Ruth Run, Elizabeth Kaufman
Ruth Run, Elizabeth Kaufman
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

Ruth Run

Author: Elizabeth Kaufman

Narrator: Dan Bittner, Rebecca Lowman

Unabridged: 7 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 04/15/2025


Synopsis

A Crime Reads Best Book of the Year!

"A wildly fun and thrilling read in this age of digital theft, Ruth Run introduces us to an irresistible heroine and, in Elizabeth Kaufman, a scintillating new voice in contemporary fiction." —Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Today Will Be Different

Cybercrime leads to a cross-country pursuit as an ambitious young thief exploits a hacked microchip to rob banks, and learns too late that the wrong people have been watching her

Twenty-six-year-old Ruth excels at microchip design but decides to get rich the old-fashioned way: robbing banks. She becomes a cybercriminal and devotes five years to siphoning more than $250 million out of the banking system using a hacked firewall chip that she created and only she knows how to access. Then one night an alarm goes off and she realizes she’s been discovered.

Five hours later she’s on the run, chased across California and the West by a slew of government agents who see her as both a high-level national security threat and a potential intelligence asset. They’ll catch her dead or alive—whatever it takes to make sure no one else discovers what she knows. Embedded among their ranks is Mike, an obsessive figure from Ruth’s past who may work as an intelligence agent but has very different intentions for Ruth. Always a step ahead, armed with her ironic wit and a reluctant dog, Ruth constantly eludes their understanding; can she elude their capture, too?

A nonstop thriller for the age of digital theft, Ruth Run introduces an irresistible new heroine and a fantastic new voice in contemporary fiction.

About The Author

Elizabeth Kaufman had a career in data networking, specializing in network security products and architectures. She now lives in rural northern Colorado.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) on May 11, 2025

Taking off like a bullet from the very first word, Ruth Run was both fast-paced and addictive. From the distinct dual POVs to the epic game of cat-and-mouse, I was glued to the pages of this debut as these two original personas tried to outfox one another. A quick, easy rollercoaster ride that kept......more

Goodreads review by Melissa (Semi-hiatus for Work) on April 21, 2025

Meh This book is told from two perspectives: Ruth, who developed a computer chip that allowed her to steal a millions, and Mike, the government agent who has been following her and now that she is on the run he is trying to hunt her down--or is he? As various other agencies get involved in the cat a......more

Goodreads review by R L HERSKOWITZ on April 22, 2025

Great debut novel! Fast paced, well written book. The writing style was unique. Ruth is a strong and nerdy smart woman. Ruth basically does what she wants to get her way. She has much potential, but feels unseen. I was disappointed with the ending.......more

Goodreads review by Trisha on April 04, 2025

A cybercrime, a lot of money, and Ruth behind it all - she needs to run, hide, and get away so she can be rich. Holy complex plot. Ruth stole a staggering amount of money and has been slipping it around to off-shore accounts, trying to amass as much as she can before she gets caught. We're pulled in......more

Goodreads review by Heather on April 06, 2025

#ad many thanks for the advance copy @simon + @lavenderpublicrelations #partner & @prhaudio #partner for the ALC 4 hour read at 1.8x Mixed review // Pub: April 15, 2025 Ohhhh hop in but you better buckle-up because you’re in for a treat with this one! Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaupman is a fast-paced thril......more


Quotes

“Ruth emerges as a savvy and seductive heroinean American Lisbeth Salander, with swagger for days." Oprah Daily

“This debut from a network security specialist is drawing comparisons to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” NY Post

“Kaufman debuts with an irresistible cat-and-mouse thriller about a cybercriminal and her stalker . . . Kaufman’s plucky heroine and slimy villain are both perfectly drawn, and the pedal-to-the-medal pacing never lets up. This is impossible to put down.” Publishers Weekly

“Cat and mouse take turns narrating this cunning and constantly surprising novel, giving readers a passenger-seat view from which to witness each adversary’s missteps and monitor their weaknesses . . . No tech expertise required to enjoy this diverting and funny-as-hell cyber caper.” —Kirkus

“Readers who loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will enjoy the tech-savvy protagonists, madcap circumstances, and ethical dilemmas in this fresh addition to the genre, a debut thriller in which every character's motives and methods are equally up for debate.” Booklist (starred review)

“Kaufman has created a compelling and complex character in Ruth, and watching her outwit and coordinate her surroundings to stay alive while being in control will endear her to readers. The motivations behind the people after this protagonist, and her inability to trust those she enlists for help, keep the paranoia above a level ten. Hopefully this terrific debut will launch a series featuring Ruth and her adventures.” —firstCLUE

"Kaufman has created a compelling and complex character in Ruth, and watching her outwit and coordinate her surroundings to stay alive while being in control will endear her to readers. The motivations behind the people after this protagonist, and her inability to trust those she enlists for help, keep the paranoia above a level ten. Hopefully this terrific debut will launch a series featuring Ruth and her adventures." —Jeff Ayers, First Clue Reviews