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Dog Fight
"A terrific read." Martina Cole
Kenny O'Neill, a villain with a conscience, returns in a hard-hitting thriller of exploitation, corruption and criminal gangs. When Kenny's cousin, Ian, comes to the aid of a fellow ex-squaddie in a heap of trouble, he gets caught up in the vicious underground fight scene, where callous criminals prey on the vulnerable, damaged and homeless.
With Ian in too deep to escape, Kenny has no option other than to infiltrate the gang for the sake of his family. Kenny is an experienced MMA fighter, as tough as they come, but has he found himself in the one fight he can never win?
"A terrific thriller – taught, tense, funny and fierce, it races you through a world which most readers will be thankfully unaware ... a tale which is all too believable, and that's the really scary thing." Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae
" Dog Fight sucked me in from the opening chapters. Malone's characters are perfectly drawn and the action is searingly brutal. The fights pull no punches and neither does Malone's writing. It's terse, raw and very, very addictive." Crime Review UK
"An outstanding thriller… truly gripping… The story is beautifully crafted and perfectly paced… set against the background of an issue that truly matters." Undiscovered Scotland
"A dark and gritty tale of violence and retribution… if you enjoy the likes of Martina Cole et al, then you would enjoy Dog Fight immensely." Bibliophile Book Club
"The smell of adrenaline, testosterone, blood, sweat and fear all pour out of the pages and claw their way into your senses. A fantastic novel with many plot layers which kept me captivated and reading into the wee small hours!… An attention-grabbing read, it will give you that hit you are looking for and leave you begging for more!" Chapter In My Life
"The writing is tight, the storyline riveting and the characters' voices scream from the pages! Every page I turned, I was waiting for THAT moment – the gasp, the nail-biting WTAF feeling. And it was delivered, tenfold! Fast-paced, tense, gripping and, well, bloody awesome! … A Top Read of 2017." Crime Book Junkie
"A great piece of hard-boiled crime fiction…cranking up the tension as it sweeps through the Glasgow streets… The book paints a haunting picture of people brutalised by parental neglect, betrayal, being raised in a criminal environment or having seen too much inhumanity in the police or armed forces." Alastair Mabbott, The Herald
"Gritty, raw, compelling… The story really pulls you in, sticks you in a chokehold and doesn't let go. Highly recommended." Damp Pebbles book blog
"A real rollercoaster of a read with some really cool descriptive prose and a hell of a lot of oomph… Dog Fight is fast, gripping, decisively authentic and a real proper page-turner." Liz Loves Books blog
"Dark and dangerous… Gritty and unflinching, but there is humour and energy, and there are uplifting scenes too. Michael J Malone can't half tell a good story – this is a beauty." Grab This Book
"The characters are fantastic, portrayed warts and all… There's a real sense of menace running through the pages… The plotting and characterisation is top-notch, with a nice layer of dark humour in the dialogue running throughout." Espressococo
"Nail biting, powerful, racy stuff. This is a book that can easily be read in a couple of heart-pounding sittings. Grit, grime and glory. Dog Fight has it all. Fans of hard-boiled crime thrillers will love this!" Random Things book blog
Kenny O'Neill, a villain with a conscience, returns in a hard-hitting thriller of exploitation, corruption and criminal gangs. When Kenny's cousin, Ian, comes to the aid of a fellow ex-squaddie in a heap of trouble, he gets caught up in the vicious underground fight scene, where callous criminals prey on the vulnerable, damaged and homeless.
With Ian in too deep to escape, Kenny has no option other than to infiltrate the gang for the sake of his family. Kenny is an experienced MMA fighter, as tough as they come, but has he found himself in the one fight he can never win?
"A terrific thriller – taught, tense, funny and fierce, it races you through a world which most readers will be thankfully unaware ... a tale which is all too believable, and that's the really scary thing." Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae
" Dog Fight sucked me in from the opening chapters. Malone's characters are perfectly drawn and the action is searingly brutal. The fights pull no punches and neither does Malone's writing. It's terse, raw and very, very addictive." Crime Review UK
"An outstanding thriller… truly gripping… The story is beautifully crafted and perfectly paced… set against the background of an issue that truly matters." Undiscovered Scotland
"A dark and gritty tale of violence and retribution… if you enjoy the likes of Martina Cole et al, then you would enjoy Dog Fight immensely." Bibliophile Book Club
"The smell of adrenaline, testosterone, blood, sweat and fear all pour out of the pages and claw their way into your senses. A fantastic novel with many plot layers which kept me captivated and reading into the wee small hours!… An attention-grabbing read, it will give you that hit you are looking for and leave you begging for more!" Chapter In My Life
"The writing is tight, the storyline riveting and the characters' voices scream from the pages! Every page I turned, I was waiting for THAT moment – the gasp, the nail-biting WTAF feeling. And it was delivered, tenfold! Fast-paced, tense, gripping and, well, bloody awesome! … A Top Read of 2017." Crime Book Junkie
"A great piece of hard-boiled crime fiction…cranking up the tension as it sweeps through the Glasgow streets… The book paints a haunting picture of people brutalised by parental neglect, betrayal, being raised in a criminal environment or having seen too much inhumanity in the police or armed forces." Alastair Mabbott, The Herald
"Gritty, raw, compelling… The story really pulls you in, sticks you in a chokehold and doesn't let go. Highly recommended." Damp Pebbles book blog
"A real rollercoaster of a read with some really cool descriptive prose and a hell of a lot of oomph… Dog Fight is fast, gripping, decisively authentic and a real proper page-turner." Liz Loves Books blog
"Dark and dangerous… Gritty and unflinching, but there is humour and energy, and there are uplifting scenes too. Michael J Malone can't half tell a good story – this is a beauty." Grab This Book
"The characters are fantastic, portrayed warts and all… There's a real sense of menace running through the pages… The plotting and characterisation is top-notch, with a nice layer of dark humour in the dialogue running throughout." Espressococo
"Nail biting, powerful, racy stuff. This is a book that can easily be read in a couple of heart-pounding sittings. Grit, grime and glory. Dog Fight has it all. Fans of hard-boiled crime thrillers will love this!" Random Things book blog
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2017
4 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 16, 2017
Loved this. Review to follow on the blog tour.
May 2, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's gritty, raw and I loved how incredibly Scottish it is. Michael J. Malone's writing is compelling and I was drawn into the dark and murky underground fight scene. I absolutely loved the characters. Kenny is a new favourite of mine. I also really liked Kenny's cousin, Ian who plays a pivotal role in the story. These guys are ex-military, some of them are down on their luck, living in the gutters but a lot of the characters had real heart and that appealed. Others didn't so much, but that also appealed as they were the shady characters lining up fights amongst the wounded and the broken of Glasgow's streets.
The plot was intense, quite brutal in places and I loved it. The story really pulls you in, sticks you in a choke hold and doesn't let go. It's not my usual type of crime thriller but it was exactly what I needed. The right book at the right time. I would gladly read more gangster-type novels on the back of this (particularly if we're talking about Kenny O'Neill).
Would I recommend this book? I would. Particularly if you're a fan of police procedurals and fancy seeing things from a slightly different perspective. I love Michael J. Malone's writing and I love his characters. Dog Fight is very different to A Suitable Lie but it was a great read which I really enjoyed. Mr Malone, it's official, I'm a fan of your work. Highly recommended.
Four out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Dog Fight. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
The plot was intense, quite brutal in places and I loved it. The story really pulls you in, sticks you in a choke hold and doesn't let go. It's not my usual type of crime thriller but it was exactly what I needed. The right book at the right time. I would gladly read more gangster-type novels on the back of this (particularly if we're talking about Kenny O'Neill).
Would I recommend this book? I would. Particularly if you're a fan of police procedurals and fancy seeing things from a slightly different perspective. I love Michael J. Malone's writing and I love his characters. Dog Fight is very different to A Suitable Lie but it was a great read which I really enjoyed. Mr Malone, it's official, I'm a fan of your work. Highly recommended.
Four out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Dog Fight. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 6, 2017
OH MY GOD peeps! You have no idea how excited I was when this badboy landed on my kindle…no…idea!!! I had been desperately waiting for Mr O’Neill to return so I could take him to bed with me and ….oh…sorry….not that kind of review!
April 14, 2017
This is my first meeting with Kenny O'Neill who was first introduced to readers in Beyond The Rage, published in 2015. However, the fact that this is number two in a series made no difference at all to my enjoyment of the book. Michael J Malone gives plenty of background information, and Dog Fight is a great standalone read.
Welcome to the dark, rough, gritty underworld of street-fighting in Glasgow. Prepare yourself for some violent action, some dangerous characters and some no-nonsense language, this really is a roller-coaster of a ride. Fast paced and thrilling, it's a study of the underworld, of dirty fighting, but also deals intelligently with issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Kenny O'Neill is a criminal, with a good side. He has a conscious, and despite his own illegal activities he is determined to get the better of the gangs who are currently preying on the most vulnerable men who live on the streets of the city. When he finds that his own cousin, Ian is caught up in the fighting world, he knows that he cannot stand by and let this happen. He's tough, but he may not be quite tough enough to deal with these guys.
Michael Malone has created some incredibly fascinating characters in Dog Fight, there are the downright evil, those who would sell their Granny for a bottle of cheap wine and ten fags. Those who would stab even their closest associates in the back and those who consider violence to be just a way of life. He's also extremely good at digging deep into the emotional stuff and there are some pretty heart-breaking scenes in there too, involving some very well rounded characters, with heart. Hard as nails, yes, but there are hearts in there.
Nail biting, powerful, racy stuff. This is a book that can easily be read in a couple of heart-pounding sittings. Grit, grime and glory. Dog Fight has it all. Fans of hard-boiled crime thrillers will love this!
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
Welcome to the dark, rough, gritty underworld of street-fighting in Glasgow. Prepare yourself for some violent action, some dangerous characters and some no-nonsense language, this really is a roller-coaster of a ride. Fast paced and thrilling, it's a study of the underworld, of dirty fighting, but also deals intelligently with issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Kenny O'Neill is a criminal, with a good side. He has a conscious, and despite his own illegal activities he is determined to get the better of the gangs who are currently preying on the most vulnerable men who live on the streets of the city. When he finds that his own cousin, Ian is caught up in the fighting world, he knows that he cannot stand by and let this happen. He's tough, but he may not be quite tough enough to deal with these guys.
Michael Malone has created some incredibly fascinating characters in Dog Fight, there are the downright evil, those who would sell their Granny for a bottle of cheap wine and ten fags. Those who would stab even their closest associates in the back and those who consider violence to be just a way of life. He's also extremely good at digging deep into the emotional stuff and there are some pretty heart-breaking scenes in there too, involving some very well rounded characters, with heart. Hard as nails, yes, but there are hearts in there.
Nail biting, powerful, racy stuff. This is a book that can easily be read in a couple of heart-pounding sittings. Grit, grime and glory. Dog Fight has it all. Fans of hard-boiled crime thrillers will love this!
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
April 7, 2017
Kenny O'Neil is back and he pulls no punches in this latest book! Dog Fight takes us into the seedy and violent world of underground fighting and sees Kenny's cousin, Ian, caught up smack bang in the middle of it all! Kenny is one of the toughest guys out there but this time he may just have bitten off more than he can chew! Michael answers some of those questions readers of Bad Samaritan were left with - but are they the answers you were looking for...you will just need to read and see! Dog Fight is an exhilarating, heart-pounding read. It's set in Glasgow but it's more than just on the streets of Glasgow - it gives a very real sense of being underground in the illegal fight clubs.The smell of adrenaline, testosterone, blood, sweat and fear all pour out of the pages and claw their way into your senses. A fantastic novel with many plot layers which kept me captivated and reading into the wee small hours!
Kenny O'Neill, what can I say - I have a major girl crush going on there and he just hooks me in deeper and deeper every time I meet him! He's the bad boy we all want to meet! Kenny has grown and developed over the series and I feel we get to know him a little more in Dog Fight; he still has relationship and trust issues, preferring relationships that involve a transactional element as opposed to one based on emotions. In Dog Fight we see, dare I say, a softer side to Kenny, he has feelings hidden under that tough exterior and this is evident with his latest "relationship" with Christine, his strong sense of family loyalty blown wide open in this book and of course the almost paternal way in which he treats Myleene, the most streetwise and cutest kid ever! Myleene exists on every city street corner and I just wanted Kenny to take her home and adopt her! Oh, Michael please find a way to bring Myleene back into another book! DI Alessandra Rossi also makes an appearance in Dog Fight and she is as strong and tough as she ever was!
Another character who stole my heart this time round was Dom Hastie, some of the scenes between him and Ian had me sniffing into my hanky so they did! Dom's character really highlighted the impact of PTSD on former service personnel and it was harrowing to read.
Michael introduces us to some real bad boys in Dog Fight, the kind of guys you just don't want to be messing with, like serious nasty bad guys! The kind that made me want to reach into the pages and punch their ugly faces into next year kind of bad! These guys are picking up ex-service men off the streets and using them as bait in illegal fighting - they are rotten to the core bad!
Gallacher, one of the oldest crime lords in the East End of Glasgow, may seem like a harmless old man running his cafe on Duke Street - but that man is bad to the core and his grandson - oh my god just let's say don't be going near him if he has a staple gun!
Dog Fight is a vicious tale of illegal fight clubs but it also explores the indignity of ex-service men thrown onto a scrap heap by a government that doesn't care; the very real terror of PTSD and mental health faced by these men and the vulnerability that lays them open to exploitation by others.
I could actually have read this in one sitting if it hadn't been for bloody work! My heart was pounding and I read the end so fast such was my adrenaline rush that I had to read it again to take it all in! Dog Fight is an attention-grabbing read, it will give you that hit you are looking for and leave you begging for more!
Kenny O'Neill, what can I say - I have a major girl crush going on there and he just hooks me in deeper and deeper every time I meet him! He's the bad boy we all want to meet! Kenny has grown and developed over the series and I feel we get to know him a little more in Dog Fight; he still has relationship and trust issues, preferring relationships that involve a transactional element as opposed to one based on emotions. In Dog Fight we see, dare I say, a softer side to Kenny, he has feelings hidden under that tough exterior and this is evident with his latest "relationship" with Christine, his strong sense of family loyalty blown wide open in this book and of course the almost paternal way in which he treats Myleene, the most streetwise and cutest kid ever! Myleene exists on every city street corner and I just wanted Kenny to take her home and adopt her! Oh, Michael please find a way to bring Myleene back into another book! DI Alessandra Rossi also makes an appearance in Dog Fight and she is as strong and tough as she ever was!
Another character who stole my heart this time round was Dom Hastie, some of the scenes between him and Ian had me sniffing into my hanky so they did! Dom's character really highlighted the impact of PTSD on former service personnel and it was harrowing to read.
Michael introduces us to some real bad boys in Dog Fight, the kind of guys you just don't want to be messing with, like serious nasty bad guys! The kind that made me want to reach into the pages and punch their ugly faces into next year kind of bad! These guys are picking up ex-service men off the streets and using them as bait in illegal fighting - they are rotten to the core bad!
Gallacher, one of the oldest crime lords in the East End of Glasgow, may seem like a harmless old man running his cafe on Duke Street - but that man is bad to the core and his grandson - oh my god just let's say don't be going near him if he has a staple gun!
Dog Fight is a vicious tale of illegal fight clubs but it also explores the indignity of ex-service men thrown onto a scrap heap by a government that doesn't care; the very real terror of PTSD and mental health faced by these men and the vulnerability that lays them open to exploitation by others.
I could actually have read this in one sitting if it hadn't been for bloody work! My heart was pounding and I read the end so fast such was my adrenaline rush that I had to read it again to take it all in! Dog Fight is an attention-grabbing read, it will give you that hit you are looking for and leave you begging for more!
November 11, 2017
I really like Michael Malone's writing. He has a typically black, Scottish, humour about him but also writes good, solid, believable characters. This is a pretty brutal and bleak tale on the one hand but, on the other, one of hope, friendship and brotherhood. The plot is great, with enough twists and red herrings to keep you guessing and some nice reveals.
If you've not read any of his stuff, and you like other Scottish thriller writers such as Craig Robertson and Chris Brookmyre, you'll enjoy his books.
If you've not read any of his stuff, and you like other Scottish thriller writers such as Craig Robertson and Chris Brookmyre, you'll enjoy his books.
February 2, 2023
Another brilliant read by Michael J. Malone! Kenny O'Neill finds himself involved in an underground fight scene which is especially vicious involving war veterans and homeless. Based in Glasgow it is full of strong, gritty characters.
August 10, 2024
Gripping
March 22, 2017
Gritty and brutal. Full review to follow on the blog tour.
April 17, 2017
Dog Fight…even the title makes Michael J Malone’s new novel sound dark and dangerous. It’s not misleading. Dog Fight is a Kenny O’Neill story and it doesn’t matter how big-hearted Kenny can be – he is still one of Glasgow’s gangsters and dark and dangerous goes with the territory.
A homeless ex-soldier is given the opportunity to make a few quid if he will take part in an underground fight club. Though not as fit as he once was, the former soldier fancies his chances and sees the opportunity to get some much needed cash. It soon becomes clear that this offer may not have been made with his best intentions at heart.
Although I said this was a Kenny story, his cousin Ian also features heavily. Ian is ex-military and has accumulated a few demons in the past – most notably a drug habit which he has managed to vanquish. Ian is still in touch with some of his former squad mates and it is while visiting one of his pals that the path of the story is set. Ian’s mate is suffering, injured and disabled in action and with anger issues that he struggles to control. He has borrowed lots of money to fund a drug habit and to buy gifts for his son. But when the loan needs repaid and the enforcers are sent to collect Ian is going to get in the way. After a confrontation with the ‘wrong people’ Ian receives an offer which will give him the chance to earn a few quid.
Meanwhile Kenny has his own problems to contend with. He is dealing with the aftermath of events in Bad Samaritan (no spoilers from me) and an unexpected domestic drama will shake up his family. When his cousin Ian suddenly vanishes Kenny needs to call on his contacts to track him down, however, information comes at a price and Kenny will need to pay the price to find his cousin.
Dog Fight does give the reader much to contemplate. The underground fight club gives us some brutal scenes to read through and the morality of exploiting vulnerable former soldiers was unsettling. Malone is highlighting how poorly retuning soldiers are treated when they try to resume a “normal” life. PTSD and lack of a support network is a real problem and the vulnerabilities are brought to the fore by the author who is almost challenging the reader to help tackle this issue.
Kenny’s story is nicely developed too and it is easy to see why he is a firm favourite with returning readers. You don’t have to have read any of the previous novels to pick up and enjoy Dog Fight, the book stands well on its own, but knowing the backstory will enhance enjoyment.
Dog Fight can be dark, gritty and unflinching but there is humour energy and there are uplifting scenes too. Michael J Malone can’t half tell a good story – this is a beauty.
April 18, 2017
Dog Fight by Michael J Malone.
‘Kenny O’Neill, a villain with a conscience, returns in a hard-hitting thriller of exploitation, corruption and criminal gangs. When Kenny’s cousin, Ian, comes to the aid of a fellow ex-squaddie in a heap of trouble, he gets caught up in the vicious underground fight scene, where callous criminals prey on the vulnerable, damaged and homeless. With Ian in too deep to escape, Kenny has no option other than to infiltrate the gang for the sake of his family. Kenny is an experienced MMA fighter, as tough as they come, but has he found himself in the one fight he can never win?'
This is the fifth book in Malone's successful McBain series; the second in which Kenny takes centre stage. It is a year after the devastating events of the last book, and Kenny is still struggling to come to terms with the repercussions. Meanwhile, his cousin Ian is a traumatised war veteran who finds himself trapped in a brutal underground bare-knuckle fight enterprise where only the winner survives. Kenny is forced to come to the rescue.
In typical Michael J Malone style, the writing is fluid and compelling, the plot intricate and misleading, the characters believable and sympathetic. There is humour interspersed with poignancy, as Kenny, everyone’s favourite villain, gets involved in another complex plot.
You don’t need to read the other books in order to read this one, as it stands well on its own, with only glimpses into what has gone before. Malone’s storytelling ability just gets better and better, as he takes the reader from the despair of PTSD and homelessness into the darkness that is gang-controlled bare-knuckle fighting, interweaving family loyalties, friendships, vulnerability and sadness with deft fingers.
A definite must-read.
‘Kenny O’Neill, a villain with a conscience, returns in a hard-hitting thriller of exploitation, corruption and criminal gangs. When Kenny’s cousin, Ian, comes to the aid of a fellow ex-squaddie in a heap of trouble, he gets caught up in the vicious underground fight scene, where callous criminals prey on the vulnerable, damaged and homeless. With Ian in too deep to escape, Kenny has no option other than to infiltrate the gang for the sake of his family. Kenny is an experienced MMA fighter, as tough as they come, but has he found himself in the one fight he can never win?'
This is the fifth book in Malone's successful McBain series; the second in which Kenny takes centre stage. It is a year after the devastating events of the last book, and Kenny is still struggling to come to terms with the repercussions. Meanwhile, his cousin Ian is a traumatised war veteran who finds himself trapped in a brutal underground bare-knuckle fight enterprise where only the winner survives. Kenny is forced to come to the rescue.
In typical Michael J Malone style, the writing is fluid and compelling, the plot intricate and misleading, the characters believable and sympathetic. There is humour interspersed with poignancy, as Kenny, everyone’s favourite villain, gets involved in another complex plot.
You don’t need to read the other books in order to read this one, as it stands well on its own, with only glimpses into what has gone before. Malone’s storytelling ability just gets better and better, as he takes the reader from the despair of PTSD and homelessness into the darkness that is gang-controlled bare-knuckle fighting, interweaving family loyalties, friendships, vulnerability and sadness with deft fingers.
A definite must-read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews