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Nothing To Lose
Pax West, a former CIA Ghost with no past and no future, alights an Amtrak train in Portland, Oregon. He wasn’t there long before a sheriff arrests him for the murder of a local young woman. The sheriff says he has him on CCTV. The woman was his niece, making this personal. The usual judicial rules didn’t apply as far as he was concerned.
Pax was thrown into Oregon State Penitentiary. He wasn’t upset. It was a mistake, but it would get cleaned up in the morning. No harm no foul. Besides, he was looking for a place to sleep tonight anyway. He had nothing to lose. Inside, Pax witnessed another inmate – Elliot Brooks – getting beaten up. It was an uneven fight. Four, heavyset men on one skinny kid with glasses. Pax let it happen. It wasn’t his fight. Then, when it looked like they were going to kill him, Pax’s primitive moral compass kicked in – letting the kid die crossed the line.
After dealing with the situation the only way Pax knew how, Elliot cursed him for saving his life. He deserved to die. It would have been a blessing. Two years earlier, Elliot had woken up at home with a baseball bat covered in blood. The blood’s DNA was a match to his own daughter. They never found her body, but there was too much blood at the scene for her to have possibly survived. Police found high levels of amphetamines in his system. He couldn’t remember a thing about the night. But the evidence was clear – he’d killed his own daughter.
The next morning, Elliot had a visit from his sister, who hadn’t spoken to him since the nightmare begun two years earlier. She didn’t say anything to him. Just handed him a photograph. It didn’t have a date or anything on it. The picture was taken at Sea World in San Diego, California. There was a picture of a dolphin performing some sort of trick. He barely registered the dolphin. Instead, his eyes landed on a girl, about six years old smiling into the camera. The sight took his breath away. She looked familiar. Not just familiar. Identical. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew in that instant, it was Amy – his Amy. She was two years older, but very much alive.
For the first time in two years, Elliot wanted to live. Knew he now had to escape Oregon State Penitentiary, where he was serving a life sentence with no chance of parole. Then, he had to find his little girl and get her back from the monsters who had taken everything from him. Elliot had no idea how to do any of those things, but if anyone could help him, he knew it was the big guy who had turned up in his cell last night.
The question remained, was Pax West willing to risk everything to save a stranger?
Pax was thrown into Oregon State Penitentiary. He wasn’t upset. It was a mistake, but it would get cleaned up in the morning. No harm no foul. Besides, he was looking for a place to sleep tonight anyway. He had nothing to lose. Inside, Pax witnessed another inmate – Elliot Brooks – getting beaten up. It was an uneven fight. Four, heavyset men on one skinny kid with glasses. Pax let it happen. It wasn’t his fight. Then, when it looked like they were going to kill him, Pax’s primitive moral compass kicked in – letting the kid die crossed the line.
After dealing with the situation the only way Pax knew how, Elliot cursed him for saving his life. He deserved to die. It would have been a blessing. Two years earlier, Elliot had woken up at home with a baseball bat covered in blood. The blood’s DNA was a match to his own daughter. They never found her body, but there was too much blood at the scene for her to have possibly survived. Police found high levels of amphetamines in his system. He couldn’t remember a thing about the night. But the evidence was clear – he’d killed his own daughter.
The next morning, Elliot had a visit from his sister, who hadn’t spoken to him since the nightmare begun two years earlier. She didn’t say anything to him. Just handed him a photograph. It didn’t have a date or anything on it. The picture was taken at Sea World in San Diego, California. There was a picture of a dolphin performing some sort of trick. He barely registered the dolphin. Instead, his eyes landed on a girl, about six years old smiling into the camera. The sight took his breath away. She looked familiar. Not just familiar. Identical. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew in that instant, it was Amy – his Amy. She was two years older, but very much alive.
For the first time in two years, Elliot wanted to live. Knew he now had to escape Oregon State Penitentiary, where he was serving a life sentence with no chance of parole. Then, he had to find his little girl and get her back from the monsters who had taken everything from him. Elliot had no idea how to do any of those things, but if anyone could help him, he knew it was the big guy who had turned up in his cell last night.
The question remained, was Pax West willing to risk everything to save a stranger?
285 pages, Paperback
Published March 4, 2025
About the author
Christopher Cartwright
283 books277 followersChristopher Cartwright writes spellbinding mysteries and suspense novels. Often with a backdrop of ocean adventure. Born in 1983, he has a background as a paramedic, and is an avid sailor and SCUBA diver.
He holds degrees in paramedics, nursing and emergency management.
Chris currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.
He holds degrees in paramedics, nursing and emergency management.
Chris currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 22, 2025
Nothing to Lose
Great book. Two (2) different twists in the book. I did not.see either of them coming! One revelation stunned me. Well written and full of action. It had to be hard writing about Pax. I know that this particular condition exists, but it is hard to imagine what it is like. As a retired nurse, I had to learn how to handle questions from patients about their diagnosis ANF prognosis. There were some things that you could not tell them. You could however let them verbalize their feelings. This book was full of action and a lot of bodies. Very little emotion, just business as usual for Pax. It somehow made the book better. I cannot wait to read the third book in the series.
Great book. Two (2) different twists in the book. I did not.see either of them coming! One revelation stunned me. Well written and full of action. It had to be hard writing about Pax. I know that this particular condition exists, but it is hard to imagine what it is like. As a retired nurse, I had to learn how to handle questions from patients about their diagnosis ANF prognosis. There were some things that you could not tell them. You could however let them verbalize their feelings. This book was full of action and a lot of bodies. Very little emotion, just business as usual for Pax. It somehow made the book better. I cannot wait to read the third book in the series.
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April 10, 2025Volunteering was a good way to say Thank you
The end of the carnival for the veterans Pax makes his way out next thing he knows he's in a security penitentiary yes locked up for something he didn't do.that's where he met Elliott in there for murdering his daughter, until a visit from his sister turned everything upsides down. This sounds like Pax is volunteering again. A story to nip at your heart but not a softly softly story in the end you wonder who is chasing whom after ducking bullets escaping from 2 fires and winning a Caribbean cruise well it's all here. Great book recommend
The end of the carnival for the veterans Pax makes his way out next thing he knows he's in a security penitentiary yes locked up for something he didn't do.that's where he met Elliott in there for murdering his daughter, until a visit from his sister turned everything upsides down. This sounds like Pax is volunteering again. A story to nip at your heart but not a softly softly story in the end you wonder who is chasing whom after ducking bullets escaping from 2 fires and winning a Caribbean cruise well it's all here. Great book recommend
March 6, 2025
a good read
A really good read ,just my type of book,cops ,spy’s,violence action adventure,intrigue,a serious bit of heart wrenching with children involved, Pax is my new Jack Reacher Hero.And a good ending.
A really good read ,just my type of book,cops ,spy’s,violence action adventure,intrigue,a serious bit of heart wrenching with children involved, Pax is my new Jack Reacher Hero.And a good ending.
March 9, 2025
Pax West
I enjoyed reading all the Pax West novels till now, and hope there will be more. Pax is the result of poor indoctrination, yet his kindness shines through. I can’t wait to see what adventures he will face, and how many people he will impress along the way!
I enjoyed reading all the Pax West novels till now, and hope there will be more. Pax is the result of poor indoctrination, yet his kindness shines through. I can’t wait to see what adventures he will face, and how many people he will impress along the way!
June 13, 2025
Exciting reading
I enjoy this book quite a bit. I look forward to reading the next volumes and following the adventures of Pax West. He seems to be pretty laid back and gets the job that needs to be done done.
I enjoy this book quite a bit. I look forward to reading the next volumes and following the adventures of Pax West. He seems to be pretty laid back and gets the job that needs to be done done.
March 29, 2025
A great read. Just non-stop action and adventure as only Pax could attract.
April 12, 2025
damn good
Met Pax in sam reilly books
Many simularities to Reacher
But lov the stories and a righter of wrongs ,excellent
Met Pax in sam reilly books
Many simularities to Reacher
But lov the stories and a righter of wrongs ,excellent
April 23, 2025
A great read
Can not wait for the next one. Hope
the series is continued. Now for garbage so I can post this.
Can not wait for the next one. Hope
the series is continued. Now for garbage so I can post this.
December 25, 2025
Top Notch Thriller!
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December 30, 2025Another fun adventure. I love anything Christopher Cartwright writes.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews