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Dead Watch
Life for the firefighters of Red Watch, East Brighton, is already complicated due to the imminent closure of their fire station. But this is soon to be the least of their worries.
When the team stumble upon a car in a ditch, they discover the driver is dead and a bag containing five hundred thousand pounds in cash. Before anyone arrives, the crew decide to take money, believing it to be a victimless crime.
When they later learn that the driver was killed by a bullet wound to the head their world is turned upside down.
Then a stranger appears at the station claiming the money belongs to him.
Soon the firefighters are drawn into a dangerous underworld and find themselves at the mercy of violent criminals.
But is this stranger who he claims to be?
And can Red Watch escape with the money and their lives in tact?
When the team stumble upon a car in a ditch, they discover the driver is dead and a bag containing five hundred thousand pounds in cash. Before anyone arrives, the crew decide to take money, believing it to be a victimless crime.
When they later learn that the driver was killed by a bullet wound to the head their world is turned upside down.
Then a stranger appears at the station claiming the money belongs to him.
Soon the firefighters are drawn into a dangerous underworld and find themselves at the mercy of violent criminals.
But is this stranger who he claims to be?
And can Red Watch escape with the money and their lives in tact?
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First published March 17, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 9, 2018
There are quite a lot of characters in Dead Watch, thankfully the author does a great job in introducing us to them all so that we get to know them and find out a bit more about their background. I think readers could have struggled otherwise but I for one didn’t feel lost and took to the whole team within no time at all.
I’ve read a few books to do with fire fighters and even though you can tell the authors have done their research, I have to say that the authors own background in the field really makes this story in particular stand out. There were so many new things I learned and it was great to find out how they deal with some of the horrific sights that they get called out to.
Without a doubt Dead Watch would make a great series on the television. I loved the banter and relationship between the characters and they all brought something into the story.
A moment of idiocy brings a whole lot of trouble to the Red Watch door. I think it’s hard to say what anyone of us would have done if we were faced in the same position. Not only do they need to watch out for themselves in their job, but they need to work together like never before outside of Red Watch also.
Dead Watch is an engrossing and thrilling read. It has a great cast of characters of which it is really hard to choose a favourite. Packed full of suspense of what was going to happen next, I really did struggle to put it down. Look forward to more books by the author.
I’ve read a few books to do with fire fighters and even though you can tell the authors have done their research, I have to say that the authors own background in the field really makes this story in particular stand out. There were so many new things I learned and it was great to find out how they deal with some of the horrific sights that they get called out to.
Without a doubt Dead Watch would make a great series on the television. I loved the banter and relationship between the characters and they all brought something into the story.
A moment of idiocy brings a whole lot of trouble to the Red Watch door. I think it’s hard to say what anyone of us would have done if we were faced in the same position. Not only do they need to watch out for themselves in their job, but they need to work together like never before outside of Red Watch also.
Dead Watch is an engrossing and thrilling read. It has a great cast of characters of which it is really hard to choose a favourite. Packed full of suspense of what was going to happen next, I really did struggle to put it down. Look forward to more books by the author.
April 7, 2018
Chicago Fire is one of my favourite TV shows and so I was very excited about the premise to Dead Watch when I first read the blurb. I’ve never read a book centred around a group of firefighters before and, with Steve Liszka being one himself, the book is very authentic throughout and whilst the in-depth descriptions of firefighting could potentially put some people off, I was very intrigued and loved just how much detail Steve put into the story.
Without giving too much away, we have a team of Brighton firefighters who head off to another shout only to find a dead man inside a car with half a million pounds on the seat next to him. The crew take the money, oblivious to the danger they will soon find themselves facing thanks to this split-second decision. I recently read a book that featured a character finding a bag of money inside a vehicle and taking it and the story here was executed so much better than the one in that story. Whilst you’d never expect a team of firefighters to steal something from a scene like this, for the purposes of fictional storytelling I could overlook that and a believable case was made by Steve for the actions of his characters as we meet each of them and discover more about their lives.
The cast of characters here is what really shines through in this book. Each of them are so well-drawn with individual personalities and stories to tell. I truly enjoyed reading about each and every one of them. The camaraderie amongst them is fantastic to read, but that’s not to say that there isn’t animosity amongst them at times. Particularly from those who don’t agree with the rest of the team stealing money from a dead man. I would love to go into detail about my favourite characters however this is a story where you should just discover them for yourselves. There’s a real drama here amongst the characters and whilst the story itself is at times sensationalised, the characters are all believable and I had no trouble seeing them as real people. There’s plenty of humour laced throughout this story and I had a lot of fun reading it.
