Stephen Leather has again pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this finely crafted story of intrigue and murder.

Andy Bird has left the unit after suffering the after effects of an insurgent attack. It's just him and Tyson, his ex service dog, living rough. His life is placid enough, but things rapidly go south when he witnesses a murder, and the two thugs who commit it try to kill him. Tyson helps him out but he finds himself on the run.

Vanishing into the streets is his preferred oprion, but when he finds that they are tracking his every move, he turns to his old mates for help.

There follows an exciting story of detection, intrigue, and numerous showdowns. The plotting is good, the characters realistic, and the story plausible, and the baddies predictably horrid, and the goodies doing their best in truying circumstances. Good stuff.

A new character bursts upon the scene from Stephen Leather),author of the successful Spider Shepherd series.)

Andy "Birdman" Bird is a former SAS trooper now living on the streets with Tyson his "land shark" who is a Malinois with PTSD.

Whilst sleeping rough behind a skip,he sees a man murdered by Russian thugs. Soon,he is fleeing for his life and using all his old skills and contacts just to survive.

Another great paced book from Leather and hopefully the start of a new series!

I would like to thank McmiIllan Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Not my normal read but I devoured this one in one sitting. We meet a man and his dog sleeping rough on the streets after an ambush in a missing he not only lost his hearing but also his loved job in the SAS. When he accidentally stumbles on an assassination his whole life is turned upside down when he is being hunted and everyone close to him is in danger and only his old colleagues can help him. Will he get to the bottom of it all before it’s too late. A great thriller and would make a great film.

Stephen Leather is consistently excellent and it was no surprise that this novel followed suit.
I rather like the character of Andy and fell in love with his dog. (Mind you, you would really want to stay on the right side of him!
Solid plot with several twists and, as usual, plenty of (often gory) action to keep us entertained.
Many thanks.

After a mission gone wrong, former SAS soldier Andy Bird finds himself living on the streets with his Belgian Malinois Tyson. But when Bird and Tyson witness a murder, they find themselves pursued across London by a gang - desperate to silence them. Bird has to turn to his former comrades - but just who are they facing and why?

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and it rattled along narratively. 5*.

A down and out deaf ex SAS soldier and his dog are the unlikely heroes of this cracking well paced thriller. After witnessing a murder in Camden Town and taking on the assailants Andy becomes the hunted by the mystery individuals. They seem able to track him anywhere and after his ex wife is kidnapped he seeks help from his old army comrades. There’s a huge body count as the violence mounts but there’s a satisfactory conclusion and hopefully more to come from Andy and his Land Shark, Tyson.!

I had forgotten what a brilliant author Stephen Leather is. This book had me fully consumed from the first chapter, and I was really hooked, burning the midnight oil until I finished it. The storyline was strong annd excellent . I loved the loyalty between the characters, who never had a moments hesitation to help out a friend. I also loved Tyson, who stuck with Andy through thick and thin. Thoroughly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Another great story from Stephen Leather.
Great characters and lots of action throughout.

Hope we hear more adventures from Andy and of course Tyson (the main hero :) )

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

If you enjoy action packed thrillers, then this is one for you. It is full of good characters with a believable plot and a brilliant canine character in Tyler. Andy is ex SAS, sleeping rough on the streets of London with his dog and he is a very likeable character. He witnesses a murder and goes on the run with Tyler in a struggle to stay alive. This is an easy 5* from me and I recommend to lovers of thrillers. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Entertaining, action packed suspense. A down and out character is brought to life and I love his dog. They face assassins together and danger. I flew through this at a steady but fast pace which is how the book environment felt.

Wow! what an absolute blast of a read this is. It’s SO good. I never thought anyone could equal Spider Shepherd but I was wrong. Stephen knocks it out of the park again!
Andy & Tyson are the dream team and I really hope we see more of them and this is the first of a new series.
Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride, SAS, MI5, MI6 GCHQ, but who can you trust?

A long time reader of the Spider Shepherd novels by the same author I've now got a new fave, him names Tyson and he's way cuter than Spider could ever be.

Ex SAS Trooper Andy felt like he'd lost everything when he ended up on the streets, the only thing he'd managed to keep was Tyson, his ex-service dog. Life on the streets wasn't easy and Andy soon learned its all about finding the best place to hide away, but suddenly the best place isn't safe anymore and him and Tyson are on the run.

Good characters, plenty of action and an intriguing plot, this was a great read from start to finish.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own.

I have been a fan of Stephen Leather's work for a long time now and he never disappoints. This latest book is certainly no exception - it's an absolute peach of a story. If you're looking for something full of action, violence, suspense and intrigue, then this is definitely the one for you.

The story follows Andy "Deadman" Bird, a former SAS hero who has had a really tough time of it after a mission went wrong. He's lost his hearing, his career and his marriage, and he's living on the streets of London. I absolutely loved Bird as a main character, but I have to say that Tyson the dog completely stole the show for me. Tyson is Bird's fiercely loyal companion and seeing the relationship between the two of them was just wonderful.

One thing that really got to me was how they are both experiencing PTSD after that failed mission. It was so interesting to see that this isn't something that just affects humans - I didn't really know anything about dogs being affected in that way, so it was new to me although not a complete surprise. It made their bond feel even deeper because they're both struggling with the same demons.

When they witness a murder in an alleyway, they both end up as targets. It was great to see Bird reach out to his old SAS brothers-in-arms for help. The camaraderie between the characters felt so natural and authentic, and it really added to the grit of the story as they got tangled up in a mess of organised crime and political plots.

It's a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled ride that kept me hooked from start to finish. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a proper, hard-hitting thriller. 🐾

Huge thanks to the author, Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, yet another cracker from Mr Leather.

The action explodes from the page in this fast paced novel “Underdogs” about Andy “Deadman” Bird and his trusty canine sidekick Tyson. Called “Deadman”, after saving the lives of his SAS team by jumping on top of a grenade on an op in Syria, Andy now lives on the street, deaf from the grenade, having lost his job, wife and home. His only companion is his trained dog but, after stumbling into an attempted assassination on a London street, then being suspected and chased by police and the killers, Andy must call on his SAS mates for assistance. What follows is a breakneck race for the truth…. who was the victim, why was he killed and why are they now after Andy? Throw in MI5, MI6, and some bad guys working for a very shady outfit willing to stop at nothing to get what they want and you have a ripper of a tale. Not my usual genre and I’ve never learnt so much about weaponry and tactics on a page rather than a screen, but very visual….would make a blockbuster movie! Once I settled in for the ride, Steven Leather had me hooked and I would definitely lock in for a sequel.

Stephen Leather introduces a gripping new protagonist in The Underdogs: Andy Bird, a homeless ex–Special Forces soldier whose only constant companion is his loyal service dog, Tyson. Deafened by an act of extraordinary bravery on his final deployment, Andy carries both the scars and the deep respect of the regiment he once served with distinction.

When a violent encounter turns him into a fugitive—hunted by the police and a ruthless group of foreign criminals—his old comrades rally to his side. What follows is a high‑octane chase packed with covert operators, shadowy agendas, and layers of deception that unravel at breakneck speed.

It’s a taut, propulsive thriller that shows Leather at his best, delivering a story that easily stands shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the strongest titles in the genre.

Stephen Leather is a fantastic writers. You don’t read his books they unfold around you. Absolutely great. One of my favourite authors. Thoroughly enjoyed it his book!

Andy Bird formerly worked for the army and after saving lives by jumping on a grenade, he ended up deaf, discharged from the army and sleeping rough on the streets with his service dog. They both suffer from severe PTSD. Andy is awoken by people jumping at someone and killing them. From that moment on, he becomes entangled in a story far beyond his control. Forced to run from the police who believe he is guilty, Andy quickly realizes that he has been dragged into something much darker, where the truth is far more disturbing than it first appears.
This is most definitely not a standalone book — or if it is, it truly deserves a follow-up!

They were once SAS heroes. Now Andy ‘Deadman’ Bird and his service dog Tyson have been cast out on the streets after a disastrous mission that went wrong, and left Andy totally deaf.
Living on the streets is tough, but things become tougher when Andy is witness to a murder in the alleyway he sleeps in. Not long after, he and his faithful dog are killers hit list. With his back against the wall, Andy calls for help from his former teammates. They drop everything to help him, as they owe him for saving their lives.
This turns out to be more than a rescue mission, Andy has walked into an international incident that involves people at the highest level. From top political figures to organised crime, and they will do anything to make this go away.
With his back against the wall, will he live to see another day and bring those responsible to justice.
Underdogs is one of Stephen Leather’s best standalone books to date.
From start to finish, this book is action-packed and enthralling. The characters are brilliant and engaging, and the authors storytelling is sublime.
Stephen Leather never lets his readers down, and this latest instalment is fantastic. A total rollercoaster ride.

Underdogs
Discharged from the army Andy ‘deadman’ Bird an ex SAS soldier is homeless and living on the streets of London with his service dog Tyson, both suffering from PTSD after an overseas operation went wrong also leaving Andy completely deaf.
Andy witnesses a shooting, tries to help but the victim dies and Andy suddenly finds himself pursued by the assailants. He and Tyson run, Andy is sure he’ll evade these criminals easily with his previous military training but seems foiled at every turn as they continue their relentless pursuit.
Realising he needs professional help he contacts his serving army friend who is only too willing to become involved.
This leads to the involvement of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ spies somehow his chasers think Andy has information they don’t want revealing. As the body count mounts there are many twists and turns as this thriller takes you on a breathtaking ride. Full of action which is descriptive and exciting, great army banter and total comradeship in full force from Andy’s old team this is an absolute page turner.
Having served in the armed forces I am still shocked at how ex service personnel can be treated and feel this author perfectly described it.
I’m hoping Andy and his ‘team’ will work together again in the future, one that is brighter for our hero.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Firstly, I’m a huge fan of Stephen Leather.
I have read every single book after coming across The Tunnel Rats in a Bondi Backpackers in 2002.
This novel takes after Leather’s characters of Matt Standing and Spider Shepherd and is an action packed thriller with you thrown in to Andy ‘Deadman’ Bird’s world from chapter 1 with a fast paced story with little let up.
I think this is a great story, love that we have a homeless veteran involved and that Leather has highlighted this issue clearly but without making the veteran a victim as such, he’s a bonafide hero!

This “Under-Dogs” is an extremely enjoyable book and a rattling good read. It was an easy to read, at 300 pages but it is very cleverly plotted and I was completely gripped until the final exciting paragraph. The book, which was frighteningly suspenseful was very difficult to put down once started. A very well constructed plot, good smooth writing style and scene setting that allows the reader to visualise the story, frame chapter by chapter. Another great read from Stephen Leather. Strongly recommended.

My first read of a Stephen Leather book. The main character is Andy Bird, an ex SAS trooper and his well trained dog Tyson who can be relied on to defend his master when required. A fast paced action story that is recommended to those who enjoy this genre. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

This is a brilliant thriller and what I hope to be the first book in a new series from Stephen Leather.
I love all of this author’s books and this one was no exception.
Andy is living rough on the streets of London with his faithful dog, Tyson.
Both of them are former SAS and following his divorce, Andy ends up being homeless.
One night he witnesses a man being attacked and killed and soon he is being hunted by the killers.
There are some real nail biting moments in this book and I absolutely loved it!
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book.

Underdogs by Stephen Leather is an extremely enjoyable, edge-of-your-seat thriller and a rattling good read from start to finish.

At around 300 pages, this is an easy book to sink into, but it is also very cleverly plotted and packed with tension. Once I started reading, I was completely gripped and found it very difficult to put down. The suspense builds steadily and relentlessly, carrying right through to a final paragraph that delivers a genuinely exciting and satisfying conclusion.

The story follows Andy “Deadman” Bird, a former SAS soldier whose life has fallen apart after a heroic act left him deaf, discharged, divorced, and living on the streets with his loyal dog, Tyson. When Andy witnesses a brutal murder, he is suddenly hunted by both the police and ruthless killers who believe he has something they need. What follows is a fast paced, high stakes race for survival that pulls in Andy’s old comrades, shadowy intelligence agencies, and a dangerous web of political intrigue and organised crime.

Stephen Leather’s writing style is smooth and engaging, with excellent scene setting that makes it easy to visualise the action unfolding chapter by chapter. The plot is well constructed, the pacing is spot on, and the sense of camaraderie between Andy and his former team adds real emotional weight to the story. Tyson is also a standout presence, adding heart and intensity to an already gripping narrative.

Frighteningly suspenseful, action packed, and expertly told, Underdogs is another strong entry from Stephen Leather and a book that thriller fans will absolutely devour. Strongly recommended.