Dead Line

Action, a brutal Alaskan winter, and a manhunt are featured in Dead Line by Marc Cameron. This seventh book in the Arliss Cutter series has pulse-pounding scenes and ruthless criminals. Set mainly in Anchorage and Fairbanks and their surrounding areas, Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal is the head of the Fugitive Task Force in Alaska.

He and his partner Deputy U.S. Marshal Lola Teariki, as well as other members of the task force, are closing in on Pritchard, a killer-for hire. He’s wanted for the murder of a 25-year-old pregnant woman in Missouri. The hit, arranged for by her husband Royce Decker, a former member of the St. Louis Missouri Metro Police Department, who is also on the run and believed to be in Alaska as well. However, when they find a linked case, the situation becomes even more dangerous.

Cutter and Teariki are very different characters. Cutter is experienced, uncomfortable with compliments, a fantastic tracker, no-nonsense, and somewhat surly. However, he can also be overprotective and have a way of connecting with innocent victims. He also believes keeping a secret is synonymous with telling a lie. Cutter is also observant and a bit of a perfectionist as well as being a very visual person which helps him in locating and apprehending criminals. Lola works out a lot, is talkative, has a bubbly personality, and wants assignments that are new and interesting. She also wants to glean all possible knowledge from Cutter. However, she also tends to run off on her own. They have flaws and virtues just like everyone else. New developments in Cutter’s life provide insight on his childhood.

Cameron does a great job of world-building and making the reader feel like they’ve been transported to the savage and merciless cold that the characters experience in this novel. This powerful page-turner kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The plot moves at a blistering pace with plenty of action and several brutal fights. Just when a reader thinks the situation can’t get any worse, it does. The plot is somewhat complex with scenes from different areas of the country that eventually link up and provide some twists along the way. The author’s experience with the U.S. Marshals Service including his work as part of a tactical tracking unit gives this book and the series authenticity.

Themes include murder, fugitive apprehension, secrets, corruption, family relationships, friendship, as well as motherhood choices and actions. The novel sets up a thread for the next book in the series. At the back of the book are a recipe, book club discussion questions, and comments on mothering styles.

Overall, this tense, exciting, gripping, and high-octane book takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Cutter and Teariki. Readers that enjoy action crime thrillers will likely enjoy Cameron’s writing. This is an outstanding series.

Kensington Publishing and Marc Cameron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for July 29, 2025.