What do you think?
Simon Peake Thrillers #3
Death Hollow
Some towns survive by keeping secrets. Some men survive by breaking them.
Simon Peake was only supposed to pass by Red Hollow — not through it. But when his truck breaks down on the outskirts of the old gold-mining town, he has no choice but to stay. Red Hollow is a place clinging to its heralded past, ruled by powerful men and quieter fear. When a local girl goes missing, the town closes ranks, and silence becomes a form of protection.
Peake knows the signs. Corruption hiding behind smiles. When Peake starts asking questions, the answers lead deep into the hollowed-out ridge above the town — into abandoned mine tunnels where the scars of violence still streak the rock, and ghosts are said to roam.
But ghosts don’t scare Simon Peake.
He pushes where no one else will, his approach as swift and brutal as anything the town can throw back at him. As secrets surface and Red Hollow begins to tear itself apart, Peake makes a decision: he won’t just expose the rot — he’ll burn it out at its source.
Simon Peake was only supposed to pass by Red Hollow — not through it. But when his truck breaks down on the outskirts of the old gold-mining town, he has no choice but to stay. Red Hollow is a place clinging to its heralded past, ruled by powerful men and quieter fear. When a local girl goes missing, the town closes ranks, and silence becomes a form of protection.
Peake knows the signs. Corruption hiding behind smiles. When Peake starts asking questions, the answers lead deep into the hollowed-out ridge above the town — into abandoned mine tunnels where the scars of violence still streak the rock, and ghosts are said to roam.
But ghosts don’t scare Simon Peake.
He pushes where no one else will, his approach as swift and brutal as anything the town can throw back at him. As secrets surface and Red Hollow begins to tear itself apart, Peake makes a decision: he won’t just expose the rot — he’ll burn it out at its source.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2026
About the author
Rob Sinclair
42 books687 followersRob is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series and James Ryker series of espionage thrillers. His books have sold over half a million copies to date with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob's work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.
Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.
Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities and is now based near Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, sons and dog
Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.
Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities and is now based near Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, sons and dog
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 30, 2026
Death Hollow by Rob Sinclair
Simon Peake #
~ Fate is a fickle friend that seems to call on Simon as he travels through life and once again he is ready to be there for those in need ~ Great addition to the series ~
What I liked:
*Simon Peake: British, ex-special forces, checkered past, dark-gray anti-hero, a bit of a loner, protective, learned a bit more about his past, lives by his own rules, strong, lethal, intelligent, intriguing, someone I wouldn’t mind having as a friend, wonder if he will ever settle down
* The slow introduction to Red Hollow’s small-town situation, it’s colorful and dark history, and how quickly Simon realized that things were not right and was willing to fix things
* The mystery of Jess’s disappearance and the search to find her
* The process Simon used to set and achieve his goals for Red Hollow and its citizens
* Lena: hardware store owner, sister, kidnapping victim, survivor, photographer, bright, caring, could have been more to Simon if he had been ready to settle down
* Being able to dislike the bad guys and being happy when they were dealt with
* The action scenes and how they played out
* Thinking about the idea of land haunted by ghosts and restless spirits that impact the present
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That I was drawn into the story and cared about the outcome
* Being glad that I did not grow up in Red Hollow and don’t live in such a place now
* Thinking about what the future of the town and its inhabitants could be in the future
* Looking forward to the next book in the series
What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The treatment of the Choctaws in the past
* The current bullies – young and old – who were entitled, evil, self-indulgent, greedy criminals
* Thinking about the evil that existed over more than a century in Red Hollow
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
5 Stars
Simon Peake #
~ Fate is a fickle friend that seems to call on Simon as he travels through life and once again he is ready to be there for those in need ~ Great addition to the series ~
What I liked:
*Simon Peake: British, ex-special forces, checkered past, dark-gray anti-hero, a bit of a loner, protective, learned a bit more about his past, lives by his own rules, strong, lethal, intelligent, intriguing, someone I wouldn’t mind having as a friend, wonder if he will ever settle down
* The slow introduction to Red Hollow’s small-town situation, it’s colorful and dark history, and how quickly Simon realized that things were not right and was willing to fix things
* The mystery of Jess’s disappearance and the search to find her
* The process Simon used to set and achieve his goals for Red Hollow and its citizens
* Lena: hardware store owner, sister, kidnapping victim, survivor, photographer, bright, caring, could have been more to Simon if he had been ready to settle down
* Being able to dislike the bad guys and being happy when they were dealt with
* The action scenes and how they played out
* Thinking about the idea of land haunted by ghosts and restless spirits that impact the present
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That I was drawn into the story and cared about the outcome
* Being glad that I did not grow up in Red Hollow and don’t live in such a place now
* Thinking about what the future of the town and its inhabitants could be in the future
* Looking forward to the next book in the series
What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The treatment of the Choctaws in the past
* The current bullies – young and old – who were entitled, evil, self-indulgent, greedy criminals
* Thinking about the evil that existed over more than a century in Red Hollow
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
5 Stars
July 14, 2026
This is the third book in the Simon Peake series but they are very readable as standalone thrillers. His history is covered early in the book and there are no other major characters who crossover between the books. You will appreciate his history more and why he acts the way he does if you read the previous books, Dead Reckoning and Deadly Mistake, though.
Simon is always on the move as he tends to walk into trouble no matter where he stops and there is plenty of it in Red Hollow. He is heading west, thinking he will stop somewhere in California when his truck breaks down not far from a small mining town. When the mechanic's daughter goes missing, it is clear that she is not just camping as everyone seem's to claim and Simon stays despite almost everyone wanting him gone.
Red Hollow has a dark history and the present is just as dark for the locals. The mine is not all it seems and the owners and police are exactly the kind of people Simon hates. Rich men using their power for bad. So Simon does Simon things and there is plenty of violence but more nuanced in this one, only when someone goes for him first or is doing major harm.
The pacing is good in this book and thankfully no animal abuse after the last installment in the series. We get to understand Simon a little more too. I was left wondering what happened to the Heart though.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the copy for review.
Simon is always on the move as he tends to walk into trouble no matter where he stops and there is plenty of it in Red Hollow. He is heading west, thinking he will stop somewhere in California when his truck breaks down not far from a small mining town. When the mechanic's daughter goes missing, it is clear that she is not just camping as everyone seem's to claim and Simon stays despite almost everyone wanting him gone.
Red Hollow has a dark history and the present is just as dark for the locals. The mine is not all it seems and the owners and police are exactly the kind of people Simon hates. Rich men using their power for bad. So Simon does Simon things and there is plenty of violence but more nuanced in this one, only when someone goes for him first or is doing major harm.
The pacing is good in this book and thankfully no animal abuse after the last installment in the series. We get to understand Simon a little more too. I was left wondering what happened to the Heart though.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the copy for review.
July 12, 2026
Sinclair Reaches the Peak Again
Another really good, riveting Simon Peak addition.
Simon is laid back, heading west when his truck breaks down outside Red Hollow, an old mining town. While his truck is being repaired at the only garage in town, Simon meanders along meeting people and trying yo learn more about this town, only to find that the residents do not want to learn more about him.
The town is run by a corrupt landowner who has the law and just about all the townspeople under his thumb.
Simon is drawn into the dark side and the story takes off as he works to find out what has the people so frightened.
Riveting story with non stop suspense and great characters.
Another stellar addition to the Peake series.
Another really good, riveting Simon Peak addition.
Simon is laid back, heading west when his truck breaks down outside Red Hollow, an old mining town. While his truck is being repaired at the only garage in town, Simon meanders along meeting people and trying yo learn more about this town, only to find that the residents do not want to learn more about him.
The town is run by a corrupt landowner who has the law and just about all the townspeople under his thumb.
Simon is drawn into the dark side and the story takes off as he works to find out what has the people so frightened.
Riveting story with non stop suspense and great characters.
Another stellar addition to the Peake series.
July 21, 2026
good novel, not as good as the previous novels though.
I have waited for this for months after reading the first Simon Peake books, which were superb, dark and sometimes shockingly violent, but in a gripping way and I was looking forward to more brutal and merciless action, but this is a slow burner, with far more Reacheresque, drifter happens into town and gets far too many chances to pull down the bad guys and is quite formulaic in its story, which is quite disappointing for a superb writer like Rob Sinclair. I’ve read all of the other books in his different series and this is probably his weakest book to date. I hope the next books are back to his usual excellent standard.
I have waited for this for months after reading the first Simon Peake books, which were superb, dark and sometimes shockingly violent, but in a gripping way and I was looking forward to more brutal and merciless action, but this is a slow burner, with far more Reacheresque, drifter happens into town and gets far too many chances to pull down the bad guys and is quite formulaic in its story, which is quite disappointing for a superb writer like Rob Sinclair. I’ve read all of the other books in his different series and this is probably his weakest book to date. I hope the next books are back to his usual excellent standard.
July 11, 2026
Number 3 in the Simon Peake adventure series. He was only supposed to be passing by Red Hollow but fate intervened. A cracking good yarn. Plenty of action, and repulsive characters opposed by the good characters. As this series developes we don't exactly learn more about Simon but seem to understand him better. Some subtle humour is laced through the story to help ease the tension. There are threads leading us to an explosive ending. The series just keeps getting better with each new book. Perfect for fans of Jack Reacher and thriller lovers. With thanks to the author, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the third in this series featuring Simon Peake and, although the main story is self contained, you could do yourself a favour and read the previous books first to get a better feeling of who he is and what makes him tick...
So... we catch up to Simon as he is travelling from East to West. He is only supposed to be passing BY Red Hollow but his old, dilapidated, on its last legs, truck has other ideas and conks out. He is rescued - luckily enough - by Tom Delaney of Delaney's Autos. At his garage, Simon meets Jess, Tom's 17 year old daughter, and is told by Tom that his truck needs parts he will have to order in, so he best make himself comfortable at the local motel. That night, he ventures to the local pub where he witnesses Jess being harassed by a couple of wide boys. He rescues her from the situation but not without embarrassing them, and catching the eye of the local law enforcement. He is warned that his actions would court unwanted attention as one of the boys was Cody, the son of Marcus Lafferty who owns the gold mine the town was founded for, and well, pretty much the whole town too. And then, nest day, Jess goes missing and nobody else seems bothered... Simon being Simon (and you'll know what that means cos you've read the previous books) goes into rescue mode himself, but has he bitten off more than he can chew cos there is definitely something rotten in the state of Red Hollow... and I will leave you to discover what and how much danger Simon gets himself into.
I said in my review for the previous book in the series that I found it a bit too action heavy. Yes I know it is that genre book, but I did feel overwhelmed a tad. This book has managed to get a better balance between story and action which made for a way better overall read for me.
I love Simon, we connected well in his first book and that connection has strengthened through my time with him. I love his ethics and values and the way he stands up for what is right, whether anyone else will help or not. It's a good job he also models himself on Captain Scarlet though as, at times, he really does need to be indestructible!
All in all, a cracking addition to what is shaping up to be a great series. I can't wait to see what shenanigans await Simon next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So... we catch up to Simon as he is travelling from East to West. He is only supposed to be passing BY Red Hollow but his old, dilapidated, on its last legs, truck has other ideas and conks out. He is rescued - luckily enough - by Tom Delaney of Delaney's Autos. At his garage, Simon meets Jess, Tom's 17 year old daughter, and is told by Tom that his truck needs parts he will have to order in, so he best make himself comfortable at the local motel. That night, he ventures to the local pub where he witnesses Jess being harassed by a couple of wide boys. He rescues her from the situation but not without embarrassing them, and catching the eye of the local law enforcement. He is warned that his actions would court unwanted attention as one of the boys was Cody, the son of Marcus Lafferty who owns the gold mine the town was founded for, and well, pretty much the whole town too. And then, nest day, Jess goes missing and nobody else seems bothered... Simon being Simon (and you'll know what that means cos you've read the previous books) goes into rescue mode himself, but has he bitten off more than he can chew cos there is definitely something rotten in the state of Red Hollow... and I will leave you to discover what and how much danger Simon gets himself into.
I said in my review for the previous book in the series that I found it a bit too action heavy. Yes I know it is that genre book, but I did feel overwhelmed a tad. This book has managed to get a better balance between story and action which made for a way better overall read for me.
I love Simon, we connected well in his first book and that connection has strengthened through my time with him. I love his ethics and values and the way he stands up for what is right, whether anyone else will help or not. It's a good job he also models himself on Captain Scarlet though as, at times, he really does need to be indestructible!
All in all, a cracking addition to what is shaping up to be a great series. I can't wait to see what shenanigans await Simon next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
July 19, 2026
A great story
A great thriller. Power, corruption and a town on it's knees. Simon Peake can't stand bullies so when his truck breaks down; he can't leave before getting to the bottom of it and putting it right. Thrilling and very enjoyable.
A great thriller. Power, corruption and a town on it's knees. Simon Peake can't stand bullies so when his truck breaks down; he can't leave before getting to the bottom of it and putting it right. Thrilling and very enjoyable.
August 1, 2026
This book was fast-paced and gritty, and the small town dynamics were well written. Peake is a dynamite. Literally, it v feels like he's going to burst at some point.
This was my first read by this author, and I enjoyed it.
#netgalley #DeathHollow
This was my first read by this author, and I enjoyed it.
#netgalley #DeathHollow
August 11, 2026
Action packed!
August 18, 2026
Fast paced!
What a page turner, twists and turns a plenty! Right from the star it grips you and it's so hard to put down and go to sleep! Enjoy the ride!
What a page turner, twists and turns a plenty! Right from the star it grips you and it's so hard to put down and go to sleep! Enjoy the ride!
July 15, 2026
Another brilliant read from Rob Sinclair. I couldn't put it down, the action was non stop and so cleverly written. I think it's one of his best yet and can thoroughly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews