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The Stakes
An NYPD robbery detective uses his insider cop knowledge to rob rich criminals. The latest from Ben Sanders, following his novels American Blood and Marshall’s Law.
Rip-offs are a dangerous game, but heist man Miles Keller thinks he’s found a good rob rich New York criminals and then retire early, before word’s out about his true identity. New town, new name, no worries.
Retirement can’t come soon enough, though. The NYPD is investigating him for the shooting of a hitman named Jack Deen, who was targeting Lucy Gates―a former police informant and Miles’s ex-lover.
Miles thinks shooting hitmen counts as altruism, but in any case a murder charge would make life difficult. He’s ready to go to ground, but then Nina Stone reappears in his life.
Nina is a fellow heist professional and the estranged wife of LA crime boss Charles Stone. Miles last saw her five years ago, and since then her life has grown more her husband wants her back, and he’s dispatched his go-to gun thug to play repo man.
Complicating matters is the fact that the gun thug in question is Bobby Deen, cousin of the dead Jack Deen―and Bobby wants vengeance.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, but Nina has an offer that could be lucrative. Maybe Miles can stick around a while longer…
Rip-offs are a dangerous game, but heist man Miles Keller thinks he’s found a good rob rich New York criminals and then retire early, before word’s out about his true identity. New town, new name, no worries.
Retirement can’t come soon enough, though. The NYPD is investigating him for the shooting of a hitman named Jack Deen, who was targeting Lucy Gates―a former police informant and Miles’s ex-lover.
Miles thinks shooting hitmen counts as altruism, but in any case a murder charge would make life difficult. He’s ready to go to ground, but then Nina Stone reappears in his life.
Nina is a fellow heist professional and the estranged wife of LA crime boss Charles Stone. Miles last saw her five years ago, and since then her life has grown more her husband wants her back, and he’s dispatched his go-to gun thug to play repo man.
Complicating matters is the fact that the gun thug in question is Bobby Deen, cousin of the dead Jack Deen―and Bobby wants vengeance.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, but Nina has an offer that could be lucrative. Maybe Miles can stick around a while longer…
325 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2018
18 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Ben Sanders
8 books153 followersBEN SANDERS was born in 1989. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 1, 2023
Not bad very entertaining crime thriller.
Read
January 23, 2018*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
The Stakes is the fifth novel by New Zealand author Ben Sanders. This gritty crime fiction offering is an adrenaline ride from start to finish, confirming Sanders’ status as one of the essential action based crime writers, giving Lee Child and Harlan Coben a run for their money.
Miles Keller takes on one of the starring roles in Ben Sanders latest release. Miles is an NYPD detective, based in the robbery division. We soon learn Miles is a detective who doesn’t follow the rules. Instead, Miles has a dangerous and dodgy plan. He rips off rich criminals and is using the money to fund his plans for an early retirement. Lately he has been put under the radar of the NYPD, who are investigating his involvement in the shooting of a hitman. This hitman was responsible for hounding his ex lover, Lucy. Miles is trying to avoid a murder charge at any cost. When Nina Stone, a heist expert and also the ex of a crime boss steps into his life with an offer that Miles finds too good to refuse, a big payoff, he accepts. Although the lure of big sum of money has Miles hooked on Nina’s offer, the stakes are high indeed. Especially when a dangerous thug by the name of Bobby Dean is on the warpath, sent by Nina’s estranged crime boss husband Charles, to thwart any plans Nina and Miles have made.
Although this is the fifth novel written by Ben Sanders, The Stakes is the first book I have read by this author. The reason why I have not touched a Ben Sanders novel until The Stakes is purely down to my aversion to action infused crime novels. The Stakes is a novel that falls into this category but despite this, I readily admit to being entertained by this novel.
The Stakes is a high octane thriller. The action begins thick and fast from the opening page and the pace doesn’t let up throughout the course of the novel. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat many times during the course of reading this novel. Overall, the narrative came across as well plotted and complex. There are plenty of layers to this story, which unfurls at a steady rate. The dialogue was realistic and it was easy to follow along.
