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Rusty Nail (Jack Daniels Book 3) Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars 5,284 ratings

THE FAMILY THAT SLAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER...

Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department is back, and once again she's up to her Armani in murder.

Someone is sending Jack snuff videos. The victims are people she knows, and they share a common trait -- each was involved in one of Jack's previous cases. With her stalwart partner hospitalized and unable to help, Jack follows a trail of death throughout the Midwest, on a collision course with the smartest and deadliest adversary she's ever known.

During the chase, Jack jeopardizes her career, her love life, and her closest friends. She also comes to a startling realization -- serial killers have families, and blood runs thick.

Rusty Nail features more of the laugh-out-loud humor and crazy characters that saturated Whiskey Sour and Bloody Mary, without sacrificing the nail-biting thrills. This is Jack Daniels's third, and most exciting, adventure yet.

RUSTY NAIL by J.A. Konrath
Death runs in the family...

If you are a more sensitive (or adventurous) reader, this handy scale rates specific categories from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to give you some idea if this is your kind of book.

RUSTY NAIL
Bad Language - 4
Scary - 7
Violent - 7
Funny - 8
Sexy - 3
Crossovers - Features Jack Daniels, Phineas Troutt, Harry McGlade, and includes characters from the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective, the Codename: Chandler series, and the Timecaster series.

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There are 24 books in this series.

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From the Publisher

From J.A. KONRATH - THREE THRILLING SERIES, ONE STORY WORLD

Jack Daniels Series

Jack Daniels Thrillers

Twenty-two gripping suspense novels, and dozens of short stories, starring Chicago Homicide cop Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, career criminal Phineas Troutt, private eye Harry McGlade, and too many serial killers to count...

This series of complete--but connected--novels also ties in with the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective and the Codename Chandler series, pulling readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

Konrath Dark Thriller Collective

Konrath Dark Thriller Collective

Twelve edge-of-your-seat thriller novels featuring police officer Tom Mankowski, molecular biologist Dr. Frank Belgium, and ex-military Fabler as they face psychos, evil scientists, and worse...

This series of complete--but connected--novels also ties in with the Jack Daniels Thrillers and the Codename Chandler series, taking readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

Codename Chandler Series

Codename Chandler Series

Join secret agent Chandler, psychotic spy Hammett, and brilliant recluse Fleming as they fight to save the world--while also fighting each other--in eight jaw-dropping action tales...

This series of complete--but connected--stories also ties in with the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective and the Jack Daniels Thrillers, taking readers into a rich, layered world where any character can pop up in anyone's book... and they do.

THIS IS THE SERIES YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

Jack Daniels Books

WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILLER

Checklist For Quick Reads
  • Thrilling
  • Funny
  • Scary
  • Romantic
  • Emotional
  • Twisty
  • Good Characters
  • Awesome Ending
GRIPPING

In fact you might grip so hard you'll break your ereader...

The Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series

THRILLS, LAUGHS, & SCARES

Looking for a pulse-pounding, nail-biting, can't-stop-reading series filled with suspense, terror, giggles, and a smattering of romance?

Looking for the worst villains, the most twists, the craziest mysteries, and the kinds of characters you wish were your real-life friends?

Looking for a fast, fun read that makes you smile and shriek, often on the same page?

Welcome to the world of Jack.

UNPUTDOWNABLE

Clear your schedule, because once you start you won't stop...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Konrath's third outing to feature Chicago police lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, like its predecessors, Whiskey Sour and Bloody Mary, offers violent thrills peppered with hilarious one-liners. Jack's receipt of an anonymous snuff video that looks like the work of a serial killer called the Gingerbread Man, who was recently brought to justice, marks the start of a cat-and-mouse game with the killer, who plucks victims from the periphery of Jack's world—both professional and private. When Jack shakes the Gingerbread Man's twisted family tree, she unearths an unspeakable history of depravity and awakens sleeping dogs better left alone. A wedding in the woods turns sinister after a poison-laced champagne toast renders everyone in the wedding party unconscious, and Jack must race to save her friends from the surprise demon spawn that has outwitted her—though perhaps not the reader. Some may find that the surfeit of gore detracts from the engaging characters, true guffaws and tightly knit subplots.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

What They're Saying About Joe Konrath's Writing

"Excellent smart-mouth thrills... my advice: Take a long sip."- Lee Child, author of Blue Moon

