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Dan Shepherd #5
Dead Men
Undercover cop Dan "Spider" Shepherd knows there are no easy solutions in the war against terrorism. When a killer starts to target pardoned IRA terrorists, Shepherd must put his life on the line to protect his former enemies. While he is undercover in Belfast, a grief-stricken Saudi whose two sons died under torture in the name of the War on Terror is planning to avenge their deaths by striking out at two people close to Shepherd. As the assassin closes in on his prey, Shepherd realizes that the only way to save lives is to become a killer himself.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2008
160 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Leather
245 books1,529 followersStephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 13, 2023
Dan “Spider” Shepherd continues to throw himself completely into his job as an undercover police officer working for the SOCA unit. Dead Men is the 5th book in the series and, through 3 main plot threads, there is a tremendous level of action accompanied by all sorts of danger for Spider and his fellow police officers to face.
An RUC police officer is brutally murdered in front of his wife and son in their family home by an IRA cell in the mid-1990s. Although the IRA men were rounded up and gaoled for their crimes, they were since released under the terms of the so-called Good Friday Agreement. Over the last few months, these same men have been executed in much the same manner as the dead police officer had been. Suspicion for these deaths has been placed on the widow of the police officer.
Spider Shepherd has been given the job of getting close to the woman who may be carrying out these acts of revenge. He’s to win her confidence, get her to talk in order to confirm that she’s responsible. This means an undercover role in Belfast where he’ll play the part of a mild-mannered computer geek.
Meanwhile, thanks to a rather lively couple of murders that were carried out towards the end of the previous book, Hot Blood, Shepherd’s boss Charlotte Button and former CIA agent Richard Yokely are now the targets for an assassination attempt. The man paying for the hit is a rich Saudi businessman who is seeking revenge and has the money to pay for the best, most lethal hit men possible.
There’s a lot going on here with a few tense and exciting balls in the air to maintain a strong and steady pace. I found it to be a fascinating thriller that held the interest on two levels. Firstly, there was a more emotional mission being carried out by Shepherd in Belfast as he won the confidence of a woman who was, potentially, a serial killer. We’re taken deeply into the difficult world of the undercover operative as he plays a role that’s constantly edged with the danger of being discovered. It feels as though there is tension in every scene.
Secondly, there’s the lurking threat of the oncoming professional killer who is relentless in his approach to his target. The fact that you know he’s coming and is going to strike at any moment merely serves to heighten the suspense. A couple of confronting demonstrations of just how ruthless he is underlines just how dire the situation is.
Because there are a couple of storylines running in parallel, this means we’re in for more than one explosive showdown to bring each to a full-on conclusion. In each case we find out a little bit more about Shepherd, something that has been lacking in the first 4 books. We know he’s a man of action but this time, some real emotion is at play as he’s faced with some difficult decisions.
I felt that Dead Men is the best book in the series to date which now has me looking forward to the next Spider Shepherd outing.
An RUC police officer is brutally murdered in front of his wife and son in their family home by an IRA cell in the mid-1990s. Although the IRA men were rounded up and gaoled for their crimes, they were since released under the terms of the so-called Good Friday Agreement. Over the last few months, these same men have been executed in much the same manner as the dead police officer had been. Suspicion for these deaths has been placed on the widow of the police officer.
Spider Shepherd has been given the job of getting close to the woman who may be carrying out these acts of revenge. He’s to win her confidence, get her to talk in order to confirm that she’s responsible. This means an undercover role in Belfast where he’ll play the part of a mild-mannered computer geek.
Meanwhile, thanks to a rather lively couple of murders that were carried out towards the end of the previous book, Hot Blood, Shepherd’s boss Charlotte Button and former CIA agent Richard Yokely are now the targets for an assassination attempt. The man paying for the hit is a rich Saudi businessman who is seeking revenge and has the money to pay for the best, most lethal hit men possible.
There’s a lot going on here with a few tense and exciting balls in the air to maintain a strong and steady pace. I found it to be a fascinating thriller that held the interest on two levels. Firstly, there was a more emotional mission being carried out by Shepherd in Belfast as he won the confidence of a woman who was, potentially, a serial killer. We’re taken deeply into the difficult world of the undercover operative as he plays a role that’s constantly edged with the danger of being discovered. It feels as though there is tension in every scene.
Secondly, there’s the lurking threat of the oncoming professional killer who is relentless in his approach to his target. The fact that you know he’s coming and is going to strike at any moment merely serves to heighten the suspense. A couple of confronting demonstrations of just how ruthless he is underlines just how dire the situation is.
