Light It Up

4.5 stars.

Light It Up by Nick Petrie is an action-packed, edge of the seat thrill ride from start to finish. This third installment in the Peter Ash series easily stands on its own but I HIGHLY recommend the entire series.

Combat veteran and former Marine Peter Ash is still working to overcome his post-traumatic stress disorder which causes severe claustrophobia and anxiety attacks when he is indoors.  After meeting June Cassidy several months ago, he has been getting help for his PTSD in hopes of turning their long distance relationship into a lasting romance. On his way to see June, Peter is sidetracked when his friend, Vietnam veteran Henry Nygaard, asks for his assistance when his son-in-law Randy goes missing during a cash run for show more legalized marijuana businesses in Denver. Peter teams up with Henry and two other vets to make the same cash run in hopes of locating Randy, but he barely escapes with his life after the security detail is hijacked.  Under suspicion by the local authorities, he, June and his close friend Lewis are hot on the trail of the hijackers but the case becomes personal when someone close to Peter becomes a target of the ruthless criminals.

Peter is intensely loyal to the people he cares about and he will do anything to help them when they are in trouble. So of course he is more than willing to help Henry try to figure out what happened to Randy but they don't have any idea how dangerous this endeavor will become.  In the aftermath, Peter wants answers and he quickly deduces there is much more to the hijacking than just robbery since the payout to the robbers is rather insignificant. Digging deeper into the company whose money was stolen, Peter stumbles across some very troubling information. Little does he know, his path is about to cross with someone from his distant past, a sociopath and a diabolical businessman who are determined to ensure Peter does not catch them. Their final showdown turns deadly and Peter must outsmart a vicious and extremely dangerous killer in order to prevent further murder and mayhem.

With an adrenaline-fueled storyline, a brilliant lead protagonist and an outstanding cast of supporting characters, Light It Up is a fast-paced, suspense-laden thriller. The novel is well-written with a cleverly-executed plot and a puzzling mystery to solve. Peter Ash is a formidable hero with a sharp mind whose combat skills make him a force to be reckoned with as he tries to uncover the truth about the hijacking.  With exciting plot twists, plenty of action and a few unexpected turns, Nick Petrie brings the novel to a breathtaking, spectacular finale. Another exhilarating addition to the Peter Ash series that fans of the genre are going to LOVE. show less

I should have loved this book. The content ticked all the right boxes for me. I wanted to love it. But I was left feeling kind of... meh.

First, a strong positive: The action scenes are great. Nick Petrie gives a cinematic feel to the fight and chase scenes, so I could see this stuff playing out as I was reading.

Now my thoughts on the other stuff...

The plot feels largely formulaic. For me, it was like watching a train race down a straight track from a mile away. I knew what was going to happen every step of the way, and there were no surprises at all.

After a while, the action became repetitive; a kind of rinse and repeat of scenes. By midway through, I found myself skimming over paragraphs at a time.

And, finally, the ending pushed show more plausibility too far for me. Everything wrapped up in a giant explosion of action, as thrillers usually do, but it all made me roll my eyes more than it made me breathless.

I have not read the first two books in this series. While there are references to things that happened in the prior books, I had no issues understanding the characters, their relationships, and their background. This one reads fine as a stand-alone.

*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via Amazon Vine, in exchange for my honest review.* show less

The writing seems, at first, a little simplistic, compared with Larsen or Kerr, but I got into a rhythm and found the action scenes and characters enjoyable. The buzzing symptom is tiresome with repetition, and with what may be considered a convoluted plot, it would be easy to dismiss Petrie/Ash. I guess there is enough Reacher in Peter Ash that made me want to finish 'Light It Up'. I may try again sometime.

Find more in Chill and read

“Light it up” is the third book in the Peter Ash Series and it is the first book in the series that I have read. However, it was not difficult for me to understand the main character, the book atmosphere or follow the story.

Peter Ash is a former Marin. He is back in the States now, but he is suffering from PTSD, meaning that he has such a nasty claustrophobia, he cannot stay inside four walls for as much as more than 20 minutes, without freaking out. Therefore he stays in the woods, rebuilding hiking trails in Oregon, along with a newly acquired friend, Henry, a veteran like himself. Henry’s daughter is running a security company which protects cash-rich cannabis entrepreneurs from modern-day highwaymen. show more So when her husband and his crew are gone missing on an assignment, Henry turns to help her and asks for Peter’s support. While the two friends are on an assignment, they get attacked probably by the same hijackers that attacked the other company vehicle. As gunshots start to fly around, Peter starts to wonder, is it worth it to risk his life for that money? He would however, risk everything for his friend’s life.

After cannabis legalization, a whole new legal business has been set up in the states. It is a way through for those working with it outside the law. Now they can make it legal and still keep growing and selling it. The only catch is that the business is not supported by the banking system, so all exchanges must be made in cash. This raises the need for a safekeeping place for all that cash, as well as guarding and security services. This is were new security businesses come up, however, at the same time there is a new opportunity for those that want to benefit without effort. Grab the cash and walk away.

The story is very well told. Amazing big screen scenes all over the book, while at the same time there is great character building. Peter Ash is a marine, but he is much more than that. He is a thinking person, one that has definitely been through a lot and he has learned to appreciate things and take nothing for granted. He is the honest guy, the one you can trust with your life, the person that would do anything for his mates. To keep them safe. To make sure the return home on their own, not in a box.

Apart from the fascinating story and plot, the action and the military part of the book, there are also other aspects of the hero layed out. He is a troubled person, as one would expect, based on his experiences and PTSD, but he is trying to become normal again and live his life like everyone else. The author gives a glimpse of his mind and as well as his feeling. He has met a woman in the previous book which he likes, so he puts an effort to be able to be with her like everyone else would.

Peter Ash is a character that is going to be around for a while and I would most definitely like to read more of Nick Petrie’s books! show less

Find more in Chill and read

“Light it up” is the third book in the Peter Ash Series and it is the first book in the series that I have read. However, it was not difficult for me to understand the main character, the book atmosphere or follow the story.

Peter Ash is a former Marin. He is back in the States now, but he is suffering from PTSD, meaning that he has such a nasty claustrophobia, he cannot stay inside four walls for as much as more than 20 minutes, without freaking out. Therefore he stays in the woods, rebuilding hiking trails in Oregon, along with a newly acquired friend, Henry, a veteran like himself. Henry’s daughter is running a security company which protects cash-rich cannabis entrepreneurs from modern-day highwaymen. show more So when her husband and his crew are gone missing on an assignment, Henry turns to help her and asks for Peter’s support. While the two friends are on an assignment, they get attacked probably by the same hijackers that attacked the other company vehicle. As gunshots start to fly around, Peter starts to wonder, is it worth it to risk his life for that money? He would however, risk everything for his friend’s life.

After cannabis legalization, a whole new legal business has been set up in the states. It is a way through for those working with it outside the law. Now they can make it legal and still keep growing and selling it. The only catch is that the business is not supported by the banking system, so all exchanges must be made in cash. This raises the need for a safekeeping place for all that cash, as well as guarding and security services. This is were new security businesses come up, however, at the same time there is a new opportunity for those that want to benefit without effort. Grab the cash and walk away.

The story is very well told. Amazing big screen scenes all over the book, while at the same time there is great character building. Peter Ash is a marine, but he is much more than that. He is a thinking person, one that has definitely been through a lot and he has learned to appreciate things and take nothing for granted. He is the honest guy, the one you can trust with your life, the person that would do anything for his mates. To keep them safe. To make sure the return home on their own, not in a box.

Apart from the fascinating story and plot, the action and the military part of the book, there are also other aspects of the hero layed out. He is a troubled person, as one would expect, based on his experiences and PTSD, but he is trying to become normal again and live his life like everyone else. The author gives a glimpse of his mind and as well as his feeling. He has met a woman in the previous book which he likes, so he puts an effort to be able to be with her like everyone else would.

Peter Ash is a character that is going to be around for a while and I would most definitely like to read more of Nick Petrie’s books! show less

Peter Ash's encounter with the grizzly and the immediate aftermath In Burning Bright was more interesting and imaginative that the encounters he has in Light It Up, but the main opposition has the same morals as the grizzly, and we do learn more about Ash and his friend Lewis. The novel is a page turner like The Drifter and Burning Bright but it is also a story of romantic and, I hope, enduring love.

This is my first Peter Ash book and it was entertaining with great action and characters. The story has a cannabis business setting in Colorado. Even though this is the third book, you get to know the characters well and can jump right in. Peter Ash feels real and a likable guy.