Slashtag — Book 4 of the Max Larkin Detective Series
Inside the pages of Slashtag
This story picks up just where the last adventure left off. Max's life and career are on a tremendous upswing. He's just solved yet another challenging case, this one bringing both local acclaim and national media attention to him and his best friend/partner, Jesse.
Newfound fame and a job offer with the FBI would be more than enough to keep many gumshoes occupied, but Max finds himself catapulted into a new case almost immediately when, on live TV, an anonymous killer murders an old flame of his, threatening more to come if Max can't find and stop him.
What's more, the killer holds the entire town hostage, using expertly planted bombs and cameras to force Max to play his twisted game, all while charging strangers for the privilege of watching it unfold on a live webcast. The killer's sick humor and gamesmanship aren't particularly novel, but as signs begin pointing toward someone connected to Max's past, the story takes on new depth, peering into the life of the boy who would become a hero.
It's during these glimpses that the book is at its most complex, revealing sordid details lurking behind small-town living and Max's personal history. New readers will certainly want to pick up previous installments, but this volume has enough of the breakneck pace and grisly murders—hallmarks of the series—to make it a gripping read even for the uninitiated.
"A dark, bracing volume in a series that's making it a habit."
What readers are saying
"Todd m. Thiede builds tension like a master conductor — every page tightens the screw until you simply cannot put the book down."
"Cinematic, propulsive, character-rich. The kind of thriller that begs to be adapted for a prestige TV series."
"Thiede has a gift for ordinary people in extraordinary peril. A breakneck read with a heart you don't see coming."
"I wrote Slashtag the way I'd want to read it — fast, dark, and honest about what people are willing to do when no one is watching."
