Safecracker

This books start at 60mph and doesn’t let up the entire time. Nonstop action, crazy criminals, and violence, but this book was so good I didn’t want to put it down. But I have to wonder if I missed it even though I reread those few pages a few times—-what happened to Fanny when they got back on the boat? Other than that open question, I highly recommend this book to readers who like intense action stories.

I really enjoyed this adventurous view from the criminal side. Writing in a light style that kept me engaged, the depth of characters and the twists and the turns made it hard to put this book down. I can't wait for Wick's next book.

I really enjoyed this book. It started with a bang and never stopped. The gist is about this minor criminal who happens to be a phenomenal safecracker. He is forced to work for a Mexican cartel to break into a safe in Miami and bring out some documents. To say any more I feel would be too much. I must add that I felt this was more a book my husband would enjoy- lots of disturbing killings etc. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this arc.

This was magnificent! There was tons of action, frightening characters and a great plot. Some scenes were very graphic and gruesome, but this only added to the thrill! Michael is a thief , a very good thief. He is coerced into stealing a ledger for a drug lord and if he refuses, his family and friends will be killed. I could easily see this book as a movie.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bad guy doing good; love it!  Easy reading, great premise, nice turns.  I was disappointed when the romp was over.  More, more, more!!

To use a rare descriptor for me, what a fun read.  Laid up for a week with broken ribs, I had no idea this was the book I needed to make it through.  Cinematic, breezy, strongly drawn characters and a plot I'm sure has already been sold to a movie production company or studio.  Already looking forward to the author's next one, sequel or not.

A little confused over the title as the ARC says Lawbreaker but anyways. This was fast and fun. Occasionally very funny but also quite standard. I didn't think it added anything to the genre but as a book for a flight, or in my case a long train journey, it was perfect.

Michael Maven is a thief.  Not an ordinary run of the mill crook, but one that treats what he does as a profession.  Before entering his mark's residence he carefully studies everything he can about the target and draws up a carefully thought out plan for the crime.  He is also careful about leaving items scattered about thinking that it is bad enough for the mark to be robbed without also leaving debris for them to clean up.  Most important it is his avowed intention to do no personal harm to the person or persons being robbed and will not carry any deadly weapon during the robbery.  
     The story picks up Michael as he enters a victim's New York city apartment with the intention of obtaining an extremely valuable coin. He has determined the resident will be away for several hours giving him time to work. But after entering the apartment he is disturbed by talking when the prospective victim unexpectedly  returns home bringing a lady with him.  Michael cannot get out of the apartment and has to hide hopefully not being discovered until the lady leaves.  Surprise surprise, the lady murders the man, nearly murders Michael and gets away with the coin that he was after.
     Than, the lady's boss, actually an international drug lord forces Michael to take on the very dangerous job of stealing a journal from a rival drug lord.  If he doesn't both and his family will be killed And, of course, you guessed it, the woman he "met" during the attempted robbery is assigned by her boss to help Michael with the theft.  What happens becomes the crux of the novel, and it is described in a slightly tongue and cheek style.  A well done book  setting up subsequent stories involving characters introduced in this one and assuring that readers will seek those out when published.

Review by 2shay..........

This is a stay up late, lose sleep and obsess until the last page is turned, fabulous novel! I’m not kidding. Who doesn’t love the professional thief with the heart of gold and a sense of honor? Michael Maven is that guy!

This safecracker takes a simple job to steal a rare coin. Sure! Instead, he witnesses a murder, gets his throat cut and almost dies. That’s in the first few pages and it never slows down from there. It was a woman that beat the crap out of him, cut his throat and left him for dead. Meet Katrina, the best Betty-bada$$ I’ve met in a while. It turns out that she works, not necessarily willingly, for a drug lord. That drug lord now wants Michael and Katrina to work together to rob another drug lord.

And that’s where the meat of the story begins. Non-stop action, and I personally fell in love with both characters. I think you will too! Grab a copy and...

Enjoy!   ARC graciously provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy of Safecracker for an honest and unbiased review.

WOW - Wick’s “wicked debut” is WICKED GOOD!

Packed with great writing that moves the story along, Wick’s flawed hero makes for a very interesting read.  While it’s hard to love Michael Maven, who makes his living as a thief, it does make for some of the best twists and turns that take us along on a journey that not even he could’ve ever foreseen, and this Robinhood does have a few redeeming qualities.

I was glued to the pages reading late into the night. I think it would be a great vacation read.

What kind of a story begins and ends with the chiming of a cuckoo clock?   In the beginning , our main protagonist, Michael Maven is sitting at the bar watching a significant Cardinal's baseball game, with implications in the pennant race, when is throat is unexpectedly slit with the subsequent cascade of his blood onto the floor.  Not to worry...   our charismatic anti-hero narrowly survives.  Michael is a professional thief, well trained in not only the arts of stealth and procurement of the riches of others , but also in the martial arts and the necessity for detailed planning. He is both, respected and admired by the underworld as a master thief ...  who has never come close to being caught.  What makes him special however is that he has scruples and avoids killing, and even violence at all costs.  After the opening salvo, we are taken back in time to explain the motivation of the blood letting.
    Michael was charged to steal a rare coin ... a 1343 Edward III Florin ...  from Raymond Hemsworth's safe in his upscale exclusive apartment ...  which required a fingerprint to open.  With detailed planning, Michael is about to open the safe, when Raymond unexpectedly returns home with a gorgeous woman in tow.  Michael hides in the closet and observes the inevitable seduction and unexpected murder of Raymond.  The femme fatale unabashedly cuts off his thumb to successfully open the safe and abscond with the coin. In the hopes of obtaining the coin he unsuccessfully tries to confront the assassin ...  what ensues is an amazing choreographed martial arts battle between the two, which Michael surprisingly looses, but escapes with his life.
     Michael with an intricate network of information gatherers, learns that he has encountered the notorious female Ukrainian assassin , Katerina - hunted by the FBI and presently employed by Luis "El Cerdo" (The Pig) Alvarez.  The Pig is a major Chicago crime boss, working for the deadly Sinaloa cartel.  Shortly after obtaining the intel, Katerina slits his throat at the bar .   Before he can even fully recover, he's contacted by The Pig and presented with a situation he cannot refuse.  All of his friends and family will be brutally tortured and killed ( with body parts being sliced off before the final coup de gras) if he doesn't commit the ultimate heist.  He merely has to steal back the Alvarez' business ledger from the heavily fortified and guarded compound of an opposing cartel king-pin. 
    Wick spins a riveting and cinematic action packed narrative, aided by skillful characterization of Michael and the multitude of colorful characters that are involved in the planning and execution of the ultimate heist. Flowing effortlessly is the necessary and appropriate gruesome details.. There is no way anyone can avoid reading faster, as the tension and action is mercilessly ratcheted up to near exhaustion.
     Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.  This surprisingly is Ryan Wick's Debut novel ...   I certainly hope there are more tales of Michael Maven - the master thief with scruples.

Thrills, danger and action? Yes please! This is an edge of your seat thriller! Also a debut novel for Ryan Wick. 
I'll be honest, I judge a book by its cover and I'm very pleased I decided to give this one a go. It's a great read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to give this book a read!

What a great debut novel for Ryan Wick.  Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read it.
Fast paced crazy crime thriller!  This one can definitely give you nightmares!  Horrendous murders, terrifying cartel members, the FBI and an underground group of "friends" that help out the protagonist.  Lots of suspense and tense moments, would make an awesome movie.

Captivating, suspenseful, entertaining novel! This beautiful story kept me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it! Would highly recommend to those who enjoy this genre.

Ryan Wick's fabulous debut crime thriller is a cracking read, fast paced and addictive, featuring expert New York safecracker and thief, Michael Maven, trained by his parents, although his father is now serving a prison sentence. Michael is the anti-hero with a heart and morals, he does not believe in killing anyone in the course of his 'work', a film buff, he channels his ill-gotten gains through the movie theatre he owns. He steals to order for his boss, Elizabeth Rose, so when she informs him of his latest job, to steal a rare coin, a 1343 Edward III florin, recently bought by Raymond Hemsworth, a wealthy American hedge fund manager, he begins his meticulous and detailed planning for the heist. However, it all goes to hell in a hand basket when Hemsworth unexpectedly returns home with a stunningly beautiful woman in tow. Maven hides, but to his horror, he watches the woman kill the hedge fund manager, proceeding to steal the coin from the safe. This is too much for him, but he underestimates her phenomenal fighting abilities as she gets away with the coin.

The book opens in a shocking manner, with Michael drinking at his favourite Alistair's Pub, run by his closest friend, Jimmy, when a woman catches him unawares and cuts his throat. At this point, the narrative goes back 12 days, unveiling the events that led to the culmination of this horrifying moment. Maven goes into overdrive to find out who the woman is, deploying the expertise, resources and knowledge of Jimmy, Elizabeth Rose, and hires former NYPD cop, Jerry 'Doc' MacIntosh, now running a lucrative private investigation business. It turns out she is a deadly Ukrainian assassin for a major player of the Sinaloa cartel, Luis 'El Cerdo (The Pig)' Alvarez, a Chicago crime boss. With his family and friends under threat, Maven is forced by Alvarez to carry out the heist of a lifetime at the home of a rival cartel's boss in Miami, Florida. Maven is going to need all his wits and his close circle of friends to survive, knowing that even if he succeeds in the heist, there is no way Alvarez is going to let him live.

Wick writes a pulsatingly riveting thriller, mired in the midst of the horrors of the murderous, torturing cartels that thrive in the climate of fear they create. Maven finds himself caught between the terrors of the infighting between the cartels, with the FBI, in the form of Special Agent Rebecca Browning wanting his help in putting Alvarez behind bars. The author has created a colourful and charismatic central protagonist in Michael Maven, a man that the reader will unquestionably root for, the oh so human ethical criminal. This is a wonderfully entertaining thriller with its nail biting tensions and suspense, set in great locations. I understand this is the first in a series, leaving me greatly anticipating the next in what promises to be a stellar series. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

On a job to steal a rare coin from an apartment, Michael is interrupted by another criminal with an agenda all her own. With the coin gone, and him nearly losing his life, he finds himself given a proposition he can’t refuse from a cartel leader—rob his rival or die. The deeper in he gets, the more he comes to realize that even if he succeeds, he’ll still be on the cartel’s hit list. 

Michael makes a great character. He’s smart, savvy, and skilled and his friends all have his back. The only way he can survive is to outwit the cartel leader by nabbing the loot and a plan to make sure the cartel keeps their word that he can walk away free and clear. His movie theater serves as a way to launder his money and to engage his passion for film. The ending nicely sets the stage for a sequel, which is awesome because the protagonist and secondary characters are so much fun. Assassin Katarina is fascinating and terrifying. His fence breaks all kinds of stereotypes. 

The plot moves at a brisk pace as the stakes get higher along with the risks. The story takes place in New York, Miami, and Chicago, and the character of each of the settings shines through. SAFECRACKER is a great debut novel and a promising series starter. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Thanks to the NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

Happy, happy days! An anti-hero who is so heroic I couldn't help but join his fan club. Yes, Michael Maven is a professional thief but at least he's a good thief who has scruples about his career. I'm going to include a spoiler here, even though Michael has his throat cut in the first line of this book he didn't die. Quite an accomplishment, that, and the author did a pretty good job of keeping his main character alive for the remainder of the novel. Lucky for me, lucky for you too. Otherwise we would have missed a darn good story. Michael isn't just a thief, he steals per instructions and it's for extremely valuable items. This was a case of everything going perfectly right on a job until it all went to heck in a handbasket.

As a debut novel this one was very special. Author Ryan Wick hasn't tried to make Michael into anything but a regular person with some highly developed skills he needs for his career. The characters surrounding Maven are developed just to the point they needed to be for logical, common sense support while stopping short of super-human status. The web of intrigue got more and more intricate as the hunt for the assassin and the stolen coin became wider and took off in directions not hinted at in the beginning of the story. I must say, I really enjoyed "learning" so much about good, bad or mediocre safes and locks and that bracelet Michael wears is absolutely incredible. Not much I can do now but wait patiently for another story. Surely this is going to be a series, right?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Thomas Dune Books for an eGalley of this novel.

Safecracker is a debut that promises to deliver on more installments.  Well written, crackling prose and plot, and a central character that you can root for despite his chosen profession.  Well done.

This was a non stop action thriller. Some of the action wasn't very pleasant but the storyline was strong enough to pass over it. Some great characters even though on the wrong side of the law. All ends tied off well in the conclusion. A must get to end type story.

Highly entertaining! Started off strong and just kept going. This was my first book by this author but will not be my last. I recommend Safecracker for a fun, thrilling ride!

Safecracker, by Ryan Wick, is the debut of a series of books about Michael Maven. Fast paced with edge of your seat moments, Safecracker gives the reader a "bad guy" that has his own set of morals. "Bad guy" or not the reader with find themselves rooting for Maven. I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for giving me an early copy to review.

How can you not love a book that begins with the protagonist's throat being cut in the first sentence?! And the action doesn't let up until the end! Michael is a thief, adept at picking locks and safes. So when he decides to steal a rare coin it seems to be too easy...until unexpectedly  a beautiful woman comes home with the occupant and from his hiding place in the closet, he sees her drug the man and take off with his coin. Michael then finds himself embroiled in a sinister plot in the middle of two cartels as he is blackmailed into working with this female killer. It's dark, gritty, violent, and is faster than the speed of light! And I believe there will be a sequel as it's a nice twisty ending!

A really good thriller that keeps the action moving throughout the book.  The guessing starts on page one and does not let up until the end!  Ryan Wick has built a whole community where...just to be clear...our bad guy has to be worse than their bad guy to win.  So good that I was sorry to see the end of the book.  Let's hope we see more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC 
A new author for me and won't be the last book I read by Ryan Wick.  
A great read, funny at times and sped along, really enjoyed this, bring on the next one

If you like to read thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat and up all night, this is the best story for you. 
I loved it and will recommend it anytime. 
We always read about villains in the books but what happens when the villain has a story to tell? 
This fast-paced read, with characters that you’ll need to know more about them with each turned page and a story that will bring your imagination and theories on the brim, will keep you entertained and you’ll want to read the last page just to find out the outcome and if your theory is true. 
I feel like there’s so much more to tell and hope we’re going to get more books.

Great book, can't wait to read more from this author.  Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

Michael Maven could be my newest book hero! Ryan Wick is DEFINITELY on my authors-to-grab-their-books-as–soon-as-they-are-published list!

SAFECRACKER has all the thrills, the danger, the action and the attitude that is sure to keep readers balanced on the edge of their seats throughout.

Having followed into the family “business,” Michael Maven is a safecracker who has never met a safe he couldn’t crack, he is an artist who takes pride in his work, but the night he witnessed a murder would send him into a world of murder, mayhem and sadistic drug lords who will stop at nothing to have their way. Now a pawn whose life is only as good as his ability to crack a safe, Maven will have to use all of his talents to stay one step ahead of two powerful crime bosses and a beautiful assassin who has him in her sights.

I loved the action, the dialogue, even the more grueling parts, but most of all, I loved the characters. Michael proves there is honor among thieves, believes there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed, but knows when to play the game, especially when his life is on the line. Fabulous bad guys, truly rotten and vile, an assassin who is as much a victim as a killer and a twisted storyline to die for! I see an amazing future for Ryan Wick and his brilliant storytelling! In need of something pretty amazing to read? SAFECRACKER should fill the bill, you'll thank me after!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Thomas Dunne Books! This is my honest & voluntary review.

Do you like honored, charming thief stories? Nope, I’m not talking about Robin Hood or box office disaster of Taron Egerton (thankfully he got rid of tight pants and wore more colorful clothes to be a rocketman!) And of course I’m not talking about Steve Mc Queen’s Thomas Crown (and my grey cells already erased the images of Pierce Brosnan’s Thomas Crown) I’m talking about a brand new hero: Here comes MICHAEL MAVEN: This man hates women beaters, unnecessary violence and lives with ethical rules. 

We have a safecracker, charismatic thief on our menu: not so slowly cooked, fast paced, full of action, gore, grim and violent parts at your service. 
He is a thief but he has principles. He never hurts people and one day, he’s hired to steal rare coin, he hears owner of the coin and a very attractive woman are coming into the apartment. So he hides himself into closet. 
And surprise, the very attractive woman is also femme fatale and very dangerous killer. She kills the man and wants the coin for herself. 
Poor charming thief runs for his life but puts himself very deadly position and of course all of his loved ones are also in great danger now! This means he has to accept very thrilling job to crack a notorious cartel boss’ safe in Miami. 

Aren’t you still interested? Come on, it’s really fast pacing and entertaining reading! I visualized this as another sequel of Mission Impossible! Maybe Tom Cruise should be retired and John Krasinski takes over this role (with the very big height difference) We need a real action star because we don’t have a regular thief! We have super human, ultra lucky man who defeats grim reaper so many times! He can really kick asses, dodging bullets, saving his throat from being slushed and deals with very inhuman wild creatures (the worst kind of bad men you may hardly imagine) 

I didn’t expect something masterpiece or a big espionage, great scheme! This was easy, fast, riveting, entertaining page-turner! I insist it should be turned into a movie! The cliffhanger at the end was a smooth touch. So it deserves my four satisfying, heart throbbing, thrilling stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this great thriller ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.

Wow this was a great debut novel.  Fast paced and action packed, it had me captivated. I
Look forward to more of this author’s work. 
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Always root for the GOOD guy except when the BAD guy is not the WORST guy! Michael Maven has made a career out of his very in depth planning of  GET IN - GET IT TAKEN - and GET IT CASHED IN and stashed away for another day.  My Kindle was on Fire with the intense jittery heat of what happens when in the middle of a heist; Michael is forced to hide in a closet and watch events unfold that threaten his future and those of his friends!  VERY Violent events are described so be forewarned!!  "A copy of this book was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." AWAIT WHAT THIS AUTHOR OFFERS NEXT!!

A high paced thriller. Michael is a thief. He has loved the thrill of opening safes since he was a boy. He makes some unfortunate choices about who he robs with serious consequences. The opening chapter sees him have his throat slit!!! There are some particularly revolting scenes which if you are squeamish are best avoided. He is coerced into cracking the safe of a cartel boss and everything falls apart. He has to work with the assassin who twice tried to kill him. High paced with lots of detail this book will keep you gripped.

Action at 90mph, with suspense that doesn't let up.  Characters are well-drawn and the plot is diabolically believable.  Mr. Wick did an excellent job of keeping my attention riveted for hours on end.  Highly recommended.

4.5 OOOOOOOh this was good Stars
This had everything going for it from the very first page. Fast-paced and smart plotting. A safecracker who has his target and then is interrupted by the guy coming home with a woman...Looks like they are going to do the horizontal mambo and then Bam She kills the guy...Bad enough but then she is about to steal his coin he came for...

Well, from this point, our guy is in deep...Cartels, Bad Guys, threats and figuring out how to survive. 
Enjoyed the read.

Had I started this book earlier in the day on Saturday, I would have easily blazed through it by bedtime. My first five star read of 2020! 

This book combines action, suspense, crime, and humor in a believable and thrilling plot. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next because there is quite a lot to unpack here. 

Copy given in exchange for my honest review from net galley.

Born to be a thief? What else do you choose to do in life when as a child, your mom teaches you to crack safes? When your dad is serving time for his thievery? Michael has learned these lessons well and now his life and the lives of close friends and family members depends on it. He might just succeed, but it is doubtful he would both succeed and come out of this situation alive. After all, everyone knows not to come between drug lords.

A rare coin is at the center of this story and how the decision to take on this theft could be the last theft he ever attempts. A good story worth 4 stars. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A very interesting first novel., with a very unusual protagonist in the genre. A promising new name in the crime thriller genre.

Fans of the crime thriller (as I am) will appreciate my giving this work 4 stars. Nobody gets 5 from me because that's reserved for the next Hemingway. "Safecracker" is not a work of literary merit but it's a damn good, punchy, 
accelerated, somewhat gory tale. If this is Ryan Wick's debut then we have a lot to look forward to from a very capable new author. I have a gut feeling that we are going to hear more of protagonist Michael Maven, burglar extraordinaire, martial arts master and all round maverick. He is, however, a tad chaste in this episode for some reason known only to his creator.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a fast paced and exciting read. The characters are well developed and interesting.  The ending suggests a sequel and I will look forward to reading it. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a review this ARC.

Such a great book!  I am now in love with a thief!  If you are a fan of  Gregg Hurwitz and his Orphan X series then you will love Ryan Wick's new series!

Fast-paced and action-packed, Safecracker is one hell of a suspenseful heist novel!

Beginning with a bang - I mean, that opening line hooks you right in - and it does not stop, or ease up, until the end. And even then, I’ve been left wanting more. Thankfully, I read on the author’s Goodreads profile that he intends it to be a series, because the story cannot end that way.

Safecracker is incredibly visual, full of deviant characters with somewhat of a conscience/moral code that you want to cheer for, and is well-written, albeit a little over-descriptive at times. Most of all, it was fun. So very few non-humour books are fun to read these days. This one is. 

Many thanks to Ryan Wick, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I very much look forward to continuing the series!

Hi Everyone!
I know it’s been such a long time since I’ve written a review. I could blame that on adulting, the weather and eating too much on Thanksgiving but none of that would be true. I wasn’t feeling very inspired lately. Until I received a book from Netgalley that was able to light my fire, pun intended. So let’s get into it!
Synopsis
In this wicked debut, safecracker Michael Maven must pull off the most dangerous theft of his long career—or his friends and family will be killed.
Safecracker Michael Maven’s latest job should be simple: steal a rare coin from a New York apartment. But when the coin’s owner comes home with a beautiful woman, who then murders him, Maven realizes his mission won’t be so easy. And once the woman tries to take the coin for herself, Maven’s forced into action. While he narrowly escapes being killed himself, Maven’s then coerced by the woman’s boss, a sadistic drug lord, into a far more complicated and dangerous job.
If Maven fails to crack the safe of a rival cartel boss in Miami, his friends and family will die. If he succeeds, they still might. Which means he not only has to somehow pull off an impossible heist, but also outwit two crime bosses as well as the woman, his reluctant new partner.
Ryan Wick hits the right combination in Safecracker, unlocking a fast-paced, action-packed, cinematic thriller that fans of the genre won’t want to miss.
My Review
I knew I would love this book the minute I started reading it. Michael Maven doesn’t act ashamed to be a thief. He is blunt, self-aware and does not play games when it comes to knowing his surroundings. Except once where he might become too comfortable in a certain establishment. There’s almost a sense of pride in his occupation of choice. He has a job to do that seems relatively easy given his certain set of skills. However, a strikingly beautiful woman who can fight like she’s in the octagon makes his job a bit harder. 
This is Ryan Wick’s debut novel but it is power-packed from beginning to end.
Safecracker lives up to its description as fast-paced. 
I rate this book 5 out 5 stars.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a past-faced, extremely well written book. It started with a bang in Chapter 1 and just never slowed down. My only regret - that the story didn't continue!!

Michael Maven is a thief, and a very good one. He's a nice guy with an aversion to violence, a moral center, and a host of interesting friends.When he gets his throat cut and almost bleeds out on the floor of his best friend's bar, you might be tempted to sigh - the first two chapters were so good - but you don't, because you already care about the hero if this fast-paced narrative. By the time he realizes that his attacker is the same woman he watched pull off the job he was in the middle of doing and murder the man whose safe he had just cracked, they've both been forced by the cartel boss she works for to be unwilling partners in a heist they'll die if they don't pull off - an d probably be killed if they do. This is one of the fastest, freshest capers I've read in months, and Wick sets up Michael's next adventure nicely in the final paragraph.

The first thing to note is that this book is written in the first person, I usually find it absolutely jarring, as very few authors get it right. Ryan Wick managed it superbly, I didn't even realise that I had been reading first person until I went back to it for the review.

Michael Maven is naturally a safe cracker and thief, one of the best and employed by the elderly Elizabeth, who is also his fence. Michael studiously surveils his marks for days, using various disguises and noting their daily patterns. Raymond is his next target and he is confident in his planning, that is until Raymond comes home early with a beautiful woman, who not only robs him but murders him as well. 

Michael is unfortunately witness to this and Katrina, the vicious contract killer can't take any chances leaving him alive. The only way for Michael to save his life and those of his friends is to take on a job for Katrina's boss, Luis Elverez, a Chigaco mob boss. 

The job is dangerous, Katrina is dangerous and Luis is dangerous, Michael is not sure he will survive any of them.

Many novels featuring crime bosses follow the usual mob tropes and as such I steer clear of them. Safecracker, however, has managed to focus on Michael and his story without the normal mob clichés. The characters were diverse and enjoyable, Katarina being the only one who was slightly stereotyped. All in all though it was a fun, exciting read.

Thank you #Netgalley and #ThomasDunne for the ARC of #Safecracker in exchange for my honest review

Oh my goodness!  Our hero is a safecracker and the novel is written from his viewpoint.  It is remarkably visual, remarkably violent (think Scarface) and remarkably well written.  You are dragged into  Michael’s life at the onset when his throat is slashed while he is sitting in a bar in New York City.  Then you are taken back twelve days to learn why this could have happened .  By this time you are so totally engrossed you are part of this life!  The plot involves a Ukrainian assassin, two Mexican drug cartel lords,  a series of the most cold blooded underlings I have encountered in recent fiction and, of course, Michael’s cohorts.  It takes place in New York, Chicago, Miami and back to New York. This is fast reading and remarkably well done.  Thanks to Net Galley and Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Safecracker by Ryan Wick.  This is a fast paced, slick current  novel.  A modern day crime novel that keeps you engaged till the end.
Mike Maven is a criminal and he is the best.  He never gets caught and he always gets the loot.  He is on a new assignment - the mark a rich man with a rare coin.  Mike is prepared for this heist, but something goes terribly wrong and he meets someone who may be even better than he is at robbery - and "she" works for some scary people who are part of a cartel.  
Mike's life is forever changed because of this robbery gone wrong - and he and his friends are now up against all odds - Mike's life may end and he must do everything possible to make sure he can accomplish a daring heist. He is forced to take part in a daring plot and his would be assassin is now his partner.  How can this end well?  His and his friends life depends on it.

4 stars - very good.  RECOMMEND.

I flew through this story. A thief is running from an assassin, but they both are forced to work for a cartel king...say what!!! Oh and yeah, the FBI is in their trail...just a normal week.

The action is non stop and the planning and execution of this story was fantastic. The details are important and all the characters play an important role. The outcome is always in flux and who is the good guy can be somewhat questionable.  Some scenes are graphic and the violence is shied away from, but that brutality led to the vivid credibility of these scenes, characters and world.

I loved the background information and how the ending left us with the segue into a next book. I hope to see the FBI agent and Katerina both in the next book and Jimmy!  Also I hope we see more of Liz and learn about her connections because they came in clutch for this story!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books for a chance to read this book and share my opinions.

SAFECRACKER is one of the best thriller debuts in years.

Professional burglar Michael Maven is cracking a safe in search of a very rare, very valuable coin, when the homeowner returns unexpectedly, with a woman.  Hiding in the bedroom closet, Michael watches in disbelief as the "date" kills the homeowner, slices off his thumb, and uses the thumb to open his safe and steal the contents, including the coin.

Following this crackerjack opening, Michael is forced to do a job for the Sinaloa cartel, with his family and friends at risk if he doesn't complete the job by his deadline.  But will they let him live after he steals what they want? Michael is not betting on it.

This reader, for one, cannot wait for future installments in this series!

One of my top books this  year.  A book that grabbed me from the first page.  Couldn't put down.   I bragged about this book for days.  It usually takes me forever to read a book on a reader since I am old fashioned and like to see how far I have to go in a book but this book I finished in record speed.   Best part of book is that it proved that a woman can do a man's job and she does it better.

Mike Msecracket extraordinaire, and is always well prepared before he begins a job.  This one should be easy, the very wealthy homeowner is out at a fancy ball, and he has done his homework, so he gets in easy and finds the special safe he knows holds the rare coin he is looking for.  He did not expect to be joined by the homeowner and his female friend. - but he is hopeful they will not stay around long, as he is hiding in the closet. Much to his surprise, the lady surprises the homeowner with a needle to the neck, which knocks him unconscious and proceeds to open the safe and take the bounty, and gives the man on the bed one more shot in the heart, killing him! Michael will not let her escape with his prize and surprises her from behind as she tries to leave. Unfortunately, she is more than a match for him and he is lucky to be left alive after a fierce battle with her. A few weeks later, he is enjoying a baseball game in a local bar when he is suddenly attacked from behind by a knife-wielding predator - who is trying, and almost succeeds, in slitting his throat!. When he wakes in the hospital, the local gendarmes and the FBI both want to talk to him - they know the lady who attacked him, and also know that she will not give up until he is dead since he can identify her as the killer of the wealthy man ! And this is the leading to a never-ending twisting/turning tale as Katarina and her cartel boss try to blackmail Michael. Hard to put this one down! Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy of Safecracker! Look forward to more from this author.

This is, hands down, one of the best debut novels I have ever read.

Matthew Mavin is a thief among thieves.  He dislikes the sloppy-trash-everything type of thieves and sees himself to be above that.  He gets himself into a pinch that, while during a job, he runs into a badass assassin who not only messes up his ability to walk away with a big score, she kills him shortly thereafter.  If you aren't writing a horror book, it takes a lot of guts to kill off your main character in the first few paragraphs of your story.  Ok... the story doesn't end there, so there must be something more to it and there is.  The story does not slow down or skip a beat what-so-ever after that, though.

The storyline is intense and the characters are well-written and engaging.  Short of this small tidbit, it is hard to say too much more without giving away anything.  

If you like [author:Lee Child|5091] or [author:Barry Eisler|603] you should pick this book up.  I will be watching for any other books by Ryan Wick and hoping for the next installment of this series.

Thank you to Ryan Wick, Thomas Dunne Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you usually have a glass of wine while reading, forget that, just get the whole bottle to sit beside you!  This certainly is the story of a crime going bad!  But the thing is, you find yourself really liking the thief!  A very fast paced thriller that you find you can't put down until you are finished reading it.  Even after you are done reading it, you still keep thinking about Michael and the whole ordeal.
This is going to be a series,... can't wait to see what Michael and Katrina are up to next!  What a great debut book... thanks Ryan for a great book.
Netgalley... thanks for the opportunity to letting me read this book!

Wow, this is a great book. I was hooked from the beginning and read it in one session. It's got lots of tension and adrenaline pumping scenes. The tension builds up to the very end. I can't wait until the next book is out.  #Safecracker #NetGalley

The book was dramatic, realistic, and fast-moving with a great ending. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to others

Safecracker was a fun read or me. It was action packed with strong characters and a plot I'm sure has already been sold to a movie studio. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last. The protagonist is a professional safecracker and  thief. His life is turned upside down when a simple safecracking job takes an unexpected turn. He finds himself in a mess of assassins and drug cartels and has to use all his expertise to save himself, his family and friends. The plots, the conniving, the alliances that are formed in this grand performance provide non stop action that is sure to entertain you. My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

This was a quick, fun and well written heist novel. It put me in mind of the Lawrence Block Bernie Rhodenbarr series but if adapted in 2020 by like a Michael Bay or John Woo.

I had assumed there would be more cat and mouse between the two main characters but it’s definitely more traditional thriller that involves revenge and (spoiler) drug cartels. As others said, it’s super, super, super violent in parts. TW: One of those scenes has the threat of rape. 

My only complaint was how underdeveloped and stereotypical two of the marginalized characters were. The lone black kid of course is from the projects with a drug addict mother. His sole purpose is to show what a nice guy the main character is because he occasionally gives the kid money and is friendly to him.

And there’s also the Asian martial arts mentor who gets like half a scene.

Since this is a series, I hope the author really develops these characters in the next book.

This is one of those books where the first line is all it takes to get your attention. A fast paced read, the chapters are short enough that it makes for easy breaks if you are reading on the go. Fair warning that there is a bit of graphic violence described and it gets a little intense. I am really hopeful that this is the first of a series. There is no mention of it being anything other than a stand alone book, but the way it ends and how well the characters are set up in this book, it could easily jump right into a second of a series. I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley, and am so glad that I did. Being a debut novelist, I will certainly keep Ryan Wick on my radar for additional books.

Our hero is a burglar with a heart of gold, whose fence is an impeccable elderly Englishwoman, whose colleague is a hacker extraordinaire, and whose good friend runs the last authentic Irish pub in New York.  These are fine old trappings of the genre and don't hold the story back.  And it's a pretty good story: plenty of action and tension, a plot with lots of twists, and good writing.  A good start to what I assume will be a series.

This is the debut novel for Ryan Wick and I thoroughly enjoyed it.   Michael Maven is a safecracker and thief.  He is minding his own business when someone tries to kill him.  It does on from there.  there is no stop action with Maven getting out seemingly impossible situations.  He is forced to work for an evil cartel.  Bad things happen but Marven does not give up.  He has many friends that help him along with the FBI.  The whole story is fun and adventurous.    I liked the way the author wrote from the point of view of the main character.   They did change the title which did not hurt the story or my enjoyment.

