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A train ride through the austere beauty of Alaska’s icy wilderness becomes a harrowing fight for survival at the Gateway to the Arctic

Off the northeast coast of Russia, the captain and crew of a small crabbing vessel are brutally murdered by members of Bratva, the Russian mafia—their bodies stuffed into crab pots and thrown overboard. The killers scuttle the vessel off the coast of Alaska and slip ashore.

In Washington, DC, Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Morehouse prepares for a trip to Alaska, unaware that a killer is waiting to take his revenge—by livestreaming her death to the world.

In Anchorage, Alaska, Deputy US Marshals Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki are assigned to security detail at a judicial conference in Fairbanks. Lola is tasked with guarding Justice Townsend’s teenaged daughter while Cutter provides counter-surveillance. It’s a simple, routine assignment—until the mother and daughter decide to explore the Alaskan wilderness on the famous Glacier Discovery train. Hiding onboard are the Chechen terrorists, who launch a surprise attack. While they seize control of the engine, Cutter manages to escape with Justice Townsend by jumping off the moving train—and into the unforgiving wilderness.

With no supplies and no connection to the outside world, Cutter and the judge must cross a treacherous terrain to stay alive. Two of the terrorists are close behind. The others are on the train with the judge’s daughter—and they plan to execute her on camera. With so many lives at stake, Cutter knows there are only two options left: catch the train and kill them all . . . or all will be killed.

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 25, 2023

1833 people are currently reading
9002 people want to read

About the author

Marc Cameron

47 books2,012 followers
A native of Texas, Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron lives in Alaska with his wife and BMW motorcycle.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
Profile Image for PamG.
1,295 reviews1,032 followers
April 19, 2023
Marc Cameron has created another action-packed, suspenseful, and shocking crime thriller in Breakneck , the fifth book in the Arliss Cutter series. What could possibly connect a family going to their fish camp for the spring, a fishing vessel, and a U.S. Supreme Court Justice planning a trip to Alaska? Read this riveting novel to discover the connections.

Supervisory Deputy US Marshall Arliss Cutter and his partner Deputy Lola Teariki are often tracking fugitives, and that’s where they start in his novel. However, their next assignment will be part of the security detail at the annual Alaskan judicial conference. Lola will be guarding Justice Charlotte Morehouse’s daughter, Ramona, while Arliss provides counter-surveillance. It’s a routine assignment that goes horribly wrong when Morehouse and Ramona decide to explore the Alaskan wilderness on the Glacier Discovery train.

Arliss and Lola are very different characters. He’s experienced, a fantastic tracker, no-nonsense, and somewhat surly. She works out a lot, and wants assignments that are new and interesting. She also wants to glean all possible knowledge from Arliss. They have flaws and virtues just like everyone else. Readers get a good sense of how Arliss treats his co-workers as well as his sister-in-law and her children. He is very protective of his team and underdogs, and he doesn’t tolerate bullies, no matter who they are. This can lead to some interesting interactions, to say the least. In this novel, we get to see more character development with Lola. I also liked that readers got to see some new developments in Arliss’s and Lola’s personal lives. The antagonists’ actions and thoughts had a terrifying realism that is memorable. They were brutal and vengeful.

This story is set largely set in and around Fairbanks with some scenes in Anchorage as well as the Alaskan wilderness. The author does a great job of making the reader feel transported to early spring in Alaska. I felt as though I was living the events alongside the characters.
Cameron has a way of introducing various aspects of the story and the characters in the beginning that eventually connect. This powerful page-turner kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It has a deeply involved plot that moves at a blistering pace, and an incredible setting, as well as extraordinary and diverse characters. Just when a reader thinks the situation can’t get any worse, it does. Readers are transported into the dark and terrifying world of the victims, the criminals, and the investigators.

Overall, this tense, exciting, gripping, and high-octane book takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Arliss and Lola, as well as go back and read the first two books in this series. Readers that enjoy action crime thrillers will likely enjoy Cameron’s writing.

