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What does it take for an ordinary guy to do something extraordinary?

Meet Jake. He’s looking to use his new degree in Economics and Business Studies. But he can’t get a job and a mountain of student debt is threatening to overwhelm him.

And when the ordinary life he has planned doesn’t much impress the girl of his dreams, he starts to consider his best friend’s idea to get rich quick. After all, it’s only a little bit illegal, and they're smart enough to not get caught. . .
The Desert Run is an intriguing and suspenseful thriller charting how one young man succumbs to the siren call of adventure.

One little crime doesn't make you a criminal. Does it?

293 pages, ebook

First published May 11, 2017

414 people are currently reading
379 people want to read

About the author

Gregg Dunnett

29 books504 followers
Gregg Dunnett is a British author writing psychological thrillers and stories about travel and adventure, usually with a connection to the coast or to the oceans. Before turning to novels he worked as a journalist for ten years on a windsurfing magazine, briefly owned a sailing school in Egypt, taught English in Thailand, Portugal, Turkey and Italy, taught sailing in Greece and Spain, and also had several rather duller jobs along the way.

His brother is the adventurer Jono Dunnett who in 2015 windsurfed alone and unsupported around the entire coastline of Great Britain, and who is currently windsurfing around the coastline of Europe.

Gregg lives in Bournemouth on the south coast of England with his partner Maria. They have two young children, Alba and Rafa, for whom the phrase “Daddy's working” has absolutely no effect.

Gregg's debut novel was an Amazon top 100 best seller in the UK and was downloaded over a quarter of a million times.

Gregg on why he writes:

"I’ve always wanted to do two things in life, to write, and to have adventures. When I was a kid I imagined grand affairs. Kayaking across Canada, cycling to Australia. Whole summers in the Arctic. Did it happen? Well, partly.

I’ve been lucky, I spent some years abroad teaching English. I worked in sailing schools in Greece and Spain. I really lucked out with a job testing windsurfing boards for the magazine I grew up reading. I made a questionable decision (ok, a bad decision) to buy a windsurfing centre in Egypt. I’ve also done my fair share of less exciting jobs. Packing and stacking potatoes on a farm, which got me fitter than I’ve ever been in my life. I did a few years in local government which taught me that people really do have meetings that result only in the need for more meetings, and they really do take all afternoon. I spent a pleasant few months in a giant book warehouse, where I would deliberately get lost among the miles of shelves unpacking travel guides and daydreaming. I’ve done a bit of writing too, at least I learned how to write. Boards Magazine isn’t well known (it doesn’t even exist today) but it did have a reputation for being well written and I shoe-horned articles in my own gonzo journalism style on some topics with the most tenuous of links to windsurfing. But the real adventures never came. Nor did the real writing.

Then, in 2015, my brother announced he was going to become the first person to windsurf alone around Great Britain. I don’t know why. Apparently it was something he’d always wanted to do (news to me). It was a proper adventure. It was dangerous, it was exciting. Even before he set off he was interviewed on TV, in the papers etc... Some people thought he was reckless, some thought he was inspirational. Lots of people thought he’d fail.

But he didn’t. He made it around. He even sailed solo from Wales to Ireland, the first to make the crossing without the aid of a safety boat. I was lucky enough to be involved in a planning level, and take part in a few training sails, and the last leg of the trip. But he did ninety nine percent of it on his own. One step at a time, just getting on with it. That was quite inspiring.

In a way it inspired me to pull my finger out. I’d been writing novels - or trying to write novels - then for a few years. But it was touch and go as to whether I was going to be one of those ‘writers’ with a half-finished novel lost on a hard drive somewhere, rather than someone who might actually manage to finish the job.

I’ve now got two lovely, highly demanding children, so real adventures are hard right now. I still try to get away when I can for nights out in the wilds rough camping, surf trips sleeping in the van, windsurfing when the big storms come. I love adventures with the kids too.

I hope in time to get around to a few real adventures. I want to sail across an ocean. I want to bike across a continent. I definitely want to spend more time surfing empty waves.

But fo

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5 stars
361 (41%)
4 stars
314 (36%)
3 stars
139 (16%)
2 stars
35 (4%)
1 star
13 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Profile Image for Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings).
1,806 reviews311 followers
June 11, 2017
Well I have to say without a doubt that Gregg Dunnet has smashed it again with his excellent thriller "The Desert Run".
In complete contrast to his very successful debut novel "The Wave at Hanging Rock", this gripping book has action, adventure, tension and excitement!
The story is told through Jake's very honest point of view. He and his flat mate Ben have racked up thousands of pounds worth of student debt. When Ben comes up with an idea of organising themselves on a drug run to clear their debts and set them up for life, what could go wrong? How will their lives change?
The engaging characters are true naive students with typical young attitudes that you can't help but like.
During the rough time at sea it was almost like I was in the boat with them so brilliant were the descriptions and narrative of the storm. There were at times in the first half of the book when I felt particularly tense and nervous as to whether they would succeed and I thought the ending was very apt to the plot and that the author conveyed this perfectly.
I'm afraid I don't have much knowledge of drugs etc so I trust the author with his facts and information - it's obvious there's been a lot of research carried out into drugs and drug running.
Fast paced, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable, I highly recommmend "The Desert Run" - Gregg Dunnet is a fabulously talented writer that I'm so pleased to have discovered. He could easily be compared to some of the more well known writers of this genre and I believe this book would make a brilliant film.
I do hope the author will be writing more entertaining books, and I wish him continued success for the future.
A fab 5 stars!!
Profile Image for Diane (Books and Tequila Blog).
1,523 reviews71 followers
January 16, 2019
The Desert Run was a completely engaging story that drew me in from the start. It is told in Jake’s very honest, almost endearing POV. He was a “hero” that I didn’t want to, but just couldn’t help but root for because of the illegality of what they were doing by running drugs.
There was at times heart stopping tension and also times of honest reflection.
I listened to this story on audiobook and loved it. The narrator really brought the characters to life!
-4 Stars-
38 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2017
Mixed feelings

Not about the book, that was great, about the characters. You know what they are planning is wrong, as gets even more so. The moral part of you wants failure for there venture, but there's also that bit of you that wants them to succeed.
And yes, at that particular part of the story, I had been wondering about the Ben and Julia situation, on that you were correct Mr Dunnett.
Not giving owt away, as reviews that do that are annoying. Will say it's well worth a punt.
783 reviews10 followers
May 24, 2017
Fast paced

Loved it. Loved 'the wave' more but this one kept me reading non stop to the end. It's like you are a buddy and you feel for Jake. And sometimes you just want to give him one 'upside the head'. Good adventure.
Profile Image for Mrs F C Blackmore.
2 reviews
May 27, 2017
Gripping, exciting and well planned

I really enjoyed this, one of those books that keep you up reading into the small hours because you just don't want to stop. It was exciting, fun and well planned.
I thoroughly enjoyed Gregg's first book but I think this one is even better. Hurry up and write another please!
Profile Image for Tony Parsons.
4,156 reviews103 followers
October 4, 2017
Dover, England. Ben & Jake were enrolled at U of Brighton.
Several yrs. later the 2 graduated.
Jake completed a with a double major in: buss/econ.
He applied/interviewed for a job but didn’t get it. Now what?
Jake & Ben figured they could get a really good deal for some hash from Ahmed (Mo’s cousin, Moroccan, drug dealer).

It was a family affair.
Arriving by camels Youssef (dealer), Agafay (Youssef’s father), & Omar (Youssef’s brother) greeted Jake & Ben.
100 kilos of hashish.
So far; so good.
They were aboard the Dieppe-to-Newhaven ferry.
The 2 are now waiting for customs & the dogs to check them out.
The border patrol officer told them to have a nice journey.

Danny (drug dealer), called Paul, who was going to meet Jake & Ben & introduce them to Crazy Jimmy (contact) who is the drug negotiator/buyer, distributer.
$1,000 a kilo was his offer.
But Jimmy also made a 2nd. offer to Jake & Ben.

