Deadlock by James Byrne

 

Last year's best new character, Dez Limerick, is back in Deadlock. Dez is relaxing in L.A. when he gets a call from Raziah Swann, a beautiful young singer Dez befriended and occasionally plays bass guitar for. Raziah is in Portland where her sister Laleh is in the hospital after being attacked. Raziah fears her sister's life is still in danger so she turns to the most capable man she knows. Because Dez isn't just good with guitars. He's also good with locks. Any kind of locks. And he's good with his fists, which happen to be the size of sledgehammers.

When Dez arrives at the hospital in Portland, he discovers some thugs there looking to finish the job they started with Laleh. Dez dispatches them with his unique skills and is surprised to find that he's drawn the attention of both the U.S. Marshalls and the DEA. Dez discovers that he's also drawn the attention of one of Oregon's biggest tech companies, Clockjack. A company that can afford to hire some very bad people to protect its secrets. Dez is mostly a let bygones be bygones sort of man, but not when his mates are in danger. If Clockjack is a threat to them, then Dez is a threat to Clockjack.

Deadlock is as much mystery as it is thriller. Dez knows who the threat is, but if he's going to neutralize it, he must discover why. And the mystery here runs deep. From Portland to high up in the federal government and even internationally. Clockjack is as high-tech as they come and its campus is heavily guarded, both physically and electronically. There are only a handful of people in the world capable of breaking in. Bad luck for them that Dez is one of them. 

Everything that was great about James Byrne's first Dez Limerick book is even better here. The mystery is more intricate, the humor is even sharper, and the adversary is both smarter and more dangerous.  Dez is one cool cucumber. His hacking skills, his planning skills, and his fighting skills are all put to the test. This book will have you glued to it from start to finish. There is excitement and intrigue all along the way and a conclusion that does not disappoint.

John Keating narrates the audiobook and adds another dimension to the enjoyment. His vocalizations, particularly of Dez, perfectly capture the humor, confidence, and heart of the character. His voice will forever be the voice I hear in my head for Dez in what I hope to be many, many books in this series. One of my favorite books of the year. 

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.