Ruth is ready to cash in. She has been stashing money she has spirited out of banks and into hidden offshore accounts, exploiting a flaw in a microchip used in bank computers and code written by a collaborator. But things go badly wrong and she has to run for it.

On her tail is Mike, an agent who has been watching Ruth, unseen, for years. He's persuaded himself he is her protector, and he's not being upfront with the others who are after her, with more federal agencies involved as Ruth hitches a ride with a trucker who is a deeply Christian man who is collecting sacks of suspicious fertilizer from various remote places. That ride goes badly wrong, too.

The events are told from two perspectives, Ruth's and Mike's. Ruth is flawed but appealing; Mike is a sad sack who doesn't have a clue about how deeply creepy he is. The trucker is a wild invention, and there are other characters who pepper the short chapters with vignettes that are often funny. There's something about the plot that feels as unplanned and improvisational as Ruth's picaresque flight, but it's pacy and original enough to keep the pages turning. There's a twist at the end that was a bit of an emotional "huh?" moment for me, but Ruth is nothing if not unpredictable.

Ruth Run takes you through the story from the perspectives of Ruth and Mike. I don’t always love a dual POV, but the character’s voices were different enough that I didn’t mind. The plot is fast-paced already, and the short chapters keep you hooked. Heist stories aren’t new by any means, but the cyber crime focus and threads of tech brought fresh elements to this thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Press for the e-ARC!

The short chapters and the fast pace feel made it a quick read. The dual POVs were interesting and kept it engaging. However, I felt the middle was slow and unnecessary to the plot. Overall, not a bad book for a cyber criminal twist.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group-The Penguin Press for the digital ARC.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. Ruth is complex, funny, smart and fascinating. It was fun to read of her adventures while she was on the run. I didn't really find Mike that compelling at all. I found the middle of the book a real slog to get through. I wish that Mike had pursuing Ruth more on the ground instead of from afar. The ending wasn't bad.

Ruth Run is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that flips the usual heist narrative on its head. Instead of focusing on the crime itself, the story follows Ruth, a brilliant but flawed cybercriminal, as she scrambles to stay ahead of the authorities once her crime is discovered. The dual perspectives—switching between Ruth and Mike, the government agent tracking her—add tension and nuance, making it hard to decide who to root for.

The novel keeps the adrenaline high with its suspenseful twists, unpredictable turns, and sharp dialogue. It also taps into the eerie reality of modern surveillance, showing just how difficult it is to truly disappear. While some of the tech details went over my head, the storytelling was compelling enough to keep me hooked. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but I can’t help but hope for a sequel. If you love thrillers packed with high-stakes chases, smart writing, and morally complex characters, this one is well worth the read!

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

**4-Star Review for *Ruth Run* by Elizabeth Kaufman**

*Ruth Run* by Elizabeth Kaufman is a thrilling rollercoaster ride from start to finish. The fast-paced plot kept me on the edge of my seat, providing an adrenaline rush that lasted throughout. Kaufman masterfully weaves a web of twists and turns that constantly kept me guessing. This is exactly what I look for in a thriller – suspense, surprises, and non-stop action. The pacing was spot-on, and the length was just right; it didn’t overstay its welcome but also gave enough time to build up the tension. I couldn’t put it down! Definitely a must-read for fans of the genre.

fun thriller with some good vibes and interesting characters. would definitely recommend the one. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Cybercriminal Ruth has created (and duly exploited) a hack in microchips that allows her to rob banks undetected--or so she thinks, until she's alerted one day to authorities starting to investigate her activities. She immediately goes on the run, but finds that escaping may be more perilous,
and more difficult, than she anticipated.

This was such a fun, fast-paced read! The book is told from two points of view, switching back and forth between Ruth and Mike, the government agent who has been tracking her activities. It was interesting to see how they both viewed the same events very differently, and while it can be hard to root for a criminal, Mike makes it very hard to want to root for the side of the law in this case. So, excellent character work on the author's part. She also does a good job of keeping the tension ratcheted up throughout the story, which is less a heist story and more a high speed chase. Plenty of humor and witty turns of phrase to keep the writing interesting as well.

The nuts and bolts of the technology that Ruth uses to actually do her hacking and stealing sounded a little implausible to me (with the caveat that I'm not a techie person) but if you can just roll with that and not question it too much, you'll find yourself on a very wild and enjoyable cat-and-mouse chase.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this unique book. Unlike many heist stories, the crime had already been done at the beginning of the book, and the story was really about how Ruth reacted when she realized her crime had been discovered. I liked that the "heroine" was a flawed character who makes one mistake after another, despite her brilliant mind. The book highlights how much information Big Brother has accumulated if someone knows where to look. It has become very challenging to avoid being tracked, and the author did a great job building suspense as Ruth cleverly tried to evade those who wanted to capture her. The story had some very creepy and disturbed characters, and it was fascinating to see how Ruth dealt with them. Although I didn't understand all the technical parts of the book, I was able to stay engrossed in the story. I'm hoping that the somewhat abrupt ending of the book means that there will be a sequel. I would enjoy reading more about Ruth and what happens in her life. Very entertaining with lots of twists and turns- highly recommended!