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.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written Action thriller 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 Action thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; EBookDaily; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Profile Image for Tess Lock.
98 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2017
Action and adventure writing at its best.
Desert Run ...
Greg Dunnett

Action and adventure writing at its best.

Greg Dunnett is now easily on par with my favourite adventure writers Clive Cussler, Jinx Swartz and Jules Verne. I thoroughly enjoyed his first novel The Wave at Hanging Rock and was so pleased to find that his second novel is as good as the first.

He writes about everyday real life situations that have been extended into an action/adventure, he takes us from ordinary lives into something more....

Both stories are written in such a very visual way that when remembering the story after reading it I feel as if I have seen a film not read a novel.
6 reviews
September 28, 2017
Another cracking book by Mr Dunnett. This is one that you just don't want to put down. Fast moving adventure and tension which is so easy to read.
Profile Image for Elsa Hoffmann.
158 reviews5 followers
May 26, 2017
Wow! This was quite a ride...and I could almost feel the tension. Mr Dunnett knows how to build his characters and the story, and this adventure is no different. From a flat in England to the desert of Morocco, the story takes the reader into the world of drug running. Ben and Jake just want to make extra money fast, to pay off their student loans - in Jake's case. Ben seems to enjoy the thrill. Then an offer is made and a decision is taken and things will never be the same. How far can one trust the people you are working with though, especially in the drug running business? They find out in the middle of the night off the coast of Scotland​. I really hope there are more books to come! I received an ebook copy of this book from the author, and I review every book I read. Enjoy!
423 reviews2 followers
May 28, 2017
It' s a fine line between excitement and crime

How easy it is, the beckon of adventure.....add in a shed load of money and an element of risk......an absolute blast of a story! Thank you Gregg Dunnett, you didn't let us down after The Wave at Hanging Rock, you just left us speechless again !
Profile Image for D..
Author 1 book16 followers
May 25, 2017
I found The Desert Run a down to earth and realistic tale of would be and then could be drug runners, and rather than going on too much about that scheme of things it dealt more with the way in which the first successful project was seen to an end and the outcome of the final downfall. An enjoyable enough read, but for me it was not as good or as complex as Wave at Hanging Rock. It almost felt like it was a story told in a hurry and close enough is good enough.
51 reviews
May 17, 2017
Good second novel.

Thus is a real gem of a book and certainly doesn't disappoint following the debut of The Wave at hanging rock.
Good characters in this book and a very plausible plot, and the ending is slighty cheesy but ......!!!
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,647 reviews9 followers
May 15, 2017
Harrowing, gripping, dark yet ultimately optimistic at the end. Nicely done, closer to four stars than three. More gut-wrenching than I like, but well done.
Profile Image for joanna wiggans.
146 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2017
Hugely enjoyable

Well rounded characters that you care about .I read the end so fast I had to re-read it. Brilliant storytelling



Profile Image for Sharon.
5 reviews
May 16, 2017
As usual with Gregg Dunnett, not how I expected it to end. Look forward to his next book
Profile Image for Lori Bindner.
168 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2017
Exciting thriller.

Almost as good as the Wave At Hanging Rock, this thriller took me for adventures I'd never dreamed of. Good read.
Profile Image for Barbara Tsipouras.
Author 1 book38 followers
October 1, 2017
This novel fails to decide if it's humoristic or tragic. It's both, but it didn't make me laugh or cry. In my opinion the pace is to slow. I couldn't relate to the main character and therefore couldn't feel for him whe things turned dark.
But I guess everyone wo ever tried to smuggle drugs or who has a sailng boat will enjoy it.
Profile Image for Nic.
588 reviews24 followers
June 20, 2017
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!

This is one of those books u can read in a day - it has a simple and down to earth writing style, and draws you in.

Yes the central focus is a man's infatuation with a girl and yes the dream section and descriptions of carving out paddle boards go on a bit, but overall this is a great book.

Who cares if it's a true story or not?! The last few chapters had me whizzing through to see what happened next.

Perfect for a quick and enjoyable read on holiday or tanning in the park. Or while your kids watch Despicable Me for the 100th time.

Will definitely read another by the author.

Profile Image for Shar Schmidt.
57 reviews
May 3, 2024
A good read

I’ve read enough novels by this author to predict how his books will end. This one wasn’t really “gripping” as much as it was just interesting to see how Jake & Ben were going to pull off their plan. Only 3 stars because the ending was predictable, as this author kind of only goes one direction when ending his books. Someone always comes out unscathed despite everything coming to a head. It was still a good read, I liked the characters & actually rooted for them. I’d recommend it as something to read casually, I was drawn in but the story does get a bit sluggish in the middle.
572 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2021
Absolutely fabulous read!

This is a novel that had me totally hooked from the start. The author made it feel as if it actually happened and you are there part of it.
The story of 2 undergrad students, who as normal are in debt, who go to Morocco on holiday. Then the thoughts come about of a way of clearing the debts involving a bit of drug smuggling. Not to be condoned of course, but it makes for a really good way to pass a couple of hours or so as the thrills unfold. Witty as well as serious, a well written insight into this world. Loved it!!
Profile Image for Richard Burke.
Author 11 books23 followers
June 17, 2017
I read Gregg Dunnett's first book, The Wave At Hanging Rock, and gave that 5*. If anything, this is even better.

The subject matter is completely different and maybe slightly controversial. Jake is being crushed under a mountain of debt when his best friend comes up with a way to clear it all in one illegal act.

The story moved on at a fast pace and demonstrated all too easily how a single bad choice can lead on to deeper and darker problems.

Well worth a few hours of your time!
Profile Image for Jerry Walch.
140 reviews3 followers
January 6, 2018
Too drawn out. Not enough action. Too much, in my opinion, filler description and narration. Not a book I will ever open again. I definitely would not recommend this book to any hard hitting thriller readers. I was being generous when I gave it a three star rating. Should have given it a two star rating.
Profile Image for Will.
87 reviews
October 31, 2017
A thrilling story about students smuggling drugs to clear their debts. It's a well paced thriller with key tension points that make you want to carry on reading late at night.

As the author says, it ends with the event that kept you on the edge of your seat from the beginning. It's the only way these things can end.
Profile Image for K.
235 reviews1 follower
November 14, 2017
This thriller left me dry-mouthed, heart-pumping, cringing at what might be coming next but unable to tear myself away. Glad I didn't! I really enjoyed this new author.

By the way, I got a free copy of the book with the caveat I wrote an honest review... so here it is!

Read it. And I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
94 reviews2 followers
December 12, 2017
Amazing

It's amazing to me that I could actually want drug runners to succeed. But it was such a great book, with such varied characters, that it was impossible not to root for them thru their adventures. It's a fun, well written book and I look forward to Gregg Dunnett's new book. Having read two of his books now I will read anything he writes in the future.
6 reviews
March 17, 2018
Another great read by Gregg Dunnett..

Having read two of Gregg's books I thought I'd give this one a read & I wasn't disappointed, great characters, great friendships & a great read, as with his other two books I couldn't put it down, looking forward to anymore he writes in the future...
Profile Image for Erol Denizkurt.
8 reviews
July 11, 2019
Another great, fun, interesting and exciting to read story by Gregg Dunnett. One night I was up until 6am because I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next!!! I have been consistently impressed with how very different each of his novels has been. And there are always a few twists along the way you don't see coming!
97 reviews
April 6, 2020
An exciting if surprising read

Didn't get any idea from the title, but once you start reading it you realise why it's called The Desert Run. A clever idea that reaches a shocking conclusion. The author clearly has a good knowledge of sailing, as the book reaches it's page turning end.
545 reviews3 followers
August 13, 2020
What a ride!

Two college buddies, one in debt to his eyeballs, make a decision that will alter their lives completely. Just a one and done, trip to and back from Morocco with a load of hashish, enough to get them both out of debt and a little extra. What happens to these dudes is startling and eye opening. Great adventure!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews

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