Deadlock by James Byrne is book two in his Dez Limerick series. Though part of a series, this novel reads well as a standalone.

Desmond Aloysius Limerick, retired Gatekeeper, receives a call from his young friend, Raziah Swann, and rushes to rescue her sister, Laleh. That simple task becomes a major mission.

James Byrne is a masterful storyteller. The plot and dialogue are above par. Dez Limerick is hilarious and wonderful. An excellent protagonist. 5 out of 5 stars,

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an advanced copy for my honest review.

Firstly I must mention I have fallen behind on my large collection of books on Net Galley and will do my best to catch up. After a year of reading physical autobiographies and biographies.

It's great that a publisher excepts your request to read a book, sends you a advanced copy, sadly, this is great, but I did not know this was book two in the series, partly my own fault.

But very happy to say I really enjoyed the book, great character, hints of humour, good action, strong story, although would have enjoyed slightly more if I had read book 1.

Great pace, really builds up pace halfway through and never stops.

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 centre 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.

JAMES BYRNE is the pseudonym for an author who has worked for more than twenty years as a journalist and in politics and lives in Portland, Oregon.

As easy four stars

Desmond Aloysius Limerick, “Dez”, is a Gatekeeper; there is no door on the earth – physical and virtual – that won’t open, stay in the position, and close as per his wishes. Having retired from espionage games and relocated to the USA, Dez plays music and leads a laidback life, occasionally using his prodigious skills to help his friends. When one such friend – twenty-year-old Raziah Swann, a talented musician – calls Dez about the jam her sister, Laleh, is in, he promptly reaches Portland, Oregon, expecting to solve the matter quickly. Laleh is a journalist working on a story – nothing sensitive – about a much-respected billion-dollar technological company, and the intimidation, including a mugging, she faces is inexplicable. Dez finds that the people after her seem extremely professional – unlike what one would expect from the security force of a tech firm – and further investigation reveals that they do not exist on any government database. Some large-scale conspiracy is being perpetrated under the hood of the technological giant, and Dez must employ all his considerable skills to prevent the bad ones from achieving their goal while preserving the lives of Raziah, Laleh, and himself.

Deadlock by James Byrne, the second outing of Dez following The Gatekeeper, is nothing if not entertaining, predominantly due to the hero’s quirky characterisation. Byrne seems to have gathered the qualities of all the much-admired protagonists from the world of fiction and endowed his hero with those and then some. And the result is entertaining for the most part instead of annoying as one would expect. The other characters, especially the female ones, are engaging too, though the males are not much so, barring a couple. The plot of Deadlock is outlandish, and the actions involving Dez are outrageous, but it is tremendous fun watching him serve up surprise after surprise to the villains. The breakneck pace of the narrative does not give much time to the reader to wonder about the plausibility of the happenings, and this is what escapist fiction is all about. Deadlock works well as a standalone despite being the second book in the series, but the intriguing epilogue keeps future adventures for Dez wide open, and I would not be averse to reading those.

My gratitude to St. Martin’s and Minotaur Books for the Digital Review Copy of Deadlock in exchange for my unbiased review through NetGalley!

Full review to be posted on https://wwww.bestthrillerbooks.com/Kashif-Hussain

Deadlock is a hilariously awesome expansion of the Gatekeeper series, building upon the first book with even more action this time around and somehow even more witty dialogues from the mouth of the smooth-talking Dez Limerick.

Dez Limerick is taking a much needed R&R after his last adventure that left him sore and bruised. But when a friend calls him in tears asking him to come help her sister, Limerick, being the true gentleman that he is, rushes to her aid. True to his word, he jumps headfirst into the fray of a conspiracy involving a major tech company and an audacious concoction of a mastermind involving getting access to criminals from where no one would bother to look twice. Dez has his work cut out for him, but it’s a delight to see him take down his adversaries in cooler-than-ice action sequences.