Kensington Books and Marc Cameron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for April 25, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.65 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
Profile Image for Jeremy Peers.
258 reviews34 followers
April 14, 2023
My favorite of the series so far! I love Marc Cameron's Jericho Quinn books but I think Arliss Cutter has moved into first. A leader in the Bratva, Russian Mafia, is hellbent on revenge for the death of his wife. Using trusted enforcers, his plan is to assassinate a Supreme Court Justice while she is attending a conference in Alaska while also livestreaming it. He also as big plans for his son, Alex. Alex is an entitled dick (think the son in John Wick) and daddy is grooming him to take his place. It's up to Arliss and his fellow marshals to thwart whatever the Russians have in store and keep the Justice safe during her visit

Breakneck is a fantastic thriller with shades of other genres mixed in. It is this shading that makes Breakneck--and the whole series-- shine. Breakneck has all the hallmarks of a great thriller: great characters, a multi-faceted plot and nonstop action highlighted by a very James Bond/Jason Bourne-esque trip on a train. All of that is well and good but what the entire series hinges on are relationships. The relationships Cutter has with his grandfather, Cutter's partner Lola, his niece and nephews, and especially his sister-in-law, Mim. The relationship with Mim would be more likely found in a Hallmark movie or romance novel (I'm guessing) but it works. The overt and hidden emotion between the two, and how they navigate their situation, is powerful, easily relatable, and precarious.

Breakneck is an intense Alaskan tour de force with tons of heart that you do not want to miss!

Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of Breakneck!
Profile Image for Matt.
4,822 reviews13.1k followers
March 25, 2023
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Marc Cameron, and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A fan of many novels Marc Cameron has penned, I was eager to get my hands on the latest in the Arliss Cutter series. Set in Alaska, the novel takes a unique approach the crime fighting and keeps the reader outside their comfort zone. With strong characters and a great backstory, Cameron provides the reader with something well worth their time. This was a wonderfully challenging piece, moving some of the story arcs along, while introducing new things to explore throughout. I’m eager to see where things are headed and can only hope they will keep progressing at a wonderful pace.

A small fishing vessel is found floating in the waters of the northern coast of Russia, with Alaska in sight. Aboard, the captain and crew have been brutally murdered with their bodies stuffed away. While there is little to indicate who might be responsible, some suspect the Bratva, Russian mob, which could only be the beginning of a much larger plot.

Across the continent in DC, Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Morehouse has been invited to attend a judicial symposium in Alaska. She’s making preparations to head there, alongside her daughter. While this will be a significant trip, it is not without its issues. First and foremost, the safety of the Justice, especially in the rural areas of America’s northernmost state.

Deputy US Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner, Lola Teariki, have long called Anchorage home and will be heading up the local contingent of the Justice’s protective detail. Cutter is ready for what is sure to be a routine assignment, but things take a significant twists when the Justice and her daughter decide to leave the beaten path and travel along the Glacier Discovery Train, taking in all the sights that postcards cannot replicate. Little does Cutter know, but the Bratva have been eyeing the Justice and find this the perfect opportunity to strike, exacting a bloody attack that will receive significant press coverage.

In the scuffle, Arliss and Justice Morehouse narrowly escape the attack, but find themselves in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, with little protection and few supplies. With the Russians scouring the area, ready to strike at a moment’s notice, Cutter will have to rely on his skills and intuitiveness to stay one step ahead of these men, with his most important protectee offering up her own ideas.

All the while, Cutter’s sister-in-law, Mim, continues her sleuthing into the death of her husband, who may not have been killed in a freak accident after all. She takes a position at a rural hospital, which only opens up old wounds and leads Mim to discover that the man she married led a different life. Will Arliss Cutter have to pull her out of her own tragic situation, while trying to stay alive? Marc Cameron pulls it all together in this explosive thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats throughout the experience.

The Alaskan wilderness is a great backdrop to any thriller, though Marc Cameron pushes things a little further by making the entire series centre around it. Rural, cold, and nothing like the streets of Florida where Arliss Cutter grew up, Anchorage has all the elements for keeping anyone on their toes. Marc Cameron uses a strong narrative to guide the reader throughout the wonderful thrills of his story, providing some great characters to offset the tense mements embedded throughout. Plot twists abound and provide unpredictable situations, allowing Arliss Cutter and those around him to discover their mettle and personal values. While there is a lot I did not know about the far north, the story works well and kept me intrigued yet again. Marc Cameron knows his stuff and keeps readers coming back for more, with crime thrillers like no other.

