The Highest Stakes

Rick Reed

Oct 2016 · A Jack Murphy Thriller Book 4 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

An Indiana detective is out to stop a killer for hire who tortures for pleasure in this crime thriller from an author who “writes as only a cop can” (Nelson DeMille).

In Detective Jack Murphy’s experience, the killers who blend in are the hardest to catch. But none are as elusive—or efficient—as Mr. Smith. A man of average height, weight and build, Mr. Smith is as ordinary as his name. Which makes it easy for him to get close to his targets. And that’s when he reveals how uniquely twisted he truly is.

Mr. Smith kills without conscience—and with apparent pleasure. Using every weapon at his disposal, he’s raising the stakes in a global game of terror and death. Mr. Smith is no ordinary killer. But Jack Murphy is no ordinary cop . . .

Ratings and reviews

Detective Jack Murphy is back with a vengeance! He's on the trail of a criminal mastermind. This killer is good ...very good. He has no conscience, no feelings of remorse, and he will kill indiscriminately .. as long as there is a payday in it for him. Jack's friend, ATF Killian George, gets some confidential information that may tie into Jack's case. Unbeknown to anyone, George is watching a warehouse. What he sees are two cops in uniform hauling boxes of explosives. So intent on watching through binoculars, a man identified only as Mr. Smith, walks up and shoots him in the face. Needless to say, no one is going to shoot his friend and walk away scot free. From there there are all sorts of activities going on. There are crooked cops, FBI Agents who aren't, a supervisor who swears that he's going to find a way to fire Jack. An old girlfriend appears just as he's thinking about getting his ex-wife back. Everything comes to a boil when explosives are planted on a Casino Boat and Jack and his team must find the killer, find the explosives and save hundreds of lives.... and make it out alive. This is an exciting addition to an already exhilarating action-packed series. There is non-stop action and an explosive ending. I love the character of Jack Murphy ... he's got a smart mouth but he's also a smart cop. The relationship with his partner is priceless. From their banter, you know they love each other like brothers and will always have each others backs. It's not necessary to read these books in order, although I always recommend it. 5 stars for the book, 5 stars for the series. I would like to thank the author, Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of The Highest Stakes.

About the author

Sergeant Rick Reed (Ret.), author of the Jack Murphy thriller series, is a twenty-plus-year veteran police detective. During his career he successfully investigated numerous high-profile criminal cases, including a serial killer who claimed thirteen lives before strangling and dismembering his fourteenth and last victim. He recounted that story in his acclaimed true-crime book, Blood Trail. Rick spent his last three years on the force as the Commander of the police department’s Internal Affairs Section. He has two masters degrees and upon retiring from the police force, took a fulltime teaching position with a community college. He currently teaches criminal justice at Volunteer State Community College in Tennessee and writes thrillers. He lives near Nashville with his wife and two furry friends, Lexie and Luther. Please visit him on Facebook, Goodreads, or at his website, www.rickreedbooks.com.