Because there are a couple of storylines running in parallel, this means we’re in for more than one explosive showdown to bring each to a full-on conclusion. In each case we find out a little bit more about Shepherd, something that has been lacking in the first 4 books. We know he’s a man of action but this time, some real emotion is at play as he’s faced with some difficult decisions.
I felt that Dead Men is the best book in the series to date which now has me looking forward to the next Spider Shepherd outing.
December 2, 2013
(Contains potential spoilers)
I was thoroughly pleased to see that the level of the first Shepherd book in the series has finally been reached if not surpassed! After the last two, which were sub-par for me, this one is faster-paced, has less distractions and has a great focussed plot which keeps you reading and guessing. I must admit that I felt a 'here we go again' moment when the second sub-plot was introduced involving a hit man on Yokely and Button's case, but the two stories worked effortlessly together this time. There are no 'big' surprises in the story, although towards the end a few slight twists unravel, but the storyline was well laid out and wonderfully written.
The characters are explored even further, with Dan getting too close to one of the subjects he is assigned to investigate, and showing real emotions. And also, once again, Leather proves that he's not afraid in killing off characters which will almost certainly have repercussions in the coming books.
This has possibly become my favourite book in the series so far, with Hard Landing a close second. Glad I didn't give up on Leather, even though the last three books did not do it for me.
A great action/thriller. Highly recommended.
I was thoroughly pleased to see that the level of the first Shepherd book in the series has finally been reached if not surpassed! After the last two, which were sub-par for me, this one is faster-paced, has less distractions and has a great focussed plot which keeps you reading and guessing. I must admit that I felt a 'here we go again' moment when the second sub-plot was introduced involving a hit man on Yokely and Button's case, but the two stories worked effortlessly together this time. There are no 'big' surprises in the story, although towards the end a few slight twists unravel, but the storyline was well laid out and wonderfully written.
The characters are explored even further, with Dan getting too close to one of the subjects he is assigned to investigate, and showing real emotions. And also, once again, Leather proves that he's not afraid in killing off characters which will almost certainly have repercussions in the coming books.
This has possibly become my favourite book in the series so far, with Hard Landing a close second. Glad I didn't give up on Leather, even though the last three books did not do it for me.
A great action/thriller. Highly recommended.
May 26, 2018
this time spider is sent to track down a killer in Belfast, he's on the hunt for the person who is tracking down and murdering an IRA hiit sqaud
at the same time he learns that some one is tracking both him and his boss
a cracking read. fast paced and well written
at the same time he learns that some one is tracking both him and his boss
a cracking read. fast paced and well written
May 27, 2023
Riveting with outstanding characters and brilliant dialogue. I started with book 1 in this series and so far I've purchased 10 of them, having read five and just started on the sixth. I love thrillers and these books don't disappoint.
October 3, 2023
Dead Men By Stephen Leather
The 5th book in the Spider Shepherd series and a welcome return to form after the disappointing Hot Blood book 4.
We find Spider undercover in Belfast after the Good Friday agreement.
Leather has a lot going on in this book and has to juggle many plot lines but as you would expect from a seasoned writer he handles it superbly.
The book is fast paced yet I still find it annoying that Leather refuses to add Chapters to these Spider books this would be my only gripe as it takes me a while to get used to this style.
Overall a very good read and I look FWD. to book 6.
Well worth your time and hard-earned cash.
The 5th book in the Spider Shepherd series and a welcome return to form after the disappointing Hot Blood book 4.
We find Spider undercover in Belfast after the Good Friday agreement.
Leather has a lot going on in this book and has to juggle many plot lines but as you would expect from a seasoned writer he handles it superbly.
The book is fast paced yet I still find it annoying that Leather refuses to add Chapters to these Spider books this would be my only gripe as it takes me a while to get used to this style.
Overall a very good read and I look FWD. to book 6.
Well worth your time and hard-earned cash.
October 18, 2012
I do enjoy Stephen Leather's Dan Shepherd series, although I admit it's partly because I have a relatively new-found appreciation of British authors. A couple of years ago, our son married a wonderful woman who is England-born; she came to this country from South Africa, bringing with her that beautiful English accent and quite a number of words, phrases and spellings that are much more familiar to me now.
