The Dark Side of Saintliness
A Thomas Blackburn Thriller · by Rick Tippins
A helicopter pilot who wanted nothing from his family's money loses his parents to a staged plane crash. He inherits a fortune, trains to kill, and goes after the men who ordered it.
- Series
- Thomas Blackburn #1
- Published
- August 11, 2026
- Length
- 337 pages (Kindle)
- Genre
- Vigilante / assassin thriller
Free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
// The Mission
About the Book
Thomas Blackburn once believed hard work and integrity were enough to build a meaningful life. Flying helicopters through the rugged forests of the Pacific Northwest, he kept his distance from the wealth and power tied to his family name. But when a devastating act of violence shatters his world, Thomas is pulled into a hidden war operating far beyond the reach of the law.
As he uncovers layers of deception surrounding powerful men who manipulate governments, corporations, and lives from the shadows, Thomas is forced into a brutal transformation.
From remote mountain towns and dangerous backroads to covert safe houses and deadly urban encounters, the series follows Thomas as he navigates betrayal, vengeance, and the thin line separating righteous purpose from obsession.
Filled with tactical realism, escalating tension, and morally complex characters, The Dark Side of Saintliness is a fast-paced thriller for readers who enjoy layered conspiracies, covert warfare, and protagonists haunted as much by their choices as by their enemies.
// Target Profile
For Readers Of
If you read these authors, start here:
// Reading Order
Thomas Blackburn Series in Order
- 0.1 Cold WaterShort story. How the man called John, Blackburn's trainer, came to be. Free for subscribers
- 0.2 A Hit in PragueShort story. A Vienna contract killer is hired to hunt Blackburn. Free for subscribers
- 0.3 The RavenShort story. Prague, decades earlier, with intelligence officer Clay Herrman. Free for subscribers
- 1 The Dark Side of SaintlinessNovel, 2026. Start here. Amazon →
- 2 Echoes of RetributionNovel, 2026. Amazon →
- 3 The Poison PawnNovel. In production. Coming soon
The short stories are optional. Each one stands alone and can be read before or after the novels.
// Field Reports
What Readers Say
“A great start to a new series.” — Goodreads reader review
// The Author
About Rick Tippins
Rick Tippins is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a retired lieutenant from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office in California, where he worked SWAT, narcotics, homicide and undercover cases.
He writes the Thomas Blackburn thrillers, the post-apocalyptic Jared Chronicles, and the California Fall series in the October Fall World. The tactics, weapons and procedure in his books come from his own career.
// Briefing
Quick Answers
- Is The Dark Side of Saintliness part of a series?
- Yes. It is book 1 of the Thomas Blackburn series by Rick Tippins. Book 2 is Echoes of Retribution, and book 3, The Poison Pawn, is in production.
- Do I need to read the short stories first?
- No. Cold Water, A Hit in Prague and The Raven are free bonus stories. The novels stand on their own.
- What kind of thriller is it?
- A vigilante and assassin thriller with a conspiracy plot, in the vein of Brad Thor's Scot Harvath books and Mark Greaney's Gray Man series.
- Is it on Kindle Unlimited?
- Yes. The Kindle edition can be read free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
// Acquire Your Target