Great thriller that kept me turning the pages, a great story with intriguing characters that kept me guessing. Highly recommend to others!

I have had this on my virtual shelf for over a year. I finally read it when I saw that it had a second book releasing in March. This may seem an odd thing to do when I did not actually manage to sit and read the first one quickly. The fact of the matter was that I did like the writing and the story I just was not in the right headspace for it. Of late, most of the good police procedurals/Thrillers that I work my way through happen to be on audio, and that makes it easier to get more of them under my belt. This is a habit I might have to break because it is turning me lazy. Now, moving on to the first book:

The setting is cold, harsh Alaska and the living is hard. Our leading man is Arliss Cutter, U.S Marshall. He is a good guy who has lived (you might have guessed it) a hard life. He is back home to take up multiple roles. The emotions he works through, and the fact that his gruff exterior does not mask a soft person is a different take on such a protagonist ( instead of him being soft on the inside). He is a gruff man, but not a bad one, has a lot of rules that he lives by that his grandfather taught him " The grumpy man rules".This last part is a lighter aspect of the narrative. In the bleak, unforgiving landscape, multiple plots are unravelling simultaneously, and this packs a lot into one book. It took me a while to get into the swing of it and be invested because the narrative was dragging my attention to various smaller stories simultaneously. Towards the end, however, they came together well for an action-packed ending.

I liked the characters introduced to us, all of them quite different from people I am used to encountering my regular reading and I jumped into the second book with a bit of enthusiasm.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I really enjoyed this book, the first in another reader pleasing series from Marc Cameron. The characters are diverse and engaging, you'll remember them long after the book is done. The story line is set to keep these characters busy for a long time...let's hope. As our main character settles into life in the Last Frontier, he has already made a huge impression on those around him. A great mystery/ thriller that we hope is the first in a long line.

While I wanted to love this book, it was a slow read. I liked the characters and the setting (Alaska is awesome!!) the story was long.

Arliss Cutter: He’s a man’s man. Women want him. Young punks should fear him. At least that impression I got from the numerous incidents illustrating these facts that did nothing to advance the plot. There were also just too many characters to keep track of. I persevered, but I finished the book more as an act of will than because I had a driving need to find out what happened next. The mystery itself was decent enough, there were many twists and turns, and the action kept moving along at a steady pace. It wasn’t for me, but I would recommend this book to readers who like to focus on action over character development.

This is a very good action book, with a main character who gets things done. It's well written, with a good plot and with some very good characters. The good guys should, of course, always be smarter than the bad guys, but the criminals here are just ridiculous.

Open Carry by Marc Cameron
Arliss Cutter #1

Last night when I finished this book I wrote to tell my sister I thought Arliss Cutter was perhaps an even better hero than Jack Reacher and in her return email to me my sister said that was high praise and she would definitely be on the lookout for it. Why did I like Arliss better? He seemed to be warmer and more caring though just as smart and lethal. Given an opportunity I can see liking him and wanting to get to know him better. I guess that is just what I will be given the opportunity to do as I read more of this series and learn more of his backstory and what makes him tick. He is an intriguing character and so are the people he works with. There is great potential for this series and I am looking forward to reading book two when it comes out.

This is not an easy book to read and at times it is rather dark but then...life can be dark and some lives are very dark. There is murder, kidnapping, torture and cartel baddies but to balance it there are good people doing their job and bringing the bad guys to justice.

Did I like this book? Yes
Do I want to read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This new Alaska based series promises to be a humdinger! Arliss Cutter recently transferred from Florida to the Alaska U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Task Force to be able to help his sister-in-law with his twin nephews and niece after the death of his brother. Arliss is smart, experienced, capable. He exudes competence and more than commands a situation.

This series is full of a number of well developed and delightful charismatic characters, most of which will pull engagement. In this narrative, a strong female (almost co-) protagonist, January Cross (who "lost a C-cup breast and a six-foot boob all in the same month.") sets a standard. But Arliss is partnered with another strong and independent lady, Lola, and several additional members of local law enforcement, including Trooper Sam Benjamin. Perhaps the most charismatic is his (now deceased) grandfather. Grumpy taught Arliss everything he knows of law enforcement and tracking.

Arliss is sent to Craig where disturbing incidents are piling up. Carmen Delgado is executive producer of a reality TV show called FISHWIVES! but her original idea and the way it has evolved is definitely not her vision. The crew has not endeared themselves to the hamlet. The story wastes no time jumping into action and the well-plotted novel keeps up the hair-raising tension with each new development. Whether or not tied to the original assignment of a missing teenage native girl remains to be seen but he is temporarily held there to continue with the investigation of missing reality crew members.

The author describes the Last Frontier from frosty mornings to the fishing habits and science behind a successful catch schedule. The islands and the people come to life in this fast-paced novel. There is no filler, no repeating theories, the storyline just moves into an exciting, explosive, but satisfying conclusion. The dialogue is easy to follow and natural. This was a rather unique plot for me--just love the locale--and really enjoy Cutter.

I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley and was thrilled with the opportunity to read and review. I can recommend to anyone who enjoys a great action-adventure thriller with strong male/female characters and a location that adds mystery and beauty to a well-laid storyline. 4.5/5

See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2019/02/24/open-carry-by-marc-cameron-a-bookreview/

I love a good mystery and this was one for sure. It was fast paced and kept me interested till the end . The setting was almost like a character itself
Loved his writing style.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Marc Cameron has done it again. This is a great story told by someone who knows his stuff. The only thing missing is a motorcycle. This is the first book in a new series and it will be interesting to see where it will lead. Without telling to much I really liked the mystery of the person who tried on the druglords mistress wardrobe. Marc is great at descibing scenery and you can tell he's been there and done that. I must thank #netgalley and #kensington for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

A nice start to a new series. Cameron has clearly brought his own expertise in to create Arliss Cutter, the sort of hero who looms large. A Florida native, he might seem a fish out of water in Alaska but not for long. He's quickly into a complicated case involving narcos, murder, a reality tv show, and other things. If I have a quibble it's that there's just one thing too much in the plot line. This is well written and a page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this arc.

I really enjoyed this one. Non-stop action, multiple story lines, lots of interesting characters and a badass superman leading the way! Wonderful escapist reading, but now I'm too tired to make dinner. I do hope to see more of Arliss in the future.

Alaskan thriller about a US marshall who leaves bodies in his wake. I was in suspense until the last page. Cameron does a great job pulling you into book.

I have previously enjoyed this author through his Jericho Quinn series and was initially nervous this would not compare. Although different, this has the potential to be a great series for years to come. The story is about the main character Arliss Cutter and his relocation to Alaska to help his sister in law raise her children due to his brother's death. He is a US Marshall and is on the trail of some nasty bad guys when he gets sucked into cartel business and works to help save a community on edge due to a reality series that is stirring up a lot of drama. I hope he continues developing Arliss Cutter as we move forward and I look forward to reading more soon by the author.
Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC for my review.

Far, far, far away from Florida, Marc Cameron drops a former Ranger (as if they are ever former) off in Alaska and that is about as slow as it gets! From Donut the drug dealer to not your Camacho, the pacing makes a great read and congratulations on working in some reality television with Carmen and "Fishwives". The author might have been laughing when he wrote that part in but it works well! Arliss Cutter is a character to enjoy, I did.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
I had heard a lot of buzz on this book and I have to say it did not disappoint. This is the first book I have read by this author and I hope there is another book in this series. This book had my attention from the first page and it was a thrill ride to the end. I felt like I was in Alaska on the hunt with Cutter, very descriptive and a fast moving plot that kept this reader riveted and on the edge of my seat.