Ruth has been quietly robbing banks with a computer code of her own design helped by a couple of accomplices. She has been careful and amassed millions offshore but the jig is up and she takes to the road. There are a few people looking for her but Mike is obsessed with finding her. Keeping low in towns and places she thinks they won't look for her Ruth tries to stay one step ahead. Can Ruth outwit her pursuers and stay out of prison? The hunt is on and they are close. Dual POV alternating between Ruth and Mike this is a high speed chase that moves quickly and keeps readers fully engaged. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Ruth is a brilliant computer scientist with a specialty in microchips. While she could have worked for years in the industry, when she sees a way to hack a microchip in order to siphon money from banks and become a millionaire, she jumps on it (reminiscent of Office Space without the red stapler). After five years of her scheme working seamlessly, a hidden alarm in the system is triggered, forcing her to go on the run. While she planned for this eventuality, nothing seems to go to plan. Ruth is being tracked by the FBI as well as another computer expert. No one is a good guy here, but you will be hoping that Ruth gets away and finds happiness. If you like thrillers, tales of escape, or the workings of computer science, you will like this one!

I found the beginning of the story too jargon-y and the protagonist hard to relate to, I put the book aside as ‘not for me’, but then decided to give it another chance and am so glad I did, for the story picked up considerably once Ruth was on the road, in flight from her tormentors. The book was very hard to put down at this point, and I began pulling for the previously unlikable heroine, as she became better known to me. In the end the book was enterprising, energizing, and witty.

In Ruth Run, Elizabeth Kaufman delivers a gripping and fast-paced thriller that plunges readers into the world of cybercrime and deception. The story follows twenty-six-year-old Ruth, a brilliant microchip designer who opts for a life of crime, using her expertise to rob banks and siphon over $250 million from the banking system with a hacked firewall chip that only she can access.
However, when an alarm signals her discovery, Ruth's carefully constructed operation begins to crumble. Suddenly on the run, she finds herself pursued across California and the West by government agents who view her as both a high-level national security threat and a potential intelligence asset. As they chase her, they become obsessed with understanding the woman they are hunting, convinced they know her motives and psyche.
Armed with her sharp wit and accompanied by a reluctant dog, Ruth cleverly maneuvers to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, turning the hunt into a thrilling game of cat and mouse. Kaufman's writing combines humor with suspense, making Ruth Run an exhilarating read that not only highlights the perils of the digital age but also introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine. This nonstop oddball thriller is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction, offering a fresh voice and a unique perspective on the intricacies of cybercrime and survival.

Had to DNF at about 15% in. Too much tech jargon for the average person to get through. Unfortunately it killed the flow of the story for me and I just could not see past it.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.


Ruth Run is a solid debut.

This book follows a hacker (Ruth) and a delusional spy (Mike) in a cat and mouse game where the spy tries to catch Ruth.

It's a quick and fun and light read. Although I dislike the new trend of 2 3 page chapters!

The only con I would say apart from the very short chapters is little to no character development but that does not affect the fun of reading the book

I was SO excited for this one - I love a good heist! But it was more computer/techie than heist-y and I found myself skimming because I wasn't interested. I think I might have enjoyed more if didn't start with her getting caught and running - yes, the book is called Ruth Run but it could have benefitted from some backstory in the beginning and a little more character development.

I had high hopes for this one but it just did not work for me. I found it slow and not as compelling as I expected it to be.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman. Ruth is a 26 year old cybercriminal skimming millions of dollars from banks seemingly unnoticed via a hacked microchip for years. She has millions safely stashed in off-shore accounts. In the wrong hands this microchip could prove dangerous. Someone is watching! An alert sends Ruth on the run within hours. There is a cross country pursuit with a mix of characters including government agents, a long haul truck driver, and a few others met on the road. Can she trust anyone, even those in her very small inner circle? She has a likeable yet rather inept partner working in the background. Can he help her or will he ruin everything? There is the truck driver she hitches a ride from. What is his story? Everyone has secrets that eventually work their way to the surface and pull the plot together. Ruth works to stay a step ahead of those in pursuit. Loved the fast paced plot. I could not put the book down. There were a lot of unexpected twists & turns. Looking forward to reading other works by Elizabeth Kaufman.

Started out very strong with an interesting and idiosyncratic main character but the momentum of the story got lost in the weeds for me. Too much jumping around between POVs and a chase narrative somehow evolved into a somewhat static plot.

What an absolutely unique and exciting plot! The main character, Ruth, is brilliant, sassy and on the run. She has stolen millions of dollars and stashed it all in offshore accounts, but she must outwit those who aim to bring her down in order to keep it.

This book is thoroughly addictive and brilliantly written. I hope there will be a sequel because there is plenty of low hanging fruit to make that work. Five stars for this binge-worthy read. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader copy.