Besides that, the books are just doggone good. As always, "Spider" Shepherd must deal with the issue of whether the end justifies the means. For the most part, the ex-SAS trooper, who's now working as an undercover agent for the United Kingdom's Serious Organized Crime Unit, believes it does. He's killed people in the line of duty, yes, but in all cases they were dangerous men who had, and would have continued to murder others had Shepherd not taken them out.
Sometimes, though he's asked to get close to someone who most likely isn't guilty of anything; once he's obtained the information he and his superiors need, he must betray that confidence. In this case, it's a beautiful widow who is suspected of killing men who murdered her husband several years earlier - or at the very least arranging for their demise. In part because Shepherd, a widower with a young son, has come close to falling in love with her, he finds the betrayal harder to swallow than usual.
As all this is happening, a secondary plot has Shepherd's female SOCU supervisor and a top CIA officer in danger as Muslim terrorists seek to kill them as payback for the murder of one of the terrorists' sons. When they somewhat inadvertently learn of their connection to the unknown-to-them Shepherd, his life, and his son and au pair, are in jeopardy as well.
This one kept me turning the pages almost without stopping, continuing the trend of the series getting better as the books go along. Kudos!
Besides that, the books are just doggone good. As always, "Spider" Shepherd must deal with the issue of whether the end justifies the means. For the most part, the ex-SAS trooper, who's now working as an undercover agent for the United Kingdom's Serious Organized Crime Unit, believes it does. He's killed people in the line of duty, yes, but in all cases they were dangerous men who had, and would have continued to murder others had Shepherd not taken them out.
Sometimes, though he's asked to get close to someone who most likely isn't guilty of anything; once he's obtained the information he and his superiors need, he must betray that confidence. In this case, it's a beautiful widow who is suspected of killing men who murdered her husband several years earlier - or at the very least arranging for their demise. In part because Shepherd, a widower with a young son, has come close to falling in love with her, he finds the betrayal harder to swallow than usual.
As all this is happening, a secondary plot has Shepherd's female SOCU supervisor and a top CIA officer in danger as Muslim terrorists seek to kill them as payback for the murder of one of the terrorists' sons. When they somewhat inadvertently learn of their connection to the unknown-to-them Shepherd, his life, and his son and au pair, are in jeopardy as well.
This one kept me turning the pages almost without stopping, continuing the trend of the series getting better as the books go along. Kudos!
February 26, 2017
Dead Men is book 5 in the Spider Shepherd series, and the series just keeps getting better. Like many good books a fact is taken and the plot is carefully woven around it. In this case it was the turn of the 'Good Friday Agreement' in which many convicted IRA terrorists were released early from prison. The story starts in the past when a senior RUC detective was murdered in cold blood in front of his wife and child. The team who carried this out are some of the ones released early under the agreement, but slowly but surely they are meeting their own untimely ends at the hands of a vigilante. It becomes Spider's latest undercover job to unearth who this vigilante might be. There is another plot running parallel to this, but I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment but it is a continuation from a previous book.
Everything has been well thought out, and it all follows along quite logically. It certainly kept me turning the pages.
Everything has been well thought out, and it all follows along quite logically. It certainly kept me turning the pages.
January 18, 2015
The 5th book of the Dan Shepherd series by Stephen Leather.
Another actioned packed story that in my opinion did not reach the same level as the previous four but was very close.
The series continues to develop and the characters get stronger and stronger giving the reader extra enjoyment and interest. The main Dan Shepherd was an instant success in the first novel but other characters are becoming more interesting as you get deeper into the series. Now 5 books in there are at least 6 other strong characters that have grown and could easily be used more prominently in the series.
The books are well written and excellently paced and keep the reader wanting more. I am again tempted to start reading the next book in the series.
Another actioned packed story that in my opinion did not reach the same level as the previous four but was very close.
The series continues to develop and the characters get stronger and stronger giving the reader extra enjoyment and interest. The main Dan Shepherd was an instant success in the first novel but other characters are becoming more interesting as you get deeper into the series. Now 5 books in there are at least 6 other strong characters that have grown and could easily be used more prominently in the series.
The books are well written and excellently paced and keep the reader wanting more. I am again tempted to start reading the next book in the series.
August 14, 2008
Love Stephen Leather and his creation "Spider".
Not the best of his books, but good all the same - if you like this sort of thing, of course.
Not the best of his books, but good all the same - if you like this sort of thing, of course.
February 25, 2013
A great mystery. Will be adding more of Stephen Leather's books to my reading list in the future.
