DETECTIVE JACK MURPHY IS BACK—on the trail of a criminal mastermind who kills for profit and tortures for pleasure.
In Jack Murphy’s experience, the killers who blend in are the hardest to catch. But none are as elusive—or efficient—as Mr. Smith. A man of average height, weight and build, Mr. Smith is as ordinary as his name. Which makes it easy for him to get close to his targets. To kill without conscience. To use every weapon at his disposal to raise the stakes in a global game of terror and death. Mr. Smith is no ordinary killer. But Jack Murphy is no ordinary cop . . .
My writing career began in 2004 with the true crime book, BLOOD TRAIL. In 2009 I began writing fiction. Police thrillers based somewhat on my experiences as a Detective in the Homicide/Violent Crime Unit.
As of February 2020 there are nine thriller novels in the Detective Jack Murphy series published by Kensington Publishing.
My books have been translated and/or sold in many countries and can be obtained as eBook, paperback, and audio books.
Detective Jack Murphy is back with a vengeance! He's on the trail of a criminal mastermind. This killer is good ...very good. He has no conscience, no feelings of remorse, and he will kill indiscriminately .. as long as there is a payday in it for him.
Jack's friend, ATF Killian George, gets some confidential information that may tie into Jack's case. Unbeknown to anyone, George is watching a warehouse. What he sees are two cops in uniform hauling boxes of explosives. So intent on watching through binoculars, a man identified only as Mr. Smith, walks up and shoots him in the face.
Needless to say, no one is going to shoot his friend and walk away scott free. From there there are all sorts of activities going on.
There are crooked cops, FBI Agents who aren't, a supervisor who swears that he's going to find a way to fire Jack. An old girlfriend appears just as he's thinking about getting his ex-wife back.
Everything comes to a boil when explosives are planted on a Casino Boat and Jack and his team must find the killer, find the explosives and save hundreds of lives.... and make it out alive.
This is an exciting addition to an already exhilarating action-packed series. There is non-stop action and an explosive ending. I love the character of Jack Murphy ... he's got a smart mouth but he's also a smart cop. The relationship with his partner is priceless. From their banter, you know they love each other like brothers and will always have each others backs.
It's not necessary to read these books in order, although I always recommend it. 5 stars for the book, 5 stars for the series.
I would like to thank the author, Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of The Highest Stakes.
I don't know, I thought this book was a bit overblown. Someone shoots Jack Murphy's ATF friend Killian and Murphy and Liddell are off to solve the case. What they uncover is crooked cops, illegal arms sales, a ruthless predator called 'Mr Smith', FBI agents who aren't, and a nefarious plot involving a big heist and probably lots of death and mayhem. Confused yet?
It seemed a bit forced to me, like the writer was trying to make this really complex mystery but it ended up being a bit messy. Everyone seemed somewhat cliched and Jack's banter, while amusing at times, got annoying eventually. I know its fiction and all but it was pretty implausible. Mr Smith was completely over the top. And would he really take all these risks and involve a bunch of amateurs for a few lousy million? The non-FBI guys were completely unbelievable and I think they, more than anything, detracted from the story.
I read this thinking it was book 3. Its actually book 4 (which I read first) and which was much better. Mr Reed, you have heaps of potential as a writer. Please stop trying so hard with the complex plot (unless you can really pull it off) and stop with the lame banter between the detectives - do people really talk like that?
Detective Jack Murphy is back in the fourth book of the series, and with romance, bullets flying and the Fed's involved we are in for a thrilling ride! A criminal who uses explosives, wanted everywhere but no one knows who he is. Jack's friend in the ATF, Killian, receives some info from an informant that cops were heard talking about dealing explosives. This information gets to Jack after Killian is shot, and our rogue detective jumps into the case. The Chief of Police still hates Jack's ways and tries to derail him at every turn, but Jack will do anything to get to the truth. What rules, what government Fed's, Jack uses his own smarts ,skills and friends to find the end of every question. A thrilling ride as we follow Jack's determination to obtain the total truth.
In Rick Reed's The Highest Stakes, the 4th installment in the Jack Murphy thriller series, hang onto your hat for a bumpy ride. It all started with a bombing in Chicago, when Jack Murphy and his partner Liddell chased a family of bank robbers and shooting them dead. But things get dicey, when his friend ATF George Killian gets shot in an undercover operation. As he investigates the scene with Liddell, they learn about who's involved into the crime of crooked cops and other unsavory characters. Every step of the way, he throws no punches to uncover the secret of why other federal agencies are on his tail and wanted to stop him dead. In the end, it comes to a shocking explosion that would knock your socks off.
Jack is back with a vengeance. Under scrutiny again for shooting bank robbers and stopping the robbery, Double Dick is trying his damnedest to get rid of him. One of Jack's closest friends in the ATF is gunned down while investigating an off the books case and Jack sees similarities from a case from his past & starts an investigation of his own. Keeping Liddell out of it, Jack's nosiness leads him to illegal weapons sales, a killer with no conscience, crooked cops, & rogue CIA agents. Turning back up in his life to help him is Susan who reignites feelings he had for her and his ex-wife Katie who he still loves still on his mind. The case and the women might be the death of Jack.
Buckle up, because Jack Murphy is back and the stakes (literally) could not be higher. This isn’t some cozy evening of clue-solving over a cup of tea — this is Rick Reed swinging for the fences with explosions, rogue agents, and Jack dodging bullets while juggling his personal life like a caffeinated circus act.
When one of Jack’s closest friends in the ATF gets executed while doing some off-the-books surveillance, Jack doesn’t just get angry — he gets even. His boss “Double Dick” is still trying to push him out, his ex-wife is still haunting his heart, and Susan’s sudden reappearance stirs up a hornet’s nest of feelings. And yet, instead of lying low, Jack’s digging through a labyrinth of dirty cops, illegal weapons sales, and a killer so cold he could chill your drink.
Reed sets it all against Evansville’s back alleys and casino boats, and the result is like Die Hard meets Serpico. By the time explosives show up on a gambling ship, you’re reading with your eyes half-covered, muttering “Oh Jack, please don’t blow up” as if he can hear you through the pages.
What makes it work — and keeps the series so addictive — is the mix of breakneck action and believable relationships. Jack’s banter with Liddell is still pure buddy-cop gold. You know these two would take a bullet for each other, even while insulting each other’s mothers.
Cinderella the dog adds comic relief exactly when you need it, like a tail-wagging pressure valve in the middle of the tension.
Reed also knows how to write a villain. The killer here is ordinary, almost invisible — which makes him scarier than a room full of cartoon supervillains twirling mustaches. And he layers the plot just enough to keep you guessing who’s dirty, who’s compromised, and who’s about to walk into Jack’s crosshairs.
This is book four in the series, but you can jump in here if you want; Reed gives you enough to follow without an info-dump. Longtime fans will appreciate the extra depth in Jack’s personal life and the bigger sense of stakes (pun intended). Newcomers will simply be hooked by the speed, the detail, and the “oh-my-God” set pieces.
Five stars for The Highest Stakes, (and five stars for a series that never loses its punch). Jack Murphy may be battered, heartbroken, and running on fumes, but he’s still the smartest, toughest detective in Evansville — and Rick Reed still knows how to make you hold your breath until the very last page.
"At the hospital Sergeant Wolf oversaw the drawing of blood from Jack and Liddell, as ordered by Double Dick. Their test results showed they were clear of any alcohol or drugs in their systems. Liddell got a few stitches, but Doctor Findlay was nice and hid them in the hairline. Then Dr. Findlay faced Jack and moved his mouth like he was talking but there was no sound. Jack panicked, thinking he really had gone deaf, until the doctor grinned and said "Just kidding. Who'd you shoot this time, Jack?" Everyone's a comedian."..........
One of my favorite detectives is back in this new "Jack Murphy Thriller" series. In this fourth installment we find Jack looking for a "needle in a haystack" kind of killer. What's truly scary is who this person actually is, and how he came to be a murderer. The scene is set in Evansville, Indiana.
The killer appears so ordinary that no one notices him, not even after it's already too late, and he's committed another murder. Jack isn't your usual cop, and if anyone can figure out who he is, it's definitely going to be Jack, along with his partner Liddell. Others know his identity and may go to great lengths to eliminate him before the detectives uncover the truth. Well, if he doesn't eliminate them first. Some shady cops are involved and ill equipped to know what they've gotten themselves into.
Does he operate alone? How does he travel the country doing as he pleases? His fatal mistake could be getting on Jack's radar, or will he find a way to escape into the void? This story was a little more intense and complicated than previous books. Still, I found the characters interesting, and the story line intriguing. Some exciting scenes led to another great book in this series.
All Jack's issues with his job don't come from the outside. Not everyone is happy with the way Jack gets his job done, sometimes that includes family. Jack does still have his inherited dog, Cinderella. She provides a little humor to the story with her antics. A good book always has a dog in it doesn't it?
One of my favorite things about this author is his attention to detail. As soon as you begin one of his books, the details are so interesting that it draws you inside the book immediately. His characters are descriptive. You get a real feel for the people and situations. I can't wait for the next in the series!
Thank you Rick Reed, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing.
The highest stakes is the first book in a while that I found truly thrilling. It seems a lot of books use the term thriller carelessly when there is nothing even remotely exciting about the book or the characters. I am pleased to say that was not the case with this book.
I like main characters that can kick some butt as much as the next person, but it really comes down to intelligence in the end. The heroes that can outwit a villain, even the ones that seem impossible to figure out and even harder to catch are my favourite, and this character does that delightfully.
The chase is on from the first few pages and as you settle into this book, everything else in life kind of fades away. The dialogue was very well-written and the action scenes are smooth and without flaws that leave you confused. Instead, this book makes you want to read another and another after it.
Definitely worth the time to read. Recommended.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I will be reading more of Rick Reed's Jack Murphy series and anything else he has to offer. The characters are reasonably well drawn, the plot is sufficiently complex, and his writing style makes for a pleasant, easy read. No literary prizes, but good fun! Keep them coming.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of The Highest Stakes, the fourth novel to feature detective Jack Murphy of Evansville, Indiana.
The novel opens with a bang as Mr Smith watches and enjoys a series of explosions in Chicago. He is, apparently, a rogue operator is some nameless government organisation and when they come for him he kills them as well. The action switches to Evansville where ATF officer Killian George, acting on a tip, stumbles across an illegal arms deal and is shot. Jack and his partner, Liddell "Bigfoot" Blanchard are immediately on the case. A few suspensions, office politics, plenty of action and the unwelcome interference of federal agents later Jack finally gets to meet Mr Smith or whatever the hell he's called!
I hesitate to call this novel a police procedural as Jack wouldn't know a procedure if it hit him in the face, but that's all part of the fun. The Highest Stakes is a high octane read with plenty of action and some great lines of black humour. I thoroughly enjoyed it as I have the whole series and am at a loss to understand why Mr Reed's novels aren't on the bestseller lists when they are so entertaining.
The strength of the novel lies in the character of Jack Murphy and his banter with other characters. The dialogue is funny, natural and realistic. Jack is maybe a bit OTT but it works. He is constantly being suspended for flouting procedure but always gets re-instated. He is beaten up and shot at on a regular basis but always bounces back. He is charming, cocky, dedicated to his job and never gives up. Yes, he's incredibly annoying as everyone who knows him will tell you but he draws you in and you end up loving him like all good protagonists.
If you are looking for realism in your reading then this is probably not the book for you as the plot is fairly improbable but you would be missing out on a great, fun adventure which had me glued to the pages from start to finish. I read it in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. Heartily recommended.
Lyrical Underground and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Highest Stakes. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Detective Jack Murphy, in the aftermath of a shootout that left several people dead, including the Chief Prosecutor, has now lost his second chance with his ex-wife Katie. A bank robbery leaves Jack in hot water, as he and his partner nab the criminals in a way that chaos ensues. When an ATF friend of Jack's, Killian, walks into a crime in progress and is shot for his troubles, the ATF chief asks for Jack's help in solving the case. Will the detective who always seems to find trouble be able to land on his feet? When the case seems to involve some very well placed and powerful people, will Jack become collateral damage?
I am usually a fan of the Detective Jack Murphy series, but this book seems to be more of the same. In typical fashion, Jack runs headlong into a situation with trouble fast to his heels. The criminals are brilliant, as always, and the police are one step behind. I was hoping to see more of a progression of the character by now and I was disappointed in The Highest Stakes because of this fact. Readers who are new to the series should start at the beginning, as this book is not the best representation of the character. Readers who like police procedural thrillers and suspense may find the character of Jack Murphy to their liking.
This was a very entertaining police thriller that the publisher sent me an ARC of. The main character is a police detective in Indiana who does things his way, resulting in getting in trouble with his superiors, just like every other police thriller. While investigating the shooting of one of his friends the detective finds a sinister plot that involves an ex-CIA agent. It is full of action and suspense. While it is mostly well written, there are some mistakes and errors that the editor should have caught. They are minor and do not really take anything away from the plot. Overall, it is a fun quick novel and I would read other books by Rick Reed.
I am writing this for Goodreads. I was supposed to receive The Coldest Fear but received this book instead.How fortuitous. The crime plot is not so different that it makes this book stand out, instead, it is the quality of the writing. His characters are strong, the action believable, but most of all the author makes you believe. P.S. Mr. Reed, you got me into trouble. When I was supposed to be working on the yard or helping in the house my wife caught me reading.
Book four of the "Jack Murphy" series is a five star good read just like the first three in the series. Now the wait for book five "The Darkest Night" which should be out April 2017. Rick Reed was a cop for twenty years now he writes. Have no idea what kind of cop he was but he sure is a damn good writer.