Kudos, Mr. Cameron, for another great piece. I cannot wait to see what’s to come!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Abibliofob.
1,586 reviews102 followers
February 17, 2023
I loved the first book in this series and found the next three a little slow but wow, this the fith was a fantastic read. Breakneck by Marc Cameron is the fith installment about Arliss Cutter US marshall. It's like the previous books all set in Alaska and I seem to have a few favorite series set in that part of the world now. Arliss Cutter and his Grumpy rules are one of my favorite characters and his partner Lola Teariki is also fantastic. This book is literally a wild ride mostly on a train. We also get to know a little more about Ethan Arliss dead brother and his widow is out and about on her own adventure. There is a lot going on in this series and that is one of the great parts. If you by some kind of mistake haven't started reading these books, get moving. They are awesome and highly recommended. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing me with this advance copy.
Profile Image for Donne.
1,545 reviews95 followers
April 20, 2023
I LOVE me some Arliss Cutter!!! Yeah, I know, I sound just like some teeny bopper, fangirl. Well, the fangirl part is right but I’m a card-carrying AARP type of fangirl😊

The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline. While the protection for the judge and her daughter from the Russian mob is the primary storyline, the actual protection detail storyline doesn’t begin until the halfway point. There are, of course, other storylines that are introduced in the first half of the story. There is the storyline regarding the mob boss, Maxim, and his impending death of pancreatic cancer, and his efforts to make sure his son, Alex, is guaranteed elevation to the mob boss after he is gone. In order to ensure this, he must keep Alex safe from this last job he is doing, in honor of his ex-wife, who he blames the judge for her death.

There is also the storyline around Mim and the continuing drama of investigating the death of her husband, Arliss’s older brother, Ethan. Mim has gone off half-cocked to some remote village to meet with someone her husband worked with for the purpose of getting info on Ethan and the company he worked for. However, she ends up finding out more about Ethan than she ever imagined (or probably wanted to know). Arliss is in love with Mim and is worried about her being on her own and putting herself in danger, which, by the way, Mim has done.

In the second half of the story, Arliss and Lola take up the protection of the judge and her daughter who drag the whole security team on a scenic train ride through Alaska. From this point, this particular storyline takes off like a rocket (or a speeding train) that had me blasting through the pages of the story, careening through one death defying scene after another, gasping “OMG” at the desperate and daring actions of the characters. While the conclusion of the storyline around Mim’s trip to find out more about Ethan’s death was a little underwhelming (sort of), there was a lead-in to the next installment that inferred there was a whole other line of investigation that they needed to consider.

I read this installment in three sittings (one a very late night) because I had such a hard time putting it down. Fortunately, I work remotely and don’t have to make that long early morning LA commute to get to work anymore and I have the luxury of occasionally sleeping in a little longer if need be😊 If I could, I would give this installment 4.5star rating, but I'm feeling compelled to round up.

I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

@NetGalley @ KensingtonBooks @Breakneck
Profile Image for Bam cooks the books.
2,303 reviews322 followers
April 20, 2023
*4.5 stars rounded up. 'Breakneck' is the perfect title for this Alaskan adventure thriller featuring Deputy US Marshall Arliss Cutter and his partner, Lola Teariki. This time around they are assigned to a protection detail when a group of US justices convene in Fairbanks. Meanwhile a Russian mob boss is seeking revenge for the death of his ex-wife while in prison and the judge who sentenced her will be at the meeting. Who will make the best moves in this game and win out in the end?

I would recommend reading this series in order since the personal relationships progress with each story. I am liking the direction this is going. These are such interesting characters in a wild Alaskan adventure. Pure escapism!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Daniel Ray.
571 reviews14 followers
November 24, 2024
Thrilling story. So believable. So well written I can picture it as unfolds. Two basic groups. The Federal Marshall’s office protecting a woman Supreme Court justice and her daughter in Alaska from a murderous group of mafia Russians bent on killing her. The story is presented from both prospectives. Arliss Cutter is a great character and this might be the best book in the series. The river scene is memorable.
Profile Image for Louise.
1,106 reviews258 followers
July 2, 2023
Breakneck is the fifth book in the Arliss Cutter series but only the second one I’ve read at this point. They are terrific thrillers, with interesting, flawed characters and they will give you a wonderful sense of the Alaskan landscape and its people.