The character set featured in The Stakes are an interesting bunch. Miles, the leading character, is an intriguing main protagonist. He has good and not so good aspects to his personality. His motivations and actions are certainly questionable, to say the least! Although Miles is a curly character, it is hard not to root for him. Miles is offset by a number of supporting characters, including Nina Stone, who recruits Miles to help her and Bobby Deen, the hardened repo man sent to stop Miles and Nina. Sanders allows us to get inside the minds of each of these characters by swapping the points of view between these protagonists for each different chapter in the novel. It is a technique that I feel works well for this style of novel.
Sanders bases his fifth novel in two US based locations. The action in the novel alternates between New York and LA. Sanders appears to have a good grasp of his setting which is depicted well in The Stakes. Sanders rips apart the dark and gritty underworld that exists in the US through his latest release. There is a strong visual quality to Sanders writing, especially in the setting based areas of the book. I believe this is a sign that The Stakes is a novel that would easily transfer to the screen, either in the form of a feature film or television series.
Expect a multi layered thrill ride of you select the latest book from Ben Sanders. It is a carefully plotted novel that is filled with plenty of action, suspense and intrigue to keep the pages turning at a swift pace. A cracking conclusion awaits readers of this complex and exciting crime novel. I have no doubt The Stakes will appeal to those who appreciate solid crime writing, with plenty of action attached.
*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Stakes is the fifth novel by New Zealand author Ben Sanders. This gritty crime fiction offering is an adrenaline ride from start to finish, confirming Sanders’ status as one of the essential action based crime writers, giving Lee Child and Harlan Coben a run for their money.
Miles Keller takes on one of the starring roles in Ben Sanders latest release. Miles is an NYPD detective, based in the robbery division. We soon learn Miles is a detective who doesn’t follow the rules. Instead, Miles has a dangerous and dodgy plan. He rips off rich criminals and is using the money to fund his plans for an early retirement. Lately he has been put under the radar of the NYPD, who are investigating his involvement in the shooting of a hitman. This hitman was responsible for hounding his ex lover, Lucy. Miles is trying to avoid a murder charge at any cost. When Nina Stone, a heist expert and also the ex of a crime boss steps into his life with an offer that Miles finds too good to refuse, a big payoff, he accepts. Although the lure of big sum of money has Miles hooked on Nina’s offer, the stakes are high indeed. Especially when a dangerous thug by the name of Bobby Dean is on the warpath, sent by Nina’s estranged crime boss husband Charles, to thwart any plans Nina and Miles have made.
Although this is the fifth novel written by Ben Sanders, The Stakes is the first book I have read by this author. The reason why I have not touched a Ben Sanders novel until The Stakes is purely down to my aversion to action infused crime novels. The Stakes is a novel that falls into this category but despite this, I readily admit to being entertained by this novel.
The Stakes is a high octane thriller. The action begins thick and fast from the opening page and the pace doesn’t let up throughout the course of the novel. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat many times during the course of reading this novel. Overall, the narrative came across as well plotted and complex. There are plenty of layers to this story, which unfurls at a steady rate. The dialogue was realistic and it was easy to follow along.
The character set featured in The Stakes are an interesting bunch. Miles, the leading character, is an intriguing main protagonist. He has good and not so good aspects to his personality. His motivations and actions are certainly questionable, to say the least! Although Miles is a curly character, it is hard not to root for him. Miles is offset by a number of supporting characters, including Nina Stone, who recruits Miles to help her and Bobby Deen, the hardened repo man sent to stop Miles and Nina. Sanders allows us to get inside the minds of each of these characters by swapping the points of view between these protagonists for each different chapter in the novel. It is a technique that I feel works well for this style of novel.
Sanders bases his fifth novel in two US based locations. The action in the novel alternates between New York and LA. Sanders appears to have a good grasp of his setting which is depicted well in The Stakes. Sanders rips apart the dark and gritty underworld that exists in the US through his latest release. There is a strong visual quality to Sanders writing, especially in the setting based areas of the book. I believe this is a sign that The Stakes is a novel that would easily transfer to the screen, either in the form of a feature film or television series.
Expect a multi layered thrill ride of you select the latest book from Ben Sanders. It is a carefully plotted novel that is filled with plenty of action, suspense and intrigue to keep the pages turning at a swift pace. A cracking conclusion awaits readers of this complex and exciting crime novel. I have no doubt The Stakes will appeal to those who appreciate solid crime writing, with plenty of action attached.
*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
March 17, 2018
Wasnt my favourtite Sanders novel. Loved his previous character and 2 volumes more. This defintely has a Lee Childs vibe. Follows 3 separate characters in chapter form. Miles Bobby and Nina. Didnt really like anyone more than the other. The action was fast paced, the twists were mainly predictable but overall a solid successor to that Childs type writing/novel.
October 10, 2019
THE STAKES is the latest noir thriller from NZ writer Ben Sanders, and it's a standout. Set once again in the US, this time NYPD detective Miles Keller is onto what he thinks is a pretty good idea; ripping off rich New York criminals, with a view to early, anonymous retirement. I mean really, what could go wrong? Other than the NYPD investigation into his suspected shooting of a hitman and the reappearance in his life of fellow scammer Nina Stone? Or is it the tricky complication of the go-to-thug, Bobby Dean, brother of the aforementioned dead hitman, dispatched by Stone's estranged, gangster husband to find her? What with him being somebody with a big grudge against Keller for obvious reasons. Or is it the likelihood that his latest rip off, which netted him quite a tidy sum, but left a few bodies and some tricky consequences, is in danger of exploding all over him?
You'll find all these twists and turns laid out in an easy to follow manner here with just enough info to keep you up to date, and never enough to get in the road of the break neck pace that everything in THE STAKES operates under. Needless to say, "it's complicated" is the status update made to measure for this scenario. Delivered at lightening fast pace, it's also almost funny in places, and Miles Keller is one of those wonderfully wrong sorts of characters that you can't help but hope gets away with it all. What happens to Nina, what happens to Keller, and what happens to Nina's estranged husband are all part of the equation, as is the lurking Dean, and the chances that the last rip off that Keller perpetrated might come back to bite him in a big way.
Loved THE STAKES, it's got plenty of substance to back up the style that's always been there, with a strong plot, and some realistic, conflicted characters, all of which combine to explore a surprisingly interesting question - what happens when a supposedly good guy takes on the bad guys at their own game?
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
You'll find all these twists and turns laid out in an easy to follow manner here with just enough info to keep you up to date, and never enough to get in the road of the break neck pace that everything in THE STAKES operates under. Needless to say, "it's complicated" is the status update made to measure for this scenario. Delivered at lightening fast pace, it's also almost funny in places, and Miles Keller is one of those wonderfully wrong sorts of characters that you can't help but hope gets away with it all. What happens to Nina, what happens to Keller, and what happens to Nina's estranged husband are all part of the equation, as is the lurking Dean, and the chances that the last rip off that Keller perpetrated might come back to bite him in a big way.
Loved THE STAKES, it's got plenty of substance to back up the style that's always been there, with a strong plot, and some realistic, conflicted characters, all of which combine to explore a surprisingly interesting question - what happens when a supposedly good guy takes on the bad guys at their own game?
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
January 22, 2018
An entertaining read.
An NYPD detective has the aim of robbing criminals until he has enough money to retire. Retirement is close, as he's under investigation and a chance of being caught out. He's offered a large - and hopefully final - payday, and he's lured in. The stakes are high and Miles is caught in a game of double and triple crosses.
Action filled, fast moving, and a fun roller coaster ride.
An NYPD detective has the aim of robbing criminals until he has enough money to retire. Retirement is close, as he's under investigation and a chance of being caught out. He's offered a large - and hopefully final - payday, and he's lured in. The stakes are high and Miles is caught in a game of double and triple crosses.
Action filled, fast moving, and a fun roller coaster ride.
February 1, 2019
Finished this today.
The more I think about it the more I question it. It seems like such a convoluted story with so much going on. Super odd. It all ties in eventually but it’s a book that doesn’t really do much for me.
Characters were okay but even the protagonist isn’t someone that I wanted to root for. None of them were relatable and I felt like the “ending” wasn’t really something that I thought was easily possible or would happen.
It was all to many coincidences or things that happen without it ever being believable.
Could be worth a read if you like his other books which is why I read it.
The more I think about it the more I question it. It seems like such a convoluted story with so much going on. Super odd. It all ties in eventually but it’s a book that doesn’t really do much for me.
Characters were okay but even the protagonist isn’t someone that I wanted to root for. None of them were relatable and I felt like the “ending” wasn’t really something that I thought was easily possible or would happen.
It was all to many coincidences or things that happen without it ever being believable.
Could be worth a read if you like his other books which is why I read it.
January 14, 2018
The style and prose of Bens books always amazes me, he sounds so much older than his tender years.
The Stakes is a thrilling action packed read, bad cop, bad crooks, bad women. Miles Keller, a New York robbery detective has a good scene going, steal from the crooks for his own gain and hopefully an early retirement. As in every good crime novel things don’t go to plan and soon it’s who to trust and who is scamming who. Great stuff.
The Stakes is a thrilling action packed read, bad cop, bad crooks, bad women. Miles Keller, a New York robbery detective has a good scene going, steal from the crooks for his own gain and hopefully an early retirement. As in every good crime novel things don’t go to plan and soon it’s who to trust and who is scamming who. Great stuff.
June 10, 2018
I am a big fan of Ben Sanders and was an early reader of his first two crime novels published in the United States. This, his third novel published here, continues his winning streak. It is a layered crime( caper) novel in which the characters alre all morally ambiguous and difficult to pigeonhole. The tone is definitely nourish and the dialogue reminds me of Elmore Leonard. Not an easy read but a rewarding one.
December 3, 2018
Ben Sanders quickly made his entry onto my “must read” list of authors on the strength of AMERICAN BLOOD and MARSHALL’S LAW. His latest offering, THE STAKES, takes place outside of his Marshall Grade mythos and has him turning his fine and talented hand to the caper subgenre with excellent results, creating from the ground up another complex yet sympathetic character in the form of NYPD detective Miles Keller.
THE STAKES introduces Keller at a point in time when he is on administrative leave while he is being investigated for fatally shooting a hitman named Jack Deen. Keller’s actions appear on the surface to have been righteous, but there is just enough trace evidence to raise suspicion that things did not go down quite in the manner in which he described them. That suspicion is correct, but not for the reasons that the police investigators are checking out.
Keller, as we quickly learn in the opening pages (following an intriguing vignette), is bent though not broken. He is not above helping himself to the ill-gotten gain of those on the wrong side of the law, even if it involves crossing over to that side (however momentarily) to do so. So it happens that Keller interjects himself into a money transfer and finds himself all the richer for it, his mood improved by the fact that no was injured in the process. But when the folks whose load he lightened turn up murdered the next morning, it complicates matters.
Meanwhile, a woman named Nina Stone suddenly reappears in New York. Nina and Keller had a history several years before when her name came up in the middle of a robbery investigation. Now she is back in his circle, on the run from her husband, L.A. crime boss Charles Stone, who uses his film studio as a cover. Charles sends a quietly competent gunsel to New York to retrieve Nina and bring her back to California.
The gunsel, whose attraction to Nina is one of his own worst-kept secrets, is Bobby Dean, the cousin of the hitman who Keller shot and killed. Bobby, of course, is interested in getting payback for Jack, and when he discovers that Keller is in her circle, he looks at the job as a golden opportunity to get on Nina’s good side, make some money and get revenge all in one fell swoop. But it’s not going to be anywhere near that easy for anyone, except maybe for Nina, who is almost always a step or two ahead of everyone else. Almost.
I love caper novels, and this one is particularly well done. Sanders puts readers in the mind of Elmore Leonard and occasionally Wallace Stroby, though it is his own unique voice and flashes of terrific prose that ultimately shine through. Keller is hard to define --- he is probably a little too moral to be doing what he is doing on the side --- but that makes him all the more real. THE STAKES feels as if it is a stand-alone work, and not all of the interesting characters who are introduced in these pages make it to the end. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sanders return several times to Keller’s world in the near future.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
THE STAKES introduces Keller at a point in time when he is on administrative leave while he is being investigated for fatally shooting a hitman named Jack Deen. Keller’s actions appear on the surface to have been righteous, but there is just enough trace evidence to raise suspicion that things did not go down quite in the manner in which he described them. That suspicion is correct, but not for the reasons that the police investigators are checking out.
Keller, as we quickly learn in the opening pages (following an intriguing vignette), is bent though not broken. He is not above helping himself to the ill-gotten gain of those on the wrong side of the law, even if it involves crossing over to that side (however momentarily) to do so. So it happens that Keller interjects himself into a money transfer and finds himself all the richer for it, his mood improved by the fact that no was injured in the process. But when the folks whose load he lightened turn up murdered the next morning, it complicates matters.
Meanwhile, a woman named Nina Stone suddenly reappears in New York. Nina and Keller had a history several years before when her name came up in the middle of a robbery investigation. Now she is back in his circle, on the run from her husband, L.A. crime boss Charles Stone, who uses his film studio as a cover. Charles sends a quietly competent gunsel to New York to retrieve Nina and bring her back to California.
The gunsel, whose attraction to Nina is one of his own worst-kept secrets, is Bobby Dean, the cousin of the hitman who Keller shot and killed. Bobby, of course, is interested in getting payback for Jack, and when he discovers that Keller is in her circle, he looks at the job as a golden opportunity to get on Nina’s good side, make some money and get revenge all in one fell swoop. But it’s not going to be anywhere near that easy for anyone, except maybe for Nina, who is almost always a step or two ahead of everyone else. Almost.
I love caper novels, and this one is particularly well done. Sanders puts readers in the mind of Elmore Leonard and occasionally Wallace Stroby, though it is his own unique voice and flashes of terrific prose that ultimately shine through. Keller is hard to define --- he is probably a little too moral to be doing what he is doing on the side --- but that makes him all the more real. THE STAKES feels as if it is a stand-alone work, and not all of the interesting characters who are introduced in these pages make it to the end. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sanders return several times to Keller’s world in the near future.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
April 16, 2018
THE STAKES by Ben Sanders – an Allen and Unwin book
It’s American. You don’t even have to know that before you start, you’ll soon work it out with the writing style and their solution to every problem – bring out a gun and either shoot or threaten someone. There’s little subtlety here. It’s certainly fast-paced and some of the phraseology is unique and interesting, as interesting as the fact that the author is actually a Kiwi, because it reeks of Americanisms.
The chapters mainly divide between the take on the plot by two males; Miles Keller, a New York detective with shadowy history (his father was a bank robber) and Bobby Deen, failed Hollywood actor who’s turned to odd jobs, including murder. The fact that Miles shot Bobby’s brother is merely a sideline to the main gist of the novel.
The whole story is really about greed, in particular, money, and the number of interesting characters that pop up and mainly get in the way. Two of them are women, one of whom is very manipulative and you’ll be kept guessing as to who is exactly in charge. Perhaps the most involved one is Nina and her attractiveness to men is the key to a lot of what goes on.
As the number of guns and body count rises we get into plot and counter plot as they try to get their hands on the wads of cash that have come from different sources. Too much money is never enough for this lot as they bounce around various addresses in New York. It seems everyone wants out and this is their main chance to do just that, but things keep getting in the way and the past is an inconvenient truth that keeps interfering.
Though at times it’s a little predictable, it’s a good read if you’re into the genre and fans of the Raymond Chandler style will relate to this book.
It’s American. You don’t even have to know that before you start, you’ll soon work it out with the writing style and their solution to every problem – bring out a gun and either shoot or threaten someone. There’s little subtlety here. It’s certainly fast-paced and some of the phraseology is unique and interesting, as interesting as the fact that the author is actually a Kiwi, because it reeks of Americanisms.
