They Have No Idea Who They're F***ing With: A Domestic Thriller

by Jonathan Maas, Patty Ann Economos (Editor)

A phone call in the middle of the night with a chilling message
They have her husband, and she must complete a strange series of tasks if she wants him returned alive. If she contacts the police, he will die. If she deviates from their directives, he will die.
And though their directives are extraordinarily difficult, she agrees without hesitation, and then hangs up.
After this phone call, the husband tells his captors that they should let him go immediately, for their own sake. Why? Because his wife plays by a different set of rules, and it’s only a matter of time before she finds him, and when she does, it will not go well for them.

But time is not on his side, or hers
She is thrust into a strange quest through the underworld, where she must steal, fight and negotiate for her husband’s life at every turn.
And she can do it all, but they have a gun to her husband’s head, and their fingers are getting itchy.
One false move, one bit of panic, and her husband’s life is over.
So she plows through this world of drug use and crime, of shoplifting and violence, because she cannot live without him, nor can she live without his captors regretting that they were ever born.
She is determined to bring him back to safety, and after that she will let the entire underworld know the

They have no idea who they’re f***ing with.

--
A note from the
“When I got Jonathan Maas’s follow up to Swerve I plowed through this Domestic Thriller page turner in a single night. It’s a bit more humorous than Swerve, but the characters are just as deadly, if not more so. I recommend this tale, though be warned – it’s not your normal suburban noir fare, and once you start, you will not be able to stop.”
Crime fiction, humorous tales, women who have had enough, strong female leads, urban noir, suburban noir
For fans Ruth Ware, Alexis Soloski, Jordan Harper

Genres: Crime, Mystery

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2026

About the author

Jon Maas was born in New Haven, Connecticut and grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in Biology and History, he's earned a living as a Musician, Peace Corps Volunteer, Standup Comedian, TV Producer and Web Designer.

He has published ten books, and has more on the way.

He has also directed the movie 'Spanners' starring Shawn Christian and Eric Roberts, and wrote its sequel book - 'Spanners: The Fountain of Youth.'

He writes on his bus commute to and from work, and has a soft spot in his heart for all types of Public Transportation.

Reviews

[Rebecca Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

They didn’t see her coming. She is most definitely a “sleeping giant “.

Awesome story that has a great ending.

[ukkindlecustomer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Easy but Worthwhile Read

Multiple, a la Kurt Vonnegut, divergences, some helpful, all interesting, all, to varying degrees, coming back to elastic central storyline. Both characters and writing style maintain the sense of emotionless statement throughout rather than any attempt to engage, but worth persevering with.

[Tracy Susong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep thoughts but not Jack Handy

First thing I would say is that this book is best read in 1 sitting, to keep all the references straight & enjoyable. I put it down twice , and wished there were recaps when I picked it up again.

I enjoyed the story line, but it was the protagonist that really held my interest. Her amoral morality was really intriguing & captivating. A truly engaging read!

[Mark Latour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely the most original crime mystery I have ever read. A whole new take on what the private sleuth can do. Read it and find out why I wrote this.

[lou-anne beauregard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly entertaining and tongue in cheek.

[Linda Ackerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A head scratching, sometimes funny...

I laughed and did some serious head scratching reading this book. It highlights some interesting concepts to morality, high-level psycopathy, and everyday matters about love vs. hate, good vs. evil, and individual vs. the Universe. It is fun and serious at the same time. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Mailmanr5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining foray into philosophy.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me correct the opening, this book starts with a startling sound in the wee hours of the night. There's a phone but it's attached to a brick thrown through a window. The main character, identified as Her, also realizes that her husband is not home. Sure enough, her husband has been abducted and she finds the brick/phone throwers want her to do some tasks to get him back. Most people would freak out, but she's not most people and is in fact very special. I won't give away why she's special but share that since most people don't 'get her', she values her husband very much and wants him back. She's also very smart, very private, very focused, and quite a bit different from both of us. This tale takes place in the Swerve-verse (modern day LA). I found this to be a fascinating because of the journey through some of lowest levels of crime, her determination to get her husband back, and this being one of the most romantic tales ever between Her and Him, her husband for we all want someone to understand this as he understands her. My rating is 5 stars for a unique thriller.

[Sandra Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

They Have No Idea Who They’re F**ing With* is a high intensity domestic thriller that blends dark humor, crime fiction, and relentless suspense.

Jonathan Maas builds a fast paced narrative centered on a determined wife forced into a dangerous underworld game where every choice carries lethal consequences.

The story leans heavily on grit, urgency, and a fearless protagonist who refuses to break under pressure, making it a gripping, chaotic ride for fans of unconventional thriller setups.

[Jutta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Copied from another review
“ I laughed and did some serious head scratching reading this book. It highlights some interesting concepts to morality, high-level psycopathy, and everyday matters about love vs. hate, good vs. evil, and individual vs. the Universe. It is fun and serious at the same time.”
Except for this line: “I enjoyed it immensely.”

One of the strangest books I ever read. Some funny moments but overall not my thing.

[Andy Swindells · Rating 5 out of 5]

They Have No Idea Who They’re F**ing With, was my first big summer read, and wow, did it deliver. I was so engrossed in Jonathan Maas’s follow-up to Swerve that I completely lost track of time, ended up with a sunburnt head, and looked like the bargain-bin cousin of Hellboy 😊 Totally worth it though.
Every book Jonathan Maas releases delivers the goods, and this one is no exception. The pacing is sharp, the tension keeps building, and once it hooks you in, it doesn’t let go. Don’t waste your time scrolling through reviews — just dive in and enjoy the ride. Trust me, Maas is one of the best thriller writers out there right now.

[John Boyda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m still undecided

I’m not sure what this book was about and am also unsure why I read it. It raised a lot of philosophical questions that were only superficially answered. Although it took many tangential paths, it still kept my curiosity engaged. I think I finished it out of stubbornness. Do I recommend it? Not for everyone!

[Susan Spraker · Rating 4 out of 5]

liked the main character

This started out real good but it lost me a little in the middle. Then it picked up again on her third assignment. This was n interesting read and above my thinking. I was disappointed that the husband didn’t play much a role after being rescued as what should have been the climax wasn’t.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book intrigued me. I couldn’t get into the fact that her husband was kidnapped, and the kidnappers wanted her to steal from Home Depot as her first instruction. This took her days to practice the art of stealing and not get caught. Really? I finished the book only bc I wanted to see how she freed her husband.

[Lucille Bransfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars . I liked this book, but definitely felt like some of it was added to fill the pages. Think I would have loved it had it been cut a little. Not saying too long, but stuff that felt confusing rather than needed. I love an a**kicking woman protagonist so that’s what drew me in to read it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

food for thought

I didn’t expect a book with this title to make me think about morality and doing what is right. At the same time it didn’t feel like a lecture. I enjoyed this story, and it will leave me thinking for some time.

[Linda Frances · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first few chapters were okay, but after that it got more and boring. I finally started skimming instead of reading, and even that was boring. All in all, one of the most boring books I've ever read.

[Ms Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn’t finish

Too long winded, could have been a good story, but seemed to be going round in circles. Perhaps just not my genre, sorry.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the kind of book that I would normally read, but, wow, was I amazed! A truly amazing and engaging book, written well, and written without gratuitous violence and messy scenes, which I hate. A truly introspective and thoughtful book. I would highly recommend it!