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Jude Hardin is an American author best known for detective thriller mystery novels. Jude is a very interesting author who has worked practically any odd job there is out there. He has been a registered nurse, a substitute teacher, chemical plant supervisor, carpet cleaner, avionics technician, bartender, professional drummer, film extra, freelance journalist, convenience store clerk, pizza delivery man, and fence installer. Despite graduating with a degree in English from the University of Louisville in 1983, he asserts that the different types of jobs he has held down over the years have been a source of untold perspectives, which he channels into his one true passion – story telling. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Hardin did not explode out of the gates, as he did not find a publisher for his first novel for several years. However, he kept the faith, and when he finally quit his full time job in 2004 he signed a multi-book contract with Amazon’s Thomas and Mercer. His first novel Pocket-47 of the Nicholas Colt series of novels went on to attain modest success in its first year. However, it was not until he quit his job in 2012 to focus on his writing career, that he experienced massive success. He would go on to write 7 titles; a short story, two novellas, and four novels a year after quitting his job, which is quite remarkable.
Jude Hardin has grown to become a household name with many of his novels such as the Jack Daniels and the Nicholas Colt thrillers considered landmarks in the detective thriller genre. Nonetheless, it was not until he decided to become an independent publisher that he achieved much success in his writing career. He famously published some of his early works without a literary agent by publishing with a small press and then getting a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. He was successful in finding a publisher for Pocket-47 though the 2008 recession meant that the novel was not much of a success, as most people were not buying anything. Hardin experienced exponential growth once he decided to be an independent publisher after leaving Amazon Publishing. Spinning off the Nicholas Colt series, he decided to write prequels to Pocket-47. According to the author, what makes the idea of a spinoff so appealing is the fact that he can have the prequels go as far back as he can while making spin-offs off the back end of the series. Even as Hardin acknowledges that self-publishing is hard work, he asserts that he enjoys the control offered by the model and the higher than normal royalty rates he gets to enjoy.
Hardin has collaborated with JA Konrath in writing some of his most popular novels, Racked and Lady 52. With Konrath’s protagonist one of the most popular characters in detective crime fiction, the coming of the two writers was sure to provide fireworks, and they did not disappoint. Nicholas Colt and Lt. Jacqueline Daniel ae the perfect combination of bad jokes, bourbon, and billiards, which make for some great suspense, humor and mystery that we have come to expect from Hardin and Konrath. Racked and Lady 52 are sure to thrill both Colt and Daniels fans, and could be the perfect introduction to either of the series of novels.
Jude Hardin currently works and lives in Florida where he spends most of his time at his desk pumping out another of his classic thrillers. When he is not writing, Hardin loves to go pond fishing with his son, read, play tennis, or drums with a few of his friends. Of all the jobs he has held, he asserts that film extra would have to be his favorite as he got to goof around, have lunch with Bill Murray, and still get paid. In a recent interview, Hardin has asserted that he may venture into cozy mysteries given that they have become highly popular, and they are right down his alley.
The first novel in the Nicholas Colt series Pocket-47 is also one of Jude Hardin’s most popular. When Brittaney Ryan a fifteen-year kid leaves home for the streets, Leitha, her elder sister contracts Nicholas Colt, a private detective to find her and bring her back. For Colt, this would be a routine case or so he thinks. All it would take is a surprise visit to the juvenile’s boyfriend’s address and his job would be done, at most in a day. He soon finds out that Brittney’s disappearance was not the typical running away from home of a rebellious teen. He is now involved in a highly intricate web of betrayal, deceit, and murder. His investigations soon unearth a mysterious term – Pocket-47 that gives meaning not only to the case, but also to the loss of his family and friends two decades past. He now believes that what he had believed to be a plane accident twenty years ago might not have been one. The secret to solving Brittney’s disappearance mystery and bringing back Brittney safe is entangled with his own past. But will the violent and heinous criminals involved allow him to unearth the two decades old secrets.
Another outstanding novel in the Nicholas Colt series is the second title, Colt. Nicholas Colt is introduced as a private investigator and the only survivor of a plane crash working out of a camper on a normal looking October morning. But this is no ordinary day, as October 21 has been one of those cursed days when everything always seems to go horribly wrong for Colt. It seems that someone is tracking down and killing the children of an anonymous sperm donor. Colt’s client has gone missing and just happens to be the next name on the killer’s list. He now has four days to try to find him but it will not be easy – not with a stalker ex-girlfriend, a violent motorcycle gang, and two drug addicted study partners on his case. It is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous and challenging cases he has ever had to deal with. Will he manage to navigate the numerous obstacles and save his client before it is too late?
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BOOK OF THE MONTH:
Everyones favourite Mossad agent and art restorer Gabriel Allon is back. This is the 26th novel in this excellent spy thriller series by Daniel Silva.
In the latest entry, with a release date of July 14th, Gabriel has to track down the missing wife of a British billionaire.
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Featured Series
Are you a Jack Reacher fan? If so, you absolutely have to read the Peter Ash series by author Nick Petrie.
I recommend this series to anyone who has liked Jack Reacher, and everyone always replies thanking me for it. Nick makes my life easy. If you are a Jack Reacher fan, past or present, Check out this great series today.
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Are you a fan of psychological thrillers? A big fan of authors such as Gillian Flynn? These are our most recommended authors in the thriller genre, which is my personal favourite genre:
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