Deadline is an exceptionally complex thriller that wonderfully straddles several genres, and refuses to be narrowed down, and that reach is reflected in the plot. Major has created a far-reaching storyline that pulls in not only forces from different countries, but also multiple agencies and the media, and manages to balance all those different elements beautifully.
This was a book that I was eager to read from the moment I read the premise, and it more than surpassed my expectations, and I knew it was going to be good from the start. The sheer complexity of the plot had me hooked from the very beginning, and this isn’t one of those books where a clue or a lead will unravel everything for you. There were red herrings, conflicting information, just what you would expect from an investigation and circumstances as far-reaching as this, and every time I thought that maybe I had worked it out, there was another twist in the story, and I loved it. Deadline surprised me on so many levels, kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat to the end, and Major managed to bring all of that together into a surprising, and very satisfying conclusion.
There was an interesting cast of characters, all of whom brought something different to the table, and while there were quite a few characters to keep track of, DS Walker and Adam Ferranti are utterly captivating as main characters, and it's great to see their relationship develop throughout the investigation and the course of the book. I enjoyed the depth that Major gave his characters, and how they came to life on the page, filled with personality, flaws and secrets which only added to the narrative.
The pacing was excellent, with the perfect amount of tension, action, and development and this is very much a book that you don’t want to put down once you’ve started. There was a very real feeling of consequence and time running out throughout the book, characters that you couldn’t help but engage with, and a storyline that will leave you wanting more. Highly recommend for anyone who loves crime fiction and thrillers that break the mold.