James Byrne pumps up the action in Limerick’s second outing, with Limerick dishing out iron justice with his fists, and even some well-placed shots of marble (yes, fatal). I didn’t even think that could happen, yet, Limerick does it. There’s no shortage or breathtaking shootouts and witty repertoire in between punches and kicks as Limerick dishes out justice in the most vengeful style.

Dez Limerick is a protagonist like none other, embodying a fun persona even in the face of darkness without making light of the horrific situations. It’s a delicate line that James Byrne walks superbly in his writing. We get a deeper understanding of his past, the myths behind the vaunted Gatekeepers further fueling the excitement and intrigue about his prior adventures. Beneath the happy-go demeanor, Byrne gives readers a glimpse of the layered reality of Limerick as a complicated fellow with a strong moral compass. It’s a great exploration with promise of even more depth to be revealed in the future books.

Deadlock is a must-read gripping adventure that utilizes its distinctive wise-cracking hero to the fullest and makes you crave more of his heroics.

ABSOLUTELY LOVE DEZ!! I bet I could listen to him talk all day long ;) Super cool premise which is hardly out of the realm of possibilty - maybe you shouldn't be giving the villians ideas? Lots of great characters and plenty of humor - popcorn was a RIOT!! I really love the introduction to the rest of us to "gatekeepers", and all their friends

This book was awesome. A special thank you to Net Galley for the ebook ARC, this is not a paid review.
The first Dez Limerick thriller The Gatekeeper) was great and this takes it to the next level. This gives me extremely high hopes for my future reading happiness. It is one of those series that when you are reading the first book , you are like... "This is something special." and you get that little tingle of discovery. It's that good.

In Deadlock, Dex travels to Portalnd to help out a friend /fellow musician (Raziah), whose sister (Laleh) has just been attacked and doesn't know why. IT seems that Lalaeh is a reporter and a friend of hers, and auditor had discovered something weird while doing an audit of the communications company, Clockjack.. ( Think Apple and you get the picture). The auditor is killed and then the reporter attacked. Enter Dez to help the sisters and figure out what is going on while making sure that nothing else happens.
As Dez arrives Laleh is in the hospital and Dez thwarts another attack. Hmmm... Laleh has no idea why.
Clockjack itself is a do-gooder company ( in their eyes) but there are things behind the scenes that don't add up.
Add in the DEA, the Us Marshall's, some very bad mercenaries and people high up in Clockjack who aren't who they say they are and some mischief being done in a small African country and you have one hell of a story.
Read The Gatekeeper now and then pick up Deadlock. You will not be disappointed. Dez Limerick is hilarious and also quite the bad ass himself and if the ending is any indicator, book 3 is going to be a killer!

This is the best book I have read in a long time. James Byrne's name is right up there with Lee Child and James Patterson. Looking forward to more.

Dez Is Back And Better Than Ever

Desmond Aloysius Limerick is his name, Dez is what they call him. He’s not tall, handsome, and dashing like some heroes, in fact he’s rather short and barrel-chested with giant hands and an eccentric personality to match. He’s tough and smart, multilingual, a military hero who plays guitar for relaxation. He’s a gatekeeper (see previous book) by trade but this time he’s asked to help a friend’s sister get out of a tough spot, so off he goes to Portland to make things right. It turns out that she has unwittingly stumbled into something powerful people want silenced. Dez soon finds himself in a war of wits with Garett MacDonald, the head of Clockjack, whose wit and cunning are equal to Dez himself. Clockjack is an environmental powerhouse that has dark secrets hidden behind the scene and Dez is in the way.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and especially James Byrne for an advance copy of Deadlock. This is my honest review.

An explosive thriller with a savvy, devious, and outrageously funny hero….a fantastic read!

If you missed his first outing in “The Gatekeeper” (I did, but am rectifying that matter just as soon as this review is written), then let me introduce you to Desmond Aloysius Limerick, Dez to his friends. Once upon a time, Dez was part of an elite group of individuals called gatekeepers. Their skill sets are highly prized and their exploits are legendary to others in the special ops world, so much so that many an operative thinks that they are urban legends. As Dez himself explains, a gatekeeper’s job on an op is to open doors, “…open ‘em, keep ‘em open as long as needed, an’ close ‘em proper. And to make sure that everyone who enters also exits, a smile on their faces an’ a melody in their heart.” That includes not just actual doors but any gateway, virtual or otherwise. With a ready smile and a decidedly charming aspect to his personality, Dez is underestimated by many….but they do so at their own peril. He’s retired from the profession now, and is kicking back in California, expanding his skills at playing the bass and generally enjoying a sunny life of leisure, when he gets a call from Raziah Swann, a talented young musician with whom he sometimes plays gigs. Her sister Laleh, a business reporter in Portland, has been attacked, and Raziah is afraid that she remains in danger. She has no idea what lurks in Dez’s past, just that he can handle himeself in a tight spot, and she asks him to come help. He heads to Portland straight away….Dez has a strong sense of right and wrong, and an admirably strong moral code. If a mate needs help, Dez will be there, no questions asked. It becomes clear as soon as he arrives in Portland that Raziah has every reason to fear for her sister. While Laleh tries to figure out what exactly she knows that has made her a target, Dez will need every one of his myriad skills and tricks, as well as rely on help from his network of contacts, if he is going to keep these two young women safe. A major tech corporation called Clockjack factors into this mess somehow, and Dez will find himself up against international thugs, government agencies, and someone (or many someones) who has influence in every conceivable sphere, if he hopes to save the lives of the Swann sisters…and his own.
I fell under Dez’s charm before the end of the prologue. He’s a bloke (not a guy, definitely a bloke) who takes his job incredibly seriously, but himself not so much. Self deprecating and inclined to call balls and strikes as he sees them, he is no one’s patsy, His ability to analyze a situation, see ten moves ahead of his opponent, and come up with the best plan to succeed in his mission (while having at least two exit strategies and multiple back up plans) is fascinating to read, and as he does it all with a wink and a grin (and more than a few British expressions that can be a challenge to suss out from those on this side of the pond) it is an entertaining tale to boot. The action is non-stop, and it is nearly impossible to put the book down. Fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books, Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, or Mark Greaney’s Gray Man absolutely have to grab a copy of “Deadlock” (and trust me….pick up “The Gatekeeper” too at the same time. There is no way that you will read one without wanting to immediately read the other). If Jack Reacher were shorter, British, and had a wicked sense of humor, he’d be a close match to Dez. I honestly haven’t been so absorbed by a thriller that also made me smile (even laugh out loud) in a while. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy….Dez Limerick has a new superfan, and my Irish ancestry has nothing to do with it! I eagerly await the next installment in the series.
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Deadlock is a fact-paced adventure, somewhat along the lines of Jack-Reacher-tackles-Mission-Impossible. Our hero is amazingly talented at fighting, yet classically educated, with expertise at languages, ballet, art, piano and literature.

The story is full-bore non-stop action, and sweeps the reader along fast enough that the actual plot is not really important. It felt like a movie screen-play, complete with Bond-like quips from our hero as he survives each high-risk encounter.

The story is preposterous - and of course it is! I admit guiltily that I enjoyed every minute of reading this one!

This already has lots of high ratings and reviews, and I enjoyed it as well. A safe bet for those seeking a good read.

I really appreciate the free copy for review!!

One of the best criteria for me in terms of thriller books is how many sitting did I really finish the book in. In this case it comes up within the top of my list - I finished it in 2 sittings. I was happy to receive this recommendation for a review on net galley from the publishers and I have not read books of this author before. So it was with no bias that I started reading it - I loved the pace and the plot in the book. No convoluted surprise endings which seem retrofitted in many other thriller books. I liked the clarity and the execution of the plan described in the book. Book is clean and no diversions into adult stuff and hence easily can be recommended to youngsters too.

