Desmond Aloysius Limerick, aka Dez, is back in another high octane thriller. Described as “five-eight but built like a tank, with a barrel chest, thick arms and short, bowed legs” he’s not a traditional James Bond type lady killer. He’s a very smart, cheeky Brit, covered in scars with a laconic sense of humour and a fine sense of justice. He’s also an ex-soldier, trained as a ‘Gatekeeper’, an expert in opening doors (both real and virtual), holding them open and closing them when required. The prologue shows him on a mission in Chechnya two years before, one that didn’t quite go as planned and would have far reaching consequences for Dez.

Recently retired, Dez is now in California, getting ready to move on from his last adventure, when he receives a call from his musician friend Raziah Swann in Portland saying she needs his help. Her sister Laleh, a business reporter, has been brutally attacked and only just prevented from being killed when some witnesses happened by. Her apartment has also been ransacked and she has no idea why any of this is happening. Laleh has been working on a profile of a recently murdered auditor who was carrying out an audit on local tech company, Clockjack Solutions. Started by four academics in the 90s, two of whom have recently died, Clockjack is massively successful in software and telecommunications, with a huge R&D campus in Portland and a popular ethos of using their profits for improving the planet and people’s lives.

Taking Raziah to visit Laleh in hospital, Dez spots three thugs set on doing further harm to Lelah and does what he does best to incapacitate them. Now he has attracted the attention of a powerful and corrupt group intent on neutralising both him and the Swann sisters and it will take all his skills to find out why and keep them all safe.

This sequel to ‘The Gatekeeper’ is another fast paced, action packed thriller, which should also work well as a stand alone novel. Dez is a one-man army up against an international conspiracy involving some very bad men indeed. Applying unique, often quirky and sometimes humorous solutions to problems others couldn’t possibly have predicted, Dez leaves a trail of mayhem and havoc behind him. Also, quite often a very high body count, although he only metes out his brand of short, sharp violence only as needed and kills only when necessary to remove an immediate threat. In Dez, James Byrne has created a uniquely imagined, larger than life action hero who is sure to delight fans of the likes of Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne and Orphan X and and those who enjoy a fast paced suspense driven thriller with a good serve of fun.

This is an action-packed sequel featuring Desmond Aloysius Limerick. What a great character! Dez is called to help a friend, Raziah, in Oregon whose sister Laleh was attacked and lays in the hospital. Laleh is a business reporter/journalist and was working on a story about the death of her friend Conor who was doing an audit on the biggest phone and software corporation in Oregon. An action-packed crime thriller that follows Dez as he protects the two sisters and takes on this huge corporation. Thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely will go back and read the first novel The Gatekeeper.

I received an eARC from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was happy to see that this book's main character, Dez Limerick, had returned in a follow-up to his first appearance in the debut novel, The Gatekeeper. I couldn't wait to find out what kind of trouble he was going to get into, and out of, this time.

The narrative comes off as a little choppy in its delivery at first, but very soon after that the story takes the reader on an escapade of chills and thrills. I didn't remember Dez having such a thick brogue in the first book, which can be hard to adjust to, but it soon became almost an endearing aspect of this character's personality.

As is his way, Dez jumps in to help a friend whose sister, a journalist, has just experienced an attack and attempt on her life. Without regard to his own safety or life, Dez sets out to uncover and destroy a tech corporation that is filled with an underhanded administration and a plethora of mercenaries. Dez never quits and either does this book in providing a fast-paced and action-packed military type thriller that is laced with humor.

I liked this book even more than the first and this author and his characters will definitely be on my radar awaiting the next sequel. I believe that it can be read as a stand-alone, but it is definitely a must read for fans of Jason Bourne, Evan Smoak, Jack Reacher, Mitch Rap or Jack Ryan.

My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for the DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This second entry in the Dez Limerick series was much like the first in terms of being a fast-paced, propulsive novel filled with action, snarky comments and intelligent but nefarious villains who are thwarted by the once Gatekeeper with a particular set of skills. While entertaining and exciting, the book, and its protagonist, continues to be a Jack Reacher read-alike. Dez doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table and, even though afable and humorous, he still pales in comparison to Reacher. This is a great novel to read while waiting for the next Lee Child book to come out.

Thank you to the publisher, author and net galley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Mr. Byrne's 2nd tome on the adventures of the gatekeeper, Dez, continues the breakneck action of the first book, and I raced through this in one sitting. This time he becomes embroiled in the machinations of a psychotic financier hiding behind a tech company built to do good to further his own goals. Dez just can't help himself but make himself a nuisance, and in the process runs up against another elite ex-soldier who fancies himself a match for Dez. This book further establishes Dez to be one of the most exciting new protagonists in the genre. As in the first book, the ending sets up an exciting adventure for the next book, which I am very much looking forward to. Bravo, Mr. Byrne! 5-stars, and I look forward to Dez's next adventure.

James Bryne 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—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 @
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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 8, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books

This is the second story in James Byrnes' Dez series, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller chronicles. The stories are fast-paced with lots of action, the characters are interesting and mostly believable, the dialogue is crisp, and the villains are sufficiently evil to make the stakes high.

But mostly, these books are just fun: Dez always seems to be having a great time, whether he's playing music or assaulting the Bad Guy's lair. There's no past trauma or psychology; he just likes what he's doing and he's very good at it. I recommend this highly, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

In this comedic and hard-hitting adventure, James Byrne has magic in a bottle with Desmond Aloysius Limerick. Deadlock is the fight between good and evil that you didn’t know you needed until now.

Limerick is what is known as a gatekeeper. One of the most fierce and formidable forces on the planet, Dez is tasked with assisting a group of American Navy Seals, the British SAS, and the CIA with a task in Azerbaijan. As things don’t always go to plan, one member of the group goes missing.

Fast forward a couple of years, Dez gets a call from the Swann sisters who are in trouble. Jumping at the chance to assist Raziah and Laleh, Dez grabs his guitar and a sense of necessity to go help. Getting right at it, Dez begins looking into why Laleh was mugged and ended up in the hospital. After a hospital beat down and multiple law enforcement agencies get involved, Dez starts to realize that there is more to what is going on within this company and what is coming out of the doors at Clockjack.

Following multiple run-ins with Clockjack security, romps in the sack with a Siberian Tigress, and planning his infiltration into one of the most secure locations, Dez uses extremely imaginative and well-thought-out plans to bring the shenanigans to an end.

This was my first James Byrne thriller and will not be my last. Byrne gets everything right in this violent and witty romp through Portland. Limerick is charming and cool under pressure, and it shows through his time with the ladies and in combat. His favorite weapon may be ball bearing while he’s just as good with his hands. I found this one very energetic and fun. Almost a cross between DeMille’s John Corey and Gregg Hurwitz’s Evan Smoak, Dez is a likable and charming character who isn’t just smarter than his enemy, but more cunning and willing to think outside the box. This is a must-add to your to-be-read pile and follow up and let the Best Thriller Books team know what you think when you’re done.

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.