Adam Hamdy has a terrific way with words and prose that makes every story of his feel somehow so relatable and raw yet polished. Deadbeat takes this irony to the next level with a somber and powerfully thrilling narrative that not only cuts down to the chilly souls of characters, but also creates an attachment that just doesn’t come along very often.
Peyton Collard is a broken man whose life spiraled after a tragic car accident. He spends his days and nights trying to make something of his life but ends up getting bogged down by his own limiting self. It’s only when a large sum of money comes his way that propels him to take the opportunity. Only catch? He has to kill people. Initially chalking it up as vigilante justice, he soon discovers there’s a hidden tangent to his targets and he finds himself on a collision course with uncomfortable truths about both his victims and himself.
From the get-go, you’re uncomfortable with how to feel about the protagonist. He’s a blubbering mess who makes the wrong decisions and falls into a loop of misery. You’re compelled to hope for goodness in him, yet at the same time you somewhat despise what he becomes. At the same time, Hamdy subtly challenges the readers to wonder what we’d do if we were in the protagonist’s shoes. It’s a complex multifaceted narrative that keeps the focus on the protagonist so we feel bonded to him, for better or for worse. The relationship that’s forged with Peyton is built on clever storytelling augmented with realistic dilemmas in a wild situation where the character does everything you’d expect a normal person to do, a man who does not have any of the action-chops or cool antics, but is utterly motivated to do right by his family.
Yet with such a heavy atmosphere of a somber story, Hamdy infuses the narrative with a fast-pace that doesn’t waste time propelling the protagonist into a thrilling road through the gates of hell. The suspense is laid on thick and the meandering road to the truth is filled with blistering twists that will leave you horrified and satisfied with the ultimate finale.
Deadbeat is a subtle masterpiece that latches onto you with its symbiotic ideas and its resonating nature. Before you know it, you’re aiding and abetting the protagonist in the art of murder. But legally you’re off the hook so it’s all hunky dory without the grim weight of regret and guilt that Peyton ultimately has to grapple with. It’s one of the finest books I’ve read this year. Not surprising however, since it is indeed Adam Hamdy at the helm of this amazing experience.
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Purchase Deadbeat
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Barrington Books
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Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
