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Brutal Disclosure
When Declan O’Neill’s brother takes his own life, the Russian mafia come calling—demanding to know what happened to the hundred thousand pounds stolen from them. Fearing for his life, nineteen-year-old Declan flees England for New York City, desperate for a clean start.
But the past has a long reach.
Alone in Manhattan, Declan is unprepared for the city’s unforgiving streets. He’s dragged into a knife fight, beaten by police, and hunted by the same Russian gang who believe he knows more than he’s saying. Yet through hardship he finds steady work, loyal friends, and a young woman whose love gives him hope for redemption.
When she confesses a devastating secret, Declan must face a choice that will define him—one that tests his belief in love, humanity, and his own limits.
Brutal Disclosure is a gritty coming-of-age thriller about survival, loyalty, and the moment a young man discovers what he’s truly capable of.
Winner of the 2025 Literary Titan "Best of the Best Gold Star" Award.
But the past has a long reach.
Alone in Manhattan, Declan is unprepared for the city’s unforgiving streets. He’s dragged into a knife fight, beaten by police, and hunted by the same Russian gang who believe he knows more than he’s saying. Yet through hardship he finds steady work, loyal friends, and a young woman whose love gives him hope for redemption.
When she confesses a devastating secret, Declan must face a choice that will define him—one that tests his belief in love, humanity, and his own limits.
Brutal Disclosure is a gritty coming-of-age thriller about survival, loyalty, and the moment a young man discovers what he’s truly capable of.
Winner of the 2025 Literary Titan "Best of the Best Gold Star" Award.
307 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
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3006 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 22, 2026
This was a book I always put down with reluctance when I had other things to do! And whenever I picked it up again, I did so with relish. That tells you something about how engaging the tale is. That said, the story rarely ever went where I expected it to – and that was its main charm, for me. You really didn’t know what to expect next.
The story starts with Declan O’Neill, a 19-year-old from Brighton, doing a runner to NYC after his brother, Sean, takes his own life (rather graphically from an eighth-floor council flat balcony) with his brother leaving behind a one-hundred-thousand-pound debt to the local Russian Mafia. Between them, the brothers’ separate actions do rather leave their vodka-soaked mother’s fate in a perilous state, but at least Declan’s intentions are to make enough money in the States to get his mother back to Ireland with her family. If she can live that long!
You do get that sensation, though, that Declan’s life in Brighton is hopeless and he had no choice. Alongside this, his character is nicely established – a definite edge, but with an unusual lure of the library and how, even as a young teenager, he had seen reading as a way to accumulate more knowledge and get ahead of his peers.
Next, on his outbound flight to New York, the character of Isabella is very skilfully brought to life, with their shared literary interests, and you fully anticipate that she will become a key character – although she sort of doesn’t – which is rather typical of this novel, and also slightly disappointing. However, Declan does later acknowledge that that chance meeting with Isabella was crucial in steering all successive events.
Alas, on landing in New York, Declan and Isabella largely go their separate ways, and Declan’s first week in the city becomes a desperate struggle to keep his head above water – which is told in a most absorbing way, with plenty of nasty and flawed characters introduced along with unreasonable beatings and the occasional bit of welcome kindness – such as from Nancy at Artie’s Deli, Sanat in his first job and (you think) Junjie at the Youth Hostel.
Nevertheless, from the moment he gets his first job as a dishwasher at The Boathouse, you kind of become Declan yourself, desperately rooting for him. The kitchens are brought vividly to life, especially the human nature of the role – colleague indifference, goading customers – and Declan’s observation of the line between decency and selfishness: those waiters who scrape the food from their plates into the food bin and those who leave it to him.
I fully expected that from this point onwards, events would begin to get serious, and a thriller would begin to unfold, anticipating the arrival of the Russians hunting Declan down – but it never happens. Instead, this is a gripping tale of one young man’s struggle to try and make something of his life, in a foreign country, against all the odds, taking two steps forward and then one step back: sometimes, three steps back! Your heart certainly goes out to Declan and his colleagues in his first construction job, leaving you angry at all of the heinous corners that are cut by the Foreman. And there’s more anger to come – but these are later events which are core to this most absorbing story and hence should not be revealed here.
The story starts with Declan O’Neill, a 19-year-old from Brighton, doing a runner to NYC after his brother, Sean, takes his own life (rather graphically from an eighth-floor council flat balcony) with his brother leaving behind a one-hundred-thousand-pound debt to the local Russian Mafia. Between them, the brothers’ separate actions do rather leave their vodka-soaked mother’s fate in a perilous state, but at least Declan’s intentions are to make enough money in the States to get his mother back to Ireland with her family. If she can live that long!
You do get that sensation, though, that Declan’s life in Brighton is hopeless and he had no choice. Alongside this, his character is nicely established – a definite edge, but with an unusual lure of the library and how, even as a young teenager, he had seen reading as a way to accumulate more knowledge and get ahead of his peers.
Next, on his outbound flight to New York, the character of Isabella is very skilfully brought to life, with their shared literary interests, and you fully anticipate that she will become a key character – although she sort of doesn’t – which is rather typical of this novel, and also slightly disappointing. However, Declan does later acknowledge that that chance meeting with Isabella was crucial in steering all successive events.
Alas, on landing in New York, Declan and Isabella largely go their separate ways, and Declan’s first week in the city becomes a desperate struggle to keep his head above water – which is told in a most absorbing way, with plenty of nasty and flawed characters introduced along with unreasonable beatings and the occasional bit of welcome kindness – such as from Nancy at Artie’s Deli, Sanat in his first job and (you think) Junjie at the Youth Hostel.
Nevertheless, from the moment he gets his first job as a dishwasher at The Boathouse, you kind of become Declan yourself, desperately rooting for him. The kitchens are brought vividly to life, especially the human nature of the role – colleague indifference, goading customers – and Declan’s observation of the line between decency and selfishness: those waiters who scrape the food from their plates into the food bin and those who leave it to him.
I fully expected that from this point onwards, events would begin to get serious, and a thriller would begin to unfold, anticipating the arrival of the Russians hunting Declan down – but it never happens. Instead, this is a gripping tale of one young man’s struggle to try and make something of his life, in a foreign country, against all the odds, taking two steps forward and then one step back: sometimes, three steps back! Your heart certainly goes out to Declan and his colleagues in his first construction job, leaving you angry at all of the heinous corners that are cut by the Foreman. And there’s more anger to come – but these are later events which are core to this most absorbing story and hence should not be revealed here.
February 9, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Brutal Disclosure is one of those hard hitting books that grabs you by the collar and does not let go. This story follows nineteen year old Declan O’Neill after his brother takes his own life and leaves behind a mess tied up with the Russian mafia and a missing one hundred thousand pounds. That right there sets the tone. This is not a soft coming of age tale. It is sink or swim from page one.
Declan runs from England to New York City thinking he can outrun trouble. That is about as smart as running from a storm cloud believing it will not follow you. Manhattan chews him up quickly. He gets dragged into a knife fight, knocked around by police, and hunted by the same Russian gang that believes he knows where that money went. The streets feel cold and real. You can almost smell the pavement and fear. The author does not dress anything up. It is raw and straight to the point.
What I liked most is how Declan grows. He starts off scared and lost, but life keeps pushing him. He finds steady work. He builds real friendships. Then he meets a young woman who gives him something he has not had in a long while, hope. That part gives the story heart without turning it soft. But when she reveals a secret that shakes everything, you feel that punch in your gut. The choice he has to make shows what kind of man he is becoming.
This book is gritty. It deals with survival, loyalty, and figuring out who you are when the world keeps trying to break you. It moves at a steady pace and keeps the pressure on. Sometimes it feels heavy, but that is the point. Life for Declan is heavy. Not every chapter is sunshine and easy answers, and I respect that.
If you like thrillers with crime, danger, and a young man standing at a crossroads, this one is worth your time. It is rough around the edges in all the right ways. It shows that sometimes growing up is not about age; it is about the choices you make when everything is falling apart.
I give it a 4 outta 5 catfish!
Brutal Disclosure is one of those hard hitting books that grabs you by the collar and does not let go. This story follows nineteen year old Declan O’Neill after his brother takes his own life and leaves behind a mess tied up with the Russian mafia and a missing one hundred thousand pounds. That right there sets the tone. This is not a soft coming of age tale. It is sink or swim from page one.
Declan runs from England to New York City thinking he can outrun trouble. That is about as smart as running from a storm cloud believing it will not follow you. Manhattan chews him up quickly. He gets dragged into a knife fight, knocked around by police, and hunted by the same Russian gang that believes he knows where that money went. The streets feel cold and real. You can almost smell the pavement and fear. The author does not dress anything up. It is raw and straight to the point.
What I liked most is how Declan grows. He starts off scared and lost, but life keeps pushing him. He finds steady work. He builds real friendships. Then he meets a young woman who gives him something he has not had in a long while, hope. That part gives the story heart without turning it soft. But when she reveals a secret that shakes everything, you feel that punch in your gut. The choice he has to make shows what kind of man he is becoming.
This book is gritty. It deals with survival, loyalty, and figuring out who you are when the world keeps trying to break you. It moves at a steady pace and keeps the pressure on. Sometimes it feels heavy, but that is the point. Life for Declan is heavy. Not every chapter is sunshine and easy answers, and I respect that.
If you like thrillers with crime, danger, and a young man standing at a crossroads, this one is worth your time. It is rough around the edges in all the right ways. It shows that sometimes growing up is not about age; it is about the choices you make when everything is falling apart.
I give it a 4 outta 5 catfish!
March 14, 2026
I’m puzzled by what to say about this book honestly. I’ll start with the good, there are elements of the book that feel real and grounded, notably the portrayals of setting both Brighton in the Uk and New York City. I kept turning pages. I don’t really feel like it dragged anyway and at no point did I feel tempted to skim. I guess my biggest issue is I feel this book is either wildly miscategorised or being marketed deceptively. This book is pitched as a crime thriller, 80-90% of the book is not even remotely that. The vast majority of the novel is a coming of age story about an expat struggling to make a life for himself in America. There is crime in novel but the existence of that alone doesn’t mean it should sit in this genre. Now a coming of age story about a young man struggling in a strange country isn’t nearly as hooky as a novel packed with crime and danger and in fairness (especially given the ending) perhaps the genre choice is based on future plans for the series as a whole but if you go into this expecting a crime thriller you’ll probably be bored and disappointed.
February 15, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨
Honestly when I read the blurb I thought this book sounded so interesting and thought I would enjoy it but I was mistaken. This book is so far from reality (like the MMC trying to smoke a cigarette on a plane, amongst other reasons) you’d think the book was in the 80s/90s but it’s actually a year after 9/11. Declan is from England who goes to New York to start a new life and is met with struggles (which does happen in reality). Declan also picks his friends and relationships, in an interesting way, he does cheat as he is engaged to Marie but yet is kissing Isabella before he leaves NY. In the end my interest wasn’t really peaked aside from reading the blurb, the chapters are long and I should’ve DNF this book but assumed the book would get better.
Honestly when I read the blurb I thought this book sounded so interesting and thought I would enjoy it but I was mistaken. This book is so far from reality (like the MMC trying to smoke a cigarette on a plane, amongst other reasons) you’d think the book was in the 80s/90s but it’s actually a year after 9/11. Declan is from England who goes to New York to start a new life and is met with struggles (which does happen in reality). Declan also picks his friends and relationships, in an interesting way, he does cheat as he is engaged to Marie but yet is kissing Isabella before he leaves NY. In the end my interest wasn’t really peaked aside from reading the blurb, the chapters are long and I should’ve DNF this book but assumed the book would get better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2026
Gripping Drama and Unresolved Tension: A Riveting Start to a Thrilling Series
Brutal Disclosure captivated me from the first page. I found myself really rooting for the main character, Declan O'Neill, from the very beginning.
The characters are extremely interesting with lots of twists and turns. From the beginning the stakes are high for Declan, and after many twists and turns the book climaxes with a stunning ending.
The story arc regarding the Russian Mafia is not resolved in this first edition so I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
Brutal Disclosure captivated me from the first page. I found myself really rooting for the main character, Declan O'Neill, from the very beginning.
The characters are extremely interesting with lots of twists and turns. From the beginning the stakes are high for Declan, and after many twists and turns the book climaxes with a stunning ending.
The story arc regarding the Russian Mafia is not resolved in this first edition so I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
March 7, 2026
*free goodreads giveaway*
this book surprised me. This isn't the typical genre that I read but it kept my interest. I liked how basically every chapter had something important to say or happen. Usually books have a lot of fluff in them. meaningless conversations just to make the book longer. luckily, this book was straight to the point on what was happening.
this book surprised me. This isn't the typical genre that I read but it kept my interest. I liked how basically every chapter had something important to say or happen. Usually books have a lot of fluff in them. meaningless conversations just to make the book longer. luckily, this book was straight to the point on what was happening.
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February 22, 2026Exciting and immersive! Story builds up solid background at first and then hooks you so that you won't want to put it down! Deep character development and examination that is missing from most modern thrillers/writing.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews