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Dead Safe
The only problem with stealing millions in drug money? Being tortured and killed by the cartel you stole from.
The LAPD’s Casey Stafford needs to stop the slaughter, but his only lead is a female thief set on revenge.
The owner of a Beverly Hills private storage vault is brutally murdered, along with his family, and it looks like a cartel-style killing.
Detective Casey Stafford and his partner Banchet Suwan investigate and discover that the victim’s storage vault business was recently Are the killers looking for their stolen money, revenge on the thieves, or both?
As the murders continue and a group of YouTube influencers is targeted, tortured, and killed, Casey must stop the slaughter and solve the vault heist, but his best lead is an anonymous message from the only surviving thief, a woman hiding from the cartel and the police, but who also wants revenge herself - for the deaths of her friends.
Dead Safe Reviews and
“I love a solid police procedural, and George Prior’s DEAD SAFE delivers. Sunny Beverly Hills, brutal murders, and Detectives Casey Stafford and Banchet Suwan on the case? Cop a squat, bring a snack, and enjoy! It’s a wild, gritty ride … don’t let the palm trees fool ya.” - Tracy Clark, the award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery Series and the Det. Harriet Foster series
“A razor-sharp procedural that’s also a vivid portrait of contemporary Los Angeles, as riveting as it is authentic. DEAD SAFE is a crime novel you won’t want to miss. Superb.” - Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of DARK RIDE
"By turns harrowing, gripping, and surprisingly empathetic, DEAD SAFE is the most original, thrilling, and richly told heist novel I’ve encountered since Michael Connelly’s The Black Echo. The Casey Stafford series just keeps getting better and better—don’t miss this one." - Wes Miller, former Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing
Praise for 78 Degrees and
"An exhilarating thriller. Get it." - Kirkus Reviews
"George Prior's debut novel is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling. ...a high-octane pace... a triumph of suspense and thriller writing." - NetGalley
“This guy writes as well as John Sandford and Michael Connelly. Been a long time since I’ve read a police procedural this good. It’s a great plot, great characters and plenty of spot on dialogue.” – Dirk Thomas
The LAPD’s Casey Stafford needs to stop the slaughter, but his only lead is a female thief set on revenge.
The owner of a Beverly Hills private storage vault is brutally murdered, along with his family, and it looks like a cartel-style killing.
Detective Casey Stafford and his partner Banchet Suwan investigate and discover that the victim’s storage vault business was recently Are the killers looking for their stolen money, revenge on the thieves, or both?
As the murders continue and a group of YouTube influencers is targeted, tortured, and killed, Casey must stop the slaughter and solve the vault heist, but his best lead is an anonymous message from the only surviving thief, a woman hiding from the cartel and the police, but who also wants revenge herself - for the deaths of her friends.
Dead Safe Reviews and
“I love a solid police procedural, and George Prior’s DEAD SAFE delivers. Sunny Beverly Hills, brutal murders, and Detectives Casey Stafford and Banchet Suwan on the case? Cop a squat, bring a snack, and enjoy! It’s a wild, gritty ride … don’t let the palm trees fool ya.” - Tracy Clark, the award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery Series and the Det. Harriet Foster series
“A razor-sharp procedural that’s also a vivid portrait of contemporary Los Angeles, as riveting as it is authentic. DEAD SAFE is a crime novel you won’t want to miss. Superb.” - Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of DARK RIDE
"By turns harrowing, gripping, and surprisingly empathetic, DEAD SAFE is the most original, thrilling, and richly told heist novel I’ve encountered since Michael Connelly’s The Black Echo. The Casey Stafford series just keeps getting better and better—don’t miss this one." - Wes Miller, former Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing
Praise for 78 Degrees and
"An exhilarating thriller. Get it." - Kirkus Reviews
"George Prior's debut novel is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling. ...a high-octane pace... a triumph of suspense and thriller writing." - NetGalley
“This guy writes as well as John Sandford and Michael Connelly. Been a long time since I’ve read a police procedural this good. It’s a great plot, great characters and plenty of spot on dialogue.” – Dirk Thomas
485 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2025
375 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
George Prior
2 books10 followersGeorge Prior has a BA in English literature and writes about contemporary crime and the Los Angeles Police Department. Prior lives in Westside Los Angeles with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 21, 2025
I loved this book. I’m a retired Homicide detective and Prior got this one dead on. Highly, highly recommended.
