Exit .45

Marshall Grade #3

by Ben Sanders

Marshall Grade returns in an action-packed thrillride through the New York underworld.

When a former NYPD colleague is shot dead in front of him, private investigator Marshall Grade discovers there's far more to the killing than meets the eye.

Ray Vialoux is in trouble. Big trouble. And he needs Marshall Grade's help.

Reluctantly, Grade agrees to meet. Over dinner in a Brooklyn restaurant, he learns that his former NYPD colleague owes money - a lot of money - to the wrong people. But the conversation is cut short by gunfire, and suddenly Ray is lying dead on the restaurant floor.

As Marshall investigates the circumstances leading up to the murder, tracking down the drug dealers, bag men, bent cops and mob players within Ray's orbit, it becomes clear there's far more to the killing than a gambling debt. Just who is responsible for Vialoux's death . . . and why? What secrets are his family hiding? And can Marshall find the answers before his own history marks him as the prime suspect?

Genres: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

BEN SANDERS was born in 1989. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former NYPD cop, Marshall Grade, was meeting with an old colleague, Ray Vialoux, in a Brooklyn bar when trouble stuck. A shotgun blast through the window and Vialoux was dead. When Marshall rang 911, Detective Floyd Nevins turned up, in his last week before retiring. Marshall knew he’d be quicker and more efficient than the police – they had to follow procedure, he didn’t. So he set to with the investigation. Coming up against the mob, drug lords and gangsters, as well as a past that he didn’t want to repeat, Marshall gradually saw a light at the end of the tunnel. He was warned off by a top detective, as well as Nevins telling him to pull his head in – but he had no intention of doing so. But would he find who killed his friend Ray Vialoux without losing his own life?

Exit .45 is the 3rd in the Marshall Grade series by Ben Sanders and I enjoyed it very much. I have only read #1 in this series and this one is much improved on the first. Marshall Grade is easily comparable to Jack Reacher, whom I also enjoy, so I can say with confidence that Marshall is tough, determined, sometimes impulsive to his detriment – a good person to have on your side. Tense and gritty, fast paced and at times breathtaking, I have no hesitation in recommending Exit .45 to fans of the genre.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Ben Sanders book I have read but it won’t be the last, I really want to get to know Marshall Grade even better. This is a fast paced, action packed story a real page turner, set in New York Marshall does everything he can to uncover what is behind the murder of and ex-cop and friend Ray Vilaloux and stops at nothing to get his answers.

Grade Marshall is an ex NYPD undercover cop he is meticulous about how things are done everything has an order for him even doing his jigsaw puzzles, but when an old friend calls him and asks for help, he meets him at a restaurant when he is shot in front of him and Marshall sets out to find out who is behind the murder.

His investigation pulls him deeper into the underworld of the mob and drug traffickers, with more questions than answers coming up at first but Marshall never gives up and is not shy about going in feet first to get the answers he needs, he is determined and knows how to really annoy the cops when he finds the answers they don’t. Death and mayhem seem to follow Marshall but nothing deters him from getting to the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to any reader who loves some action in their stories, this is part of a series but easily read on its own but I will be wanting the read the others in the series. Marshall is a fabulous character set in his ways he goes all out, I loved my tour of New York through the subways. Ben Sanders has created a character who is easy to like he is hard and tough and someone who you would want on your side, I loved his little quirks they added to his personality. A great story.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my copy to read and review

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Exit .45 byBen Sanders is an explosive crime thriller that’s gritty and action packed with a touch of dark wit.

Meet Marshall Grade, he’s an ex NYPD undercover cop. Marshall has a methodical and quirky obsession with parameters and meticulously tending to his Jackson Pollock jigsaw. He’s smart, tough and a high risk taker and has an impulse to right wrongs.

Marshall reluctantly agrees to meet up with former college Ray Vialoux at a quiet Italian restaurant. Ray explains that he’s in deep trouble, owing a lot of money to the wrong people and needs Marshall’s help.

Suddenly gunfire is exploding through the restaurant window and Ray is shot dead right before Marshall’s eyes. Marshall needs to find answers and enters the world of drug dealers and mob players. He uncovers family secrets and finds there’s more to Ray’s murder than a gambling debt.

An entertaining and medium paced read, I really warmed to Marshall’s complex and impulsive character and recommend this to anyone who enjoys the Jack Reacher type genre.

Publication Date 05 January 2022
Publisher Allen & Unwin

I wish to kindly thank Allen & Unwin for a copy of the book to review

[Kylie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I got this book, I hadn't realised that is was number 3 in a series.
Marshall Grade is an ex NYPD cop now working as a PI/vigilante. A former colleague of his, Ray, asks to meet with Grade and wants assistance with clearing a large debt with a local mob. When Ray is shot Grade can't help himself from getting involved and trying to hunt down who killed Ray.
The book is quite violent and a lot of references are made to his former work undercover, when he infiltrated an organised crime group.
The book is a bit like the Reacher series, but Grade has some OCD tendencies that are probably better explained earlier in the series.
I'm not sure that this worked well as a standalone novel, but it was still quite a good read. Thank you Allen & Unwin for the hardcopy ARC that I won.

[John Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment while entertaining but some of the narrative is becoming a tad repetitive. Marshall Grade seems to be having an affair with every woman and this time it's with the victim's wife, his mate and former colleague years prior. Then he hooks up with another detective later.

[Alex Cantone · Rating 4 out of 5]

They sat for a minute or so, looking out of the window, cars and people going by: a scene that despite its disparate elements was pleasing to Marshall in its balanced randomness. By virtue of pure fluke, for every direction of movement there occurred a counter-movement in counter-direction.

When former NYPD detective Marshall Grade is contacted by a former colleague, Ray Vialoux, now a small-time private investigator, asking to meet at a restaurant, he is surprised by the man’s appearance: obviously drinking too much and Vialoux tells him he is deep in gambling debt to the mob, with no obvious way to pay. Before Grade can suggest anything Vialoux is gunned down through the restaurant window, leaving Grade, along with soon-to retire NYPD detective Niven to piece things together.

Vialoux had given him two things, the names of two mobsters, and that a photo of his wife and daughter had been sent to him, a malicious threat. But why would the mob kill off a man who owed them money? And the family connection is complicated by Grade once having an affair with Hannah, Vialoux’s wife, ten years earlier. The answers seemed to lie in a recent case or cases Vialoux had been working on.

Though 3rd in the Marshall Grade series, this one works as a standalone: the Grade character likes an ordered world, with possible Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, noting patterns in everything he sees, carefully sorting and folding banknotes by denomination in a billfold, a penchant for large jigsaws of Jackson Pollock paintings. (I had to get my head around “Chirality”). The violence here is carefully staged but not graphic, an aura of menace pervading, cleverly distracting me from the real villain.

This was my first book by Kiwi author Ben Sanders, which – given the depth of research into NY geography and transport systems – took me by surprise. A thinking book, and I will definitely seek out more of his works.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Private Investigator Marshall Grade, previously a NYPD undercover cop, is meeting with troubled former colleague Ray Vialoux. Over their dinner at a near-empty Brooklyn Italian restaurant Ray desperately expresses fear for his loved ones’ lives, the mob with typical lack of subtlety having called in his substantial gambling debt. Ray, about to name further names, is struck by sudden gunfire and dies at the scene. The debt now irredeemable, Grade and, quite separately, the cops need to determine which side of Ray (PI, heavy drinker, gambler, family man, good neighbour) got all the others into trouble.
Ray’s office has been torched, his elderly neighbour killed to enable her home to be used for surveillance. Of the 2 gangsters Ray identified D’Anton Lewis has heavyweight minders, a $30m Upper East Side townhouse, no recent internet mentions or presence. And a questionable link to Det Inspector Lorretta Flynn who warns Grade, and the first-responding detective Nevins, off. The other thug, Frank Cifaretti, has a bagel shop next to a dubious 24-hour florist and employs punks keen on playing Russian roulette with abductees but lacking Grade’s grasp of the analysis of bullet weight, gravity and cylinder rotation.
Marshall Grade is a rigidly particular character preferring his coffee with no frothy dairy additives, struggling with a Jackson Pollock jigsaw and described by a former supervisor as having a ‘vexatious propensity for unilateralism’. OCD tendencies aside, he has a warmth that is evident in his previous relationship with Ray’s wife and his emerging romantic interest in Ray’s former PI business partner. Not to mention Grade’s fondness for Boris the cat. A complex character that you can’t help but enjoy. Ben Sanders crime thriller is written with the pacy twists and turns, mystery and red herrings we all want, but with the added bonus of humour and unconventionality. ‘Exit .45’ is third in the Marshall Grade series, which just keeps getting better!
I had my own Marshall moment trying to figure out the title: maybe some character exits from the story were due to the cartridge size of Grade’s Colt 1911 pistol??
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for an advanced reading copy.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for my copy to review.

I was attracted to this book as one of my favourite places in the world is New York.

If you like police procedural books then this is the book for you. It does involve the mob ( I prefer cold cases) which is not really my thing but hey I still really enjoyed this book.

It is a well written book with chapters that just flowed. I found the pacing to be meduim paced, not to slow but also not too fast.

There are alot of characters in this book to keep you on your toes. I really liked the ending as it tied everything up.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

**WIN a copy at bookdout.wordpress.com. ….entries close 15th Feb 2022**

Exit .45 by Ben Sanders is a gritty crime procedural featuring former undercover police officer turned private investigator, Marshall Grade. Though it’s the third instalment in a series, following American Blood and Marshall’s Law, it reads well as a stand alone.

Marshall is sitting with a former NYPD colleague, Ray Vialoux, in a restaurant when a masked man fires a shotgun through the window, and Ray, who’d arranged the meeting to ask Marshall for help with mob gambling debts, is killed. There’s no doubt it’s a hit, but debts rarely result in murder, after all, a dead man can’t pay. Needing to understand why, Marshall ignores the warnings of the official investigating officer, Nevins, to back off, and decides to track the shooter down.

Sanders leads his protagonist into New York City’s underworld amongst mafia thugs, drug traffickers and hired killers. Marshall knows he can force answers that the police can’t and he’s not afraid of insisting, even though that means he becomes a target himself. I thought the main plot worked well as Marshall tries to figure out what Roy did to end up a target, and here’s plenty of tense action as Marshall is beaten, abducted and shot at, and gives as good as he gets.

Marshall is mostly what you expect, tough and resourceful, but he experiences PTSD from his two years undercover that manifests as compulsive behaviours. He left the NYPD under a cloud, accused of stealing a quarter of a million dollars after the shooting that ended the operation, though he denies it to anyone that asks. There’s a touch of romance for Marshall in Exit .45 with an ex-colleague of Roy’s, who joins him on his quest, and a small complication with Roy’s widow.

A well crafted crime novel that unfolds at a good pace, Exit .45 is an entertaining and absorbing read.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another review from the husband, who happily grabbed this book from my TBR

The 3rd book in the Marshall Grade series is good, fast paced reading. I had not read the previous 2 books, and as such was wary about it. But Ben Sanders writes well and I didn't need to read them to get involved in Marshall's life.

The book starts with an ex-NYPD colleague being shot in front of him and it unfolds from there. Without spoilers, there are many confusing twists and turns and some very dead ends later, the story comes to a satisfying conclusion.

I like thrillers/cops/mafia style books and this is very well written, in many ways similar to the Jack Reacher series.

Thanks to Allen and Unwin for the advanced copy of this book to read.

[Naomi (aplace_inthesun) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When disgraced ex-NYPD undercover cop Marshall Grade gets a call out of the blue from a former colleague Ray Vialoux, he knows something is up, but he doesn’t expect to be dodging bullets at the dinner table. When Vialoux is shot and Marshall is a near miss, he decides to look into Vialoux’s gambling debt and who might want Vialoux dead. The evidence leads Marshall into mob territory (literally and figuratively), with Marshall making friends and influencing people all over the place.

Exit .45 was the first of the Marshall Grade series I’ve read, and despite it being book 3 I think I got a handle on Marshall early on. He’s an unusual sort, trusts few, and is a magnet for the evil, sorrows and sadness of the world. (He’s a little like Jack Reacher but I imagine him to be older, less broody, and a bit less noticeable). He’s more of an acquired taste - a loner, an eccentric, and someone who keeps things close to his chest. Whilst this book features a potential love interest, it’s far from easy and you wonder whether in part the relationship serves a purpose in terms of the Vialoux case he’s working and whether the relationship will have staying power.

I loved the apparent mob connections, and the alternate hypothesis for Vialoux’s death. When reading crime fiction/ thrillers like this I always find myself weighing things up as I follow the character’s lead. It’s a book where if you concentrate on the subtleties of conversations you may well figure out who done it early. For me it was unexpected though I identified something in the storyline … I just didn’t go far enough to make the pieces fit.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of the book to read and review.

3.5 stars

[Marles Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gritty undercover operation for ex-NYPD officer Marshall Grade to solve: the murder of one time colleague Ray Vialoux, murdered right before his eyes.
Marshall has to contend with the ramifications of Vialoux's penchant for gambling and accumulated debts and various mob connections. All of which place Marshall at risk as he tries to work out why this has happened. Was all of this why Vialoux murdered? Between this off-the-books detective work which is definitely not appreciated by the 'real' NYPD (cue Nevins and his entourage) we see some interesting character traits emerge from Marshall that steer him towards finding out what has happened. His concentration on his Jackson Pollock jigsaw puzzle is methodical and quirky and says a lot about his policing and detective style. His old affair with Hannah Vialoux is intriguing but does it lead to answers? Do the social media neighbourhood watch know more than they should? His uncovering of mob-police relations is shocking if not astounding, and screams of a dark and sinister TV drama in the making. The darkness is extended through the grey atmosphere of some of the New York neighbourhoods, including the early morning sleuthing and the dark nights in the city that never sleeps.

This was my introduction to Marshall Grade, and will definitely enjoy the pleasure of reading about him again.

Thank you Allen & Unwin for the gifted ARC.

[Denise Ackers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read both #1 and #2 books in this series and was keen to read this one. Marshall Grade is a very interesting character with little quirks about him. He is not perfect but likes to see the right thing done. Ben Sanders writing always helps develop the picture in your mind. I like that there are sub stories to the main story.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you turn over the last page and are disappointed there is no more :(
Fabulous read. Cant wait for the next in this series.

[Nathan Falkner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun but not great

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray Vialoux is a guy in a lot of pain, his life is spiraling out of control. When he is shot in front of Grade Marshall , a cop he used to work with many years ago while asking for help, things take a turn for the worse and Ray ends up dead.
There are a lot of shady characters in this book and this is what makes it most appealing, as well as a strong plot and well drafted storyline. Mob guys, drug dealers and bent cops, I love it, just my kind of book. Ray's family are holding secrets and Marshall also has a past with them. Why was Ray shot and is there a whole lot more behind his death than meets the eye? I loved Marshall, everyone may have a past but he is really a good guy trying to ascertain what happened to his friend and make sure those responsible they are held accountable.
I have not read this author before but I read this book in an afternoon as I was hooked from the start, I will definitely be looking for more books by Ben Sanders. If you like a fast moving story that grabs you from the first page I highly recommend you pick up this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Five stars from me.

[Margaret Fullarton · Rating 5 out of 5]

and about another 20 stars. This was brilliant!

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because my son had been at school with the author and I was as impressed as my son assured me I would be! Although Ben is based in Auckland, the novel is solidly American, with only a tiny skerrick of Kiwi included. This novel appears to be part of a series, with an intrepid, 'lives life by his own moral code' Jack Reacher-ish protagonist called Marshall Grade. Like the Lee Child series, where a book is easily read as a 'stand alone' this one made sense without having met Marshall in his NYPD days. Marshall investigates the contract killing of Ray Vialoux, and runs into a raft of opposition - from drug dealers to mob men and also current NYPD people who don't want his help. It's fast-paced yet elegantly written with some occasional brief detours to build authenticity into Marshall as a character e.g his OCD behaviour with bank note arrangements. Like Reacher, who pays himself from the wallets of crims, Marshall doesn't seem to be paid for his private investigator work, but there's a nice reassurance towards the conclusion of the book, as to why he doesn't have to worry about a life of penury. I never did figure out the reference to exit 45 - is that an interstate route through New York? Or I think it could be a reference to the calibre of a bullet ... but as these possible references seem to be minor aspects of the overall story, it bothered me to have the title stressing them so much. Anyway, that aside, I enjoyed this crime/ detective novel very much.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good/very good mystery. Set in present New York City, ex-cop Marshall Grade is a witness to the brutal assassination of an old friend who had lost his career as a cop and become an alcoholic. For some reason, Grade decides to take on the mission of avenging his friend. He faces difficulties with the friend's family, the police, the Mafia, and the black Mafia.

Marshall is a quirky hero, with no visible means of support. His obsessive compulsive disorder extends to his Jasper Johns jigsaw, the use of his metro card, the way he folds money, places mugs on a counter, and so on.

The dialogue is excellent - sharp and intelligent; each character has a unique voice - this is the best part of the book. The pace of the story is swift as Grade's pursuit of his friend's killers is relentless. He is a man of calculated violence and there is a modest amount of gunfire, blood, dead bodies, broken teeth, and physical assaults.

A couple of criticisms. Grade is predisposed to pissing off dangerous and violent criminals for no appreciable reasons. The subsequent attempts on his life do not dissuade him from this unusual investigative tactic. The mystery solution was rather improbable to me.

Well worth a read.

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you buy and read books in series without even realising? Because I’m the queen of doing it!

This is book 3 in the Marshall Grade series, it can however definitely be read as a standalone.

Ray Vialoux is in trouble, and he needs Grade’s help. Grade’s not keen on meeting him but he’s known Ray and his family for years and can’t say no. Ray owns the wrong people a lot of money and he thought his former NYDP colleague could help him.

But their meeting goes wrong after gunfire erupts and Ray ends up dead. Grade begins to assist in the investigation because something doesn’t add up and once he digs deeper he uncovers there’s far more to it and he’s going to get his hands dirty and piss some people off before he can solve the case.

If you love a good cop drama with a mystery to solve this one’s for you.

[Jay Dwight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addictive read.

Ex NYPD Marshall Grade receives a call from his ex-partner Ray Vialoux. Ray is in trouble and needs help. Marshall agrees to meet, over dinner is a Brooklyn restaurant. Ray is shot and killed during that dinner. Naturally, Marshall goes on the hunt for the killer, and also the “why” Ray was targeted. This hunt is totally addictive, taking in family tragedy, bent cops, mob players. Marshall makes for an interesting character – fearless, relentless, and I found the OCD touches of his personality a touch of amusement in this serious story.

[Tony Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exit .45 is the third in his Marshall Grande series by thriller writer Ben Sanders. We head off on an explosive start as Grande meets up with a former NYPD colleague in a Brooklyn restaurant. The friend Ray Vialoux shares his story with Marshall. A story in which Ray Vialoux explains that he's in deep trouble, owing a lot of money, and to the wrong people.

Their conversation is dramatically interrupted when a burst of gunfire cuts Ray down and he lies dead on the restaurant floor. Experienced private investigator Grand is determined to track down his friend's killers and he's soon onto drug dealers, bag men, bent cops and Mob gangsters, all of whom were contacts within Ray's world. One thing becomes clear very quickly. Ray's murder is about something much more serious than a gambling debt.

Marshall Grande is a very canny investigator but he also becomes a target himself as he delves into Ray's past. Ben Sanders is a fine thriller writer, with exceptional skills in descriptive prose which brings his story to life. Definitely one to add to your To Read list. You won't be disappointed,

[Kanela Giannakakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up randomly in the library and have happily discovered a new crime writer to enjoy, although the comparisons to Jack Reacher on the cover are totally off the mark! As much as I’ve enjoyed Lee Child, Ben Sanders is a much better writer; this novel is much more in the vein of the hard boiled detective genre (although still with plenty of action), but with a bit of an original protagonist whose quirks are well written to add to the character rather than irritate the reader. Will definitely read more from this author.

[Lindsay Mouat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third Marshall Grade is another fast-paced crime thriller.

Former undercover cop Grade is back in NY when a fellow ex-NYPD colleague is shot in front of him. It has all the hallmarks of a mob killing. But why and by who? Who ordered it?

If you've enjoyed Ben Sanders writing previously, you are unlikely to be disappointed with Exit .45

You don't have to read the two earlier Marshall Grade books, but I recommend that journey. I'm as obsessive about reading series in order as Grade is with correct alignment. It's just better that way.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting, non stop action, Exit .45 will keep you reading! Private investigator Marshall Grade witnesses a murder of a colleague and now he must investigate the circumstances of the death.

There are lots of twists and turns and events that you aren’t sure that Marshall can work his way out. This is the third book in the Marshall Grade series, but is totally enjoyable as you do not need to read the earlier books.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent crime thriller, quite crime-noir but with a touch of Jack Reacher. The main character Marshall Garde is both likeable and unlikeable at the same time, with his OCD quirks. I particularly like his love of jigsaws - a man after my own heart. A lot of bad guys, and good guys, meet a sticky end, fast paced and with some excellent plot twists. I'll definitely go back and read the earlier books. With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to review.

[Caroline Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a great action packed start and a gritty PI on the case, this book gets going and doesn’t take its foot of the accelerator till the end. There’s murder, mystery, good guys and bad guys, and everything else needed to entertain a crime loving reader!

[Sean O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this thriller from Kiwi author Ben Sanders, featuring his private eye, Marshall Grade who is a very systematic guy but also kicks serious ass. I'll be looking for the two other books featuring this character.

[Ada Iaboni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although somewhat better than the other 2 of the series, I still really did not like any of the characters. But I saw there was a third, so I gave it a shot. I don't think I'll read a 4th if I see it, but this one was a little better.

[Hayden Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Enjoyed the Marshall grade series but it was just too long between books and I had completely forgotten the others, meaning this was basically just a stand alone novel. Was decent though, did the job.