The only thing that I had an issue with was the language - not sure if it was to build the strong character of Dez, since everything seems to be written from his POV. But I was lost at many places with his sentences (and so did some other characters :D)

On the whole a highly recommended book for lovers of thrillers. Go for it

Gatekeeper - an opener of doors

The story centers around Limerick who is a gatekeeper. He must keep his friends safe from an elite army of ex-soldiers. While the story-line was interesting and kept me engaged until the end, this is a much more tactical story than I would prefer. Fans of Robert Ludlun’s Jason Bourne and author John Clancy may enjoy this book.

*violence and strong language are present

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. Good mixture of mystery and suspense. I did find the attempted humor somewhat distracting. I also did not like the ending. However, it is a book which I would recommend to others.

“The Gatekeeper” introduced readers to Desmond “Dez” Aloysius Limerick and the concept of gatekeepers; uniquely training special operators with the almost supernatural ability to open locks, doors, and gates of any sort. Author James Byrne once again returns to the world of Dez in this year’s follow-up “Dead Lock.”

Picking up where “The Gatekeeper” leaves off, Dez is playing in a bar band in Los Angeles when a friend summons him to Portland, Oregon. Her journalist sister was attacked and Dez is the only person she trusts to turn to for help. Always ready for a fight, Dez rushes to Portland and uncovers a web of intrigue with the tech giant, Clockjack Solutions, at its center. With a multi-billion dollar deal in the works, Clockjack hides a nefarious secret that only Dez can unravel. Facing off against the U.S. Marshalls Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, local police, tech billionaires, and a cadre of highly trained mercenaries, Dez is once again a one-man wrecking crew leaving a swath of destruction in his wake.

James Byrne has delivered a powerhouse of perfectly crafted prose, evocative descriptions, and an engaging and entertaining plot. Wrought with tension, suspense, humor, and unrelenting action, “Dead Lock” is a worthy follow-up to “The Gatekeeper” and Dez has all the makings of an action hero that will be around for years to come.

Desmond Aloysius Limerick, with his unending loyalty, his self-deprecating sense of humor, his irreverent disregard of social graces, and his limitless capacity for violence, is a truly dynamic and multi-dimensional character. While maintaining the shroud of mystery surrounding his past, Dez is one of the most endearing characters I’ve read is quite some time. Along with Dez on his quest for justice are sisters Raziah and Laleh Swann; Raziah a gifted musician and friend of Dez from LA and Laleh a bold journalist that’s run afoul of the tech behemoth. The sisters serve as anchors for Dez and tether him to the tentative thread of humanity holding his brutality and savage nature at bay. While he remains an affable and jovial individual, there is a darkness in him that seems capable of turning him into a true monster if left unchecked. Any protagonist is only as strong as his antagonist, and facing off against Dez is the mercenary Gareth MacDonald. An equally brilliant and sadistic soldier, MacDonald admires Dez and knows that in other circumstances they might have been friends. Brutal, twisted, and cunning, MacDonald will stop at nothing to see Dez dead. The scenes of them interacting together are literary gold!

Adding texture and nuance to an already wonderful character, the dialog plays a big part in fleshing out the character of Dez. His unique and mysterious heritage reveals itself through unusual phrases, speech patterns, and colloquialisms that have other characters scratching their heads along with the reader. While dialects and provincial phrasing can often be distracting in written form, in this case it perfectly suits the character and adds another wonderful element that distinguishes Dez from so many other genre fiction protagonists. His speech is colorful, original, and perfectly reflects his personality.

The narrative pacing and tone are ideal for an action-fueled thriller. An opening flashback to Dez’s “military” past sets the break-neck pace and dark tone for the duration of the novel. As a suspense thriller, a darker tone is expected to accompany the violence and action. Dez himself, has the capacity for extreme violence, and there is a darkness in that that must be reflected in the tone of the novel. However, in stark contrast to the darkness at the heart of the character and the narrative, Dez has a lighthearted nature that dispenses the weight of a truly dark story when it is needed most. His humorous undertones in the face of unimaginable violence and brutality make the subject matter so much more accessible to the average reader. The balance between violence and humor is perfectly crafted and makes the story that much more memorable.

