The premise of this book caught my eye - cybercrime and being on the run.

The reader gets multiple perspectives as the chapters alternate between characters. The chapters are short as well so the action moves along.

The main character is quirky and very independent - but at the same time shows empathy and compassion.

At times it was hard to follow what was happening. I would have liked more details on the hacking and how the investigators pulled the clues together.

If you are looking for a fun road trip adventure, this book is for you.

Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinpress for the advanced reader copy.

#ruthrun #elizabethkaufman

This was a clever, fast-paced psychological suspense debut that sees a young cyber criminal on the run from her government handler who has double crossed her. Witty, snarky and sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as Ruth outsmarts everyone who is trying to find and/or kill her. It was good on audio but I didn't love how abrupt the ending was. It would make for an amazing film and is perfect for fans of books like Lucky by Marissa Stapley! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Publishing April 15

I feel like this started out a little bit like Ruth took a page from Office Space - she's created a microchip that's well above my level of tech understanding, and is engaging in some moderate levels of criming when one of her accounts is triggered, letting her know that she's been found out.

Unfortunately for Ruth, she's partnered up with possibly the dumbest of co-workers in this heist. So she's got some very loose ends to wrap up before she skips town. And in this process, she discovers that a different moron from a previous job just might know about her thievery.

There are some truly weird moments in this one, like I almost felt as if the author wasn't sure what direction to go, because there are some awfully disturbing side characters and stories.

And then, abruptly, it ends. And I shouldn't have been surprised because there was WAY weirder stuff going on, but I did hope for some resolution at the end.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP The Penguin Press | Penguin Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Twenty-six-year-old Ruth is a thief who excels at microchip design. She has spent the past five years siphoning more than $250 million out of the banking system by using a hacked firewall chip that only she knows how to access. Then one night an alarm goes off and she realizes she’s been discovered.

Five hours later she’s on the run, chased across California and the Mid West by a slew of government agents who see her as both a high-level national security threat and a potential intelligence asset. Teaming up with a dodgy truck driver who has secrets of his own, Ruth finds that she has stumbled into a dangerous web of corruption and terrorism.

Ruth Run is a really enjoyable crime novel that dives into the action from the first page and does not relinquish its grip on your attention until the surprising conclusion. There is not a lot of violence, but plenty of suspense, as Ruth manages to dodge authorities and play one side off against each other as she tries to stay alive and out of jail. The alternating viewpoint between Ruth and one of her pursuers, a Government agent who has been secretly watching her for years, works very well and keeps the tension at a high level. The plotting is clever, and Kaufman skilfully weaves in unexpected layers that add interest, and take the story in surprising directions.

I really liked the character of Ruth with her rough edges and flexible morality. She is not an admirable person, but Kaufman does well in making her sympathetic without underplaying the fact that she is a criminal. I also thought that the supporting characters were well developed and interesting.

My only slight reservation was the abrupt ending, which was a little unsatisfying and left some questions hanging. There is also one aspect to the ending that some may be uncomfortable with, but it is consistent with Ruth’s personality. Also some more action would not have gone astray, although the book is never dull.

In all, Ruth Run is a good quick crime read, with enough quirkiness and interest to raise it above the pack.

📚 ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

Ruth Run By Elizabeth Kaufman
Publication Date: April 15, 2025
Publisher: Penguin Group | The Penguin Press

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and The Penguin Press for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Ruth Run was a cat-and-mouse thriller with super short chapters and an immediate tension that pulled me right into its story.

26-year-old Ruth designs a microchip and uses it to become a cyber criminal, slowly siphoning off more than $250 million dollars from banks. When she receives an alert that she's been compromised, she immediately goes on the run. And the high-tension story continues from there.

This book had a great pacing and kept me on the edge of my seat. But the closer I got to the end of the book, the more I wondered how in the world everything was going to wrap up with so few pages left.

I really loved about 90% of this book! It was edgy, unpredictable, and intense with its suspense and intrigue. However, it almost felt like someone told the author she had to unexpectedly wrap it up, so she hurriedly threw together a rushed conclusion and called it a day. And the ending itself? Thumbs down. Like, really, thumbs down. I hated it. I liked Ruth's badass character for the entire book -- until the last page. Then I vehemently DISLIKED her.

Sigh. The last 10% of this book really tanked my overall enjoyment of it. This book had so much potential, but its haphazard and quick ending left me so disappointed. Maybe others will like the way this one ends, but it was definitely a miss for me. The first 90% would have gotten a 4⭐ rating, but that ending really knocked it down for me.

#RuthRun #ElizabethKaufman #PenguinGroup #ThePenguinPress #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARCs #thrillerreads #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #catandmousethriller #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

My thoughts:

I enjoyed reading through Ruth’s journey while running away from Hydrant Mike. I loved how she could think on her feet despite the seemingly endless challenges she had to face and the angels she met along the way. I wanted Nathan for her. I wonder if they’ll meet again. No, I want them to meet again!

I also admired how she handled the villains in her life. I hate Thom (for being weak) and Mike (for being creepy), but she gave them what they deserved. And, Gideon. What can I say about him except...ugh!

So, suffice it to say that I found the twists and ending of this book to be so satisfying. You absolutely need to read this right now. I mean, when it comes out on April 15. Yes! It’s going to be released by then and you’ll have the chance to meet Ruth yourself. I'd also want you to meet Mike, so you can judge him for yourself.

Synopsis from Netgalley:

Cybercrime leads to a cross-country pursuit as an ambitious, misfit young thief exploits a hacked microchip to rob banks, and learns too late that the wrong people have been watching her

Twenty-six-year-old Ruth excels at microchip design but decides to get rich the old-fashioned way: robbing banks. She becomes a cybercriminal and devotes five years to siphoning more than $250 million out of the banking system using a hacked firewall chip that she created and only she knows how to access. Then one night an alarm goes off and she realizes she’s been discovered.

Five hours later she’s on the run, chased across California and the West by a slew of government agents who see her as both a high-level national security threat and a potential intelligence asset. They’ll catch her dead or alive—whatever it takes to make sure no one else discovers what she knows. Each of these men is obsessed with the woman he’s hunting, certain he knows what makes her tick. But Ruth, always a step ahead, armed with her ironic wit and a reluctant dog, eludes their understanding; can she elude their capture, too?

A nonstop oddball thriller for the age of digital theft, Ruth Run introduces an irresistible new heroine and a fantastic new voice in contemporary fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced reader copy of Ruth Run in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun game of cat & mouse! Looking forward to more from this author.

#ad many thanks for the advance copy @simon + @lavenderpublicrelations #partner
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC

4 hour read at 1.8x

Mixed review // Pub: April 15, 2025

Ohhhh hop in but you better buckle-up because you’re in for a treat with this one! Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaupman is a fast-paced thriller that you won’t be able to put down. It’s also a hilarious read. Seriously giggled so much.

But then the story took a really disgusting turn. (See below it’s kind of spoil-ish but not - but is part of the twist - I’d say?!)

With super short chapters, this was a fast read/listen - besides all of that. Ruth and Thom are on the run. Ruth had found a bug and has been stealing money from banks digitally. She should have quit while ahead. She had plenty of millions, all set to retire.

But who is after Ruth and Thom? She had set up precautions, before anyone was on to her she would be eons ahead of them. But these people got to her apartment way too quick. Something isn’t right here.

This was a fun one. While some of the lingo went over my head, and while other parts were just ehhhhh - I feel the author did a great job of explaining all the tech and how things worked. It was kept to simple terms. I also enjoyed the beginning way more than the middle and end but meh.

You’ll be cheering for Ruth throughout. Thom was ready to turn himself in but Ruth talked him out of that. He’s also a character you will cheer for. But I did have to side-eye him for a bit. But he’s also not a major character in this story.

Mostly enjoyed this one. It’s a solid fun read. Will absolutely be reading this author again. The narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. Having alternating narrators with the alternating POV’s made the audio absolutely perfect.

Recommend both reading or listening to this one. I did go back and forth between loving this and being bored, but I mostly loved it.

Can loyalty be bought?

This book was edge of your seat exciting I loved it and read it in one sitting I will recommend to all my book friends it’s a page turner for real story. And together very well

Ruth is able to design a microchip that can slip into products without anyone knowing. She uses this to siphon money from banks into off shore accounts. She thinks she is a genius. However, someone has been watching her every move. When an alarm she sets is triggered, she realizes that someone is on her trail. So Ruth Runs.
This story has two points of view. One is Ruth as she is on the run and the other is the agent following her. What has she missed that the authorities are so close? This is a quick paced fun read. You will be rooting for Ruth all the way.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #ElizabethKaufman, and #PeguinPress for a copy of this book.
#RuthRun

I could not put down this book! It was addicting knowing what was going to happen to the characters and how they developed throughout the police chase.

A really fun read with an engaging main character! When 26-year-old cybercriminal Ruth's crimes catch up with her, she realizes it's time to hit the road. Her (somewhat) careful plans for escape quickly go awry, but her resourcefulness (and a little luck) come to the rescue. We switch back and forth between Ruth and Mike, who has been basically stalking Ruth for years. He thinks he's "protecting" her, but is he?? Lots of twists and turns that keep you turning the pages!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth says she loves food and wants money for food (?) so she hacks a microchip, gets a job where she can integrate her chip into a "product" (that part was a little hand-wavey) and then is able to siphon off money and stash it in off-shore accounts. She sets up a trip wire to warn her if the authorities are onto her. After that, the party is over and she's got to run. Run, Ruth!!!

I struggled to understand what motivated Ruth. (Food, really??? I think not.) I felt like she just stole money because she could. But my lack of insight into her was a huge stumbling block for me.

Then, there's Mike. He's creepily watching Ruth, but why? Is he law enforcement? Another grifter trying to steal from a fellow grifter?

I think my main problem with this book is that no one's motivation was clear or compelling to me, making it hard for me to care.

I am very much a tech nerd so I was excited for this one!

When it comes to thrillers and mysteries, the writing style, stakes, and plot are really important to me.

I think there was humor intended in this book that just didn’t hit for me. I made it to 10% in and felt like I was reading a lot of telling over showing, if that makes sense. I wanted to be more invested. My guess is this book has a slower start to it and I just need to go for thrillers that are shorter. This seems like a personal preference.

The cover is quite cool and I did like the addition of tech in it. I just don’t think I’m the right reader for this one.

Thank you for the opportunity to leave voluntary honest feedback! I received an eARC of this book.

A cybercrime, a lot of money, and Ruth behind it all - she needs to run, hide, and get away so she can be rich.

Holy complex plot. Ruth stole a staggering amount of money and has been slipping it around to off-shore accounts, trying to amass as much as she can before she gets caught. We're pulled in right at that moment, when somethin in her intricate network has been tripped.

From there, I struggled. I never felt like we got to know Ruth - sure, she wanted money. She just wanted to be rich. She was good at moving around and running, but I never got the sense we knew her (and I struggled, honestly, to like her.)

Then we have this weird POV of this creepy guy who's been watching her. I felt so uncomfortable in his POV as he preened and gushed and just obsessed over her. As the plot got deeper and he was even more embedded, I got the ick every time we got his input and, although we needed that part of the details to know just how hunted Ruth was, he was just gross.

The rest was a rush. Because I didn't feel a huge pull to Ruth, I didn't quite feel the pull of the non-stop rush of the plot. It's an interesting story, one different than I'd normally read. If you like high action, pulse pounding reads - then you should definitely give this a try!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I really liked this book,a fast read. It was interesting,had sarcastic humor,educational and a unique storyline all rolled into one. Ruth,comes from a poor background,leaves home at 16 and her adventure starts.She’s in her 20’s and has found a way to become very rich by becoming a computer expert. She’ creates computer chips and steals money from banks w/o getting caught until…….she does.She’s on the run from the FBI and Homeland Security and it turns into a cat and mouse game of sorts. Characters are all unique and mostly likable.I found the inner works of computer info educational to say the least.
Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman published by Penguin Group
On Sale. April 15,2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Press for the ARC of Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Ruth has committed a cybercrime of jaw-dropping proportions, and now she’s on the run. But who is she on the run from, and who is the true criminal? These were the questions I asked myself repeatedly as I rapidly turned the pages of this new tech thriller meets road trip novel. Most of my questions were left unanswered by the end of the book, but it was still a fun read. My favorite character was the dog, and I wish he’d entered the narrative earlier in the story.

Ruth Run was entertaining, but for me to have a complete reading experience I needed more character building and backstory. I feel like I was plopped down within the middle of a story that someone was telling, and missed out on the important early details needed to understand the somewhat intricate plot. The ending left me with just as many questions as when I started, and made me wonder if Ruth Run will be the first in a new series.

Ruth Run, is a short read which can be completed in just a few sittings. Fans of contemporary cyber and tech thrillers, especially with a smart female protagonist, might enjoy traveling along with Ruth in Elizabeth Kaufman’s new novel Ruth Run.

Ruth Run releases on April 15, 2025.

This was an odd book. I really enjoyed the first half of this title. I felt like Ruth and Mike were going to be two interesting characters, one running and one chasing. Yet about halfway through the book I just stopped being engaged by the story. What Ruth was doing was really muddled. Was she a good guy or a bad guy just was never truly clear. What was clear was that Ruth is exceedingly smart, and she finally was trying to get back some power for herself in this crazy situation.
Thank you to Penguin Group The Penguin Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

My first Elizabeth Kaufman novel but definitely not my last. Fresh new take on cyber criminals. Totally great characters that hooked me early on and did not let go until acknowledgments. Really fun thrill ride. Enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth Kaufman and Penguin Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman is a highly recommended cross-country pursuit following a cybercriminal on the run and the government agency looking for her.

Ruth, 26, designed a hacked firewall microchip that is used in many banking systems that allows her to skim money from the banks. She has amassed more than $250 million when an alarm goes off one night alerting her that someone has accessed part of her system. She goes on the run with a bag full of cash as Mike along with others, all agents with an unnamed government agency, chase her. Along the way she meets an eccentric cast of characters.

The narrative is presented from two points-of-view, Ruth and Mike. Ruth is an interesting character. Obviously she's intelligent, but she also grew up poor and will do whatever it takes to get by, including forgoing any gratification right now for future benefits. She is obsessed with good food and fantasizes about what she will be able to enjoy in the future. Never having money, not really knowing how much she would need, and now on the run, she reflects that perhaps she should have been satisfied with less money and left her life of crime earlier.

Mike thinks he has a connection with Ruth. He has been stalking her for seven years, but there are others who are also obsessed with her. Her pursuers from the agency are all of dubious integrity.

Ruth Run moves at a fast-paced throughout. It is a compelling and sometimes humorous novel with an interesting plot. I was engrossed right to the end and cheering Ruth on as she eluded capture. The actual ending, however, was a problem for me. No spoilers, but it involves a bad choice that almost knocked two stars off my rating.

Thanks to Penguin for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.