Scan barcode
traci1974's review
2.0
I want to provide a couple of caveats to my review. One, I hadn't read book one. I think I might have enjoyed this more had I had the back story. Two, the narrator. He was terrific. But his Dez voice got on my nerves. Not his fault, but it was a constant distraction. I think I'd have liked this more had I read it in print.
So, overall, it was just ok for me. I struggled to finish, much as I wanted to like it. This is exactly the sort of story I usually love, so I do think my 2 issues contributed to me not liking it as much as I should have.
So, overall, it was just ok for me. I struggled to finish, much as I wanted to like it. This is exactly the sort of story I usually love, so I do think my 2 issues contributed to me not liking it as much as I should have.
lyndam's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I was having a hard time getting into the book. I'm not sure what it was but I struggled to finish it
judithdcollins's review
4.0
James Byrne returns following The Gatekeeper with his second installment in his popular Dez Limerick series with DEADLOCK —another action-packed, witty thriller with an unstoppable main character.
A delicious taut nonstop hilarious, action-packed suspense thriller by James Byrne, with a leading man and hero you want by your side. With a sexy British/Irish accent to die for and all the dark humor, intelligence, and wit making DEZ, Desmond Aloysius Limerick, (the ultimate) THE GATEKEEPER.
A former mercenary, a musician, and a man who can open any door— physical or digital. He is not too tall, stocky, and bowlegged and buys his black tees from the one place that accommodates his broad shoulders and frame.
In DEADLOCK, the Irish ex-mercenary Limerick is off to Oregon from California. Jaleh Swann, a business journalist hot on the trail of an auditor who was mugged and killed, lands in the hospital just one day after her Portland apartment is ransacked.
His friend Raziah Swann, sends out a personal SOS stating her journalist sister, Laleh, has been abducted and beaten by thugs while researching an article on accounting irregularities at Clockjack, a tech conglomerate whose tentacles stretch across entire industries and levels of government.
The Swann sisters have been pulled into a dizzying web of cover-ups and danger. At the center lies an insidious Oregon-based tech corporation, Clockjack, which has enough money and hired guns to silence just about anyone. Luckily, Dez’s specialty is not just to open doors but keep them open―and protect those working to expose Clockjack’s secrets.
Dez learns that Clockjack plans to use its technologies to acquire sensitive intelligence and topple foreign governments—so he infiltrates the company’s headquarters outside Portland, using every tool at his disposal to break up the scheme.
Dez and the Swann sisters are on the run from powers beyond their control and means. Outnumbered, under-resourced and outgunned, Dez must use all his skills to keep his friends safe and stand up to corporate conspiracy.
I love the humor and sarcasm of Dez and enjoyed the mission of helping the sisters while he becomes immersed in a corporate coverup and government conspiracies: murder and mayhem and a fun, zany thriller.
High-adrenaline suspense and twists, packed with action, clever dialogue, and some great laughs! Even though I did not enjoy this one as much as The Gatekeeper, I still found DEADLOCK entertaining and a great setup for #3.
For fans of Greg Hurwitz's Orphan X, David Baldacci, Janet Evanovich, and Elle Cosimano. I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by John Keating for an entertaining and fascinating thrill ride!
Thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #MinotaurInfluencers #SMPInflueners
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 8, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books
A delicious taut nonstop hilarious, action-packed suspense thriller by James Byrne, with a leading man and hero you want by your side. With a sexy British/Irish accent to die for and all the dark humor, intelligence, and wit making DEZ, Desmond Aloysius Limerick, (the ultimate) THE GATEKEEPER.
A former mercenary, a musician, and a man who can open any door— physical or digital. He is not too tall, stocky, and bowlegged and buys his black tees from the one place that accommodates his broad shoulders and frame.
In DEADLOCK, the Irish ex-mercenary Limerick is off to Oregon from California. Jaleh Swann, a business journalist hot on the trail of an auditor who was mugged and killed, lands in the hospital just one day after her Portland apartment is ransacked.
His friend Raziah Swann, sends out a personal SOS stating her journalist sister, Laleh, has been abducted and beaten by thugs while researching an article on accounting irregularities at Clockjack, a tech conglomerate whose tentacles stretch across entire industries and levels of government.
The Swann sisters have been pulled into a dizzying web of cover-ups and danger. At the center lies an insidious Oregon-based tech corporation, Clockjack, which has enough money and hired guns to silence just about anyone. Luckily, Dez’s specialty is not just to open doors but keep them open―and protect those working to expose Clockjack’s secrets.
Dez learns that Clockjack plans to use its technologies to acquire sensitive intelligence and topple foreign governments—so he infiltrates the company’s headquarters outside Portland, using every tool at his disposal to break up the scheme.
Dez and the Swann sisters are on the run from powers beyond their control and means. Outnumbered, under-resourced and outgunned, Dez must use all his skills to keep his friends safe and stand up to corporate conspiracy.
I love the humor and sarcasm of Dez and enjoyed the mission of helping the sisters while he becomes immersed in a corporate coverup and government conspiracies: murder and mayhem and a fun, zany thriller.
