Review and Giveaway: Deadly Codes by JP O'Donnell

Deadly Codes by JP O'Donnell
My rating: 5.0/5.0

Publisher: iUniverse.com
Publish Date: February 17, 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 216

My Review:

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 Thursday morning and had it finished by that night. I was so engrossed in it that I was able to tune out my husband on the phone right next to me in our truck (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.

About the Book:

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.

My review of the first book in the series, Fatal Gamble (which also received 5.0/5.0) is here.

Check out the J.P.O'Donnell's website.

J.P. O'Donnell is also releasing Deadly Codes at Podiobooks.com soon and Fatal Gamble is already available there.  Both are available on Amazon.com

***Giveaway***

The author has generously offered a copy of Fatal Gamble and Deadly Codes, both books in the Gallagher series to a commenter on the blog.  Simply leave a comment and a question for the author if you have one and I'll present them to him after the contest for a interview post later in the month (please help me out - I'm always looking for good questions to ask and you are my readers) .  Extra entries for tweeting, being a follower (on blogger/twitter/rss feed/email), and posting on your blog.  Just let me know in the comments what you do.  Contest open to US/Canada only.  Ends 1/22/2010.