I highly recommend Nick Petrie books! I really love this series and look forward to each book. Peter Ash is one of the best action heroes around!

Nick Petrie and Peter Ash are good. Many have compared Ash to Jack Reacher and it is a good comparison, but it feels that Ash is more real. He has flaws and while being formidable is still vulnerable.
Book 3, Light It Up, did not disappoint. Petrie just keeps up the high standard that has made this series a must read. In Light It Up, Peter is helping a friend and his daughter out by being a guard for the money and product that is now a staple of the Colorado economy. Marijuana growing and distributing. It is while guarding a large shipment of cash that Peter and his group are ambushed, with many people dying. As we have come to know, Peter won't let things go until he solves the problem or avenges a friends death. Which are both present in Light It Up.
Throw in Lewis, and Junie, and this book hits all the right notes.
Well worth the read.

Peter Ash is in trouble again. Trying to save the world is going to get him killed and it seems that this is the book that will accomplish it. Extremely readable, fast paced and keeps your attention till the end.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on January 16, 2018

Peter Ash has put his claustrophobia on hold long enough to do a short-term gig helping his friend Henry provide security while transporting cash from legal marijuana sales in Colorado. Nick Petrie conveys the essence of Peter and Henry in a couple of early chapters. He does it without wasting words, but he gives them depth by pulling the scabs off their lives.

A marijuana delivery goes bad and Peter finds himself in need of a lawyer. Of course, she’s beautiful, and of course, she wants to have sex with him on the night she first meets him (not entirely credible, given that sex with clients gets lawyers disbarred). But Peter has his heart set on a different woman, so readers are denied a juicy sex romp. Instead, we’re treated to some unusually entertaining action scenes as new players come on the scene, all intent on killing Peter.

The new players apparently have a connection to the state police. They also have a military connection, including Daniel Clay Dixon, a self-hating gay who spent 25 years in the Marines, a hatred that is encouraged by his church and by the southern “values” with which he was raised. Dixon is another character Petrie creates with sensitivity and perception.

Peter gets an assist from his friend Lewis, one of those good-hearted criminals who only steals from people who deserve it. There’s usually a buddy in a novel like this, and Lewis is a good one — a dark, mysterious loner who nevertheless plays the role of loyal friend.

One of the novel’s villains is a predatory businessman who makes money by purchasing companies in distress and then reselling them at a large profit. To enhance his opportunity to buy at a low cost, he causes (or enhances) the distress. That makes him a more interesting and realistic villain than the cartoon terrorists that obsess lesser thriller writers.

Did I mention the action scenes? A car chase across a golf course would be a great movie scene. Petrie manages to make it come alive in the reader’s imagination. The last few chapters are filled with nonstop shooting and stabbing and punching. I dismiss most action scenes in tough guy novels as being borderline ridiculous, but the ending of Light It Up is both exhilarating and convincing.

The plot travels in unexpected directions as it explores the legal marijuana business and the trouble it creates for key characters. And while I wouldn’t want to know most of the tough guys who dominate thrillers, Peter Ash is intelligent, troubled, and interesting — meaning he’s not a tough guy at all, despite his toughness. That makes Light It Up an appealing novel.

RECOMMENDED

I have read all three of the Peter Ash novels written by Nick Petrie. Each of them has been exciting, entertaining, and absorbing. Light it up is no exception. In this installment we find our hero, Peter Ash, a retired but still-in-the-game marine vet, employed by a high-end security company whose clients are commercial marijuana growers in Colorado. There is plenty of cash that cannot be deposited in banks due to federal banking prohibitions. Where does it go and how does it get there?
Peter Ash works for the security company, transferring cash to its destination. The problem – crooks are watching as the cash leaves the client’s businesses. A shipment of cash has been highjacked and people are dead. What happens after that is for you to find out. Buy Light It Up.You will have a terrific time.

