The first novel in the gripping Tim Rackley series from the internationally bestselling author, Gregg Hurwitz and author of one of my favourite action series, Orphan X, The Nowhere Man/Evan Smoak.

Tim Rackley is a dangerous man of honor, a deputy U.S. marshal who is very good at his job -- until everything he believes in is shattered by the brutal murder of his own daughter.

Betrayed by an imperfect judicial system, Rackley watches helplessly as the killer walks free on a legal technicality. Devastated, furious, and burning with a righteous need for vengeance, he is suddenly forced to explore his own deadly options -- a quest that leads him into a shadowy no-man's-land between justice and the law... and into the welcoming fold of "the Commission." A vigilante group made up of people him -- relentless streetwise operators who have each lost a loved one to violent crime -- the Commission confronts the failings of a system that sets predators loose to hunt again, cleaning up society's "mistakes" covertly, efficiently, and permanently.

But as he is dragged deeper into a deadly morass of hidden agendas and murderous justice, Tim Rackley discovers that playing God is an excruciating and fearsome task. When his new secret life starts coming unwound at an alarming speed, he is suddenly caught in the most terrifying struggle he has ever faced -- a desperate battle to save his marriage, his career, his life, his soul... and everything left that's worth fighting for.

The action and technology devices keep this fast paced thriller moving along, interesting characters including Bear, a good friend, lots of very nasty characters.

An impressive start to this series, maybe a little too long, but I understand an introduction to a new character and introductions to many rather nasty villains.

I do have number two and three in the series ready to start, although I personally prefer the Orphan Man series

But a great author and 4 stars

23 s1 comment Cynthia609 34

SPOILER ALERT:

Aspects of this story that I did not : 1) What parent allows their 7 year-old to walk home from school alone? 2) The plot regarding how their daughter was targeted was SO WEAK, as to be laughable! The Commission took around a year to set-up the deputy so he would work for them--that is too incredible! The Commission could not find SOMEONE else in all that time span?

The author just wanted to write an action story but started with a very weak backstory.10 s Terence M - [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!]570 299

A very poor quality recording and I didn't much the story line/plot, or the narrative!
Quite an unsatisfactory choice, but I have Tim Rackley 2 and 3 in my library, so I might give a chance to number 2.

Edit: 03 May 2020
I have obtained a replacement recording which "sounds" ok, so I will listen to this and see how much it improves my previous listen, if at all!a-an-all-audio-other a-an-audio-edition a-dnf-will-try-again10 s Glen5,402 63

Magnum Force redux, as a Marshal watches the murderer of his child walk free on a technicality. He joins The Commission, a vigilante group formed by similarly frustrated cops. They kill off some crooks, but as usual, turn out to the bigger threat.

Predictable, but not boring.men-s-adventure9 s Hazel Bright1,141 31

An interesting take on vigilante justice, written from the perspective of a father whose daughter is killed. As always with Hurwitz, there is plenty of nuance and intrigue, and a host of well-formed characters to bring the story to life. 8 s ChopinFC275 83

2 1/2 Stars (Hot Mess)

God this book was really awful. I mean I really love the author Hurwitz, and his recent 'Orphan X' series, but this book was just so bad! Granted, it's one of his earlier works, but there's almost a disconnect- as to how does the same author write an amazing series 'Orphan', and this abomination?? The protagonist is a joke, the action when present a jumbled mess, and the premise of the book is not even worth writing about. We all get 'passes' in our lives. Hurwitz, consider 'Kill Clause' my pass to you.audiobooks thriller6 s Mike813 9

We find at the outset that a child has been abducted and murdered. Looking at this from the parent's perspective was positively unsettling. There were many moments that I would re-read a passage because of the turn of the phrase. My 2nd Hurwitz novel, and I look forward to more.7 s Josen314 11

Tim Rackley was a US Marshall who had a good life with his wife and daughter until his daughter was found brutally raped and murdered. Because of a technicality the killer goes free. When this happens a group of six people called the Commission, solicit his help in joining their cause against criminals who were not rightly punished by the law.

