Remo Went Rogue: A Pulp Thriller Series

Remo Cobb #1

by Mike McCrary

His one good deed might get him killed… Remo Cobb is ready to wash his grimy soul clean. In an uncharacteristic burst of righteousness, the New York defense attorney throws the case of the most heinous criminals he’s ever represented. But after the psychotic Mashburn Brothers pull off an impossible prison break, Remo's instincts tell him his double-crossing act of kindness may come back to kill him.

Barely staying one step ahead of his murderous pursuers, his only chance to survive lies in convincing a former client to help him stand and fight. All he has to do is trust someone who hates his guts as much as the Mashburns.

When the bullets start flying, will the best thing Remo ever did be the death of him?

Remo Went Rogue is the first book in the riveting Remo Cobb crime series. If you like pulp thrillers, dark humor, and wickedly entertaining antiheroes, then you’ll love Mike McCrary’s high-octane novel.

Buy Remo Went Rogue and start this pulse-pounding series today! What reviewers are saying about Mike McCrary & the Remo Cobb "McCrary's prose practically bounces off the page ..." 
- Kirkus Reviews 

"Remo Went Rogue is a fast-paced, cinematic, and viciously dark novel that caught me completely off guard and left me wanting more. Mike McCrary is definitely a writer to watch." 
 - John Rector, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Ridge, Already Gone, and The Cold Kiss

"Either somebody set Chuck Palahniuk and Elmore Leonard up on a blind date or we have a new mad genius on our hands. Mike McCrary delivers a mini-pulp masterpiece with prose that pounds with the best of 'em, and a character in Remo Cobb so wickedly lovable you'll want to name your first born after him. As far as I'm concerned, crime fiction just got kicked in the balls." 
- Peter Farris, author of Last Call for the Living 

"Mike McCrary is a dynamic new talent on the scene and quite honestly, I'd read his rewriting of Pride & Prejudice as long as it's written in the same prose he wrote REMO WENT ROGUE with."
 - Dead End Follies 

"Remo Went Rogue is a fun, fast ride. It is a mean, hard-boiled novel with a fresh spin on the genre and filled with rich black humor."
 - Scott Montgomery, MysteryPeopleWhat Amazon readers are saying about the Remo Cobb ★★★★★ Remo Went Rogue is a dark, gritty thriller with it's fair share of humorous, witty dialogue. Think Tarantino but with bite.★★★★★ I really love this book.★★★★★ Really, really funny and surprising!★★★★★ Mike McCrary is an awesome writer. If you don't mind violence, sex and foul language, this is an awesome book and I could not rate it any less than it is.★ This isn't a review. I have not and will not be reading this book. The F word is used three times in the first three sentences. I can't see any reason why this would be necessary, and I don't need so much bad language. Once or twice, in context - OK. This isn't OK. Sorry, but great as this book might be, there are many more great books out there without gratuitous 'effing' and I prefer to read those.★★★★★ McCrary writes on the edge - the edge of sanity. Enjoyed it a lot.

Genres: Thriller, Crime

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 13, 2013

About the author

Mike McCrary is the bestselling author of Someone Savage, Relentless, and the Remo Cobb series. He's been a waiter, a dishwasher, investment analyst, and an unpaid Hollywood intern. He's quit corporate America, come back, been fired, been promoted, been fired again. Currently, he writes stories about questionable people who make questionable decisions. Keep up with Mike at www.mikemccrary.com.

"Mike McCrary is definitely a writer to watch." - John Rector, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Ridge, Already Gone, and The Cold Kiss.

"It's almost inhuman how frequently and effectively this book ups the ante on the reader." - Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse

“… a Hollywood action film in print form.” – Austin Statesman

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remo Went Rogue by Mike McCrary was such a pleasant find. Remo Cobb is a criminal defense attorney with extraordinary success at delivering criminal acquittals or dismissals for the worst of the worse criminal offenders.

Hated by almost everyone, except his law firm and those he defends, Cobb, a heavy drinking-pill popping-notorious womanizer, has grown so weary of his skills and legal successes he does something that follows with horrific ramifications.

This novel does not stop until the end and comes along with the promise of at least three more novels.

The writing is crisp and enjoyable and the villains quite believable and lacking in exaggerated cartoonish depictions.