This is book three in the Peter Ash series, and though I havent read any others in the series, I had no issues with this as a stand alone read. Retired Marine Peter Ash is a complex character, and Nick Petrie has drawn him well. I appreciated the main character portrait and found the secondary characters fully dimensional as well. Though the premise was intriguing, I thought the initial pacing was a little uneven. I wanted to read Light It Up straight through, but I just wasnt as riveted by the suspense as I had hoped. I was, however, interested enough in the character to seek out the previous novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher and Nick Petrie for allowing me the opportunity to read the Uncorrected Proof version of "Light It Up". I have been a fan since the very first Peter Ash novel "Drifter", and this one did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm.
Peter Ash is a (slightly) damaged vet who manages to find himself in high-octane situations where his training comes to the forefront and allows him to take on the 'bad guys' and survive.
This story starts off with the hijacking of a truck delivering 'cannabis' cash to the owner's off-site location. Previously another truck had gone missing, along with the son-in-law of the owner of "Heavy Metal Protection" - the company hired to protect the thousands of dollars in cash from sales; Peter is part of the crew of this truck, when they're forced off the road by the hijackers and taken prisoner; Peter manages to overcome them, but in the interim the rest of the crew are killed (as are all but one of the hijackers - Ash is a one-man wrecking crew).
After a harrowing ride down a Colorado mountain on a stretcher (you have to read it to get it), he calls in reinforcements in the form of a man-eating lawyer and Lewis.
This one kept me turning pages right 'til the end. I highly recommend this book to fans of Nick Petrie, Peter Ash and fans of thrillers in general. Think Jack Reacher, but on a smaller scale.

Colorado and the cannabis industry

Ex-Marine Lieutenant Peter Ash gets asked for a favor - to help guard the cash from cannabis sales. A shipment had disappeared recently so the security company gets more help this time around and things quickly down the drain.

So Ash is on a mission to find out who's behind the well-organized thefts. This is while dealing with visits from the police, trying to come to grips with his post traumatic stress, and get together with the woman who is very important to him.

It was interesting reading about the cannabis trade in Colorado because I live in Oregon, where medical and recreational marijuana are also legalized. It had never occurred to me, that since cannabis hasn't been legalized federally AND is a cash business, that sellers can't use banks. And that's a lot of cash.

I liked the character of Ash and his partner Lewis. I haven't read the first two books in this series but didn't feel too lost while reading this third offering.

I received this book from Putnam Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.

I enjoyed this book! This book reads like an action movie in a lot of ways. It was exciting and there are so many adrenaline filled scenes that keep the excitement level high. This is the third book in the Peter Ash series but I do think that it could be read as a stand alone since it tells its own story. I had such a good time reading this book and found it to be quite the page turner.

Peter is such a great character. I almost think that he can do anything after reading this book. He is smart. resourceful, and incredibly tough. I am not sure that a real man could do all the things that Peter was able to accomplish in this book but I don't care since it was such a fun read. Peter must deal PTSD as a result of some of the things he has seen and done as a Marine. For Peter, this manifests as claustrophobia and he cannot stand to be inside for long which adds an interesting twist to things. Most of this book happens outside so it didn't come up quite as much in this installment but there were a few scenes where it did come up.

The mystery in this book was interesting and fairly complex. I can tell you that I had no idea how things would work out. There were some people that I didn't trust as much as others but I had no idea how they might be involved. This was a multiple layered mystery and as soon as one puzzle was closer to being solved another would begin. The legal cannabis industry was a big part of the story which thought provoking. It was really nice to read such an original and unique story.

I enjoyed seeing a couple of characters from previous books play a role in this story. Lewis has been around since the first book and he is back for some action again in this story. I really enjoy seeing Lewis and Peter work together and think that they make a really great team. June played a big role in the last book and plays a key role once again. I really liked seeing the development in their relationship in this installment. There were some new characters in this book as well. The chapters that were from told from the point of view of the culprits were my least favorite parts of the book simply because I didn't enjoy spending time in their heads.

I would recommend this book to others. This is a great installment to an exciting and action packed series. Once I got started reading, I didn't want to set the book aside because I had to know how Peter would save the day. I can't wait to read more from Nick Petrie!

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group - Putnam G.P. Putnam's Sons via NetGalley.

I fell in love with Peter Ash, the series lead in Nick Petrie's thrilling novels, upon reading the opening scene in the first book. Peter Ash is as tough as Jack Reacher, just as resourceful and violent, and guided by a similar code--deal with any bad guys looking to prey on innocents. In this latest, LIGHT IT UP, Ash is working for a security firm that serves as an de facto armored car service for companies plying in the legal weed industry. Lots of cash moves from these transactions, as you can imagine, and so it isn't a surprise when early on in LIGHT IT UP Peter and crew are hijacked. When the dust settles Peter Ash is one of the few left standing. One of the few, because one of the baddies is on the loose and Peter has multiple reasons for catching up with this villain (I won't spoil the many reasons, but trust me Ash has a lot personally at stake). This is a cat and mouse tale on steroids. The characters are well drawn, the writing is beautiful, and Ash has taken his place alongside Jack Reacher as a series character discerning crime fiction readers can count on for thrills every year. Highly recommended.

This novel was action packed! Practically from the get go each chapter was high energy. The main hero of the novel is Peter Ash, Marine Corp veteran. He's back in country with some major struggles with "static" (PTSD). While working in Oregon on hiking trails (and himself) he meets Henry. While helping Henry out in Denver, Peter quickly finds himself back in combat. This time the alpha "wolf" must not only protect the pack but also a new love interest.

Readers will love the action. They will root for Peter as he struggles to combat not only the bad guys but also his PTSD. They will also enjoy getting to know his love interest, June Cassidy. She's just the "smart, profane, hilarious, bossy, and delicious" counterpart Peter needs. Readers will also be able to pick this book up, and although it's part of a series, easily and quickly become hooked. I had never read any of the Peter Ash series and am now totally a fan! Looking forward to more from Petrie!

Thank you to Netgalley for this early release copy!

I had the opportunity to meet Nick Petrie at a conference this fall. I'm always surprised at how these really nice authors come up with these chilling plots and new ways of killing people. I really like the main character, Peter Ash. There's a depth to him that I've grown to appreciate over these first three novels. Can't wait for number 4.

Well this one was exhausting.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Group/Putnam and Nick Petrie for the ARC.

Do not ask me why I adore Nick Petrie's Peter Ash and Lee Child's Jack Reacher as much as I do. I am a 60 plus year old female, sedentary, semi-retired accountant who spends more time reading instead of doing housework.....and have the dirt, dog hair and dust all over the house to prove it. My main problems for the past 30 something years have been lack of time and lack of closet space. I've learned to live with both.

Maybe that's what I find so appealing about Peter Ash & Jack Reacher..... neither has a closet.

I have adored Peter since The Drifter. Gotta love a guy that runs a stinking dog through a carwash! What a creative solution!

Light It Up was a real roller coaster for me. It was a very fast read for me. Also, I felt cold and wet through most of it. Glad to see more of Lewis in this book and June as well. Tough an resourceful, the both of them
and well matched with Peter.

I should have loved this book. The content ticked all the right boxes for me. I wanted to love it. But I was left feeling kind of... meh.

First, a strong positive: The action scenes are great. Nick Petrie gives a cinematic feel to the fight and chase scenes, so I could see this stuff playing out as I was reading.

Now my thoughts on the other stuff...

The plot feels largely formulaic. For me, it was like watching a train race down a straight track from a mile away. I knew what was going to happen every step of the way, and there were no surprises at all.

After a while, the action became repetitive; a kind of rinse and repeat of scenes. By midway through, I found myself skimming over paragraphs at a time.

And, finally, the ending pushed plausibility too far for me. Everything wrapped up in a giant explosion of action, as thrillers usually do, but it all made me roll my eyes more than it made me breathless.

I have not read the first two books in this series. While there are references to things that happened in the prior books, I had no issues understanding the characters, their relationships, and their background. This one reads fine as a stand-alone.

4.5 stars, so I'm rounding up.

There's this feeling I get when I'm reading a series of books I like. It's like hanging out with old friends—it feels good to see them again and spend some time with them, and while the circumstances are always a little bit different, I know what to expect of them, and I like that.

Although Light it Up is only Nick Petrie's third book featuring awesomely badass drifter Peter Ash, I got that feeling when reading it. Peter is one cool, complicated character that I find totally fascinating—a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan whose PTSD manifests itself as claustrophobia that makes it difficult for him to be indoors or closed-in spaces for long periods of time. Peter is fiercely loyal, and that loyalty can demonstrate itself in dangerous ways, for those who choose to test it as well as for himself.

When Peter meets Henry Nygaard, despite the significant difference in their ages, there is an immediate kinship built on their shared veteran status (although vastly different wars), their strong work ethic, and their mutual belief that both may still be capable of redemption and happiness despite all they've done in their past. When their work rebuilding trails in the Pacific Northwest ends at the conclusion of a summer, they're ready to part ways, until Henry asks Peter for help, a clarion call Peter is unable to resist.

Henry's adult daughter runs a security company in Denver, a company he helped her set up, partially as a way of making amends for not knowing she existed until not too long ago. She told Henry that her husband, a former veteran himself, and his crew disappeared one day while making a run for one of the rapidly growing entrepreneurs in Colorado's cannabis business.

The money, the vehicle, the men—all have gone without a trace, and the police have no clue of their whereabouts. Henry's daughter needs a new crew to handle a money run for another businessman, and she needs this to succeed or all she has put together will collapse.

Henry recruits Peter and a few other vets to help with this run. When everything goes spectacularly wrong, Peter barely escapes with his life, and he realizes that they're up against a far more formidable foe than simple highway robbers. But what is there to be gained if the actual financial payoff isn't that high? How lucrative can the cannabis business really be, when so many in the state are growing and selling it these days?

In trying to figure out who is behind the attacks, Peter stumbles into a much deeper plot, being organized by those who will stop at nothing to get what they want. As he enlists some friends, including investigative reporter June Cassidy, with whom Peter dares to perhaps hope for a future, he realizes there is danger hidden within this seemingly mellow business, danger which could affect them all.

Petrie hits another home run with Light it Up. This is such a terrific series and Peter is an immensely fascinating character, someone far more complex than the troubled, musclebound Marine you think he is at first glance. This book gives you more of a glimpse into his mind and his heart, while not letting up for one second on the action. There are truly some scenes in this book that are tailor-made for the big screen, chases and fights and encounters that leave your heart racing.

I believe I've said in my reviews of Petrie's earlier books, The Drifter and Burning Bright, that I don't know why he isn't a star, and why Peter Ash isn't as well-known as Jack Reacher. (Lee Child even blurbs Petrie's books!) Read this one, or any of these books in the series, and maybe you'll agree with me—and then tell as many people as you can about them!

NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

Petrie and Ash did it again! This book was full of action, the way Peter Ash novels usually are, but also gave us glimpses of Peter’s lighter, more playful side and how you change and adapt when there is someone important in your life. I love that the dynamic friendship between Peter and Lewis continues to grow and unfold as does Peter’s relationship with June. This thriller was excellent and un-put-downable.

Nick Petrie was shortlisted for the 2017 Anthony Award at Bouchercon for Best First Novel; he was beaten by Joe Ide, which is rather good company. This is the third Peter Ash novel I have read and it is just as great as its predecessors. Peter has delayed heading up to Seattle to see his girlfriend, June (see previous book Burning Bright) in order to help his good friend, Henry Nygaard, who is head of security for Henry's daughter's company that makes cash pick-ups for the cannabis dealers in Colorado who are stymied by banks who are reluctant to take enormous cash deposits. One evening, a well-staged hold-up kills all the members of Henry's crew, except Peter. Here is a rule to live by: do not cross Peter Ash; he will hunt you down and deliver punishment. Peter's other good friend, Lewis, comes into town to help Peter track the miscreants and then June arrives because she is worried about Peter going off the grid. When June is kidnapped by the bad guys, Peter is ready to rain down hell, with Lewis' help. Edge of your seat plotting and great characters. Highly recommended.

Somewhere between book 2 and 3 in the Peter Ash series, Nicholas Petrie became Nick Petrie, which is totally cool with me, although some search engines may have difficulties getting the series together.
That aside, I am still a big fan of the series. Peter Ash is a former Marine dealing with PTSD and trying to adapt to the normalcy the world around him - including trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with a special lady (known from book 2) through long letters about everyday stuff working in a security company. Typically Ash, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a very dangerous situation, which he deals with in the only fashion that he excels at: fighting back, thus antagonizing some very bad guys.
Petrie has created a wonderfully stubborn, righteous, capable, and likable hero in Peter Ash, and his high set of morals puts Ash in a number of situations that could have been dealt with a lot easier, but easy isn't part of Ash's default reaction pattern.
Summing up, Petrie continues to entertain and excite his readers, and I will definitely come back for more in the future.

In his third installment of the Peter Ash series, Nick Petrie failed to keep me waiting long for the adrenaline-packed action to unleash. Just the way, (a-ha a-ha) I like it. I wasn't left out in the cold for not having read the first two books in the series. A natural born standalone. The characters arrived well-developed. I was never left behind. The story line danced to the sound of rolling thunder. It was all I could do to keep from falling off the edge of my chair. In the end, the rush of brutality hit with the power of a tsunami. Some needed R&R would be in order.

Since its legalization, the cannabis industry is booming, especially, in the mile high city of Denver. Growing in leaps and bounds, the industry's found itself in the crosshairs of many unsavory characters. An all cash business. What more could you ask for? Most attractive to the criminal elements of society. Until federal laws change, banks will refuse to deal with this budding industry. The risks of prosecution are all too great. Though legal in Colorado, it's still a punishable offense to sell or use marijuana. There lies the conundrum. As a result, the successful dispensaries are laden with cash.

Former platoon leader, Marine lieutenant, Peter Ash, found himself the lone survivor of an orchestrated hit made on security company, Heavy Metal Protection. The company vehicle had been hijacked on a desolate mountain road outside Denver. A client's money stashed aboard. The company's founder, Henry Nygaard, and two employees had been killed in the melee. They were all Peter's friends. Mostly Henry. Four of the hijackers had been taken out. The ringleader, had gotten away. A total of seven dead. A bloody day. Peter barely escaped with his life. Again.

The security detail was transporting $300,000 cash to a well-hidden place for safekeeping. The hijackers were pros. They learned of the route the armed security guards would take. It seemed strange they would risk life and limb for a relatively small payoff after being split several ways. There had to be more, something else they desperately wanted. Something of greater value than money alone. Point was, they were invested too deep and were not about to give up the ship until they had what they were after. Whatever it was. No matter how many more paid the ultimate price. Though one insurmountable obstacle stood in their way - Peter Ash, a battle-hardened Marine. He wasn't about to back down from any challenge. Didn't know how. Not so long as he still had a pulse. Bring it on!

This ARC was accepted complements of NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Gratitude sent to G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing this pre-release made available.

Another wild and adrenaline-filled ride with Peter Ash! Move over, Jack Reacher… you have a formidable counterpart, ready to jump in when needed, one of the good guys, a U. S. Marine! When a legal cannabis operation is high-jacked, Ash and friends step in quickly and quietly, prepared to take whatever steps necessary to save the operation and the damsel in distress.