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.

A worthy followup to The Gatekeeper. Brutal and clever action, leavened by a lead character who owes as much to Bugs Bunny as Jack Reacher. After a sluggish start (the first third wandering through some leisurely drama that can be skimmed), the book kicks into gear with the same formula as the first book; kickass thriller that never takes itself too seriously. If the plot lacks any real surprises, that's forgotten in the pace, which moves from inventive sequence to inventive sequence, with sparkling dialogue and well drawn -- but not overblown -- action.

And a big win on the ending, which is less a frustrating cliffhanger than a satisfying and intriguing tease for the next book. In a world of cookie-cutter Lee Child knockoffs, Byrne is an original voice and a terrific guide; this is going to be a reliable summer read for me going forward.

My only real gripe is the cover -- and the cover of the first book, for that matter -- which hide the personality of the series behind a very generic action book look.

Deadlock is another exciting thriller featuring “Dez” Limerick (Desmond Aloysius Limerick). I loved the first book (The Gatekeeper) so I was delighted to get early access to its sequel. Dez is a fabulous main character: very quirky with a ton of skills and lots of ingenuity, both of which help him survive very crazy situations. It may sound odd that a thriller made me laugh, but Dez has a great sense of humor and his Irish/Scottish expressions make for some rather puzzled people in the US.

The action is the first book took place mainly in California. This time, a character he befriended in The Gatekeeper, calls on Dez to help her sister, who has been attacked in Portland, Oregon. So most of the action is this book takes place in and around Portland. I’m familiar with that area, as I have family who live there, and I absolutely loved all the local Portland detail and color. You can tell the author did his homework or knew the area well. (Don’t you hate it when a book takes place in an area you know and you can spot all sorts of errors or things that don’t make sense for the place?) The plot is intricate, with a fair number of people to keep track of - including some who use fake names and you later find out their actual name, which can add some layers of confusion. Nevertheless, I followed the story well and had a hard time putting it down.

I’m a sucker for an excellent audiobook and the narrator of the audio version, John Keating, does all the accents so beautifully. Reading the dialect is probably harder than listening to it, so I loved the audio version. I bounced back and forth between the ebook/print and the audio, and as I read, I could hear Mr. Keating’s voice in my head.

While you could read this as a standalone, I’d highly recommend reading the first book - first of all, it’s great, and second, there are a number of references back to people and events. You would get a better understanding of Dez and why he is who he is and how he wound up in the US.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Dez is back in his next adventure in Deadlock by James Byrne.

"Dez is asked to help protect a pair of sisters after one of them is assaulted and almost killed. Dez soon finds himself up against a renegade mercenary army and a corrupt sotware company with a lot of political pull. But Dez will do anything to protect his mates - especially when his unique skillset comes in handy."

Dez is up against a lot of bad guys and doesn't always come away unscathed. He takes his lumps but keeps on coming back. He keeps digging until he's figured out what;s happening and then deals with it - in a way that he does best. There are a couple of times where you wonder if Dez is going to make it. Lots of crazy bad guys and an inventive plot. And the ending is wild. Byrne even sets up another book without making it a cliffhanger.

Some great escapist fiction from Byrne. Dez is a character you should meet this year.

I love Dez’s character so much. Dez’s unique way of speaking and his one-liners are still in abundance in the pages of book 2, which makes him all the more endearing. His badassery knows no bounds. I love that about him.

The 1st book was amazing, I couldn’t stop talking about how much I loved it. I was a bit underwhelmed with this 2nd book BUT I’m in the minority. Everyone else seemed to think this one was just as good as the 1st.

I think I liked the 1st better because I felt like I got to know the characters better. In this book I felt like there were too many characters and things going on that I just never really got into it.

This one was almost a DNF for me but it’s possible that I just didn’t care for the audio narrator, which can make or break an audiobook for me. When I read the 1st book I had a physical copy of the book and low expectations which is overwhelming exceeded.

I’m on the fence about whether I’ll continue this series and if I do it’ll be reading the physical copy.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: August 8, 2023
American author James Byrne’s second novel, “Deadlock”, also happens to be the second in the Dez Limerick series (the first, “The Gatekeeper” was published last year). Think of the movie “Taken”, with a gritty yet hilarious leading man with an accent, hell-bent on justice and protecting those he cares about, add a controlling, power-hungry mega-corporation determined to gain even more wealth regardless of who gets hurt in the process, and you have “Deadlock”.
Dez Limerick’s life as a “gatekeeper” is officially behind him. No longer required to run military ops and guide his team through war-desiccated countries, Limerick now has the oppourtunity to live the life he wants. But that life he left behind has provided him with a “particular set of skills” that makes him useful to those he knows and loves. When a young woman and her sister are targeted after uncovering dark secrets about tech company, Clockjack, Dez is called into action. Now he must he face off against a corrupt corporation with endless resources in order to protect those he cares about.
“Deadlock” is non-stop action from page one. Sabotage, intrigue, subterfuge, explosions and fist fighting are threaded through an intense plot, all culminating in an ending that leaves just enough tension, the reader will be left wanting more.
I have not read “The Gatekeeper”, so I am new to Dez and his band of highly trained colleagues (if you can call them that). That being said, like most other series’ of this type, “Deadlock” can be read as a stand-alone, although the previous novel would provide a more in-depth background on some of the characters and plot points.
Dez is witty and hilarious with his Irish brogue and neutral demeanor. His intelligence is not overt, but his methods are so subtle and sneaky that he is utterly unstoppable. His relationships are frail but his morality is strong, and he is definitely a character that is made for the big screen.
Although the plot focuses on the tech sector, the language is not overly scientific, and the subject matter is generalizable. There are numerous characters, but their individual personalities differ, making it easy to differentiate. The ending overtly hints at a third novel, and there’s no doubt that Byrne will bring Dez into the world again with at least a few more afterward. This series will appeal to those who love high-octane spy novels with gruff underdog protagonists.

I didn’t realize this was the second book in the series when I read it and was able to keep up with no problem. I loved Dez and his humor. The story was fast-paced, engaging, and fun to read. It also made me look up the first book as I would like to find out more about Dez. I hope there are more stories to come.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books, and James Byrne for the eARC.

Desmond Aloysius Limerick is a retired gatekeeper. He used to go into dangerous places and open doors and keep them open until they were closed. Now, he plays a little guitar and helps his friends. Raziah Swann reaches out to Dez when her sister is mugged and left for dead. Laleh is a journalist, on the trail of a ClockJack, a shadowy company on the verge of winning a government contract worth billions. But what exactly does ClockJack do besides run almost every phone in the world and much of the software available? Dez will protect his friends until his last breath and beyond. This was one of the best adrenaline-laced books I have read in a long time. Highly recommended.

A big thanks to NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this advance copy of Deadlock, a solid 4.5 for me, rounded up. This book goes from 0 to 60 on page one and never lets up. The action, coupled with the personality and humor of Dez makes this book fly. Dez proves once again that he has the wits to outsmart a worthy opponent as he tries to unravel a what is happening in a well-established high tech company that is being used for highly illicit endeavors in foreign governments. Deadlock is a fast-paced thriller of a book and a terrific follow up to The Gatekeeper. Dez is a formidable character and has the makings of a long run. I sure hope so.

Soon after the events of The Gatekeeper, Dez Limerick is dragged back into a large conspiracy that will put the lives of him and his friends in danger. Raziah Swann calls Dez after her sister Jaleh, a journalist, ends up in the hospital. Jaleh has been investigating the death of an auditor, and there are powerful forces that would like to keep their identity secret, all tying back to a new powerful tech company called Clockjack. When Dez has to defend the Swann sisters from an attack at the hospital, he decides to track down the secrets of Clockjack. Dez discovers the conspiracy connects to many federal agencies and wealth and he placed a new target on his back. But Dez's background as a gatekeeper means he may be the only man who can keep the Swann sisters safe.

I enjoyed The Gatekeeper, and this follow-up was another fun complex action thriller. Dez Limerick is the key to this series, with an intelligence and wit that makes the story so much fun to read. Its easy to love Dez and the unique characters he surrounds himself with. James Byrne balances the humor of Dez with the thrilling aspects of the events he gets wrapped up in, which makes the book easy and exciting to read. The conspiracy of the book can get overly complex at times, though Byrne has again picked a very unique threat in Clockjack and the secrets of its workers for Dez to take down. Byrne keeps the book entertaining by trapping Dez in so many set pieces that he has to work his way out of. The climax was very satisfying and pulled together the various characters, leaving the door open for a hopefully very exciting sequel.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy of Deadlock in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. I did not read the first book and did feel in a few places that it might have helped with Dez's back story to have done so. That said, this stands pretty well as a stand alone and was fast paced and interesting read.

Date is for the review, not the reading.

I seriously lament my lack of writing skills since reading Jack Byrne’s Deadlock as I don’t have the words to give this sequel to The Gatekeeper justice. A sophisticated plot and a fun read with the best problem solver ever in Dez Limerick. Answering a call to help a friend’s sister, Dez bounces around the world in this combination international thriller and detective mystery. The dialog is witty and funny, lots of action and I want to read more Dez Limerick adventures. Don’t miss this book.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

My thanks to Net Galley and St Martin s for allowing me to read this arc. Unfortunately I did not finish. I couldn't connect with so much going on and all the tech stuff. Not what expected. Difficult to.focus.

great follow up to the previous thriller! I couldn't put it down.

thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy for review.

Dez is back in a fun follow-up to The Gatekeeper. It isn't necessary to read that book to understand this one, though a character from book one does appear. Dez, full name (assuming it's real) Desmond Aloysius Limerick, is a wise-cracking, easy going man who is built like a tank and works as a gatekeeper - someone who opens doors and keeps them open until they need to be shut.

Dez is a delight, hilarious and loyal and brave and smart. You may to do some handwaving on the plot (not as much as last time, and who knows, maybe what the author has dreamed up here is possible). But it's a rollicking ride as Dez tries to help a friend and uncovers something unexpected.

Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to readers of action thrillers.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

An action-packed chess match between grandmasters of death, Deadlock is one of the most entertaining novels you will read this year. It’s intense, cerebral, and quite hilarious. In fact, Deadlock gets my vote for the cheekiest thriller of 2023. James Byrne bowled me over with this smashing tale.

Dez Limerick heads to Portland at the request of his mate Raziah, whose journalist sister was just hospitalized after being attacked. While protecting the sisters, he gets sideways with the security muscle of Oregon’s largest tech corporation, Clockjack. Turns out there’s much more happening at Clockjack than their stated mission of improving the world through technology. Dez inserts himself into the mix to do what he does best – namely open doors and keep them open by any means necessary – and finds a sinister group of mercenaries led by a brilliant psychopath hellbent on achieving massive amounts of power and money. Outnumbered and with danger around every corner, Dez will have to use every ounce of his superior skillset to keep his friends safe and take down the evildoers before they can enact their master plan.

There’s no overstating the high level of entertainment that Deadlock provides. It starts with Dez, a smart, capable and irreverent protagonist who you can’t help but fall in love with. Whether it’s his wisecracks in the face of harrowing situations, his protective nature and strong sense of doing what’s right, or his ability to fell large humans just by chucking a small metal marble at their heads, Dez worms his way into your heart and you can’t help but root hard for him to be successful in all his numerous pursuits.

Beyond the humor – of which there are many laughs to be had – the action sequences are expertly crafted, the characters are perfectly developed, the dialogue is snappy, and the story is fresh and timely. It starts off hot and constantly escalates, blending brute force violence with intellectual gamesmanship and cunning tradecraft, with several curveballs to keep you on your toes. It’s simply a fantastic reading experience.

The thriller world needs Dez Limerick and thankfully he appears to be sticking around for a bit. Which is brilliant news for the genre. Aye, that.

This book is the second Dez Limerick. I did not read the first, but this is fine as a standalone novel.

It took me a bit to get into this thriller, but once I did, I was along for the ride--which, it seemed to me--really sped up in the last quarter of the book. I so see this book as an action-packed movie!!

Dez, a "gatekeeper," is a quirky, unique character with a unique skillset--often violent, and certainly requiring a lot of strategic brainpower. He is a tactician, well-educated, loyal, self-deprecating.

The plot begins when Dez heads out to help [i.e. protect] his friend's sister. His friend, Raziah, is a musician [Dez plays guitar among his other skills] and her sister, Laleh, is a journalist who--in writing about an Oregon-based tech company, Clockjack, gets into trouble. What did she uncover? Clockjack sees itself as a modern Robin Hood==and in playing politics has met its match in Dez. Why are the U.S Marshalls involved [and bcause of a turn of events], also the Oregon Polilce]. Add in MI6 for an international aspect [which is there anyway].

What did I like? The intrigue, some twists, some surprises, the overall action and general pacing. What didn't I care for--note: it is violent and bloody, though not necessarily actual descriptions. {Dez dispatches many of his adveraries with lightning speed, surprise, and bloodshed.]

I recommend this book as a summer [or other read] if you like action-packed thrillers with intelligent protagonists. It was a welcome break from literary fiction.

Thank you @netgalley and publisher for the #advanceReviewCopy.

Summary: Dez is a fearless, and talented friend for the Swann sisters to have on their side. When one of the sisters calls for help, Dez doesn’t hesitate, protecting them with all he’s got…which happens to be a lot.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed it. I loved Dez’s character traits: witty and somewhat rude (but it worked). There were even hints of humour at times. He reminded me of Jack Reacher and John Wick. This is fast-paced, and action-packed from start to finish. I read this as a stand alone but it is book 2 in a series. I didn’t realize it was a series until after I started. I still feel like the story was solid enough for me to have enjoyed on its own.

If you enjoy action and crime, jump into this one and hold on.

A summer thriller with that It Reads Like A Movie appeal!

High octane and heart thrumming, readers will keep the pages flying! Interesting characters that I need to get to know more can better (will go back and read the first book which I missed).

While this is a second installment, I was able to get oriented without having read the first.

Loved loved loved the first book in this series, The Gatekeeper, and I loved loved loved this second book just as much! Dez is even more likable in this one, if that's even possible. Love his wit, his intelligence, how he doesn't mix words, the way he analyses everything to death! He has definitely become one of my favorite literary characters. This story is full of suspense, thrills, twists and tons of laughs. I hope he'll be around for a very long time!!