[Benoit Lelièvre · Rating 4 out of 5]

It happened. Someone finally wrote a Grand Theft Auto novel. It's impossible to read REMO WENT ROGUE earnestly. Heck, it's impossible to read REMO WENT ROGUE with the same serious you would give to an Elmore Leonard novel. It's a whacked out novel, split between mediatized hyperreality and male insecurities. It's a lot of fun and it doesn't have anything to do with creating an emotional connection to characters. It's halfway between crime satire and paranoia.

Not that Mike McCrary can't write, mind you. REMO WENT ROGUE is a little uneven at times (it has a little of a sloppy middle where Remo doesn't do anything except mope around and think about his life), but he's got a wicked voice, a style that demands attention and that's a pleasure to read. If Mike McCrary writes his grocery lists like this, I'm sure they're a blast to read also. REMO WENT ROGUE is a fun, out of control (if a little conventional at times, content wise) crime novel that'll put a smile on your face.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little story. A sort of redemption/revenge tale told through a Quentin Tarantino filter...but one with actual heart. I was impressed with the quickened place that once going, does not slow at all. The author does a great job sucking you in, making you care about this asshole, and never slowing down.

I would recommend and I could easily see this getting picked up for a film.

[Tony Duxbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the writing style, very cut and dried. There are no heroes in this story. Remo Cobb is a despicable piece of humanity, a criminal defense lawyer who gets the job done. Wrecked on alcohol and drugs, everyone hates him. In an unexplained fit of conscious he throws a case and sends a murderous crew to prison. Now they are out and after his blood. Somehow Remo has robbed them of the money they stole. Lester, the wheel-man of the crew finds God while banged up and is determined to save Remo. Lester has his own twisted ideas on how to do God's work. When he gets out, he starts by trying to murder the rest of the crew. From there, things go from bad to worse. Remo finds out that no one cares what happens to him, whether he lives or dies. He has to defend himself. I enjoyed this dark and twisted story of a man with no redeeming features.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remo Went Rogue is a dark, gritty thriller with it's fair share of humorous, witty dialogue. Think Tarantino but with bite. McCrary puts a new spin on the thriller genre and I will definitely have to check out the next book in the series.

My Rating: 5 stars

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

NYC. The Mashburn gang is composed of: Dutch Mashburn (oldest brother), Ferris Mashburn (middle), Chicken Wing Mashburn (23, youngest), Bobby Balls, Country, & Lester Ellis (aging career criminal).
From the parked van, they were scoping out their next target.
Remo Cobb (defense attorney) was rambling on about the upcoming case to ADA Leslie (33, f) who really likes sex, plain/simple.
Lester warned Remo about the Mashburn boys.
Detective Harris was listening to Remo about his predicament.
Seck is Remo’s new bodyguard.
Chili’s. Why was Hollis (highly-skilled professional killer) meeting with Remo?

Will Remo survive?

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive to some readers.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Smashwords; Instafreebie; Bad Words Inc.; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[roark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving it four stars, despite it deserving only three, if for no other reason than to encourage this kind of thing. Despite a thin plot (Cape Fear without the suspense), this book wallows in the nastiness of its antagonists. Despite all the way-past-due introspection, the protagonist is pretty much a shitbag himself. Nevertheless, the line is drawn and you must pull for him.

Lawyer Remo reps a gang of ultra-murderous bank robbers and tosses the case -- and they know it. Now he must pay. Yeah, that's pretty much it for the plot. Ok, so I left out some motivations that seemed reasonable. The action is great, however, and it is consistent. Points for dialogue. Each character is a solid entity and, despite alliances, act in distinct and independent ways.

In the acknowledgment, the author gives props to some of my favorite writers (Chuck Palahniuk, Elmore Leonard, Johnny Shaw) which alone will have me reading more of him in the future.

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, one of the best aspects of this book is the dark humour. The one-liners are so slick, funny and had me laughing out loud on occasion. When it transpires that Remo's life is at stake, you'd think you wouldn't care, he's really a rather repulsive, immoral, misogynist. But the clever writing makes you care about this man, who, it is revealed, does have some redeeming features. Describing action in words is always difficult, but Mr McCrary does it particularly well. I could see the fight in my imagination. This is not my usual genre but I'm always looking at expanding my literary horizons and I'm really, really glad I did. Nothing is as it seems, everything is turned upside down and inside out and wow, it is fast! Now I find I do care about Remo, and even about Luther and Hollis. A great action book

[BP34 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crime thriller that is action packed, fast paced and full of surprises. Lots of profanity, so if that bothers you – be forewarned. A gripping tale about a top NYC defense lawyer who double crosses his clients. The psychopathic Mashburn Brothers busted out of jail and they're coming for Remo. This book is well written but I did feel like it was a little rushed at the end. I received an advance copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Johnnie Macari donnachie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pulp fiction goes feral

Unlockable main character tries to do good but can't remember how. His flaws always surface in the worst ways. It's a fast past schlock of a book that's immensely enjoyable if you like tongue in cheek thrillers.

[Joan Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Remo made me laugh, cringe, and celebrate my life. Been the drunk, drugged "saved" idiot myself and survived by the grace of God. Interesting characters and story.

[Leighan Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reno went Rougue is a good little book, but not a great one! It's fun to read but doesn't really have much depth to it. The book literally skims the surface of the plot. An easy read and a good 📖

[Kim A. Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

Enjoyed the story but have to admit following the dialogs between characters is difficult at times. I would read more by Mr. McCrary.

[debbie ragan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Fast paced and funny. I enjoyed reading this book so much I immediately bought the second one. Laugh out loud funny and full of danger!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, quirky characters (not necessarily ones you want to like)
graphic violence blended with a little cornball wit.
Remo is a loser you end up wanting to root for

[Linda R Padbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, fast read


Fast paced, humorous, violence and language there, but not overdone. Looking forward to more Remo soon. Really enjoyed this book.

[Matt Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blanco Action

After you adjust to the author's abrasive manner as he describes the self abasement of the antihero and the psychopathic bloodlust of the bad guys, you're able to ride the relentless waves of bone crunching bullet blasts, knife slices and other methods of ravaging the human body. After a while, like a battle fatigued soldier, you slog through the blood and body parts like a pro wondering how in the hell the protagonist is going to survive...

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read

Not bad but I just couldn't get into it. This word requirement gets on my nerves. I wish I could just stop writing

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remo Cobb should have known better than to double cross two very bad criminals, especially since they were his clients. Did he actually think he was smart enough to get away with it without any repercussions? Seriously!?! That ain't gonna happen!!!! This is a wonderfully written story, that will have you wishing you could read faster. It is great! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read. Fun dialogue and characters. Good action.

[Michelle Isler · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no doubt about it, Mike McCrary can write a fun book. This book was packed with action, violence, and tons of sarcastic humor. There were a ton of one-liners that made me laugh out loud. There was also a lot of fast paced action that kept me on my toes. This is everything I look for in a book.

You have the whiny lawyer, Remo, that put away the Mashburn brothers. Not only did he botch the case and get them sent to prison, he stole their money. Well, they get out and come looking for that money and plan to get revenge on Remo in the meantime. The majority of the story revolves around Remo whining about how he is going to protect himself, how is ever going to meet his son that does not know his dad is alive, and how he has perfected the art of mixing Johnnie Walker Blue and Ritalin. It does come to an exciting climax, as Remo hires a professional hitman to help him protect himself against these crazy brothers.

I was very impressed with McCrary adding the realistic reaction that Remo had to shooting the heavy artillery. He did not just pick up a Mossberg and start shooting like a pro. He had complications just like any real person would when they have never shot a gun of that magnitude. So, I will say this was a fun book and I enjoyed it.

[Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

McCrary writes a book that is entertaining and flows very well. The story centers on a lawyer who, at heart, knows right from wrong, but can't seem to get it right. The one action that he takes that is morally right, is criminally wrong to a group of men you don't want to wrong. Remo is then forced to deal with the consequences and looks for help from sources that might be able to help him or could really make the situation even worse. A tale of revenge that works very well and was a quality read. I wouldn't hesitate to find more by this author.

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main thing about this book is its hurtling action. The running battle between the protagonist (Remo) and the psycho villains (the Mashburn brothers) is a lot of fun. The finale is like "Straw Dogs" cubed.

Somehow Mike McCrary gets you to pull for Remo, who's quite unlikable and has burned just about every bridge possible in his personal life, because there are gleams of redeeming traits. The way McCrary does this is by inverting clichés skillfully.

[S.W. Lauden · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Remo Went Rogue" is an incredibly fun read with tons of action, an interesting cast of over-the-top characters, and a punchy narrative full of twists and turns. I had no idea what to expect going in, but got quickly wrapped up in this tale of bad people making bad decisions. McCrary has a knack for visual storytelling and funny asides that keep this story moving at a fast pace that leaves you wanting more.

[Chris Rhatigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a kickass book. Remo is a legendary character--desperate, cynical, completely off balance, yet brilliant and clinging to a shred of humanity. I tore through this book in a single sitting, loving every pulpy moment of it.

[ABC Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike McCrary writes like Duane Swierczynski, Victor Gischler and Seth Harwood. Fast paced, action packed and violent as hell. Remo Went Rogue is a great debut novel and the cover art rivals The Sisters Brothers. Highly recommended and can be read in 1-2 sittings.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly fast paced, brutal, violent, darkly funny, and intensely enjoyable. A great movie waiting to be made.

[Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun read. Remo is a guy you can't help love to hate.

[Aviar Savijon]

A wild and most interesting avenue to a crime story mystery and drama. This is for the adults only. But one great and unique way to get a story told. I loved it!

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relentless - I was clueless about the storyline, so I really didn't want to read Relentless after I read the first couple of chapters. I don't care about LA, designer clothes and fancy cars; you got em, great but so what. But I've read a few books by Mr. McCrary and love his work, so I hung in there. Glad I did because the pace picked up, the plot turned intriguing and suspenseful, and the characters ranged the gamut from weak to pure evil, with plenty of manipulation from several directions. I figured out a few things, except one thing: what was actually wanted in the end by the bad guy. I want to say more, but I don't do spoilers; this is a review, not a book report. Another well written, well thought out story. 5*

Getting Ugly - Action packed, fast paced suspense with interesting characters. The plot kept me immersed in the story. Ugly is a fun, good character. Well written, but vulgar language happy.

Steady Trouble #1 - Action packed, fast paced with an interesting plot and characters. Of the three books, I've read, this is the best, with Getting Ugly second (fun, good character). Cowtown, yes; A-Town?, must be near NYC or Chi-Town. Standalone, but there's definitely more in the future. Well written with believable characters and plot. Do want to see more of Teddy. This book is different from the Remo series, but just as enjoyable.

Steady Madness #2 – Picks up where Steady Teddy ended. Another well written, action-packed, suspense filled book. The characters from Steady Teddy #1 have growth and you either love em or hate em. You’re definitely rooting for the good guys even when they’re bad. Even the new additions are interesting. There’s a surprise at the end of the story that’s heartwarming, actually a couple of em. I had to laugh when I saw BAD WORDS INC. on the title page, since Mr. McCrary is always reviewed for his vulgar language. He has a sense of humor as you can see in his books. I volunteered to review his books many books ago. He is one of my favorite new authors.

Remo Went Rogue #1 - Action packed, fast paced suspense with a cast of characters typical of this type of novel. Cut n Shoot ain't that little any more. Well written, but too much vulgar language, although that's typical for these characters. If you like Elmore, you'll like this book.

Remo Went Down #2 - Great! Another action packed, fast paced thriller full of suspense, characters that keep getting better and a twisting plot. Better than Rogue, still with the vulgar and the violence works. I couldn't put the book down, it wouldn't let me until I finished. Do read Rogue first, and then hang on for the ride with Down.

Remo Went Wild #3 - I couldn't stop belly laughing or put the book down. The descriptions are just poetry, vivid. Remo 3 is the best of the lot, so far. Well written, intense, suspense filled, with humor over the top. Mr. McCrary has a good thing going here with Remo. It seems he's cut the vulgar language some, but what's there, just belongs - these are real thugs who haven't been to church in awhile, if ever. LOL. (Since in the Amazon reviewing community, non Christians and real people curse.)

The characters are getting stronger with each book and the plot still remains twisting and engaging. Any more folks, and we're talking spoilers. I'll let you discover the adventure on your own. With over 50K books in my possession, not counting the local library, I don't reread many books. When Remo Went Berserk comes out, I'll be rereading the first three just to get into the mood to savor Berserk. McCrary goes on my bookshelf with Ludlum, my favorite author.

Remo Went Off #4 - Wow, Remo's story comes to a close - maybe? This book is just as action packed, fast paced and intriguing as the previous volumes. Well written plot; realistic characters; realistic and appropriate dialog; just the items that make a good story.

You must read these books in order to get the most out of this series. But if you can't, don't let it stop you from reading this or any other book. Once you get started, you'll have a difficult time putting these books down. Some folks will get offended by the vulgar language, which ranges in frequency usage thorough out the books, but the characters are criminals and this is their norm. I contacted the author to review his books.