I enjoyed as well how the story was told. Rather than the conventional numbered chapters, each chapter is titled with something that relates to the scenes within that chapter and I felt that worked really well. The storytelling is strong and the plot here was executed brilliantly. Whilst you might envy someone for suddenly having thousands of pounds in their pockets, it soon becomes clear that this money is tainted and I couldn’t read quick enough to see how the team were going to make amends for what they had done, and how they were going to get themselves out of the situation they had found themselves in. Some unsavoury characters make this story an at times tense and unpredictable read. The ending particularly was a highlight for me and I loved how everything came together in the closing pages.
Steve Liszka is definitely an author I will be looking out for in the future. I enjoyed reading his note at the end of the book, I have a fondness for those books that received dozens of rejections only for someone to finally come along and take a chance on them and I am glad Bloodhound books did that for Steve as Dead Watch is a fantastic thriller and features a cast that are different and stand out in a crowded genre. I could easily see this book working as a TV show. I will be eagerly awaiting Steve’s next book.
Without giving too much away, we have a team of Brighton firefighters who head off to another shout only to find a dead man inside a car with half a million pounds on the seat next to him. The crew take the money, oblivious to the danger they will soon find themselves facing thanks to this split-second decision. I recently read a book that featured a character finding a bag of money inside a vehicle and taking it and the story here was executed so much better than the one in that story. Whilst you’d never expect a team of firefighters to steal something from a scene like this, for the purposes of fictional storytelling I could overlook that and a believable case was made by Steve for the actions of his characters as we meet each of them and discover more about their lives.
The cast of characters here is what really shines through in this book. Each of them are so well-drawn with individual personalities and stories to tell. I truly enjoyed reading about each and every one of them. The camaraderie amongst them is fantastic to read, but that’s not to say that there isn’t animosity amongst them at times. Particularly from those who don’t agree with the rest of the team stealing money from a dead man. I would love to go into detail about my favourite characters however this is a story where you should just discover them for yourselves. There’s a real drama here amongst the characters and whilst the story itself is at times sensationalised, the characters are all believable and I had no trouble seeing them as real people. There’s plenty of humour laced throughout this story and I had a lot of fun reading it.
I enjoyed as well how the story was told. Rather than the conventional numbered chapters, each chapter is titled with something that relates to the scenes within that chapter and I felt that worked really well. The storytelling is strong and the plot here was executed brilliantly. Whilst you might envy someone for suddenly having thousands of pounds in their pockets, it soon becomes clear that this money is tainted and I couldn’t read quick enough to see how the team were going to make amends for what they had done, and how they were going to get themselves out of the situation they had found themselves in. Some unsavoury characters make this story an at times tense and unpredictable read. The ending particularly was a highlight for me and I loved how everything came together in the closing pages.
Steve Liszka is definitely an author I will be looking out for in the future. I enjoyed reading his note at the end of the book, I have a fondness for those books that received dozens of rejections only for someone to finally come along and take a chance on them and I am glad Bloodhound books did that for Steve as Dead Watch is a fantastic thriller and features a cast that are different and stand out in a crowded genre. I could easily see this book working as a TV show. I will be eagerly awaiting Steve’s next book.
March 28, 2018
I love a story that takes a different path than the norm’ and that is what Steve Liszka has done with his book. This is a story about Red Watch, who make up one of the shifts of firefighters in East Brighton, or Dead Watch a nick name they acquired by being the watch that seemed to attend the highest number of fatalities. They are a mixed bunch from a wide spectrum of backgrounds that have a real wicked sense of on the cuff humour. They are the good guys right?
But one night a few of them have the chance to grab a life changing opportunity, when they are first on the scene at a fatal road traffic accident. A snap decision moves them from heroes to wanted men and woman by a bloke that you just don’t cross. It’s not like they can go to the police, not unless they all want jail time themselves.
This was tense, very tense, whoa these guys were going down that never-ending spiral of up to your neck in it, faster than a fireman’s pole! and boy I really didn’t like the mystery man when he turned up, even on paper, in real life I would have been bricking it!
Now one thing that really shines through the story is how these firefighters have each others backs. I suppose that the situations that they face each day make it second nature. Some of them may be darn right angry at their fellow workers stupidity but they are a team. This is another of those books that I find myself cringing and giving advice out to the characters, all to no avail!
This is a super story with a real different edge to it. Love how the author has used his own personal work experience, just the firefighting side of course, to centre the story on. It all works a treat!
But one night a few of them have the chance to grab a life changing opportunity, when they are first on the scene at a fatal road traffic accident. A snap decision moves them from heroes to wanted men and woman by a bloke that you just don’t cross. It’s not like they can go to the police, not unless they all want jail time themselves.
This was tense, very tense, whoa these guys were going down that never-ending spiral of up to your neck in it, faster than a fireman’s pole! and boy I really didn’t like the mystery man when he turned up, even on paper, in real life I would have been bricking it!
Now one thing that really shines through the story is how these firefighters have each others backs. I suppose that the situations that they face each day make it second nature. Some of them may be darn right angry at their fellow workers stupidity but they are a team. This is another of those books that I find myself cringing and giving advice out to the characters, all to no avail!
This is a super story with a real different edge to it. Love how the author has used his own personal work experience, just the firefighting side of course, to centre the story on. It all works a treat!
March 13, 2018
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As soon as I read the blurb for this book (the title wasn't confirmed until a few weeks later) I was intrigued, and then when I saw that cover I knew it was one I had to read - the cover is absolutely perfect for a book that has firefighters at the centre of it!!
It is quite clear from reading the story that the author knows his subject very well and I think that really helps with the descriptions of the fires, backdrafts, etc. and how the Watch would operate together when they are on call outs, even own to how they would deal with an RTC, it is done in a very good way where it explained to you as a reader for you to get even more out of the book and I loved the fact I was learning as I read without it being rubbed in my face.
There are quite a few characters on the Red Watch team which could have made it confusing but the book is very good at telling the story from their different points of view without making it confusing at all and it is definitely a great way for the story to be told. It all helped add to the sense of camaraderie and teamwork.
I loved the pace for the story and it really did hook me in and I read it in a few hours. Will definitely be looking out for more books from this author in the future and I wouldn't mind reading more about Red (or Dead) Watch if he gets the urge!
A solid four stars from me, a really enjoyable read!!
As soon as I read the blurb for this book (the title wasn't confirmed until a few weeks later) I was intrigued, and then when I saw that cover I knew it was one I had to read - the cover is absolutely perfect for a book that has firefighters at the centre of it!!
It is quite clear from reading the story that the author knows his subject very well and I think that really helps with the descriptions of the fires, backdrafts, etc. and how the Watch would operate together when they are on call outs, even own to how they would deal with an RTC, it is done in a very good way where it explained to you as a reader for you to get even more out of the book and I loved the fact I was learning as I read without it being rubbed in my face.
There are quite a few characters on the Red Watch team which could have made it confusing but the book is very good at telling the story from their different points of view without making it confusing at all and it is definitely a great way for the story to be told. It all helped add to the sense of camaraderie and teamwork.
I loved the pace for the story and it really did hook me in and I read it in a few hours. Will definitely be looking out for more books from this author in the future and I wouldn't mind reading more about Red (or Dead) Watch if he gets the urge!
A solid four stars from me, a really enjoyable read!!
March 16, 2018
I was hooked by the blurb of this book. as it was different. The firefighter aspect intrigued me.. The character descriptions of the firefighting team were so good that you felt you knew them. As for the plot, it made for a a gripping, tense read. The firefighting team of Red Watch in Brighton have a dangerous enough job but their lives have now become even more dangerous . The camaraderie, of the team is very humorous, but also very strong. The knowledge of firefighting by the author is evident and also interesting. A heart pounding read !
March 29, 2018
Dead Watch fascinated me by the blub, I settled down to read, and am so pleased I did.
We are given a sense of realism with the factual information that was given, but not too steeped that you felt you were taken away from the plot.
The author cleverly devised chapters that were peppered throughout the book so you got a closer look to get to know the characters and their backgrounds.
Getting a glimpse of the Firemen’s lives away from the station, the situation they were in and why they possibly made the wrong choice for the right reasons.
There was a sense of family and the camaraderie showed. Even when they didn’t agree with each other, you knew they were a team and had each other’s backs.
Dead Watch is a well-paced story, which has great momentum and a sense of dread to those, involved in a moment of thoughtless action.
This was a suspenseful read and gave us an element of what is already a dangerous job an added dimension.
We are given a sense of realism with the factual information that was given, but not too steeped that you felt you were taken away from the plot.
The author cleverly devised chapters that were peppered throughout the book so you got a closer look to get to know the characters and their backgrounds.
Getting a glimpse of the Firemen’s lives away from the station, the situation they were in and why they possibly made the wrong choice for the right reasons.
There was a sense of family and the camaraderie showed. Even when they didn’t agree with each other, you knew they were a team and had each other’s backs.
Dead Watch is a well-paced story, which has great momentum and a sense of dread to those, involved in a moment of thoughtless action.
This was a suspenseful read and gave us an element of what is already a dangerous job an added dimension.
March 28, 2018
This book is completely different from any book I have read recently and I loved it.
Instead of being based around the police this book follows a team of Firefighters who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time due to a stupid decision they made.
One of the things that made this book different is that the firefighters all come from different backgrounds and there is nothing linking them all expect for their jobs, leading to them all thinking differently about stuff and the way they react to the situation they get themselves into.
The book is extremely tense and nerve-wracking, more so because they are not trained police officers so their reaction is similar to what I would assume a non police officer’s reaction would be.
The book is a brilliant read, which I thoroughly enjoyed and will be looking into reading more of Steve’s in future.
Instead of being based around the police this book follows a team of Firefighters who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time due to a stupid decision they made.
One of the things that made this book different is that the firefighters all come from different backgrounds and there is nothing linking them all expect for their jobs, leading to them all thinking differently about stuff and the way they react to the situation they get themselves into.
The book is extremely tense and nerve-wracking, more so because they are not trained police officers so their reaction is similar to what I would assume a non police officer’s reaction would be.
The book is a brilliant read, which I thoroughly enjoyed and will be looking into reading more of Steve’s in future.
June 22, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had plenty of twists and turns that kept me gripped throughout and I loved the insider knowledge about the fire service. The characters really stood out: they were well drawn, very believable and the dialogue between them was excellent. I'm looking forward to reading more by Steve Liszka.
May 23, 2018
Dead watch is the author’s debut novel and what a debut is it. In this story we follow a team of firefighters, What a refreshing change this book is. I know a few firefighters myself and to be quite honest I have never really thought about how hard core their job actually is until I read this. This story is a proper eye opener.
The author does a brilliant job of getting inside your head with some pulse racing scenes I don't think I could do this has a job. But the author really brings the whole story and characters to life using his own experience as a firefighter.
There is quite a mixture of characters to keep up with in this story which I didn't have a problem with because they make the story. I did enjoy all the banter between the characters, they certainly jumped out the pages at me.
The authors writing style is fast paced and easy to read. For me this is one very unique story that is full of suspense that will have you gripped from start to finish, which I highly recommend giving it 4 stars
The author does a brilliant job of getting inside your head with some pulse racing scenes I don't think I could do this has a job. But the author really brings the whole story and characters to life using his own experience as a firefighter.
There is quite a mixture of characters to keep up with in this story which I didn't have a problem with because they make the story. I did enjoy all the banter between the characters, they certainly jumped out the pages at me.
The authors writing style is fast paced and easy to read. For me this is one very unique story that is full of suspense that will have you gripped from start to finish, which I highly recommend giving it 4 stars
March 31, 2018
One hot read! Loved the characters, such an original story, a breath of fresh air (no BA needed ) .
March 28, 2018
A really suspenseful plot, with interesting characters, this is a book that will entertain you.
The author has, obviously, done his research, as the setting feels realistic, and the characters are fully developed. The writing is very good and the story flows easily and with grace.
A recommended story for lovers of a good thriller.
The author has, obviously, done his research, as the setting feels realistic, and the characters are fully developed. The writing is very good and the story flows easily and with grace.
A recommended story for lovers of a good thriller.
March 28, 2018
This book had me engaged from the first page to the last.
A great storyline with realistic characters, I honestly found it hard to put down.
If you are looking for a thriller full of suspense, I highly recommend this firefighters tale.
A great storyline with realistic characters, I honestly found it hard to put down.
If you are looking for a thriller full of suspense, I highly recommend this firefighters tale.
March 27, 2018
A thrilling read with a gripping plot. I was drawn to this book because my dad was a fire fighter, the characters are well established and it really felt authentic to a fire station team, but with the added chase and suspense!
March 27, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable read! Good depth in characters and unique concept for the plot, tied together nicely for a tense and gripping experience. As a firefighter the humor and camaraderie between the characters really resonates.
March 27, 2018
A fantastic read, with an exciting plot by a very talented author! Loved the Fire Brigade theme, I would highly recommend this book!
March 10, 2018
Liszka takes us into the gripping world of the fire services and serves up a treat of a premise that sets the pulses racing, literally from the first page. I could barely put the book down. Another promising author from the stables of Bloodhound Books. This book doesn’t just offer a great story arc, it poses many questions - often moral ones - to the reader. I could see this story playing out on the big screen and highly recommend this to anyone looking for their next thriller.
March 30, 2018
A group of firefighters stumble across a dead man in car along with a pile of money. They assume that the driver is dead, it’s not going to make a difference if they take it but they were wrong.
I am always on the lookout for a different kind of thriller and I have to be honest I’ve never read one with firefighters as the main protagonists before! The story follows the Red Watch, Jo, Wesley, Jimmy, Bodhi, Harrison, Dylan and Lenny. I have a little soft spot for Wesley, at the beginning he’s not well liked and not all that commanding, even though he’s meant to be the boss, but as it goes along he becomes more of the leader that the group needs.
I found the book vivid, gritty and the characters really realistic. I enjoyed the sense of camaraderie and that dark sense of humour that comes across between the characters. There’s also some great action, some of which I found a little terrifying as anything being on fire scares the living daylights out of me.
But, whilst I appreciate the attention to detail that the author puts into the book, he is a real life firefighter after all, I felt that at times the details distracted me from the story and lessened the tension a bit. Also there were quite a few characters to keep track of and I have to be honest the only reason I remembered all of their names is because I wrote them down.
Overall a realistic story and perfect if you’re looking for something a bit different in a thriller.
I am always on the lookout for a different kind of thriller and I have to be honest I’ve never read one with firefighters as the main protagonists before! The story follows the Red Watch, Jo, Wesley, Jimmy, Bodhi, Harrison, Dylan and Lenny. I have a little soft spot for Wesley, at the beginning he’s not well liked and not all that commanding, even though he’s meant to be the boss, but as it goes along he becomes more of the leader that the group needs.
I found the book vivid, gritty and the characters really realistic. I enjoyed the sense of camaraderie and that dark sense of humour that comes across between the characters. There’s also some great action, some of which I found a little terrifying as anything being on fire scares the living daylights out of me.
But, whilst I appreciate the attention to detail that the author puts into the book, he is a real life firefighter after all, I felt that at times the details distracted me from the story and lessened the tension a bit. Also there were quite a few characters to keep track of and I have to be honest the only reason I remembered all of their names is because I wrote them down.
Overall a realistic story and perfect if you’re looking for something a bit different in a thriller.
April 16, 2023
I've never read a fire-service thriller before and i dont know why - Dead Watch was a nail biting edge-of-your-seat read that kept me up all night. Red Watch team of firefighters are a close knit bunch, though they have their fallings out and disputes too. The book opens as the team receive a phone call from someone they'd rather not hear from - the story of how they become embroiled with local gangster Mac follows, and you soon realise the crew could be in a whole heap of trouble.
The author has been a firefighter for years and his passion for the job as well as the black humour needed to keep going are so true to life
I have recommended this to everyone i know -try and get a copy!
The author has been a firefighter for years and his passion for the job as well as the black humour needed to keep going are so true to life
I have recommended this to everyone i know -try and get a copy!
March 25, 2018
I am grateful once again to Bloodhound Books for sending me an ARC of this book. Bloodhound have a knack of spotting promising writers and offering them a platform for their work, and I am rarely disappointed. However, Dead Watch failed to grab my attention, both from the point of view of plot and the quality of the writing. Steve Liszka has clearly spent a long time working as a fireman and has a wealth of tales to tell, but his need to spell out in great detail what the job consists of detracts from the story telling, and the central premise of this book lacks credibility.
April 5, 2018
I didn't think I was going to like it but a couple of pages into the book it hit me and I couldn't put it down. A bit different from the books I generally read. The book describes a group of firefighters their interaction with each other and some of their personal lives. Due to a spur of the moment decision the whole group ends up in situations beyond their control. The book is hard to stop reading because you want to know how they going to resolve the awful situation they got themselves into.
Easy to make a wrong decision but the cost can be high.
Easy to make a wrong decision but the cost can be high.
September 11, 2019
Good thriller and something different
I really enjoyed this book. It rattled along nicely and the Fire Service theme was a nice change and was very true to life.
I really enjoyed this book. It rattled along nicely and the Fire Service theme was a nice change and was very true to life.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews