Underdogs by Stephen Leather

🔥🔥🔥 Out on 12 February 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Once a fearless SAS hero, Andy 'Deadman' Bird now battles the harsh streets of London after a catastrophic mission stripped him of his hearing, career, home and marriage. His only solace is Tyson, his fiercely loyal and battle-tested dog.

When fate thrusts them into the path of a chilling alleyway murder, Andy and Tyson become the next targets. Who are these relentless hunters, and what dangerous secrets are they willing to kill for?

Desperate and cornered, Andy reaches out to his former brothers–in–arms – a team who owe him their very lives. But as they unravel a sinister web of organised crime and deadly political plots, who will be saving who this time?"

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I have been a fan of Stephen Leather's work for a long time now and he never disappoints. This latest book is certainly no exception - it's an absolute peach of a story. If you're looking for something full of action, violence, suspense and intrigue, then this is definitely the one for you.

The story follows Andy "Deadman" Bird, a former SAS hero who has had a really tough time of it after a mission went wrong. He's lost his hearing, his career and his marriage, and he's living on the streets of London. I absolutely loved Bird as a main character, but I have to say that Tyson the dog completely stole the show for me. Tyson is Bird's fiercely loyal companion and seeing the relationship between the two of them was just wonderful.

One thing that really got to me was how they are both experiencing PTSD after that failed mission. It was so interesting to see that this isn't something that just affects humans - I didn't really know anything about dogs being affected in that way, so it was new to me although not a complete surprise. It made their bond feel even deeper because they're both struggling with the same demons.

When they witness a murder in an alleyway, they both end up as targets. It was great to see Bird reach out to his old SAS brothers-in-arms for help. The camaraderie between the characters felt so natural and authentic, and it really added to the grit of the story as they got tangled up in a mess of organised crime and political plots.

It's a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled ride that kept me hooked from start to finish. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a proper, hard-hitting thriller. 🐾

Huge thanks to the author, Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, yet another cracker from Mr Leather.

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