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Jon Reznick #1
Hard Road
Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
Revised edition: This edition of Hard Road includes editorial revisions.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
Revised edition: This edition of Hard Road includes editorial revisions.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2013
10627 people are currently reading
7312 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Turner
24 books894 followersJ.B. Turner is the bestselling author of the Jon Reznick thriller series. His next book, HARD SHADOWS (Thomas and Mercer), is published on 30 June 2026. He is a former journalist. His books have sold more than three million copies. He also wrote the American Ghost black-ops series and the Deborah Jones crime series. He has a keen interest in geo-politics. And he loves music. Everything from Beethoven to The Beatles, The Cure to Bach. And everything in between. He loves films. Well, good ones. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Heat, The Godfather, The Offence, The Parallax View, Silver Linings Playbook, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Gray Man, The French Connection, Payback, It’s a Wonderful Life, Manhattan, Sideways, Annie Hall, Hell or High Water. TV shows he has enjoyed include: The Terminal List, The Kominsky Method, The Morning Show, Succession, Call My Agent!, Your Honor, The Undoing, Patrick Melrose, Colony, Bloodline, Mare of Easttown, Dead to Me, Fleishman is in Trouble, The Mosquito Coast and After Life. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is married with two children.
Literary Agent: Mitch Hoffman, The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency, New York.
Film/TV: Rich Green, The Gotham Group, Los Angeles.
Literary Agent: Mitch Hoffman, The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency, New York.
Film/TV: Rich Green, The Gotham Group, Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,080 reviews
July 7, 2018
J.B. Turner has written a suspenseful story about black ops specialist Jon Reznick who is sent to kill a man. The mission is compromised, and Reznick finds himself on the run with his intended target.
Along the way, his eleven-year-old daughter is kidnapped, and he has to use all his skills to rescue her. And oh yeah, he has to stop a biological weapon from killing thousands of people.
Though the action was good, I didn’t feel anything for Reznick. Even when his daughter was kidnapped, I just didn’t care that much about whether he succeeded in his mission. I can read plot-driven stories, but I want to care about the characters, whatever their goal is. In the TV show Breaking Bad, I was generally rooting for what, in any other circumstance, would be the bad guys. I just never felt that way about this protagonist, skilled and savvy though he was.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Along the way, his eleven-year-old daughter is kidnapped, and he has to use all his skills to rescue her. And oh yeah, he has to stop a biological weapon from killing thousands of people.
Though the action was good, I didn’t feel anything for Reznick. Even when his daughter was kidnapped, I just didn’t care that much about whether he succeeded in his mission. I can read plot-driven stories, but I want to care about the characters, whatever their goal is. In the TV show Breaking Bad, I was generally rooting for what, in any other circumstance, would be the bad guys. I just never felt that way about this protagonist, skilled and savvy though he was.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
July 14, 2018
This book made me chuckle, and it definitely should not have. It’s composed of one cliche piled onto another and the protagonist - the hero, if you will - is so humorless and lacking even a hint of personality! He goes around killing people (even water boarding one) and says, “God damn” each time, as though this is sufficient atonement. I honestly cannot tell you why I even finished it! Needless to say, I’ll be skipping the rest of the series.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 7, 2017
Firstly I would like to thank Net Galley, the publishers and the author for copies of all three Jon Reznick books and my apologies for the delay.
Secondly I would quite happily have paid for this book, the first in the series of the Jon Reznick books. A fast paced action packed thriller.
Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
This is a great fast paced, action packed thriller, with another great action hero Jon Reznick, full on with non stop pace as the plot travels around the states of the east coast of USA. Another great character is Martha Meyerstein to this story, you can see this character so well in your head (actually I saw Gillian Anderson in this part, and Matt Damon as Jon Reznick).
Another plus is being able to read solidly for three days and finish this book so quickly, and already well into part 2 of the Jon Reznick trilogy.
As well known as a keen fan of action thriller authors like Lee Childs, Tom Wood, Mark Dawson, Vince Flynn, Victor Methos, great to find another great author and character.
Reading, as mentioned number two, read the short story and have number three and ordered number four. So that lets you know I enjoyed the book. A clear four stars.
Secondly I would quite happily have paid for this book, the first in the series of the Jon Reznick books. A fast paced action packed thriller.
Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
This is a great fast paced, action packed thriller, with another great action hero Jon Reznick, full on with non stop pace as the plot travels around the states of the east coast of USA. Another great character is Martha Meyerstein to this story, you can see this character so well in your head (actually I saw Gillian Anderson in this part, and Matt Damon as Jon Reznick).
Another plus is being able to read solidly for three days and finish this book so quickly, and already well into part 2 of the Jon Reznick trilogy.
As well known as a keen fan of action thriller authors like Lee Childs, Tom Wood, Mark Dawson, Vince Flynn, Victor Methos, great to find another great author and character.
Reading, as mentioned number two, read the short story and have number three and ordered number four. So that lets you know I enjoyed the book. A clear four stars.
January 5, 2024
Hard Road (Jon Reznick, #1) by J.B. Turner
Synopsis /
Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
My Thoughts /
Former Delta operative, Jon Reznick is employed by the American Government as a black-ops specialist. He takes his orders from his handler, a person he knows only as Maddox, a voice on the telephone. Highly decorated, Reznick is a legend among the Delta community. But life has a way of taking you in directions you never thought possible. He lost his wife, who worked in the World Trade Centre, in the 9/11 attack and now he's left to bring up their daughter alone.
Reznick was not the judge. Nor the jury. He was the executioner.
For those that like a high-octane thriller and a fast paced read, I would recommend this one. Full of inter-government espionage, kidnapping, science, and bio-terrorism weapons of mass destruction, it leans a little towards the unbelievable, but is, nevertheless, very enjoyable entertainment.