“Dead Lock” is a can’t miss novel for fans of suspense thrillers. Newcomers to the series will get a great introduction to an amazing character, and fans of “The Gatekeeper” will get a superb follow-up. As a fan, I can’t wait to see what James Byne has next in store for his readers. Extremely well done!

Dez Limerick is many things. He is a well-educated, brilliant tactician. He is self-deprecating in an aw shucks but British sort of way. Above all, he is loyal to a fault. His word is his bond, and he will make good on a promise at the risk of life and limb. He may not be a tall, dark, and handsome leading man, but he is a beautiful soul. He is a gatekeeper. He knows how to open doors and keep them open.

And did I mention, he's a musician traipsing around the west coast of the United States. He is particularly fond of the singer, Raziah Swann, whose band he plays bass with on occasion. When Raziah tells him her sister is in danger and she needs his help, Dez goes into full gatekeeper mode. He will keep the Swann sisters safe no matter the personal cost. Why? Because she is a mate, and he is loyal.

In DEADLOCK, Dez once again finds himself battling corporate greed, government corruption, and megalomania. Think of Clockjack, a self-proclaimed green company and doer of good, as a direct rival of Apple. Technology is their game. Dez finds himself allied with Chief Deputy Marshal Conroy Sims who uses his own resources, rather than those of the Marshals Service, in an attempt to thwart corruption in high places. Then there is the megalomaniac that wants to be ruler of his own country, law and order be damned.

Desmond Aloysius Limerick is a man with a colorful past, only a small part of which we have learned in the first two books in this series. You can probably get away with reading DEADLOCK on its own, but why would you? Through the amazing character of Dez Limerick, James Byrne has given new meaning to the thriller.

Deadlock
By James Byrne
Pub Date August 8, 2023
Dez Limerick #2
Minotaur
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was. New series for me but I am going back to grab book 1. It’s that good!
Brilliantly written! Dez is extremely capable and smart. I never had time to get bored! Enjoy the action as I did!
5 stars

This story was a trip to read. Once you settle into the language pattern of the main character, the story becomes better with each turn of the page. One thing that many thrillers have in common is they are very fast-paced with plenty of action that keeps you on your toes. Deadlock is that as well.

Another thing that captured my attention was the inventiveness of this character. Dez is extremely capable and smart. He is intuitive and highly protective of his friends. He’s like a modern-day MacGyver, and if you don’t know who that is, search it.

This action-packed story had so many twists and turns that you never have time to get bored or even wonder what’s gonna happen next. Just sit back and go with the flow and enjoy the action, subtle humor, and overprotection of Dez. I love this guy!

While all of this is loaded into book two, I never felt lost. But trust me. I am going back to grab book one! Dez is a character that quickly endears himself to you and will be a character that will shine for many more editions to come!

Deadlock is brilliantly crafted by Byrne. Loaded with twists you cannot anticipate and nonstop action. Definitely, one to watch for!

This was a fun thriller. I had not read the first in the series before diving into this one but that didn't take anything from the story. There is a lot of humor sprinkled in along with the requisite twists and turns. The story is secondary, the treatment is top notch. Looking forward to more works from the author

In Byrne's sophomore effort, Dez is taking a break from his normal gatekeeping role, when he's called to Portland by Raziah, a singer who he sometimes plays guitar for, after her sister is attacked. Once there, he's drawn into an investigation into a large, multi-national tech company called Clockjack that may or may not be doing some shady business under the guise of corporate responsibility. I must say that I could not have cared less about either of the sisters, but once Dez gets drawn into the web of Clockjack and matches wits and fists with MacDonald, it was a quick, fun read. I'm already looking forward to the next book and learning more about Liv after her delicious piece in the epilogue, too! Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion.