What do you think?
Rate this book
Dez Limerick #1
The Gatekeeper
James Byrne's The Gatekeeper introduces Dez Limerick in the most anticipated new thriller in years.
A highly trained team of mercenaries launches a well-planned, coordinated attack on a well-guarded military contractor - but they didn't count on one thing, the right man being in the wrong place at the right time.
Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“Dez” to all) is a retired mercenary, and enthusiastic amateur musician, currently in Southern California, enjoying the sun and sitting in on the occasional gig, when the hotel he's at falls under attack. A skilled team attempts to kidnap the Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a major military contractor – in fact, Petra Alexandris is the daughter of the CEO – but their meticulously-planned, seamlessly executed scheme runs into the figurative 'spanner-in-the-works,' Dez himself.
After foiling the attack, and with nothing better to do, Dez agrees to help Alexandris with another problem she’s having – someone has embezzled more than a billion dollars from her company and left very few tracks behind. But Dez is a gatekeeper – one who opens doors and keeps them open – and this is just a door of another kind. And the door he opens leads to a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation, militias, an armed coup, and an attempt to fracture the United States themselves. There’s only one obstacle between the conspirators and success – and that is Dez, The Gatekeeper.
A highly trained team of mercenaries launches a well-planned, coordinated attack on a well-guarded military contractor - but they didn't count on one thing, the right man being in the wrong place at the right time.
Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“Dez” to all) is a retired mercenary, and enthusiastic amateur musician, currently in Southern California, enjoying the sun and sitting in on the occasional gig, when the hotel he's at falls under attack. A skilled team attempts to kidnap the Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a major military contractor – in fact, Petra Alexandris is the daughter of the CEO – but their meticulously-planned, seamlessly executed scheme runs into the figurative 'spanner-in-the-works,' Dez himself.
After foiling the attack, and with nothing better to do, Dez agrees to help Alexandris with another problem she’s having – someone has embezzled more than a billion dollars from her company and left very few tracks behind. But Dez is a gatekeeper – one who opens doors and keeps them open – and this is just a door of another kind. And the door he opens leads to a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation, militias, an armed coup, and an attempt to fracture the United States themselves. There’s only one obstacle between the conspirators and success – and that is Dez, The Gatekeeper.
Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
532 people are currently reading
14965 people want to read
About the author
James Byrne
4 books311 followersJAMES BYRNE is the pseudonym for an author who has worked for more than twenty years as a journalist and in politics. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he lives in Portland, Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 573 reviews
Read
November 12, 2023A bookseller friend in Houston recommended this series to me, and now I see why. It's a rock 'em sock 'em thriller perfect for fans of Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert B. Parker's Spenser, or similar series. The tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold POV is not for everyone, but I like it, and the protagonist here, Dez Limerick, is a welcome 21st-century refresh on that type of hero. He is a recently retired 'gatekeeper,' someone whose job is to break in and break out of anywhere, and to control the entrance/exit as long as the rest of his black ops team needs to do their job. Dez has a tattoo of Janus, the god of doorways, on his arm. As a Roman mythology buff, I appreciated that! In this adventure, Dez has to come out of retirement when he falls into an international conspiracy quite by accident (naturally!) and has to bust some heads that are very much in need of busting. I looked up the author's profile page, expecting to see the usual glowering photo of a serious-looking thriller writer, only to find that James Byrne is a pseudonym and his author portrait is a cute cat. Bonus points for Mr. Byrne! I am diving into the second book, Dead Lock, now. If you like a good thriller with wisecracking dialogue, plenty of beat-downs, and a hero with a code of honor but a narrative that doesn't take itself too serious, this might be for you!
March 8, 2022
Over the top fun!
3.5 stars
The Gatekeeper is an action-packed thriller about a former mercenary who can open doors, literally and figuratively, that are closed to others.
The plot is far-fetched and convoluted. I am not even going to bother to attempt to summarize.
What this book has going for it is the main character, Dez Limerick. Dez is a great deal of fun, quick-witted, intelligent, and charming. He can also kill someone with his bare hands in seconds. He is intriguing, and I wanted to know more about him, as little information about his backstory is shared.
I downloaded a widget of this book due to its comparison to The Orphan X series. The two series have some commonalities, but the difference is that The Orphan X series and Evan Smoake are more restrained.
This is a fast-paced, easy read with non-stop action. The plot is chaotic and goes off the rails, which forced me to turn off my brain, or I wouldn’t have been able to finish it. However, Dez’s character kept me turning the pages, and I will read the next book with the hopes of gaining more insight into his past.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
The Gatekeeper is an action-packed thriller about a former mercenary who can open doors, literally and figuratively, that are closed to others.
The plot is far-fetched and convoluted. I am not even going to bother to attempt to summarize.
What this book has going for it is the main character, Dez Limerick. Dez is a great deal of fun, quick-witted, intelligent, and charming. He can also kill someone with his bare hands in seconds. He is intriguing, and I wanted to know more about him, as little information about his backstory is shared.
I downloaded a widget of this book due to its comparison to The Orphan X series. The two series have some commonalities, but the difference is that The Orphan X series and Evan Smoake are more restrained.
This is a fast-paced, easy read with non-stop action. The plot is chaotic and goes off the rails, which forced me to turn off my brain, or I wouldn’t have been able to finish it. However, Dez’s character kept me turning the pages, and I will read the next book with the hopes of gaining more insight into his past.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
Byrne’s The Gatekeeper starts off as s fast-paced action thriller, but the rest of the story doesn’t stand up to the initial scenes. It features Irish-Scottish action hero Dez, who can take on half a dozen armed operatives and win and knows how to master any surveillance system in seconds and win the heart of any woman he meets. He has a network of connections, but the reader never gets much of an explanation of who he is or what his backstory is let alone what a “gatekeeper” is. The story then sort of falls off the rails when the author tries to paint Orange County, California, as filled with redneck racist bars and military members stationed there as all being tied in with White Supremacists. In fact, the storyline then has half the military assisting White Supremacists in a breakaway republic with Russian collusion. Few characters, if any, have any depth and the story fizzles out into nothing interesting.
June 27, 2022
I found this to be a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the introduction to Dez Limerick and found him to be very entertaining. I really enjoyed him as a character and am looking forward to reading more of his adventures in the future.
This is a very action packed book with a lot of fight scenes. This is not my favorite part, but I do think it is mostly well done. There is some witty banter, which I always love. Our MC, Dez, has the tendency to confuse people with what seems to be random conversation. The reactions to this from other characters are almost as interesting as the randomness is. There were a few intentionally humorous parts where I found myself laughing.
Some people may find this book to be too political. It involves politicians and a lot of concepts such as white supremacy and the LGBTQ community among others that can be sensitive to some people. It is quite clear where our hero stands in relation to these topics. So, if you like a book that is free from these types of subject or politics in general, then you should likely avoid this one.
I love that the smartest person in the book is a very self-assured woman. I thought she was a fabulous character. She and Dez had some interesting chemistry and I hope to see her in future installments. I'd also love to see her domestic assistant again. He was a really cool character too.
Overall, I thought this was a great first installment to the series. There were a couple of minor consistency issues, but nothing too distracting. I hope the series doesn't take itself too seriously or try to get bigger/badder bad guys every installment because I think it could get over the top very quickly. I thought this was a great combination of action, mystery, interesting characters, witty banter, and humor. I love the concept of the gatekeeper.
I listened to the audio narrated by John Keating. I did not initially love his narration, but it grew on me, particularly after certain things in the story revealed some reasoning behind his vocal choices. In the end, he became the voice of Dez and I hope he continues to narrate the series. I think he did a wonderful job and would enjoy listening to him narrate the next book.
3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a very action packed book with a lot of fight scenes. This is not my favorite part, but I do think it is mostly well done. There is some witty banter, which I always love. Our MC, Dez, has the tendency to confuse people with what seems to be random conversation. The reactions to this from other characters are almost as interesting as the randomness is. There were a few intentionally humorous parts where I found myself laughing.
Some people may find this book to be too political. It involves politicians and a lot of concepts such as white supremacy and the LGBTQ community among others that can be sensitive to some people. It is quite clear where our hero stands in relation to these topics. So, if you like a book that is free from these types of subject or politics in general, then you should likely avoid this one.
I love that the smartest person in the book is a very self-assured woman. I thought she was a fabulous character. She and Dez had some interesting chemistry and I hope to see her in future installments. I'd also love to see her domestic assistant again. He was a really cool character too.
Overall, I thought this was a great first installment to the series. There were a couple of minor consistency issues, but nothing too distracting. I hope the series doesn't take itself too seriously or try to get bigger/badder bad guys every installment because I think it could get over the top very quickly. I thought this was a great combination of action, mystery, interesting characters, witty banter, and humor. I love the concept of the gatekeeper.
I listened to the audio narrated by John Keating. I did not initially love his narration, but it grew on me, particularly after certain things in the story revealed some reasoning behind his vocal choices. In the end, he became the voice of Dez and I hope he continues to narrate the series. I think he did a wonderful job and would enjoy listening to him narrate the next book.
3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 16, 2024
Catching up…
This is a fast-paced thriller about a former mercenary named Dez, also known as the Gatekeeper (hence: the title of the book).
The question becomes…What happens when Dez decides to save a woman from would-be kidnappers?
Short chapters. Political intrigue.
But…Stereotypical characters and far-fetched plot.
Trigger warnings: references to sex, sexual assault, violence and suicide.
If you don’t mind action-hero type mystery story antics, you might like this one.
But...Not for me.
This is a fast-paced thriller about a former mercenary named Dez, also known as the Gatekeeper (hence: the title of the book).
The question becomes…What happens when Dez decides to save a woman from would-be kidnappers?
Short chapters. Political intrigue.
But…Stereotypical characters and far-fetched plot.
Trigger warnings: references to sex, sexual assault, violence and suicide.
If you don’t mind action-hero type mystery story antics, you might like this one.
But...Not for me.
August 21, 2022
This was a fun and action filled audiobook!
This felt like a mixture of genres- action, humour, thriller and sci-fi!
It really reminded me of Jack Reacher, although this book felt rather far-fetched at times. If the listeners suspend belief a little, this is an enjoyable audiobook narrated well.
If there is a further book, I will definitely look it up! Fans of Reacher or Harry Bosch will lap it up.
This felt like a mixture of genres- action, humour, thriller and sci-fi!
It really reminded me of Jack Reacher, although this book felt rather far-fetched at times. If the listeners suspend belief a little, this is an enjoyable audiobook narrated well.
If there is a further book, I will definitely look it up! Fans of Reacher or Harry Bosch will lap it up.
June 12, 2022
Desmond Aloysius Limerick aka Dez. Remember that name as it's destined to reside up there on the favorite book heroes shelf alongside Jack Reacher, Orphan X, Jason Bourne and a slew of other larger than life heroes. Readers are introduced to Dez when The Gatekeeper opens as Dez and his shady associates have infiltrated a mansion while on a should have been simple mission that's gone awry. Even as the situation deteriorates into a life or death situation, Dez keeps cool, calm and collected and does what he does best - controls the gate. He's a gatekeeper, controlling who comes in and who goes out using whatever devious, underhanded means necessary. Settle in, readers, as you're about to be entertained by three hundred and sixty six pages of incendiary action and just enough witty banter to keep things from melting down like a nuclear reactor.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into The Gatekeeper, but one thing's crystal clear - the driving force that keeps the wheels turning and the pages literally burning from explosive action is main character Dez. You wouldn't guess him to be such a force of nature from his less than stellar physique of five foot eight inches with bowed legs, but Dez is built like an army tank with massive arms, legs and hands with all guns loaded. He reminds me a bit of Jack Reacher in that he's a loner and extremely laid back, even nonchalant, until someone or something riles him, and then he's explosive. He takes down gangs of men with his hands cuffed behind his back, dusts off his clothes and walks away. Yes, Dez is a super hero, but one with a shadowy past. Readers aren't allow to learn much about Dez's illusive background other than he's a retired mercenary now passing his time playing music in California. Eventually, the mystery surrounding Dez becomes part of his charm as his wit shines through in the darkest of situations and as he side steps direct questions about himself. I wasn't sure how I felt about him in the beginning, but the balance Byrne is able to strike in creating this character is nothing short of ingenious. Dez is powerful, no doubt, but also witty, charming, polite, intelligent and highly skilled in an array of both above and below board professions. Dez is the type of hero you'll cheer on while pouring another cold one. He's cool, calm and collected under intense, life and death pressure and a saver of damsels in distress. Make no bones about it, Dez is the controlling and driving force - the gatekeeper - of this book.
That's not to say there's not an over the top, high action plot line driving this story forward at a breakneck speed because there is. Dez thwarts a kidnapping attempt against Petra Alexandris, then allows the woman to coax and charm him into working with her to find out who is pilfering money from the family business. The plot thickens to eventually include white supremacists, Russian takeovers, conspiracy, a volatile political climate and more fight scenes than I can count. Too much? Not when orchestrated by Dez.
Brilliantly written, I'm certain The Gatekeeper is destined to be book number one of many more featuring original character Dez. He's hard to explain, but all in all, Dez is the hero you'll remember long after you finish reading the book. He's the one you'll recall over and over again in comparison to other heroes. One thing's for sure . . . Dez is not your normal action thriller hero. He's the cool-headed driver leading the pack to the finish line of the Indy 500. The Gatekeeper is a taut, high-speed, convoluted thriller with a hero who refuses to take No for an answer. Fans of high action thrillers are going to love this one! Highly recommended!
*Special thanks to Minotaur Books for an arc.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
I wasn't sure what to expect going into The Gatekeeper, but one thing's crystal clear - the driving force that keeps the wheels turning and the pages literally burning from explosive action is main character Dez. You wouldn't guess him to be such a force of nature from his less than stellar physique of five foot eight inches with bowed legs, but Dez is built like an army tank with massive arms, legs and hands with all guns loaded. He reminds me a bit of Jack Reacher in that he's a loner and extremely laid back, even nonchalant, until someone or something riles him, and then he's explosive. He takes down gangs of men with his hands cuffed behind his back, dusts off his clothes and walks away. Yes, Dez is a super hero, but one with a shadowy past. Readers aren't allow to learn much about Dez's illusive background other than he's a retired mercenary now passing his time playing music in California. Eventually, the mystery surrounding Dez becomes part of his charm as his wit shines through in the darkest of situations and as he side steps direct questions about himself. I wasn't sure how I felt about him in the beginning, but the balance Byrne is able to strike in creating this character is nothing short of ingenious. Dez is powerful, no doubt, but also witty, charming, polite, intelligent and highly skilled in an array of both above and below board professions. Dez is the type of hero you'll cheer on while pouring another cold one. He's cool, calm and collected under intense, life and death pressure and a saver of damsels in distress. Make no bones about it, Dez is the controlling and driving force - the gatekeeper - of this book.
That's not to say there's not an over the top, high action plot line driving this story forward at a breakneck speed because there is. Dez thwarts a kidnapping attempt against Petra Alexandris, then allows the woman to coax and charm him into working with her to find out who is pilfering money from the family business. The plot thickens to eventually include white supremacists, Russian takeovers, conspiracy, a volatile political climate and more fight scenes than I can count. Too much? Not when orchestrated by Dez.
Brilliantly written, I'm certain The Gatekeeper is destined to be book number one of many more featuring original character Dez. He's hard to explain, but all in all, Dez is the hero you'll remember long after you finish reading the book. He's the one you'll recall over and over again in comparison to other heroes. One thing's for sure . . . Dez is not your normal action thriller hero. He's the cool-headed driver leading the pack to the finish line of the Indy 500. The Gatekeeper is a taut, high-speed, convoluted thriller with a hero who refuses to take No for an answer. Fans of high action thrillers are going to love this one! Highly recommended!
*Special thanks to Minotaur Books for an arc.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
December 27, 2021
If you are looking for a fun read, look no further than The Gatekeeper by James Byrne. Dez Limerick is a part-time musician, who in a previous life was a mercenary. He was known as a "gatekeeper", someone who could open any door and keep it open. Fairly vague but it appears he can do almost anything: explosives, hacking, killing, shredding on the guitar, a literal jack-of-all -trades.
The story is well thought out and moves quickly but, make no mistake, Dez Limerick is what makes The Gatekeeper great. If there is a character like him in the thriller realm, I haven't met them. He is wholly unique. He's unnaturally calm, bordering on nonchalant. Almost toys with his enemies then leaves them in a heap on the ground. If Byrne keeps this up Dez could very easily become one of my favorite characters and I don't think I'll be alone.
My sincere thanks to James Byrne, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing The Gatekeeper.
The story is well thought out and moves quickly but, make no mistake, Dez Limerick is what makes The Gatekeeper great. If there is a character like him in the thriller realm, I haven't met them. He is wholly unique. He's unnaturally calm, bordering on nonchalant. Almost toys with his enemies then leaves them in a heap on the ground. If Byrne keeps this up Dez could very easily become one of my favorite characters and I don't think I'll be alone.
My sincere thanks to James Byrne, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing The Gatekeeper.
June 12, 2022
*4+ stars! A great new character joins the thriller genre! Desmond Aloysius Limerick is the eponymous gatekeeper which he says is 'one who can open any door, keep it open, and control who goes through and who doesn't. This time around he's the one who's about to break through.'
Dez is just 5 foot eight, bow-legged, but built like a tank with a massive chest and hands the size of catchers' mitts. He has a British accent but no one can quite pin him down to say exactly where he's from. He's newly retired from some sort of military and/or intelligence work and spending time in California playing bass guitar with various bands. His current gig comes with a room comp at the Hotel Tremaine in Los Angeles. He is getting on the elevator to go to his room when a beautiful woman and her bodyguard step on. He tries to flirt with her but she politely says no as she gets off the elevator on the floor below his but gives him a lovely smile as she leaves.
Later from the window in his room, he spots a sniper on the roof across the way and sees a van with four more armed men pulling up to the hotel. He notes the phones and fire alarm have been taken out. There's no earthly reason for Dez to get involved in what's going down but that lovely woman smiled at him as she got off the elevator so...
Exciting action from start to finish with a plot that's totally believable in today's crazy political climate. Dez is really quite likable, often amusing and amazingly smart and efficient at getting the job done. I'm really looking forward to reading many more of his adventures to come.
I received both a digital arc via NetGalley and a paper arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks!
Dez is just 5 foot eight, bow-legged, but built like a tank with a massive chest and hands the size of catchers' mitts. He has a British accent but no one can quite pin him down to say exactly where he's from. He's newly retired from some sort of military and/or intelligence work and spending time in California playing bass guitar with various bands. His current gig comes with a room comp at the Hotel Tremaine in Los Angeles. He is getting on the elevator to go to his room when a beautiful woman and her bodyguard step on. He tries to flirt with her but she politely says no as she gets off the elevator on the floor below his but gives him a lovely smile as she leaves.
Later from the window in his room, he spots a sniper on the roof across the way and sees a van with four more armed men pulling up to the hotel. He notes the phones and fire alarm have been taken out. There's no earthly reason for Dez to get involved in what's going down but that lovely woman smiled at him as she got off the elevator so...
Exciting action from start to finish with a plot that's totally believable in today's crazy political climate. Dez is really quite likable, often amusing and amazingly smart and efficient at getting the job done. I'm really looking forward to reading many more of his adventures to come.
I received both a digital arc via NetGalley and a paper arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks!
May 20, 2023
This was another one of those scenarios where I came across the second installment first and wanted to read it, so I went back and started with the first installment. I’m weird like that. I don’t want to feel like I’m missing anything. I’m so glad I did too. I would have missed A LOT if I hadn’t started from the beginning.
The book summary basically lays out the first few chapters. However, what the book summary doesn’t mention is the prologue, where Dez, as a member of a 14person team of mercenaries, plans a synchronized attack/robbery on a secured location in Algiers. Dez gets the whole team out alive, after an explosive completion of the job they were hired for. Yeah, that’s how to grab a reader’s attention from the get-go!!! I LIKE DEZ!!! He makes me laugh, and as far as MC’s go, that makes him good people in my book.
Pretty early in the story, Petris, the Chief Legal Counsel for her father’s company, discovers a 1.3B discrepancy in the company’s accounting. Byrne reveals that the reason behind the attempted kidnapping of Petris is because she started looking into the discrepancy. Furthermore. it’s revealed that the 1.3B was most likely funneled to the group that was behind the attempted kidnapping, an ultra-right-wing, white supremacist, militia hate group from NoCA, that is planning to use the money, as well as the US military, to break-off from the state into a new state called the Jefferson state. Good grief!!! Not these wackos again!
To me, this part of the story is actually kind of believable. Although Byrne has made the antics and shenanigans of the wackos in this story far more amusing and entertaining than the real-life wackos here in CA. For those who don’t know this particular part of CA history, certain vocal minorities (mostly ultra-right-wing, white supremacist, militia hate groups) of Californians have been trying to break up CA for about as long as CA has been a state. Every few years (sometimes decades), some new attempt crops up and a bunch of skirmishes ensue, a bunch of petitions are signed, initiatives proposed, but to date, the courts as well as the Legislature have never allowed anything to get passed, even when CA was a much more conservative state. Yes, it really was, for more than a 100yrs, CA was a totally red state that has remained intact😊
Anyway, sorry, I digress. Thankfully, Byrne has represented the wackos in this story as bunch of morons, which makes for a lot of hilarious scenes between them and Dez who makes mincemeat of them. It’s around the 75% mark that Byrne gives us a major reveal around the true nature of the wackos. As a native who grew up learning about the history of wacko groups like this in CA, it wasn’t much of a stretch to see the twist coming, at least not for me. Byrne perfectly characterizes the wackos in this story, who are both the rich, greedy, and maniacal men at the top, calling the shots (or think they are) as well as the minions who serve them as “Polezni Durak”, in other words, Russian for “useful idiots”. Hmmm…..I think I’ve read that somewhere before. Maybe something to do with Putin and our former president – I don’t know - I just can’t quite remember. Sorry, my bad, I’m digressing again.
Anyway, the end comes pretty quick after that in Dez’s typical devious scheming and perfectly synchronized chaotic manner. Who would have thought that an attempted coup of the government could be so hilarious and entertaining😊 For the record, I say that in jest, for anyone who may be triggered by an act of an insurrection and an attack against democracy. There is a lead-in to the next installment that I am SOOO looking forward to!!! LOVE DEZ!!!
The book summary basically lays out the first few chapters. However, what the book summary doesn’t mention is the prologue, where Dez, as a member of a 14person team of mercenaries, plans a synchronized attack/robbery on a secured location in Algiers. Dez gets the whole team out alive, after an explosive completion of the job they were hired for. Yeah, that’s how to grab a reader’s attention from the get-go!!! I LIKE DEZ!!! He makes me laugh, and as far as MC’s go, that makes him good people in my book.
Pretty early in the story, Petris, the Chief Legal Counsel for her father’s company, discovers a 1.3B discrepancy in the company’s accounting. Byrne reveals that the reason behind the attempted kidnapping of Petris is because she started looking into the discrepancy. Furthermore. it’s revealed that the 1.3B was most likely funneled to the group that was behind the attempted kidnapping, an ultra-right-wing, white supremacist, militia hate group from NoCA, that is planning to use the money, as well as the US military, to break-off from the state into a new state called the Jefferson state. Good grief!!! Not these wackos again!
To me, this part of the story is actually kind of believable. Although Byrne has made the antics and shenanigans of the wackos in this story far more amusing and entertaining than the real-life wackos here in CA. For those who don’t know this particular part of CA history, certain vocal minorities (mostly ultra-right-wing, white supremacist, militia hate groups) of Californians have been trying to break up CA for about as long as CA has been a state. Every few years (sometimes decades), some new attempt crops up and a bunch of skirmishes ensue, a bunch of petitions are signed, initiatives proposed, but to date, the courts as well as the Legislature have never allowed anything to get passed, even when CA was a much more conservative state. Yes, it really was, for more than a 100yrs, CA was a totally red state that has remained intact😊
Anyway, sorry, I digress. Thankfully, Byrne has represented the wackos in this story as bunch of morons, which makes for a lot of hilarious scenes between them and Dez who makes mincemeat of them. It’s around the 75% mark that Byrne gives us a major reveal around the true nature of the wackos. As a native who grew up learning about the history of wacko groups like this in CA, it wasn’t much of a stretch to see the twist coming, at least not for me. Byrne perfectly characterizes the wackos in this story, who are both the rich, greedy, and maniacal men at the top, calling the shots (or think they are) as well as the minions who serve them as “Polezni Durak”, in other words, Russian for “useful idiots”. Hmmm…..I think I’ve read that somewhere before. Maybe something to do with Putin and our former president – I don’t know - I just can’t quite remember. Sorry, my bad, I’m digressing again.