The chapters mainly divide between the take on the plot by two males; Miles Keller, a New York detective with shadowy history (his father was a bank robber) and Bobby Deen, failed Hollywood actor who’s turned to odd jobs, including murder. The fact that Miles shot Bobby’s brother is merely a sideline to the main gist of the novel.
The whole story is really about greed, in particular, money, and the number of interesting characters that pop up and mainly get in the way. Two of them are women, one of whom is very manipulative and you’ll be kept guessing as to who is exactly in charge. Perhaps the most involved one is Nina and her attractiveness to men is the key to a lot of what goes on.
As the number of guns and body count rises we get into plot and counter plot as they try to get their hands on the wads of cash that have come from different sources. Too much money is never enough for this lot as they bounce around various addresses in New York. It seems everyone wants out and this is their main chance to do just that, but things keep getting in the way and the past is an inconvenient truth that keeps interfering.
Though at times it’s a little predictable, it’s a good read if you’re into the genre and fans of the Raymond Chandler style will relate to this book.
March 3, 2018
I am a massive fan of crime and mystery books have been ever since I ran out of books to read when I was around 13 and thought I could just read one of my parent’s books. That book happened to be James Patterson Hide and Seek. Now let me tell you, that book is not something a young teen should be reading but it did start my love for crime and my obsession with James Patterson.
Therefore, when I received The Stakes by Ben Sanders in the mail I was overjoyed, as I realised I may have been stuck in a bit of a YA rut lately and needed variety in my life.
The main character to our story is Miles Keller who is crooked cop for the NYPD. The kind of cop that only steals from criminals, very much like a modern day selfish Robin Hood. I loved it. This take of a crooked cop is something that you do not see very much and I think Sanders did a fantastic job in portraying a crooked cop that you can’t help but to like and relate to just a little bit. With retirement close and Miles being under investigation after he shot hitman Jack Deen, he takes one last job with a payout that would be worth his while but that’s if he gets out of being double crossed. Not to mention that the hitman was targeting Miles’ ex lover.
I loved the pace of the book, and I found myself invested in this book, but the only thing I didn’t like was that I found it predictable. Highly predictable, which could just be me because I have read a fair amount of crime books in my time but I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense that I wanted. Don’t get me wrong though The Stakes is full of action and include a bad ass female
Overall though this is a highly enjoyable book!
Therefore, when I received The Stakes by Ben Sanders in the mail I was overjoyed, as I realised I may have been stuck in a bit of a YA rut lately and needed variety in my life.
The main character to our story is Miles Keller who is crooked cop for the NYPD. The kind of cop that only steals from criminals, very much like a modern day selfish Robin Hood. I loved it. This take of a crooked cop is something that you do not see very much and I think Sanders did a fantastic job in portraying a crooked cop that you can’t help but to like and relate to just a little bit. With retirement close and Miles being under investigation after he shot hitman Jack Deen, he takes one last job with a payout that would be worth his while but that’s if he gets out of being double crossed. Not to mention that the hitman was targeting Miles’ ex lover.
I loved the pace of the book, and I found myself invested in this book, but the only thing I didn’t like was that I found it predictable. Highly predictable, which could just be me because I have read a fair amount of crime books in my time but I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense that I wanted. Don’t get me wrong though The Stakes is full of action and include a bad ass female
Overall though this is a highly enjoyable book!
February 20, 2018
Miles Keller is a crooked cop in the NYPD. His strategy is simple. He only targets New York criminals so any fall-out is less likely, at least from the side of the law. His plan is to accumulate enough cash to retire and get out of Dodge.
With the NYPD investigating him after he shot hitman Jack Deen, and a complication in that the target of the hitman was Miles's ex lover, life is getting more than a bit edgy. Out of the blue a woman called Nina Stone comes into his life again, seemingly with an offer too good to refuse, and enough money to become the payoff he's been hoping for.
The Nina and Miles relationship is itself complicated, especially given that she is a fellow criminal professional, and at least as hard-arse as Miles thinks he is. The plot isn't exactly straightforward but suspense leaps off every page as Ben Sanders takes us on a wild ride. The line between good and evil is seriously blurred, with survival and vengeance uncomfortable bedmates.
