Dark, tragic and unsettling, Deadbeat is a soul-searching tale of love, loss, and living with the consequences of your actions. A tense and anguishing story that makes you contemplate good vs. evil and reflect on how far you’d go to take care of your family. Adam Hamdy has delivered another thought-provoking and devastatingly powerful novel that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished reading.
Peyton Collard’s life was shattered after a drunk driving car accident left a young woman dead, leaving him broken, estranged from his wife and daughter, and drowning in alcohol. After his latest transgression, an anonymous benefactor bails him out and makes Peyton a lucrative offer he is unable to refuse… life changing money if he agrees to kill specific malevolent individuals. As Peyton sets out on a violent spree across California, he starts to question the motives of the unseen figure pulling the strings and wonders about the true identities of those he’s executed. Now finding himself investigating the very murders he committed, he is determined to unmask the identity of the person behind the contracts and the dark reasons behind the killings he’s committed.
The pages of Deadbeat are filled with desperation, violence and regret. But they are also packed with hope, sacrifice and determination. Which is why it’s so hard to determine if Peyton is likeable or loathsome. He does some absolutely abhorrent and morally corrupt things, but his motivation can be seen as pure and in the name of seeking redemption. In the end, it’s up to the reader to make up their own mind on where Peyton stands with them. But there’s no middle ground. Either you will be understanding of his ends-justify-the-means approach and find him worthy of your support, or you will gleefully root for him to rot in prison for the rest of his days.
That there’s even a choice to make given the Peyton’s actions speaks to the brilliance of Adam Hamdy’s storytelling. He finds humanity in the darkest corners of even the most hopeless of souls. Using his brilliant and flowing prose to suck you into a debate about virtue vs. vileness. Requiring reflective contemplation that may not have a satisfying conclusion in the end. Regardless, you will be entertained while reading this powerful story and its impact won’t end for quite some time, as the angel and devil in your head will continue the conversation for many days after putting the book down.
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