Hard Lights by J.B. Turner is a razor-sharp, high-octane thriller that had me hooked from the opening chapter and didn’t let go. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook ARC via NetGalley, and it was an absolutely riveting experience.

The standout for me was the flawless narration by Jeffrey Kafer. His delivery was pitch-perfect, capturing the tension, urgency, and emotional depth of the story with masterful precision. The interchange between characters felt authentic and dynamic—never overdone, always engaging.

Jon Reznick is a compelling protagonist—hardened, complex, but refreshingly grounded. While he’s clearly burdened by the weight of his past, he doesn’t fall into the trap of being too broken or overly tortured like so many male leads in the genre. His moral compass, loyalty, and quiet resilience made him someone I wanted to follow through every twist and turn.

The plot kicks off when Jon is contacted about the brutal murder of an old comrade, and from there the tension builds relentlessly. I found myself completely immersed—thanks to both the tight pacing of Turner’s storytelling and the narrator’s skill in bringing it vividly to life. I genuinely raced through this audiobook and was sorry when it ended.

This was my first J.B. Turner audiobook, but it certainly won’t be my last. If you’re a fan of intelligent thrillers with a strong central character and top-tier narration, Hard Lights should be at the top of your list.

3.5 rounded up

Another action packed audiobook one that I could envisage as if I was watching an episode of Reacher on tv. This was well narrated and touched on various aspects of a personal journey of the character.

When Reznick has to identify a former colleague Angel who unfortunately had turned to drugs after serving with him and being unable to ward off all the battle scars from the past he has been in LA searching for his daughter who had unfortunately taken a similar route. Reznick then decides he can’t leave LA without finding Angels daughter and getting her to some form of safety. Of course this entails various twists and turns that involve some graphic detail of violence whilst he is in the midst of his journey. He receives assistance from many others along the way.

A first for me from this author but I’d not rule out reading more. With thanks to Netalley & Brilliance Publishing for this ELC on return for an honest review. Best wishes for publication to all on 10th a June 📚🙏🏽❤️

Fast-paced, gritty, and action-packed—Hard Lights delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Jon Reznick thriller. J.B. Turner plunges readers into the dark side of L.A. as Reznick seeks justice for an old friend and races to rescue a missing teen. With high stakes, ruthless enemies, and nonstop tension, this is a gripping read that fans of the series (and of hard-hitting thrillers in general) will absolutely devour. Reznick is relentless as ever!

Thank you J. B. Turner, Brilliance Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#hardlights #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreview #netgalley #arcreview #arc #arcreader #review #somanybookssolittletime

This was my first time listening to a book by Turner, and I was not disappointed. The story kept a steady pace of suspense and held my attention from start to finish. It was a fast, engaging listen, perfect for getting through a workday. I’m definitely planning to check out more of this author’s work!

Dark, violent, and full of tension, this book delivers on the action front with a lead who’s as lethal as he is haunted. Hard Light throws you into the chaos fast, and while the plot isn’t exactly groundbreaking, it’s definitely engaging. The pacing moves well, but some of the character depth gets sacrificed for body count. Still, if you’re into raw, punchy thrillers with a shadowy edge, it’s a solid ride. Just don’t expect much softness — this one stays hard-boiled from start to finish.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars
Rated R for strong language, graphic violence, and dark subject matter.

Hard Lights is the 14th book in the Jon Reznick thriller series by J.B. Turner. For those unfamiliar with the series, Reznick is for former soldier, Delta Force, and over the years has worked with multiple agencies. In Hard Lights, Jon get word that Angel Ramos, a buddy of his from the Delta Force days has turned up dead. Not just dead, murdered. And it was a brutal murder at that. Given their history, Reznick feels he owes it to Angel to find out what happened…and when he finds out Angel had a daughter who might also be in trouble, he’s determined not to leave until he gets revenge and finds Angel’s daughter and ensures she is safe. It’ a gritty story that shows the you dark underbelly of Hollywood. While there is definitely decent action, the pace of most of the story is more measured, more ‘detective-ish’ rather than nonstop action. And it works, quite well. You always feel the story moving forward, that Reznick is making progress towards his goal…heading towards an action packed climax. Given the nature of the series, you could easily read this one as a standalone without having any knowledge of previous books, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself picking up the rest of the series. The audiobook, like the others in the series, is narrated by the talented Jeffrey Kaffer. Kaffer has long been one of my favorite narrators, and I’m often times more than willing to check out an author I’m unfamiliar with if he is the narrator. While not the best Reznick book, it’s still darn good 4 stars, and Kaffer’s narration elevates the story so I’ll b kicking the score up another star. I’d like to thank Brilliance Publishing/ Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review an advanced copy of the audio version of Hard Lights.

Hard Lights is an action-packed thriller that dives headfirst into the dark and dangerous streets of L.A. Jon Reznick is a compelling lead, and the personal stakes in this one—avenging an old friend and saving a missing teen—had me hooked. The plot is gritty, fast-paced, and full of suspenseful moments that kept me on edge.

I listened to the audiobook version and, while the story itself pulled me in, the narration style just didn’t quite click with me. It wasn’t bad—just not to my taste.

Overall, a gripping, high-stakes read with strong pacing and a hard-hitting storyline. Fans of black-ops thrillers and morally driven protagonists will definitely enjoy this one.

A little different mission for Jon, one that is a lot more personal. Some might ask if he is feeling ok as there is less destruction in his wake. We learn from the summary that a former Delta team member is horrifically murdered. Jon of course will not rest until he gets to the bottom of what happened with a little help from his friends old and new. I do mean little help in this case, as Jon is more af a lone wolf than in past stories. Does it detract from the story? No, just an observation.

We are treated to a softer dare I say version of Jon as he goes through and learns more about the friend he lost touch with and what he may have gotten himself into that got him killed. We see glimpses of the kind of father Jon is and may have been as his daughter grew up.

I started by saying that there is less destruction in this one but that doesn’t mean Jon is any less a force a to be reckoned with. I wasn’t sure where things were going and was happy to go along for the ride.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking you know my part but it seems like the groundwork was being made for a daddy-daughter mission. (*hint*)
I am looking forward to Jon’s next mission either way.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #ThomasAndMercer for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

3.25 stars.
Jon is asked to identify a body. By the tattoos and distinguishing marks, he realizes the body is his friend.
He travels to LA to investigate how he died. The more he investigates, the more danger. Lots of action.
The plot was well structured. The pace was decent.
I think the characters were developed enough, I just couldn't connect with him.
I typically like these books, but just didn't connect as well with this one.
It is a quick read for your TBR this summer!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Happy Reading.

I really enjoyed this fast paced action thriller. This is the 14th book in the Jon Reznick series but I read it as a standalone book. Jon is hunting down those responsible for brutally killing his friend Angel and searching for Angel’s daughter who has gotten wrapped up in the seedy side of LA life.

Jon Reznick is an excellent character and I plan to go back and read the others in this series by J. B. Turner. Jeffrey Kafer did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC.

This was my first novel by JB Tuner. I enjoyed the fast paced flow of the story and all the action.

When Angel Ramos, one of Jon Reznick’s oldest buddies from special forces, is found brutally slain in a Los Angeles dumpster, Reznick races to California to hunt down his killers.

Angel always had Reznick’s back when they were on missions together, but recently his demons had caught up with him. Angel was a recovering junkie and his teenage daughter had vanished into the dark corners of Hollywood’s seedy underbelly. Reznick’s old friend had been desperately trying to get his little girl back when he was viciously tortured and murdered.

Determined to track down the missing teen as well as Angel’s killers, Reznick uncovers one dirty secret after another beneath the glamour and bright lights of Los Angeles. But when his fearless methods attract the attention of a ruthless Mexican cartel, Reznick is on borrowed time. Reznick will need to employ all his black-ops training to save Angel’s daughter, avenge his friend—and get out of Hollywood alive…

Jon Reznick is asked to identify a body from tattoos and distinguishing marks. He identifies an old friend and travels to Los Angeles to find out how and why he died. Jon is putting himself in danger as he uncovers the corrupt side of LA.

Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters in this well paced, action packed novel. LA may seem a great place to live but only if you have loads of money. There are sleazy things going on and young girls being used and abused.a very good read, enjoy.

I enjoyed this hard hitting action thriller. It kind of reminded me of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, with the good guy cleaning up the city of Los Angles one bad guy at a time. The story isn't really graphic but some of the death are brutal and make me glad not to be part of that world, listening to the story from the comfort of my chair is good enough for me. I would say I like the characters but it's mostly Reznick on his own, the innocents don't always make it and you have got to hate the bad guys. The story moves at a fast pace with a number of bodies left in its wake but it is not all action because it is also backed up with a good story line of friendship, hardship and the seeder side of life from the rich and entitled. I would definitely listen too another Jon Reznick book.

Jon Reznick receives a phone call, with no known next of kin he is asked to identify a former Delta brother. Wanting to know what happened to his former friend Reznick travels to Los Angles to find out what he can. Once there he is devastated to learn his friend was homeless and tortured before being brutally murdered. The police are stonewalling him, the FBI warning him to return home but Reznick can't return with out finding answers, especially when he learns his friend had cleaned himself up and was looking for his missing daughter. Reznick wasn't there when his friend needed him but maybe he could be there for his daughter.
I liked the narrator. I have heard him a number of times and think he always puts in an entertaining performances.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.