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Hit the Road Jack: A wickedly suspenseful serial killer thriller (Jack Ryder Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 9,019 ratings

The first heart-stopping, enthralling serial killer thriller in the million-copy bestselling Jack Ryder Mystery Series.

Ben is supposed to be in school. It's Monday morning, but his parents are still asleep after a night of heavy drinking. Ben waits patiently, even though he knows he is missing out on today's field trip to the zoo. But, when his black Labrador suddenly runs upstairs and comes down with a finger in his mouth, Ben knows he's not making it to school today at all.

Detective Jack Ryder is chaperoning his kids' field trip when he gets the call from the head of the Cocoa Beach Police Department. A body has been found, and they need his help. Soon, Jack finds himself up against a killer, a predator who ruthlessly chases women and kills them so they can never leave him. The case soon causes serious consequences for him and his family once the truth is revealed.

With her new hero, Jack Ryder, as a loving father and committed detective, a new location in tropical Florida, and a story that moves at an incredible pace, Hit the Road Jack is Willow Rose at the top of her game.

Grab a copy today.

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From the Publisher

HIT THE ROAD JACK
SMOKE TITLE

Editorial Reviews

Review

Readers love this series - over 1000 reviews of 5* and 4* on Amazon and Goodreads!!!

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE JACK RYDER SERIES:
'... charming protagonist surrounded by a winsome family...' - Kirkus reviews

'Can't wait for the next one in this series! Keeps you on the edge!! A great read!' -
Kindle reviewer

'Good start for a new character! Good job Ms. Rose!'- Kindle reviewer

'Willow Rose is a fantastic writer. Her stories keep you guessing until the end.' - Kindle reviewer

'I want to know more about what happens to Jack Ryder and his family.' - Kindle reviewer'Wow! What a Ryde!'-review on Goodreads

'
What a fantastic murder mystery!'- review on Goodreads

'A well written, fast paced mystery from beginning to end.' - review on Goodreads

'Intense to say the least.' - Kindle reviewer

'Kept me turning the pages as fast as possible.' - Kindle reviewer

'ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY FABULOUS' - Kindle reviewer

'The plot was very inventive. Willow Rose you have a strange brain & I love it.' - Goodreads review

'You'll fall in love with Jack and his family.' - Kindle reviewer

From the Author

This is the first book in my newest series about Jack Ryder, the surfing detective and devoted father from Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Books in this series:
  • Hit the Road Jack (Jack Ryder #1)
  • Slip Out the Back Jack (Jack Ryder #2)
  • The House that Jack Built (Jack Ryder #3)
  • Black Jack (Jack Ryder #4)
  • Girl Next Door (Jack Ryder #5)
  • Her Final Word (Jack Ryder #6)
  • Don't Tell (Jack Ryder #7)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00V9525BC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ BUOY MEDIA
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 25, 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 454 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 7 ‏ : ‎ Jack Ryder
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 9,019 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Willow Rose
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*NEW RELEASES*:

☞ - My Husband's Mistress - Coming 3/28, preorder now!

☞ - Not My Daughter (Eva Rae Thomas #17) - preorder now!

☞ - Find My Girl (Billie Ann Wilde #4) Out now!

Willow Rose is a multi-million-copy best-selling Author and an ALL-star Author of more than 100 novels.

She has sold more than six million books that are translated into many languages.

Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won't see coming.

That's why her fans call her The Queen of Plot Twists.

Willow lives on Florida's Space Coast with her kids, two cats, and her Goldendoodle. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watching the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

BOOKS BY WILLOW ROSE:

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS:

- My Husband's Mistress

DETECTIVE BILLIE ANN WILDE SERIES:

- Don't Let Her Go (Billie Ann Wilde #1)

- Then She's Gone (Billie Ann Wilde #2)

- In Her Grave (Billie Ann Wilde #3)

- Find My Girl (Billie Ann Wilde #4)

EVA RAE THOMAS MYSTERY SERIES:

- So We Lie (Eva Rae Thomas prequel)

