Marty Singer is a different sort of thriller protagonist – he is a retired DC Homicide detective, and since retirement, has spent most of his time finding people. In the fifth installment of the Marty Singer Series, The Wicked Flee, he gets a nighttime call from one of his friends, Chuck Rhees, asking him to find Chuck’s sister, Lucy, who has just been kidnapped. Marty isn’t in the best of health, due to having retired due to cancer, but has been on the mend and, although there are virtually no clues, jumps into the investigation to help his friend. Although Marty isn’t officially working, he relies on past contacts in other police departments and old friends from the FBI and other federal agencies to get information needed to solve difficult cases such as this one.

Iden has created characters that have developed into viable people throughout the series, Amanda, who he rescued previously and considers a daughter, and his new love, Julie are very important to the events that happen through the investigation. Iden is an excellent storyteller, and is able to build suspense throughout the novel. He is able to give readers a sense of urgency in finding Lucy, and the book isn’t easy to put down, since readers want Marty to be successful. Although the bad guys are bad, Iden gives the readers a sense of their personalities, and while they aren’t to be trusted, readers know what they are, and, although there are twists and turns, have a sense of the evil atmosphere they create.

Thriller aficionados will appreciate the uniqueness of Marty Singer, and will definitely want to read the entire series. The books don’t contain graphic profanity, sex, or violence, so they are a good choice for younger readers and those who appreciate clean books with plenty of suspense.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

The wicked flee by Mathew Iden is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
A late-night knock on his door pulls retired DC homicide detective Marty Singer out of a sound sleep and drops him into a desperate hunt to find Lucy Rhee, the kidnapped sister of his friend, Chuck Rhee.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story and the characters. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.