The Reluctant Reckoner

One e-mail shatters Mark Richter's world. An honest accountant who likes to keep it simple, he's been at the same company for 23 years and prefers things the way they are: steady, with little excitement and even less change. His eight-year-old daughter, small suburban home, and reliable car are all he needs. But after that e-mail, everything is at risk. Somehow framed for a financial discrepancy that could send him to jail, at first he's just bewildered. But when the crime mysteriously disappears as quickly as it emerged, it's clear just how outmatched he really is.

Then he's kidnapped, blindfolded, and given three weeks to steal confidential information. He doesn't know who the perpetrators are, what they need it for, or why they asked him. But he does learn that they know things about him. Personal things. Things they can't possibly know...

When they threaten his daughter's life, it feels like it can't possibly get worse. Enter the FBI. His life is infiltrated by agents demanding that he try to outsmart the savvy criminals or else, the only person he could trust suddenly disappears, and he discovers who the thieves really are. Corruption and deception surrounding him from every angle, it can and does get worse for The Reluctant Reckoner. A lot worse.

The deadline is approaching.

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Rave Reviews

“The Reluctant Reckoner simmers throughout as the three-dimensional chess match between the terrorists, the FBI and Mark reaches new levels of intensity. Fans of thrillers will relish the numerous schemes that come to light along the way, and Lee demonstrates his gift for action scenes. Another white-knuckled gem from J. Lee. Move The Reluctant Reckoner to the top of your list.”

- BestThrillers.com
“As we’ve come to expect from J. Lee, be looking for clever harbingers, red herrings, multiple points-of-view and unexpected plot twists. The books keep getting better with this guy, and despite having thoroughly enjoyed J. Lee’s first three, this one is at the top.”

- Bradley J. Haar, The Two River Times
“The Reluctant Reckoner by J. Lee is a wonderful book that is full of plot twists. It is action-packed and full of mystery with masterfully crafted reveals. J. Lee takes Mark Richer, an ordinary guy, and makes him into an extraordinary guy. J. Lee highlights that the bad guy can be the one who is supposed to help you or your friend, someone you would never suspect. J. Lee also has representation for one parent families, and he highlights the desperation from both Caroline and Mark to make sure their children stayed out of the mess. Overall, I would recommend this book to mystery readers and the fans of thrillers.”

- Mini, Litpick
“The result is a rollicking ride through business pursuits both legal and illegal, underworlds and everyday life, and revised perspectives on purpose and reality. All will delight the classic beach reader looking to be entertained with a great mystery/suspense novel, libraries seeking multifaceted stories of intrigue, and readers seeking more than intrigue alone from their reading choices."

- Donovan’s Literacy Services
“I have rarely read a fiction like J. Lee’s The Reluctant Reckoner. I couldn’t put it down and loved it! It was just what I needed last weekend to help me escape life as I delved into this engrossing mystery.”

- Wetsi, Litpick
“A cryptic e-mail leads accountant Mark Richter on a journey of discovery when his abilities are called into question and a mystery arises that seems to point to him as incompetent at best, or an embezzler at worst. Readers will become thoroughly engrossed in a plot that shimmers with tension, revelation, unexpected twists and turns, and a foray into questions, dubious answers, and tests of trust."

- Midwest Book Review
“J. Lee evolves a diabolical plot…resulting in a rollicking ride through business pursuits both legal and illegal, underworlds and everyday life, a relatable protagonist caught in the middle of it all just trying to protect his family, and revised perspectives on purpose and reality. All will delight: the classic beach reader looking to be entertained with a great mystery/suspense novel to try to figure out, libraries seeking multifaceted stories of intrigue, and readers who look for more than intrigue alone when making their reading choices.”

- D. Donovan, Donovan’s Bookshelf Recommended Reading
“The Reluctant Reckoner is an action-filled book. Each action in the book, such as shooting and killing, made my heart beat faster, especially when it was innocent ones being targeted. The plot was well-written, and the dialogue was realistic. The plot was also fast-paced, and it made use of high stakes in which the characters were put in critical situations such as the task imposed on Mark to carry out by the gang. Lastly, the plot was unpredictable considering the shock I felt when Mark's close friend was killed. I did not actually expect that and I felt a bit pained since his friend was providing Mark with some information and devices to use. Overall, the plot was very creative.”

- Beauty, Litpick

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The Reluctant Reckoner

“As we’ve come to expect from J. Lee, be looking for clever harbingers, red herrings, multiple points-of-view and unexpected plot twists. The books keep getting better with this guy, and despite having thoroughly enjoyed J. Lee’s first three, this one is at the top.”

“I have rarely read a fiction like J. Lee’s The Reluctant Reckoner. I couldn’t put it down and loved it! It was just what I needed last weekend to help me escape life as I delved into this engrossing mystery.”

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