Unfortunately, I read this book to the end, as I was curious about why a main character would do all these stupid things. There was no reason, only a plot to get a lot of nonsense action, even speculating in gore at the end. There's also messy storytelling, with changing back and forth in time. So, it's possible to read this book, but all it gave me was frustration.

'Dead Reckonin' is the second Rob Sinclair book I have read. A fast moving all action thriller that will appeal to fans of Jo Nesbo. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

A brutal blood soaked tale of Simon Peake and his history in a Middle Eastern conflict with a group of secret agents ostensibly there to prevent a recurrence of war. Fast forward to New York and his attempts to gain a job leads him to an Irish crime family. The two tales go back and forth never losing the intriguing plot and it all comes together in a brutal fashion with extreme violence in both stories. Not one for the squeamish but personally I hope there’s more to come from this character!

Fantastic read!!! This book kept me hooked in from start to finish through Simon's journey across Manhattan and also in his life before NYC! A brilliant story throughout.

This story encompasses Simon Peake's (a.k.a. 'Hades') involvement in his active duty role, and then, the after. It was interesting to see how the author pulled the two time frames together, but was it all necessary and for the greater good? Peake would like to know. How could a 'before' life come back to bite him! I felt that there was a thoughtful thread to consider in how active duty affects the soldier as to what was seen and done, whether rightly or wrongly, in order for goverments to achieve covert ends. There was sadness and tragedy, some romance peppered with frustrations. Overall, I found this type of story was a bit too much for me but readers who are intrigued by Covered Ops, violence, blood, guts and gore, will very likely apprciate this thriller.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

June 2025

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Nonstop action, secrets, betrayals, and revenge - relentless and unforgiving, will Simon ever catch a break or always be Hades?

This is a fast paced thriller set in NewYork. We follow Simon Peake as he tries to find employment. The story flits back and forth between the time he was a soldier and present day to set the scene of why he is where he is and the why of it. I really enjoyed the narrative of this story even if some bits were a little too descriptive. It has the makings of being a good series, particularly for fans of Reacher and similar titles. Thoroughly recommend this book. With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this ARC copy for a honest review.

This is well written and fast paced, but ultimately too brutal and gritty for my taste. The main character appeared to have no redeeming features, so I found it difficult to care about him.
This book was a wrong choice for me, I’m sorry to say.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

If you like jam packed action thrillers, this is one for you. I absolutely loved the non stop pace of this book and I really liked Simon Peake, the main character. He is a multi layered, complex character but there is just something which really appealed to me about his personality and back story. Okay, it stretches belief at times but it is fiction after all! If you like action thrillers, then you will love this one. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Well written book whose lead character is not really likeable. He has questionable morals but deep down he is not a bad guy. Not one of my favorite Rob Sinclair books.

Simon Peake is ex military and an ex convict. A man of convictions but dangerous when provoked.
He’s found himself in New York, struggling to pay the rent and to survive. His solution is to work his way into a local gang as a driver and gopher, he is not really trusted but has some skills that are of use. He finds himself in the middle of a number of agendas and dealing with some very dangerous people. He has very few friends and he may struggle to keep them out of the firing line.
Unusual this in a few ways, Peake is very much an anti-hero and a real mix of self interest and morality. We also get to see a lot of his past in a military unit deep undercover which provides more background to his ability and character and may have links to his current situation.

I enjoyed this. Refreshingly downbeat and different and I liked that the main story stayed rooted in the criminal underbelly of New York. Peake was complex and I’d be delighted to see more of him.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, Peake is a one isn’t he! Trouble and threats just follow him wherever he goes. He does have some luck, just not sure if it’s good or bad. I really enjoyed the fast paced action of this one, wondering what the heck could and would go wrong next - in this life and his previous military one.

He does have a bit of a temper and I did wonder if this was going to get him in trouble but that finds him no matter what. I’m still not sure about the landlord or the family he’s got himself mixed up in, I’m sure there’ll be more to come. He’s like another Reacher type, but a bit more cursed! There are some good side characters in this too, I really liked his neighbour, and Katie, and Harry’s son Sean - not so keen on the rest of the family tho!

I have seen there is another book coming later this year which I will definitely be picking up. If you like action packed no holds barred type of novels, this is one for you.

Peake is an ex-servicemen and ex-convict living in New York and looking for work. He gets a job with Harry Lafferty, an Irish gang boss as a driver and collector.
There are two story lines, one in the Middle East where Peake was on a dangerous mission and the present day in New York.
The book is really violent, the Lafferty family are a load of thugs, and terrible things happen in the middle east. The characters are mostly horrible. Peake has seen so many bad things, it is like he is desentised.
The plot is well constructed and all comes together at the end.

I found Dead Reckoning to be an interesting and action packed read. It was full of twists and turns and quite graphic in places so not for the faint hearted. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Simon Peake is a man haunted by his past; there is nothing good in it at all, as far as he can tell and once again, he is broke, living on his wits, trying to keep out of trouble. He is waiting for someone at O’Hare’s bar – an Irish bar, possibly the last truly Irish bar in Manhattan, owned by the Irish, who may have some work for him.
The person he is waiting for, Sean appears to be a no show but when a well-dressed woman comes up to him, obviously a regular, they have an enlightened conversation about life and dying. They leave the bar together.
And so begins another fast-paced Crime thriller from Rob Sinclair through the streets of Manhattan as Peake finds he has become embroiled with the local Mafia, the powerful Rafferty family, a pawn in the conflict that is threatening to tear the family apart and a man falling in love with Katie; a woman torn by her tragedy of a past.
Dead Reckoning peals back the ruthless layers of a family that have become a law unto themselves, that think nothing of killing, intimidation and treachery to get that they want, power and money. Their reach is long, their influence wide, their enforcing brutal.
But Peake has his own death wish, cares little about his life or safety but does care for Katie and his neighbour Jelena; a woman who entertains men, many of whom treat her badly.
Then there is Chan, his and Jelena’s landlord who also is not a man to mess with, also a man Peake dislikes for a variety of reasons, none of which he can put a finger on, he simply does not trust nor like the man and his bully boy.
When the Middle Eastern element gets involved in the nefarious undertakings of the Rafferty family, Peakes previous life comes rampaging back, his skill and knowledge gained in his clandestine Military career, followed by a stint in goal, become necessary to try and save Katie and Jelena from certain death. Can he pull off an act of retribution or will it be the final hurrah for Simon Peake?
All the elements of very good Crime thriller have been carefully constructed to deliver an antihero Simon Peake in Dead Reckoning, book one in the Simon Peake Thriller series,

Thanks, @netgalley , the author @robsinclairauthor and the publishers for the ARC.

This is the1st book in the new Simon Peake series.
I've read all the other books that this author has written, so I had high hopes for this one, and it didn't disappoint too much.
Peake seems to be quite a complex character, clearly struggling with PTSD from his experiences in the military, who is a little down on his luck.
The story runs in 2 parallels; one when he was in the military and the other present day, where he becomes a bit of a gopher for a notorious Irish family.
It did seem, in my opinion, a little bit discombobulated at times, the characters just didn't really flow together, and it did feel like I was reading two completely different stories, even though by the end, some of it made more sense.
This is clearly a character character who is going to develop in the next installments, so I look forward to reading them!

Simon Peake does care… he just isn’t sure about what right now. The ex-soldier’s life is as close to rock bottom as it gets. He needs a job and he needs a quiet life. What he gets is a whole load of mess working for New York-based Irish mobster Harry Lafferty. A job that requires him to use his special skills on some very unsavory people. His relationship with Harry’s niece isn’t exactly conducive to a quiet existence either… As Peake tries to walk the fine line between surviving in this new life, and atoning for his old one, he struggles on both counts. And when his past comes back to bite him, and those closest to him are threatened, the reckoning will be merciless for anyone who stands in his way! Great read! Wow it was like a mobster action packed movie! It had great suspense, gruesome murders, mystery, mobsters, intrigue, action packed moments and a few wild twists! The storyline was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Sinclair writes an all-engrossing story that captures the high tactical features of a military/espionage action read and infuses them with the gritty crime drama spectacle that I found very compelling, especially as a fan of Don Winslow’s work. This all rides on the perspective of Simon Peake as an underdog hero who tries to live a simple life after a lifetime of violence but just can’t catch a break. His dilemmas are meaningful and handled with messy and frustrating realities of life where the protagonist doesn’t get to play the hero and come out unscathed.

Simon Peake has reached an exceptionally low place in his life, and finds himself working for a mobster. He finds himself surrounded by unsavory people, and his survival may depend on how well he can play their game.

I have enjoyed other titles by this author, but not this one. The action and the characters were jumping around so much that I couldn't tell which end was up half the time. Even though the main character was down and out, I felt little sympathy for him and zero connection, making it difficult to enjoy the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Simon Peake is ex-military. In need of a job he goes to work for a drug gang in New York.
If you like action-packed, gritty thrillers this book would be a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.