Despatched by his handler to eliminate a target who has purportedly threatened security in the U.S., Reznick arrives at the target's hotel and the situation immediately feels wrong. Intuitively he thinks it's a setup, but with nothing other than his instinct to go on, Reznick kidnaps the target and flees to a safe house until he can figure out what's going on. When Reznick realises the 'target' he was sent to execute is a scientist working on a secret government program, he has more questions than answers. It seems that every Government organisation on the planet wants this man and Reznick must decide which agency to hand him over to.
There were two agents from Stamper’s Criminal Investigative Division who specialized in kidnapping investigations; a profiler, Jan Marino, from the National Centre for the Analysis of Violent Crimes; four agents from the Critical Incident Response Group, including behavioural and tactical; two critical incident and intelligence analysts; three members of the Computer Analysis Response Team, who would be responsible for searching any computers owned by Luntz or at his place of work; a member of the Cyber Division, to find out whether a threat had been made electronically and to see if computer systems had been hacked; and a handful of counterterrorism specialists. In addition, she recognized representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, the police, and the CIA dotted around the briefing room.
When his mother-in-law and daughter are kidnapped and held to ransom for a trade, Reznick realises there's much more at stake than he was first told.
This is where Reznick's training comes to the fore, he has to use everything he's learned to stay one step ahead. Things go from bad to worse as Reznick is not only fighting to save his life, but the life of his young daughter. Meanwhile, he doesn't know who to trust, or the true extent of the threat to U.S. security - he only knows he's got one chance to get it right.
Synopsis /
Jon Reznick is a “ghost”: a black-ops specialist who takes his orders from shadowy handlers, and his salary from the US government. Still mourning the loss of his beloved wife on 9/11, he’s dispatched to carry out a high-level hit. Reznick knows only that it must look like suicide. It’s textbook.
But the target is not the man Reznick expected. The whole setup is wrong. In an instant the operation is compromised, and Reznick is on the run with the man he was sent to kill. A man wanted by the FBI, and by a mysterious terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees. FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is determined to track him down, and to intercept whatever it is Reznick was sent to do.
When Reznick’s young daughter becomes a pawn in the game, he has to use more than his military training to stay one step ahead of those responsible. Meanwhile, he is the only person who knows the true extent of the threat to national security—and has the stealth and determination to stop it.
My Thoughts /
Former Delta operative, Jon Reznick is employed by the American Government as a black-ops specialist. He takes his orders from his handler, a person he knows only as Maddox, a voice on the telephone. Highly decorated, Reznick is a legend among the Delta community. But life has a way of taking you in directions you never thought possible. He lost his wife, who worked in the World Trade Centre, in the 9/11 attack and now he's left to bring up their daughter alone.
Reznick was not the judge. Nor the jury. He was the executioner.
For those that like a high-octane thriller and a fast paced read, I would recommend this one. Full of inter-government espionage, kidnapping, science, and bio-terrorism weapons of mass destruction, it leans a little towards the unbelievable, but is, nevertheless, very enjoyable entertainment.
Despatched by his handler to eliminate a target who has purportedly threatened security in the U.S., Reznick arrives at the target's hotel and the situation immediately feels wrong. Intuitively he thinks it's a setup, but with nothing other than his instinct to go on, Reznick kidnaps the target and flees to a safe house until he can figure out what's going on. When Reznick realises the 'target' he was sent to execute is a scientist working on a secret government program, he has more questions than answers. It seems that every Government organisation on the planet wants this man and Reznick must decide which agency to hand him over to.
There were two agents from Stamper’s Criminal Investigative Division who specialized in kidnapping investigations; a profiler, Jan Marino, from the National Centre for the Analysis of Violent Crimes; four agents from the Critical Incident Response Group, including behavioural and tactical; two critical incident and intelligence analysts; three members of the Computer Analysis Response Team, who would be responsible for searching any computers owned by Luntz or at his place of work; a member of the Cyber Division, to find out whether a threat had been made electronically and to see if computer systems had been hacked; and a handful of counterterrorism specialists. In addition, she recognized representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, the police, and the CIA dotted around the briefing room.
When his mother-in-law and daughter are kidnapped and held to ransom for a trade, Reznick realises there's much more at stake than he was first told.
This is where Reznick's training comes to the fore, he has to use everything he's learned to stay one step ahead. Things go from bad to worse as Reznick is not only fighting to save his life, but the life of his young daughter. Meanwhile, he doesn't know who to trust, or the true extent of the threat to U.S. security - he only knows he's got one chance to get it right.
June 7, 2017
Plot was okay. Writing not so good. There was too much detail given to what people wore and what a room looked like and not enough detail in the actions of the characters. It was very predictable and the ending was somewhat disappointing.
IMO, there are much better books of this genre out there.
IMO, there are much better books of this genre out there.
February 18, 2017
I received this e-book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Jon Reznick is a government contractor that makes problems go away. He is dispatched to eliminate a threat, but something is wrong, as he finds a dead agent stuffed in a closet and a set of dog tags on the target, with a different name. Jon grabs the guy and goes on the run, with various groups trying to capture his prize, who is a scientist working on a secret government program. While the action is fast and furious, with casualties piling up, JB Turner takes his time unveiling the threat. Eventually, Jon has to choose a side because he needs some outside help; however, the trust that develops between him and an FBI Assistant Director seems artificial as does Jon's forcing his way back into the game, after being told many times that he is not wanted. 3.5 stars, good enough that I will read book #2.
Jon Reznick is a government contractor that makes problems go away. He is dispatched to eliminate a threat, but something is wrong, as he finds a dead agent stuffed in a closet and a set of dog tags on the target, with a different name. Jon grabs the guy and goes on the run, with various groups trying to capture his prize, who is a scientist working on a secret government program. While the action is fast and furious, with casualties piling up, JB Turner takes his time unveiling the threat. Eventually, Jon has to choose a side because he needs some outside help; however, the trust that develops between him and an FBI Assistant Director seems artificial as does Jon's forcing his way back into the game, after being told many times that he is not wanted. 3.5 stars, good enough that I will read book #2.
December 6, 2016
Mmmm, I have to say when I read the reviews previous to reading the book I was a little unsure. I don't normally read the reviews but for some reason n this case I did and the feeling seems very mixed. I decided to get on with it and found myself straight in from chapter one, swept away with the characters and story line. Jon Reznick is not a good guy, nor is he a bad guy! He's ex Delta Forces and has been given a job by his handler. When Reznick turns up to carry out the high level hit, something is off. The target isn't the man he was expecting and that starts a chain of events that ends up tuning into something a whole lot worse.
On the other side of the fence sits FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein. Martha is very likeable and I thought believable. She is tough but has morals and although she may bend rules she categorically won't break them. This makes a refreshing change as may female leads are just renegades. When Meyerstein realises Resnick is involved they go all out to catch him. It seems Resnick hasn't only managed to not complete his mission, but has unknowingly become part of a bigger plan that involves a terrorist organisation.
The pace is pretty break neck from the start and rarely loses pace. At times Resnicks need to be awake and on the move and that made me feel tired for him but ultimately got across that urgent feel when reading a book like this. There are plenty of plot twists and an awful lot of threads to follow which keeps the tempo. There were moments when it had a real '24/Homeland' kind of feel and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if this was used as the basis for a show. Ultimately it made me want to carry on and read book 2 so a definite thumbs up from me,
On the other side of the fence sits FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein. Martha is very likeable and I thought believable. She is tough but has morals and although she may bend rules she categorically won't break them. This makes a refreshing change as may female leads are just renegades. When Meyerstein realises Resnick is involved they go all out to catch him. It seems Resnick hasn't only managed to not complete his mission, but has unknowingly become part of a bigger plan that involves a terrorist organisation.
The pace is pretty break neck from the start and rarely loses pace. At times Resnicks need to be awake and on the move and that made me feel tired for him but ultimately got across that urgent feel when reading a book like this. There are plenty of plot twists and an awful lot of threads to follow which keeps the tempo. There were moments when it had a real '24/Homeland' kind of feel and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if this was used as the basis for a show. Ultimately it made me want to carry on and read book 2 so a definite thumbs up from me,
February 6, 2017
3.5 stars
Hard Road is a fast paced terrorist themed thriller. The characters are well written as is the writing for the story. The major drawback for me is the story is all to familiar. Sort of reminded me of parts of the TV show 24.
A couple subplots at work that keep this book a real page turner. There is a imminent terrorist attack that is going to occur and the authorities are two steps behind the bad guys in figuring out what/where the target(s?) are going to be. The ending is really well written.
This book is a worthwhile read and I'll be picking up the next book in the series.
Hard Road is a fast paced terrorist themed thriller. The characters are well written as is the writing for the story. The major drawback for me is the story is all to familiar. Sort of reminded me of parts of the TV show 24.
A couple subplots at work that keep this book a real page turner. There is a imminent terrorist attack that is going to occur and the authorities are two steps behind the bad guys in figuring out what/where the target(s?) are going to be. The ending is really well written.
This book is a worthwhile read and I'll be picking up the next book in the series.
July 1, 2020
Good action/thriller, with Jon - a former military specialist - now being used to assassinate bad guys for a covert US government group.
He's a single father of an 11 year old daughter, with his wife having died in 9/11. When he's told to kill a man in Washington, he breaks into his hotel room, but starts questioning the information he's given. Soon, he's on the run from his boss, and his daughter becomes a pawn in the middle.
The terrorists in this story have a virus they're planning to unleash, and in the Corona Virus pandemic, the symptoms are surprisingly similar.
He's a single father of an 11 year old daughter, with his wife having died in 9/11. When he's told to kill a man in Washington, he breaks into his hotel room, but starts questioning the information he's given. Soon, he's on the run from his boss, and his daughter becomes a pawn in the middle.
The terrorists in this story have a virus they're planning to unleash, and in the Corona Virus pandemic, the symptoms are surprisingly similar.
November 13, 2016
Thrilling.
Action filled from the start to last page. Many good guys fighting with bad guys again and again. Enough twists and turns for couple of books. Reznick is hard headed, seasoned agent, lost his wife at twin towers attack. Born in America, terrorist Caan, determined to release deadly virus developed in America.
Action filled from the start to last page. Many good guys fighting with bad guys again and again. Enough twists and turns for couple of books. Reznick is hard headed, seasoned agent, lost his wife at twin towers attack. Born in America, terrorist Caan, determined to release deadly virus developed in America.
December 31, 2022
DNF@53%
🤦🏾♀️ I have no idea how I got here but I want whatever energy I used reading this back 😅.
🤦🏾♀️ I have no idea how I got here but I want whatever energy I used reading this back 😅.
October 21, 2020
“Jon, I have specialist FBI units who train for this kind of thing.”
“You wanna know who trains them? Guys like me. I’ve trained countless teams at Quantico or the Farm down the years. I’ve trained SWAT teams— you name it.”
I begin this review by stating that I do not enjoy reading over-the-top, all-American action heroes of the likes of Jack Reacher and Alex Cross. With this in mind, I picked up the first of the Jon Reznick thrillers by Scottish author, J B Turner. Rest assured, we are in safe hands here.
Reznick is former Delta-Force, saw action in the Middle East, and lives in Rockland, Maine in the house his father, a Vietnam vet, built. Any military trauma was overshadowed by the death of Reznick’s wife, Elizabeth, killed in the 9/11 Twin Towers attack, leaving him sole parent to 11 year old Lauren.
He is retained by a former CIA handler, Maddox, for wet jobs, mostly overseas. Maddox sends Reznick to Washington to take out American, Tom Powell at the St Regis hotel. When the “target” identifies himself as government scientist, Frank Luntz - and Reznick finds a dead FBI agent in the next room - he does not know who to trust. Refusing to hand Luntz over, he is drawn into a cat–and–mouse game as his daughter is taken hostage, with the FBI on his trail for the death of one of their agents.
After a slow start, and some melancholic moments between ex-Delta force operatives struggling to deal with life, this one really takes off. The main character Reznick is an honourable man in a deadly business, doped up on Dexedrine, in a bid to save his daughter and to hunt down those responsible to avert a bio-terrorism attack on American soil. FBI Deputy-Director, Martha Meyerstein, is quietly forceful, commanding the respect of the men surrounding her further down the chain, while having the strength of character to stand up to her own boss. Memorable performances too from the bio-terrorist Scott Caan and scientist Luntz.
He moved through the main floor, scanning each segment of the space. He had been trained to visually “pie off” a room— a military term for slicing a room into triangular sectors. It was usually carried out by a team, with each man having his own point of domination. One-man room clearing was a different animal altogether. The risks were far greater— there was no backup. Room to room, gun in hand…until he came to a closed door. He made sure to stay clear of the “fatal funnel” directly in front of it, to prevent being shot from behind the door.
There were many minor characters, some of whom could have culled, but the descriptions and settings were well-researched, especially Florida Keys and the Washington Metro system, as were the details on ballistics (I counted 10 baddies that Reznick took out, but might have missed a couple.) Even though I guessed who was the mastermind behind it all fairly early in the piece, this did not detract from it being a good thriller.
Another strong point was the book’s structure: 41 chapters over 326 pages, gave it depth, without those annoying whiplash single page chapters.
Verdict: will certainly read more in this series.
“You wanna know who trains them? Guys like me. I’ve trained countless teams at Quantico or the Farm down the years. I’ve trained SWAT teams— you name it.”
I begin this review by stating that I do not enjoy reading over-the-top, all-American action heroes of the likes of Jack Reacher and Alex Cross. With this in mind, I picked up the first of the Jon Reznick thrillers by Scottish author, J B Turner. Rest assured, we are in safe hands here.
Reznick is former Delta-Force, saw action in the Middle East, and lives in Rockland, Maine in the house his father, a Vietnam vet, built. Any military trauma was overshadowed by the death of Reznick’s wife, Elizabeth, killed in the 9/11 Twin Towers attack, leaving him sole parent to 11 year old Lauren.
He is retained by a former CIA handler, Maddox, for wet jobs, mostly overseas. Maddox sends Reznick to Washington to take out American, Tom Powell at the St Regis hotel. When the “target” identifies himself as government scientist, Frank Luntz - and Reznick finds a dead FBI agent in the next room - he does not know who to trust. Refusing to hand Luntz over, he is drawn into a cat–and–mouse game as his daughter is taken hostage, with the FBI on his trail for the death of one of their agents.
After a slow start, and some melancholic moments between ex-Delta force operatives struggling to deal with life, this one really takes off. The main character Reznick is an honourable man in a deadly business, doped up on Dexedrine, in a bid to save his daughter and to hunt down those responsible to avert a bio-terrorism attack on American soil. FBI Deputy-Director, Martha Meyerstein, is quietly forceful, commanding the respect of the men surrounding her further down the chain, while having the strength of character to stand up to her own boss. Memorable performances too from the bio-terrorist Scott Caan and scientist Luntz.
He moved through the main floor, scanning each segment of the space. He had been trained to visually “pie off” a room— a military term for slicing a room into triangular sectors. It was usually carried out by a team, with each man having his own point of domination. One-man room clearing was a different animal altogether. The risks were far greater— there was no backup. Room to room, gun in hand…until he came to a closed door. He made sure to stay clear of the “fatal funnel” directly in front of it, to prevent being shot from behind the door.
There were many minor characters, some of whom could have culled, but the descriptions and settings were well-researched, especially Florida Keys and the Washington Metro system, as were the details on ballistics (I counted 10 baddies that Reznick took out, but might have missed a couple.) Even though I guessed who was the mastermind behind it all fairly early in the piece, this did not detract from it being a good thriller.
Another strong point was the book’s structure: 41 chapters over 326 pages, gave it depth, without those annoying whiplash single page chapters.
Verdict: will certainly read more in this series.
May 4, 2021
I bad Ass! A terminator! A rapscallion. An avenger! The first book in a series that is full of violence and horrific suspense.
A thriller that is truly an adventure, if you aren’t afraid to ride...then hop onboard!
A thriller that is truly an adventure, if you aren’t afraid to ride...then hop onboard!
September 25, 2016
It is always a great pleasure to discover a new author, or one new to the reader. J B Turner was new to me, but this will not be the last of his books that I am going to read. “Hard Road” is an excellent thriller, reaching from Maine to Florida, and points in between. The hero, Jon Reznick, is former Delta force, now doing contract work, mostly assassinations, for the government.
I don't like spoilers, so I will not describe the plot of the book, but I will say that the pace of the book is relentless. From the moment that Reznick discovers that the man whom he has been sent to kill is not the target he was told he was there to eliminate, the suspense starts to build and it never lets up. After the fate of his daughter, his only child, becomes involved with the fate of his captive, Reznick becomes a guided missile. His enemies do not know or understand the forces they have unleashed in the enraged father.
This book was well written and well edited; my only complaint is that I found three Britishisms in it (the author lives in Scotland). Two of them were minor and will probably not be noticed by most readers, but one was more serious and will either be confusing or look like an editing mistake to most Americans. I may be overreacting as I am an Anglophile and probably more sensitive to this than the average reader. Except for these three examples you would never know that this book was not written by an American. I think it must be very difficult to overcome the habits of language, and the author does basically a fine job; I wouldn't want to attempt it myself.
If you are looking for an excellent, fast-paced thriller, you need look no further than "Hard Road." It makes a dandy beginning to the Jon Reznick series, and I am looking forward to reading all of them. An enthusiastic five stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
I don't like spoilers, so I will not describe the plot of the book, but I will say that the pace of the book is relentless. From the moment that Reznick discovers that the man whom he has been sent to kill is not the target he was told he was there to eliminate, the suspense starts to build and it never lets up. After the fate of his daughter, his only child, becomes involved with the fate of his captive, Reznick becomes a guided missile. His enemies do not know or understand the forces they have unleashed in the enraged father.
This book was well written and well edited; my only complaint is that I found three Britishisms in it (the author lives in Scotland). Two of them were minor and will probably not be noticed by most readers, but one was more serious and will either be confusing or look like an editing mistake to most Americans. I may be overreacting as I am an Anglophile and probably more sensitive to this than the average reader. Except for these three examples you would never know that this book was not written by an American. I think it must be very difficult to overcome the habits of language, and the author does basically a fine job; I wouldn't want to attempt it myself.
If you are looking for an excellent, fast-paced thriller, you need look no further than "Hard Road." It makes a dandy beginning to the Jon Reznick series, and I am looking forward to reading all of them. An enthusiastic five stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
June 10, 2018
It's simply unbelievable that this book got reviewed this well on Goodreads. It's amateurish and badly written. I have seen worse books but this does not excuse how bad Hard Road is.
The characters are bland, superficial and uninteresting. The writing has no depth whatsoever. The plot begins to crumble in the reader's hands after the first 50 pages. Turner has no unique style that the reader can find something to love in. All the time I struggled to keep reading, I asked myself what the hell I was doing. I managed to get 200 pages in but even after going so far I couldn't bring myself to finish. It was that bad.
This book is the biggest disappointment of the year for me, at least so far.
The characters are bland, superficial and uninteresting. The writing has no depth whatsoever. The plot begins to crumble in the reader's hands after the first 50 pages. Turner has no unique style that the reader can find something to love in. All the time I struggled to keep reading, I asked myself what the hell I was doing. I managed to get 200 pages in but even after going so far I couldn't bring myself to finish. It was that bad.
This book is the biggest disappointment of the year for me, at least so far.
February 21, 2018
3.5 Stars
Hard Road was an exciting and fast-paced read with an interesting plot and I really enjoyed it.
As far as the American government is concerned, Jon Reznick does not exist. His orders come in by phone and he carries out off book assignments with no hesitation. When Reznick is given his next target and told to make it look like a suicide, he immediately sets out to complete a task he’s done dozens of times before. However this time, something is wrong. The information he was given does not match the target he is sent to eliminate. Soon Reznick is on the run with this man unsure of who he can trust and why he was set up. When the men responsible take Reznick’s daughter all bets are off and he is determined to put a stop to the threat by any means necessary.
Jon lost his wife in the 9/11 attacks and the only remaining family he has is his daughter who he will do anything to protect. Jon is a former member of an elite special forces unit who has since retired to his hometown in Maine taking on the occasional black-ops mission. Jon is incredibly skilled and was considered one of the best in his field when he was still with the military. He is trained in all manner of weapons and has the skills to carry out any mission he is given. He can easily slip in and out of a location and has the ability to seamlessly blend into a crowd.
We meet several intriguing characters throughout the book and I was always suspect of their motives as you, like Reznick, don’t know who you can really trust. A few of the characters I was surprised got so much page time as they ultimately didn’t seem very important in the grand scheme of things. One of the most interesting characters though was FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein. Martha is the one in charge of getting back the man Reznick goes on the run with. She’s incredibly capable at her job and I liked that there was woman in charge of things.
The plot in this book was exciting with the looming threat of a possible terrorist attack via a biological weapon. I liked how the author tied together several seemingly unrelated events to produce an action-packed finale. Watching Reznick try to deal with everything going on while only having partial information was quite interesting and definitely showed his skills at finding what he needs. This book is heavy on the violence and a number of people are killed as Reznick shows no hesitation in killing people after getting the information he needs.
I enjoyed Hard Road more than I expected to and will definitely be continuing with the series as I’m curious to see what Reznick will get up to. I would recommend the books for fans of other male-centric thriller series like Jack Reacher or Mitch Rapp.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
Hard Road was an exciting and fast-paced read with an interesting plot and I really enjoyed it.
As far as the American government is concerned, Jon Reznick does not exist. His orders come in by phone and he carries out off book assignments with no hesitation. When Reznick is given his next target and told to make it look like a suicide, he immediately sets out to complete a task he’s done dozens of times before. However this time, something is wrong. The information he was given does not match the target he is sent to eliminate. Soon Reznick is on the run with this man unsure of who he can trust and why he was set up. When the men responsible take Reznick’s daughter all bets are off and he is determined to put a stop to the threat by any means necessary.
Jon lost his wife in the 9/11 attacks and the only remaining family he has is his daughter who he will do anything to protect. Jon is a former member of an elite special forces unit who has since retired to his hometown in Maine taking on the occasional black-ops mission. Jon is incredibly skilled and was considered one of the best in his field when he was still with the military. He is trained in all manner of weapons and has the skills to carry out any mission he is given. He can easily slip in and out of a location and has the ability to seamlessly blend into a crowd.
We meet several intriguing characters throughout the book and I was always suspect of their motives as you, like Reznick, don’t know who you can really trust. A few of the characters I was surprised got so much page time as they ultimately didn’t seem very important in the grand scheme of things. One of the most interesting characters though was FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein. Martha is the one in charge of getting back the man Reznick goes on the run with. She’s incredibly capable at her job and I liked that there was woman in charge of things.
The plot in this book was exciting with the looming threat of a possible terrorist attack via a biological weapon. I liked how the author tied together several seemingly unrelated events to produce an action-packed finale. Watching Reznick try to deal with everything going on while only having partial information was quite interesting and definitely showed his skills at finding what he needs. This book is heavy on the violence and a number of people are killed as Reznick shows no hesitation in killing people after getting the information he needs.
I enjoyed Hard Road more than I expected to and will definitely be continuing with the series as I’m curious to see what Reznick will get up to. I would recommend the books for fans of other male-centric thriller series like Jack Reacher or Mitch Rapp.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
June 17, 2013
I ended up reading through the last of this in a rush -- not because I was caught up in the plot, sadly, but because I really really wanted to give it a fair review, since I was given access to it on Netgalley, and I wanted to get it out of the way. I'm willing to try pretty much anything Angry Robot and the associated imprints put out, which is why I requested Hard Road.
It's not exactly my genre, the spy-thriller stuff, but I can get into it with a little of the right ingredients: solid characters, or a novel plot, or elements of some other genre I'm more interested in. At the point I was getting tired of this -- around 35%, or probably before that, really -- none of those had manifested, and at that point I'd usually totally abandon the book. Unfortunately, for me, nothing materialised in the rest of the book to make me feel enthusiastic either.
The references to 9/11 might mean more, emotionally, to an North American audience: for me it was a horrifying event, but it didn't strike me personally where I live as it did so many Americans. Possibly a slightly older audience, too; I was only twelve when it happened, and while I saw the coverage and so on, my world still revolved around myself. The whole thing has that air, too: I wonder if I would care more if I knew more about the places being referenced, the departments being pulled into it, the whole background this plays out against. That's not normally a problem for me, but when there's buzzwords like "national security" and "9/11" and "FBI", it seems to set it firmly in a world I only see in fiction and only care about when it's NCIS.
(That's a bit too glib, I would probably also care about it if it involved Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, but I can't guarantee that.)
By the standards of the genre, and people interested in the genre to begin with, I don't think there's anything wrong with this book. It's well-paced, there's conspiracy and mystery and danger and all of that. The main character's badass and he knows what he's doing, but not invincible -- he has his weak spots.
It's not exactly my genre, the spy-thriller stuff, but I can get into it with a little of the right ingredients: solid characters, or a novel plot, or elements of some other genre I'm more interested in. At the point I was getting tired of this -- around 35%, or probably before that, really -- none of those had manifested, and at that point I'd usually totally abandon the book. Unfortunately, for me, nothing materialised in the rest of the book to make me feel enthusiastic either.
The references to 9/11 might mean more, emotionally, to an North American audience: for me it was a horrifying event, but it didn't strike me personally where I live as it did so many Americans. Possibly a slightly older audience, too; I was only twelve when it happened, and while I saw the coverage and so on, my world still revolved around myself. The whole thing has that air, too: I wonder if I would care more if I knew more about the places being referenced, the departments being pulled into it, the whole background this plays out against. That's not normally a problem for me, but when there's buzzwords like "national security" and "9/11" and "FBI", it seems to set it firmly in a world I only see in fiction and only care about when it's NCIS.
(That's a bit too glib, I would probably also care about it if it involved Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, but I can't guarantee that.)
By the standards of the genre, and people interested in the genre to begin with, I don't think there's anything wrong with this book. It's well-paced, there's conspiracy and mystery and danger and all of that. The main character's badass and he knows what he's doing, but not invincible -- he has his weak spots.
November 14, 2018
I don't know if it's the overEnunciatinG narrator, or if the story's really just that dull, but I got about halfway into this, reached the point where the jaded, hard-bitten FBI agent and the jaded, hard-bitten assassin meet up & talk to each other (about 51% in) and realized I just don't give a damn about anyone in this story, nor do I even remember how we got to the point we're at.
My favorite thing about this book is how goddamn tired everyone seems. Martha Meyerstein or whatever, the FBI woman, gets a call on her cell phone from her director, and sighs tiredly. Her aide sighs and shuffles his feet when she calls upon him. Everyone in this "fast-paced" book is just so damn tired of everything. Which made me laugh every time, and ruined any sort of tension the book tried to build up.
Look, if you're REALLY into this genre, I'm guessing this book will hit all the right buttons for you: our grim characterless hero's daughter is being held hostage! Dead bodies keep showing up everywhere! Everyone keeps saying, "Let's assume I believe you," like they do in the big spy movies. So it's got all the pieces on the board, they're just ... very hollow.
My favorite thing about this book is how goddamn tired everyone seems. Martha Meyerstein or whatever, the FBI woman, gets a call on her cell phone from her director, and sighs tiredly. Her aide sighs and shuffles his feet when she calls upon him. Everyone in this "fast-paced" book is just so damn tired of everything. Which made me laugh every time, and ruined any sort of tension the book tried to build up.
Look, if you're REALLY into this genre, I'm guessing this book will hit all the right buttons for you: our grim characterless hero's daughter is being held hostage! Dead bodies keep showing up everywhere! Everyone keeps saying, "Let's assume I believe you," like they do in the big spy movies. So it's got all the pieces on the board, they're just ... very hollow.
December 12, 2017
This was just not a very good book. I thought it was poorly written, the plot felt rushed, and the exposition felt forced and overwhelming. I did not care about any of the characters; and the main character was this supposed super Delta force spy, but was pretty incompetent and showed a lack of rational thinking at times. And the dialogue was chunky, repetitive, and filled with cliches - it also felt like all of the characters were angry/frustrated with each other all of the time. There are a lot of better spy/save-the-world type books out there. This was a super quick read, but still wasn't worth the time.
December 5, 2016
In J. B. Turner's first in the Jon Reznick series, Hard Road (Thomas & Mercer 2016), JonReznick is sent to eliminate a man who threatens United States security, but it quickly becomes obvious he not only has the wrong man but the op itself is compromised. The man (known as Luntz) has an FBI protection detail who is murdered by someone who wants to kidnap the scientist. Reznick saves the man's life and they flee to safety where Reznick can figure out what's going on. But things go from bad to worse when his daughter is kidnapped to force Reznick to turn over the scientist to the people chasing him. Trying to save his daughter puts Reznick in a fight for his life, not sure from one moment to the next who he can trust. But that is only the beginning. The FBI wants Luntz back, with the secrets they declare are important to national security, and they don't care what they have to do to get him.
The only bad part was that Reznick killed a dog who was simply doing its job defending a property. Kill all the humans you want, but dogs are innocents. Well, one other part that worried me was how many Dexedrine Reznick popped to stay awake. Not a good long term strategy.
I received two of the three in the Jon Reznick series from Netgalley. Jon Reznick is a former Delta warrior, now a “ghost” employed by the American government as a legal assassin who takes his orders from shadowy handlers that rarely support him if efforts go awry. He was their plausible deniability, with no direct link to any US personnel.
"Reznick was not the judge. Nor the jury. He was the executioner."
But Reznick is not the soulless, morales-challenged killer that would fit nicely into this description. He has lines he won't cross and he has background lessons that came not from his time with the military, but influences before that:
“Highly decorated. A bit of a legend among the Delta cadre, by all accounts.”
"He thought of his father, wearing his medals at the Vietnam memorial. He thought of Lauren [his daughter] in her hospital bed. And he thought of his wife, the split second before the towers collapsed. He imagined the horror and fear that must have engulfed her as she disappeared into the dust and the concrete and twisted metal."
"He didn’t show himself to the world. That came from his father, who hadn’t been able to abide histrionics. Reznick’s father had thought a person was unhinged if they panicked about being late or forgetting items from a shopping list. No one died, so what’s the problem? His father had hated the latter part of his life, working that soul-destroying job in a fish-packing plant in Rockland. But he never bitched about it."
Life events shaped him in a way that can never be bridged by the present.
Though some sources compared Reznick to Jack Reacher, I didn't see it. Reznick is an interesting character with serious talents in his chosen assassin field, but his morals and backstory are significantly different from other fictional characters. Not better or worse. Just different.
Overall, non-stop action with a clever motivated guy who never fails to surprise me as a reader. Recommended for thriller junkies like me.
The only bad part was that Reznick killed a dog who was simply doing its job defending a property. Kill all the humans you want, but dogs are innocents. Well, one other part that worried me was how many Dexedrine Reznick popped to stay awake. Not a good long term strategy.
I received two of the three in the Jon Reznick series from Netgalley. Jon Reznick is a former Delta warrior, now a “ghost” employed by the American government as a legal assassin who takes his orders from shadowy handlers that rarely support him if efforts go awry. He was their plausible deniability, with no direct link to any US personnel.
"Reznick was not the judge. Nor the jury. He was the executioner."
But Reznick is not the soulless, morales-challenged killer that would fit nicely into this description. He has lines he won't cross and he has background lessons that came not from his time with the military, but influences before that:
“Highly decorated. A bit of a legend among the Delta cadre, by all accounts.”
"He thought of his father, wearing his medals at the Vietnam memorial. He thought of Lauren [his daughter] in her hospital bed. And he thought of his wife, the split second before the towers collapsed. He imagined the horror and fear that must have engulfed her as she disappeared into the dust and the concrete and twisted metal."
"He didn’t show himself to the world. That came from his father, who hadn’t been able to abide histrionics. Reznick’s father had thought a person was unhinged if they panicked about being late or forgetting items from a shopping list. No one died, so what’s the problem? His father had hated the latter part of his life, working that soul-destroying job in a fish-packing plant in Rockland. But he never bitched about it."
Life events shaped him in a way that can never be bridged by the present.
Though some sources compared Reznick to Jack Reacher, I didn't see it. Reznick is an interesting character with serious talents in his chosen assassin field, but his morals and backstory are significantly different from other fictional characters. Not better or worse. Just different.
Overall, non-stop action with a clever motivated guy who never fails to surprise me as a reader. Recommended for thriller junkies like me.
July 23, 2020
Great page turner which highlights the corruption of big organisations. I feel like the main character Reznick was quite cold and not very likeable but other than this it was a really gripping book
September 20, 2018
This book induced several eye-rolls from me while reading. Super cliche main character, who's wife got killed in 9/11, fought in the middle east, and could be considered a super soldier of American patriotism wasn't really that likeable. Throughout the book he kills with little remourse, and at one point accidentally waterboards a character to death. The antagonist, on the other hand, has pretty thin motivation for terrorism, and is chased by an unbelievable FBI with the apparent ability to access facial recognition on CTV systems throughout the cities. Plural because they manage to do this over huge areas. The cliche is strong in this one, not as well done as say, the Bourne identity.
April 13, 2018
I purchased this as an audiobook and am a bit disappointed with it. Neither the writing nor the narration were my cup of tea. I found the language a bit terse and the cussing seemed arbitrary and forced at times. I cannot tell if it is due to how the book was written or how it was interpreted by the narrator. I found my mind wandering during the narration and frequently checking how much time had passed. Since this was the first book in a series, I assume and hope the remaining books were better.
August 10, 2020
Good book, lots of intrigue. It seems the writer though knew only one word to wake the protagonist (Reznick) up when he would remember past actions and that word, which J.B. Turner writes over and over again each time is "reverie". I looked it up to make sure there were other synonyms the writer could have used, and for sure there are nearly a dozen. It doesn't take away from the story at all, it just is monotonous to always read the same noun over and over each time for the first 50% of the book. Having said that, I'll give his second book a try once I wake up from my reverie.
June 13, 2019
Notes:
Generic black ops story. It is on Kindle Unlimited Read & Listen. I need to get my Audible fixed so I can go back to my Audiobooks To Read List.
Generic black ops story. It is on Kindle Unlimited Read & Listen. I need to get my Audible fixed so I can go back to my Audiobooks To Read List.
May 22, 2018
4.5 stars
This is my first by this author, but it won't be my last. There are 3 books in this series about Jon Reznick, former black ops, now a contracted assassin with a handler. He is about to commence on an assignment to eliminate a person who is a threat to America but some things just aren’t adding up right. He realizes he might have the wrong man. This revolves around bio-terrorist threats to America, but it is not clear by whom or from what foreign country. Well plotted and well written.
Reznick is a likable protagonist, trying to right many wrongs. He is a widower, his wife lost her life in the 911 tragedies at the twin towers, leaving him with a 2-yr old daughter to raise. She is his life line, but it now seems his lifestyle has brought her into harms way.
Riveting, fast paced action. If you're a fan of this type of read, don't hesitate. I liked this writers style. He doesn't have a lot of filler stuff that really doesn't matter to the plot line. It moves along at a good pace, and with relevance. This comes to a satisfactory conclusion, not a cliff-hanger for book two. I liked that too.
This is my first by this author, but it won't be my last. There are 3 books in this series about Jon Reznick, former black ops, now a contracted assassin with a handler. He is about to commence on an assignment to eliminate a person who is a threat to America but some things just aren’t adding up right. He realizes he might have the wrong man. This revolves around bio-terrorist threats to America, but it is not clear by whom or from what foreign country. Well plotted and well written.
Reznick is a likable protagonist, trying to right many wrongs. He is a widower, his wife lost her life in the 911 tragedies at the twin towers, leaving him with a 2-yr old daughter to raise. She is his life line, but it now seems his lifestyle has brought her into harms way.
Riveting, fast paced action. If you're a fan of this type of read, don't hesitate. I liked this writers style. He doesn't have a lot of filler stuff that really doesn't matter to the plot line. It moves along at a good pace, and with relevance. This comes to a satisfactory conclusion, not a cliff-hanger for book two. I liked that too.
August 19, 2018
Never has a book caused this much of a disturbance; a good disturbance. There's so much activity in this book and as usual when the government and all their acronym affiliations get involved it's not for tea and biscuits. I selected to read this book almost a year ago. Not knowing why I put it off but I did enjoy all the elements of this story.
Jon Reznick is a professionally hired assassin that the government uses to eliminate people without the public getting in an uproar about it. This time, the selected target doesn't fit the information provided to Jon and so he takes the target with him only to end up becoming a pawn in the highest breach of national security that could kill millions of people.
I enjoyed this book. It started out fairly slow but picked up and went on a real rollercoaster ride. This book is not for the squeamish at heart, reader's that don't enjoy murder, assassinations, or graphic language.
Jon Reznick is a professionally hired assassin that the government uses to eliminate people without the public getting in an uproar about it. This time, the selected target doesn't fit the information provided to Jon and so he takes the target with him only to end up becoming a pawn in the highest breach of national security that could kill millions of people.
I enjoyed this book. It started out fairly slow but picked up and went on a real rollercoaster ride. This book is not for the squeamish at heart, reader's that don't enjoy murder, assassinations, or graphic language.
April 7, 2023
Fast pace political thriller
I started the new series that I borrowed through KU and an audible audiobook—a fast pace with two storylines that intertwine.
I got confused about who the bad guys were and who Reznick could trust. I liked that the FBI in command is a woman, a strong woman who knows to manage a group of men.
I have to give it 3.5 stars. The premise of the plot is exciting, and I want to continue with the series after I read other books on my large TBR.
I started the new series that I borrowed through KU and an audible audiobook—a fast pace with two storylines that intertwine.
I got confused about who the bad guys were and who Reznick could trust. I liked that the FBI in command is a woman, a strong woman who knows to manage a group of men.
I have to give it 3.5 stars. The premise of the plot is exciting, and I want to continue with the series after I read other books on my large TBR.
August 31, 2020
This was a good story. It was a little hard to follow at times due to all the characters. It was a fast paced, hard hitting thriller. Jon Reznick is truly a tough assassin but with a soft side for his family. He definitely leans on his instincts and that proves to be a good thing. International espionage, threat to the US, terrorists, senseless killings, good cops, bad cops....this story pretty much has it all.
February 8, 2019
A fast paced page turner that was hard to put down. This thriller was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing to the end. A good read.
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