- Don't Lie To Me (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 1)

- What You Did (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 2)

- Never Ever (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 3)

- Say You Love Me (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 4)

- Let Me Go (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 5)

- It's Not Over (Eva Rae Thomas#6)

- Not Dead Yet (Eva Rae Thomas # 7)

- To Die For (Eva Rae Thomas # 8)

- Such a Good Girl (Eva Rae Thomas#9)

- Little Did She Know (Eva Rae Thomas #10)

- You Better Run (Eva Rae Thomas #11)

- Say it isn't so (Eva Rae Thomas #12)

- Too Pretty To Die (Eva Rae Thomas #13)

- Till Death Do Us Part (Eva Rae Thomas #14)

- Rest In Peace (Eva Rae Thomas #15)- out now!

- Dark Little Secrets (Eva Rae Thomas #16) - Preorder Now!

DETECTIVE HARRY HUNTER MYSTERY SERIES:

- All The Good Girls (Harry Hunter Mystery #1)

- Run Girl Run (Harry Hunter Mystery #2)

- No Other Way (Harry Hunter Mystery #3)

- Never Walk Alone (Harry Hunter#4)

MARY MILLS MYSTERY SERIES:

- What Hurts the Most (Mary Mills Mystery #1)

- You Can Run (Mary Mills Mystery #2)

- You Can't Hide (Mary Mills Mystery #3)

- Careful Little Eyes (Mary Mills Mystery#4)

JACK RYDER MYSTERY SERIES:

- Hit the Road Jack (Jack Ryder #1)

- Slip out the Back Jack (Jack Ryder #2)

- The House That Jack Built (Jack Ryder #3)

- Black Jack (Jack Ryder #4)

- Girl Next Door (Jack Ryder#5)

- Her Final Word (Jack Ryder #6)

- Don't Tell (Jack Ryder#7)

REBEKKA FRANCK MYSTERY SERIES:

- One, two ... He is coming for you (Rebekka Franck #1)

- Three, Four ... Better lock your door (Rebekka Franck #2)

- Five, Six ... Grab your crucifix (Rebekka Franck#3)

- Seven, Eight ... Gonna stay up late (Rebekka Franck #4)

- Nine, Ten ... Never sleep again (Rebekka Franck#5)

- Eleven, Twelve ... Dig and Delve (Rebekka Franck #6)

- Thirteen, Fourteen ... Little Boy Unseen (Rebekka Franck#7)

- Better Not Cry (Rebekka Franck #8)

- Ten Little Girls (Rebekka Franck #9)

- It Ends Here (Rebekka Franck #10)

EMMA FROST MYSTERY SERIES:

- Itsy Bitsy Spider (Emma Frost #1)

- Miss Polly had a Dolly (Emma Frost #2)

- Run Run as Fast as You Can (Emma Frost #3)

- Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die (Emma Frost #4)

- Peek-A-Boo I See You (Emma Frost#5)

- Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Emma Frost#6)

- Easy as One Two Three (Emma Frost#7)

- There's No Place like Home (Emma Frost #8)

- Slenderman (Emma Frost#9)

- Where the Wild Roses Grow (Emma Frost#10)

- Waltzing Matilda (Emma Frost #11)

- Drip Drop Dead (Emma Frost #12)

- Black Frost (Emma Frost #13)

UMBRELLA MAN SERIES:

- Umbrella Man (umbrella man trilogy book 1)

- Blackbird Fly (umbrella man trilogy book 2)

STAND ALONE MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR/POST-APOCALYPTIC:

- Sorry Can't Save You

- In Cold Blood

- The Surge

- Girl Divided

- In One Fell Swoop

- To Hell in a Handbasket

- Rock-A-Bye Baby

- Nibble, Nibble, Crunch

- Eenie, Meenie

- Humpty Dumpty

- Edwina

- Chain Letter

- Better Watch Out

- Mommy Dearest

- The Bird

FANTASY/PNR SERIES:

- Flesh and Blood (Vampires of Shadow Hills #1)

- Blood and Fire (Vampires of Shadow Hills #2)

- Fire and Beauty (Vampires of Shadow Hills #3)

- Beauty and Beasts (Vampires of Shadow Hills #4)

- Beasts and Magic (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #5)

- Magic and Witchcraft (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #6)

- Witchcraft and War (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #7)

- War and order (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #8)

- Order and Chaos (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #9)

- Chaos and Courage (The Vampires of Shadow Hills #10)

- Beyond (Afterlife #1)

- Serenity (Afterlife #2)

- Endurance (Afterlife #3)

- Courageous (Afterlife#4)

- Savage (Daughters of the Jaguar #1)

- Broken (Daughters of the Jaguar #2)

- Song for a Gypsy (The Wolfboy Chronicles)

- I am Wolf (The Wolfboy Chronicles)

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
9,019 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and filled with twists and turns, with one review noting how the characters tie together at the end. Moreover, the story is highly entertaining, with customers describing it as a fast-paced serial mystery that's hard to put down. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with some finding it quick-moving while others note it moves back and forth in a choppy fashion.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

375 customers mention "Readability"339 positive36 negative

Customers find the book well-written and entertaining, with several mentioning it kept them up reading.

"...Only an honest one. A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written serial killer book...." Read more

"I enjoyed reading the book. I thought I had this story figured out at the end, but lots of things changed in the story and I was wrong! Loved it!" Read more

"...Overall, the book’s primary storyline is a bit stereotypic but appealing, and the breaks from common sense and police practice are disguised by..." Read more

"...All of it is interesting and an entertaining read but it is in Part III that the action explodes...." Read more

291 customers mention "Story quality"247 positive44 negative

Customers enjoy the book's engaging plot with many twists and turns, and one customer notes how the independent stories blend into the current time.

"...Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of...." Read more

"...It was worth reading the first two parts to get there. The end has a series of surprises; two of them are huge in the sense of “no way I could have..." Read more

"I received a complimentary electronic copy of this excellent mystery from the author. Thank you so much for sharing your hard work with me...." Read more

"This story has lots of twists and turns, loved it! Would read again but probably won't since it's a series." Read more

132 customers mention "Character development"109 positive23 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting how each character has a unique voice and how they tie together at the end of the story.

"...Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of...." Read more

"...She writes an in-depth mystery with personable characters, a well-pictured background, and a story to keep you up all night." Read more

"Interesting storyline and well developed characters. The plot did seem overly complicated and somewhat hard to follow at times...." Read more

"...He also is decent police detective. The secondary characters also well-drawn, except for the children...." Read more

91 customers mention "Enjoyment"91 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly entertaining with interesting twists throughout, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.

"...This could also make another great serial killer movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars...." Read more

"...The novel is divided into three parts. All of it is interesting and an entertaining read but it is in Part III that the action explodes...." Read more

"...Jack is an interesting and appealing character...." Read more

"...You have funny situations, witty dialog, given to us in three parts...." Read more

10 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book hard to put down.

"...This book was so exciting I could not putt it down. Amazing characters." Read more

"...a chapter reader always mark all chapters in a paper book, so it easy to pickup and continue reading with our reviewing back...." Read more

"...A book that is hard to put down and well worth the trip." Read more

"Or the Mother, etc. Jack is an easy going guy. A groovy surfer...a good father and a detective...." Read more

7 customers mention "Start"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's start engaging, with one mentioning they were hooked from the first page.

"I was hooked from the first page...." Read more

"...I have only read the first book, but it is off to an excellent start! You will not be disappointed!" Read more

"This book was excellent, loved the characters.it grabbed me from the first page. I couldn't put it down and have to get book two right away...." Read more

"...A good intro.to Jack Ryder." Read more

6 customers mention "Grip"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very gripping, with one mentioning it keeps them glued to the pages.

"...read other books and they all are different, the plot flow, gripping one to the end, with unusual results...." Read more

"...-woven spiderweb of crime, intrigue and reality will keep you glued to page after page." Read more

"Fairly intense. Gripping for the most part. Lovey part felt like it was used as a filler for the plot." Read more

"Grabs you and necer lets go until the stunning end. Read one Willow Rose book and you will want to read them all!" Read more

63 customers mention "Pacing"38 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it well-paced and quick-moving, while others note that it moves back and forth in a choppy fashion.

"...it was a bit slowish to catch all the loose ends but it was nicely tied at the end and well explained. Overall, I enjoyed reading it." Read more

"...While it is not a perfect book, I recommend it." Read more

"...The story, while never getting to a frantic pace, flows smoothly, with the occasional twist that will ensure the reader is kept enraptured...." Read more

"...I did not see it coming, but everything was tied up nicely in the end. Really liked this one...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018
    4/1984, Orlando, FL. Tim was not going to take Annie home until he had sex with her whether she wanted to or not.
    Annie told Tim he was a father.
    He later decided he would marry her.
    1/1985, Victor had bought Annie & the boy (5) a new house.
    5/2012, The Snakecharmer was enjoying his work of art of mummifying a beautiful naked girl.

    1/20105 Ben took Bobby (old Labrador) out in the back yard.
    A yr. ago the mother had gone to get the baby sister (IDS) out of the crib & she was dead.
    What in the world was Bobby barking at.
    Arianna (Jack’s ex-wife/mother, post-partum) had left Detective Jack Ryder (35, divorced, narrator, Brevard County Sheriff homicide) with Abigail (twin sister), & Austin (twin brother).
    Detective Lisa (Jack’s ex-partner, Brevard County Sheriff homicide) was KLD, & Jack adopted Emily (16, Lisa’s daughter).
    Jack volunteered to drive the school bus to the Brevard Zoo for the Roosevelt Elementary School kid’s field trip
    Mrs. Allen (teacher), & Officer Ryder “Weasel” Weslie Seal (40, f, Cocoa Beach PD) were the other 2 chaperones.
    Snug Harbor. West Bay Drive. Ben Bennett (son) had called 911
    Officer Joel Hall (Cocoa Beach PD) arrived on the scene.
    The area had been taped of.
    Detective Ryder & Officer Seal were checking out everything.
    Brandon Bennett (husband/father, former auto mechanic) & Ben had been rushed to the hospital.

    Laura Bennett (32, wife/mother, UCF) had been murdered. All her right-hand fingers had been chopped off.
    Bobby had been chewing on 1 of them.
    Joe was being his usual possessive jealous abusive self. Shannon King (musician) was in a world of pain after he her hit her in the face & then slammed her down onto the marble kitchen counter.
    Angela (6, daughter) helped her mother up off the floor.
    Cape Canaveral Hospital. Brandon had been given Rohypnol. He still was not conscious.
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Jack took Abigail, Austin & Emily on a trip to learn how to surf.
    Grandma Sherri & Grandpa Ryder (75) were there also.
    Dr. Yamilla Díez (Cuban, f, ME) was going to examine Laura’s corpse.
    Rhonda Harris had committed suicide.
    The Snakecharmer had been stalking Melanie Schultz (wife/mother) for months.
    Judge Pete Martin, & Melanie had sex for the last time.
    The house & everything in it went up in flames.
    The Snakecharmer named the baby he saved Will.
    Cocoa Isles, Thousand Islands. Mrs. Martin greeted Detective Ryder, & Officer Weslie Seal.
    Why had Laura been paying Rhonda Harris all these years?
    2/2015, Lone Cabbage (Brevard County). Aunt Kristi (Shannon’s sister), & Uncle Jimmy (Kristi’s husband) took Angela (daughter) on an airboat ride.
    Shannon King (Angela’s mom) was called with some very bad news.
    Angela was missing.
    S&R, & the Sherriff’s office had been notified.

    Would the serial killer be caught & brought to justice?

    Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, or violence, which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

    I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

    A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written serial killer book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great serial killer movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

    Thank you for the free author; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
    Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
    Tough with all the little story lines to keep straight, but good wrap up. Will read next in the series.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2025
    I enjoyed reading the book. I thought I had this story figured out at the end, but lots of things changed in the story and I was wrong! Loved it!
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
    I won’t need a spoiler to illustrate the type of action in this book; the synopsis will do fine. “But, when his black Labrador suddenly runs upstairs and comes down with a finger in his mouth, Ben knows he's not making it to school today at all.” That murder comes in Chapter 3, after another killing in Chapters 1 and 2, one chapter written from the victim’s point of view, the other from the killer’s. If you’re getting the idea that author Willow Rose has packed a lot of violent action into Hit the Road Jack, I’d agree. Besides those two murders, there’s a date rape, a suicide, and several other gruesome murders by a serial killer known only as the Snakecharmer throughout most of the story.

    At the opposite end of the wholesome to vile continuum, we have our hero, Detective Jack Ryder. He’s a surf-loving, single father of three, one of them a black, teenage girl adopted when his partner was killed. He’s handsome (of course). And because he’s an experienced detective from a more violent city, he becomes the go-to investigator for his homicide unit in a small, county sheriff’s department. This situation anchors the primary plotline of the book, one that crime thriller readers will readily recognize: the virtuous detective single-handedly pursues the despicable serial killer through a series of heinous crimes amid a budding romance.

    The best of the genre places the hero in this detective vs. killer setting using clever twists of fate and provide some basis for the sex. Less well-written books ride roughshod over common sense and unfortunately, Hit the Road Jack falls uncomfortably close to the latter group. When a child is abducted, Ryder doesn’t send out an Amber Alert or instigate any type of city or state-wide notification. That would spoil the one-on-one theme. When the killing escalates and it’s clear there is a serial killer, no other city, state, or federal agencies get involved. When someone takes a shot at Ryder, he doesn’t make an officer-under-fire call. Nor does he call for support to locate or apprehend the shooter. Rather, when he stumbles on the gunman’s truck at a motel, he goes in with an unarmed civilian (his new romantic interest) as his only backup. And so on. We, as readers, are asked to suspend disbelief much too frequently for my liking.

    Overall, the book’s primary storyline is a bit stereotypic but appealing, and the breaks from common sense and police practice are disguised by constant, violent action. But if you’re the type of reader who wants a clever blending of fact and fiction, you may want to look elsewhere.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2025
    A man is killing women and police have very little to go on. There are several complicated characters intertwined in such a way that each clue only makes the story more intense.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Gail P Harding..
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth more than 5 stars.
    Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2021
    Love Wolow Rose books. When I start one, I cannot stop reading. What a great mind to think all these plots and characters. I can figure out a few things also g the way.
  • Srikanth HR
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hit a little faster the next time
    Reviewed in India on April 3, 2016
    A good read albeit a bit slow. I would have preferred it to be a little faster. Hopefully the second outing of Jack Ryder will be a faster ride. I was constantly having the image of Jack Reacher intruding while getting to know Jack Ryder but that is just inevitable I guess.
  • Jane Giddings
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hit the road jack...
    Reviewed in Australia on November 26, 2020
    Wow what a fantastic book thank you. It was amazing with lots of suspense and intrigue. So many twists but the ending was phenomenal. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
  • lilly deesein
    4.0 out of 5 stars Tolle neue Serie
    Reviewed in Germany on February 22, 2022
    Der erste Fall für Kriminalpolizist Jack Ryder in Florida startet mit einem brutalen Mord und einer Geschichte mit einigen unvorhergesehenen Windungen. Durch den flüssigen Schreibstil und die gut durchdachte Story macht das Lesen Spaß, wozu natürlich auch der sympathische Hauptakteur Jack beiträgt. Das wird sicherlich nicht mein letzter Band dieser Serie sein.
    Report
  • Strachan
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2023
    The plot flowed well, going between "then" and "now". The mix of characters are well developed and interesting. A few good twists and turns thrown in which all added to the enjoyment. It keeps you guessing and exposes "who done it" in good time so that the story can be rounded off and tied together well at the end. I will read more from this author

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