As a fan of author Cameron's Jericho Quinn series, I was pleased to receive this first book in a new series from NetGalley for review. Like the author himself, Arliss Cutter is a US Marshal and recently deployed to a new position in Alaska. On the hunt for a fugitive predator he and junior Marshall, Lola Fontaine find themselves caught up with local law enforcement in the search for a missing native girl followed quickly by the disappearance of a reality TV producer and her cameraman from what appears to be a home invasion. Federal law enforcement and Alaska is territory that the author knows well as he paints a vivid portrait of both landscapes, in particular capturing the raw beauty and fearsome terrain and weather in Alaska. Each chapter in the book is from the perspective of the various characters and where they are in their story arc. In the beginning, it's a little hard to follow but gels more as the novel progresses. Cutter himself remains a bit of a mystery character as the author gives out his background story a little bit at a time and leaving the reader with plenty of questions that remain to be answered about his soldiering in Afghanistan, his job prior to heading to Alaska and his past and future relationship with his widowed sister-in-law. This first book is a good start to what I expect will be an action packed and dramatic series.

Us Marshall Arliss Cutter has transferred to Alaska to help his sister-in-law. He and his partner, Lola Fontanel go up north to bring back a fugitive. The case becomes more than they planned. There are a number of murders happening and trying to find who is responsible is not easy. The story gives you a taste of the weather and the beauty of the country. A TV show "Fishwives" has involved the locals and that has caused some problems among the locals. Can an outsider figure it all out? This is the start of a new series so the ground work is laid also.

Great start to what I hope will be a wonderful new series. Arliss Cutter is a US Marshal who has moved home to Alaska for a number of reasons which were introduced in this book and no doubt developed even more in future installments. Cutter is a "man's man" who lives by the man rules he learned from "Grumpy" (his grandfather.) Those rules shape his character and direct his actions to fight for the weak, the hurt, and the mistreated while making sure the bad guys feel the wrath they deserve. Where his rules and the law come into conflict, well...
When Hollywood, the cartel, and an ex-con breaking parole all arrive in Alaska, a "perfect storm" results, and Cutter, with the help and hindrance of many very well developed characters, navigates the waters to a satisfying end that leads to the promise of many more adventures.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Marc Cameron, and Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Established author Marc Cameron has branched out to create a new series, full of all the excitement his fans have come to expect, but with a few new twists to lure in more followers. Arliss Cutter is proud to work for the US Marshals, though being assigned to Alaska has come to be less exciting than he’d hoped. Spending days with his team hunting down fugitives makes for interesting, though not always enthralling, work. When Cutter is contacted to help a small local police detachment on a rural island in the state, he jumps at the opportunity. A teenage girl has gone missing and the list of suspects is quite long, owning to the fact that a reality television program is in the middle of production. When two members of the crew also go missing, Cutter must try to determine if this is all connected or just a matter of overly curious folks in a rural setting. As Cutter connects with some of the locals, he learns a little more about the indigenous population and their deep roots in the area. Meanwhile, someone has arrived with a vendetta to settle, one that Cutter had better diffuse before things get out of hand. In a story that takes readers on many twists and turns, Marc Cameron shows why he is top of his genre with this fast-paced novel. Recommended to those who have enjoyed Cameron’s work in the past, as well as the reader who enjoys a thriller set outside the major metropolitan areas.

When I heard that Cameron was beginning a new series, I had mixed sentiments. I have read authors who seek to expand their writing base, but their core series tends to fade and fans lose out on strong writing. However, it would seem that Cameron has a wonderful collection of ideas in this novel, which could be a standalone or the start to a new and successful series. Arliss Cutter is a great character whose grit and ‘bad cop’ mentality is balanced with his love of his extended family and roots in the state. Cutter shows his affinity for those in his inner circle, even as he chases the scum of the earth around on a daily basis. His tunnel vision works well in this story, as he gets to the heart of the matter in short order. Others around him add interesting flavouring to the narrative and could, given the chance, show more depth in future pieces. The story may not be completely unique, but Cameron’s use of the Alaska setting and some of the locals adds a certain individuality that will keep the reader wanting to know more. Short chapters and an ever moving narrative keeps things clipping along and allows the reader to discover just how talented Marc Cameron is at the art of writing. I would hope to see more Arliss Cutter in the future, but am not worried if Cameron returns to his core series for a time. Either way, the reader is in for a treat!

Kudos, Mr. Cameron, for a wonderful piece. I am eager to see where you take us next.