Marc Cameron never disappoints and he hits a home run with the 7th book in his Arliss Cutter series. In my opinion there are multiple plot lines in this book, which keeps the story moving at a quick clip and sets up this series for the long haul and more books to come. Arliss continues to hunt fugitives, this time a murderer and the corrupt cop that arranged for the killing. There's a parallel plot line involving a man in witness protection and the gang that's trying to find him. The third main character/plot in this novel is the weather. I don't recall the Alaskan weather and geography ever playing such an active role in these novels and it added depth and uncertainty to the story. Add in the appearance of Arliss' mother who has her own surprises to share and his evolving relationship with Mim and this book is chock full of twists and surprises. I zoomed through this engaging novel only to want more at the end.

Bitterly cold chase for a killer in the Alaska wilderness

Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Arliss Cutter confronts brutal -72F conditions in his hunt for a murdering ex-cop. He and his partner, Deputy Marshal Lola Teariki, are on their most dangerous case yet. If the fugitive doesn’t kill them, the cold may. Lola's impulsive pursuit of a fleeing target endangers both her and Cutter. Dead Line is an excellent addition to the Arliss Cutter series. It delivers non-stop action and many twisting and intersecting plots.

Cutter and Teariki are part of a fugitive task force tasked with bringing in Royce Decker. The fast-paced, intense chase leads them from Anchorage to the bone-chilling wilderness near Fairbanks. There are more menacing dangers than Decker and the unforgiving cold. Who are the two deadly sisters, Mads and Browny?

What I love about the Arliss Cutter books is the glimpses into Arliss’s home life and how he became the way he is. Arliss is one of those stoic, silent, man’s-man type of heroes, but underneath the outer layer lies a man with deep emotions and loyalties. He has a complicated past and is in love with his brother’s widow. His mother has reappeared after abandoning Arliss as a young boy. Underlying all the action in the book is a recurring theme of mothers' choices and the impact on their children.

Marc Cameron, a former US Marshal in Alaska, brings an authenticity to the reality of policing in a brutal climate that can’t be missed. His descriptions of the effect of the unrelenting cold on humans and equipment are dead on. I could almost feel my nostrils sticking together and the pain in my lungs from drawing a breath. Fans of Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch and CJ Box’s Joe Pickett books will enjoy Dead Line.

Thank you to Kensington Books for providing access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

A hunt for a trained killer is made worse by extreme weather conditions

The latest assignment for Deputy US Marshal Arliss Cutter and his partner Lola Teariki is to track down two men, a hired killer named Butch Pritchard and the man who paid Pritchard to kill his pregnant wife, former Missouri police officer and SWAT sniper Royce Decker. Both of these men will be difficult to capture, and tracking them through the brutal conditions of an Alaskan winter means that the marshals are up against an inhospitable Mother Nature as well. At the same time Sam Lujan, a young Apache man who provided evidence to convict a ruthless criminal in New York and has been living a quiet life in central Alaska under the protection of the Witness Protection Program, has just made a potentially fatal mistake...lonely in his new life far from home, he told his mother where he is living and invited her to come visit. A whole pack of killers and thugs are now on his trail as well. Cutter and Teariki must find their way to Lujan to make sure that he is safe and if needed to protect him. Few are as capable a tracker as Arliss Cutter, and neither he nor Teariki are ones to back down from a fight even against terrible odds....but have they finally met their match when nature and evil men are trying to kill them?
This is the seventh installment in the Arliss Cutter series, another fast-paced thriller that melds law enforcement procedure and the rugged Alaskan terrain. Author Marc Cameron's love of that corner of the world is evident and it is clear that there is incredible beauty there (but I'm going to be honest, I don't think I can work up the enthusiasm to visit a place where the temperatures can hit -58 degrees F....I'm shivering just thinking about it!). Mixed in with the dogged pursuit of the two fugitive killers and the search for a witness who has unknowingly given the woman who wants him to die painfully his location are the challenges in Cutter's personal life, namely his burgeoning relationship with the woman he's loved all his life (who just happens to be his late brother's widow) and the recent reappearance in his life of the mother who abandoned him and his brother when they were young (and whose main reason for showing up is to ask him to help her find her missing daughter, the half-sister Cutter didn't know existed...which is a request that takes chutzpah to ask of the child you left behind). Cameron's own experience as a marshal brings authenticity to the many details of the story, and the setting is as much a character in the tale as are the people. I found this to be another solid and enjoyable adventure, one likely to appeal not only to fans of the series but also to readers of Paul Doiron, William Kent Krueger and C. J. Box. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me access to this gripping read in exchange for my honest review.

Another exciting episode in the US Marshalls series featuring Arliss Cutter. These books are set in Alaska where nature is always a big factor and never more so than in this story where the temperature bottoms out at minus seventy-two degrees! There's lots going on in this novel, making for some real page-turning action. I also enjoy the relationship development ongoing from book to book. If you are new to the series, I'd recommend starting with book one so you don't miss any of that.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. I'm sort of glad I read it during our hot, humid summer weather instead of in the dead of winter, lol. And thanks to the author for the family recipes he shares in each book. This time it's for Aunt Chester Mae's Rich Chocolate Cream Pie. (But I have to say I've stopped using Crisco after learning how bad it is for our bodies so I'll have to make a different pie crust if I make this recipe.)

This is a very good story with excellent characters; easy to read, entertaining, and with a good pace. The problem is the jumping around in time, especially when it's only for the descriptions of marginal characters.

Having just returned from a vacation in Alaska, I was interested in all the Arliss Cutter books by Marc Cameron. I discovered Cameron thanks to a visit to Northern Knives in Anchorage which was Cutter's shop of choice for knives. They featured his books in a display along with knives tied to the books.

I read Dead Line after reading the six preceding books in the series. As such, I got a good feel for Cameron's writing, his character development, and his accuracy in details about Alaska. Nothing is more frustrating than to read a book set in a certain area and the author totally gets the facts about the local geography wrong.

Cutter has a deep love, though unrequited, for his sister-in-law Mim whom he met as a 16 year old in a Florida bait shop. His late brother was faster off the mark and she ultimately married him and not Arliss. After his brother was killed in an explosion on the North Slope where he was working as an engineer, Arliss, a Deputy US Marshal, transferred to the District of Alaska to help out his widowed sister-in-law and his niece and twin nephews. Earlier books in the series solve his brother's death and the relationship between Mim and Arliss begins to evolve. I won't spoil the cliff hanger in this book by saying more.

Another family member who appears in this book is his mother Ursala who abandoned Cutter and his brother at a young age. They were raised by his grandfather affectionately known as Grumpy. After being out of his life for years, she dropped in unannounced with a request that he find his half-sister. Part of this book is devoted to explaining why she disappeared from the Cutter brothers' lives.

Arliss is both a supervisor and mentor to a younger deputy marshal by the name of Lola Teariki who is part Cook Island Maori and part Japanese. In this book, they are tasked with finding a fugitive murderer and then saving a guy and his mom who are in the Witness Protection Program. This brings them to the Fairbanks area where they face brutal winter conditions.

All in all, Dead Line is a good read and not just a dashed off sequel. It has good pacing, interesting characters, and a couple of good cliffhangers that make you want more.

I gotta admit that I wait with bated breath all year for the next installment in this terrific series featuring Arliss Cutter, a US Marshal stationed in Alaska, his partner Lola, and his sister-in-law Mim. That's because the stories are complex, atmospheric and a bit educational as Arliss and Lola deal with bad guys and bad weather. This time out, they're looking for a ruthless heinous ex-police officer and the man he hired to kill his pregnant wife back in Missouri. And there's a young man in witness protection who is being hunted by the Polish mafia. And Arliss's long missing mother Ursula has turned up. And it's really really cold. Through it all, Arliss retains his sense of right, wrong, and humor. Know that there are some very violent scenes (that fish gaffe, wow). Know also that you gotta admire Lola who keeps going when the rest of us (well, me for sure) would have said enough. Ursula makes an intriguing addition and adds a big wrinkle to the group. It's a fast paced pace turner that I read on a hazy hot and humid day when 30 below sounded not so bad but it really is. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this and am eagerly awaiting what comes next. Oh and there's a recipe!

Action, a brutal Alaskan winter, and a manhunt are featured in Dead Line by Marc Cameron. This seventh book in the Arliss Cutter series has pulse-pounding scenes and ruthless criminals. Set mainly in Anchorage and Fairbanks and their surrounding areas, Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal is the head of the Fugitive Task Force in Alaska. He and his partner Deputy U.S. Marshal Lola Teariki, as well as other members of the task force, are closing in on Pritchard, a killer-for hire. He’s wanted for the murder of a 25-year-old pregnant woman in Missouri. The hit, arranged for by her husband Royce Decker, a former member of the St. Louis Missouri Metro Police Department, who is also on the run and believed to be in Alaska as well. However, when they find a linked case, the situation becomes even more dangerous.