"Constant thrills and chills." - Heather Graham, author of The Seekers

"Snappy dialogue. Powerful action. A fabulous character to spend time with." - David Morrell, author of First Blood

"If the Grim Reaper has a sense of humor, he reads JA Konrath."- William Kent Krueger, author of This Tender Land

"It's funny and scary, just like real life."- James O. Born, author of Shock Wave

"Laugh-out-loud funny... even when read sober."- PJ Parrish, author of The Killing Song

"I haven't actually read this book." - Dave Barry, author of Tricky Business

"Fast-paced...(a) cross between Carl Hiaasen and Thomas Harris."- Publishers Weekly

"Engaging... full of humor... fans of Janet Evanovich will like this."- Library Journal

"Pithy banter... it's like a Monty Python rendition of a crime novel."- The Courier

"Put me down for another round of Lieutenant Jack Daniels." - Andrew Vachss, author of Another Life

"A literary cocktail that'll knock you off your chair." - Ridley Pearson, author of White Bone

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BBE4E5Q
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 4, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 24 ‏ : ‎ Jack Daniels
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 5,284 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
5,284 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a thrilling page-turner with plenty of twists and turns, and they appreciate its fast-paced narrative. The writing is well-executed with no grammar or spelling errors, and customers enjoy the humor, with one noting the witty dialog. They love the characters, particularly the banter among them, and find the book better than previous installments in the series. The gore content receives mixed reactions, with several customers finding it excessive.

377 customers mention "Readability"347 positive30 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and enjoyable, with several noting it's better than previous installments in the series.

"...This is the third book in a series, and it builds upon characters and events in the first two books, but the author weaves in just enough..." Read more

"...There was plenty of wisdom and irony. I do think it's an ok book in this genre...." Read more

"...But! I do enjoy all other aspects of LT. Daniels' character. She is fun to follow and I will be finishing the series...." Read more

"...has always been about mixing the chills and laughs and this novel delivers in spades. I just found myself not as interested. "..." Read more

362 customers mention "Suspenseful"303 positive59 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful with many twists and turns, plenty of action throughout, and a flowing storyline.

"...Part thriller, part mystery, Detective Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels is faced with a cruel serial killer who has ties to previous cases of hers...." Read more

"...along with great character development and just enough clues to make you keep thinking, even when you’ve stopped reading for a while...." Read more

"...Konrath doesn’t disappoint with a fast paced book with a few unexpected twists and turns and some great laughs...." Read more

"...She is fun to follow and I will be finishing the series. Great mysteries and exciting page turners!..." Read more

203 customers mention "Humor"196 positive7 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it highly amusing and cringe-worthy at times, with one customer highlighting Jack's signature sarcastic wit.

"...Humor is woven throughout to keep it from getting too dark, and this really helps an otherwise gruesome story from getting too morbid...." Read more

"...not the laugh out loud humor Konrath promises, but some decidedly fun parts to counteract the gruesomeness of the tale)..." Read more

"...a fast paced book with a few unexpected twists and turns and some great laughs...." Read more

"...the book did have its whimsical moments and it did make me laugh out loud more than once - it's the reason I relented and gave this nasty book three-..." Read more

169 customers mention "Character development"150 positive19 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, particularly appreciating the good banter among them and the well-developed villains.

"...Herb, Harry, and even Harry’s fiancee, Holly, were all fascinating characters that helped make Jack that much more human when she tried her best to..." Read more

"...It does. It works perfectly to help define the character. And believe me, this is far from the most horrendously violent description in the book...." Read more

"...I did enjoy the dark humor and the characters development. There was plenty of wisdom and irony. I do think it's an ok book in this genre...." Read more

"...that issue, I had fun with Rusty Nail, and that's mainly to a good cast of characters who anchor the book in stakes that feel like they matter...." Read more

139 customers mention "Pacing"114 positive25 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast-paced thriller with quick action and a steady narrative flow.

"...The story moves at a steady pace, building to a pulse-pounding climax...." Read more

"...along with great character development and just enough clues to make you keep thinking, even when you’ve stopped reading for a while...." Read more

"JA Konrath doesn’t disappoint with a fast paced book with a few unexpected twists and turns and some great laughs...." Read more

"...beyond grade school, possesses super intelligence, trigger fast reaction to any adverse situation, exceptional cunning and plotting in snaring the..." Read more

93 customers mention "Writing quality"86 positive7 negative

Customers praise the book's writing quality, noting it is well told with no grammar or spelling errors, and one customer mentions it's a page turner.

"...2. The Ending. I love the way the author wound up the story in a way I didn’t expect. 3. Jack...." Read more

"...And, of course, my number one criteria: no grammar or spelling errors!..." Read more

"...I still give the book 4 stars because I still love the author's writing style. I did enjoy the dark humor and the characters development...." Read more

"...Be sure to check out the Audible companion - super great narration!" Read more

70 customers mention "Interest"70 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, describing it as a thrilling page-turner that keeps readers hooked and wanting more.

"...The story moves at a steady pace, building to a pulse-pounding climax...." Read more

"...Despite the dark nature of the subject matter, there are shining moments when you want to pump your fist in the air and cheer, and moments when you..." Read more

"...Great mysteries and exciting page turners! Be sure to check out the Audible companion - super great narration!" Read more

"...(I skipped those segments.) It also has suspense and humor and kept my interest...." Read more

203 customers mention "Gore content"62 positive141 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the gore content of the book, with some finding it very gory and too violent, while others appreciate the detailed descriptions.

"...But the hard truth is that the violence and the aftermath of the violence is decidedly graphic, gruesome and, in some cases, a bit gratuitous, no..." Read more

"...I mean, this story wasn't just gory, it was filthy and if I was queasy I think I probably would have vomited more than once...." Read more

"...The scenes of binding and torture are cringe-worthy and excruciating to read let alone imagining it actually happening...." Read more

"Gets a little gory but super heroine Jack always prevails. Mr Friskers does his part too. This one has a happy ending" Read more

Detective humor!!!!
5 out of 5 stars
Detective humor!!!!
I am new to J. A. Konrath. She reminds me a lot of Evanovich. Great story line and humor. I am looking forward to reading the entire series!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2019
    4.5 out of 5 stars. RUSTY NAIL is my first book by J.A. Konrath, and I now consider myself a fan. This is the third book in a series, and it builds upon characters and events in the first two books, but the author weaves in just enough information that I wasn’t lost without recapping everything. Part thriller, part mystery, Detective Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels is faced with a cruel serial killer who has ties to previous cases of hers. As she attempts to track down this new killer, she must determine if it was an accomplice or a copycat of the original. She works with her partner, Herb, a handful of FBI agents, and a collection of officers in various jurisdictions. Interspersed with this is the marriage of her former partner, Harry, a romance with an ex, and coping with her feelings surrounding her mother who is in a coma in a skilled nursing facility.

    Plot
    The main plot is the mystery, told in first-person POV from Jack’s perspective, as well as various third-person POVs, including the killer. The story moves at a steady pace, building to a pulse-pounding climax. Humor is woven throughout to keep it from getting too dark, and this really helps an otherwise gruesome story from getting too morbid. I prided myself on figuring out who the killer was only to be floored when I was wrong. But in retrospect, everything I needed to know was skillfully placed throughout the story.

    Characters
    I had some difficulty connecting with Jack at first. She’s rough, tough, and really hard around the edges, but as the story unfolded, I saw softer sides of her, including her visits with her unconscious mother, the way she cares for her mother’s cat, who clearly can’t stand Jack, and even her broken heart. Herb, Harry, and even Harry’s fiancee, Holly, were all fascinating characters that helped make Jack that much more human when she tried her best to be inhuman.

    What I Enjoyed About RUSTY NAIL
    1. Plotting. Great plot with lots of twists and unexpected surprises.

    2. The Ending. I love the way the author wound up the story in a way I didn’t expect.

    3. Jack. It took me a bit to warm up to her, but once I did, I loved her more than just about any detective I’ve read in a long time.

    4. Harry. Jack’s former partner, Harry McGlade, is a soft, pasty, gross mess of a man, but he has some of the best lines in the book.

