Dead Reckoning is a gripping and action-packed start to a new thriller series featuring Simon Peake, a former special forces soldier trying to outrun his past. I received a copy from Boldwood Books via Netgalley.

Simon is a compelling lead, fresh out of prison, and is thrust into New York’s criminal underworld when a desperate job lands him in the crosshairs of dangerous people. The dual-timeline narrative, split between his past in the Middle East and his present struggles, kept the tension high.

This is a more than a solid start to a new series, and I'm lucky to have received book 2 as well!

4/5 ⭐️

Dead Reckoning by Rob Sinclair
Simon Peake #1

~ Dark, gritty, action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end ~ Couldn’t put it down ~

What I liked:
* Simon Peake: warrior, ex-military for British, checkered past, dark-gray anti-hero, protective, a bit of a cipher as little is learned about his past and who he really is, his willingness to do “the job” and his impressive array of skills, that he actually seems to care…maybe?
* The women in this story that Simon got to know and care about: his neighbor - Jelena and Katie - a potential love interest
* The dual timeline moving between Simon’s time on black ops assignment Operation Zeus eight years before he lands a job with the Lafferty family
* That I was grabbed on page and had to find out what happened
* Beginning to care about Simon and a few of the others even though there weren’t any really “good” people in the story
* That though graphic in portraying what happens in painful scenes…it is not so detailed and explicit that I had to close the book or skip pages
* That this is not a “Reacher wannabe” but of a similar genre – I think Simon might have more personality as we get to know him…maybe?
* That I was left wanting to find out what will happen next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how war and being in some military positions must impact a person mentally, physically, and emotionally while enlisted and then after they return to civilian life
* Thinking about how evil some people, and governments, are and what they are willing to do to promote their agendas

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I enjoyed this book with all of the different characters from the wagon train, the problems that some families had just holding it together. Also, the way at the end of the day, they would get together, play music to unwind. It was interesting to me how the author was specific on the way they would cross rivers, and go over mountains, tying the wheels together so they would slide and not roll to have more control with the horses. That all made sense to me. Overall, I liked this book, and the many different characters made it work for an excellent story.

This is a dark, action packed read,
With an ex-soldier in need.
Haunted by his past actions now
He needs to make his way in life somehow.

Could working with mobsters be the way?
He’s unsure but needs money today!
For his past he still endeavours to atone
But his past won’t leave him alone.

As new relationships develop and roles change
Is there a chance his future he can rearrange?
A thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat,
Knowing things won’t work out nice and neat.

For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

A fast paced, gritty thriller, told over two different timelines by Simon Peake. He is now living in New York and has recently left prison, in the earlier timeline he is in the army somewhere in the middle east. Peake attracts trouble wherever he is and he can also defend himself so there is plenty of violence, some fairly graphically described , in this book. Both timelines do come together later in the book.
I liked the fast pace and enjoyed this action packed book. Peake is a villan with a heart and it takes a little while to get to know him. I'd like to read more about him and will look out for more by this author. Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read this book.

I have read a few of Mr Sinclair's books now and can safely say that I am a fan; this, the first in a new series, has cemented that fandom 😉

Simon Peake is ex-UK special forces living in New York; he has recently been released from prison, he is a loner, doesn't always make the right choices and is desperately in need of work. With few options, he starts to work for an Irish mob-boss which gets him into all manner of scrapes and dodgy situations. There's also the small matter of him having started a relationship with the mob-boss' niece and he lives opposite a working woman who is not treated well by her clients.

Told over two timelines - one the present and the other in the past when Peake was on a mission in the Middle East - both as riveting as each other, Dead Reckoning is full of action, violence, fantastic characters and tension and all told at a fast pace that had me absolutely hooked from the first page.

Definitely recommended to those of you who enjoy reading action/thrillers and I am looking forward to following Simon Peake's trials and tribulations in the future. Many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, the first in what is likely to be an explosive series.

The first book in a new series features Simon Peake, a man with a wealth of special skills, but he's not in a good place. Out of prison, he needs money to survive and finds it working for a crime boss. There are interfamily feuds and wider gang rivalries that Peake has to negotiate to survive. His past, which has led him to his dark present, is gradually revealed alongside his current life. He is, unsurprisingly, a man with a distinct moral code that frequently clashes with society's. Peake's emotional issues and need for justice make him a character you invest in. The urban setting is well described, and the cast of characters is relatable. It's action-packed, brutal and suspenseful, which makes a compelling read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

If you’re hooked on Reacher, you are going to devour Rob Sinclair’s latest novel, Dead Reckoning.

Simon Peake is a former soldier who has fallen on hard times. Having hit rock bottom, Peake just wants to find a job and lead a quiet life. However, trouble always seems to find him – and this time around it is in the shape of New York-based Irish mobster, Harry Lafferty. Hired to use his special skills on some unsavoury people, Peake hurtles into yet another tangled web when he begins to get up close and personal with his boss’s niece…

In a dangerous world where you cannot trust anybody, Peake needs to stay alert and keep his eyes and ears open because when the past comes back to bite him, those closest to him are put in danger leaving him with no other choice but to be as ruthless as possible to save the ones he cares about most.

Will Peake succeed? Or will old sins end up leaving him with nothing? One thing’s certain – a quiet life is the one thing Simon Peake will never have regardless of how much he tries…

Fast-paced, action-packed and relentless, Dead Reckoning is the first title in Rob Sinclair’s new series that introduces Simon Peake, a fearless maverick of a hero who will take readers on exciting and unpredictable journeys that will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Guaranteed to keep readers breathless, Dead Reckoning by Rob Sinclair is a must-read for fans of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly.

Peake's an interesting character with a knack for attracting trouble. He does seem to have a strong sense of justice although his career choices haven't led him in the right direction at times. I liked the switch between past and present as you get to see more of Peake's motivations. He's very much a pawn in what he does and there's not much difference between the job he does years ago and the one he's stuck with in the present. Both are dangerous and he needs to take orders from someone. He's not given all the facts and clearly can't trust people around him.

There's a softer side to him and I like that you see that. He's resourceful and takes care of people that need it.

I think this ended well and I'm intrigued as to where Peake might end up next.

Dead Reckoning by Rob Sinclair was an excellent first book in a new Simon Peake series. It was full of action, and was fast paced from the very beginning which I loved! there was never a boring moment. I loved the main character Simon Peake, he was a character you could not trust but he does care. . . . . but finds it hard to show, he just isn’t sure about what right now for him. He is now living an ex-soldier’s life and is close to be rock bottom, but there was something about him that drew you towards him. . . .

Now, he needs a job and a quiet life to go with it. . .

Simon finally get a job and starts to work for a New York based Irish mobster called Harry Lafferty, But all he has done was got himself in a whole lots of trouble which he doesn't need right now! The job is a big one and it requires him to use his special skills on some very unsavoury people.

As Simon his hardest to tries to walk the fine line between surviving in this new life, and atoning for his old one, but he is struggles on both counts. Then 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.

WoW this was a book I just enjoyed from the very first few pages and could not put it down, I am looking forward to the next book within the Simon Peake series . . . It's going to be a cracking series.

Simon Peake down on his luck falls in with an Irish American crime boss because he needs money. Well written hard hitting thriller with plenty of action. Although the main character is unsavoury you still root for him. This is the first in the series and I look forward to the next book. Thanks to Boldwood books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

My turn for the Book Blog Tour …. Pub Date Jun 23 2025
Boldwood Books

I don’t think I have read anything by this author before … I’m not sure! Not normally my type of book BUT I’m glad I read it and I did enjoy it. I think k it being the first book in a series helped.
Would I read this author again … absolutely!

The most dangerous people are those with nothing to lose. Who don't care if they live or die.
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, but trouble always finds him...
Working for New York-based Irish mobster Harry Lafferty, he finds a job that requires him to use his special skills on some very unsavoury 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.

Thanks #netgalley #boldwood #robsinclair & #rachelsrandoms

Dead Reckoning follows Simon Peak, ex-soldier, down and out.. Peak needs a job and fast.

Peak has been in prison but it’s time to turn his life around.. well as much as possible. His opportunities are limited so he ends up at the doorstep of Harry Lafferty and his crew.

The pressure is ramped up when Peaks landlord demands 3 months rent so when the crew need a driver Peak doesn’t say no.

Little does he know his fate is now sealed.

Peak gets slowly sucked into their world and almost immediately makes a decision that will come back to bite him.

It’s not all doom and gloom though.. Peak finds a connection with Harry’s niece..but can he balance work and the growing connection between them?

Added to that Peak has history.. and an anger inside that he must use every ounce of strength to keep buried.

The thing about history is it won’t stay buried forever.

Things soon start going wrong and people end up getting hurt.. but why? Can Peak put the pieces together?

What I really loved was the timeline as the author explores both past and present, allowing the reader to learn about who Peak really is.. what broke him. It’s dark, gripping and packed full of high octane wow moments.

I love the little details added to, to give real depth to the main characters, emotions.. a realness.

The authors real talent for writing shines through and if you are a fan like me you’ll love it. Rob Sinclair manages to keep offering new and fresh characters that you get invested in but with the same gripping edge and style of story we love. There’s twists and turns along the way that really pack a punch too.

Sometimes there’s something enjoyable in reading about unsavoury characters and this book doesn’t disappoint as Peake with nothing to lose other than his dignity, hooks up with good old Irish mobsters. What follows is one disaster after another with blood and guts galore. A real page turner. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

I am quite the fan of this author having been with him from the start. So, I was excited to get my hands on this, another series opener, this time featuring good boy gone kinda bad, ex-soldier Simon Peake.
It's actually, for the majority of the book, two separate stories. One taking part in the present with Simon working for a New York based Irish mobster to make his rent which, as his landlord "tells" him is very overdue. He is not long out from jail so his options aren't vast. But, despite being the whipping boy, there is one major positive, in the shape of his boss, Harry Lafferty's, niece...
Meanwhile, we also go back in time, to when Peake was still a soldier. His job there is secret and dangerous and deniable. But I'll leave you to discover that for yourself.
So, the two completely separate threads continue on, and I long gave up trying to work out any connection and just read them as two completely discreet storylines. Obviously, from the synopsis, you can tell that they do eventually merge, his past coming back to bite him, but, again, leaving that for you to find out how...
Well, as per usual, this book was action packed all the way through. This time though, the main character was a bit of an underdog, the lowest in the food chain, the aforementioned whipping boy, and I did initially struggle to work out why, with all his special skills, Peake would choose to try his luck with Harry and his family. Also, as a bit of a side-story, we see his kinder side with his interactions with neighbour Jelena.
Peake was a bit of a strange beast for the reasons already mentioned but he definitely has depth and I do feel that we haven't yet scratched the surface of his full past yet. He definitely has much more to give and I will definitely be there to find out what...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Dead Reckoning is a gritty, fast paced thriller that introduces Simon Peake, a troubled ex soldier trying to survive in a dark and violent world. From the first chapter, I was pulled into his messy, dangerous life. With nothing to lose, Simon ends up working for an Irish mob boss in New York, where trouble follows him fast.
I liked the dual timeline, which gave insight into Simon’s past and showed how his military experiences shaped him. The action is intense and brutal, but it’s the emotional weight behind Simon’s choices that really stuck with me. He’s flawed, not always likable, but very compelling.
Some side characters weren’t very developed, but the story stayed engaging thanks to strong writing and nonstop twists. If you like morally gray characters and high stakes crime thrillers, this is a solid start to a new series. I’m definitely curious to see where Simon’s story goes next.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Dead Reckoning by Rob Sinclair is the story of a man who makes the word resilient seem inconsequential. The story is told in two timelines: somewhere in the Middle East during a time of revolution, and back in the United States, newly released from prison and looking to earn money. The things he is capable of, both horrendous and sweet, are mind-boggling. He got sent to prison for being a little too serious when stopping the rape of a fifteen-year-old and doing serious damage. He has fallen in with some mobsters as their driver, something he is good at, until he crosses paths with his past. It is a fast-paced thriller, full of violence with a healthy disregard for the rules.

Peake lives in a slum. There are only two apartments on his floor rented out: his and a prostitute named, Jelena, who it appeared people paid to beat her up more than have sex with her. Their landlord was a man named Chan with muscle named Christine (from Stephen King’s thriller) but God-forbid you use his whole name. Peake worked for the Irish mob, a man named Harry Lafferty, who had sons and nephews on his payroll. They ranged from not too bright to downright stupid, all violent. Peake is a good character who has a soft spot for women he liked and not much of anyone else. He’s a superman who can get himself out of nearly any fix and his could be termed a sadist, if not for the fact that he was on the side of right, sort of. Fast-paced, decent characters, and a vivid past.

I was invited to read Dead Reckoning by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #RobSinclair #DeadReckoning

Simon Peake, ex-army, ex-con and broke, gets tangled up with a gang because he needs money fast. He also manages to get tangled up with the boss’s niece – not a good career move. The fact that some members of the gang don’t like or trust him, doesn’t help.

There was plenty of action from the start, which I enjoy, and Simon’s backstory is neatly woven into the storyline to show how he became the man he is today. But I always felt that something was missing. As a character Simon never really gelled with me, I kept expecting that something else would come to light in his past, something to explain why he is what he is. A ‘lightbulb’ moment but that never happened. Maybe more will come to light in the next book?

In this new series we are introduced to Simon Peake who my late father would have probably said "if it wasn't for his bad luck, he would have no luck at all!!". Set in dual timeline, we are told about Peake's exploits in the Middle East a few years earlier but now he is in America looking for a job. He plays dirty and hard with no filter at times but then we see how he is with his neighbour Jelena, and a more compassionate side.. Ryker he is not, but is more driven and ruthless. It will be interesting to read the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

I just watched Mobland so seem to be on a bit of mob story kick lately. The ending of this was also spoiled by the fact that I knew this was a new series, so Simon Peake has to live for the next one. I am looking forward to reading the next one though.

Peake is ex special forces. Not just regular special forces, but off the book / black ops stuff. His last mission saw him discharged, not for the mission but for what came after. Not just PTSD, when you have to make the choice between being a soldier who kills and being a real killer, you cross a line that is hard to come back from. Peake made that choice to try and save people but it changed him forever - and not in a good way.

Five plus years later, fresh out of prison, he is in New York and working for the Irish mob after taking care of one of their family inside. He works to keep the animal inside him leashed despite the violent job and his past coming back to haunt him while attempting to have a normal life as he dates and gets back on his feet.

This one is graphically violent if you are not into that. It is also a dual timeline, skipping back to his last very off the books mission in the Middle East, the one that saw him change as a person and the end of his special forces career. Peake is flawed and changed forever from those days. He tries to be a better person, and he acts violently for (in his mind) good reason. But it is still violence.

A gritty thriller with a high body count. I enjoyed this read but definitely not for everyone. A few unanswered questions like how did those from his past find him when everyone used code names and no one should be alive to talk. Plus a few people who didn't get the justice they deserved, but maybe that is for the next book.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the advance copy for review. This one is available tomorrow with the next one, Deadly Mistake, scheduled for publication in late September.