Dead Generations Volume 1 Box Set

by Anne Russo

Danger and desire collide when a chance encounter between a doctor and an assassin sets off a devastating chain of events. Bound by a connection that goes back a generation, to the interconnecting lives of their parents, Ian and Adam’s mutual attraction blossoms into forbidden love in this twisted, action-packed series.

This box set contains the first three books: The Dead Don’t Lie, The Dead Don’t Mourn, and The Dead Don’t Dream.

Note: This series contains mature themes, including strong violence, substance abuse, mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation, and a brief flashback of sexual assault. Books 1 and 2 end on cliffhangers, while Book 3 has a happy-for-now ending.

The Dead Don’t Lie

While young doctor Adam Morrow resigns himself to an uninformed existence, world-weary assassin Ian Abbott struggles with a life he never asked for. When the two strangers meet, the attraction is immediate. And deadly, when Adam walks in on Ian in the middle of a hit. Their dangerous situation spirals out of control once Ian discovers a shocking connection between them, leading Ian to a desperate act: kidnapping Adam.

Overnight, Adam is torn from his promising career and a family who believes him dead and reunited with the mother he never knew, now the head of a covert group of killers for hire. Forced into joining their ranks, with Ian as his reluctant trainer and handler, Adam must fight to keep his life, his sanity, and his very soul from being swept up in a violent and chaotic world even as he battles his feelings for Ian. For his part, Ian, a man with dark secrets of his own, has a past he isn’t ready to share with Adam, even as Adam worms his way into his life in more ways than one.

As the two grow closer, lines blur—between good and evil, friend or foe, enemy or
lover. Someone plots against them, determined to keep them apart. Even if it means
destroying them both.

The Dead Don’t Mourn

Three months have passed since the explosive ending of The Dead Don’t Lie, and Ian
and Adam are locked in a tense standoff as they struggle with the events of that fateful night. Consumed with guilt, Ian carries on with his day-to-day existence with little success, while Adam adjusts to his new life as a cold-blooded killer.

But when Adam’s latest target, a crime boss’s beautiful daughter, enters the picture,
their tentative truce shatters, forcing Ian and Adam to confront hidden jealousies and
not-so-buried desires. Yet as Adam and Ian’s desperate situation escalates, they find their chaotic world dealt another heartbreaking blow when tragedy strikes a beloved member of their group. In the aftermath, the devastating event compels Ian and Adam to confront their feelings for one another. A confrontation that will have long-reaching consequences for themselves and the people they care for most.

With sinister forces at work against them, as well as the shocking revelation of their
families’ tangled past, will Ian and Adam find their way back to each other or be torn
apart once more?

The Dead Don’t Dream

After Katherine foils Ian and Adam’s plans for escape, Ian self-destructs, drowning
himself in alcohol and murder, while Adam plots his revenge under Katherine’s watchful eye. Determined to keep them apart for good, Katherine takes her schemes one step further, leaving Ian and Adam lost in a world where nothing is as it seems.

Still seeking answers to who betrayed them, Ian’s quest for vengeance leads to an
unforeseen tragedy, leaving him more alone than ever. Meanwhile, Adam battles a
vengeful face from the past, one who will stop at nothing to claim Ian for himself.
Locked in a battle for survival, Adam fights to escape. But when Katherine sends Ian to find Adam and bring him back, their precarious situation takes an even more dangerous turn.

Adam’s journey and Ian’s pursuit leads them on a collision course with the ghosts of
their shared and twisted past and, ultimately, each other, culminating in a passionate
reunion. Yet when the depths of Katherine’s evil plans are finally revealed, Adam and
Ian must fight to save themselves and their friends, leading to a devastating and
shocking truth.

Their nightmare is far from over; it’s only just begun.

787 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2025

About the author

Anne makes her home in Connecticut with her wonderful and ever-so-patient partner—a lifelong reader, writer, and curious student, Anne hopes to create exciting multi-dimensional characters and worlds with a queer sensibility. She is the author of the Dead Generations series, including the recently released The Dead Don’t Run.

When she’s not dreaming of or writing romantic suspense thrillers, you’ll find Anne reading (biographies being her favorite), and whenever she can, spending time outdoors in nature. Anne also enjoys baking, listening to podcasts, discovering new music, and exploring museums, bookstores, and flea markets.

To learn more, visit her website at annerusso.com.

Reviews

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dead Don't Lie # 1

Whan an intense roller-coaster ride that had me white knuckling and desperately turning the pages for more.
Adam and Ian, both thrust into a life neither one wanted and becoming someone destined to live an ambiguously and morally grey existence.
They're drawn to each other and yet keep each other at arms length to protect themselves.
After denying themselves for so long they finally come together in the throes of passion, only to have it all go sideways.
I absolutely hate Katherine.
She's absolutely vile and I know what she's done and why, apart from lying and being the worst kind of interloper.
The book ends on a cliffhanger and I'm left desperately awaiting the continuation or conclusion.
Whichever it is, it can't happen fast enough.

The Dead Don't Mourn # 2

This series is a kick to the system full of the raw, gritty, messy topics and situations of life.
The shocking events of the last book have had definite and irreversible ramifications.
An ever widening chasm has sprung up between Adam and Ian because Adam can never forgive Ian.
As a result Adam is on the verge of self destruction and Ian is lost in a haze of regret and blame.
A dangerous new assignment has everyone scrambling and brings feelings of passion and jealousy to the forefront.
Their group suffers a tragic loss which rocks them to their core.
Katherine is her vile self, as usual dealing in half truths, cover-ups and blatant lies which allows her to continue to hold sway over the group.
As the book ends on another cliffhanger I am honestly squirming in my seat hoping for a satisfying ending to this series and I know the author won't disappoint.

The Dead Don't Dream # 3

We continue this saga with Ian and Adam having decided to escape, no matter the cost.
They've finally laid it all out for Katherine.
She in turn has separated them with Ian being banned from the mansion and Adam and virtual prisoner.
More lies, manipulations and evil deeds are being uncovered as the story progresses and both men are having to deal with some harsh realities.
I'm definitely on the edge of my seat for the continuation.

The Dead Don't Fall # 4

Adam and Ian have finally escaped and are on the run, constantly looking over their shoulders.
Forced proximity is the bane of their existence.
Things are not all rosy for our intrepid couple.
Their emotions are everywhere, both good and bad now that they can actually be together.
They have to learn how to coexist and that seems to be a daunting task for them.
I am definitely ready for more from these two and at the same time I don't want the series to end.

[Emma Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive, emotional, and utterly addictive—this box set delivers three intense, high-stakes books that blend action, romance, and danger in the best possible way. Ian and Adam’s connection is magnetic, their chemistry scorching, and their journey a rollercoaster of passion, betrayal, and survival. Anne Russo crafts a world that’s dark, gritty, and impossible to walk away from, with twists that keep you breathless and aching for more. This isn’t just a romance—it’s a heart-pounding saga of love, loyalty, and the cost of choices in a world where nothing is safe.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Priscilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off pretty good but it jumped from one POV to another in same chapter which caught me off guard. Adam was resistant of his new life especially after being forced to live it while Ian had baggage that complicates his attraction to Adam. Then the cycled continued and their relationship woes were dragged on too long. The same were for the plot, for professional assassins, it was frustrating that one person could manipulate them continuously and they helpless to do anything about it. Overall, it was ok.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This box set is a dark, gripping, and utterly addictive ride from start to finish. Ian and Adam’s chemistry is scorching, but it’s their tangled pasts, high-stakes danger, and twisted family secrets that keep you turning pages late into the night. Each book ratchets up the tension, from deadly encounters to heart-wrenching betrayals, blending forbidden romance with pulse-pounding action. By the final instalment, the stakes are higher than ever, and the payoff is emotional, intense, and completely satisfying. A must-read for fans of dark, suspenseful MM romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Robin T · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off this set is an amazing deal!

I love box sets, and it's even better due to the fact that the books end on a cliff hanger. But no worries you have the box set and can keep reading! This series is dark so heed the trigger warnings.

I found book 1 slower in some aspects it really set the tone for the series. I did find the relationship with our 2 mcs did contain quite a bit of angst with all books. Sometimes I found it to be a bit tiresome that's part of why 3 stars. Overall the story was interesting lots of action.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 stars. A very intense set of books, and considering the emotionally fraught cliffhangers ending the first two books, it's really a relief to be able to read them back to back. There is a lot of dark action and some truly hefty content warnings. Despite the ways Ian often hurts Adam (and sometimes the other way around), their strong feelings for each other keep winning. A good HFN ending.

[Sazzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge fan of the author and is an auto-read for me and this one did not disappoint! Absolutely loved this and couldn't put it down

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Dead Generations Volume 1 Box Set by Anne Russo

How can you go wrong with desire and having danger also? Nothing, that's what. These stories do include some darker stuff in the story. For me, that made it better. This was a wonderfully written series of several Anne Russo books put into a box set. For me, I can afford this more these days than buying them separately, so thank you, Anne Russo. I loved each and every story in this box set. It had a lot of my type of stories. So it holds three stories: The Dead Don't Talk, The Dead Don't Mourn, and finally, The Dead Don't Dream.
I look forward to reading more of these stories to see where they go.

Nicole Harvey