After a bestselling doubleheader in 2007 with Sleeping with Strangers and Waking with Enemies (both reaching #9 on the New York Times bestseller list), Eric Jerome Dickey is back with the final installment in his thrilling trilogy— Dying for Revenge .
This fast-paced story about a steamy, seamy underworld of crime that spans the globe features the hit man Gideon, a character who captivated fans in the first two books, squaring off against his most intriguing adversary yet.
Eric Jerome Dickey was born in Memphis, Tennessee and attended the University of Memphis (the former Memphis State), where he earned his degree in Computer System Technology. In 1983, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in engineering.
After landing a job in the aerospace industry as a software developer, Eric Jerome Dickey's artistic talents surfaced, inspiring him to become an actor and a stand-up comedian. Yet Eric quickly found out that writing was something he could do and do well. From creative writing classes to avidly consuming the works of his favorite authors, Eric Jerome Dickey began to shape a writing career of his own. Having written several scripts for his personal comedy act, he started writing poetry and short stories. "The film work gave me insight into character development, the acting classes helped me understand motivation...All of it goes hand in hand," Eric explains. He joined the IBWA (International Black Writers and Artists), participated in their development workshops, and became a recipient of the IBWA SEED Scholarship to attend UCLA's Creative Writing classes. In 1994 his first published short story, "Thirteen," appeared in the IBWA's River Crossing: Voices of the Diaspora-An Anthology of the International Black Experience. A second short story, "Days Gone By," was published in the magazine A Place to Enter.
With those successes behind him, Eric Jerome Dickey decided to fine-tune some of his earlier work and developed a screenplay called "Cappuccino." "Cappuccino" was directed and produced by Craig Ross, Jr. and appeared in coffee houses around the Los Angeles area. In February 1998, "Cappuccino" made its local debut during the Pan African Film Festival at the Magic Johnson Theater in Los Angeles.
Short stories, though, didn't seem to fulfill Eric Jerome Dickey's creative yearnings. Eric says, "I'd set out to do a ten-page story and it would go on for three hundred pages." So Eric kept writing and reading and sending out query letters for his novels for almost three years until he finally got an agent. "Then a door opened," Eric says. "And I put my foot in before they could close it." And that door has remained opened, as Eric Jerome Dickey's novels have placed him on the map as one of the best writers of contemporary urban fiction.
Eric Jerome Dickey's book signing tours for Sister, Sister; Friends and Lovers; Milk in My Coffee; Cheaters; and Liar's Game took him from coast to coast and helped propel each of these novels to #1 on the "Blackboard Bestsellers List." Cheaters was named "Blackboard Book of the Year" in 2000. In June 2000, Eric Jerome Dickey celebrated the French publication of Milk in My Coffee (Cafe Noisette) by embarking on a book tour to Paris. Soon after, Milk in My Coffee became a bestseller in France. Eric Jerome Dickey's novels, Chasing Destiny, Liar's Game, Between Lovers, Thieves' Paradise, The Other Woman, Drive Me Crazy, Genevieve, Naughty or Nice, Sleeping with Strangers, Waking with Enemies, and Pleasure have all earned him the success of a spot on The New York Times bestseller list. Liar's Game, Thieves' Paradise, The Other Woman, and Genevieve have also given Dickey the added distinction of being nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005. In 2006, he was honored with the awards for Best Contemporary Fiction and Author of the Year (Male) at the 2006 African American Literary Award Show. In 2008, Eric was nominated for Storyteller of the Year at the 1st annual ESSENCE Literary Awards. In January 2001, Eric Jerome Dickey was a contributor to New American Library's anthology Got To Be Real: Four Original Love Stories, also a Blackboard Bestseller. He also had a story entitled “Fish Sanwich” appear in the anthology Mothers and Sons. In June 2002, Dickey contributed to Black Silk: A Collection of African American Erotica (Warner Books) as well as to Riots Beneath the Baobab (published by Inte
what a great book!!! this had to be my favorite of the three...a true page turner.
eric, you really had me hooked after i read chapter five. what a great way to introduce j.s. and intertwine your world of fiction.
loved the new characters. each of their stories were compelling and very well written. i'm a diehard sex and the city fan, so i can relate to "mrs robinson's" obsession. well, almost...everything except the 25k.
his writing never disappoints. so descriptive...such a talent!! i highly recommend this trilogy.
A big thumbs up! It's the return of our favorite contract killer, Gideon, who was hired to do a job in Detroit. The job goes bad, though, and suddenly he's the wanted man. Lots of twist and turns for a great read.
I started this book at an extreme disadvantage because I did not read any other books in the series.
Within the first 100 pages I was able to get a good enough grasp on the story line to actually settle into enjoying the plot. Gideon sure had a lot on his plate when it came to the women in his life, both lovers and enemies. I do not know who Catherine and "the kid" was, maybe EJD expounded more on this in the other installments.
Though a bit gory for my personal taste, this action packed novel is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat! And of course, in true EJD fashion, the descriptions of settings, wardrobe, and interactions between characters were woven together beautifully.
So, who poisoned his latte? Who found out about Catherine and Steven and told the Lady from Detroit? Where the hell was Arizona? How did Konstantin find out Gideon was being set up in Antigua? Why didn't Hawks & Konstantin tell Gideon that they stayed behind to kill Strawberry Blonde? is Catherine his mother or not? So many unanswered questions. *sigh* But I enjoyed the book. Can you tell? Not as much as book 1, but more than book 2.
Gideon aka Jean-Claude is on the move again from Europe and back to North America. Seeking his targets, destroying them and getting paid as a very skilled assassin. It's the only life he knows.
I enjoyed the book, although at one point I was wanted to reach the conclusion already. EJD's books are always over four hundred pages, and he includes so much details in the storylines. The book took place between London, The Cayman Islands, Atlanta, Huntsville Alabama, and Antigua... So you learn alot about different geographical locations. I like the character Gideon, However, I did cring at some of the killing scenes in the book, I thought that EJD had gotten too gruesome with the murder details. It felt at times like I was reading a horror book. Plus, the storyline dealt with Gideon still searching for the answers as to who was his mother. So EJD had me on the edge of my seat when he had Gideon do a DNA test swipe on himself, the lady who he thought was his mother, and her son... Only to decide at the end of the book that he didn't want to know the results... EJD left me clueless there, I can understand the attachement he had to his mother, but to go through the hassle of getting the tests done, and then also just barely making it alive in Antigua because he had to fight off assassins, only to later change his mind about wanting to know the truth about who raised him. His mother told him a little about his birth mother, but I still am confused... I didn't get it... Still, the trilogy is good and I can't understand why no one hasn't bought the rights to them to turn them into movies. I could see Idris Elba playing Gideon, I know Idris is from London and Gideon is from Canada, still I can see Idris as being a good fit to portray the role. There is one more book in the trilogy called Resurrecting Midnight which I will read, maybe the truth about Gideon's parents will be revealved in that one... But at what point I'll read it I can't say, I think I've spoiled myself with too much EJD and I feel that I'm ready to read books by other authors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The prolific Dickey’s latest book again details the life of everyone’s favorite assassin, Gideon. Book three finds Gideon once again the hunted instead of the hunter. Detroit has again reared her head and wants Gideon’s head (literally) at all cost. She has obtained the services of a husband and wife assassin team for the job. Gideon is caught up in a cat and mouse chase, where failure means death. He enlists the help of fellow assassin Hawks. Only one team can prevail. Who will die for revenge?
Dickey’s three book series is addictive! He delivers another fantastic thriller, weaving a tale of murder, sex and revenge. Dickey did a superb job in terms of both character and plot development. You really get involved with the characters as well as the setting. Full of excitement, action and great writing, DYING FOR REVENGE is a must read. The fast pace will have readers rapidly turning pages to see just how things will unfold. DYING FOR REVENGE is yet another hit from this masterful storyteller and is easily recommended.
EJD has delivered yet again in the third installment of the Gideon series. This time there’s hit out on Gideon by an adversary who will stop at nothing to see him dead. But it will take more than paying top dollar to vicious hit men and an equally vicious “woman hunter” to finish him off.
In this installment, Gideon is faced with protecting his family: a woman who birthed him but gave him up and now a young who may or may not be his mother’s son while working as a hired killer. In the midst of this, he is lured to a job in Antiqua and it wasn’t until he landed that he got a message from Konstantin, his handler, that it was a setup. He had no weapons except Hawks (a female assassin and his lover) and quick thinking.
Together, they created weapons out of empty soda cans, a pen, liquor bought at the airport, along with their varied martial arts skills. The fight scenes were like watching an action movie where I cheered for Gideon when he landed a few blows and winced when he was knocked down. However, he and Hawks survived until the final battle where the hunter became the hunted and the stars are realigned.
This was a page turner (460 pages) full of great descriptions, great dialogue, great fight scenes, and very interesting and well-developed characters. Also, loved that I had to pull out my dictionary a few times – always learning a few new words from EJD…priceless. Overall, this is a must read!
Some of my favorite lines:
If it wasn’t for the problem I had in Detroit, I’d still have my homes in Seattle, in Stone Mountain, and on the outskirts of Los Angeles. She’d tracked me down, forced me into a state of homelessness.
She was the type of woman that a man couldn’t make deals with. She didn’t have enough sense to understand when she should be terrified. She didn’t know she should be pissing where she stood, that piss running down her legs into her high heels. She was a churchgoing Bible thumper who killed her own husband, the father of her children, had done that using her husband’s money and my hands.
She was a bloodthirsty psychopath who believed she was righteous.
Nobody stopped her from getting what she wanted.
And she was dying for my death. Dying for revenge.
liked how Eric Jerome Dickey dives into the story. From the beginning, readers are on edge trying to put more of the pieces of Gideon together. By now, it is clear so much has been left out because the writer has much in store for this character. Gideon is described as a leading man, easily charismatic and skilled. He has been thrust into a life that he doesn't see a way out of- all because of the woman who is suppose to be his mother. Even without knowing all the details, her actions seem so barbaric. She gives him lies and manipulation, how can the man heal? It's all enough to break someone psychologically but Gideon's true character shines through. He wrestles with darkness, goes into a world of killers and grifters as he fights his way to the truth. All of this takes place on top of the many other twists threatening to overtake Gideon and his friends. Dickey creates wonderful detailed worlds that he loves to connect but it requires readers with an eye for detail. He leaves fan thirsty for more with EVERY masterpiece of the pen
Great series! Gideon is hell on wheels! He a take beating and keep on ticking! I am so glad Detroit ended up destroying herself. She was a straight narcissist! And Hawks...all women but come at them with talons like the bird of prey. When she took care of Blahniks queen, she did that like a smooth criminal!
This book was the start of a new beginning for Gideon. He has some normalcy. A real family now...his mother, his brothers, and a true friend. I hope he stays in America with Catherine. To be honest, I was glad he trashed the DNA results. All was so peaceful, calm, and perfect. Catherine has changed. She loves her boys...Gideon, Steven, and Robert. She searched until she found that child. Life was horrible to her...she didn't know how to be a mother in a world of sex, drugs, and survival. I am glad Gideon is determined to forgive and move forward...day by day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another EJD masterpiece! This one started off a little slow and confusing for me. I’m chalking that one up to the introduction of a few new characters joining the story. It was had going back and forth between getting to know Hawks and getting to know the strawberry-blonde. Of course, as the story progressed the brilliance opened up and the story was in full EJD swing. I started this book fresh off of reading the first two books in the series.....both of which ended in a hot a fiery nail biting bang. Maybe that’s why the beginning of this book seemed a bit slow for me. All in all I enjoyed this book. That damn Gideon is a beast! Gotta love him. I wonder if there’s a real life Gideon out there somewhere. Hhhmmm🤔 If so, I’d have to love him from afar because I don’t think my old tail could hang with him. Ha!
Off to read “Resurrecting Midnight” now (book #4 in the series).
So far this has been my favorite of the Gideon series. I was a in love with Hawks and her whole country vibe. I also had a love hate for the Assassin with Ass lol. She was not what I expected and I had to keep reminding myself that she was white. I hated her husband and the woman from Detroit. Which was weird since that is my hometown but she was just a shitty person all around. I am beginning to understand Gideon more and why he is why he is. I can't wait to read Resurrecting Midnight since his first kill aka his dad, name is in the title and he never did open that FedEx that Catherine is holding on to. But all in all Dying for Revenge was a great and fun read. All the characters are interesting and makes you want to know more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book like the first 2 started to get really good towards the end. It was way too long in my opinion. I feel like a lot of the travel knowledge was unnecessary. Apart from that, I loved seeing how the story unfolded. I am looking forward to see what the author has in store for Gideon in the finally 2 books.
I'd been gifted this book years ago from a former partner who felt that I needed to read more urban fiction other than the street fiction I'd become accustomed to purchasing. It wasn't until after the untimely passing of the author Eric Jerome Dickey three years ago that I finally gave it its due attention and I found it to be more intriguing than I'D FIRST BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE.
Very few books can keep me engaged and this one did. Once I actually sat down and committed to reading the book and getting past the first 30-50 pages I was hooked and finished the remaining 400 in under 48 hours.
I’ve Read The First 2 Books In This Series & I’m HOOKED! Gideon Is So Smooth, Dangerous, Rugged & Sexy It Keeps You At The Edge Of Your Seat! I Have To Finish The Series. I Love Reading The Assassins POV As Well. Wonderful Read! 10/10!!
Whew, how many lives does Gideon have? This book was full of blood, sex, mayhem and comedy! The angst of not knowing who your parent is hurts your whole life. I really enjoying this book and would love to see it on a screen.