Deadly Codes

by J.P. O'Donnell

In the thriller, Deadly Codes, Daniel Cormac Gallagher, Jr., a Boston private eye, is hired to investigate the death of Jennifer Clark, tragically killed in a car bombing in her own driveway. Gallagher has been commissioned by Jeanne Campbell, Jennifer's twin sister, to find a mysterious woman-Jennifer's secret lesbian lover who vanished immediately after the bombing. While the authorities continue to pursue their suspicions that the terrorist act may have been intended for Jennifer's husband, Bill, who holds a top-secret position in the counter-intelligence division of the National Security Agency, Jeanne reveals intricate details to Gallagher that intrigue him enough to take on the case. While Gallagher begins searching for the missing woman, he has no idea that a bounty has been placed on his own head-two hired gunmen are plotting to kill him. Gallagher's search takes him to Washington DC, where he discovers that the car bombing is only a backdrop to a complex, treasonous scheme to sell code-breaking formulas to a hostile enemy nation. As the violent mystery unravels, Gallagher finds himself under deadly attack from two shocking but powerful forces-one he knows and another he never expects.

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2009

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Codes takes up a little while after Fatal Gamble ends with Gallagher married now to his love Kate and giving up his beloved PI business to keep Kate happy. However Gallagher is not sure he will be happy without the PI business, especially when a woman walks in with what looks like to be a simple missing person case, which he can never turn down. He's intrigued and just can't help himself and after some dilemma takes the case.

However with J.P. O'Donnell books, the simple ends up never being simple and Gallagher is on the case that keeps him intrigued and guessing as he starts making headway into something that puts him way over his head. Add in the NSA, the CIA and a widowed husband and you get the case of a lifetime.

The second novel in the Gallagher series is outstanding. It's not necessary to read the first (though you miss a great book if you don't) as enough background is given in this one that it can be read as a standalone. J.P. O'Donnell delivers again with non-stop intrigue and action. Gallagher is a great character, flawed but in a good way - he really wants to do the best for everyone involved. Some more background is given into his character in this book and it just endeared him to me further. Gallagher is one of the good guys, going the extra mile to help those who need closure on the case.

The plot, characters and dialogue in this book are just amazing. I started this yesterday morning and had it finished by last night. I was so engrossed in it that I was able to tune out my husband on the phone right next to me (which is very difficult to do). I felt very drawn into the story and I was still thinking about the story and the characters this morning.

I truly hope there is more to come in the Gallagher series because I miss Gallagher when I finish a book and just want to read more about him.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with Fatal Gamble, Deadly Codes opens with a stunning scene that will pique reader interest immediately. Having already introduced Gallagher in the first book, O’Donnell wastes little time building him and simply launches into the story itself which is as intricate and pressurized as the first. He uses the same narrative style that gets straight to the point and doesn’t draw things out unnecessarily.

After the events of Fatal Gamble, Gallagher is trying to give up his private eye work but agrees to take on one more case. There is intrigue in the case from the start thought it seems safe enough. As both the danger and mystery increase, the personal battle Gallagher feels towards giving this life up comes across clearly and adds a certain element to this book not seen in Fatal Gamble. The reader gets a deeper glimpse of not only Gallagher but Kate as well in this one.

It is again amazing and evidenced in Deadly Codes how talented O’Donnell is when it comes to writing multiple story arcs. Characters are unexpectedly brought up from the first book and slipped seamlessly into this one alongside completely new, bold characters. The way these different lines come together is impressive and unpredictable and there is again an intense level of intricacy to the entire story line.

This is again a high action book with a fast pace that pushes through things. Spurts of Gallagher’s personal life are intermixed to break things and hold a strong part of the story without overshadowing the investigation itself. Things propel to a surprising ending and leave a few things potentially for another Gallagher installment without causing the reader to feel like they are at a cliff edge.

[Leslie (That Chick That Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has a load of twist and turns! It’s a mystery novel centered around Daniel Cromac, who is a Boston private eye. He is hired to investigate a car bombing that resulted in Jennifer’s death. He’s now married and had promised his wife that he would leave the private eye job to someone else, fearing for his safety and hers. But he decides to take the car bombing case anyway. A lot of the things that happen in this novel, I honestly did not see happening! Especially the ending! O’Donnell exceeds to presenting an awesome second book in this series. I didn’t get a chance to read the first one, but I found no difficulty connecting to the characters and rooting for them, although it would help if you read the first one but not completely necessary. That being said, this novel is a great one if you love mysteries and very wicked twist and turns. I give this novel 3.5 out of 5 paws.

[Lynn Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman decides to run an errand one morning. Her husbands car is parked behind hers and she decides to use it. That one decision results in her death. The car explodes with a car bomb killing her. So the questions begin. Was it meant for her or her husband who works for The National Security Agency? As Gallagher looks into the case, his life is in danger from the ones who want this kept quite. I enjoyed this book. It is the second one in a trilogy with the Private Investigator Gallagher.

[Cym Lowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that every novel has at least three elements: (i) emotional focus; (ii) background to explore the emotion; and (iii) a genre in which to tell the story.

JP O’Donnell has written a masterful mystery. His protagonist is the private detective Daniel Cormac Gallagher, Jr. of Boston. Our hero has resigned from his dangerous world at the behest of his new wife, Kate, who has been shaken by an attack from underworld thugs seeking to silence her husband with her in their sights.

In the midst of his sincere efforts to wrap-up his sleuth work, a woman is immolated in a firey explosion of her own husband’s car that she had seemingly entered innocently to move it out of the way of her own car. The husband is a senior NSA counter-intelligence operative. The victim’s twin-sister in two minutes of conversation entices Gallagher with just enough information about mystery and infidelity to whet his appetite to discover the truth about her sister’s demise.

The sleuth then proceeds in a page-turning adventure to do battle with a beautiful heroine, government agencies, his old nemesis in the mafia, thugs, rascals, double and triple agents, Noth Korean hunger for secret codes, a miscreant Catholic priest wanting cash for the till, and a couple of threesomes, none of whom have anything positive for Gallagher. What will Kate think of all this after he has promised a risk-free life? Fortunately, he is also introduced to Bernadette, adding one more adorable twist to a beautifully told and composed story.

Deadly Codes is a fine mystery. You will enjoy every page. We can place our friend Gallagher into the pantheon of protagonists. I am sure we have not heard the last of him. Like James Bond, Gallagher may intend to take the high road and lead a life of domestic tranquility, but his nature is to the contrary. He needs someone to love him for what he is not what he could be.

So, back to those three elements. The emotion here could be “can I have it all,” told in the background of Washington and Boston, and in the genre of a mystery.

When you are done, you will be looking for Gallagher’s next adventure. I think he can have it all, perhaps with Kate, or Bernadette, or . . . well, we’ll see.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy directly thru the author and I have absolutely enjoyed reading it. This book is the follow-up to Fatal Gamble and the author does not take anything away from the main character Gallagher. Gallagher is hired by Jeanne Campbell, the victim’s twin sister to find out what really happened to her. The victim is Jennifer Clark whose husband is Bill Clark who works for the CIA. As Gallagher uncovers more and more information on the victim and the husband, his own life becomes at risk. This one having more twists and turns than in the first. It will surely keep you on your toes.
So often something is lost on a follow-up book, not the case here. The only problem I had with the book is that I wanted more; it is a very short read. I like the author’s style and would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great political action thriller.

[Mareena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Cormac Gallagher, Jr. is a private eye intent on retiring for good and settling down with his new wife. Until a missing person's case drags him back into his former life. Jennifer Clark is a lovely young married woman with two beautiful children and a loving husband, and then she is killed by a bomb planted in her car in her own driveway. Her twin sister, Jeanne Campbell, hires Gallagher to find her sister's secret lesbian lover who disappears immediately after Jennifer is killed. What starts out as a simple missing person's case, rapidly turns into one involving treason and murder, spies and hitmen. Now Gallagher must keep himself and his wife safe amidst multiple threats to his life from persons known and unknown. I enjoyed this book very much and give it an A! It left me with many questions about a possible next book by Dr. O'Donnell.

[Micmin1010yahoo.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book...not just because I work for the Author but because there have been few books that kept me so interested to find out what's going to happen next!!! Loved it from beginning to end..."Bernadette" :)

[Corey Sampson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on a podcast, the reader could've been a little more animated instead of sounding like he's smoking while reading the daily news. The story was pretty interesting overall and has some clever moments.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very satisfying but you need to read Fatal Gamble first to really enjoy it.

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interest-keeping plot, likable characters, stand-alone, instance of d-word and a lbga relationship (criminals side), would’ve given it 4* otherwise. Recommended with those aforementioned warning. Free author-read audiobook on Librivox.org.

[John R Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three days book.

It took me three days to read this book. I could not put it down. Really enjoyed all three books by this author.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good mystery thriller story, but unfortunately with very shallow, undeveloped characters.