I absolutely loved The Other Side of Night so when I saw a new book from the same author, I jumped at the chance to read it. I didn't realize, however, that The Other Side of Night was a departure from Hamdy's typical action packed thrillers (this is where it pays to read a synopsis and not go in blind...).

Deadbeat was just that, an adrenaline filled race which featured Peyton, a dad turned drunk turned hired killer trying to do good for his family, as he navigates the morality and perils of his new role. It was giving me Ryan Gosling in the movie Drive vibes. This was definitely a well paced and well thought out thriller but it just wasn't the style of thriller that I would typically be interested in so I do find it hard to give this book a rating. I would say it fell between 3.5 and 4⭐️ for me, but might be more appealing to fans of this genre.

5 Things to Know Before You Pick Up Deadbeat by Adam Hamdy

Looking for a heart-pounding thriller with a morally complex lead? Here’s what you need to know about Deadbeat:

1️⃣ A Flawed Yet Relatable Hero: Meet Peyton Collard, a once-honorable veteran turned hitman after hitting rock bottom. His journey is raw, gripping, and heartbreakingly human.
2️⃣ Themes of Redemption: Beyond the action, this novel dives deep into morality, desperation, and the lengths one will go for family.
3️⃣ A Dark, Twisty Plot: Anonymous patrons. Evil targets. Big payouts. Peyton’s hitman career quickly spirals into a dangerous hunt for truth.
4️⃣ Non-Stop Action: High stakes, shocking twists, and intense confrontations until the final page.
5️⃣ A Must-Read for Thriller Fans: If you love a literary read, morally complex characters and emotional tension, Deadbeat won’t disappoint!

📖 Available December 3, 2024—perfect for your winter TBR

Why Not Five Stars:
Though I loved how Peyton (the main character and narrator) would talk to the reader, even fictional supposed readers, being in his head got tiresome. He constantly beat himself up and rationalized with the same thoughts over and over again. Though literarily speaking, I could defend this technique as it serves a purpose; as a casual reader, it detracts from the enjoyment of the thriller aspects of the novel and slows down the pace - even becoming, dare I say it - boring. But if you love books with a more literary style, then you will find this one is a gem with lots to be discovered: notable imagery, a katabasis, and moral ambiguity that’s perfect for stimulating intellectual discussion and contemplation.

I had never heard of this author before but tho novel sounded like something I would enjoy. It kept me engaged in the beginning, but also started to feel flat and repetitive unfortunately. It was my favorite, but i’d give this author another try.

This is not the type of thriller I typically read, but I'm so glad I did.

As someone who has struggled a lot financially (in LA too), it was interesting to put myself in the main character Peyton Collard's shoes and think of what I would have done differently and what it would have resulted in. I loved the very fast pace of the book and finished it in one evening.

I didn't exactly like any of the characters, but for this kind of story, that wasn't necessary, and I don't think that was the writer's goal anyway. A cautionary tale of sorts, about what could happen if strong emotions and greed got in the way of logical thinking and empathy.

This story had a very good twist at the end that I did not see coming, and it tied up all the loose ends and questions I had while reading. Very satisfying and worth getting through the whole thing.

The only parts I didn't like were the long descriptions and details of the people/places Peyton interacted with when they weren't all that necessary for the plot. I found myself skimming those because I wanted to get back to the action.

Overall, I recommend this book if you're into fast-paced thrillers and morally gray main characters.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster / Atria Books for this ARC!

*engaged my attention right away
*plot set up is interesting

But,
*the main character 🤬
*had to put it down more than a few times due to the repetition
*implausible
*did I mention that it was repetitive?

This may be just the book for other readers, but unfortunately, this one Deadbeat wasn’t for me.


Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the DRC

What better way to start a book than with a confession!! He lost everything thing five years ago when he killed someone in a car accident. It was interesting to see how the main character justified his actions all along the way and had you cheering for him, even though he was the murderer. I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who like a good and twisty thriller. Thank you NetGalley.

I liked Hamdy's last book The Other Side of Night, because it had a great twist at the end. Although I liked the way this eventually came together, I just didn't like how it got there.

The main premise is that Peyton Collard is a deadbeat. He's a divorced dad whose life was on track after a career in the military and a successful re-entry into civilian life--until he chose to drive drunk and killed someone. Now he has no income, no friends, and his ex wife rarely lets him see their daughter. That is, until he gets an anonymous message offering him a staggering amount of money to kill someone, and this turns into more. Peyton starts to wonder who is paying this money and why and starts to investigate on his own.

My main problem with this book was how much I hated the main character. He was constantly getting drunk/high at the absolute wrong times and making a bumbling mess of everything. You'd think with all of his cash motivation and wanting to do right by his daughter that he'd at least try to make better choices but for as intelligent as he was supposed to be, he was caught in an endless pity party and making bad choices right and left.

Like I said, I did like the way it all came together, but it took SO long to get there. I honestly got a bit bored of reading about all of the places he left his car when drunk and partying, how he didn't want to go back to jail but wasn't making any inroads to prevent that happening.

I'm definitely in the minority, many people have liked this book a lot more than me so if you think the premise sounds good then definitely give it a try.

3.5 stars ⭐️

Adrenaline Thrillers aren’t my favorite genre, but based on positive reviews and the fact that I found his last book, “The Other Side of Night” intriguing-I decided to give this one a try.

The book opens with a CONFESSION:

Peyton Collard, a former Military man, who was voted “most likely to succeed” in high school, is admitting that he is now a KILLER.

He lost EVERYTHING 5 years ago, after taking a life in a car accident-He should NOT have been driving drunk. And, now, he is back in a jail cell for something else and unable to make bail.

But an anonymous benefactor has gotten him released and made him an offer he can’t refuse-Kill an evil man with two shots to the head, and claim $100,000 cash. Seems too good to be true-and you know what they say about that…

Why was he chosen?

Why was he offered a fresh start, and a College fund for his daughter so she can go to school to become a Doctor and not have HER own life ruined because of HIS poor choices?

He convinces himself that taking the offer would be no different than (for example) what a CEO who could prevent workplace accidents does by not enforcing higher standards, and the many examples he came up with to rationalize his behavior made this story a bit deeper than most others in the genre, and I enjoyed this aspect.

So, YES-he takes the job out of DESPERATION.

He tells himself he is doing it for LOVE.

Peyton Collard repeatedly makes REALLY POOR CHOICES, despite his conscience trying to steer him off of his chosen path, and there is quite a lot of repetition- DRINK-KILL-GET BEAT UP-REPEAT.

To put an end to it all, Peyton will have to figure out who his anonymous benefactor is, and his or her end game.

The book reads a lot like an Adrenaline Thriller you might WATCH at the movie theater so I wasn’t surprised to learn that Adam Hamdy is a Screenwriter. It’s still not my favorite genre to read-but this SEEDY story is ENTERTAINING though VERY Over-the-Top! If you love those kind of films-this book is for you!

Prepare to suspend your disbelief! 🍿

A buddy read with Mary Beth and MarilynW. Be sure to watch for their thoughts too!

Expected Publication Date: December 3, 2024

Thank You to Atria Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always these are my candid thoughts!

This was a fun read. I loved how gritty and raw it was. The main character, Peyton, was entirely unlikeable, but I really enjoyed him, nonetheless. He was a fun character, and he wanted better things for his daughter which I can appreciate. I loved that this book was written in the first person. It made me feel much closer to Peyton and his struggles. I think that Peyton was in a loose situation and really struggled with what to do. As the book went on, there were so many twists and that was fantastic. The ending was fantastic, and I loved how it worked out. The themes of the book were dark, and this book is heavier in terms of what I read. The pacing was fast, and I blew through this book in one sitting. I finished it over the course of a few hours one afternoon. I also appreciated the short chapters which helped hold my interest and keep me engaged.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller that will make you question your morality, then you need to check this one out.

Adam Hamdy is becoming an auto read author for me. Deadbeat follows Peyton, a single divorced father to Skye, just trying to not be a fuck up for the sake of his daughter. After serving 3 years in prison for accidentally killing a young girl in a car accident, he’s surviving best he can when he receives an offer he can’t refuse. Kill a seemingly random man and get $10,000 cash.

From here the wildness unfolds, the stakes continuously get higher and Peyton becomes entangled in a game he’s not sure he knows the rules of playing. Who’s leaving the money and who is controlling the game?

The ending was perfect, exactly what I’ve come to expect from Hamdy. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously can't belive this is the same author who wrote The Other Side of Night? This was one of the worst books I've ever read. If you want some humiliating wanna be bad buy fiction, go for it. Otherwise, steer clear.

Oh boy! What a book! I was gripped from page one, the short chapters and the ending kept me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely LOVED how everything ended up being connected - and If our MC didn’t keep making the dumbest choices this would have been an easy 5⭐️s, but alas. Aside from Peyton, being absolutely awful - this book was fantastic and you definitely need to pick it up December 3rd!

Hamdy’s previous book <i>The Other Side of Night </i> was one of my top favorite books a few years ago when it came out so obviously i’ve been anticipating his next novel. This one is quite different, more of a straightforward crime thriller, gritty and action-packed, which admittedly isn’t my personal taste but it’s definitely a well done story if that’s your style. Peyton was a fun morally grey character to follow, I just had super high expectations for this after the twists and turns of his previous book.

If you're looking for a dark and gritty novel with an unlikable main character who knows he's not the greatest, then this is for you. The thing about Peyton was that at the center of his actions, he was always thinking of his daughter. So while I spent the whole book thinking 'well, this out to end well,' I still wanted him to figure out how to straighten out his mess of a life because he cared so much about being a dad. The plot was fast and chock full of suspense. I carried my kindle around my house as I read because I had to know what was fueling the mystery aspect of the plot. I was engrossed from beginning to end, and I really like how this author writes a story.
Atria eARC

Peyton Collard is way down on his luck. Living in an apartment under the freeway, divorced and his car is repossessed. He is offered a chance to earn money, but it is a moral dilemma. Is it worth committing the crime to justify the money. This book was interesting, though it did drag in places for me. I was interested enough to finish it but it was only a 3* for me. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

My first Adam Hamdy novel but definitely not my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. A fresh new take on the vigilante thriller. A great cast of characters that made it impossible to put the book down. Kept me flipping pages long into the night. I loved the ‘real world’ question of exactly what is the line when it comes to protecting our children. Lots to think about.
Thank you NetGalley, Adam Hamdy and SS Atria Marketing for the opportunity to read and review this cracker of a book.

This is a really good read unlike any other book I have read recently. A man who is down on his luck and an alcoholic is offered the chance to earn some serious money. The only hitch is that he has to do awful things to terrible people to earn this money. It reads from the first person and tells a really interesting story. As bad as Peyton's life is, you sort of root for him which is twisted in its own way. He wants his kid to have a better life and this is the only option to him as far as he is concerned. I enjoyed his weird sense of right and wrong and hope to read more from the author in the future. A good thriller and mystery.

Deadbeat is an interesting book with a moral dilemma at it's center.
Peyton had it all and lost it. His drinking brought him down and he served some time in jail., When he comes out he continues to drink in a major way. With his life a mess he is unable to care for himself or his daughter.
He is offered a chance at fixing all of that if he will commit a murder. The victim, he is told, is an evil man.
How far will a person go to change his life at the expense of taking someone else's.

Lots of twists and turns and an interesting ending keep the book moving. Sometimes Peyton keeps replaying thoughts in his mind and it gets a bit boring.
The ambiguous morality in the book made this less than appealing to me. Still it is worth it to continue to the end.

Peyton Collard had it all, a great military job, beautiful wife and daughter. Then his life spiraled out of control. Drugs and alcohol are his downfall. He finds himself in jail with a large bond. A mysterious benefactor bails him out of jail. Once he gets back to his home, he receives a unbelievable offer. everything has consequences, or does it? A super fast paced thriller with some crazy twists.

4 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Adam Hamdy’s “Deadbeat” is a gripping thriller that plunges readers into a world of moral ambiguity and relentless suspense. This novel stands out for its intense character study and the dark, twisting journey it takes through the human psyche.

The story centers on Peyton Collard, a man whose life has been irrevocably altered by a horrific car accident. Once a good man, Peyton is now divorced, struggling with alcoholism, and physically and emotionally scarred. His life takes a drastic turn when he is offered a substantial sum of money to kill a man he is told is evil. As Peyton embarks on this vigilante mission, leaving a trail of bodies across California, he becomes obsessed with uncovering the identity of his mysterious employer.

Hamdy excels at creating deeply flawed yet compelling characters. Peyton Collard is a protagonist who evokes both sympathy and unease. His transformation from a broken man to a relentless seeker of truth is both tragic and riveting. The supporting characters, including those he encounters on his journey, are well-drawn and add layers of complexity to the narrative.

Hamdy’s writing is taut and evocative, perfectly suited to the novel’s dark themes and high-stakes plot. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that propels the story forward. Hamdy’s ability to create a sense of urgency and tension is masterful, making “Deadbeat” a true page-turner. His descriptive prose vividly brings to life the various settings.

“Deadbeat” explores themes of redemption, morality, and the consequences of one’s actions. The novel delves into the psychological toll of living with guilt and the lengths to which people will go to find redemption. Hamdy’s nuanced portrayal of these themes adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a straightforward thriller. The moral ambiguity of Peyton’s actions and the ethical dilemmas he faces are thought-provoking.

“Deadbeat: A Novel” is a compelling and thought-provoking thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Adam Hamdy has crafted a story that is both emotionally resonant and suspenseful, with well-developed characters and a plot full of twists and turns. .