Desmond "Dez" Aloysius Limerick is a man with certain skills. When a friend calls him to ask for help protecting her sister, he arrives in Portland ready to help them out. But what starts out looking like a big corpo threatening a journalist quickly turns into a dangerous plot of power and violence that will take all of Dez's skills and wits to survive.
I was not expecting Byrne to be able to top the masterpiece that was book 1, but this book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Maybe it's because Dez and his laissez-faire attitude were already introduced in the previous book so the story can take off from the very beginning or perhaps it's just knowing what he's capable of while the plot throws one twist after another at him, all I know is that I loved every moment of it.
Even when it got a bit too violent for my usual tastes and the injury descriptions got too detailed, I was so into where the story was taking me that I didn't mind. I'm so squeamish that I cannot help but express awe that I didn't mind it. But do consider it a warning that there are a ton of casualties and good guy Dez does unalive quite a few shady characters.
It would enhance your reading experience to have read the previous book for some background on how Dez is and to understand his relationship to some of the characters, not to mention that book also rocks. However, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have done so to get full enjoyment of Deadlock.
Overall, it's a violent and brilliantly plotted thriller that pits two super-skilled vets against each other as psychopathic rich people play with lives for money and power.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the super exciting read!

Unfortunately I could not get I to this book at all and dnf’d at 15%

I couldn’t get into the story or characters and I just don’t think the story was for me. I’m sure this will appeal to others.

#FirstLine - Desmond Aloysius Limerick has been ordered to fly into Baku, Azerbaijan, under a false name, carrying nothing but a change of clothes and a paperback Michel Bussi mystery in the original French.

The book's plot is a carefully woven tapestry of suspense, mystery, and unexpected twists.

Desmond Limerick is the man you want in your corner. He has mad skills and is cunning. He is also protective of his friends. This book was what I would call high octane action with mind bending twists that will leave you with whiplash. Dez can open any door, and I do mean any door. This may not sound like a good skill to hone, but in his case, it is necessary.

The characters are strong and there are a lot of them. Dez, of course, is my favorite with his quick wit and mouthy sarcasm. I would definitely want him on my side in the case of an emergency. If you need a good thriller to keep you up at night while you read yourself into oblivion, you need look no further. This one will keep you up just so you close the final page.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books, as well as NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Non-stop action! Quite the adventure. Desmond Aloysius Limerick, or Dez to his friends, is quite the character. He is loyal to a fault and will lay down his life for others. He is very humble, will take on anything or anyone and a very good person to have at your back. You do not want him for an enemy. When a friend calls and says she needs help, he is right there to help. It turns out that there is more danger than anyone thought. Dez uncovers an international problem and there are those who will stop at nothing to keep him out of it. When they involve his friend and her sister, Dez steps up and eliminates the problem. Will Dez live through this? He has a way of making friends along the way that turn out to be very good allies.

Deadlock by James Byrne
Published: August 8, 2023
Minotaur Books
Genre: Assassination Thrillers
Pages: 359
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

James Byrne lives and writes in one of the coolest cities on Earth: Portland, Oregon. Under various names, he has published nine other novels in the realm of thrillers and mysteries.

“Best fights are the ones never get started.”

Dez was a gatekeeper but decided to step away. He travels to America, where he isn’t expecting to get caught up in international chaos, but he works well under pressure.

I enjoyed this book. I wish I had read the first one before I jumped into this one. I recommend reading the books in order; getting to know the characters from the beginning would add much to the development.

This was a weirdly mixed slow burn mixed with a fast pace. There were parts things took a while to build up, but then like setting off a domino chain, once things started, it was fast and furious.

This read like an action film, and I enjoyed the humor mixed in. The characters seemed well-fleshed out. I enjoyed how the plot played out, and I am invested in the story, so I will be reading book one and book three!

I did not read the first book in the series. I feel I missed out knowing more about the backstory of Dez. I plan on reading the first book in the series as soon as I can.
The story is certainly full of action and keeps you engaged.
Main character, Dez, gets things done. His friends know he can be counted on if they are in need of help.
I would like to read more Dez Limerick adventures.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Move over, Jack Reacher, Evan Smoak--here comes Desmond Aloysius Limerick! In this second outing, Des has retired and has been living in LA, playing his guitar, when his friend, Raziah Swann calls from Portland, Oregon, needing his help--her sister Laleh, a business reporter, was attacked on the street and is in the hospital. Dez arrives just in time to stop three men from finishing the job. Federal agencies get involved when the thugs are recognized as known criminals but soon get the word to back off, leaving Dez to protect the sisters.

Laleh had been writing about the death of her friend, Conor O'Meara, who'd been doing an audit of Clockjack Solutions, the biggest B Corp in Oregon, the maker of phones and software. So that's the obvious place to start looking...

Dez is a breath of fresh air. No one is quite sure where he's from--is he Scottish, Irish? Does he have a military background? He's certainly no Adonis. He's short, bow-legged, ham-handed, and barrel-chested, with many battle scars. But don't underestimate him--he's clever and resourceful and a good man in a fight. If there's any man crazy enough to take on an international corporation, it's him. There's plenty of action and violence in this thriller but humor too. Dez is one of kind.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

It's time to buckle up and suspend belief, you are in for a wild ride! This book picks up right where the first book ended. Dez gets a call from a friend asking for help. In Portland a business journalist has been violently attacked and needs protection. All roads lead to Clockjack, a big and powerful tech company.
Dez is an interesting character. He's likable and easygoing, and also skilled with everything concerning computers, military intelligence, weapons and how to kill people. His manner of speaking is confusing to say to least, but he's ready to go all the way to protect a friend. A little bit like Reacher, but then again, nothing like Reacher.
The plot is complex and quite unbelievable, I hope. The ending came a little too quickly. I was maybe expecting something more. I guess we'll find that out in the next book. The epiloque left me intriqued for sure.

This is the second book in the series and I cannot wait for the third! Fast paced, action-packed thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. James Byrne has begun a great new series and I am looking forward to what he writes next. If you are a thriller fan, you need to make this part of your TBR pile!

I didn't know what to expect when I started listening/reading this book. At first I didn't like it and I put it down at 20%. I picked it back up a few days later and finished it pretty quick.

It took me a while to like Dez and his unique way of talking. Like the sisters in the book, I didn't understand what he was saying some of the time. I would totally want to be his friend if I was ever in trouble! While the storyline was interesting, and different from what I'm used to, I just wasn't hooked. I think the author and the narrator did a great job. It just wasn't the book for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the copies of the book.

3.5 stars
I know I’m in the minority here but I wasn’t thrilled with this offering. I had a hard time staying engaged with the main character, Dez Limerick. Maybe because of his manner of speaking. This has endeared him to many readers, I’m just not one of them. This is book 2 apparently, and perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read book 1, the Gatekeeper.

The plot for this one is good but it seems the character overshadows it. Good for most, just not for me. I express sincere gratitude for the digital ARC via NetGalley and the published for an opportunity to express my unbiased opinion.

If I knew "gatekeeper" Desmond Aloysius Limerick personally, I'm sure I'd be smacking him upside the head at least once an hour. He's so used to being physically bashed about that he wouldn't feel anything, of course - and he's so amiable that all he'd say in return is something like, "Aye, love - ye caught me nappin' on that one!"

And also of course, I'd forgive him for whatever transgression he made and we'd start the cycle all over again, just because he somehow manages to be so endearing (and funny enough to make me giggle) while irritating the heck out of everyone around him - at least when he's not beating them to a pulp, blowing them up, or outright killing them. I fell in love with the guy in The Gatekeeper, the first book in the series, and if anything, I love him more after reading this one.

Basically a retired mercenary who's loyal to the core and has a side gig as a musician, Dez is now in Los Angeles and basically retired. But when he gets a call from old friend Raziah Swann claiming her reporter sister Laleh is in trouble (in fact, she's in the hospital after being attacked), he heads north to Portland to offer assistance. There, he learns that Laleh was writing a story that involved a local technology company - second in size and influence only to Nike - called Clockjack. Could that somehow be related to the attack?

Dez sure thinks so - but suspicion and proof are two different animals. But it seems the powers-that-be at this behemoth company, including an influencial female CEO, have more than enough power to put the cabosh on formal investigation by all federal agencies. If Dez is going to get to the truth and, if necessary, bring down the bad guys and gals, he'll have to go it alone (well, with some help from old friends and yes, even enemies).

There's no shortage of murder and mayhem here, much of it coming by way of Dez himself (yes, he rather often exceeds the limits of human capability, but then that's half the fun - apparently, for him as well as for readers). The ending is satisfying and leaves fodder for the next book, for which I'm already chomping at the bit. At any rate, this one is a hoot and a half - and once again, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading and reviewing a pre-release copy.

Deadlock is the second book in the Dez Limerick series. Dez is a man with a shadowy past. He has a special set of skills that he uses in many different situations and to help people he cares about. There is a prologue where he is finishing up a case but after that he gets caught up on a more personal level when a young friend and her sister, a journalist, are in trouble.

It seems someone doesn't like what Laleh Swann has been writing about. After being attacked twice her sister reaches out to her friend Dez. From there it becomes apparent there is something big going on.

This is all about Dez. His personality fills the page. He has style and likes to joke. His manner of speaking gets a little old after a while but the character is consistent. It's fun watching Dez go about his business, outsmarting or physically taking someone down.

The author does a good job describing appearances, facial expressions, and body movements. Every scene is fully developed. At times this slows the narrative.

There is a lot going on in the plot. I was confused at times but I think many readers will appreciate the details. I think it's better to read the first book in the series before this one to get a better understanding of Dez's background. Since I hadn't I felt like I was missing something.

There is a lot of high stakes action in this thriller and the ride along is full of adventure. I think a lot is dependent on how much you like Dez. I wasn't able to fully connect with him so this thriller didn't quite thrill me.

Deadlock is the second book in this series, and while you don't have to have read the first one to enjoy this one, I think after finishing it you'll want to.

I really enjoy how we get to see a mission Dez was a part of as Gatekeeper in the beginning. I also love how this mission circles back to whatever Dez is working on next.

This is a fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and laughing out loud. I love the chaos and mayhem and how everything played out. I flew through it in just a few hours, and I can't wait to read the next one!

This is a complex, delicious thriller that will keep you turning the pages late into the night. A great heroic adventure with lots of tension building to a climax. If you like thrillers, you will enjoy this one. It says this a squel to [book:The Gatekeeper|61222393] by [author:James Byrne|22322955], but I hadn't read that one and had no trouble following the story.

Description:
Desmond Aloysius Limerick ("Dez" to his friends and close personal enemies) is a man with a shadowy past, certain useful hard-won skills, and, if one digs deep enough, a reputation as a good man to have at your back. Now retired from his previous life, Dez is just a bloke with a winning smile, a bass guitar, and bullet wounds that paint a road map of past lives.

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. When Jaleh’s sister, Raziah, reaches out to an old friend for help, Dez has no choice but to answer. 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—including this rag-tag trio. Luckily, Dez’s speciality is not just to open doors, but keep them open—and protect those working to expose Clockjack’s secrets.

More stands in the way of the truth than just one corporation. When hired thugs come to the finish the job and attack the Swann sisters at the hospital, Dez does what he does best. Now, the two captured men (and the corpse Dez left behind) attract the attention of not just Clockjack, but of the Portland police, the D.E.A, and the U.S. Marshalls. 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 conniving. After all, the one thing Clockjack didn’t count on? A good man with a simple job to do.

My thoughts:
Loved the character Dez with his gatekeeping skills. He's quite the hero! The plot was good and the story was so fast-paced I didn't want to put it down. I may go back and read the first book - just because I liked the Dez character so much. He seems to have a reputation as a legend - his trademark is the ability to open any door. That may not seem to be such an admirable skill, but after reading the book it's very special. There's some humor in the book too, that relieves some of the tension. Some of the situations were over-the-top and you have to suspend belief.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on August 8, 2023.

I was thinking while I was reading this book why I love this series so much, and I concluded that it it’s because Dez is honestly a superhero of sorts. It’s a little bit Marvel. The book is almost a comfort read because you know he is going to get the bad guys, and do it with charm, wit and aplomb. There’s definitely a lot of violence here, so it’s not a series for anyone that is sensitive to that. But the series is a great read for anyone who loves quick, smart, thrilling action. This was a worthy second entry in the series and I look forward to continuing.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This second in the series does not disappoint. Dez is a wonderful character. He is called to rescue a friend and finds himself in the middle of a huge conspiracy. The story is action packed and page turning. Dez is a masterful fighter and a man of few words. He is a hero and a rescuer of damsels in distress. In a style all his own he will keep readers greatly entertained.

Grabbed me at the beginning and kept me the whole way through. It was a roller coaster ride at supersonic speed. When I received the arc I overlooked #2. I was not completely lost but I did flounder a little. The ending had me going woah and set us up for another whirlwind ride. Count me in. Thank you for the arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts an opinions. #Deadlock #DezLimerick #JamesByrne #StMartins-Minotaurbooks #NetGalley

I loved Dez, the MC, in this book. Once I got use to his dialogue, I ran through this book. Dez is a gatekeeper. He is the one that opens the door, keeps it open just long enough, and closes the door.

This is the first book I read in this series and by Byrne, but it won't be the last. It's full of action. Dez gets a call from Rez that someone is after her sister. Could he help? Well of course. This starts a pulse pounding, edge of your seat read.

There is a company, Clockjack, that is starting to be on the shady side. They all ready killed an auditor and now are after Rez's sister, a journalist. She doesn't even know why. Soon, it's apparent that if Clockjack isn't stopped, things are going to be bad for other countries. Dez is on his own on this. All federal agencies have been told to step back from Clockjack. Plus, there's someone from his past, he thought was dead being seen in the company of the security head of Clockjack. How much do the founders of Clockjack know? Can Dez save the girls?

Tentative publication date: August 8, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

😊 Happy Reading 😊

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#minotaurbooks
#jamesbyrne
#deadlock