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The Fourth Rule

Review

The Fourth Rule

Jeff Lindsay, who gained international fame for his legendary serial killer creation, Dexter Morgan, continues his series featuring Riley Wolfe. In this fourth entry, THE FOURTH RULE, Lindsay revisits his morally dubious character for whom you cannot help but root.

Riley, who considers himself to be the best thief working today, is in need of a new challenge. He does not understand the word impossible and feels that his next job or heist has to be something really special. He also lives by his own set of rules that act as a guideline and barometer for his life. His fourth rule states: “Even if you’re the best there is, watch your back. Because somebody better is coming.”

"The ending is the perfect setup for the next book in the series, and the twist makes me eager for that fifth installment to hit the shelves as soon as possible."

That somebody is a rival master thief known only as the Cobra, whose identity and features are unknown. Riley plans not only to match wits with the Cobra but to beat him to his next prize target --- the unstealable Rosetta Stone, which is housed under tight security in London. Along the way, readers will be regaled with Riley’s incredibly clever disguises.

Upon his arrival in London, under an assumed name and guise, Riley begins doing some research at a local library on the Rosetta Stone. While there, he meets a young Irish lass named Caitlin O'Brian, and they immediately hit it off. Riley is so taken with Caitlin and hopes to see her again, which he does. Not only can he confide in her, he can utilize her as a partner in his big scheme.

A Riley Wolfe novel would not be complete without FBI Special Agent Frank Delgado, who seems to have made capturing Riley his life’s mission. Delgado follows Riley to London and waits patiently for him to make his move and reveal his presence. That Riley continues to stay several steps ahead of Delgado throughout the series has been a running theme, and this story is no exception.

The actual heist of the Rosetta Stone is a thing of beauty, and the escape scenes involving Riley and Caitlin after doing the deed will have you turning pages rapidly. However, things go terribly wrong for Riley for possibly the first time in this series when he and Caitlin get separated and he is caught with the goods. Thankfully, he is able to switch into a disguise before apprehension that buys him time to pull off another getaway, but he must leave the prized possession behind. Only when Riley returns to his place in London does he realize what really happened. There is a note waiting for him, written by the Cobra, indicating that revenge is being taken upon him in the form of Caitlin’s capture.

The last part of THE FOURTH RULE involves Riley’s maneuvers to rescue Caitlin from a ruthless criminal mastermind who seems to have endless resources. Jeff Lindsay also throws quite a nice twist into the finale that will have readers' heads spinning. The ending is the perfect setup for the next book in the series, and the twist makes me eager for that fifth installment to hit the shelves as soon as possible.

Reviewed by Ray Palen on December 16, 2023

The Fourth Rule
by Jeff Lindsay

  • Publication Date: December 5, 2023
  • Genres: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton
  • ISBN-10: 0593186257
  • ISBN-13: 9780593186251