A complete crime fiction box set! Homicide detective Thomas Prescott may be retired--but a serial killer, a high-profile murder, an ill-fated cruise, and a chilling small-town crime add more than enough excitement to his hard-earned rest.Dive into the bestselling series with over 1.3+ million downloads and over 10,000+ Five-Star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads. Unforeseen (Thomas Prescott #1)Retired homicide detective Thomas Prescott is reluctant to read the bestselling true-crime thriller, Eight in October. After all, it was his case, and he doesn't need to be reminded of the gruesome details. The book dubbed the serial killer, Tristen Grayer--The MAINEiac. Grayer is allegedly dead, but only Prescott knows the Grayer is alive and lurking in the shadows.On October 1st, the anniversary of the first murder, The MAINEiac resurfaces, killing someone special from Prescott's past. Suddenly, it's déjà vu for Prescott, except this time the women closest to him begin to fall victim. With the help of his former flame, Bangor chief medical examiner, Dr. Caitlin Dodds, Prescott must race against the clock to stop Grayer from completing his encore.Gray Matter (Thomas Prescott #2)His love life in shambles, retired homicide detective Thomas Prescott returns to Seattle, the very place he fled from after his parents' deaths nearly a decade earlier. Just as Prescott is getting settled in, he sees a body floating in the private cove behind his boyhood home. It's a woman. But not just any woman. It's Ellen Gray--the governor of Washington--who has been missing for the past six weeks.Working side-by-side with SPD detective, Erica Frost, Prescott uncovers a sophisticated conspiracy linked to a new breed of killer. In his pursuit to catch a madman, Prescott's investigation will take him from the state capital to the snow-covered peaks of the North Cascades and for the first time in his career, Thomas finds himself both the hunter...and the hunted.The Afrikaans (Thomas Prescott #3)Intimate in scale, but grandly outfitted, the luxury cruise liner The Afrikaans hosts no more than 208 pampered guests, among them; former FBI contract agent Thomas Prescott. When the ship is overtaken by African pirates who are demanding the U.S. send medical relief to a small Zulu village in South Africa, it's up to Prescott to keep the hostages alive.As the U.S. tries to figure out how to combat the terrorists' plot from the outside, World Health Organization doctor, Gina Brady, undertakes the impossible task of rescuing three children from the secluded Zulu village. With the deadline drawing near, Prescott and Brady must race against the clock to discover the truth; is it medical relief the pirates seek or a two billion dollar ransom from one of the richest men in the world? Or could the implications be so profound, and the stakes so high, a war hangs in the balance...Show Me (Thomas Prescott #4)When retired homicide detective Thomas Prescott learns he's inherited a 250-acre farm in Tarrin, Missouri (pop. 2,100), he can't get there fast enough. As he slowly acclimates to small town living, he hears rumblings about a horrific crime in the town's past. Four years earlier, a recently fired employee of the local grocery store enacted his revenge, shooting and killing the owner of the store, plus four customers, then turning the gun on himself. The crime appears to have been solved, but Prescott has his doubts.
Nick Pirog is the bestselling author of the Thomas Prescott series, the 3:00 a.m. series, and The Speed of Souls. He lives in South Lake Tahoe with his other half, Stephy, and their pup, Potter.
I got the first in this series as a bargain book on one of the sites I subscribe to. For the first 2 pages of Unforeseen, I wondered if I had made a mistake. This story is so different from your run-of-the-mill mysteries, but by page 3 I was hooked. Thomas Prescott is a perennial smart aleck who sometimes runs himself into the hospital with his mouth. His adventures will keep you reading until the wee morning hours. Unforeseen puts him against an old nemesis whom he thought he had killed
I got the first book of the series free on kindle, then I was addicted! Luckily I got this box set on Kindle unlimited so was very very happy. Thomas Prescott is a smart arsed Ex detective/FBI consultant. I didn’t think I would like him much, but once you get used to the humour he grows on you 😂🤣
Thomas Prescott takes some getting used to; I didn’t like him at first, but then I got used to his arrogance which is thankfully tempered by his humour. The stories are fast-paced, making it hard to put the book down. But just when you think you know whodunnit, there is a surprise at the end. Very entertaining.
I felt that the story line flowed flawlessly from one book to the other.There was just enough past history included with each new story to tie them together. Great series.
I loved all of the Thomas Prescott books. I can’t wait for the next one. He may be a bit arrogant but his humor makes up for that. Read, laugh, and enjoy!
Love this series! Look forward to the next 2 I've read that Nick Pirog has planned for Thomas Prescott. So far, I don't think he will disappoint. [Feels like I know the ever sarcastically humorous Thomas.] Loving the binge reads.
Not for me. Please understand that I rate books on how well I, personally, enjoyed them, not on the skill of the author. I generally do not prefer first-person perspective books, to such a degree that I generally will not even purchase/borrow them unless very strongly recommended by a friend - as this was.
I really enjoy mystery/detective type series and have finished all the ones I have particularly enjoyed, and so I have been looking for something new to delve into.
The writing style of this book is heavy with tongue-in-cheek, junior-high level of humor. I love humor, sarcasm, and even the occasional crass joke when done well. However, the main character in this book is constantly at least 'thinking' on a very immature level. Lots of boob jokes, butt observations, hard-on commentary, etc., that I simply do not find amusing. I'm a nurse by profession, I know for a fact that the vast majority of men never outgrow this tendency, at least in their own thoughts. This is probably at least part of why the first-person perspective is often annoying to me. The main character in this book does not interact with a single female character without some commentary about how sexually attractive (or not) he finds her, with the exception of his sister, who still gets commentary on how he DOESN'T want to think of her as a sexual being. This is supposed to be a grown, adult man who is, presumably, investigating crime professionally. I just found it crass and annoying. It was a complete, off-putting distraction from the mystery/crime portion of the book.
The actual mystery part was interesting enough that I finished the first book - this came as a four-book 'set', free with my Audible subscription. I finished the first book, but did not enjoy it enough to care to move on or finish the four. Apparently, there are many more of this series.
Obviously, there is murder to be investigated - and the details are gory and gruesome. The author does an interesting job of jarring you out of your mood - one moment there are boob jokes and crass humor, and the next moment, there is a tragedy that literally had me briefly choked up and tearful. The narrator did a good job as well. I can see how many people would enjoy this series - it is just not for me. Moving on to find something new.
Well, Shoot. I picked this up because I previously listened to (and enjoyed) Unforeseen, the first book in the Thomas Prescott series. The main character isn't for everyone, since his primary language is sarcasm with a high dose of social unacceptability. But I found it fun and refreshing. It sort of felt like a comedian was narrating a traditional thriller and ad-libbing as he read. Thomas Prescott's inner monologue is not suitable for those without a good, snarky funny bone.
The second story, Gray Matter, was equally enjoyable, maybe even more so. Except I was a little surprised that he picked a fairly controversial topic to include as a major part of the plot line. By book three, Africaans, I was finally getting the picture and was non too happy about it. In fact, books three and four weren't nearly as witty and focused more on the socially controversial topic of the story.
The author did a fairly good job of covering both sides (if possible) of the issues he chose. But my problem is simple: I read and listen to audiobooks to escape. I don't wish to be socially enlightened by any artist, whether he/she is a writer, singer, actor, or whatever. I want my entertainment to simply entertain me. When I want facts about an issue, I will seek them out myself.
Because of this, I actively avoid artists who choose to use their medium as a social driver. Whether I agree with their viewpoint or not. So, while I finished all four books in this set, and enjoyed them for their entertainment value, Thomas Prescott and I have spent our last hours together. Pity. But there are plenty of other books on my TBR list.
This review covers 5 full-length novels - Unforeseen, Gray Matter, Afrikaans, Show Me, and Jungle Up.
Plot. Thomas Prescott has a storied past - once fired from a police force for punching out a fellow officer, drafted into a homicide detective role, and now retired. Sarcastic, caustic, and funny, trouble seems to find him, as each of the five stories involves him involuntarily knee-deep in an investigation: murders, greed, corruption, theft, piracy, and more. You don't need to read all to enjoy any of the books, but ... you'll miss some threads without starting at the beginning with Unforeseen. You'll enjoy the dog; he's in most books - he has narcolepsy - really. He'll drop into a dead sleep while doing regular doggy things. Actually Googled this, and yeah - dogs do get narcolepsy! You'll also enjoy the adorable baby sloth. 🦥 😘
Liked. Fun stories, twists. No explicit sex or inappropriate language. Clean reads. A little violence, but since it's bad guys getting comeuppance ... 🤷♀️ <- she is shrugging. Narration is fine.
Not so hot. Well, I know Thomas' horn-dog nonsense was part of the character, but...cliché, juvenile, and over the top. You'll roll your eyes, promise.
Written by Nick Pirog, narrated by Johnny Heller, a total of 44 hours of listening in unabridged audiobook format, released from 2019 - 2021 by Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Comfy mysteries with a few hair-raising events - recommended.
This is the first time I have read any books by Nick Pirog, so it seemed fitting to start with a series. Thomas Prescott, the main character throughout the series, is an arrogant, wise-cracking individual who seems to have the "luckiest" ability to injure himself. He should have a sign plastered on his forehead that says, "Stay Clear! Prone to accidents!"
I was immediately drawn into the series upon the first words; Unforeseen was a fast-paced read that kept you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who was the Maineiac Killer and why he/she was killing people who were close or associated with Thomas Prescot. Gray Matter picked up from Unforeseen and riveted you into another whirlwind of the mayhem of trying to solve the murder of the Governor, which involved wolves. However, Afrikaans, on the other hand, brought me to a slow crawl; this story revolves around boat pirates, which, in my opinion, did not grab me as the other two did. I finally found a steady niche toward the end; I just couldn't get into this book. Our final book in the series Show Me was more of the fast-paced reading I encountered with the first two books. If I had to pick out of the four that was my favorite, I would immediately point to Show Me as this was a completely different story plot, and it was very intriguing to include the piglets May & Harold into the pitch. I loved how Nick Pirog tied everything like a well-mixed cake batter.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading all 4 books in this series. Nick Poirot has created the most original, albeit a bit quirky, leading man, er detective named Thomas Prescott. Each book is excellent source of entertainment by touching on all elements of human emotions. Thomas uses Sherlock Holmes-is logic to cut to the heart of crimes he investigates along with ability to attract lady friends that would make 007 blush. All of these stories have moments of internal dialog that reminds me of the discussions between good and bad Thomas. There are so many zingers that Poirot those into each story you will find yourself laughing out load which can be uncomfortable if you listening to the outstanding performances by Johnny Heller. By all means, give these books a p!ace in your library.
Audiobook: I listen to between 200 and 300 audiobooks per year, mostly crime/thriller/mysteries, I'm retired living on a small island boardering the tropical Sibuyan Sea. These four novels are the very best I have listened to in several years. The central character, Thomas Prescott, is a phenomenon in the crime genre, up there with John Rebus, Dave Robicheaux, Elvis Cole. The writing is superb with no filler, every word counts, crisp dialogue, wonderful laugh out loud humour, great plot lines that had me guessing, believable and well crafted characters and locations. The narrator does an absolutely first class job in adding the extra dimension of sound to the vibrant text. An absolute pleasure to experience. If I could award six stars I would.
Spent half my summer with Nick Pirog's Thomas Prescott. I grew to totally enjoy the character Nick has created in Thomas. At first, Thomas's wisecracking remarks, constant jabs were annoying, but like Robert B Parker's Spencer, the cadence of the dialog drew me in. I began to enjoy the jabs, the odd references and Thomas's cracks. The story line in each book was riveting, engaging, and surprising. Twist, turns, and surprises made me read one book after another and having just finished Jungle Up, number five in the series and the latest, I now must wait to hear from Thomas. Bravo Nick Pirog! You have made for a memorable summer and I am telling everyone about Thomas Prescott.
25 Minutes In And I'm Giving This 5 Stars! I have never laughed so much in under half an hour, and I mean I've been howling with laughter with tears and everything! One doesn't expect to be doing so in a grisly thriller novel, but there we have it! Nick Pirog is an excellent writer and I'm so delighted that I have 3 more books to devour once I've finished the first. Johnny Heller is master performer, to call him a narrator would cheapen his talent, and his timing is perfect too, I've had to stop the audio a number of times to get myself back under control. To buy this entire series for under £40 is like buying the Holy Grail for a bag of stale, peanuts!
At first, I could not stand the cocky, arrogant retire homicide investigator, but thy the end of book 1, I was seriously hooked! I absolutely love this character and the crazy murders he gets involved with during these stories. This series includes the following books: Unforeseen, Gray Matter, The Afrikaans, and Show Me. I enjoyed every book from start to finish! Each one is filled with suspense, mystery, murder, humor, and a little romance, to boot. I hope Pirog continues this character series. He is at the top of my list!
Very entertaining - dark subjects balanced with humor
Thomas is quite the character, spouting his irreverent humor amidst dire situations. I was particularly drawn to his wit as it balances out the horror of the story lines. Each book seems to have a bit of a different style which I find refreshing. The fact base seems to be well researched, but books are fiction and not intended to be definitive fact! Will definitely read this author again.
I want more. But I'm a masochist. I love that slapstick humor. Story lines are great. If you enjoy not knowing where your going. But seriously ( I always wanted to say that) he's really good. I'm gonna read everything he written. I wonder if I can find his will and testament. Gotta be funny as hell.
I am a fan of Mr. Pirog's writing. Have read most of his books : 3:00 am series and Thomas Prescott series. They all are serious mystery\thrillers but they also are humorous. At the same time he wraps them around current social and economic issues. Informative but not preachy. Author does his homework and it shows. Entertaining for the reader. Totally recommend.
The writing got better with each book and Thomas became less of a, Russian hacker courting Republicans, level of curmudgeon. Even the first book had something great and it seems to be developing in each book. One book that was not the first did seem like it might have been written first.
I started with the prequel Numbers and then had to read the rest of the series. I found all 4 books in a bundle so I read them all back to back. Love the characters.
I really enjoy this author, his style of writing and wit.
I really liked the first 2 books but the third and fourth seemed a little rushed. I still eager to read more from this author as I loved the 3 am series.