As usual, Hurwitz keeps this story interesting with nonstop thrills. I have become a huge fan of Hurwitz and his books because of this and I'll definitely read on with this series. 2016-library6 s John507 18

Every page turned was a new level of excitement. 4 s Abibliofob1,262 80

I've had this on my tbr for some time and now it's time to read the Tim Rackley series. Starting with The Kill Clause by favorite author Gregg Hurwitz. What would you do if your child is murdered and the murderer goes free due to some technicality? This is a really good book, well written and with a great story. The characters are superb and I will go to book two directly, because I want to know what will happen with Tim and Dray, and Bear of course. I can see where the seed to Orphan X comes from but this is more down to earth. If you me has missed this series I recommend that you get started. It is really good.3 s Jan1,880 93

Tim Rackley is a deputy U. S. Marshal and is married to a cop, Dray. Their 7 year old daughter is raped and murdered and the offender walks due to a technicality. Rackley is approached by a high tech vigilante group who seek to dispose of those criminals who "walked" because of system failure. Tense and fast moving, the story of real human beings negotiating the gray areas of the world, redemption is at it's core. favorites horror mystery ...more3 s Marietta Sanders510 6

Gregg Hurwitz is one of my favorite authorsÂ… he rarely disappoints me. Really d Tim Rackley Character - but didn't realize this audio was abridgedÂ…. I do have to mention, Narrator - Peter Friedman - did an awesome job!audio3 s Susanna429 1 follower

Orphan X hero but just a really well trained cop. With a conscience. Even when his own daughter gets brutally murdered. I felt the hero moved beyond his grief too quickly to be believable. Nice secondary characters who unfortunately were mostly killed off. Evan Smoak, light. 3 s Beth78 3

I think this is my new favorite book for the year....only took me until August to find one!

The book opens with "Rack" and his wife Dray, who are both in law enforcement, finding out that their 7-year-old daughter has been found murdered. Her killer was rushed through a trial, and even though he confessed, he gets off because he is found to be deaf to the point that he has to read lips.....when they merandized him, his back was turned to the officer, and so the whole case was thrown out of court.

Rack tries to go back to work, but things start falling apart around him. His boss wants him to claim he has anger issues just to smooth over a bust gone wrong, so Rack quits the force. He and Dray can't seem to grieve the same and lose each other. In the midst of all the mess, he gets propositioned by a man (Dumone) who says that he and his vigilante group has been looking for a trigger-man. This man and his group has picked seven criminal trials that ended with the criminal getting aquitted. The group will go over every inch of the trial and re-judge each case within the group. It has to be a unanimous vote to rule guilty. If they find the person guilty, Rack and a few members of the team will carry out the execution. Justice served.

Rack struggles with the whole concept for a while until he is told that the seventh case they will be reviewing is the man who murdered his daughter.

This is a well-planned and thought-out story. There are twists and turns, and it had me second-guessing what the ending would be. Looking forward to the second book in the series.4 s Peter809 9

I have heard good things about Gregg Hurwitz and his style as a thriller writer and this book, in the process apparently of being turned into a movie, seemed a good place to start. It's not bad...lots of techno-porn with an advisory at the end about how he has changed certain details in the interest of public safety...lots of brave heroes and oddly differentiated bad guys...a tolerable level of violence and at least the hero doesn't seem invulnerable...it is the story of a deputy Marshall gone rogue, or perhaps not, in a system where the good guys need to play by the rules 100% of the time and the bad guys literally get away with murder...vigilante revenge stories do remain forever popular...Hurwitz can spin a tale and weave a plot...fiction philosophy thriller ...more3 s Katy142 2

This is the first book in a series featuring Tim Rackley, a Deputy US Marshall. His wife is a sheriff's deputy. This book opens with the discovery of their 7 year old daughter's body. The book is primarily an action/suspense story, and Hurwitz keeps the pages turning very well. I was impressed by the job he did with the deeper story; the marriage, friendships, jobs...His writing is terrific.

I've recently re-read a few books in the series, and they hold up well against authors Michael Connelly and Lee Child. I'm going to seek out more of his work. 4 s Lee844 38

US Marshall Tim Rackley is one, efficient, clever, resourceful fighting machine...when he needs to be. After he and Dray his wife ( a sheriff) find out their young daughter is murdered, the rest of the story at times has some gut-wrenching moments. Their own thoughts and their battle to get through it together, and try to save their marriage.
The action and technology devices keep this fast paced thriller moving along. An impressive start to this series.tim-rackley4 s Skip3,367 529

Tim Rackley, a U.S. marshal, quits to pursue the kidnapper/murderer of his young daughter. He is recruited by a group to review cases where justice did not prevail, with solving his daughter's case at the end as bait. However, his moral compass prevents him from completing the executions.crime-detective3 s William979 48

audio book
The story does have some merit, but I simply did not believe the plot or enjoy it. Maybe it just wasn't edited properly. I won't be choosing anymore Tim Rackley.3 s The BehrgAuthor 13 books148

Gregg Hurwitz is an author I deeply admire, a writer who goes to painstaking lengths in his research and carefully constructed prose. His settings (often my beloved California) take on a life of their own, and he knows how to keep a reader turning the pages. In my opinion, he's one of the best thriller writers working today and it's great to see the success his new Orphan X series is having.

"The Kill Clause" is the first in his Tim Rackley series, and while the setting and characters and research are all there, it's also obvious this is one of his earlier books. This novel is heavy on the grief, with the main character and his wife losing their daughter in a savage murder, but for a reason I can't fully comprehend I never connected with their loss. Maybe I'm just a jaded and heartless individual, but the emotions never went beyond the words for me and I struggled to want to come back to this book. There were some major character decisions that were more plot driven than something the characters would have actually done as well as some very obvious by-the-book twists that were far too predictable. Again, read the whole jaded admission.

Interestingly, I purchased and started reading Hurwitz's first two novels a while back and never could complete them. As an author myself, and someone who knows many novelists and would-be-writers, I find this incredibly encouraging. It really is the act of doing something that enables you to grow and learn from your mistakes and hone your craft and move on to the next project, and then the next and the next, hopefully improving every step along the way.

You don't start off as a marathon runner, you tackle a single mile, and then as you condition yourself you keep pushing those boundaries you've already hit until soon you're running further than you could have ever thought possible. Writing is no different, and sadly I see a lot of authors put out a single book and then spend the next several years marketing that one book, trying to grow their readership and market without ever doing the legwork of completing their next project. This would be running a 5-K race and then repeatedly sharing your results with everyone you know, showing videos, putting new music tracks to clips, trying to get one more view on your Youtube channel, while giving up running! An actor doesn't talk about the movie they were in two years ago. They promote the one that's about to come out, creating buzz where they can while then moving on to the next project and the one after that.

So if you're a writer or dream of one day being a writer, stop thinking about it. Stop talking about it. Stop spamming people with ads for what you've already created. Instead, write your next project. If you're doing it correctly, challenging yourself with each project and not just repeating the same formula, you WILL get better. You WILL grow your marketshare. You WILL make a name for yourself. You might not be able to support yourself with your writing -- less than 1% of authors do -- but you will find joy in what you're doing. And who knows, maybe Gregg Hurwitz, you'll break out with international success. Just know it's a long road to get there and if you're not enjoying the ride, you're missing the point.

Enough of my ramblings. 2.5 stars for "The Kill Clause" - at least I finished this one, though my journey with Tim Rackley and company has come to an end.2 s Steve403 8

Gregg Hurwitz's “The Kill Clause” thrusts readers into a world where justice is elusive, and vengeance becomes the only path for those betrayed by the system. In this gripping audiobook, Hurwitz masterfully weaves together themes of morality, grief, and vigilantism.

**Plot Summary:
Tim Rackley, a deputy U.S. marshal, is a man of honor—until his world shatters when his own daughter is brutally murdered. The killer walks free due to a legal technicality, leaving Rackley devastated and furious. Betrayed by the imperfect judicial system, he embarks on a quest for vengeance that leads him to a clandestine group called "The Commission."

The Commission comprises streetwise operators who, Rackley, have lost loved ones to violent crime. Their mission: to rectify the system's failures covertly and permanently. As Rackley delves deeper into this shadowy world, he grapples with the weight of playing God. The line between justice and vigilantism blurs, and Rackley faces a terrifying struggle—one that threatens everything he holds dear.

**Review:
Hurwitz's writing is taut and relentless, propelling listeners through a maze of moral dilemmas. Peter Friedman's narration adds depth to the characters, capturing Rackley's inner turmoil and the tension of each encounter. Friedman's voice becomes the conduit for Rackley's rage, grief, and determination.

“The Kill Clause” explores the complexities of vengeance. Rackley's transformation from a law-abiding marshal to a vigilante is both chilling and sympathetic. The Commission's actions force listeners to question the boundaries of justice—is it acceptable to become judge, jury, and executioner when the system fails?

The pacing is relentless, with twists that keep listeners guessing. Hurwitz deftly describes Rackley's methods—disappearing, breaking and entering, stealing identities—making them convincing and gritty. The tension escalates as Rackley's secret life unravels, threatening his marriage, career, and very soul.

While the plot centers on revenge, it also delves into grief. Rackley's pain is palpable, and listeners empathize with his desperate need for closure. The audiobook's emotional depth is amplified by Friedman's nuanced performance.2 s Jane Stewart2,462 913

Weak 3 stars. ItÂ’s got some good things, but itÂ’s not my kind of book. Too much torture and depression.

This is the first book in the Tim Rackley series. Tim and his wife grieve the murder of their 7-year-old daughter. Her murder is the catalyst for Tim joining a high tech vigilante group. I am grieving with Tim at various times throughout the book - even at page 476 - toward the end. That was a downer.

A different bad guy killed 86 people including children with nerve gas.

Another bad guy kidnapped and tortured a woman in his basement. There were gruesome details of what he did to her that made it hard for me to sleep at night.

The good parts were smart things Tim did when going after bad guys. Those were interesting. And there was a good ending for the hero - I d that.

But overall this was too dark for me. I much preferred the authorÂ’s book Orphan X. Tough smart hero fighting bad guys with some smiling and chuckling moments. I will definitely read sequels to Orphan X, but no more of the Tim Rackley series.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 541 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words and racial slurs, but not often used. Sexual content: none, other than a couple references to what bad guys did, no details. Setting: current day Los Angeles area, California. Copyright: 2003. Genre: suspense thriller.suspense-thriller2 s Marti334 5

This book was a mess. Trained killer good guy goes rogue after his daughter is brutally killed, then reconsiders and ends up taking out his co-vigilantes and saving the criminals. With a bit more character development this premise might actually have worked but Hurwitz' characters were robots. Another problem is that the life of a federal marshall was researched within an inch of its life...and not in a good way. A procedural manual might have been more entertaining. That said, I actually finished this and there were some very good plot twists. This is one of Hurwitz' earlier works and I may try one of his more recent novels to see if he's done a better job of blending the research with fiction.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review2 s Joy849

The Kill Clause is an interesting book. The story did not hang together as well as it could have (some mighty big plot holes in my opinion) but it was not only entertaining but also thought-provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will seek out more books by the same author.2 s Don647

The murder of a young child left me sickened and quite bothered in reading this novel. Though, the story was fast paced right to the very end, it was built upon this murder and how it was disturbingly portrayed throughout the book. crime fiction fictional-history ...more2 s Joe Stamber1,154 3

The Rackley's daughter is murdered at the start of The Kill Clause. They are naturally upset and affected by it, but nowhere near as much as they should have been. After that, things go downhill fast, both for Tim Rackley and in a literary sense. Whenever he and his wife speak, they are a couple of drama queens, hamming it up to an unbearable degree. Then there's Tim's buddy "Bear" - their relationship is a good old chest-thumping Neanderthal coming together. Tim gets involved with a vigilante group, that everything else in The Kill Clause, has been done before and better. It is inevitable that eventually Tim will pull his underwear over his clothes and become an invincible superhero, with occasional morals when it suits, of course. There are some thrills along the way, and it's technically well written, but for all but the most undemanding of readers, it's difficult to recommend.audio-read read-2010s1 David Bryan177 1 follower

Just not sure

I couldn't decide between a three star rating or the more generous four star. This novel was not as believable as it could have been, while the characterizations were pretty good the characters actions were often not. A few good twists and turns are compelling in a good book, but some of these seemed contrived. Our hero Timothy endured a lot of painful bodily damage, yet somehow he always came back for more. I was fairly worn out by the final chapters.1 Joel Margolese307 2

Feh. I really wanted to enjoy this book but the plot was so implausible (and distasteful but mostly implausible) that I gave up on it. The Tim Rackley, the protagonist's reactions were not believable and his actions less so. I don't expect 100% realism in a thriller, but there is a limit.1 Jim A1,267 72

Above average 'Star Chamber' thrill novel. Some gory sequences and executions. Twists at the end make this one stand out above many of the same genre.1 Nigel Richards34

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