Cutter and Teariki are very different characters. Cutter is experienced, uncomfortable with compliments, a fantastic tracker, no-nonsense, and somewhat surly. However, he can also be overprotective and have a way of connecting with innocent victims. He also believes keeping a secret is synonymous with telling a lie. Cutter is also observant and a bit of a perfectionist as well as being a very visual person which helps him in locating and apprehending criminals. Lola works out a lot, is talkative, has a bubbly personality, and wants assignments that are new and interesting. She also wants to glean all possible knowledge from Cutter. However, she also tends to run off on her own. They have flaws and virtues just like everyone else. New developments in Cutter’s life provide insight on his childhood.

Cameron does a great job of world-building and making the reader feel like they’ve been transported to the savage and merciless cold that the characters experience in this novel. This powerful page-turner kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The plot moves at a blistering pace with plenty of action and several brutal fights. Just when a reader thinks the situation can’t get any worse, it does. The plot is somewhat complex with scenes from different areas of the country that eventually link up and provide some twists along the way. The author’s experience with the U.S. Marshals Service including his work as part of a tactical tracking unit gives this book and the series authenticity.

Themes include murder, fugitive apprehension, secrets, corruption, family relationships, friendship, as well as motherhood choices and actions. The novel sets up a thread for the next book in the series. At the back of the book are a recipe, book club discussion questions, and comments on mothering styles.

Overall, this tense, exciting, gripping, and high-octane book takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Cutter and Teariki. Readers that enjoy action crime thrillers will likely enjoy Cameron’s writing. This is an outstanding series.

Kensington Publishing and Marc Cameron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for July 29, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Dead Line by Marc Cameron started with a bang. We were in the middle of a chase scene and Cutter had to rescue his partner from a desperate situation.
Throw in a character in witness protection who does everything wrong and suddenly you have a manhunt in 70 below temperatures which races to the conclusion at a breakneck pace.
I really liked that the book was set in the harsh conditions of an Alaskan winter. Being a former marshal, Cameron has a lot of experience to draw from. His writing is also easy to read and flows smoothly.
While this was a good read, it wasn't quite up there for me. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it and will read more, but there was a lot going on and Cutter's actual hunt for the witness who was on the run didn't really start until the book was 80% done.
However, the scenes after that were top shelf and you could feel the cold as you read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an ARC. What preceded was an honest and unbiased review.

He’s back! Arliss Cutter and his motley crew of US Marshalls and other law enforcement characters all based in AK, with all its artic blizzards, tundras and wildlife one can expect to see in AK. I loved how Cameron provided a character list in the beginning, not that I needed it because seven books in, I am well aware of who the players are and know all of their backgrounds from the beginning. However, that’s just the kind of reader I am and I highly suspect that the character list that Cameron provided was for those who are only now checking out this great series and starting with this installment.

Sam was a lowly soldier for a mob boss, Lazor Kot, when he started hooking up with Valeria, Kot’s daughter. Then Sam agrees to testify against Kot, who goes to prison and gets killed; Sam ends up in WITSEC. WITSEC rule #1: never, EVER, contact anyone from your old life, not even your mother, regardless of how much you miss her. Furthermore, inviting her to come see you is a death sentence – for both of you! If it’s not obvious, Sam is an idiot! Valeria had a team watching Sam’s mom, Josie, for years just waiting for Sam to screw up and contact her. Now, Valeria sends the team of hitmen to follow Josie to AK and kill both her and Sam.

There is another storyline, this one involving another mother, Arliss’s mother, Ursula, who left Arliss’s father when Arliss was only 5yrs old; his father died a few months later. Arliss and big brother, Ethan (now deceased) were raised by Grampa Grumpy (also deceased), a career lawman. Fast forward 40yrs later and she just shows up out of the blue wanting Arliss to find her 15yr old daughter. Wow!!! That takes a lot of gall and arrogance. Ignore your 5yr and 7yr old sons for 40yrs and then turn around and ask one to find your 15yr old daughter. Seriously!!! Good grief, let the dramarama begin.