Anyway, the end comes pretty quick after that in Dez’s typical devious scheming and perfectly synchronized chaotic manner. Who would have thought that an attempted coup of the government could be so hilarious and entertaining😊 For the record, I say that in jest, for anyone who may be triggered by an act of an insurrection and an attack against democracy. There is a lead-in to the next installment that I am SOOO looking forward to!!! LOVE DEZ!!!
dreaded-dnf
June 1, 2022Returned audio to NetGalley, which is a crying shame, because I was immensely enjoying this audiobook. The narrator is fantastic! Unfortunately, the audio keeps randomly stopping and I have to get out of the NetGalley Shelf app and go back in for it to restart, sometimes I had to do that 2 or 3 times. I will most likely buy this upon its release because I made it halfway through and now I need to know what happens next.
DNF even though I didn't want to. No rating or review.
DNF even though I didn't want to. No rating or review.
![Profile Image for Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1712357414i%2F6658001._UY200_CR4%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 21, 2024
3-Stars - "I Liked It - it was Fun Fiction!"
As my Listening Activity shows, this was an audiobook quite suited to the several days of bed-rest that were thrust unwillingly upon me:
Jan 20, 2024 @ 71%: "Started this in the early pm, listened to 7:30 hours straight. Headlining a slightly different, yet interesting MMC, "Dez Limerick", this audiobook showed promise. Regrettably, as the 'plot' advanced, the story's plausibility declined... and declined further."
Jan 21, 2024 @ 99%: "In the end, this audiobook was... amusing😃. Credulous creativity, preposterous plot(s), and nefarious nonsense notwithstanding, it was engaging entertainment. However, I am unlikely to buy book #2."
As my Listening Activity shows, this was an audiobook quite suited to the several days of bed-rest that were thrust unwillingly upon me:
Jan 20, 2024 @ 71%: "Started this in the early pm, listened to 7:30 hours straight. Headlining a slightly different, yet interesting MMC, "Dez Limerick", this audiobook showed promise. Regrettably, as the 'plot' advanced, the story's plausibility declined... and declined further."
Jan 21, 2024 @ 99%: "In the end, this audiobook was... amusing😃. Credulous creativity, preposterous plot(s), and nefarious nonsense notwithstanding, it was engaging entertainment. However, I am unlikely to buy book #2."
January 24, 2022
I have just finished reading The Gatekeeper by James Byrne
Well – what can I say. This is a book that you just have to just ride along with and have fun with along the way!
An over-the-top storyline, with a unique main character - Dez Limerick (Desmond Aloysius Limerick), who is a bigger than life retired Irish-Scottish mercenary, who moves to California, and is a musician on the side.
This book has a bit of a feel like the Gregg Hurwitz Orphan X character, with a little Jack Reacher thrown in.
I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit while reading this.
Thank you to Goodreads, Author James Byrne, and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books my advanced copy to read and review.
#NetGalley
Well – what can I say. This is a book that you just have to just ride along with and have fun with along the way!
An over-the-top storyline, with a unique main character - Dez Limerick (Desmond Aloysius Limerick), who is a bigger than life retired Irish-Scottish mercenary, who moves to California, and is a musician on the side.
This book has a bit of a feel like the Gregg Hurwitz Orphan X character, with a little Jack Reacher thrown in.
I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit while reading this.
Thank you to Goodreads, Author James Byrne, and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books my advanced copy to read and review.
#NetGalley
August 4, 2022
This book is action packed from start to finish. It felt so much like watching a mashup of James Bond and a Jason Stratham movie. There were chases, guns, militias, the military, the classic villains. You name it, this book had it. For those who are more movie watchers then book readers, I think you will really enjoy the visual aspect the author creates.
One criticism I have is that because the book is so plot driven, while also told solely in the third person, I felt almost no connection to the characters. To me, they seemed very surface in nature with no real depth (although Dez had more depth than anyone else and I really liked his sense of humor). Another issue I had is that the book began to drag from about the halfway point until the end. I think if it was maybe 50-75 pages less, this might not have happened.
I did a mix of audiobook and physical for this reading, and as such would like to note that I did enjoy the narrator and his storytelling. It may have been an even higher rating from me if I had listened to it entirely on audio.
Overall, this book was okay. If you like action thrillers with espionage, conspiracies, etc., I would definitely recommend this one to you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for both the physical ARC and the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
One criticism I have is that because the book is so plot driven, while also told solely in the third person, I felt almost no connection to the characters. To me, they seemed very surface in nature with no real depth (although Dez had more depth than anyone else and I really liked his sense of humor). Another issue I had is that the book began to drag from about the halfway point until the end. I think if it was maybe 50-75 pages less, this might not have happened.
I did a mix of audiobook and physical for this reading, and as such would like to note that I did enjoy the narrator and his storytelling. It may have been an even higher rating from me if I had listened to it entirely on audio.
Overall, this book was okay. If you like action thrillers with espionage, conspiracies, etc., I would definitely recommend this one to you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for both the physical ARC and the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
March 26, 2025
Fantastic!
June 17, 2022
Fast start featuring Des, a charismatic mercenary kicking back playing guitar gigs in LA. He accidently interrupts a kidnapping attempt on a lovely defense contractor executive and agrees to work for her in exchange for room and board, etc. I liked Des and thought this would be an original kind of action story with interesting and entertaining characters. Unfortunately the plot went sideways in a major way with the bad guys introduced as "white supremist" active duty US armed service members who also coincidently happen to be racist. I understand the concept of literary license and suspending disbelieve but as a Marine Viet Nam veteran I found this plot direction both incredibly absurd and offensive - a woke literary joke!
July 27, 2022
Wow - I’ve had two 5 ⭐️ reads in a single month! This book was on my TBR forever - so glad I finally picked it up!
Even the prologue was super intriguing. And the action started there and never slowed down. Dez was surrounded with international mystery and kept to a code all his own. After lots of twists and surprises, the thriller kept me guessing until the very end.
I highly recommend this book and will be looking for more by James Bryne!
Even the prologue was super intriguing. And the action started there and never slowed down. Dez was surrounded with international mystery and kept to a code all his own. After lots of twists and surprises, the thriller kept me guessing until the very end.
I highly recommend this book and will be looking for more by James Bryne!
February 20, 2022
I struggled to get through this book. The plot is unbelievable, even in today's charged political climate, and Dez's character was just too vaguely written, considering he's the hero. First, he's a musician, then he's his own weapon, and then we find out he's a chef. Even an inkling of his background and how he became the mercenary he is would have been helpful. There was too much emphasis on his "schtick" - the accent and his nicknames, his language and abbreviations for everything. Also annoying was the repetitiveness, i.e. "stolen" truck, or Petra's go-to outfit of a white shirt. After the first couple times, we get it. Speaking of Petra, while she is a strong female lead, there was absolutely no chemistry between her and Dex so I don't fully understand how or why she would've hooked up with him. When authors throw in unnecessary sexual relationships in a thriller that doesn't need them, I tune them out as another male fantasy trope. It's the reason I stopped reading Nelson DeMille.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.
May 30, 2022
Thanks a ton to Minotaur Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!
This is what I like in a summer read - nonstop action, banter, entertaining main characters, over the top fight scenes, and a plot that is easy enough to follow without burning all the brain cells trying to keep up
Dez is never fleshed out but he's by far the highlight of the book, well rounded and funny and absolutely kick ass
Petra is a force of nature as well, I loved seeing her dress down her father and the other power players
The end left it open for more Gatekeeper books too so - hopefully!
This is what I like in a summer read - nonstop action, banter, entertaining main characters, over the top fight scenes, and a plot that is easy enough to follow without burning all the brain cells trying to keep up
Dez is never fleshed out but he's by far the highlight of the book, well rounded and funny and absolutely kick ass
Petra is a force of nature as well, I loved seeing her dress down her father and the other power players
The end left it open for more Gatekeeper books too so - hopefully!
August 16, 2022
After resolving to not take another book out of the library until I finish at least a dozen, I came across this in the new book section. So much for resolve. If Gregg Hurwitz, and Mark Greaney can give it positive reviews, then how could I not read this. It was a brilliant choice on my part! Desmond Aloysius Limerick(!) is the funniest hero I've read. The dialogue was witty, there was action galore and it was completely original. I mean a short bowlegged hero with Popeye arms and catcher mitt hands? Now I'm going to be spending too much time looking for and waiting on the next installment. Oh, I almost forgot. I had a cousin named James Byrne, so we may be related. Ergo, an extra half star.
June 15, 2022
Book Review
The Gatekeeper
James Byrne
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Better than James Bond! A complex, multilayered action thriller with non-stop action, intrigue, and menace. Our hero is Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“my friends call me Dez”), who looks nothing like James Bond.
Dez is five-eight but built like a tank, with a barrel chest, thick arms, short, bowed legs, and oversized hands riddled with scarred knuckles. His scars, burns, and bullet wounds paint a road map of the world’s hot spots.
His past and training is shrouded in mystery, but he obviously was a seasoned veteran of black ops and clandestine ventures. On the inside of his right forearm is a tattoo of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors, gates and transitions, and the patron for duality—life/ death, war / peace, beginning / ending—holding the metaphorical key to doors or gateways between what was and what is to come.
Dez was an expert at opening doors that others couldn’t and keeping them open and closing them when needed, and controlling who goes through and for as long as needed. A small part of his skill set involved hacking into security and information systems, as well as physically picking locks. His crew gave him the nom de plume of “The Gatekeeper,” at other times he was referred to as “Chef.” He hilariously thinks he has mastered an American accent, but no one can hear anything but a mongrel type of accent, affected by his upbringing in Liverpool, Ireland, and Scotland. Much like Nelson Demille’s John Corey character, Dez cannot help but pepper his conversation with quips and wisecracks—somewhat shrouding his true guile and mental acuity, He can quote writers and philosophers, yet is an expert at throwing and taking punches.
Dez is attempting a retirement and finds himself in Los Angeles, working a gig as a bass guitarist in a club in the posh Hotel Tremaine. After a three-hour set, he finds himself sipping a beer in his room and looking out the window. He spots the glint of a scope from a sniper on the roof of the next building, aimed at the entrance of the hotel; as a van pulls up, the doors open, and four men pour out. All in black and obviously armed. Dez proceeds to intervene in foiling a kidnapping attempt of Petra Alexandris, the gorgeous, and brilliant chief legal counsel for Triton Expeditors, a multi-billion-dollar military contractor.
They don’t make war, they just market it across the world. Petra is the daughter of founder and owner, Constantine Alexandris. Petra is no stranger to kidnapping; first kidnapped at age twelve and then again the week she turned twenty-one. The action sequence pitting Dez with four thugs is a thing of beauty, comparable to a ballet of violence. Dez breaks the glass and grabs an axe he comes upon on the hotel hallway wall, and uses this incidental weapon along with his guile and skill to thwart the kidnapping attempt. Petra takes him into her confidence and enlists his aid. “I don’t know who to trust … I need some doors opened.” More than a billion dollars has been surreptitiously diverted from her companies’ coffers. Dez starts investigating a possible linkage of the kidnapping attempt with the missing money. With the aid of LAPD detective Beth Swanson he follows leads, all pointing to a military-type plot stemming from a small town in north central California. White supremacist and militias from across the country are converging there, seemingly agitated by an incendiary media companies’ broadcasts. Who is behind this cabal of conspiracy? Is their goal truly to establish a break-away state independent from the USA? (I.e. State of Jefferson or State of Lexington … for nefarious purposes.)
James Byrne weaves a complex and twisted tale of intrigue, menace, and mounting tension that escalates into a taut and unpredictable roller coaster denouement. His pacing and character building are impeccable as the characters jump off the page. It was refreshing to see multiple characters representing women and non-whites in powerful positions. I personally alternated between the kindle and the audiobook version narrated by actor John Keating. The wonderful narration brings to life the full charm and wit of Dez, along with his empathy and sense of justice. This intriguing tale will appeal to aficionados of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher,” Gregg Hurwitz’ “Orphan X,” and Nelson DeMille’s “John Corey.”
The Gatekeeper
James Byrne
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Better than James Bond! A complex, multilayered action thriller with non-stop action, intrigue, and menace. Our hero is Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“my friends call me Dez”), who looks nothing like James Bond.
Dez is five-eight but built like a tank, with a barrel chest, thick arms, short, bowed legs, and oversized hands riddled with scarred knuckles. His scars, burns, and bullet wounds paint a road map of the world’s hot spots.
His past and training is shrouded in mystery, but he obviously was a seasoned veteran of black ops and clandestine ventures. On the inside of his right forearm is a tattoo of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors, gates and transitions, and the patron for duality—life/ death, war / peace, beginning / ending—holding the metaphorical key to doors or gateways between what was and what is to come.
Dez was an expert at opening doors that others couldn’t and keeping them open and closing them when needed, and controlling who goes through and for as long as needed. A small part of his skill set involved hacking into security and information systems, as well as physically picking locks. His crew gave him the nom de plume of “The Gatekeeper,” at other times he was referred to as “Chef.” He hilariously thinks he has mastered an American accent, but no one can hear anything but a mongrel type of accent, affected by his upbringing in Liverpool, Ireland, and Scotland. Much like Nelson Demille’s John Corey character, Dez cannot help but pepper his conversation with quips and wisecracks—somewhat shrouding his true guile and mental acuity, He can quote writers and philosophers, yet is an expert at throwing and taking punches.
Dez is attempting a retirement and finds himself in Los Angeles, working a gig as a bass guitarist in a club in the posh Hotel Tremaine. After a three-hour set, he finds himself sipping a beer in his room and looking out the window. He spots the glint of a scope from a sniper on the roof of the next building, aimed at the entrance of the hotel; as a van pulls up, the doors open, and four men pour out. All in black and obviously armed. Dez proceeds to intervene in foiling a kidnapping attempt of Petra Alexandris, the gorgeous, and brilliant chief legal counsel for Triton Expeditors, a multi-billion-dollar military contractor.
They don’t make war, they just market it across the world. Petra is the daughter of founder and owner, Constantine Alexandris. Petra is no stranger to kidnapping; first kidnapped at age twelve and then again the week she turned twenty-one. The action sequence pitting Dez with four thugs is a thing of beauty, comparable to a ballet of violence. Dez breaks the glass and grabs an axe he comes upon on the hotel hallway wall, and uses this incidental weapon along with his guile and skill to thwart the kidnapping attempt. Petra takes him into her confidence and enlists his aid. “I don’t know who to trust … I need some doors opened.” More than a billion dollars has been surreptitiously diverted from her companies’ coffers. Dez starts investigating a possible linkage of the kidnapping attempt with the missing money. With the aid of LAPD detective Beth Swanson he follows leads, all pointing to a military-type plot stemming from a small town in north central California. White supremacist and militias from across the country are converging there, seemingly agitated by an incendiary media companies’ broadcasts. Who is behind this cabal of conspiracy? Is their goal truly to establish a break-away state independent from the USA? (I.e. State of Jefferson or State of Lexington … for nefarious purposes.)
James Byrne weaves a complex and twisted tale of intrigue, menace, and mounting tension that escalates into a taut and unpredictable roller coaster denouement. His pacing and character building are impeccable as the characters jump off the page. It was refreshing to see multiple characters representing women and non-whites in powerful positions. I personally alternated between the kindle and the audiobook version narrated by actor John Keating. The wonderful narration brings to life the full charm and wit of Dez, along with his empathy and sense of justice. This intriguing tale will appeal to aficionados of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher,” Gregg Hurwitz’ “Orphan X,” and Nelson DeMille’s “John Corey.”
August 31, 2022
The Gatekeeper (Dez Limerick #1) by James Byrne
Synopsis /
A highly trained team of mercenaries launches a well-planned, coordinated attack on a well-guarded military contractor - but they didn't count on one thing, the right man being in the wrong place at the right time.
Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“Dez” to all) is a retired mercenary, and enthusiastic amateur musician, currently in Southern California, enjoying the sun and sitting in on the occasional gig, when the hotel he's at falls under attack. A skilled team attempts to kidnap the Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a major military contractor – in fact, Petra Alexandris is the daughter of the CEO – but their meticulously-planned, seamlessly executed scheme runs into the figurative 'spanner-in-the-works,' Dez himself.
After foiling the attack, and with nothing better to do, Dez agrees to help Alexandris with another problem she’s having – someone has embezzled more than a billion dollars from her company and left very few tracks behind. But Dez is a gatekeeper – one who opens doors and keeps them open – and this is just a door of another kind. And the door he opens leads to a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation, militias, an armed coup, and an attempt to fracture the United States themselves. There’s only one obstacle between the conspirators and success – and that is Dez, The Gatekeeper.
My Thoughts /
In a nutshell The Gatekeeper written by James Byrne is a terrific action-packed thriller, with dark comedic undertones, featuring a now retired, former merc who finds himself inadvertently swept up in an embezzlement and conspiracy scheme involving a huge military contractor.
🛑 Stop here if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy suspense thrillers, strong female characters, witty dialogue, and entertaining action sequences!
In the start of this brand-new series, we are introduced to Desmond Aloysius Limerick (a.k.a. Dez). Dez, now retired is enjoying life in Southern California. I hasten to add here that the word retired should be taken loosely. Dez’s favourite (retirement) pastime is to entertain the crowd at a local music gig, where he plays guitar with a local band. To all and sundry, Dez appears to be just another ordinary older gent who is enjoying life and loving jamming with the band. However, it’s what Dez did pre-retirement that makes this story come to life.
Dez is former military and a retired mercenary. In this life Dez was known as the ‘Gatekeeper’. In other words, he was someone who could be relied upon to ‘keep the door’ either open or closed, whichever the situation called for. Some other talents included, explosive specialist, crack cyber hacker, extremely skilful and accomplished at killing; plus, a great musical performer on the guitar. In short, a jack-of-all-trades, but gatekeeping was his speciality.
Dez learned early on, during his time as a ‘keeper’, that there are four primary methods for getting through a door: You can bash your way through; shoot your way through; explode your way through; or burn your way through. And every now and then, you get invited in.
To the plot. The story is told in third person and primarily focuses on Dez’s point of view. The writing is full of wit and dry-humour and I loved every sarcastic minute of it.
Dez joins the guys and orders a draft beer with his perfect American accent. The waitress smiles at him, ‘Cute accent. Where’re you from?’ Dez thinks he might have to re-evaluate his perfect American accent - ‘Australia’. Both guys wear ball caps with Confederate flags. Both are open carrying. One of the guys says, ‘Didn’t you people ban all guns.’ [Dez] ‘That’s New Zealand, them bastards’.
He [Dez] starts chatting up four guys who look like Hollywood Central Casting version of badass bikers with his now newly perfected American accent. The waitress says, ‘Where you from?’ Damn it. ‘New Zealand’. A biker in a long, droopy Fu Manchu says, ‘Didn’t you people ban all guns?’ ‘That’s Australia, them bastards’.
Relaxing in his hotel room, after finishing his nightly music gig, Dez is daydreaming about the beautiful woman he’d met down in the bar earlier. She was staying in the hotel opposite. Gazing out of his hotel window, Dez notices something a little off. Looking down at the hotel across the street, he notices what appears to be a team of heavily armed men making a covert entrance. His military instincts immediately kick in – who are these men? what are they doing? and, who are they after? Knowing that his new, gorgeous friend is staying at that same hotel, Dez can’t ignore the ever-present danger she might find herself in.
And this, my friends, is how the Gatekeeper finds himself thwarting the attempted kidnapping of Petra Alexandris, the beautiful woman in the bar who, it turns out, is Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors and the daughter of the CEO and founder, Constantine Alexandris.
This character driven novel develops into a well-paced, action-packed thrill ride that will keep you reading well into the night. Short punchy chapters, with relatively few slower parts, make it easy to keep on reading. But fair warning ⚠️ the author gets quite political in this novel; with a plot to initiate a coup, involving bars filled with ‘redneck racists’, far-right media moguls, military personnel, and a group of white supremacist survivalists at a ranch located near a nuclear power plant. He even includes a passing reference to the COVID pandemic, which, considering everything else going on, is minor and most likely unnecessary in the grand scheme.
You will need to suspend your belief, as this story is far-fetched, but I didn’t really mind – as I was very much enjoying Dez take down the bad guys and come up smelling of roses. I never guessed the scope of the takeover, or the culprit and the reveal is just as thrilling as the rest of the story. I will be interested to read what the author has in store for Dez in the next instalment.
Synopsis /
A highly trained team of mercenaries launches a well-planned, coordinated attack on a well-guarded military contractor - but they didn't count on one thing, the right man being in the wrong place at the right time.
Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“Dez” to all) is a retired mercenary, and enthusiastic amateur musician, currently in Southern California, enjoying the sun and sitting in on the occasional gig, when the hotel he's at falls under attack. A skilled team attempts to kidnap the Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a major military contractor – in fact, Petra Alexandris is the daughter of the CEO – but their meticulously-planned, seamlessly executed scheme runs into the figurative 'spanner-in-the-works,' Dez himself.
After foiling the attack, and with nothing better to do, Dez agrees to help Alexandris with another problem she’s having – someone has embezzled more than a billion dollars from her company and left very few tracks behind. But Dez is a gatekeeper – one who opens doors and keeps them open – and this is just a door of another kind. And the door he opens leads to a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation, militias, an armed coup, and an attempt to fracture the United States themselves. There’s only one obstacle between the conspirators and success – and that is Dez, The Gatekeeper.
My Thoughts /
In a nutshell The Gatekeeper written by James Byrne is a terrific action-packed thriller, with dark comedic undertones, featuring a now retired, former merc who finds himself inadvertently swept up in an embezzlement and conspiracy scheme involving a huge military contractor.
🛑 Stop here if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy suspense thrillers, strong female characters, witty dialogue, and entertaining action sequences!
In the start of this brand-new series, we are introduced to Desmond Aloysius Limerick (a.k.a. Dez). Dez, now retired is enjoying life in Southern California. I hasten to add here that the word retired should be taken loosely. Dez’s favourite (retirement) pastime is to entertain the crowd at a local music gig, where he plays guitar with a local band. To all and sundry, Dez appears to be just another ordinary older gent who is enjoying life and loving jamming with the band. However, it’s what Dez did pre-retirement that makes this story come to life.
Dez is former military and a retired mercenary. In this life Dez was known as the ‘Gatekeeper’. In other words, he was someone who could be relied upon to ‘keep the door’ either open or closed, whichever the situation called for. Some other talents included, explosive specialist, crack cyber hacker, extremely skilful and accomplished at killing; plus, a great musical performer on the guitar. In short, a jack-of-all-trades, but gatekeeping was his speciality.
Dez learned early on, during his time as a ‘keeper’, that there are four primary methods for getting through a door: You can bash your way through; shoot your way through; explode your way through; or burn your way through. And every now and then, you get invited in.
To the plot. The story is told in third person and primarily focuses on Dez’s point of view. The writing is full of wit and dry-humour and I loved every sarcastic minute of it.
Dez joins the guys and orders a draft beer with his perfect American accent. The waitress smiles at him, ‘Cute accent. Where’re you from?’ Dez thinks he might have to re-evaluate his perfect American accent - ‘Australia’. Both guys wear ball caps with Confederate flags. Both are open carrying. One of the guys says, ‘Didn’t you people ban all guns.’ [Dez] ‘That’s New Zealand, them bastards’.
He [Dez] starts chatting up four guys who look like Hollywood Central Casting version of badass bikers with his now newly perfected American accent. The waitress says, ‘Where you from?’ Damn it. ‘New Zealand’. A biker in a long, droopy Fu Manchu says, ‘Didn’t you people ban all guns?’ ‘That’s Australia, them bastards’.
Relaxing in his hotel room, after finishing his nightly music gig, Dez is daydreaming about the beautiful woman he’d met down in the bar earlier. She was staying in the hotel opposite. Gazing out of his hotel window, Dez notices something a little off. Looking down at the hotel across the street, he notices what appears to be a team of heavily armed men making a covert entrance. His military instincts immediately kick in – who are these men? what are they doing? and, who are they after? Knowing that his new, gorgeous friend is staying at that same hotel, Dez can’t ignore the ever-present danger she might find herself in.
And this, my friends, is how the Gatekeeper finds himself thwarting the attempted kidnapping of Petra Alexandris, the beautiful woman in the bar who, it turns out, is Chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors and the daughter of the CEO and founder, Constantine Alexandris.
This character driven novel develops into a well-paced, action-packed thrill ride that will keep you reading well into the night. Short punchy chapters, with relatively few slower parts, make it easy to keep on reading. But fair warning ⚠️ the author gets quite political in this novel; with a plot to initiate a coup, involving bars filled with ‘redneck racists’, far-right media moguls, military personnel, and a group of white supremacist survivalists at a ranch located near a nuclear power plant. He even includes a passing reference to the COVID pandemic, which, considering everything else going on, is minor and most likely unnecessary in the grand scheme.
You will need to suspend your belief, as this story is far-fetched, but I didn’t really mind – as I was very much enjoying Dez take down the bad guys and come up smelling of roses. I never guessed the scope of the takeover, or the culprit and the reveal is just as thrilling as the rest of the story. I will be interested to read what the author has in store for Dez in the next instalment.
April 29, 2023
There's a great reason for reading this one. I got Deadlock as an advance copy and after reading the first chapter I knew I had to read the first book. The Gatekeeper by James Byrne is the first in a new series about Desmond Aloysius Limerick, Dez to his friends. He is the Gatekeeper. I have seldom laughed out loud so much at the antics in a book as I do reading about what Dez gets involved in. He just happens to be where shit happens. Byrne has added something new to the genre with his character. It is a little like Reacher but with a big twist. I am so glad I decided to read these books.
June 15, 2022
Book Review
The Gatekeeper
James Byrne
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Better than James Bond! A complex, multilayered action thriller with non-stop action, intrigue, and menace. Our hero is Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“my friends call me Dez”), who looks nothing like James Bond.
Dez is five-eight but built like a tank, with a barrel chest, thick arms, short, bowed legs, and oversized hands riddled with scarred knuckles. His scars, burns, and bullet wounds paint a road map of the world’s hot spots.
His past and training is shrouded in mystery, but he obviously was a seasoned veteran of black ops and clandestine ventures. On the inside of his right forearm is a tattoo of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors, gates and transitions, and the patron for duality—life/ death, war / peace, beginning / ending—holding the metaphorical key to doors or gateways between what was and what is to come.
Dez was an expert at opening doors that others couldn’t and keeping them open and closing them when needed, and controlling who goes through and for as long as needed. A small part of his skill set involved hacking into security and information systems, as well as physically picking locks. His crew gave him the nom de plume of “The Gatekeeper,” at other times he was referred to as “Chef.” He hilariously thinks he has mastered an American accent, but no one can hear anything but a mongrel type of accent, affected by his upbringing in Liverpool, Ireland, and Scotland. Much like Nelson Demille’s John Corey character, Dez cannot help but pepper his conversation with quips and wisecracks—somewhat shrouding his true guile and mental acuity, He can quote writers and philosophers, yet is an expert at throwing and taking punches.
Dez is attempting a retirement and finds himself in Los Angeles, working a gig as a bass guitarist in a club in the posh Hotel Tremaine. After a three-hour set, he finds himself sipping a beer in his room and looking out the window. He spots the glint of a scope from a sniper on the roof of the next building, aimed at the entrance of the hotel; as a van pulls up, the doors open, and four men pour out. All in black and obviously armed. Dez proceeds to intervene in foiling a kidnapping attempt of Petra Alexandris, the gorgeous, and brilliant chief legal counsel for Triton Expeditors, a multi-billion-dollar military contractor.
They don’t make war, they just market it across the world. Petra is the daughter of founder and owner, Constantine Alexandris. Petra is no stranger to kidnapping; first kidnapped at age twelve and then again the week she turned twenty-one. The action sequence pitting Dez with four thugs is a thing of beauty, comparable to a ballet of violence. Dez breaks the glass and grabs an axe he comes upon on the hotel hallway wall, and uses this incidental weapon along with his guile and skill to thwart the kidnapping attempt. Petra takes him into her confidence and enlists his aid. “I don’t know who to trust … I need some doors opened.” More than a billion dollars has been surreptitiously diverted from her companies’ coffers. Dez starts investigating a possible linkage of the kidnapping attempt with the missing money. With the aid of LAPD detective Beth Swanson he follows leads, all pointing to a military-type plot stemming from a small town in north central California. White supremacist and militias from across the country are converging there, seemingly agitated by an incendiary media companies’ broadcasts. Who is behind this cabal of conspiracy? Is their goal truly to establish a break-away state independent from the USA? (I.e. State of Jefferson or State of Lexington … for nefarious purposes.)
James Byrne weaves a complex and twisted tale of intrigue, menace, and mounting tension that escalates into a taut and unpredictable roller coaster denouement. His pacing and character building are impeccable as the characters jump off the page. It was refreshing to see multiple characters representing women and non-whites in powerful positions. I personally alternated between the kindle and the audiobook version narrated by actor John Keating. The wonderful narration brings to life the full charm and wit of Dez, along with his empathy and sense of justice. This intriguing tale will appeal to aficionados of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher,” Gregg Hurwitz’ “Orphan X,” and Nelson DeMille’s “John Corey.”
The Gatekeeper
James Byrne
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Better than James Bond! A complex, multilayered action thriller with non-stop action, intrigue, and menace. Our hero is Desmond Aloysius Limerick (“my friends call me Dez”), who looks nothing like James Bond.
Dez is five-eight but built like a tank, with a barrel chest, thick arms, short, bowed legs, and oversized hands riddled with scarred knuckles. His scars, burns, and bullet wounds paint a road map of the world’s hot spots.
His past and training is shrouded in mystery, but he obviously was a seasoned veteran of black ops and clandestine ventures. On the inside of his right forearm is a tattoo of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors, gates and transitions, and the patron for duality—life/ death, war / peace, beginning / ending—holding the metaphorical key to doors or gateways between what was and what is to come.
Dez was an expert at opening doors that others couldn’t and keeping them open and closing them when needed, and controlling who goes through and for as long as needed. A small part of his skill set involved hacking into security and information systems, as well as physically picking locks. His crew gave him the nom de plume of “The Gatekeeper,” at other times he was referred to as “Chef.” He hilariously thinks he has mastered an American accent, but no one can hear anything but a mongrel type of accent, affected by his upbringing in Liverpool, Ireland, and Scotland. Much like Nelson Demille’s John Corey character, Dez cannot help but pepper his conversation with quips and wisecracks—somewhat shrouding his true guile and mental acuity, He can quote writers and philosophers, yet is an expert at throwing and taking punches.
Dez is attempting a retirement and finds himself in Los Angeles, working a gig as a bass guitarist in a club in the posh Hotel Tremaine. After a three-hour set, he finds himself sipping a beer in his room and looking out the window. He spots the glint of a scope from a sniper on the roof of the next building, aimed at the entrance of the hotel; as a van pulls up, the doors open, and four men pour out. All in black and obviously armed. Dez proceeds to intervene in foiling a kidnapping attempt of Petra Alexandris, the gorgeous, and brilliant chief legal counsel for Triton Expeditors, a multi-billion-dollar military contractor.
They don’t make war, they just market it across the world. Petra is the daughter of founder and owner, Constantine Alexandris. Petra is no stranger to kidnapping; first kidnapped at age twelve and then again the week she turned twenty-one. The action sequence pitting Dez with four thugs is a thing of beauty, comparable to a ballet of violence. Dez breaks the glass and grabs an axe he comes upon on the hotel hallway wall, and uses this incidental weapon along with his guile and skill to thwart the kidnapping attempt. Petra takes him into her confidence and enlists his aid. “I don’t know who to trust … I need some doors opened.” More than a billion dollars has been surreptitiously diverted from her companies’ coffers. Dez starts investigating a possible linkage of the kidnapping attempt with the missing money. With the aid of LAPD detective Beth Swanson he follows leads, all pointing to a military-type plot stemming from a small town in north central California. White supremacist and militias from across the country are converging there, seemingly agitated by an incendiary media companies’ broadcasts. Who is behind this cabal of conspiracy? Is their goal truly to establish a break-away state independent from the USA? (I.e. State of Jefferson or State of Lexington … for nefarious purposes.)
James Byrne weaves a complex and twisted tale of intrigue, menace, and mounting tension that escalates into a taut and unpredictable roller coaster denouement. His pacing and character building are impeccable as the characters jump off the page. It was refreshing to see multiple characters representing women and non-whites in powerful positions. I personally alternated between the kindle and the audiobook version narrated by actor John Keating. The wonderful narration brings to life the full charm and wit of Dez, along with his empathy and sense of justice. This intriguing tale will appeal to aficionados of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher,” Gregg Hurwitz’ “Orphan X,” and Nelson DeMille’s “John Corey.”
January 17, 2024
This had promise but just got annoying in the end. Dez Limerick is a gatekeeper, though this is never clearly explained. He’s basically John Wick or Jack Reacher. He’s not good-looking, but women fall in love with him. He’s tough and can walk off any injury, even fractured ribs. This is Male Author Wish Fulfillment™. (Don’t worry; the female version is equally annoying.)
The book takes place in California, but the geography never made sense to me. (Central California does not border the coast, and it takes hours and hours to get from Orange County to Humboldt County.)
The villains are white supremacists, which, like Nazis, are a safe villain by being universally hated. Aside from the fact that I have never encountered white supremacists anywhere in California—a mob would take care of them really quick—the author’s definition of white supremacist is pretty broad and includes basically anyone who isn’t a radical left-wing Democrat. Want to stop human trafficking at the border? White supremacist. Own a gun? White supremacist. Military veteran? White supremacist. The villainy was too illogical, and I couldn’t suspend my disbelief that much. But if you can get past that, you’ll enjoy this fine.
There is no nuance, no complexity, whatsoever. As a result, the characters are pretty one-dimensional — especially the very few female ones, who exist as eye candy but it’s okay because they’re smart — and I never grew to care about them. They don’t change or grow or anything. And when the villains’ motives are reasonably believable, I enjoy books a lot more.
The writing itself is pretty good, and there were some similes and metaphors that I genuinely loved. Too many other cringy elements for me, though. I enjoy a mindless action flick once in a while (and I’d much rather watch Die Hard than Sleepless in Seattle), but most are better than this. I think I need some Jonathan Maberry now.
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Fall 2023*
Language: Frequent strong language
Sexual Content: Sex scenes that are mildly explicit; lewd comments
Violence/Gore: Frequent violence, moderately graphic
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
The book takes place in California, but the geography never made sense to me. (Central California does not border the coast, and it takes hours and hours to get from Orange County to Humboldt County.)
The villains are white supremacists, which, like Nazis, are a safe villain by being universally hated. Aside from the fact that I have never encountered white supremacists anywhere in California—a mob would take care of them really quick—the author’s definition of white supremacist is pretty broad and includes basically anyone who isn’t a radical left-wing Democrat. Want to stop human trafficking at the border? White supremacist. Own a gun? White supremacist. Military veteran? White supremacist. The villainy was too illogical, and I couldn’t suspend my disbelief that much. But if you can get past that, you’ll enjoy this fine.
There is no nuance, no complexity, whatsoever. As a result, the characters are pretty one-dimensional — especially the very few female ones, who exist as eye candy but it’s okay because they’re smart — and I never grew to care about them. They don’t change or grow or anything. And when the villains’ motives are reasonably believable, I enjoy books a lot more.
The writing itself is pretty good, and there were some similes and metaphors that I genuinely loved. Too many other cringy elements for me, though. I enjoy a mindless action flick once in a while (and I’d much rather watch Die Hard than Sleepless in Seattle), but most are better than this. I think I need some Jonathan Maberry now.
*Reader’s Choice Nominee Fall 2023*
Language: Frequent strong language
Sexual Content: Sex scenes that are mildly explicit; lewd comments
Violence/Gore: Frequent violence, moderately graphic
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
February 1, 2022
Fair disclosure: when I started reading this one, I cringed. It was Dez and the way he spoke. I just didn’t get it.
Luckily, I was curious enough to keep reading and Dez (and his very weird way of speaking) grew on me. I loved him.
I mean, the book does do that thing where for no reason at all, the hot woman basically throws herself at the severely bow-legged hulk-smash hero dude within hours of knowing him, but once you get past that, it’s a good read.
The plot is timely, Dez is hilarious, and hot-woman eventually shows that she’s the bad B in charge – more than just a pretty face to be sure.
I mean, I still don’t understand why Dez speaks the way he does, but when he tried out his American accent I guffawed, most of our characters were surprisingly nuanced, and the book just ended up being a seriously good time!
I enjoyed this one!
*ARC via Publisher
Luckily, I was curious enough to keep reading and Dez (and his very weird way of speaking) grew on me. I loved him.
I mean, the book does do that thing where for no reason at all, the hot woman basically throws herself at the severely bow-legged hulk-smash hero dude within hours of knowing him, but once you get past that, it’s a good read.
The plot is timely, Dez is hilarious, and hot-woman eventually shows that she’s the bad B in charge – more than just a pretty face to be sure.
I mean, I still don’t understand why Dez speaks the way he does, but when he tried out his American accent I guffawed, most of our characters were surprisingly nuanced, and the book just ended up being a seriously good time!
I enjoyed this one!
*ARC via Publisher
June 2, 2022
This book has a Jack Reacher vibe to it but with a Scottish/Irish hacker with a sense of humor. It's action-packed with some good fight scenes. The problem with the book is that the plot is so far-fetched and convoluted that it was hard to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and James Byrne for a copy of "The Gatekeeper" in exchange of an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and James Byrne for a copy of "The Gatekeeper" in exchange of an honest review.
November 23, 2021
Adele should write the theme song when this book is made into a movie! Dez is the action hero of this decade.
August 31, 2022
Witty and sharp, this thriller kept me guessing. The narrator captured the accents and did an excellent job bringing the story to life. The ending wasn't as explosive as I'd hoped, but the overall experience was enjoyable.
December 28, 2021
The Gatekeeper introduces us to Desmond “Dez” Aloysius Limerick. He’s a man of many skills, but little history. He speaks with a British accent that can be confused for Australian or Kiwi, but he only tells people that he’s from here and there. He has a dry wit and is incredibly polite. He has the skills of a trained mercenary, and he also plays the bass guitar.
Dez has played a gig with a cover band at the Hotel Tremaine in Los Angeles and is on the elevator up to his room when he meets the beautiful Petra Alexandris and asks if she’d like to have a drink with him. She turns him down. Later that night Dez saves her from being kidnapped by a group of heavily armed professionals. Alexandris, the chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a military contractor, asks Dez to help her find out who is behind the kidnapping.
Dez has a tattoo of the two-faced Roman god Janus on his inner forearm. He describes Janus to Alexandris as representing “Beginnings an’ gates. Transitions an’ times. Duality an’ doors. Passages an’ endings”. In a cryptic way that describes not only Dez, but this action-packed thriller as well.
Alexandris’ attempted kidnapping was just a spark in a much larger plot that could end with the fiery meltdown of a nuclear plant in central California if Dez doesn’t stop it first. The incredible plot revolves around a corporate CEO with delusional ideas of creating a new nation/state. Throw in some corrupt military leaders, a Russian ambassador and hordes of neo-Nazis and white supremacists drawn to the town outside the nuclear plant by an ultra-rightwing media mogul and Dez has his hands full trying to save much more than just Petra Alexandris.
Dez reminds me of Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne and MacGyver all rolled into one. I liked the author’s descriptive writing style and his well- written characters. The Gatekeeper is a fast-paced entertaining read that I would highly recommend.
Dez has played a gig with a cover band at the Hotel Tremaine in Los Angeles and is on the elevator up to his room when he meets the beautiful Petra Alexandris and asks if she’d like to have a drink with him. She turns him down. Later that night Dez saves her from being kidnapped by a group of heavily armed professionals. Alexandris, the chief legal counsel of Triton Expeditors, a military contractor, asks Dez to help her find out who is behind the kidnapping.
Dez has a tattoo of the two-faced Roman god Janus on his inner forearm. He describes Janus to Alexandris as representing “Beginnings an’ gates. Transitions an’ times. Duality an’ doors. Passages an’ endings”. In a cryptic way that describes not only Dez, but this action-packed thriller as well.
Alexandris’ attempted kidnapping was just a spark in a much larger plot that could end with the fiery meltdown of a nuclear plant in central California if Dez doesn’t stop it first. The incredible plot revolves around a corporate CEO with delusional ideas of creating a new nation/state. Throw in some corrupt military leaders, a Russian ambassador and hordes of neo-Nazis and white supremacists drawn to the town outside the nuclear plant by an ultra-rightwing media mogul and Dez has his hands full trying to save much more than just Petra Alexandris.
Dez reminds me of Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne and MacGyver all rolled into one. I liked the author’s descriptive writing style and his well- written characters. The Gatekeeper is a fast-paced entertaining read that I would highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 573 reviews