| Title | : | Dirty Deeds |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1523692146 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781523692149 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 206 |
| Publication | : | First published January 26, 2016 |
Dirty Deeds Reviews
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Original premise. Likeable, believable characters. Great start to a series.
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I am so glad I nominated Dirty Deeds on Kindle Scout. When I read the excerpts the story interested me a lot. I knew I was in for a good story and I wasn't disappointed.
The story, from the very first line, will keep you hooked. It's fast-paced and has a clear plot. The characters are well drawn and each one have their own peculiarities and imperfections that makes them believable. Armand Rosamilia's main character, James Gaffney is witty, smart and engaging, he is the type of character you want to continue to follow.
Usually I hate cliff-hangers but on this occasion Rosamilia can be forgiven - note to author ...........please don't make it a habit! I know there is more from this author and I can't wait for his next book. -
I loved the opening line in this novel. It set the tone for the rest of it, and was absolutely perfect. It was truly one of the best opening lines of any novel I’ve ever read. All right, enough about the first sentence. The rest of the novel was an intriguing, enjoyable read. James Gaffney represents himself as a truly despicable person to his clients. For an exorbitant fee, he will kill your child. In reality, he abducts them and places them with another family. Almost from the beginning of the novel, things unravel for James. He had an FBI agent on his tail, someone hacking his information, a Mafia boss pissed at him because his dead son is no longer dead. Through it all, James has to navigate these hurdles, keep himself alive, and try to do the right thing along the way based on his own moral code.
I really enjoyed the casual writing style employed in this novel. It had an easy going feel to it, and the protagonist narrated in a self-deprecating style. He’s not really a tough guy that one would expect for this type of role. He’s not a good fighter, and doesn’t even carry a gun, although it would probably be a good idea to do so given all of the people trying to kill him. The novel has many twists and turns. The characterization is strong. I guess the one thing that bothered me is that there were people willing to pay lots of money to have their children killed. As a parent, it seems inconceivable. I get that parents kill children, but it seems hard to imagine hiring a hitman to kill them. At any rate, this was a top notch thriller that I would recommend reading.
Carl Alves - author of The Invocation -
This is more mystery than the horror I usually read/ listen to, but I enjoyed this way more than I expected. The first line of the book hooked me. It was something similar to 'I kill kids for money'. And the first scene is dude being hired by a lawyer to kill lawyer's daughter..But there's a twist. He doesn't kill the kids.
The cast of this book reminds me more of a cozy, which I do like a cozy from time to time. The characters are likeable. The story unraveled into more of a mystery than expected. And the voice! OMG! I absolutely loved the voice of this book. He was humorous, yet edgy, yet relaxing at the same time. That's an accomplishment -
From the first line to the killer cliffhanger of an ending, I was hooked. I love the whole concept behind our not-so-tough guy, baseball card dealing, child "kidnapping" protagonist. This is not your typical crime novel and that's what makes it so intriguing. The pace never lets up and the stakes get higher and higher. A great read that now has me wanting more. I loaded up the next two books as soon as I was done!
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"Dirty Deeds" is my first introduction to Armand Rosamilia and, from what I understand, this novel is a departure from his other work which is more horror related. This book caught me completely by surprise, from its first line (definitely in my Top 5 first lines from a novel) to its cast of characters and playful noir-like tone.
And seriously, ask yourself if you can read this line and not want to read more:
"I get paid large sums of money to kill children."
It only gets better from there.
Rosamilia walks the line with the cliches of the genre by first drawing attention to them and then poking fun at them. Yet still, there are enough twists and turns to keep even the most jaded thriller reader in a sense of suspense. Overall, however, it's the main character's charm and self-deprecating attitude that make this little gem of a novel shine. A sequel is something I wouldn't think twice about picking up, it's a given. -
Perfect launch to the cliff
5 stars easy. Despite the cliffhanger. In this case the advance warning from other reviewers helped.
I was prepared and was only waiting to see if the work was good enough to make the next book worth waiting for. It is. Easily.
I'd commented on the Kindle Scout thread on KBoards, after reading the 5000 word excerpt, that the style felt like a blend of Chandler and Evanovich, two of my favorite writers.
After finishing Dirty Deeds I feel that way more now than then.
The running interior monologue develops from cute-snidey to alert-concerned to much more self aware - fully integrated and interspersed with action, dialog, humor, and danger.
Being a cliffhanger, the novel doesn't have the arc and completeness of my favorite writers, yet.
I very much look forward to seeing if Mr. Rosamilia's follow up book fulfills that promise. -
This was one of the more enjoyable and fun reads I have read in awhile. The evening I started reading this, I read the first forty-seven pages and was pretty amused and interested in the storyline. This one started off in media res and moved really quickly! Five pages in, the main character was in the back of a police car.
The concept of this novel (and series) is that the main character is rather one-of-a-kind and the work is unbelieveable. I am so very thankful to have read a novel where there was something unique and new and interesting instead of the usual plots and settings.
Anyway, toward the end of the novel, I felt the storyline was getting a little wonky. I mean, it seemed the main character was spending a lot of time in the backseat of cars being driven here and there after flying to all these cities – but nothing was really happening. Also, some of these cities were in different time zones and some of the timeline just seemed too condensed. I know the author was really trying to press his character – put the squeeze on from a variety of angles and never letting the reader know who the real bad guys were. However, maybe it needed to decompress here and there.
I like the main character. The story is very fast-paced and easy-going. I recommend this to readers who want to enjoy what they read and can be content with popcorn, a Coca-Cola, and an engaging crime novel. -
This story captured my attention from the first line. It's a quick read, humorous, and well-written. James is a likable character, one who's a bit on the wrong side of the law, although his ultimate goal is to save children. It had some twists and left you wondering if he really should be trying to save all these children. It didn't always turn out for the best for him. Be warned, the story leaves you with a cliff-hanger.
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Okay, I liked Dirty Deeds a lot. It’s got a good storyline and you get stuck in right at the start but the backstory is beautifully weaves into the book and it never feels like there’s an info dump anywhere. The protagonists voice is really good and the humour that comes with it works really well despite some of the heavy subject matter in the book.
Definitely one is recommend and I’m going to have to bump boom two up on my reading list! -
Audible:I loved this book!It was smart and engaging.I liked the characters.The abrupt ending means there should be more coming....I sure hope so!Jack de Golla did a great job narrating.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.
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James (what is his real name? ;-) gets paid to take care of problems. Who and how he takes care of them comes as a surprise to the people involved. I liked this book so much, I finished it in 2 days. Can't wait to dive into Book 2 !
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Dirty Deeds is a pretty decent read ya'll.
Dude has people thinking he's doing something illegal, immoral and just wrong on so many level. But the truth is, he's a dam good fella.
The story line is well written and unique. Glad I have the rest of the series on audio.
It's just an overall entertaining book.
Narrator is pretty a cool too. -
I found this book a bit disappointing. The plot just didn't seem at all plausible and there was too much jumping from place to place.
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"Dirty Deeds" is my first book I've read of Armand Rosamilia.This book caught me completely by surprise. It is awesome!
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Dirty Deeds is a crime novel with a twist– and not the kind you’d expect. The protagonist is an aging hitman with a big secret: he spirits away the children he’s been paid to kill, setting them up with an adoption agency that places them with loving new families. Or at least, so he thinks. Unfortunately, things are starting to go wrong for our heroic hitter. He’s been set up, and one of his past targets has tracked him down –and revenge is on the kid’s mind.
Dirty Deeds is easily one of the most enjoyable crime novels I’ve read recently. It’s packed with gritty, believable characters, plot twists, and enough violence to make it feel wholly authentic without turning into a blood bath. This is gripping fare, and Rosamilia’s writing is truly fun to read.
I also didn’t find the ending as jarring as other readers seem to have. The story wrapped up fairly conclusively before the arrival of the hook for the sequel, and it didn’t make me feel that the narrative had concluded without a real ending.
This book has more than earned a five star rating, and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel in the future! -
What a fun read!
And I don’t say that because I happen to share so much in terms of world-view and taste with the author...
Well, okay, yes I do. But also because it is well-written and a fun read, nicely paced (without so many of the gimmicks too many current writers use to make it SEEM like it is “fast paced” when it really isn’t...) with a lot of depth writers leave out today in order to attract readers looking for something I don’t understand... I don’t know... Read while you’re watching television???
But I get this, I really get this. Writing like the genre is supposed to be...a storm over the plains, rolling and rolling, pelting away with occasional bursts and that vivid roar of thunder every now and then.
That’s the way to do it, man. Knockahoma... -
I truly enjoyed the plot of this book. What I did not like is the way the very last line ended. The main character is on the phone and is told something that turns the entire plot on its head. The End. To read any more means to buy book 2 in the series. (I think this is a 5 book series).
Granted, the kindle version of these are only 2.99; I just don't like to be hijacked like that. Most series I read at least complete the current plot and the writing is so great the reader wants to continue reading more adventures with the same character. At least the reader has a choice to continue with the series. This is just my own pet peeve--I don't want to be forced to purchase another book. -
A novel about a person who is taking on jobs to pay the bills—killing people. Moreover, killing children. If that sounds like a book about a sociopathic person, you are wrong. He, the protagonist, is hired by adults who have unwanted children eliminated from their responsibilities. But, and here is the change the reader feels for the hitman, he is actually placing the unwanted children in homes that have parents who want to love and care properly for the children. Thusly, the abhorrent hitman become a sort of hero. A super-hero you might say. The reader then feels empathy for him as he goes through a part of his life covered in the book. Since he is not a perfect person, even has a few vices, he is still empathic but becomes a bit of an antihero super-hero.
A good read. -
Mystery
This is my first time reading this author. I will probably read more by him.
I'm unsure how to classify the genre. It is definitely a mystery, almost a cozy. It felt like an old time detective story, without the detective. There is also suspense and action.
The characters are likeable. Backstory for the main male character, "James" is still a mystery, although there are clues. James is not an alpha character like I would expect in similar books. It works. I like him.
This book ends with the dreaded cliffhanger. I now need to read the next book for the continued story. -
I get paid to erase problems.
Did your extramarital affair produce an unwanted complication? Family problems? Just want to enjoy your midlife crisis by yourself?
That's where I come in. For a fee I'll take care of it. A big fee.
Only, I'm not going to do what you think. I'm not going to save you from them, I’m going to save them from you.
The book was very good but leaves you hanging in the end. Now I have to wait for the next installment -
Wow!
Ok...I’m in love with this book. I love the old school mob mentality. I love Chenzo, Keane, Marisa, and especially “James”. Armand made these characters very easy to fall for and like able. I love the baseball references too. I’m so glad i have the next books in the series to keep enjoying. -
A fast-paced, rollercoaster-plot of a crime novel.
While the quick pace sometimes gets in the way of the storyline, jumping from one thing to the next, Rosamilia keeps everything very character-driven which evens this first story out. The series has a ton of potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next. -
A FUN fast paced read!
I found this author's name in Goodreads. I thought...'Not my usual genre, but let's have a go'. Note to self. Always think, listen and do. I did. EXCELLENT, I mean excellent read. Unique. Great story telling skills, his characters grabbed me by collar and threw me in the story.
Did I mention this author has story writing skills? Definitely recommend. -
Best opening line I've ever seen in a book. Well written, good story. I liked it. Then I got to the ending. The entire book is a 203 page cliffhanger.
Nothing gets resolved at the end. Is not worth going through the second book, especially since I have no faith that the story will actually be resolved... ever. Very disappointing considering how interesting the premise was. -
This novel is about a man who is a hired killer--with a twist. He saves the intended victims instead of killing them. It's well-written but loses a star because of the cliff hanger ending, which I consider a cheap device for an author.