High-adrenaline suspense and twists, packed with action, clever dialogue, and some great laughs! Even though I did not enjoy this one as much as The Gatekeeper, I still found DEADLOCK entertaining and a great setup for #3.
For fans of Greg Hurwitz's Orphan X, David Baldacci, Janet Evanovich, and Elle Cosimano. I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by John Keating for an entertaining and fascinating thrill ride!
Thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #MinotaurInfluencers #SMPInflueners
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 8, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books
danubooks's review
5.0
An explosive thriller with a savvy, devious, and outrageously funny hero….a fantastic read!
If you missed his first outing in “The Gatekeeper” (I did, but am rectifying that matter just as soon as this review is written), then let me introduce you to Desmond Aloysius Limerick, Dez to his friends. Once upon a time, Dez was part of an elite group of individuals called gatekeepers. Their skill sets are highly prized and their exploits are legendary to others in the special ops world, so much so that many an operative thinks that they are urban legends. As Dez himself explains, a gatekeeper’s job on an op is to open doors, “…open ‘em, keep ‘em open as long as needed, an’ close ‘em proper. And to make sure that everyone who enters also exits, a smile on their faces an’ a melody in their heart.” That includes not just actual doors but any gateway, virtual or otherwise. With a ready smile and a decidedly charming aspect to his personality, Dez is underestimated by many….but they do so at their own peril. He’s retired from the profession now, and is kicking back in California, expanding his skills at playing the bass and generally enjoying a sunny life of leisure, when he gets a call from Raziah Swann, a talented young musician with whom he sometimes plays gigs. Her sister Laleh, a business reporter in Portland, has been attacked, and Raziah is afraid that she remains in danger. She has no idea what lurks in Dez’s past, just that he can handle himeself in a tight spot, and she asks him to come help. He heads to Portland straight away….Dez has a strong sense of right and wrong, and an admirably strong moral code. If a mate needs help, Dez will be there, no questions asked. It becomes clear as soon as he arrives in Portland that Raziah has every reason to fear for her sister. While Laleh tries to figure out what exactly she knows that has made her a target, Dez will need every one of his myriad skills and tricks, as well as rely on help from his network of contacts, if he is going to keep these two young women safe. A major tech corporation called Clockjack factors into this mess somehow, and Dez will find himself up against international thugs, government agencies, and someone (or many someones) who has influence in every conceivable sphere, if he hopes to save the lives of the Swann sisters…and his own.
I fell under Dez’s charm before the end of the prologue. He’s a bloke (not a guy, definitely a bloke) who takes his job incredibly seriously, but himself not so much. Self deprecating and inclined to call balls and strikes as he sees them, he is no one’s patsy, His ability to analyze a situation, see ten moves ahead of his opponent, and come up with the best plan to succeed in his mission (while having at least two exit strategies and multiple back up plans) is fascinating to read, and as he does it all with a wink and a grin (and more than a few British expressions that can be a challenge to suss out from those on this side of the pond) it is an entertaining tale to boot. The action is non-stop, and it is nearly impossible to put the book down. Fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books, Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, or Mark Greaney’s Gray Man absolutely have to grab a copy of “Deadlock” (and trust me….pick up “The Gatekeeper” too at the same time. There is no way that you will read one without wanting to immediately read the other). If Jack Reacher were shorter, British, and had a wicked sense of humor, he’d be a close match to Dez. I honestly haven’t been so absorbed by a thriller that also made me smile (even laugh out loud) in a while. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy….Dez Limerick has a new superfan, and my Irish ancestry has nothing to do with it! I eagerly await the next installment in the series.
.
If you missed his first outing in “The Gatekeeper” (I did, but am rectifying that matter just as soon as this review is written), then let me introduce you to Desmond Aloysius Limerick, Dez to his friends. Once upon a time, Dez was part of an elite group of individuals called gatekeepers. Their skill sets are highly prized and their exploits are legendary to others in the special ops world, so much so that many an operative thinks that they are urban legends. As Dez himself explains, a gatekeeper’s job on an op is to open doors, “…open ‘em, keep ‘em open as long as needed, an’ close ‘em proper. And to make sure that everyone who enters also exits, a smile on their faces an’ a melody in their heart.” That includes not just actual doors but any gateway, virtual or otherwise. With a ready smile and a decidedly charming aspect to his personality, Dez is underestimated by many….but they do so at their own peril. He’s retired from the profession now, and is kicking back in California, expanding his skills at playing the bass and generally enjoying a sunny life of leisure, when he gets a call from Raziah Swann, a talented young musician with whom he sometimes plays gigs. Her sister Laleh, a business reporter in Portland, has been attacked, and Raziah is afraid that she remains in danger. She has no idea what lurks in Dez’s past, just that he can handle himeself in a tight spot, and she asks him to come help. He heads to Portland straight away….Dez has a strong sense of right and wrong, and an admirably strong moral code. If a mate needs help, Dez will be there, no questions asked. It becomes clear as soon as he arrives in Portland that Raziah has every reason to fear for her sister. While Laleh tries to figure out what exactly she knows that has made her a target, Dez will need every one of his myriad skills and tricks, as well as rely on help from his network of contacts, if he is going to keep these two young women safe. A major tech corporation called Clockjack factors into this mess somehow, and Dez will find himself up against international thugs, government agencies, and someone (or many someones) who has influence in every conceivable sphere, if he hopes to save the lives of the Swann sisters…and his own.
I fell under Dez’s charm before the end of the prologue. He’s a bloke (not a guy, definitely a bloke) who takes his job incredibly seriously, but himself not so much. Self deprecating and inclined to call balls and strikes as he sees them, he is no one’s patsy, His ability to analyze a situation, see ten moves ahead of his opponent, and come up with the best plan to succeed in his mission (while having at least two exit strategies and multiple back up plans) is fascinating to read, and as he does it all with a wink and a grin (and more than a few British expressions that can be a challenge to suss out from those on this side of the pond) it is an entertaining tale to boot. The action is non-stop, and it is nearly impossible to put the book down. Fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books, Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, or Mark Greaney’s Gray Man absolutely have to grab a copy of “Deadlock” (and trust me….pick up “The Gatekeeper” too at the same time. There is no way that you will read one without wanting to immediately read the other). If Jack Reacher were shorter, British, and had a wicked sense of humor, he’d be a close match to Dez. I honestly haven’t been so absorbed by a thriller that also made me smile (even laugh out loud) in a while. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy….Dez Limerick has a new superfan, and my Irish ancestry has nothing to do with it! I eagerly await the next installment in the series.
.
cath518's review
fast-paced
4.0
This is the second book in the Dez Limerick series. I have not read the 1st book in the series but did not feel like I missed out while reading this one. I will, however, probably go back and read the first one. Dez is such an interesting character.
Dez is a "Gatekeeper". Gatekeepers can open any door, keep the door open as long as necessary, and ensures no one enters or exits without his express permission. Dez receives a call from Raziah, a friend, that her sister, Laleh, was attacked and is in the hospital. When Dez arrives, he discovers three shady dudes there to finish the job and stops them. Laleh is digging into a story about a friend of hers who had been doing an audit for a company when he was murdered. After the three men at the hospital are discovered as known criminals, several Federal agencies get involved and everyone is told to "stand down", which leaves Dez there to protect the sisters.
This was a fun read. It was fast-paced with enough action and twists to keep one engaged. I truly wanted to know what would happen next. Definitely a must-read!
My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Deadlock!
Dez is a "Gatekeeper". Gatekeepers can open any door, keep the door open as long as necessary, and ensures no one enters or exits without his express permission. Dez receives a call from Raziah, a friend, that her sister, Laleh, was attacked and is in the hospital. When Dez arrives, he discovers three shady dudes there to finish the job and stops them. Laleh is digging into a story about a friend of hers who had been doing an audit for a company when he was murdered. After the three men at the hospital are discovered as known criminals, several Federal agencies get involved and everyone is told to "stand down", which leaves Dez there to protect the sisters.
This was a fun read. It was fast-paced with enough action and twists to keep one engaged. I truly wanted to know what would happen next. Definitely a must-read!
My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Deadlock!
sueinguelph's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
abibliofob's review
5.0
I had seen the name James Byrne previously but not reacted to it. Now after reading his first two books I almos regret not doing so earlier. Deadlock is the second book about Dez Limerick and it's out in August. I will tell everyone that this series should be read, the stories are great and the characters as well and it's not only suspense and action it's a lot of humorous dialogue also. I can say without a doubt that Byrnes books are one of the most pleasant surprises for me this year. I also can say that I didn't see that twist coming in the end of book two. Now I eagerly await book three. A big thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur books and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy.
antonia_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cyireadbooks's review
1.0
Deadlock sounded like a novel that I could get behind very easily. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me. Granted, I knew that the novel was a sequel. But I generally manage to get by reading sequels as standalones. However, Deadlock was difficult to read as a standalone. Without knowing anything about the Gatekeeper backstory, I was lost at the get-go.
Even if I did know Dez' backstory of being the gatekeeper, I don't think I would enjoy this novel or the prior novel. What I didn't care for was Dez' dialect. Dez came across to me as a wannabe pirate. Something that turned me off at the start. And the wry humor was a miss for me as well. Those two aspects took away from the mystery and suspense in my opinion. An unfortunate one star DNF at 33%
I'm sure that I'm an outlier opinion. But that's just my thoughts about this novel. I don't think I would want to read any more of this series. But, if there are other novels from this author, I'll probably give them a try.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Even if I did know Dez' backstory of being the gatekeeper, I don't think I would enjoy this novel or the prior novel. What I didn't care for was Dez' dialect. Dez came across to me as a wannabe pirate. Something that turned me off at the start. And the wry humor was a miss for me as well. Those two aspects took away from the mystery and suspense in my opinion. An unfortunate one star DNF at 33%
I'm sure that I'm an outlier opinion. But that's just my thoughts about this novel. I don't think I would want to read any more of this series. But, if there are other novels from this author, I'll probably give them a try.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.