The Gatekeeper by James Byrne
Dez just wants to hang around Los Angeles, play his bass guitar with a band and relax. Dez is at the hotel Tremaine when he crosses paths with Petra Alexandris, an expert in international finance and daughter of the corporation's owner. When a team of armed men shows up to kidnap Petra, they run into the one thing they didn't plan for: Dez. Now Dez finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy involving murder, media manipulation, militias, and both internal and external threats to the United States. The one thing that none of them counted on was Dez Limerick.
This is one of the best thrillers of the year and an introduction to a character of whom I hope to read many, many more adventures. The action starts with a blast and never really stops. Propelled forward by a character who is funny, charming, and as cool as the other side of the pillow. The plot seems both fantastical and frighteningly plausible. Dez at times uses his smarts to stay a step or two ahead of the opposition and at times trusts in his skills to bull through the obstacles in front of him. He trusts his instincts, his ability to read people, and his internal sense of justice. He harkens back to a hero of the old west, who blows into town, fights for the cause of justice, and then leaves as mysteriously as he showed up.
The Gatekeeper is one of the best debuts of the year and Dez Limerick is an outstanding character. The audiobook is read by John Keating who takes the material to another level and who perfectly captures Dez's character through his vocal interpretation. He had me laughing out loud at parts and sitting on the edge of my seat through the action sequences. His characters are easy to distinguish and his every choice elevated the words. Keating's narration is worthy of award consideration.
This book is destined for my best books of the year list and will hopefully find a legion of fans to spark a long series.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
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