Laugh-out-loud humor meets bone-crushing action in this electrifying debut novel from author Gregg Podolski.
Rick Carter doesn’t have your typical 9-5 job. No, Carter, who reads like a throwback to 90s action flicks (think Steven Seagal, but without the bad hairpiece), is a criminal recruiter. When a bad guy needs a freelance contract killer, hacker, gun runner, weapons expert, or even a master thief, they go to Carter—who then supplies the right criminal for the right job, no questions asked.
It’s not a relaxing career choice, given the constant contact with unsavory types, but Carter is the best at what he does. However, in order to sleep at night and keep his conscience as clean as it can be when your job involves running criminals, Carter lives by a certain moral code, meaning he only takes jobs and supplies recruits for operations that target people who themselves are no saints. People that, for the most part, deserve what’s coming to them. That ability to turn down any job offers that don’t jive with his take on things preserves his moral compass until he suddenly finds himself without a say in the matter—placing his family, who he abandoned years back, in grave danger.
In order to undo and clean up the mess he’s created, not to mention keep his loved ones (who he previously deserted and severed ties with so that his career wouldn’t bring danger to their lives) safe, Carter must find a way to finally become the hero, rather than just recruiting someone else to fix his problems. Ultimately, that means locking horns with two of the best assassins in the game, where one wrong move will lead to certain death.
Get ready to explore the European criminal underworld like never before. Much like how the John Wick movies feature a criminal underworld to help top assassins operate and maneuver from one job to another, Podolski does an excellent job painting his own unique and vivid crime network, adding a mysterious and intriguing element to the story that’s both fun and terrifying. The real strength of The Recruiter lies not only in its breakneck pace and adrenaline-pumping action sequences but also in its complex characters and their morally ambiguous motivations. Rick Carter is a compelling anti-hero whose internal conflicts drive the narrative forward, and his journey adds surprising depth to the overall story. Podolski’s prose is lean and efficient, and his ability to add genuine humor to the page is a standout trait and perhaps his greatest strength, reminiscent of a younger Nelson DeMille.
With its intricate plot, dynamic protagonist, and relentless action, The Recruiter firmly establishes Gregg Podolski as a talent to watch in the thriller genre and is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting his next offering.
Book Details
Author: Gregg Podolski
Series: Rick Carter #1
Pages: 350 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 979-8212026406
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: July 23, 2024
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