This one involves a group of Russian thugs, a Supreme Court justice visiting Alaska, and a couple of other events that wind up being interrelated. In addition to Arliss Cutter, the main character and a US Marshall, his partner Lola Teariki is a strong, smart female deputy. They are both well-rounded characters and not cookie-cutter stereotypes at all. In addition to the mystery/action of each book, there’s an continuing story arc involving what happened to Arliss’s brother Ethan, who was working on the North Slope when he died. Arliss has a close relationship with his sister-in-law Mim, who he has loved “forever” and it seems that in each book, they get another clue or two in Ethan’s death.

Cameron’s writing is strong and vivid. There’s an amazing sequence of events on a train traveling through the Alaskan wilderness that will have you feeling like you are there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was rather late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, David Chandler, did a great job with the various voices and accents, including some hard-to-pronounce Alaska place names. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Pop.
441 reviews16 followers
March 8, 2024
Wow, can’t say enough good stuff about this one. Keck of a great book. The last few chapters will keep you firmly on the edge of your seat.
Profile Image for Stanley McShane.
Author 10 books59 followers
January 8, 2023
Read his full review at Rosepoint Publishing.

Alex, a spoiled son of the Russian mob decides to ambush Sam Benjamin on the lonely Alaskan highway and is cruelly killed, the vehicle hidden to slow down the search for the missing trooper.

The entire Alaska State Troopers cadre discovers the body and clues left that clearly identify the Russian mob and sets out to avenge their fallen comrade. Both the hunted and the hunters are bent on capturing or eliminating the other!

There is an annual convention being held in Juneau for the Chief Justices of the American Court System and Alex hears that the AST will be providing security for the event. He plans to kill a U.S. Supreme Court justice as well as the majority of the AST.

The criminal minds are ruthless and dedicated to killing their enemies which includes anyone in law enforcement or the judicial system. Arliss Cutter and Chief Justice Morehouse are excellent candidates for the rampage.

We’ve read and reviewed other entries to this series and always find them action-packed and fast-paced as well as intelligent and atmospheric. It’s fascinating to read of Alaska—our northern mysterious giant frontier. This read is engaging and entertaining and can be read as a standalone. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
665 reviews10 followers
August 25, 2023
An enormous State, a wide variety of inhabitants and nationalities, danger around every corner, outdoorsmen and women, a little Peyton Place..............This is Alaska, a state over 3000 miles north to south. It is the location of Marc Cameron's fascinating Arliss Cutter novels.
Arliss Cutter, a deputy US Marshall lives and works in Alaska, where he lives with his dead brother's wife and her children. He is Uncle Arliss to them.
Like the 4 earlier Cutter novels, Marc Cameron (himself a former US Marshall) creates novels of present-day Alaska and how he and his fellow lawmen deal with the wide variety of situations that occur in this massive state from attacks by wild animals, to ice storms, drunkeness, and bad characters of a variety of nationalities.
BREAKNECK has many stories in its 353 pages, the last of which deals with an Alaskan visit by a female US Supreme Court Justice and her daughter who come to Alaska for a vacation. A group of Russian gangsters plan to use this vacation as the time to kill the Justice, in retaliation for the Court having sentenced a member of their group some time before.
Normally, a story like this, involving many sub-plots, turn me off! But Marc Cameron does a masterful job of placing his readers into the action taking place in this enormous state. The reader cannot help but appreciate the many challenges the Alaskan residents ( of so many backgrounds) face daily. Cameron's five Arliss Cutter novels dwell on Arliss' tight-knit family and their handling of the many challenges they face. The family patriarch, Grumpy, plays a part in each of these novels. No longer alive, through his many useful (almost old-fashioned) sayings guide Cutter and his clan through their lives...a moving testament to his influence,
89 reviews1 follower
April 22, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Kensington for providing me this ARC for my honest review.

This is the first novel I have read by Marc Cameron. After reading this book, I have to say I am now a fan of this series. For a reader that mostly reads fantasy and science fiction, I cannot believe I am saying this but this is one of my favorite reads of the year so far. The author does a masterful job of creating an action-packed novel set in a local that few of us have or ever will visit, Alaska.

Arliss Cutter is a US Marshall located in Alaska. While his life is not always idyllic in this icy wilderness, which goes with the territory as US Marshall, it soon is going to get much more violent.

The Russians are coming, and with the Russians, come an increasing body count of civilians and law enforcement to this remote part of the United States. Maxim Volkov, a high-member of Bratva of the Russian mafia, is coming to Alaska to reunite with Alex his blood-thirsty son, the heir to his criminal empire. Volkov is not coming to enjoy a wilderness vacation with his son, like going fishing or checking out a polar bear or moose, he is here for revenge, Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Moorhouse.

Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Moorhouse with her daughter is looking forward to her trip to Alaska, which includes a scenic train trip on the Glacier Discovery train. For Volkov, his son and a group of Russian cohorts, this is the perfect opportunity. Deputy US Marshalls Arliss Cutter, his partner Lola Teariki, and others are ready to make sure this doesn’t happen, even if it is on a high-speed locomotive through the wilderness.

Through out the scenes of action and violence- some quite ghastly and gory- there is some character development that helps elevates this book above many action-adventure books. With Volkov, while you may not agree with his actions, you are able to understand his motivations and his undying love for his son. With Arliss, while he is like other action-heroes, he isn’t just a one note killing machine. There is a budding-relationship with Mims, his brother’s ex-wife, and her children that brings a lot of humanity to the main character (I love the recipes that were included at the end of the book.)

There are multiple action sequences with an Alaskan flair through the book that were quite enjoyable to read. I will not go into details as this what made this book so enjoyable. Though, as with many action books especially when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, sometimes the action sequences because of the unfamiliar settings are a little difficult to follow. This does not take away from the enjoyment, but it caused re-reading of certain scenes to get a better understanding what was happening during the tense moments of our narrative.

Overall, you cannot go wrong with this book, especially if you like wilderness action-adventures with likable heroes to cheer for and despicable villains that you are excited to root against. I am now a fan of Arliss Cutter and will try to wait patiently for his next adventure.
Profile Image for Brandon.
21 reviews
May 26, 2023
I won a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.

I have not read an Arliss Cutter novel before, but I really enjoyed this novel. Even though it is 5th in the series, I didn't feel like I was missing out on so much information that I needed to stop and read the first 4 before I picked up this. It's great to be able to jump into a series and not feel like you're the odd man out. I had a real fun time reading this and you have won over a new fan of your series. I will be keeping my eye out for the next Cutter adventure. Great job to Marc Cameron, and thank you to Kensington for hosting your giveaway.
Profile Image for M.
1,551 reviews8 followers
December 6, 2024
Russian mob-father and cohorts plus the son, Alex, Cutter and Lola-US Marshals and very tough, Alaska-unforgiving territory with the Glacier Ride, Supreme Court Justice and daughter, murder-scuttled boat and more…A true page turner. Enjoy
Profile Image for SteVen Hendricks.
691 reviews32 followers
May 24, 2023
Book Review – Breakneck – Marc Cameron
Author Marc Cameron’s fifth installment of the Arliss Cutter series – “Breakneck” – is thrilling, chilling, captivating and suspenseful, all with a ‘tad-bit’ of Hallmark Cards-like moments thrown in for sentimental value. This book is literally a wild and intense train ride on the Alaska Discovery Train through the vivid Alaskan wilderness. As usual for this series, Cameron uses the picturesque Alaskan wilderness as the backdrop for telling this story. Main character Deputy US Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner Deputy Marshal Lola Teariki are assigned to security detail for a Supreme Court Justice and her daughter at a judicial conference in Fairbanks, Alaska. Teariki is tasked with guarding the justice’s teenaged daughter while Cutter manages the entire protective services assignment. It’s a simple and routine assignment until the mother and daughter decide to explore the Alaskan wilderness on the famous Glacier Discovery train—which is key to the storyline. No one is aware of the danger lurking around until a group of Russian mafia terrorists – hiding onboard – launch a surprise attack on the Justice and her daughter. The Russian Mafia leader bears a deep seeded grudge against the Justice and is hellbent on revenging the death of his late wife by assassinating the Justice while she’s attending the judicial conference in Alaska. When the action starts, Cutter manages to escape the moving train with the Justice by jumping off into the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. Cameron then guides the reader through this adventurous narrative with plenty of daring thrills, unexpected scares, courageous feats, intense action, and sentimental moments offset with some very real and well-developed characters – both good and bad. The plot twists-and-turns provided unpredictable situations that kept me turning pages with high anticipation and curious wonderment. There is a lot going on in this story – with additional subplots – but Cameron pulls it all together in this action-laden crime thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout its entirety. Marc Cameron knows his stuff – a retired US marshal himself, specializing in dignitary protection – which is why this series is so appealing, and so authentic. Breakneck is a thrilling and intense Alaskan ‘train’ ride with tons of action, plenty of intrigue and lots of vivid imagery that engages the reader like no other crime thriller. Probably my favorite in the five-book series now. Awesome read which I absolutely enjoyed! Thank you NetGalley, Marc Cameron, and Kensington Publishing for the digital eBook Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Carole Barker.
759 reviews30 followers
February 19, 2023
The Alaskan wilderness is both beautiful and dangerous…..and a vicious criminal has chosen it as a setting for revenge.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter was raised in rural Florida by his lawman grandfather. He learned a great deal from his Grumpy, including how to be a fantastic tracker. Military service overseas was followed by different posts while with the Marshal Service, leading him to his current job in Alaska. In Breakneck, the fifth outing in this series by Marc Cameron, Cutter and his partner Lola Teariki have just been assigned to a security detail for a judicial gathering in Fairbanks. The most celebrated attendee is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Morehouse, who has brought along her teenage daughter to experience some of the breathtaking Alaskan sites. Justice Morehouse is known to be a bit controversial…her positions on rulings have at different times angered people on both ends of the political spectrum. What neither she nor her protective detail know, however, is that she has been targeted for death by a high level leader in the Russian Bratva. He blames Justice Morehouse for the death of a former lover, and has determined that this is the time and place to make her pay. He has assembled a crew of cold-blooded killers to penetrate the shield of protection around her. A train ride through remote and rugged terrain will lead Cutter and his agents into a deadly trap, and it will take all of Cutter’s skills to keep the judge, and her daughter, alive.

The author uses his extensive knowledge of the Marshal Service and the state of Alaska where he now lives to great effect in the Cutter novels, At the heart of each is a well-plotted page-turner, but the reader is also gifted with glimpses into different aspects of Alaskan life, including that of the Native inhabitants. It is a wonderful introduction to much of what is Alaskan life (although i have to admit that I might be a better candidate for this sort of armchair traveling than I would be to travel to a town where you need to check whether or not the polar bears are feeding at a particular end of town). The characters are nuanced, and the story grips you quickly and doesn’t let go. Fans of this and Marc Cameron’s other series featuring Jericho Quinn as well as the Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan novels he has authored for the Tom Clancy estate will certainly enjoy Breakneck. Readers of Lee Child and Nevada Barr may also find this series appealing. It also brought to mind the 1990 movie Narrow Margin (with Gene Hackman and Anne Archer), given the train setting. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader’s copy.
Profile Image for Todd.
2,224 reviews8 followers
May 22, 2023
These Cutter books just keep getting better!
Cutter and Lola are added to a protection detail for a Supreme Court justice and her teenage daughter.
The series revolves around Cutter and his partner, Lola. The other characters are very good but pretty much in a supporting role. The author is an authority on Alaska and it shows in this series.
Profile Image for Wendi Flint Rank (WendiReviews).
452 reviews77 followers
April 9, 2023
What a treat to have another installment in the high crimes and international intrigue
featuring the US Marshal’s service and their adventures that take place in some of the most interesting scenery in the great State of Alaska. In addition to the history,
the venues come to life in full colors making the stories like mini-vacations. There
is a component that takes place in Russia, without much about the locales, but the
story really comes to life in Alaska. This assumes you aren’t one of the unlucky
Russians who are up to no good, and come up against US Marshall Arliss Cutter
and his Partner, Lola Teariki. These two are a force to be reckoned with and between
the two of them, no one will escape unscathed. Rather than sharing the entire story,
I recommend this series to everyone who enjoys a good mystery thriller where the good guys will probably come out on top, but they will have to work for it - and the partnership between Cutler and Lola is ever evolving. I look forward to the next
adventure involving the Marshal’s in Alaska and the problems handed them by their
counterparts in the Nations Capitol- the folks who think the service isn’t busy enough and manage to throw shade on the Alaska Protectors.
There is a great fun surprise at the end of this book! I recommend this book to all
who enjoy well written, super interesting geographical settings and outstanding
narration. I do suggest going back and catching up with the rest of the series, although this book is good as a stand-alone. The thing is the book is deep and whatever you would recall from the most recent book will make things even more
interesting. I am involved in the relationships more because I have been cheering on
a “hopeful” in the couple department.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for providing me with
this advance copy in exchange for this voluntary review.
Profile Image for John.
492 reviews18 followers
June 10, 2023
Bravo Mr Cameron, Bravo ⭐️

Lead character, US Marshal Arliss Cutter has become, now through book five, one of my top book series protagonist. This story in the series finds Arliss on a protective detail with his ever present partner Marshal Lola Teariki. They are tasked with protecting a Supreme Court Justice and her daughter on a trip to Alaska and a ride on the Alaskan Railroad. Unknown to all the Justice is being hunted by Bratva, the Russian Mob. She’s blamed by the leader for the death of his sister in prison, when the judge served on a lower court before her appointment to the Supreme Court. In this story, we still find Arliss and Mimm his dead brothers wife, dancing around their as yet, Un-acted upon intense feelings for each other. These are just awesome stories to get drawn into and have some fun with. And, THEY ARE MOST ENJOYABLE & ENTERTAINING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Marshal Cutter in my mind most closely resembles author Lee Child’s protagonist Jack Reacher. Both characters are deeply honorable men. Who do the right thing no matter the cost to themselves. Both are quiet unassuming men, who as the saying goes “Walk Softly and Carry a Very Large Stick”.so if you like Reacher you will ENJOY the Arliss Cutter series.
911 reviews2 followers
February 5, 2025
One of the best parts of reading the Arliss Cutter series by Marc Cameron is that he always tosses us right into the action from the first sentence. This action isn't always connected to the rest of the book; however, it prepares the reader to become reacquainted with Arliss, his partner Lola Teariki and their "get down to business" style of marshalling.

In BREAKNECK, Arliss and Lola recovered from their last assignment (Cutter winds up in the hospital with multiple injuries and Lola has rib injuries that make movement difficult) and are called in to protect a U.S. Supreme Court Justice - Charlotte Morehouse and her daughter. Justice Morehouse has a lot of ideas of how she wants to spend time in Alaska after the work portion of the trip is complete. What she doesn't count on is that a Russian Mafia chief is out to get her because of how she sentenced his wife. Not good.

While this is shaping up on both sides of the issue, Lola will suffer a loss she never really saw coming. She must decide how to manage this tragedy professionally but not lose sight of what she lost.

And meanwhile, Mim (Cutter's brother Ethan's wife) is taking a rotation at a hospital in the location where Ethan was killed/murdered. She's savvy, but still naïve and is barely prepared for what she finds as she does her rotation and investigates what happened to her husband.

Another wild ride - and I mean a WILD ride on four-wheelers and a speeding train. Buckle up! Cameron has done it again.
Profile Image for HornFan2 .
764 reviews46 followers
May 7, 2023
Thanks to netgalley.com, Marc Cameron and Kensington Publishing for the advance ARC copy for my honest review and I also purchased it on amazon.com. Something I like to do, to support one of my favorite authors.

Nothing better than a modern day Western, with US Deputy Marshal's set in the Alaskan wilderness, "the Last Frontier" and even with the author giving it James Patterson syndrome.

This is something that I read repeatedly in Patterson's Alex Cross series, gave it that name and I'll explain it using Arliss Cutter. Much like the beloved Alex Cross character, Arliss's made to be larger than life, tough yet flawed and yet the author dummies him down. For example, he's smart enough to put together the crime spree trail left by the Russian mob, but gets caught with Judge by the Russians and yet he's smart enough not to do something like that.

Yet here's the author flirting with killing him or getting him fatally hurt, only for him to miraculously he survives and ends up one of the hero's in the end.

Then you have Lola walking on top of the train, then fighting for her life against Alex, just makes it be a implausible Tom Cruise Mission Impossible scenario, just not believable or plausible to happen even in print and with the weather also.

Don't get me wrong, I like the author Marc Cameron's writing, kept me reading, it's great escapism and just think building off of Winnie's disappearance would have been a better storyline to read. Since he never really explained why Lamar Wayne Jacobi booby trapped the area around his camp or why he had two member retraction team sent into pick him up.

Seems like it would have been a better story too have Arliss and Lola stumble on a sex trafficking ring that leads them to illegal entering Russia, too rescue other women and girls snatched by the Russian mob. Make people realize we need to be worried about the border between Alaska and Russia also.

Which the author kind of does with them protecting the Supreme Court Judge. For me you've got too many unbelievable or plausible scenarios, surrounding her and just seemed that the Russian Mob could do what ever they wanted. Without the US Marshals see them, even in fiction land. It's a better story for them to discover them, then Arliss and Lola take them out one at a time.

I guess with every author, at some point your going to end up with a least favorite release and I guess 'Breakneck' mine with his Arliss Cutter series.
Profile Image for Darlene.
845 reviews6 followers
July 4, 2023
Another fast paced adventure for Deputy US Marshall’s Arliss Cutter and his partner Lola Teariki in the Alaska wilderness. A prominent Supreme Court Justice, Charlotte Moorehouse, is in Fairbanks Alaska for a judicial conference. She brings her daughter, Ramona, along to see the beautiful state. When a Supreme Court justice travels they are under the protection of the US Marshal Service. Justice Moorehouse is under the direct protection of Arliss and daughter Ramona is under the direct protection of Lola.
Moorehouse decides to take a train trip up the mountains, so the train is filled with US Marshall’s. Unbeknownst to all is that a high ranking member of Bratva, the Russian Mafia is hell bent on killing Justice Moorehouse. He brings his ruthless group of killers on board the train, to kill all the Marshals and kill Moorehouse and her daughter. Wow, Arliss and the other Marshall’s definitely have their work cut out for them. The train ride turns out to be one thrilling, deadly ride up the mountain and back down.
Profile Image for Tabby Shiflett.
1,058 reviews16 followers
April 25, 2023
A fast-paced adrenaline-filled thriller set in remote Alaska, this novel is well-written and action-packed. Although part of a series, I read this work as a stand-alone and the story was easy to follow. In any good series, each book will stand on its own with solid characters, intriguing plots, and incorporate enough background from previous installments to keep the reader informed, but teasing enough to want to go back and finish the entire series, and this book pulls it off easily. Loved the MC and all of the supporting characters. The setting is a character as well. The action scenes flowed well too. I look forward to adding this author and this series to my must-read list.

Publisher Provided Review Copy
Profile Image for Becky.
376 reviews12 followers
May 4, 2023
Lila and I couldn't wait to dig into this #ArlissCutterThriller that we received from #BetweenTheChapters! It was an adventure-filled tale of the Russian Mafia who were on a mission to assassinate a Supreme Court Justice. But her bodyguards are not to be trifled with and US Marshal Arliss Cutter is right by Justice Morehouse's side and he is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Lila fell asleep on the first page but I was on the edge of my seat (figuratively speaking) right til the end.
Profile Image for Brandy.
1,150 reviews26 followers
October 1, 2023
Thrilling from the first page to the last!
Profile Image for Judy Churchill.
2,567 reviews31 followers
July 4, 2024
Talk about murder and mayhem! This book has it all. Fast paced.
Profile Image for Dan Banana.
463 reviews8 followers
April 2, 2024
As good as the others in the series, action, gunplay, knives out, sneaky shit, some hugs and evil being sought after with a vengeance. Good times had by some.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
286 reviews23 followers
July 28, 2023
Wow, what a suspenseful book! I have not read any of the earlier books in this series, but I will go back and read them now. However, this novel works just fine as a stand-alone story, with plenty of background which actually may be repetitious to anyone who has read the earlier books. The story gets off to a bit of a slow start, with a missing child presumed dead. Arliss Cutter and Lola Tearikis, Federal Marshalls assigned to track a fugitive in Alaska, are introduced as they head into the bush in search of their man. Early on, we see that when confronted with unexpected situations, they are smart and fearless, character traits exhibited again and again as the story progresses. A second assignment is to join the protection detail for a Supreme Court judge as she and her daughter visit Alaska for a conference and some personal sight-seeing. The plot thickens from there. The narrator discloses early on who the perpetrators are, the protection detail has to find out the hard way. There is plenty of action, unexpected plot twists, and beautiful descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness to enjoy along the way. I could hardly put this book down, so curious to see what would happen next and how it would all play out. I recommend this novel, written by a retired US Marshall, thus authentic in the law enforcement details.
7 reviews
February 7, 2024
If you like suspense and Alaska as a background you can’t go wrong
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