May 28, 2025
Dead Safe by George Prior follows Detective Cassey Stafford as he sets out to solve a gruesome set of murders that are connected to a vault theft.
(Note: This is my first book in the Cassey Stafford Series )
The plot is intriguing and keeps the reader hooked from page one. The police are methodical and thorough in following the leads, but the Cartel's illicit freedom gives them an edge. This makes the Cartel-centric chapters the best parts of the book and the police-centric ones bland.
The author's language is descriptive and paints a vivid picture of the crime scenes in the LA backdrop. The characters have depth and their personalities are well-written.
Detective Cassey Stafford, the calm and composed protagonist, is often overshadowed by other characters. Despite this being the second book in the series, his character lacks depth. He is more of a background fixture than the driving force in the story.
My favourite character in this book is Meg Grumbley. She is a simple employee of a gaming company who turns into the most impressive character in the novel.
The author nails the portrayal of the subscriber-hungry and adrenaline-chasing 'Gen Z Youtubers'.
What didn't work for me:
*The book has over 80 named characters, many of which are irrelevant to the main plot. A character index would have been a big help.
* The book uses many abbreviations. A Google search is needed to understand the context.
*Weak protagonist
What I Liked:
*Engaging and interesting plot
*The technology-driven elements added depth and believability.
*A solid police procedural foundation with attention to detail.
*Strong character development, particularly outside the police force.
*A realistic ending.
If you enjoy police procedurals and cartel themes, this book is for you.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(Note: This is my first book in the Cassey Stafford Series )
The plot is intriguing and keeps the reader hooked from page one. The police are methodical and thorough in following the leads, but the Cartel's illicit freedom gives them an edge. This makes the Cartel-centric chapters the best parts of the book and the police-centric ones bland.
The author's language is descriptive and paints a vivid picture of the crime scenes in the LA backdrop. The characters have depth and their personalities are well-written.
Detective Cassey Stafford, the calm and composed protagonist, is often overshadowed by other characters. Despite this being the second book in the series, his character lacks depth. He is more of a background fixture than the driving force in the story.
My favourite character in this book is Meg Grumbley. She is a simple employee of a gaming company who turns into the most impressive character in the novel.
The author nails the portrayal of the subscriber-hungry and adrenaline-chasing 'Gen Z Youtubers'.
What didn't work for me:
*The book has over 80 named characters, many of which are irrelevant to the main plot. A character index would have been a big help.
* The book uses many abbreviations. A Google search is needed to understand the context.
*Weak protagonist
What I Liked:
*Engaging and interesting plot
*The technology-driven elements added depth and believability.
*A solid police procedural foundation with attention to detail.
*Strong character development, particularly outside the police force.
*A realistic ending.
If you enjoy police procedurals and cartel themes, this book is for you.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. While there are some pacing issues at the beginning, when it gets up to speed, things tick by nicely. It may be a bit cliched at times, but that's what the cliches are for.
More of a police procedural thriller than a mystery novel, the reader sees both the point of view of the detectives and the killers. It makes for a better grasp of things, although some readers may be put off by it.
It's definitely not a book for those who are put off by descriptions of violence as there are many killings taking place in the book and while they aren't overly graphic in their descriptions, it may unnerve some.
One thing that may be a negative is that there are just so many characters in the book. While the majority focuses on one detective, the sheer number of people he interacts with and who all have a part to play is high. I sometimes found myself wondering just who was who and what role they had in the bigger picture. Dialogue is also written inconsistently, sometimes with a colon (as in a script) and sometimes using quotation marks. This is more apparent at the beginning of the novel but it does creep up at times in the latter parts.
It's definitely a book of the modern era - with multiple references to social media stars, AI, VPNs and similar technology. Shouldn't date things too much but I'm not really a fan of these overt references.
Still, I enjoyed this one and will recommend it. Not a five star classic, but a good book to get into that once past the start, was difficult to put down.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. While there are some pacing issues at the beginning, when it gets up to speed, things tick by nicely. It may be a bit cliched at times, but that's what the cliches are for.
More of a police procedural thriller than a mystery novel, the reader sees both the point of view of the detectives and the killers. It makes for a better grasp of things, although some readers may be put off by it.
It's definitely not a book for those who are put off by descriptions of violence as there are many killings taking place in the book and while they aren't overly graphic in their descriptions, it may unnerve some.
One thing that may be a negative is that there are just so many characters in the book. While the majority focuses on one detective, the sheer number of people he interacts with and who all have a part to play is high. I sometimes found myself wondering just who was who and what role they had in the bigger picture. Dialogue is also written inconsistently, sometimes with a colon (as in a script) and sometimes using quotation marks. This is more apparent at the beginning of the novel but it does creep up at times in the latter parts.
It's definitely a book of the modern era - with multiple references to social media stars, AI, VPNs and similar technology. Shouldn't date things too much but I'm not really a fan of these overt references.
Still, I enjoyed this one and will recommend it. Not a five star classic, but a good book to get into that once past the start, was difficult to put down.
April 17, 2025
This is my first book written by George Prior. The book starts at a brisk pace with the murder of Lenz, one of the partners in a Private locker firm that allows people to store whatever they want with minimal questions. This attracts the unsavoury crowd, and is used for strong cash, drugs and all illegal stuff. Casey Stafford, an LA detective, and Banchet, his partner, are assigned the case. The novel then describes the police procedural in great detail, explaining how the investigations are done systematically and how rigorous the follow-ups are. What starts as a murder transforms into something much bigger, exposing drug cartels, Colombian mafia, and Mexican cartels. It is a real thriller, keeps you engrossed all the way through, and the police procedures seem a little too detailed and a bit overwhelming at times. Anyone who loves the murder mystery genre must read this book.
Thank you for providing this book for review via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
Thank you for providing this book for review via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
March 20, 2025
I received a copy of this book as an ARC from Hidden Gems for my honest reveiw.
Note: I have not read the first book of this series, nor have a read anything from this author, prior to this novel.
At first, I wanted to like this story. It started off with action and intrigue, that made me want to keep reading. However, there were SOOO many characters to keep track of, and then to remember which ones were "good" and which ones were "bad", that I had to start writing things down to remember. About a quarter of the way in, I was getting bored with all the extra writing and "fluff" that really could've been left out, as it didn't truly effect the storyline.
The positive, in my book, was at the conclusion, we find out that the real hero was not the cops, but Meg. And that the crappy neighbor gets her due as well!
Note: I have not read the first book of this series, nor have a read anything from this author, prior to this novel.
At first, I wanted to like this story. It started off with action and intrigue, that made me want to keep reading. However, there were SOOO many characters to keep track of, and then to remember which ones were "good" and which ones were "bad", that I had to start writing things down to remember. About a quarter of the way in, I was getting bored with all the extra writing and "fluff" that really could've been left out, as it didn't truly effect the storyline.
The positive, in my book, was at the conclusion, we find out that the real hero was not the cops, but Meg. And that the crappy neighbor gets her due as well!
April 14, 2025
Dead Safe will make a great TV show and I do hope one of the streaming channels buys it! The story has plenty of action and mystery, its main character - Casey Stafford - is rather interesting as he has an inquisitive mind, is relentlessly in the pursuit of the truth and is good-humored. His partner - Banchet Suwan - is as straightforward as one can be and is not easy on her words with anyone, but they make a great duo. As they dig into the case of the owner of the private storage vault who was killed along with his wife and left a severely injured daughter, they'll discover that everything is tied up to the vault's heist, and more bodies will turn up fast, terrorizing Los Angeles. Dead Safe has a strong plot and characters, is well-written, and proves to be great entertainment! Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 21, 2025
This was an amazing adrenaline rush all the way through. Cops and robbers, good guys and bad guys , lots of shoot 'em ups, and blood and gore everywhere. The bad guys were like predators with prey. They didn't give up until they hunted them down and disposed of them. Dead men tell no tales. Lol. There was a bit of backstabbing involved between the bad guys where they shot each other for past indiscretions, and the blood continues to flow freely. There is no honor amongst theives. If this sounds like a great read to you, run don't walk to purchase this book. The ending was a hoot. Thank you author. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion .
April 9, 2025
I've really been enjoying this series. I love the characters. Casey's character honestly cracks me up sometimes because you don't really think of someone with his background being a cop, if that makes sense. Not that I'm trying to add people to a certain profile. He's a really interesting guy. I like him. His partner and the other women he works with just make it even better. They are take charge, no bs kind of people with great personalities. Very fun. And this was a great story. Lots of thrills and action. I'm looking forward to the next one!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 14, 2025
Rating:3.5/5
Plot: It begins with an evident description of the crime. The story is about how the detectives solve a series of interconnected crimes throughout the book. It is written in a third-person narrative. Has a lot of characters and details regarding them (some of which aren't relevant to the story). I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Suspense
Highlights:
+Articulated writing style
+Police and crime investigation
+Story line
Personal Favourite: The importance of the 'cost of delayed help' being realised by the guilty person
Plot: It begins with an evident description of the crime. The story is about how the detectives solve a series of interconnected crimes throughout the book. It is written in a third-person narrative. Has a lot of characters and details regarding them (some of which aren't relevant to the story). I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Suspense
Highlights:
+Articulated writing style
+Police and crime investigation
+Story line
Personal Favourite: The importance of the 'cost of delayed help' being realised by the guilty person
April 15, 2025
ARC Review: Dead Safe took a little while to get going, but once it found its stride, it delivered the kind of twisty plot you’d expect from a solid TV crime drama. The story is packed with a large cast of characters—almost too many at times—which made it a bit tricky to keep track of who was who. Still, there were flashes of humor that lightened the mood and added personality. While it didn’t blow me away, it ended up being an okay read with enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages. Worth a try if you enjoy crime stories with a bit of wit.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 24, 2025
The book opens with a robbery from a safe in Beverly Hills and leads to a series of murders of different people. You follow along with the criminals and the police who are looking for the people who committed the robbery. Casey Stafford and his partner Banchet Suwan are the main officers you are following along with. The story is fast-paced at times and has many different characters and storylines but the author does a good job in making everything work. This is an excellent book and very much worth the read.
April 25, 2025
This is a solid police procedural featuring LAPD's Casey Stafford and his partner Banchet Suwan.
It is a riveting, quite violent crime novel. I like the primary characters and the way flashes of humor appear throughout the novel, keeping it from being too dark.
Well-written and well proofread, so worthy of 5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is a riveting, quite violent crime novel. I like the primary characters and the way flashes of humor appear throughout the novel, keeping it from being too dark.
Well-written and well proofread, so worthy of 5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 5, 2025
I had my doubts when I started this book. The action starts immediately but it was hard to get into it. Mostly because the different timelines and how it follows so many different groups of people. It was just a lot to keep track of and took me a long time to get into it easily. But wow, there is so much going on! A really good book. It was nice to see the full picture and everything wrapped together. The ending is truly perfect! Lots of action and suspense. This would be a great movie!
March 20, 2025
A thrilling read about missing money and murders. He is brought in to try to find the truth and stop the killer as well as the killings. It is not going to be easy to find all the clues and to follow them to the answers. See just who is behind it all
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I was quickly pulled into the story
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I was quickly pulled into the story
April 24, 2025
Dead Safe had so many twists and turns with the main character not coming across as a hard faced detective, he appeared easy to get along with and had a humorous side as well. Having not read any others by this author, I now know what to expect, intriguing crime with a human element.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 9, 2025
This is great!
Wow. The cops are likable characters who like each other. They treat each other with respect without making a federal case out of it. They are mostly competent and if they screw up, well, people do that sometimes. The bad guys are really bad, but not comic-book bad. A breath of fresh air.
Wow. The cops are likable characters who like each other. They treat each other with respect without making a federal case out of it. They are mostly competent and if they screw up, well, people do that sometimes. The bad guys are really bad, but not comic-book bad. A breath of fresh air.
December 17, 2025
Another unbelievably fantastic novel from George Casey. Honestly, I think it’s the very best detective series going right now and I can’t wait for the third installment in the series. Casey Stafford is a lovable, funny, and an interesting character that remains believable and authentic. I highly recommend this series to every reader who enjoys the genre.
April 14, 2025
While I enjoyed this book very much there were just so many parts that didn’t hold my attention. It made a great addition to the series. I hope we get another adventure very soon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
May 12, 2025
Totally awesome! A perfect example of cops and robbers and the new mix of high tech! I suppose as an older person I and soon going to have to take a college tech course so I can keep up with all these software programs! Does anyone remember DOS? 🤣
Really however, this was a fantastic read!
Michael
Really however, this was a fantastic read!
Michael
September 24, 2025
Great story, interesting, believable characters
Really enjoyed this book. Interesting characters and a few sweet plot twists. Very well written. Would highly recommend this book and the author
Really enjoyed this book. Interesting characters and a few sweet plot twists. Very well written. Would highly recommend this book and the author
April 14, 2025
Lots of characters to try to remember, but Dead Safe is a police procedural that will keep readers turning pages.
Read
June 15, 2025Read 6/25
August 15, 2025
DNF. Neither the plot nor the characters grabbed me enough to care, tbh. Got halfway & gave up, sorry.
August 21, 2025
Good
I did not like all the cop initials for things but it held my interest and made me want to see it to the end, maybe a little long but it all worked out.
I did not like all the cop initials for things but it held my interest and made me want to see it to the end, maybe a little long but it all worked out.
October 17, 2025
A rare 5 star read. Terrific story, characters, dialogue and style. Long but worth the time.
November 23, 2025
OK I guess. A long complicated plot and unique in that it runs the police and the criminal sides of the story side by side.
December 7, 2025
Action-packed and Thrilling
I loved the writing style, the dialogue was well written. I look forward to other books by this author. Fast paced, every line kept me interested.
I loved the writing style, the dialogue was well written. I look forward to other books by this author. Fast paced, every line kept me interested.
December 26, 2025
Boring, never grabbed my interest
This book was a chore to get through. It needed more robust characters & better action. It never grabbed my attention at all.
This book was a chore to get through. It needed more robust characters & better action. It never grabbed my attention at all.
May 10, 2025
Good story line but I found the beginning of the book to be rushed as far as introducing new characters. It was confusing. I had to reread a lot of the beginning to figure out who was who, once I did I really enjoyed it
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 30, 2025
DEAD SAFE, #2 - Man, this book is a trip. Another Prior worth reading. See the review for 78 Degrees, it applies to this book, too. I think the writing improved, if that's possible. Source: BookSirens; My Kindle library. 5*
78 DEGREES AND BLOODY, #1 - Interesting. Intriguing. Intense. Humorous. A good variety of characters. Good story lines. Fast paced. Plenty of twists. Tons of pages that just flew by but still required two days to finish. Source: BookSirens; My Kindle library. 5*
78 DEGREES AND BLOODY, #1 - Interesting. Intriguing. Intense. Humorous. A good variety of characters. Good story lines. Fast paced. Plenty of twists. Tons of pages that just flew by but still required two days to finish. Source: BookSirens; My Kindle library. 5*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews