Ruthless Cross: Romance and danger collide in this thrilling suspense!

Barbara Freethy

Nov 2019 · Off The Grid: FBI Series Book 6 · Fog City Publishing, LLC

About this ebook

"Count on Freethy to thrill your socks off, while running away with your heart. RUTHLESS CROSS had me holding my breath and biting my nails as I sat on the edge of my seat." Isha - Bookbub

Everyone has a secret. Some are worth killing for…some are worth dying for…

The son of an art thief, FBI agent Flynn MacKenzie is no stranger to deception, but when the brutal murder of a federal judge unravels an intricate and shocking web of lies, he finds himself tangled up in personal life-changing secrets and in the arms of a woman he isn't sure he can trust.

Callie Harper not only wants justice for her stepfather, she also wants to protect her family. Staying close to Flynn seems like the smart option, until she starts to fall for the man who could hurt everyone she loves. 

The lines between good and bad, guilty and innocent, are blurred. Callie and Flynn quickly realize their search for the truth could take them somewhere they don't want to go...if they can stay alive long enough to get there.

Family secrets, stolen art, and murder abound in this romantic, action-packed thriller from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy! For fans of Catherine Coulter, Jayne Ann Krentz, J.T. Ellison, and Karin Slaughter.

Note: THE FBI SERIES takes readers on thrilling, romantic, and suspenseful adventures! Every story stands completely on its own and there are no cliffhangers! The books feature complex and exciting storylines ranging from kidnapping to organized crime, terrorism, and espionage. Personal stories often play out against a bigger, broader storyline, and surprising twists will keep you up all night. Start reading today!

Also Available in the FBI Series:

Perilous Trust #1

Reckless Whisper #2

Desperate Play #3

Elusive Promise #4

Dangerous Choice #5

Ruthless Cross #6

Critical Doubt #7

Fearless Pursuit #8

Daring Deception #9

Risky Bargain #10

Perfect Target #11 

Fatal Betrayal #12

What the readers are saying about RUTHLESS CROSS ...

"RUTHLESS CROSS is another adrenaline-filled story, with well written and developed characters, Barbara Freethy is a master of her craft!" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Booklovers Anonymous

"RUTHLESS CROSS is yet another romantic suspense from Barbara Freethy that I had to read cover to cover in one sitting! From the first line, Ms. Freethy takes readers on a fast-paced tale of murder, old secrets and priceless art.I can’t wait for Savannah’s story!" Pam

"Barbara Freethy writes a beautiful, edge of the seat story, full of intrigue, mystery and romance. This is my favorite FBI series! Can’t wait to read the next book!" Christine 

"Another wonderful addition to Barbara Freethy’s FBI series. I loved RUTHLESS CROSS! Intrigue, suspense, action romance….it was GREAT!" Leslie

Ratings and reviews

Wow! Barbara Freethy has once again delivered an incredible romantic thriller with Ruthless Cross. Each book in Barbara Freethy's Off the Grid: FBI series gets better and better. I absolutely loved Ruthless Cross, the sixth book in her Off the Grid: FBI series. Ruthless Cross had me guessing throughout the story as to who was behind the murder of Arthur Corbyn and the other thrilling events. I could not put it down. I loved every page. I really enjoy how the book is told from the perspective of the main characters. I love getting the insight and feelings from the different characters. Barbara Freethy has once again proven that she is a master storyteller. Ruthless Cross is the story of Flynn MacKenzie, an undercover FBI agent and Callie Harper, a chef and step-daughter of Judge Arthur Corbyn. Flynn and Callie meet at an art exhibition at an art museum. Arthur invited Flynn to the exhibition, because he needs his help. Arthur has been a father figure to Flynn, since the death of Arthur’s daughter, Olivia, who was Flynn’s girlfriend. As the exhibition begins, Arthur’s body falls from an upper floor. Flynn decides to get to the bottom of Arthur’s murder and the reason why Arthur wanted him to attend the exhibition. Callie wants to help Flynn with his investigation, especially since her mother Julliette, is Flynn’s prime suspect. Flynn cannot interview Juliette, because Callie had her admitted on a seventy-two-hour psych hold. After multiple attempts on their lives, the relationship between Flynn and Callie changes. Neither is sure if their relationship is just fueled by the adrenaline from the chase. I loved the relationship between Flynn and Callie. Flynn reaches out to his team for help. Eventually all clues lead them to Arthur’s secret life and the reason behind his murder. I really enjoy the poignant and bittersweet moments, the plot twists and the surprises that I have come to love and expect in Barbara Freethy's books and Ruthless Cross did not disappoint. One of my favorite parts of the story are the poignant moments that Callie has during conversations with her Mom. I loved all the secrets that Flynn and Callie shared with one another. I love that all the characters from the previous books were included in Ruthless Cross. It felt like a family reunion and I loved catching up with the other characters from the series. I love how she resolved the Arthur’s murder; I did not see that happening. I love how all Barbara Freethy's epilogues, wrap up the ending of the story and are always my favorite part of her books. I love how all the loose ends got tied up. I love all the characters and the way Barbara describes the locations in and around Los Angeles. It was really an incredible story and I loved every page.

This is one of my top favorite series of Barbara’s and this book lives up to that. As always, I was instantly pulled into the book and didn’t want to put it down. (I may have gone to work sleep deprived for a couple of days 😊 ) It has the perfect mix of mystery, suspense and romance. Flynn and Callie may come together at first due to a horrible tragedy, but they have such a connection that jumps off the pages. I loved getting to catch up with the rest of the gang in the series. I’m looking forward to more books to come from this series. If you haven’t started the series yet, definitely get it today. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

ARC for honest review with no compensation Ruthless Cross is book 6 in the Off the Grid: FBI series by Barbara Freethy an a great addition to this series! We have read about Flynn MacKenzie, another FBI agent in the prior books in this series and now it’s time for his story... When Flynn is contacted by his friend Arthur who is also a federal judge that he needs help but before they can talk the judge is murdered with one possible suspect being his wife. Callie Harper wants justice for her stepfather, the judge and to protect her mother who is a suspect in his death. Flynn and Callie need to work together to solve the murder but Can Flynn trust Callie? Deception, murder, lies and secrets keep you on the edge of your seat and when you think you have it all figured out...something else happens...

About the author

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 84 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Over 14 million copies of her books have been sold and thirty-three of her self-published titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists.