Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Deadbeat.

I read the author's previous book, The Other Side of Night, which I didn't love, but did like parts of.

Deadbeat is about Peyton Collard, how used to be a good man, had a good job, wife, and daughter. Then he screwed it all up after a terrible accident and an innocent life was lost.

Now, a barely functioning alcoholic living a shattered life, his fortune seems to change when he's offered a ridiculous amount of money to kill a bad man.

As Peyton weighs the pros and cons of perpetuating this heinous deed, he finds himself falling headlong into a conspiracy that started long ago.

And it will soon be too late to turn back.

I didn't like Peyton, but I don't think you're supposed to.

He's barely struggling to get by, unable to pay child support, he's weak, he's a loser, and always turns to booze. Yep, he's a deadbeat.

Yet, as the narrative progresses, I still didn't like Peyton. I didn't dislike him but I wouldn't want to hang out with him in real life.

I wasn't a fan of the constant internal monologuing as he tries to rationalize committing murder.

I know the point is to be in Peyton's head but his thoughts are repetitive and boring and slowed the pacing of the story a lot.

I guessed who the anonymous patron was from the get-go (it's not hard) but not the reason for it, which I thought was a good twist.

But that ending...it's too corny, too cheesy, too pat.

I thought the ending was more difficult to suspend disbelief for, even after everything Peyton went through.

I was instantly hooked by the totally unique premise and had no idea where the story would go next. I also loved how conflicted I felt about the main character throughout the story. Sometimes I felt like he was a piece of shit and other times I truly felt sorry for him. The ending seemed a bit farfetched compared to the rest of the story, but overall a really fresh, interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Deadbeat.

I read a lot of books and often feel like I am reading the same couple plots over and over again, but that was absolutely not the case here! I was instantly hooked by the totally unique premise and had no idea where the story would go next. I also loved how conflicted I felt about the main character throughout the story. Sometimes I felt like he was a piece of shit and other times I truly felt sorry for him. The ending seemed a bit farfetched compared to the rest of the story, but overall a really fresh, interesting read.

4 stars!