While the book summary makes it sound like the storyline around Sam and Josie is the primary storyline, it wasn’t. The primary storyline is Arliss and Lola spending most of the story chasing down two killers, Royce Decker and Butch Prichard. Decker was an IN police officer who had hit wife murdered by hitman, Prichard. None of this is a spoiler since it all happened in probably the first 25% of the story.

It's deep into the second half that Arliss and Lola are actually tasked with finding Sam and Josie. It’s at this point that the story kind of merges with the other storyline around Decker and Prichard. All the while a horrendous blizzard has hit, with temps of -60F with wind chills of -100F, making Arliss and Lola’s search and rescue of Sam and Joe practically a suicide mission.

The continuing character development of Arliss, Lola, Mim and the kids was well done. The pacing was steady and the storyline very interesting. I loved the addition of Ursula, which added a whole lot of family drama to the story. I usually don’t like a lot of that, but in this series, I’ve really enjoyed it. I really wish Grumpy wasn’t already gone when the series started, but I’ve really enjoyed the way that Cameron has included him in the character development of Arliss. The writing was classic Cameron, a lot of time spent on the environment (I love stories in AK), USMS processes and procedures (interesting) and too much time on weaponry (meh). That’s for all the weapon aficionados who also love this series. I absolutely loved the finale!!! I can’t wait to see the effects of that whole scenario has on Arliss. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.2 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing #DeadLine

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Dead Line is the seventh book in the Arliss Cutter series. Deputy US Marshalls Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki are tracking a dangerous fugitive. Arliss is also dealing with a surprise guest at home, which is shaking up his home life. I enjoyed the multiple storylines that were woven together. I couldn’t put the book down especially towards the end of the book. I always enjoy the Arliss Cutter books, and this one was no exception.

Arliss Cutter is a US Marshall in Alaska with a lot going on. His estranged mom recently showed up on his doorstep. He is working through a complicated relationship with his dead brother‘s wife. His trusted deputy and him are going through a rough patch. On top of that, he is leading a manhunt through the harsh Alaskan winter with record temperatures below zero. They’re chasing St. Louis cop and the man he hired to murder his wife. Everywhere they turn there is cold, criminals, and more mystery. This is the seventh book in the Arliss Cutter series.

Dead Line did not disappoint. Mr. Cameron knows how to write a compelling thriller. The backdrop of Alaska and record temperatures where you can get frostbite in seconds only adds to the intrigue and suspense. As with most of the Cutter novels, Mr. Cameron does a good job weaving a tight tail that encompasses two different plots. He also sets up the next novel well. Good news it is not a cliffhanger, but there is reference to a new enemy Arliss will tackle in book eight.

Besides chasing the bad guys, Arliss has a lot of relationships he needs to navigate.I thought that the tension between Arliss top, deputy, Lola Teariki, that’s another layer to the story. Typically.Arliss and Lola on the same page lock and step together. Adding a little tension showed their relationship in a different light. It was interesting to learn a little more about Arliss’ mom and watch as Arliss deal with her reentering his life.

Overall, another excellent Alaskan thriller from Mr. Cameron. A good plot with lots of colorful characters and freezing temperatures makes this a fun quick read.

Dead Line is Book 7 in the Arliss Cutter series from Marc Cameron.

"Deputy US Marshals Arliss Cutter and Lola Tearikiare after a former police officer - an expert sniper named Royce Decker. He stole $8 million from an evidence locker and paid for a hit on his wife. As they get closer to finding him they discover that everyone around him is terrified - and they won't say why. When they face another case linked to Decker they find out what everyone's afraid of. And how many ways things can go terribly wrong."

These are chase stories. Marshals have many responsibilities but Cutter is always Fugitive Apprehension. It all happens in Alaska - in the winter. Brrr - The cold is a character in the story. Cameron in the author notes talks about experiencing 58 below but he puts his characters in an environment of 70 below. Some of the bad guys may not be prepared.
A couple of terrifying killer sisters (you'll be grabbing the back of your neck) A wild ending in a remote area of Alaska.
A good addition to the series.

Fantastic! Another winner for Marc Cameron! The latest novel in the Arliss Cutter saga contains many villains, including the brutal Alaska weather. Rich with lots of personal drama and US Marshal action, you will absolutely cheer out loud at the end! Marc Cameron will keep you coming back for more.

Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki start this novel in mid-pursuit of a bad guy, except that Lola has gone ahead after him on her own and isn’t responding to calls. Her pursuit across precarious ice ends in a dangerous near-miss, which puts Arliss in high-drama rescue mode. This is just the start of the action. As Arliss and Lola go after a dangerous fugitive, temperatures drop to almost unimaginable lows. (You know the cold is not within the typical reader’s understanding when a prefatory note actually has to specify that temperatures in this novel are in Fahrenheit. The numbers seem surreal, and most of us mainlanders have no experience of cold below -40 where the Celsius and Fahrenheit lines cross). The cold is so dangerous that it becomes almost another character in the story—and provides ample opportunity for education on what it takes to survive, fly, drive, dress, and work in these conditions. On the home front, Arliss and Mim have settled into a different phase of their will they/won’t they relationship, and Arliss’ newly-found mother is generally making life miserable. Fortunately the story doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on these domestic issues. The constant danger, drama, and great teamwork by Arliss and his allies make this a terrific installment in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for a digital advance review copy.

DEAD LINE - This is book seven of this series and my first read by this author. I am glad I found this book, it's good. It did not matter that I missed the previous books, except I would have liked to have read the last one. The author did not rehash the past, just mentioned bits here and there. I enjoyed the pace, the variety of characters, including the weather (unbelievable temperatures, I've experienced -3degF, but -70F) and the various story lines, both new and continuous. Hopefully, my public library has more of this author's work. Source: Netgalley. 4*

I thought this was a pretty interesting story in the Arliss Cutter series. There are essentially two major stories as well as a number of side plots. One deals with Cutter working to capture a former LEO who was a murderer and is a dangerous fugitive hiding in Alaska. The initial opening deals with the first chase and an unfortunate failure that leads to some doubts. The other major plot deals with an eventual witness and protectee that is hiding from some mobsters looking to avenge the head of their family and as you would expect these two story lines eventually come together.
What I enjoyed: this was a fast paced thriller, easy to understand and very descriptive of the environment they are in. Both of the major stories are easy to understand.
My criticisms: Cutter isn’t in this book very much maybe 50% of it. There’s a lot of background on the guy hiding from the mob. There’s a few subplots that I wish had run smoother with Cutter’s mom who had abandoned the family when Cutter and his brother were young. I’m not sure enough time was given to this subplot. I also wasn’t a fan of the very ending of this novel and I’m sure it will continue into the next installment.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for an early copy of this novel for review.

368 pages

5 stars

What an exciting entry into the Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki saga ! While pursuing two murderers across the tundra of Alaska, one a former police officer, Arliss and Lola face several hardships.

This book goes deeper into the layers of crime and criminals than the US Marshalls suspect. There are several subplots in this story to which the reader needs to pay attention.

The novel delves into the intricate relationships between a crime family and a young Native American man. The relationships between those following the killers are examined as well. And on a personal note, Arliss receives a surprise visit from someone deep in his past, adding spice to the novel.

Mr. Cameron writes a brilliant story about Alaska, the harsh weather, the individuals: the Marshalls, the hunted and the hunters.

I loved this book. It is perhaps my favorite in the series thus far. (So hard to choose!) I can hardly wait until the next in the series is available. Mr. Cameron certainly showcases his personal experience with the US Marshall Service in this novel.

I want to thank the GoodReads giveaway contest as well as NetGalley for sending to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

It's always a pleasure to see a new title from author Marc Cameron. He has a knack for bringing places and people to life, and in Dead Line, he makes the reader feel the cold of Alaska! I enjoyed the tale and the search for the killer and the mystery behind it. . Deputy Marshals Arliss and Lola make a good team. . I was cold throughout the novel!
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Arliss and Lola are back in another gripping tale set in the bitter cold of Alaska. This is definitely not a travel guide for the state. Our marshals are hunting bad guys and checking on witnesses as a massive and lethal cold front blows in.

This is a terrific series with interesting characters. Arliss is a hard man with a tough past who is in love with his brother’s widow. Lola is from the South Pacific with a love for working out and for Joe Bill of Anchorage PD. While they work exceptionally well together, they do have the occasional misunderstanding or miscommunication. This book is filled with action and several different storylines that are told from various points of view.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to lovers of action crime thrillers.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.