Lyrical Underground and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Highest Stakes. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Detective Jack Murphy, in the aftermath of a shootout that left several people dead, including the Chief Prosecutor, has now lost his second chance with his ex-wife Katie. A bank robbery leaves Jack in hot water, as he and his partner nab the criminals in a way that chaos ensues. When an ATF friend of Jack's, Killian, walks into a crime in progress and is shot for his troubles, the ATF chief asks for Jack's help in solving the case. Will the detective who always seems to find trouble be able to land on his feet? When the case seems to involve some very well placed and powerful people, will Jack become collateral damage?

I am usually a fan of the Detective Jack Murphy series, but this book seems to be more of the same. In typical fashion, Jack runs headlong into a situation with trouble fast to his heels. The criminals are brilliant, as always, and the police are one step behind. I was hoping to see more of a progression of the character by now and I was disappointed in The Highest Stakes because of this fact. Readers who are new to the series should start at the beginning, as this book is not the best representation of the character. Readers who like police procedural thrillers and suspense may find the character of Jack Murphy to their liking.

This was a well written police procedural that's involves a recurring character Detective Jack Murphy. This novel focused on crooked cops that doesn't really interest me as much so therefore this wasn't my favorite by this author but I would still recommend it and if you like crooked cop storylines you will definitely enjoy this.

The highest stakes is the first book in a while that I found truly thrilling. It seems a lot of books use the term thriller carelessly when there is nothing even remotely exciting about the book or the characters. I am pleased to say that was not the case with this book.

I like main characters that can kick some butt as much as the next person, but it really comes down to intelligence in the end. The heroes that can outwit a villain, even the ones that seem impossible to figure out and even harder to catch are my favourite, and this character does that delightfully.

The chase is on from the first few pages and as you settle into this book, everything else in life kind of fades away. The dialogue was very well-written and the action scenes are smooth and without flaws that leave you confused. Instead, this book makes you want to read another and another after it.

Definitely worth the time to read. Recommended.

This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.