Thanks to Netgalley, MacMillian publishing and Ryan Wick for this ARC . I loved this book ! The characters were great and interesting , every one . The chemistry between main characters was spot on. I loved the mystery and the suspense and the ending. Looks like this might have a follow up or a series  with the main character and maybe the female protagonist ? 😊 Can’t wait for  more of this  authors writing. He’s a new favorite male author of mine. 5 stars !

A quick, high-action book that will keep you reading until the very end.  A safecracking burglar gets called to the big leagues to pull off a large heist against a cartel family?  Of course, I wanted to read it!  Great dialogue, great characters, great locations.  A must read for those who love action.

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of Safecracker. Or Lawbreaker, because that was the title after I downloaded it.

Michael Maven is a safecracker with certain rules. You don't hurt people. You just steal.

When a heist goes completely FUBAR, he is pulled from his little safe world and coerced into a near impossible heist for a drug kingpin.

What could go wrong?

There are serious triggers; violence that makes a Tarantino movie look almost like a Disney movie, but other than the typical movie cliches; a gorgeous Eastern European assassin, the nine lives Maven seems to have that enable him to get out of nearly every dangerous scrape and/or situation, Safecracker is a wild, fun, and immersive read.

You root for Michael Maven, a thief you can't help but like and admire, and every time he is pulled into a near impossible situation, you know he will find some way to get out but how?

I'm glad a sequel is coming because I'd like to know more about Maven, his family, his childhood, and that cliffhanger of an ending.

This would make a great movie.

Wow! What a wild ride! Lee Child, move on over, Reacher's got real competition. I can hardly wait for the next installment. Michael Maven, professional thief who's got magic fingers around a safe, is surprised during a heist when another burglar arrives, in the company of the householder.  Things spin out of control as Maven snuggles in a closet and then tries to apprehend the other thief. Who is also a stone-cold killer.. 
So much happens in this twisted tale, and at so fast a pace, that spoilers are inevitable. But know that the author has endless tricks and turns up his sleeve and no matter the spoilers, you'll still be mesmerized and surprised. And maybe at moments grossed out.
Shortly after losing his grip on the murderer, Maven's throat is cut. Literally. Then he comes to the attention of one of New York's most vicious drug lords. And Maven gets an offer he doesn't dare refuse: burgle the impregnable mansion of another drug lord and bring back a ledger.. Or else everyone he knows, and their extended families, will die very ugly deaths. Drug lords really know how to get one's attention.
The author managed to cram endless the action into this book without overwhelming the story and provides us with a tense, read-all-night story, blood-drenched in spots but still with enough human interaction and emotion in it to keep it from being just another litany of drug violence. Readers of Timothy Hallinan, Harlan Coben, Robert Crais, J. D. Robb and others will gobble this one up. Enjoy!

On and off throughout this book I kept thinking " Bond... James Bond", and then of course the Reacher series came to mind.
This was a fun, fast read, and I have a feeling we'll be hearing the name Ryan Wick on a regular basis after this.

Aside from some confusion over the title (the ARC I recieved wasa titled "Lawbreaker", which I assume will be the published title, although I much prefer Safecracker) I very much enjoyed this rollicking thriller in what I hope is the beginning of a series featuring Maven. Without giving away too much, Maven is an expert thief, especially skilled at breaking into impenetrable safes. Stumbling upon a murder while on a job, he's marked for death by the killer with whom he ends of having to partner when forced to by a particularly vicious gang leader. (A note to the squeamish: the book has some rather detailed descriptions of violence. not for the faint-hearted. Unlike many thriller wannabes, this book is quite well written and moves along briskly.  I look forward to a long series, especially if Katrina makes another appearance.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Note: I received a free advanced reader copy of “ Safecracker” by Ryan Wick through  Net Galley in return for an honest review..
First, though the digital copy I received was billed as an I corrected proof, I noticed no typos, formatting or other errors.
So then, the review:
  “ Safecracker” was an all- out, pedal-to-the metal crime novel.  It is definitely a dark, violent thriller that kept this reader engrossed through to the end
 
The hero is Michael Maven, a thief. Not a petty grifter, but a big- time burglar , who eases his way into   places where there are prize hauls for the taking. Maven’s gets his info from a sixty year old, white haired lady who has deep underworld connections. His own skills and connections help his find out every nuance of the score before he goes in for the kill. But this time he gets a nasty surprise.
  The job which she points Maven toward in the first pages of the book put him in the penthouse of a Wall Street type who has a valuable, medieval coin in his wall safe. The coin’s worth on the shadow market is ranges between $ 800, 000 to a cool million.
  That is why Maven is lurking inside a   penthouse bedroom when the owner  unexpectedly returns. He was supposed to be out for the evening at a society benefit affair, but he is back in the apartment, accompanied by a beautiful woman, whom he soon embraces.
  Maven scuttles into the closet to hide. He has a view of the bed where the unwelcome owner and his guest tumble to the bed and begin to do more than cuddle. But not for long, as the woman slips a hypodermic styrene from her purse and into the victim. Maven is now not just a thief, but a witness— to murder. Things get violently complicated in a hurry.
 The hero finds himself caught in a straight forward bullseye , targeted by a very capable black widow of a woman and nearly killed. The fact that she was hired by ruthless Mexican drug lord to steal the coin, soon places Mike in their crosshairs.
 
That is a brief set -up to what proves to be  tense, exciting story. Once the plot is heated up, Mr. Wick keeps it a high boil throughout. His character, Maven, has an interesting , though shadowy backstory that is revealed as the story goes along. He is a strong, and cunning presence in the book. The same is true of the female assassin, Katerina. A professional thief and a professional killer- sounds like a real love match, No? Well....
As for the drug lord, he is about a bad a bad guy as could be believed, and is believable exactly because he or right from the newspapers of what the cartels are like. 
  I have an affinity for caper novels, and “Safecracker” is  a very good one. Mr. Wick’s work reminds a me a great deal of those of Richard  Stark, a master of the tough crime novel.
I recommend “ Safecracker” without reservation, as long as you accept the warning that it is quite violent at times. A good novel well written, plotted and carried out is all a reader could ask, especially when the epilogue hints broadly at more of Michael Maven.

Safecracker is a thrilling debut novel by Ryan Wick. A fast-paced mystery that is full of twists and turns. Safecracker is an addictive read that is sure to leave you wanting more!

How can you not be intrigued by a book that opens with a man describing his death from having his throat slit while sitting at his favorite bar watching a baseball game? Michael Maven is a professional thief who finds himself embroiled in a situation he might not survive after he witnesses a murder during the planned theft of a rare coin goes horribly wrong. He’s forced to do a job for a drug cartel leader or his friends and family will die. To make things even more complicated, he has to do this job with the assassin who has already tried to kill him twice. 

This is a fast paced, action packed thriller that would be perfect for the movie screen. Ryan Wick has written a very good debut. He’s created characters that we hope to know more about since it seems as though Michael’s adventures are not over. 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Seriously, when I was reading this, I could already see the scenes in the blockbuster movie of the summer!   Oh how I loved. Michael Maven, my new Superman anti-hero and how many more high jinks  I want him to complete.  Michael is an accomplished thief and safecracker who accepts a simple assignment.  Cue super assassins, bad ass women, drug cartels, and worse men than Janes Bond ever knew.  Loved, loved it.

Great action thriller! Michael, our main character, is a thief by profession but also manages to be honest and ethical in lots of other ways. I really enjoyed getting to know his quirks - although he has the typical hard exterior, his level of intelligence and thought processes reminded me of an Ocean’s Eleven type escapade.

I recommend this fast paced novel and look forward to (hopefully!) reading a sequel!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a debut novel for the author. I found it to be engaging and wirtten in a style that is fast paced making it a quick read (read in less than two days). Some parts of the book contain graphic violence across the spectrum so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. I personally will be looking for future books by this author.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

Great action thriller. I was hooked from the first page to the last. I devoured this in a matter of hours. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down.

Matthew Mavin is a thief among thieves. He dislikes the sloppy-trash-everything type of thieves and sees himself to be above that. He gets himself into a pinch that, while during a job, he runs into a badass assassin who not only messes up his ability to walk away with a big score, she kills him shortly thereafter. If you aren't writing a horror book, it takes a lot of guts to kill off your main character in the first few paragraphs of your story. Ok... the story doesn't end there, so there must be something more to it and there is. The story does not slow down or skip a beat what-so-ever after that, though.

Wick spins a riveting and cinematic action packed narrative, aided by skillful characterization of Michael and the multitude of colorful characters that are involved in the planning and execution of the ultimate heist. Flowing effortlessly is the necessary and appropriate gruesome details.. There is no way anyone can avoid reading faster, as the tension and action is mercilessly ratcheted up to near exhaustion.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

The target of Michael Maven’s carefully-planned heist is a 1343 Edward III florin. But his plans go awry and he loses the coin. Then the lady responsible for derailing his attempt to steal the coin slashes his throat. You’d think things couldn’t get any worse than that. 

You’d be wrong.

Things rapidly deteriorate when Luis Alvarez, the sadistic leader of a drug cartel, insists that Michael retrieve something from a rival cartel leader . . . or his family and friends will pay the ultimate price. How will Michael pull this off? And if he does, will he still face certain death at Alvarez’s hand?

Michael Maven, thief extraordinaire, keeps himself out of jail by being careful . . . and by being thoroughly prepared. He doesn’t champion unnecessary violence and he lives ethically [thefts not considered]. He’s charming and readers are sure to find themselves rooting for him to succeed, especially in light of some of the gritty, gory violence dished out by the opposition.

The fast pace of the narrative makes this intriguing tale a quick read. It’s entertaining; it pulls the plotlines together, and ends with a doozy of a cliffhanger. The well-developed characters are realistic; their behaviors believable.

There’s non-stop action, turmoil, heart-stopping plot twists, and a truly sinister [evil] adversary. There are a few surprises along the way, the turmoil never lets up, and the reader will find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page. They’re sure to find themselves rooting for the good guys in this intriguing thriller. 
 
Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley 
#Safecracker #NetGalley

When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is closed and you are in #COVID19 #socialisolation,  superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. (I have played a "zillion games" of scrabble, done a "zillion crosswords" and I AM BORED!!!)

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

In this wicked debut, safecracker Michael Maven must pull off the most dangerous theft of his long career—or his friends and family will be killed.

Safecracker Michael Maven's latest job should be simple: steal a rare coin from a New York apartment. Except the coin's owner comes home with a beautiful woman, who murders him, nearly murders Maven, and takes the coin herself, and then Maven's life gets really complicated: the woman's boss, a sadistic drug lord, forces him to take on a far more dangerous job.

If Maven fails to crack the safe of a rival cartel boss in Miami, his friends and family will die. If he succeeds, he might. Which means he not only has to somehow pull off an impossible heist, but also outwit two crime bosses as well as his reluctant new partner – the woman who started it all.

okay - the descriptor confused me ...here is how I would reword it because in its original form it read that she murdered Maven and then murdered him again.  (But maybe that is just me and my supersonic reading ability.........)
"However, the coin's owner is murdered by the beautiful women that he came home with who then nearly murders Maven before she takes the coin herself. Maven's life gets really complicated: the woman's boss, a sadistic drug lord, forces him to take on a far more dangerous job."

The rest of the book read normally for me (as normal as anything involved with my mindset can be), and I enjoyed the story immensely- it was well written and enjoyable from page one to end. I think that my husband would like it more than I did as he loved "Scarface"  has any woman actually seen Scarface?? (and what movie/TV show is that line from??)

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I love emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

A fast-paced thriller that seems perfectly crafted for a television series.  The author shows great skill in revealing his protagonist’s strengths and weaknesses.  A talented writer- I look forward to reading more by Ryan Wick.

Safecracker narrates the story of a uptown thief who is adept in opening locks and make way with valuables for customers. In one such assignment, he encounters a murder which was something which was not his plan and asked for. He keeps quiet about it but soon people come in search of him, something they did not find during the murder and that they believe is in the possession of the thief. What is that prized possession and what is at stake? Read the novel to know more!!!

Safecracker come in that genre of books which keeps you hooked till the last page. It keeps you guessing till the end about what is next, and most of the times the guess will be wrong. The book has all the elements right for keep one at the edge of the seat and qualifies for an entertaining read if one is interested in thriller mysteries.
 
Single Line review: A fast paced thriller novel

If you love mobsters and gangs along with some underworld and shady people this book is definitely for you. A little to gory at times and maybe a little more detail than I cared to know but I suppose that's the way those people operate. Mike Maven is a thief but you almost feel sorry for him as he gets entangled with a hired killer and a drug lord. Great deal of detail into the characters ' safe cracking and break in procedures that gets a little mundane at times. Overall a good read, slow start but pace increases as events unfold. Enjoy. 
I received this book as a complimentary copy. I was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

Get in, get the coin, get out. 

Michael Maven is a thief, and he's very good at his job but things go sideways when his mark comes home early and ends up dead! Michael finds his life is in danger and now, to save his life he finds himself working for a ruthless drug lord. Can he save himself and those he loves?

Danny Ocean meets El Chapo in this fast paced novel which keeps you wanting more. 

I must say this isn't normally something I would have picked to read but man I'm glad I did!  Fast paced and entertaining!

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Ryan Wick for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

St. Martin’s Press reached out to me to read and review this title, and I’m sure glad they did! This is not something that I would pick up on my own. What an intense, action packed read! This was fast paced, but also paced perfectly for the novel. This was brimming with action and excitement, and the narrator was amazing to follow along with. Even though Maven is a criminal, you’re going to end up finding yourself rooting for him. A beautiful incarnation of an antihero. Super smart and unforgettable, I’m so glad I got the chance to read this. 

Thank you to those named above for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this novel!

Great first book. Neat story of how a supposed “bad” guy gets caught up in doing something right. I rated the book highly on Goodreads and  hope to see another coming in the future.

Propulsive from start to finish, reading this book was as good as watching a quality action film complete with fights scenes and witty repartee.

A sophisticated and charming burglar finds himself witnessing a murder after ducking out of sight while on a job. And it’s downhill from there…we have crazed assassins, psychopathic drug lords and assorted criminal geniuses.
The pace is savage, the action gritty, the crime masterful and the characters vividly drawn.  Both the good guys and the bad guys.

Reads with action this cinematic, elaborate and meticulous are few and far between and I highly recommend the pure escapism if offers. Think John Wick meets Jack Bauer, with John Krasinski starring in the movie version.

I received Safecracker as an ARC for an honest review.  This was a bloody action packed novel about a thief that is an expert at cracking safes.  Michael Maven was raised by thief’s and to receive a gift had to crack a safe to get the money for the gift.  This started when he was 10 years old. Michael’s father has been in prison for thievery for the past 14 years of a 15 year sentence. 
Michael is almost caught while trying to steal a rare coin by another thief and leads to involvement with a Mexican cartel boss and gets him involved between two Mexican cartel bosses when Michael is “requested” to steal a ledger.
This Safecracker is a page turner.  Very bloody and graphic descriptions so be prepared.
#Safecracker #netgalley #goodreads #thomasdunnebooks

I really enjoyed Safecracker it actually reminded me of Bad Behavior by Blake Crouch. Basic premise thief breaks into an apartment to steal a rare coin. Easy peasy for a thief, unfortunately, people come in the middle of the robbery and that is when things start to get crazy. A murder is committed and now our intrepid thief has to untangle himself from an increasingly dangerous situation that has escalated. Add in a drug cartel and things get wild. I kept flipping the pages to get to the end. I can't say much more because of spoilers. Definitely pick it up for a summer read.

Thank you St. Martins Press for this gifted e-arc

Synopsis: A story about a professional thief, a safecracker, Michael Maven. He was paid to steal a scarce coin but witnessed a murder inside the owner’s home before he can even leave the place. And get this, the woman who committed the killings works for a vicious drug lord who threatened Michael to crack the safe of his rival boss, or Michael's family and friends will die. So Michael needs to play his cards right on the most dangerous heist and outwit the two crime bosses.

I like that Michael's background was told in this story rather than just say he is a thief. He came from a family of thieves who specializes in safe cracking. I may not approve of his profession because he is still a criminal, but the story made me love him. A bad boy who has a heart and values people that is dear to him. It was not difficult to love his character.

This is 100% hair-raising, mind-blowing, and action-packed story. From start to finish, it is filled with brutality, carnage, excitement, and sarcasm. Each character is likable; some you’ll like to hang-out with and some you’ll want to eliminate in this world yourself. It is fast-paced and a real page-turner. I love it!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Is the safecracker a good guy or a bad guy?

Michael Maven is an expert safecracker. He studies his next target meticulously to ensure success. He knows the insides of locks and safes and is a martial arts expert. Nothing stops him from pursuing the family business...until...

Now the FBI has requested his services to help bring down a drug lord.

How will it end? On what side of the "fence" will he ultimately choose to continue his craft?

This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to others by Ryan Wick.

I really enjoyed this book! Non-stop action for a thief who ends up involved with drug cartels...reluctantly. Michael is on top of his game, no matter what the game is. A thoroughly entertaining tale.

Safecracker was fast-paced and packed with action, non-stop. The main character is a thief, but he's a criminal with a moral code. It was interesting to see where he drew the line personally and in terms of society (he expects more from society than he is actually giving). The details about how he breaks into safes are very well researched and are described in a way that shows an interesting professional side to this hero-thief. This would make for a good travel paperback, or an audiobook for the car, minding that it does have some gory descriptions.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matthew Mavin is a thief among thieves. He dislikes the sloppy-trash-everything type of thieves and sees himself to be above that. He gets himself into a pinch that, while during a job, he runs into a badass assassin who not only messes up his ability to walk away with a big score, she kills him shortly thereafter. If you aren't writing a horror book, it takes a lot of guts to kill off your main character in the first few paragraphs of your story. Ok... the story doesn't end there, so there must be something more to it and there is. The story does not slow down or skip a beat what-so-ever after that, though.
Wick spins a riveting and cinematic action packed narrative, aided by skillful characterization of Michael and the multitude of colorful characters that are involved in the planning and execution of the ultimate heist. Flowing effortlessly is the necessary and appropriate gruesome details.. There is no way anyone can avoid reading faster, as the tension and action is mercilessly ratcheted up to near exhaustion.

“Safecracker” by Ryan Wick
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
Thanks to St. Martin’s press for sending me a copy of this book through Netgalley! I enjoyed every minute of it. I read this in two days and didn’t want to put it down. It was full of action, suspense, and thrill. A few parts my heart was beating fast and I was holding my breath. 

“I had my throat slit in the back corner of Alistair’s Pub. At exactly 9:00 p.m. Which was equal parts infuriating and unfortunate.” 
This is the first line of the book. I was already sucked in. Am I reading a book from a dead guy or did he somehow survive?

Michael Maven is world-claw thief. When he gets a job to steal a rare coin that is worth almost a million dollars he doesn’t think anything is out of the ordinary. The victim has a predictable schedule and he should be able to get in and out undetected. While he was attempting the robbery the homeowner comes home from a gala early with a beautiful woman. Michael hides and expects the love birds to have sex and then leave. What he doesn’t expect is for the beautiful woman to kill the homeowner and take the coin for herself. Michael can’t let her get away, so he confronts her. Next thing he knows he gets his butt kicked and is left in the apartment with a dead man. He thinks it’s over until he gets his throat slit in his best friends bar. 
When the biggest cartel crime boss summons him to steal back a ledger that was once his brothers he realizes he has no choice. If he turns down “the pig” he will be murdered along with his friends and family. The problem is the crime boss might still kill him if he can pull off the heist. He has to figure out how to pull off the biggest heist of his life and stay alive. 
The book ended on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read what’s next.

I really hope this becomes a series and it is as twisty, thrilling and engaging as James Patterson's Alex Cross series that I read regularly. This book starts with a bang and doesn't let up at all. So many twists and turns but the writing is in a light style unlike so many other thrillers that are dreary. Love the main character of Michael Maven, a professional thief wanting a better life; yes please!

For a debut novel. this was a hit and again, hope Wick makes this a series because I will read them all. This is a must read thriller for sure! I highly recommend this, plus it has a dog, who is a constant throughout the book. 

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.  WOAH!!!!! What a book!! Talk about keeping you on the edge of your seat desparate to find out what happens next this is your book!! Read this book it is AMAZINGGG!!

Really great crime thriller. Many layers of families, trust and of course the roll they play in the life of the cartel.  Book was very well done with great characters that were so easy to identify with. Very intense!  So many dark twists and turns.  Highly recommend. 
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

First I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc In Return for an honest review.  What a plot, I have to say it had me gripped from the start, it had all the different types of betrayal all rolled into one book.. I though the characters were all well developed, and the different storylines were very original.  I throughly enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed this book, it was full of action and intrigue. It is about safecracker Michael Maven, a character that had me intrigued throughout the entire book. Micahel had a "simple" job, robbing a unique coin from an apartment located in New York. But it is not that easy because the coin owner arrives with a gorgeous young woman. The woman murders him and tries to take the coin herself. Michael remains hidden until the woman leaves the apartment. But later, he is threatened by her boss, a cruel drug lord, to do an extremely dangerous task. If Michael wants to keep his life, he will have to complete this task. I liked the personality of Michael because he's so brave, and clever. This is a book I read in one sitting, chapter after chapter I wanted to know more, the story has interesting plot twists that make it great.  I thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great debut novel and first in series book. It had a lot of action and was well written and well paced. I like the Michael Maven character and look forward to reading further exploits in future installments. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC to read and review.

I read the first line of the book, I sort of cringed and thought this is not for me....how wrong was I.
After the first few pages it pulled me in and I was intrigued with what happened next, I warmed to Michael and even questioned a few times how he was going to get out of the predicament he had gotten himself into, at one point I did wonder if his own dad had anything to do with the situation he had gotten in, it make me question and guess a whole lot of thing but I was wrong.
It was a great book, really well written and kep me gripped and guessing to the very end. It’s the first book I have read from this author and can guarantee it will not be the last, I look forward to reading more in the future.

What a great debut novel!  I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy from NetGalley (in exchange for a fair review).  This book is action packed right from the beginning.  It kept me interested, and I could not wait to get back to it.  Wick's writing is wonderful, and the story and characters were well-developed.  I can't wait to see what Wick comes up with next.  He certainly should be on everyone's "ones to watch list".

If you like Oceans 11 movies and Jack Reacher books, then 'Safecracker' is for you!!

Thanks to St.Martins Press for the invite to read!

Michael has a particular talent and love for breaking into safes. So much so, that he becomes entangled with an assassin on one of his jobs attempting to steal a rare coin. Unfortunately for Michael, her boss is a powerful cartel lord who now wants Michael to steal a ledger from the safe of a rival cartel lord. It will be the heist of his life......but it could cost him his life if he fails😯

4⭐- To be honest I wasn't expecting much from this book as I love heist movies and didn't think this could live up to my expectations. I was very wrong, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced and written very well! I look forward to more of Michael Maven's adventures in thievery from the author!

I really enjoyed this book!  The exclamation point is for surprise, as well as enthusiasm.  This is not at all the type of book I would choose to read generally and I was pleasantly surprised to find it extremely literate as well as entertaining.  I am not a fan of Elmore Leonard or the "good-hearted criminal caper".  Some would include this title in that category, but I think it would be unfair to sell it short by doing so.  There is a very wry sense of humor underlying the story, but it adds a subtle flavor to the narrative rather than overwhelming it.  There is some seriously unpleasant violence, and lots of well thought out plot twists that kept me turning the pages.  The characters were well-drawn and completely three dimensional, but at the same time believably larger than life.  Most of all this book is well-written. Extremely well-written.  In the current environment of sloppy writing and shrinking editorial budgets, it is an unexpected pleasure to read a book without wincing occasionally.  I will definitely read more of Mr Wick's work.

New Yorker Michael Maven is an exceptional thief.  His boss is Elizabeth Rose an older woman that hires him for a job that seems straightforward.  Michael is to rob a rare ancient coin From a man who recently purchased it.  Michael scopes out his place and finds the safe in his bedroom wall.  Michael sees he must get a copy of his thumbprint.  When Michael goes back to his place he is surprised that the guy is back with a woman.  A woman who ends up killing the guy and robs the safe taking the coin.  What will Michael do?  Due to his expertise, the FBI wants Michael to help with a drug cartel who has lost his twin.  Will he be able to help them?  He gets kidnapped for that same drug cartel boss to get his ledger (that is in the hands of another drug cartel boss)..  He threatens Michael that he will kill his family unless he gets the ledger.  Michael agrees to do it.  When he sees the security that this other drug cartel boss has, he worries that he can’t get it done in the time limit given.  Will he succeed?  

I loved that Michael was okay with being who he is and does not play games with anyone.  The novel is a thrilling read.  It grabbed me and held my attention to the very end.  It is complete with unexpected twists and turns.  The author is an incredible storyteller.  It is a powerful thriller.

This was a different kind of thriller from what I usually read, but I really enjoyed the fast paced action in this book. It really felt like a high stakes movie!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I was actually approached BY someone at the publishing company telling me that since I liked a certain book before, she thought I would really enjoy this one. I agreed to give it a shot but it was one I had bypassed many times when I saw it on the site. I am just not usually into thrillers because I love books that leave me laughing or crying the most...I want to FEEL something. I guess I should listen to people more often when they tell me they think I might like a certain book because she definitely got me on this one. Safecracker had me hooked from the very first sentence, actually. The action starts right away and continues throughout the entire book. It was a fast paced and easy to read book that I did not want to put down. I can always tell when I am really enjoying a book because it goes so fast. This one only took a couple of days and now I am really hoping they come up with a sequel. Because there could for sure be a franchise opportunity here. I would defintely read any future book from this author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Safecrackers by Ryan Wick is a gorgeous novel really, one of my favorites this year! I was instantly hooked. I hope it's going to be the first in a series.

Micheal is a thief and an expert safecracker. His latest job is to steal a rare coin, worth millions, from a banker. Thorough as his usual self, Micheal went through every detail, before going in: his mark was going to be at a party for the night, so he will have all the time he needs to take his prize. Once there, everything went to plan, until he heard someone actually opening the door to the banker's apartment! he hid in a closet while the intruders turned out to be the banker and what looked like his date for the night. the couple started making out until the athletic-looking woman smashed a hypodermic needle into his neck. she then proceeded, without any hesitation to take the coin. (there is a big scene here I'm not going to divulge it  because it's super epi! just read the thing and you'll know.) From there, everything in Micheal's life went south, leading him to be forced to do the ultimate burglary. 

Ryan wick highly benefited from his background as an award-winning screenwriter. He succeeded in crafting a brilliant plotline, with a fast-paced narration that is easy to follow and to be hooked. I felt like I was watching a movie (I hope there will be a movie adaptation). The first chapter was so intense there was no way I would have stopped reading. I've finished the whole thing in one day.
"I had my throat slit in the back corner of Alistair's Pub. at exactly 9 pm. which was equal parts infuriating and unfortunate"
 Micheal is such a fun and ingenious character. Despite the fact that he's an actual thief, he's got a wonderful sense of humor and an honorable personality, which makes him a loveable persona. I was fully in love with the narrative from his angle. Besides Micheal, there is a wonderful set of supporting characters. 

NetGalley and  St. Martin's Press for supplying my ARC. Safecracker is published on August 11th.

I received this free from Netgalley for honest Review. 

4.5 stars ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐💫

This is the first time reading from this author.

I really could say that this was great one. I love everything about this book. The words was just like yes give me more. I love the cover even more. Like OMG! 
Love never ending.
What a great read! This had me hooked from the beginning. The sitting, theme, and the Characters had me pulled so in. Everything was well put together and it was just perfect. This novel did just that to me. 
Highly recommend everybody get this book and read it. Its so good!
#netgalley #safecracker

Michael Mavin is not the type of character I would usually find enjoyable. He is a thief, a safecracker, and that would typically be enough for me to write him off as a “bad guy”. But in this case, not only is he the main character, but he also happens to be a thief with a moral code. Go figure! I had only read a few chapters when I stopped thinking about his dubious chosen profession and found that I wanted to know more about what made him tick.
Michael accepts a job to steal a rare coin, never guessing how badly this will end. The owner returns home early with a woman, and while Michael can hide, he is amazed at what happens next. The woman kills Michael's mark, empties his safe, and is poised to getaway. This senseless murder does not sit well with Michael, and he attempts to stop the woman, who manages to beat him badly. Michael is in way over his head as he now has to pull off a dangerous job for this woman's boss. No good deed goes unpunished, perhaps he should have stayed hidden!
Yep, things go from bad to worse for Michael. I found the story fast-paced with many I didn't see those coming moments. I confess this was one bad guy that I wound up liking. I have no idea if this is a standalone or the beginning of a series, but I would follow Michael on more adventures.

Safecracker skillfully contains all the elements of hip heist story: a daring burglary; life-and-death situations; a femme fatale; high-class locations; a British handler; a friendly bar. You name it, author Ryan Wick has it in place all set to a swinging Dean Martin score.

Wick has the genre’s tropes blended down into a delicious cocktail. The locations are alive and electric. His words are relay race quick. Best of all? He has a cool story making Safecracker a fast, fun read.

Why then is master thief Michael Maven a boring character?

Michael Maven might be among the best of what he does. He is a high-class thief who ensures no one, except the insurance companies, gets hurt. While attempting to pick off an ultra-rare coin he gets bogarted by a kick-ass karate babe who kills his mark and then has Michael set up by a Mexican Cartel. No longer a thief-for-hire, Michael must now break into a rival Cartel’s safe in order to win his life back. And Wick lays on the stress as nothing is easy. From the alleyways of New York to the palatial estates of Miami, Safecracker has all the makings of a Jerry Bruckheimer action flick.

Maven, however, is as watery as a Coors Light. He’s like that high school friend who had all those lofty plans: own a movie theater, sip blended Scotch, pick locks, learn martial arts. He yearns to be Chris Pratt but is stuck being Taylor Kitsch or Robbie Amell and remains as tame as junior prom date at a Christian academy. Wick never gets into why Maven steals, other than a few hints at it being the “family business.” Maven has no vices. He’s not a gambler or alkie or misogynist or matchstick man or pet lover or – heaven forbid – a Vegan! He’s a Cardinals fan of all things! He is devoid of anything that would brand him a … scoundrel. Isn’t that what all good thieves and gamblers and hustlers tend to be? Scoundrels? Not Maven. The dude is a walking fan-fiction creation. Mister perfection. Zero personality.

Wick balances an ample amount of set-up and exhibition. Of practice and trade. The fun part of heist stories is counterbalancing the planning with the actual deed. Wick doesn’t disappoint. Yes, Maven might express his doubts but his Mister Nice-Guy routine eventually gets everyone on his team, including the women in his life, be they the kick-ass killer or silent FBI type.

During his next heist, Maven needs to score up a smoking habit. And switch allegiances to a team no one follows. Like the Mets.

Safecracker is a fun heist tale told well. Look for the movie soon on Netflix. Probably helmed by Taylor Kitsch. Or Robbie Amell.



Thanks to Ryan Wick, NetGalley, and Thomas Dunne Books for the steal of a read.

synopsis: Safecracker Michael Maven's latest job should be simple: steal a rare coin from a New York apartment. Then the coin's owner comes home with a beautiful woman. So he hides. Then she murders him. So he hides a bit better. Then she tries to take the coin herself, which is the last straw. While Maven narrowly escapes being killed himself, he's then coerced by her boss, a sadistic drug lord, into a far more complicated, far more dangerous job.

this was a great thriller that had me on my toes and flipping through these pages not fast enough.

I received a copy of SAFECRACKER on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

FIVE stars and here’s why:

TOTAL BOOK HANGOVER. Ryan Wick does not disappoint! From page one to the last, the reader was on a rollercoaster with plot twists and turns and never stopped until the end. I stayed up reading it in one night. If you love suspense stories with a thriller plot twist, excellent writing, and characters that linger long after you finish reading the book, then this one is for you. Highly recommend!

Michael Maven can pass as your average people-watcher, sipping a drink, blurring into any background. 

Except he is not. If Michael is watching—someone is going to be relieved of something valuable, big-ticket, and possibly even rare. Professional thief Michael carefully observes his marks. He studies their routines, knows their schedules, monitors their comings and goings. 

Out on a job to secure a rare coin, Michael’s score is intruded on when his target returns home early, inebriated, and in the company of a stunning beauty—an assassin trained to kill. Michael loses the rare coin, but he gets away with his life.

Michael is soon swept away in a dangerous pursuit when a cut-throat cartel leader, partners him up with the gorgeous assassin Katarina, to steal an important notebook from the clutches of his rival cartel. 

Reading Safecracker is like watching a blockbuster film at the cinema. Every page a cinematic scene chockfull of technicolor action.

Safecracker buzzes with explosive action and electrifying thrills. It is fast-flying, riding shotgun. A firecracker debut-novel. 

I can’t express how much I hope Ryan Wick can get Michael into a series. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Thomas Dunne Books for Ryan Wick’s read of, Safecracker.

Opinions expressed are my own.