    5. Evil. The villains on Criminal Minds ain’t got nothin on Konrath’s bad guys.

    Bottom Line
    Gripping thriller/mystery with great characters and a plot that never lets up.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2013
    One of the things I find interesting about this author, who is, by the way, a man (Joseph Andrew Konrath), is his evident fascination with designer clothing. :-) He always describes exactly what Jack is wearing – other characters too – and drops a lot of high end names. In this book alone he rattles off fashion names like Dior, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Emmanuel Ungaro, London Fog, Levi’s, Kathleen B, Versace, Louis Vuitton, DKNY, and Bob Mackie. Interesting, but strange, to find this bit of high fashion awareness amid Konrath’s evident love of gore and weaponry. Perhaps hoping to entice a female audience (his protagonist is a female, after all) and convince them to put up with the graphic savagery because the author is so obviously fashion aware?

    I also like that he knows the area in which these novels take place very well. The home base for Jack Daniels is Chicago. Konrath is shown in Wikipedia as being from Skokie. So far he’s journeyed south to Carbondale, IL in “Bloody Mary,” and here in “Rusty Nail,” he visits Gary and Indianapolis, IN. Write what you know, or in this instance WHERE you know.

    This story builds on the story from the first novel of the series, “Whiskey Sour.” All those involved in that storyline return in this novel (well, at least all those who survived that storyline), plus a new lineup of baddies to color your next nightmare. And, as he did in the last novel, even Mr. Friskers gets in on the action. And there is definitely a lot of action in this novel, as well as quite a bit of humor (still not the laugh out loud humor Konrath promises, but some decidedly fun parts to counteract the gruesomeness of the tale), along with great character development and just enough clues to make you keep thinking, even when you’ve stopped reading for a while. Despite the dark nature of the subject matter, there are shining moments when you want to pump your fist in the air and cheer, and moments when you can’t keep from grinning at Jack’s sarcastic wit. The more I get to know Jack, the more I like her, flaws and all.

    And, of course, my number one criteria: no grammar or spelling errors!

    But let’s address what I hear most from others who have read one or more books in this series: the graphic nature of the violence. Konrath states in the Introduction to this novel that he has gotten complaints that his work is too graphic, but he replies: “… As in the rest of the series, I never have graphic depictions of violence or carnage. I use minimal description of violence, and let readers fill in the blanks. …” Hmm. I beg to differ, but perhaps the term ‘graphic’ is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe he thinks that if he’s just describing old injuries, as he does the self-inflicted injuries of Bud Kork in this novel, that it isn’t graphic. Or may he thinks his description of the videotaped torture and murder of another character, first being skinned and then killed by a slit throat isn’t graphic because he doesn’t describe each strip of flesh being pulled off with a set of pliers. As a reader, I certainly could ‘fill in the blanks,’ but that doesn’t mean the nature of the writing didn’t help. In another place, the killer tells his victim that he plans to make an incision, pull out the victim’s intestines and make the victim eat them. Later, he writes : “(Character’s name) tries to scream, but he can’t – his mouth is full.” Yeah, nothing graphic or violent there. And by the way, that one sentence is the entire chapter.

    Then there is this little section, from Chapter 43, I think (position 3615 of 4375/82% if you’re a Kindle reader). You should probably know that the bristles of the hairbrush mentioned here have been replaced with nails:

    Alex plants her feet, rears back, and slams the hairbrush onto McGlade’s thigh. The nails penetrate a good inch, anchoring themselves into bone.
    McGlade screams like a train whistle.

    Yeah, nothing too graphic there.

    Now, I’m not saying that the descriptions don’t dovetail with the extreme violence Konrath wants you to understand the villain is capable of enacting. It does. It works perfectly to help define the character. And believe me, this is far from the most horrendously violent description in the book. But the hard truth is that the violence and the aftermath of the violence is decidedly graphic, gruesome and, in some cases, a bit gratuitous, no matter what Konrath may believe.

    So, if you don’t have the stomach for this type of writing, you probably shouldn’t read the books. I wish I could tell you that you could just skip over those parts and still enjoy the book. You can’t. Konrath is a wizard at weaving the threads of his story in such a way that if you skip over anything, your understanding of the entire picture will have a definite hole!

    So, did I like the book. Yes. I did like it. Yes. I will read the next one in the series, “Dirty Martini.” But, I’ll probably take a break and read something a bit lighter and fluffier first. Maybe I’ll try “Out of Circulation” (A Cat In The Stacks mystery) or “The Good, The Bad, and The Witchy” (A Wishcraft mystery). Both will satisfy my love of a nice little mystery, while moving away from explicitly gruesome description.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2025
    JA Konrath doesn’t disappoint with a fast paced book with a few unexpected twists and turns and some great laughs. Don’t get me wrong, Jack Daniels never fails to get into some major trouble too. And of course the only way to save her is by continuing to read her to safety again.

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • John Kent
    5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read with a twist toward the end.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2017
    This was a free download and just decided to read it. I was not disappointed as the story kept my interest and the characters were believable. The injuries suffered were graphic to say the least so if you can't take horror then maybe it is not for you. It would make a good thriller movie in the same genre as a large number of other of that style. The main character displays the ability to shine in adversity which we all know that the hero or heroine will come through in the end. However it is the way an author portrays it in their writing that's important. I enjoyed the book and will be looking out for others.
  • Nefret
    5.0 out of 5 stars Auch für Fans des sehr schwarzen Humors
    Reviewed in Germany on May 6, 2013
    Jack Daniels erhält einen anonymen Brief, der einen Film enthält, auf dem gezeigt wird, wie eine Frau gefoltert wird. Alles deutet darauf hin, dass ein Nachahmungstäter unterwegs ist, der den Mörder "The Gingerbread Man", wie er sich selbst nannte, kopiert.

    Nach „Bloody Mary“ geht es mit „Rusty Nail“ weiter. Allerdings sollte man vorher unbedingt den ersten Teil, „Whiskey Sour“, gelesen haben, da sich dieser Thriller auf den Fall des Serienstarts bezieht und natürlich auch verraten wird, wer dort der Täter ist. Leider war dies bei mir nicht der Fall.

    Von all den Büchern, die ich bisher von J.A. Konrath gelesen habe, gefiel mir dieses am besten. Ständig ist Action, es gibt eine Wendung nach der anderen. Allerdings ist das Buch auch extrem brutal. Hinzu kommt irrwitziger Humor. Wer nicht darüber lachen kann, wenn ein Folteropfer mit einer Ratte um seinen abgesägten Finger kämpft, der sollte die Finger von diesem Thriller lassen.

    Da die Gewalt so überspitzt dargestellt ist und vor allem in den Köpfen der Leser abläuft, hatte ich keine großen Problem damit. Ich werde auf jeden Fall alle weiteren Bücher der Jack Daniels-Reihe lesen.
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  • davo 70
    5.0 out of 5 stars one of konrath's best.
    Reviewed in Australia on June 30, 2016
    J a konrath has done it again. A really good read.
  • laura
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book and great author
    Reviewed in Canada on February 1, 2021
    This is the fourth book that I have read from this author. As usual, this book also contains funny, scary and "over the top" components. I am a fan of horror and crime books and movies and this is exactly the type of book that I like to read.
  • 🐭 Miki101.Micha
    5.0 out of 5 stars If You like it HOT - buy it on the SPOT!
    Reviewed in Italy on April 4, 2013
    If You like Your Heroines tough and Your drinks stiff, mix Yourself a triple Rusty Nail - A Thriller (Jack Daniels Mysteries) - ( or take the threesome: Jack Daniels Series - Three Thriller Novels (Whiskey Sour #1, Bloody Mary #2, Rusty Nail #3) ) - recipe always at the beginning of the thriller - and start with a new series.

    And yet better if You like Jack Daniels - because that's the name of our more than tough, forty-something protagonist, Lieutenant in the Chicago Homicide Squad.
    Had been there, seen it all, caught a lot more...

    And this is the third thriller of a series that reached his (momentary) height with Stirred (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels/Luther Kite Thriller) where a Super Serial Killer meets our - quasi - indistructable and beloved Detective...
    But that's an entirely different story...
    This time Our Lieutenant has to hunt not only one - no, a whole bunch of some nice human (?) beings who hunt, torture, and kill everyone that has to do with the death of the "Gingerbread Man". That infamous serial killer of young women from the first Whiskey Sour - A Thriller (Jack Daniels Mysteries) stopped by our Jack...

    "Rusty Nail" is - like its predecessors - one of those books You want to read and finish without being interrupted by Your yelping dog, Your scratching cat, Your yelling spouse etc...
    You will simply want to finish it.
    And continue with the series!
    You will find everything a good thriller should have: Frights, wits, black humour and all the twists and turns a good mystery needs.
    All the crime novels about Jack Daniels are absolutely worth reading!

    So have a good read and - Cheers!

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