting in addition to highlighting exemplary police work. This is a timely and compelling thriller about the threat of foreign interference, tradecraft and political intrigue. Highly recommended.
June 29, 2025
Ari Greene, a Canadian police officer, is tasked with tracking down an assassin believed to be preparing to kill the G7 world leaders at their 1988 summit in Toronto, Canada. In an improbable sequence of events, he crosses paths with a Jackal-like assassin who slips away time and again, largely by ruthlessly eliminating anyone standing in their way. The cat-and-mouse chase drives the story to its violent conclusion. Apparently this was Robert Rotenberg's first ever attempt at writing a novel (which explains the plot holes) but it's an engaging, inventive and propulsive thriller, a prequel to the series based on the character of Ari Greene.
May 10, 2025
Excellent book & mystery, very engaging. I was so wrapped up in it, I forgot it was a prequel to his series until the end of the book, even though all is clearly dated 1988. I missed/forgot about the one 'foreshadowing' event in the book, or at least forgot about it, although it was obviously of significance when I was reading it. The "author's note" at the end of the book is quite enlightening, both in terms of his originally starting this book 30 years ago, and the 'artistic license'. I would have given the book a 4.5, so decided to raise it to 5.
February 9, 2025
A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster Canada for the ARC of One Minute More. What a treat to meet a young Ari Greene. I am a big fan of Robert Rotenberg’s characters, and novel settings. Set in 1988, Ari is pursuing a would-be assassin as they make their way to Toronto and the G7 summit. Short chapters and multiple points of views allowed me to read this book in one sitting. Great job. A solid 4 stars.
March 21, 2025
This is a prequel to the Ari Greene Toronto detective series. It’s 1988, and there will be a G7 summit meeting in Toronto. A young Ari is sent to a small town on the Vermont-Quebec border to follow up on a tip about a possible assassin on their way to Toronto. Two murders there make the vague tip real and it’s crucial that Ari and his colleagues track down the assassin before the outdoor photo op at Hart House at the University of Toronto.
April 16, 2025
It's an excellent thriller: plenty of suspense with a fast-paced style through short chapters. The plotting is good too, with a surprise twist at the end. Some purists may object to it as an unfair trope. There's good character presentation too. It's historical fiction, being set in the late 1980's, and there is a sense of authenticity in terms of the time and place: good job in presenting Toronto as it then was. Overall, an entertaining read.
May 22, 2025
One of his best.
Great background novel for a beloved character. One can see the reworking of an early Ari Greene and the characteristics we find in his later life.
The character development of the villains and other cops as well as his father and partner show skill and caring for authentic people not just cardboard cutouts.
Great background novel for a beloved character. One can see the reworking of an early Ari Greene and the characteristics we find in his later life.
The character development of the villains and other cops as well as his father and partner show skill and caring for authentic people not just cardboard cutouts.
July 11, 2025
I thought this book was deceptively good. I couldn't understand why the assassin had to travel the path that she did until it turned out (spoiler alert) she was a twin. Up to that point I had thought the plot was all wrong and in a way his kind of distracted from the book, but it worked in the end.
September 2, 2025
This is a very suspenseful, intriguing novel. The story takes place in July 1988. Part of the novel takes place in eastern Ontario and even mentions Brockville where I currently reside.
It's a real page turner about political intrigue and a well planned albeit fictional assassination of world leaders at the G7 Summit in Toronto.
It's a real page turner about political intrigue and a well planned albeit fictional assassination of world leaders at the G7 Summit in Toronto.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2025
🇨🇦Canadian author🇨🇦
This is a gripper! An assassin is on the loose, leaving quite the trail of homicides behind!
The G7 are meeting in Toronto, hosted by🇨🇦Prime Minister Mulroney. Russia's Gorbachev has been invited as an observer.
A true page-turner, the plot unfolds at breakneck speed.
A thrill of a read!
This is a gripper! An assassin is on the loose, leaving quite the trail of homicides behind!
The G7 are meeting in Toronto, hosted by🇨🇦Prime Minister Mulroney. Russia's Gorbachev has been invited as an observer.
A true page-turner, the plot unfolds at breakneck speed.
A thrill of a read!
October 6, 2025
yes? it was fast paced but not quite the page turner like I had expected. A great reminder about what life was like in the 1980's, before the internet and just as mobile phones (the huge brick sized ones) were coming out, and a pretty good espionage book....but questions were left unanswered and I don't know if there's a sequel to this
..
..
November 9, 2025
I read other books by Rotenberg and he seems to be getting better the more he writes. This is his most recent and the back story for the Greene and Kennicott series. It is a good page turner, likely even better because I remember the event and know most of the setting. I particularly liked that the characters had depth. I will go back and pick up the series where I left off.
March 18, 2025
One Minute More is a prequel to the Greene and Kennicott and the first Rotenberg book I've read. It's a great mystery-thriller by a Canadian author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now to read the rest of the series!
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