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Cracker Jack
Once upon a time, Jackson Phillips wasn’t just a cab driver. In another life, he went by another name—Cracker Jack, the best safecracker money could buy. That was before Jack met the love of his life, Eve, and her seven-year-old son, Tommy. Vowing to leave his life of crime in the rearview mirror, Jack swore he would never touch a safe ever again.
Roads paved with good intentions, however, tend to lead only one place. For when Eve is denied health insurance to cover ailing Tommy's medical expenses, Jack knows his cab driver's salary won't be enough to pay the bills.
Enter Damon Gray, Jack's old partner-in-crime, who offers him an opportunity too perfect to refuse: crack into the safe of Richard Kohler, the same insurance magnate who denied Tommy's coverage.
But what Jack, Damon, and the rest don't realize, is that Kohler has something other than money locked in his safe… Something never meant to be released… Something with an insatiable hunger.
Roads paved with good intentions, however, tend to lead only one place. For when Eve is denied health insurance to cover ailing Tommy's medical expenses, Jack knows his cab driver's salary won't be enough to pay the bills.
Enter Damon Gray, Jack's old partner-in-crime, who offers him an opportunity too perfect to refuse: crack into the safe of Richard Kohler, the same insurance magnate who denied Tommy's coverage.
But what Jack, Damon, and the rest don't realize, is that Kohler has something other than money locked in his safe… Something never meant to be released… Something with an insatiable hunger.
244 pages, Paperback
Published March 8, 2025
12 people want to read
About the author
Asher Ellis
8 books32 followersAsher Ellis is a screenwriter, educator, and author of the novels PET, Curse of the Pigman, Cracker Jack, The Remedy, and The Therapy. He has written multiple award-winning short films, including Exit 7A, which was included in the feature-length horror anthologies, The Portal and Conjure X. His penned short film, "My Name Is Art," was featured in Amazon's first annual "All Voices Film Festival," celebrating underrepresented communities. When not writing, Asher enjoys hiking through the woods of his home state of Vermont (which he insists are not full of cryptids and cannibals, despite what his novels might suggest.)
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November 28, 2021
Another clever story by Asher with plenty of surprise twists to keep you on your toes. A safe-cracker turned cabdriver comes out of retirement for one final score on the night before Christmas -- his intentions are noble, his target is scum, and his skills are second to none. Throw in the woman with the heart of gold and the clear "good vs. evil" plot setup, and Cracker Jack has a very pulp fiction-y feel to it. It is a fast-paced and fun read where hardboiled crime meets supernatural splatter horror, all set against the backdrop of Christmas Eve.
Displaying 1 of 1 review