June 14, 2010
Brilliant, as always
November 24, 2011
Thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of this author, I look forward to reading more of Dan 'Spider' Shepherd in the future!
November 17, 2012
Well plotted – enjoyable story that built up to the climax – stayed awake to too long as I wanted to know the ending - Mr Leather never fails to produce the goods
December 4, 2013
Excellent Book, Well Written. Great Suspense!
September 1, 2016
Fast and furious, just as I like a book.
September 18, 2016
Best Dan Shepherd book yet. I enjoyed the moral dilemmas which were core to the book.
Would have liked to have seen Spider doing a bit more fighting but that's the only criticism.
Would have liked to have seen Spider doing a bit more fighting but that's the only criticism.
October 23, 2018
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; OCTOBER 22, 2018
Narrator: Cornelius Garrett
Well-plotted and fast-moving, except for a few parts that contained the characters' political rants which are probably the writer's own. I'm not interested in politics so the premise of this installment revolving around the IRA's shenanigans leave me cold. There is a second threat, as stated in the book's blurb - the Islamic terrorist one.
These two threads are nicely woven though separate and we see Spider as he goes about resolving both, the Islamic one leaving Spider in a position that, I believe, sets him up for the future books as a covert operative for a black ops organization.
I enjoyed this installment except for the parts about Irish politics. Narration-wise, I had a hard time distinguishing between Charlie Button and Spider as Garrett does not give any differentiation between his characters. This made it hard to follow the dialogue, at times.
Narrator: Cornelius Garrett
Well-plotted and fast-moving, except for a few parts that contained the characters' political rants which are probably the writer's own. I'm not interested in politics so the premise of this installment revolving around the IRA's shenanigans leave me cold. There is a second threat, as stated in the book's blurb - the Islamic terrorist one.
These two threads are nicely woven though separate and we see Spider as he goes about resolving both, the Islamic one leaving Spider in a position that, I believe, sets him up for the future books as a covert operative for a black ops organization.
I enjoyed this installment except for the parts about Irish politics. Narration-wise, I had a hard time distinguishing between Charlie Button and Spider as Garrett does not give any differentiation between his characters. This made it hard to follow the dialogue, at times.
October 15, 2018
Yet another cracker from Stephen Leather, a straight 5 star this time. I was complaining after reading the last book that Stephen is losing his edge. But what a turnaround in this book.
Back in '94, five masked men forced their way into the home of a RUC police officer in Belfast and execute him in front of his wife and kid. Recently, under the Good Friday agreement, those who were in jail for this crime have been set free. But one by one, the five men are being hunted down and executed in exactly the same manner the RUC officer was killed. Suspicion for this crime falls on the widow of the police officer and Shepherd is sent under cover to get close to her and expose her as the killer, if she is committing those murders.
This is a different case for Spider. He is generally sent to bring down criminal gangs or syndicates but this is the first time when he has to work on a woman who can be not guilty of any crime.
Meanwhile, a powerful man in the Arab world has been given information that says Shepherd`s boss Charlotte Button and they American CIA spook, Richard Yokely are responsible for the death of two of his sons (as detailed in the last book). The Arab has taken out a contract on them, and is willing to pay whatever it takes. Shepherd is brought into the picture on this situation and he finds it becoming personal. But he must find out just how far he is willing to go to protect Charlie and those he cares about.
This book throws in a few new angles of Spider. He enters into sexual relationship with the girl whom he is supposed to potentially catch for all crimes she is committing. At the same time, she has to protect Button against the Arab assassin. This turn personal when the assassin sends another hitman to kill Spider's family but they are saved by Spider's ex-SAS friends. And finally he saves Charlie from the assassin but not before the assassin kills Charlie's husband at their residence.
Brilliant book, my faith and excitement installed back again in the Spider franchisee and series and now waiting to start the next (book 6) in the Spider series.
Back in '94, five masked men forced their way into the home of a RUC police officer in Belfast and execute him in front of his wife and kid. Recently, under the Good Friday agreement, those who were in jail for this crime have been set free. But one by one, the five men are being hunted down and executed in exactly the same manner the RUC officer was killed. Suspicion for this crime falls on the widow of the police officer and Shepherd is sent under cover to get close to her and expose her as the killer, if she is committing those murders.
This is a different case for Spider. He is generally sent to bring down criminal gangs or syndicates but this is the first time when he has to work on a woman who can be not guilty of any crime.
Meanwhile, a powerful man in the Arab world has been given information that says Shepherd`s boss Charlotte Button and they American CIA spook, Richard Yokely are responsible for the death of two of his sons (as detailed in the last book). The Arab has taken out a contract on them, and is willing to pay whatever it takes. Shepherd is brought into the picture on this situation and he finds it becoming personal. But he must find out just how far he is willing to go to protect Charlie and those he cares about.
This book throws in a few new angles of Spider. He enters into sexual relationship with the girl whom he is supposed to potentially catch for all crimes she is committing. At the same time, she has to protect Button against the Arab assassin. This turn personal when the assassin sends another hitman to kill Spider's family but they are saved by Spider's ex-SAS friends. And finally he saves Charlie from the assassin but not before the assassin kills Charlie's husband at their residence.
Brilliant book, my faith and excitement installed back again in the Spider franchisee and series and now waiting to start the next (book 6) in the Spider series.
July 16, 2019
Another well written and enjoyable book by Stephen Leather, he must do a lot of research to put so many details into his books to make them realistic and I do enjoy his style of writing, I have just finished Book 5 and it was a great story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat, and it is nice that Dan Shepherd (Spider) gets recognition for his good work and achievements, he is a good all-round man with conscience and morals which I like in a story and as a man destined to have to certain deeds, he thinks about it before he acts, great stories and I love them, keep writing your books, I am now starting Book 6
September 8, 2017
Brilliant just bloody amazing
Brilliant just gets better and better,,, when you read the first book and then you go into second, third you start to think how can they get better but this author never fails to impress me with these types of book/author is just gets better and better,, I can't wait to read more from this author he's in a class of its own....
Brilliant just gets better and better,,, when you read the first book and then you go into second, third you start to think how can they get better but this author never fails to impress me with these types of book/author is just gets better and better,, I can't wait to read more from this author he's in a class of its own....
January 18, 2018
I love the Dan Shepard books. This one still has a really good story line but there was too much waffle that just wasn't relevant and you could easily skip over.
The characters repeated themselves a lot as well which became a little boring.
The action parts are really good and well written for those as well. I will keep reading this series but so far this was my least favourite one.
The characters repeated themselves a lot as well which became a little boring.
The action parts are really good and well written for those as well. I will keep reading this series but so far this was my least favourite one.
July 28, 2018
An entertaining novel with some strong subplots and interesting characters. The pacing seemed a bit rushed at the end. There was a philosophical discussion about morality between Dan Shepherd and a psychologist which was particularly good. The Bradford twins provided a nice touch of humor. If your a fan of the political intrigue genre you won't be disappointed with this.
May 8, 2022
Dead Men
An RUC officer is executed by the IRA in front of his wife and child. Now after the IRA decommissioned their weapons, the killers are free - and being executed themselves. Now Dan Spider has to prove if it was the widow executing the murderers. But that's not the only problem he has as recent history comes back to haunt him
An RUC officer is executed by the IRA in front of his wife and child. Now after the IRA decommissioned their weapons, the killers are free - and being executed themselves. Now Dan Spider has to prove if it was the widow executing the murderers. But that's not the only problem he has as recent history comes back to haunt him
January 20, 2023
Although apparently a best selling author, Stephen Leather was new to me. This book is the 5th in the Dan Shepherd series, it stands alone well. Fast paced and page turning, I enjoyed this book very much and will certainly look out for more in this series, and in Leather's other series too. Thoroughly recommend.
June 1, 2020
Spider is undercover in Northern Ireland this time. The author is really hitting his stride now with this character and had me holding my breath again. Multiple plot lines that all come together to make a terrific read.
May 13, 2021
Un libro que había adquirido hace un tiempo y que se encontraba oculto en mi biblioteca, esperando el mejor momento para ser leído. Pues, literalmente, este fue un gran momento.
Excelente novela policiaca, que te dejará con ganas de seguir leyendo historias de Dan Shepherd!
Excelente novela policiaca, que te dejará con ganas de seguir leyendo historias de Dan Shepherd!
June 21, 2017
Great read
Another fantastic read. It's a can't put down once you've started book. I will be reading the whole series consecutively
Another fantastic read. It's a can't put down once you've started book. I will be reading the whole series consecutively
July 20, 2017
Decent thriller with a good couple of plot lines. Second book I've read by this author. Would read more, very easy to read.
May 26, 2020
Good read!
September 19, 2020
Great series edge of my seat Nice to see more of Charlotte Button Highly recommend
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews