Cold Run (The Rick Keller Project) Paperback – August 22, 2014

Here's a dirty little secret about me: werewolf fiction never really interests me.I'm not sure why that is. Vampires have always caught my fancy, and the old White Wolf game 'Werewolf the Apocalypse' did catch my interest. But horror movies? Meh, I usually skip them in favor of something else involving ghosts, or vampires, or...just about anything else really.So when I saw that Rachel A. Brune had come out with a werewolf novel sort of gave a little inward groan. I mean I knew I was going to read it, because I love her writing, but I was just sort of inwardly wishing that she had made Rick Keller a ghost, or vampire, or...just about anything else really. I knew it would be good, but I was also sure that I was going to be pretty meh on the whole werewolfness of it all.I was wrong.This book gripped me from beginning to end. If I had the time, I would have finished it in one sitting, but it was a little too long, and I'm a little too busy. So it took me two sittings, one of which was one of those 'I really need to go to sleep, I have work in the morning, but...this is too good' sort of nights. I was expecting to be disappointed in the werewolf elements, but she managed to make them interesting. Rick is a jerk, but not some cliché 'Alpha' like is all the rage among werewolf fiction these days. He feels believable and real, and the plot was fast paced and enjoyable. Without giving spoilers, this book shows a dark side to a werewolf's, lets say diet, that I haven't really seen before in a main character, which was a great addition. If you like anti-hero MC's then Rick Keller is going to tick a lot of boxes for you.

Rick Keller is everything you want in a hard-hitting action hero—cynical, sometimes cruel, insanely kickass with a deep streak of bitter romanticism fueled by an endless rage. And oh yeah, he’s a werewolf. Brune does an amazing job of weaving the supernatural into an ultra-real setting and story. It always feels real, and the stakes always matter. Highly recommended.

I made the pleasurable mistake of reading this really late last night (September 20/21) and the result was that I stayed up until morning to finish it.The MC dynamics of this story was entertaining and the story was awesome and kept me going until the very end. I loved that the Keller was a "wolf" in and out of his four legged form. And I loved that Karen doesn't take any bullying or orders very well.This isn't a love story, at least not in the conventional sense, but the undertones are there. It is also not a "fluffy" paranormal story, it is action packed and will keep you guessing through out.

More thriller than UF. Well written. Werewolf disrupts sex trafficking in Europe. If you like high stakes thrillers this is for you.

Greatest shape-shifter story ever! Fond of wolves and werewolves and a story that you'll love from beginning to end? Then you must read this book! Rachel A. Brune will quickly become one of your favorite authors!

Great book. It was funny, "wolves do not belong on roofs" and full of action. The author really captured the "canine" in Rick. If you like spy novels with a bit of humor and a werewolf thrown in, this is your book

Review of “A Cold Run”, by Rachel BruneA conspiracy, a shirtless romance cover, a werewolf, an attractive operative, urban paranormal suspense. Now that that’s out of the way…Even if you don’t normally go for those things, “A Cold Run” is also a damn good story. Keller has a centuries old need for justice and a real disdain for authority, in this spy-thriller-suspense that pairs him with Karen- the M-4 sharp-shooting operative who might be his redemption, equal, or downfall; and Tell, the contrary chain-smoking, disgruntled handler. When Keller is forcefully called out of retirement, he spends almost as much time gruffly battling his role in this trio as he does in fulfilling the mission, while also circumventing the rules of engagement, in what proves to be a likeable-hellion role.What emerges is a three-dimensional character. On the one hand, I occasionally wondered why someone a couple hundred years old would fall prey to the follies of a chivalric knight in rusted armor, and at the same time, be as jaded as they come. The urban shape-shifting might throw you off for a minute, but he’s a classic hero, that’s why. Keller loves women (and no, not just the damsels in distress) and will go to any lengths to protect them. If he gets hurt or martyred in the process, well, it plays perfectly into the guilt and need for redemption that drive him. He’s also a ruthless killer with a conscience, who has isolated himself from people and his past to avoid this very quagmire and isn’t real keen on being forced back into it.The story itself, while character-driven, is also so action-packed, it’s hard not to read it in one sitting. Rachel’s writing verges on journalistic, a just-the-facts-ma’am approach, with an economy of speech that keeps the reader solely focused on the story. Keller’s voice rings true throughout in statements like, “My luck held, which is to say the grenade was a dud, and then I found myself in the back of the truck with a dozen furious Russian soldiers…” There’s no beating around the bush and there’s no calling an ace a spade and yet there’s just enough detail to satisfy the senses. “A Cold Run” is a refreshingly direct novel with cross-genre appeal, a finely woven tale of conspiracy and conflict, akin to Stephen Hunter’s “Shooter”.

What a joy to read a well-written, well-crafted story! I am not a werewolf fan, by any means, but I was immediately swept up in Rick Heller's adventure and found myself in complete sympathy with the character. His plight is horrific and the people who he needs to trust are the ones most ready to do him harm, it seems. The plot moved along at break-neck speed, but allowed for a few quiet moments of calm where I could catch my breath and worry about what would happen next.Nicely done, Ms. Brune...