With the NYPD investigating him after he shot hitman Jack Deen, and a complication in that the target of the hitman was Miles's ex lover, life is getting more than a bit edgy. Out of the blue a woman called Nina Stone comes into his life again, seemingly with an offer too good to refuse, and enough money to become the payoff he's been hoping for.
The Nina and Miles relationship is itself complicated, especially given that she is a fellow criminal professional, and at least as hard-arse as Miles thinks he is. The plot isn't exactly straightforward but suspense leaps off every page as Ben Sanders takes us on a wild ride. The line between good and evil is seriously blurred, with survival and vengeance uncomfortable bedmates.
May 1, 2018
Clean, straightforward prose -- a quick, mostly satisfying read.
The premise is solid: crooked cop man making bad decisions, trying to come out ahead as the consequences snowball around him. But the plot is a bit meandery, bouncing from one set piece to the next, and the characters' actions don't always make sense. Also found the ending a little chaotic and uneven.
The premise is solid: crooked cop man making bad decisions, trying to come out ahead as the consequences snowball around him. But the plot is a bit meandery, bouncing from one set piece to the next, and the characters' actions don't always make sense. Also found the ending a little chaotic and uneven.
April 27, 2023
Ben Sanders aimed high with this plot. It was complex, and I think the editing let him down on this one. It got a bit repetitive having sentences start with the same words for multiple pages at a time. An intriguing plot but would have loved a bit more tension in the characters. It all felt a bit shallow/superficial, but very well described action. Worth checking out if you love action thrillers.
January 4, 2018
Ben Sanders is an author to look out for, bent cop with a conscience, this book was gripping, thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. a fantastic read, recommended for anyone who likes crime shoot-em-up style books.
February 22, 2018
Good guys, bad guys, good guys who are bad guys. This just wasn't for me. There's a lot of action to be sure and it's a page turner but I ended up turning my page down and DNF. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC.
July 2, 2018
I wanted to like this book, as the writing is very good, and the praise is warranted. But every person in the book was a lowlife. I couldn’t warm to any of them!! And that took too much out of the book for me - I just didn’t care!
But Sanders can write, so one to watch.
But Sanders can write, so one to watch.
September 4, 2018
This one did not appeal all that much. It was both mediocre and forgettable. The protagonist was deeply flawed and not all that likeable and the plot was uninspired. It took ages to slog through this mostly because it did not hold my interest and I kept finding ways to avoid reading it.
January 15, 2020
Like the previous books in this series, this is a very competent, taut cop thriller, on the noir side. Very readable and enjoyable, but doesn't break any new ground. If you like hard-boiled police noir, this will likely float your boat.
March 2, 2022
A bit unbelievable, too many times he gets out of trouble with the police to make this book into a half believable story. However some interesting story lines even if a little bit of over the tip entanglements.
June 18, 2024
Rated 7/10 Have read a few of his books but didn't enjoy this one as much. Plot got a bit too complicated, trying to keep track of who was where and why they were there. Sorted itself out at the end.
April 9, 2018
Gave up - wasn't drawn in enough to care how it turned out
December 14, 2018
ZZZZZZZZZZZ dull ! Rare for me but DNF !
December 21, 2018
Another enjoyable novel from this author.
April 16, 2019
I’m pretty sure the narrator killed this one. He tried too hard to capture the female voice or accent. Killer.
May 22, 2019
Robbing successful criminals to finance one's retirement is not what cops usually do, though it's not unknown. Sanders writes a hard, literate thriller, though his first two appealed to me more.
June 26, 2019
Book Club ouck. Pretty fast read. Simple plot. Bit confusing at times. Finished it though not what I would call a thriller.
April 19, 2020
Plenty of action, but I found the continual swapping of points of view between characters each chapter hard to follow.
June 3, 2024
OK read found it hard to follow sometimes
Maybe just me at the time.
Maybe just me at the time.
November 25, 2018
Sanders was more on edge when he was writing in auckland . His move to the states he now just another cog in the wheel ! Where as he once leader of the pack as a Kiwi crime writer .
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