Author of fiction and nonfiction.
The Emerald Cross, a riveting thriller, launches June 14, 2024.
Advance Praise
Cruickshank leads the reader through a gauntlet of deadly firefights, vicious wild animals, and unexpected allies. [His] narrative is as much about the conflict between integrity and corruption as it is a revenge story. Cruickshank [follows] a tight plot thread. Those details coalesce in an exciting climax and heartfelt denouement that features a twist that establishes another potential volume. The result is a viscerally and emotionally satisfying action thriller that feels connected to real-world happenings. [A story] with strong action and moral weight.
BookLife Review
Spiced with DEA encounters, military skills put to unexpected use in civilian life, and underlying motives that affect not just the ownership of the Emerald Cross but the lives of those involved in its management, Ken Cruickshank crafts a series of encounters that are vivid in their complexity and possibilities. Cruickshank tempers action with psychological entanglements and revelations, leading thriller readers to more closely examine their own concepts of justice, vengeance, survival and exploitation. Circumstances drive an ex-hero to take up the reins of battle as a civilian and tackle extraordinary opponents and circumstances that buffet both his life and his potential for healing.
Midwest Book Review
Ken Cruickshank’s THE EMERALD CROSS is a great, action-packed thriller about revenge and second chances. The former Green Beret is a compelling character in his first literary outing: equal parts tragic and comedic, just as willing to cover his destroyed eye with a comical eyepatch as he is to defy orders to avenge his family. Sylvia, ace pilot and Jamie’s partner in his trip to take out Delgado, also shows promise; hopefully she and the latest in her string of fiancés will be fleshed out more in later novels. The eponymous [Emerald Cross] isn’t truly the focal point of the novel, just as it isn’t truly the focal point of Delgado and Jamie’s deadly rivalry. Rather, this is a novel about revenge, envy, and second chances. It’s a strong start for a fascinating character who will hopefully star in many more sequels.
Indie Reader
Author Ken Cruickshank has crafted a compelling narrative filled with vivid characters, intense action sequences, and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover. Jamie Morales is the deeply flawed yet incredibly compelling protagonist at the center of it all, and his journey of redemption and self-discovery resonates thanks to the author’s close-up narrative skill and excellent speech and thought presentation. The intricate plot sets Jamie’s personal narrative against a tapestry of other small stories and interactions to offer an emotional arc that is as thought-provoking as it is exhilarating. Overall, The Emerald Cross is a captivating start to what promises to be an unforgettable series, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Readers’ Favorite