Willow Rose’s Hit the Road Jack is a gripping and fast-paced thriller that expertly weaves suspense with emotional depth. The story follows the harrowing journey of a woman on the run, grappling with a dark past and the dangerous secrets that threaten her future.

Rose's writing is taut and engaging, pulling readers into a world filled with tension and intrigue. The protagonist is complex and relatable, navigating her fears and desires as she seeks to reclaim her life. The supporting characters add richness to the narrative, each bringing their own motives and challenges to the plot.

The pacing is relentless, with unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Themes of resilience, betrayal, and the quest for freedom are skillfully interwoven, making the story not only thrilling but also thought-provoking.

Overall, Hit the Road Jack is a compelling read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. It’s a gripping tale of survival and self-discovery that lingers long after the final page.

I have read other books by this author and I really enjoyed them, as I did this one as well. It moved along pretty quickly, the characters were well developed and fun to learn about. I thought the storyline was also written well. It was fun and well paced. It included a serial killer,, which is one reason I wanted to read it! I was very happy with this book. I do recommend it!

Willow Rose always leave me wanting and need more of her work and this is no different. From the characters to the plot it’s amazing

I usually enjoy Willow Rose's books and I always find them to be a very easy and quick mystery/suspenseful read. But this one was a huge miss for me. The writing could have been way better. It was extremely choppy and there were many errors. I'm not sure if the book was unedited since it was on netgalley, though it looks like reviews on Goodreads also say the same thing. This does seem to be one of her older books so maybe she didn't have an editor at the time and she's since grown (which is why her newer books have higher ratings from me) but yeah this one wasn't as good as her other work. There's a lot of name dropping with streets and cities, which anyone not from the area won't even understand. You could make up the locations and it would give me the same exact feelings as the real ones. It means nothing to me as a reader, because I'm not from the area. Also why does there always have to be characters falling in love? Why can't they just solve a murder and that's it? The ending is always obvious, even the plot twists are obvious. Also, a child holding a gun with a stupid phrase at the end, shooting his dad or whatever? Yeah it just wasn't it for me.

Finally, I've got to read this first installment of the Jack Ryder series and as expected it was a ride. It is written at a nice pace, good length of chapters, a few shocking moments, and enough twists and turns to keep me interested and going further into the story. At the beginning, it was a bit slowish to catch all the loose ends but it was nicely tied at the end and well explained. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.

In the beginning it was difficult to get into the story with all the different dates and different names/pov's. Once I was in the story I really enjoyed it. It was a quick read and I'm excited to read other books by this author!

3,5 stars

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Florida, detective, procedural, psychological-thriller, suspense, fiction, noir, serial-killer, serial-murder, first-in-series, local-law-enforcement, family-by-choice, family-drama, family-dynamics, famous-author****

Jack Ryder is a Homicide Detective and single father of rambunctious six-year-old twins and a friend's daughter. The first murder was of the mother of one of the kids in their class. But it wasn't simple, there was conflicting evidence and then there was the dismemberment and bathing in bleach. And that was just the beginning. Fascinating story!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Buoy Media via NetGalley. Thank you!
#JackRyderBk1

A new series from an author i love. This is going to be a good one. Love the character of Jack and a great storyline
Definitely recommend

I liked this book but I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't like the writing style but overall the story was good.

"Hit the road Jack" by Willow Rose is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that immediately draws readers into a chilling and suspenseful world of crime and intrigue. The story begins with a harrowing scene where young Ben, the protagonist, finds himself in a disturbing and dangerous situation while his parents are incapacitated by their own vices.

The introduction of Detective Jack Ryder adds another layer of intrigue to the narrative. Jack is a relatable character, balancing the responsibilities of parenthood with the demands of his job. His involvement in a murder investigation that disrupts his family life adds depth to his character and raises the stakes for the reader.

Willow Rose's storytelling is both atmospheric and emotionally charged, creating a sense of unease and tension that lingers throughout the novel. The plot unfolds methodically, offering readers a complex puzzle to unravel. As the story progresses, the suspense intensifies, and the identity of the killer remains shrouded in mystery.

The novel explores themes of obsession, manipulation, and the devastating consequences of one person's actions on the lives of others. It delves into the psychology of a predator and the determination of those who seek justice.

One of the strengths of Hit the road Jack is the well-developed cast of characters. Each character, whether a victim, a detective, or a suspect, is intricately woven into the narrative, making their experiences and motivations feel authentic.

The book also paints a vivid picture of the coastal town of Cocoa Beach, setting the stage for a series of chilling events that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Overall, Hit the road Jack is a gripping thriller that combines a compelling plot with well-drawn characters and a palpable sense of suspense. Willow Rose keeps readers guessing until the final, shocking revelation, making this a must-read for fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers.

I love this series - each book surprises me, and it is never easy to guess the villain. The book alternates between two different timelines, since events that occurred in the 1990's shaped what happened in 2015. Cocoa Beach (aside from the mayhem) also makes me nostalgic for our family vacations in the 1990's. We stayed in small towns much like Cocoa beach, with family owned restaurants and motels.

This is the first book that Jack Ryder appears in. He is a detective in Cocoa Beach, who is separated from his wife and is caring for their children - twins and an older adopted child. When Jack gets the call that a body has been found, he is driving the school bus.

Once again, I could not guess the villain. One thing that stands out in these books is how much events of the past have shaped the present. I highly recommend this series to lovers mystery set in small town old Florida.

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review it.

Author Willow Rose has spun a complex yarn about bitterness, betrayal and murder. This story skips around with different characters and time frames don't seem to tie together until much later in the story. It begins with a prologue of a murder in 2012 from the victim's point of view. Then the story hops to 2015 when a young boy's dog brings him his mother's finger. Detective Jack Ryder has been called to the scene where the victim lays strangled on her bed, her fingers and toes removed. and her husband asleep by her side. As Ryder investigates, more bodies start to fall. But then we are presented with a story that begins in 1984, a tale of an unfortunate young woman and a promising future stolen by circumstances. I usually dislike nonlinear stories, finding them unnecessarily confusing. But in this masterfully written story, the reader can eventually see where the subplot is headed. The way the story develops is masterfully handled. Although the reader can predict how the stories all tie together, the clues were subtle enough to keep the actual killer from being obvious. The characters are interesting and well developed. Jack’s interaction with the children all ring true. And although the parents are not as well fleshed out, they are interesting. This author was new to me, but I can certainly see why she has a reputation as a master of thriller genre.

I recommend this book to anyone who reads thrillers.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this free ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

Unfortunately I did not like this book very much. I picked it based solely on the title and cover. It just felt all over the place and then rushed at the end. It was a quick read. It is a detective book and Jack Ryder was a relatable character.

Another great read by this author. Full of suspense, thrilling twists and turns and an ending that was unpredictable.

Hit the Road Hack has a great premise. Sadly the plot drags a bit and isn’t as coherent as other books by the author. Still a decent read and I did enjoy it.

This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2/5 stars! The premise of this story read like the introduction of an episode of "Bones," which for me is a good thing. The problem is the book did not live up to its premise. It was a drag, had pacing issues, and every character seemed to make the worst, most illogical decisions at every turn. It was a struggle to get through. I've read other books by this author, so this may just be a one-off but it wasn't for me.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This book had potential. It includes chapters told from the antagonist's perspective, which is different. I also liked that the book takes place in Florida. Being a Floridian myself, I recognized the names of the towns and cities references, plus topics such as the heat. However, this book contained too much info dumping - at one point, one character uses multiple paragraphs to tell a backstory. The dialogue was also frustrating. I found it too formal and did not use enough contractions. Therefore, it didn't sound realistic. I also had issues with the main character. For someone who is supposed to be a detective investigating a murder, he doesn't introduce himself as a detective or correct people when they refer to him as "officer," which would not happen. He also spends too much time in his personal life and not at work. It seems unrealistic that if there were a brutal murder, the main detective would be out surfing instead of trying to solve the murder. Additionally, there were too many subplots in this book. I understand that the author was trying to create more interest. However, I felt that it pulled away from the main story. The romance aspect was completely unbelievable as well. Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this book.

The story "Hit the Road Jack" by Willow Rose was very surprising to me, as I had no idea that she would be able to create such a complex and unsettling world. The way the story was written was also very well thought-out. I was also surprised that the main character was able to survive the attack. Lots of heat and suspense.

I knew that Jack would be a great lead character, and the name of the series was Jack Ryder. He was a strong and handsome detective, with a great support system, and his kids are very precious. Also, I had no idea that Shannon would be such an interesting character, but I can't help but say that she is a caring person. I'm excited to read more of the Jack Ryder series.

The story is very good and mysterious, as it features a murder and the son being found in the bed next to his victim. Jack Ryder had moved to Cocoa Beach in order to get away from his job as a detective, but he is back in this type of work now. He can spend time with his family by surfing and playing with his twins. However, when he learns that there is another murder and a missing person in the community, he is not able to help but suspect that something is happening.