Title: THE HUNDREDTH MAN – Carson Ryder #01
Author: Jack Kerley
ISBN: 9780007181582
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 518
Source: Library Book
A body is found in the sweating heat of an Alabama night; headless, words inked on the skin. Detective Carson Ryder is good at this sort of thing – crazies and freaks. To his eyes it is no crime of passion, and when another mutilated victim turns up his suspicions are confirmed. This is not the work of a ‘normal’ murderer, but that of a serial killer, a psychopath.
Famous for solving a series of crimes the year before, Carson Ryder has experience with psychopaths. But he had help with that case – strange help, from a past Ryder is trying to forget.
Now he needs it again.
When the truth finally begins to dawn, it shines on an evil so twisted, so dangerous, it could destroy everything that he cares about…
Official Summary
25 June 2025
If you’re a fan of gritty crime thrillers with a Southern Gothic twist, The Hundredth Man might just be your next page-turning obsession. Jack Kerley plunges us into the sweltering darkness of Mobile, Alabama, where bodies turn up mutilated, headless, and scrawled with cryptic ink. It’s a vivid, unsettling start — and it only gets more intense from there.
Our protagonist, Detective Carson Ryder, is no stranger to the grotesque. He’s got a gift for handling the kind of killers that make your skin crawl — and a past that’s just as unsettling as the cases he investigates. Kerley gives Ryder a compelling blend of intelligence, sarcasm, and emotional baggage, which makes him an interestingly flawed hero to follow. What makes things even more intriguing is Ryder’s “help” on the case — a presence that’s as mysterious as it is psychologically complicated, adding a dark psychological layer to the narrative.
The plot itself moves at a quick, compelling pace, balancing police procedural elements with a growing sense of dread. The killer isn’t just brutal — they’re methodical, and the clues left behind hint at something more personal and deeply twisted. As Ryder digs deeper, the lines between his professional role and his personal demons start to blur, leading to a conclusion that is both disturbing and deeply satisfying.
Kerley’s writing is sharp and vivid, especially when it comes to atmosphere. You can practically feel the thick Alabama heat and hear the cicadas buzzing as the tension escalates. There’s also a healthy dose of dark humour and sarcasm, which helps cut through the horror without undermining it.
The Hundredth Man is a dark, compelling read that blends psychological intrigue with the visceral horror of serial crime. It’s smart without being pretentious, gruesome without being gratuitous, and Ryder is a character you’ll want to follow long after the final page. This isn’t just another crime novel — it’s a deep dive into the mind of a detective who’s barely keeping his balance while hunting someone with none at all.
Also by Jack Kerley
THE DEATH COLLECTORS – Carson Ryder #02
In 1972, on the day of his sentencing, renowned artist and serial killer Marsden Hexcamp is shot dead in the courtroom by a mysterious veiled woman. Members of his Mansonesque band of followers are imprisoned or simply disappear…
Decades later, a suspected prostitute is found murdered in a candlelit motel room, the first in a series of horrors suggesting that Hexcamp’s art remains alive and treacherous. Following a trail of beautiful – and profoundly disturbing – artwork, homicide detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus descend into the shocking world of the Death Collectors, people who spend vast sums to collect serial-killer memorabilia.
REVIEW COMING SOON!
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
John Albert Kerley is an American author. He spent 20 years in a successful advertising career before writing his first book, The Hundredth Man.
He currently lives in Newport, Kentucky, and is married with two children. He enjoys the outdoors, particularly fishing.
He is the author of the acclaimed Alabama-set series of Carson Ryder novels.
I found the Jack Kerley books in my local library in 2016 and I have been meaning to finish the Carson Ryder series ever since then. The time has come to make this a priority and I will be sharing reviews of all the books. Are you a Kerley fan? Which was your favourite book in the series? Please leave a comment below. Until next time… Happy Reading!
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