Uppercut

John Milton #22

by Mark Dawson

John Milton is on the run again. Chasing clues to help him understand the new risks he faces, he finds himself in Dublin. Before he knows it, he is involved with a woman who has fallen foul of a dangerous local family.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Espionage

476 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2023

About the author

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Mark Dawson was born in Lowestoft and grew up in Manchester and Chicago. He has worked as a lawyer and currently works in the London film industry. His first books, "The Art of Falling Apart" and "Subpoena Colada" have been published in multiple languages.

He is currently writing two series. Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. The first book in the series, "The Black Mile", deals with the (real life but little known) serial killer who operated in the area during the Blitz. "The Imposter" traces the journey of a criminal family (think The Sopranos in austerity London and you'd be on the right track).

The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Mark, as a child of the 80s, will freely admit that he watched a lot of The Equalizer in his youth.

Mark lives in Wiltshire with his family.

You can find him at www.markjdawson.com or www.facebook.com/markdawsonauthor.

Reviews

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Uppercut" by Mark Dawson is a thrilling addition to the John Milton series that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. In this installment, Milton finds himself in Dublin, working in a hotel kitchen, and hot on the trail of the Group Fifteen agent who betrayed him in Russia. However, his plans take an unexpected turn when he becomes involved in a dangerous situation stemming from a deadly shooting that brings an innocent young girl into his life. With the help of a mysterious woman he meets at the hotel, Milton embarks on a high-stakes journey through the treacherous criminal underworld of Dublin.
Dawson's storytelling is nothing short of exceptional, with a gripping narrative that keeps readers engrossed and invested in the characters. The action is relentless, and the stakes continue to rise as Milton races against time to protect the young girl and clear his own name. The world-building is vivid, making Dublin's underbelly come alive, and the story is filled with unexpected twists and turns.
What truly elevates "Uppercut" is the character of John Milton himself, a complex and resourceful protagonist. The depth of his character and his unwavering determination make him an incredibly compelling lead.
This book is a page-turner in every sense, with a plot that is both unpredictable and entertaining. Mark Dawson's skillful storytelling, combined with the excellent narration, makes "Uppercut" a must-read for fans of action-packed thrillers. The John Milton saga continues to deliver, and this installment is a testament to the author's talent in crafting an engaging and immersive story.

Very grateful to the publisher for my ALC through NetGalley, opinions are my own.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I last read about John Milton but wow, he is a great character. Mark Dawson once again delivers a fantastic adventure in Uppercut. Milton is trying to stay under the radar since The Group is trying to catch him and this time we find him in Dublin working as a chef in a hotel. Little does he know about the illegal immigrants working in the same hotel or the two rival gangs that are struggling for control over the territory. He finds himself suddenly in the middle of murder, attempted kidnapping and hunted by The Group. Will he make it? Well read the book and find out. This series is one of my favorites and Dawson has created a great character in Milton and the background with Group 15 is brilliant. This is not his only series that involves the group and I really recommend these.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*John is in a Fix*

This instalment feels like an appetiser ready for the next book. Following on from book 21 ‘The Sandman’ John has been betrayed and The infamous ‘Group Fifteen’ who he was their former number one, think he is responsible for the deaths of some of their agents. The agent who is guilty told the group that John was responsible. She is now a double agent, the group are unaware. Her motives for her actions are to do with her personal life.

Now, John is trying to find out more about her but ends up in trouble himself while he is supposed to be lying low. He becomes embroiled in a turf war

Milton has a near miss but I fear for what is to come in book 23 ‘Bloodlands’ this may be his most dangerous task he is about to undertake…. I wonder if he will ever be able to clear his name….

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a book has your name written all over it, your favourite character in the city of your birth, you know it is going to be a blast but there’s also the worry you’ll go in too high and be let down, however there was no need to fret. Usual Mark Dawson grabbing you from the first page and leaving you bereft because you have to go on the last. Group fifteen are still after Milton and while they’d like him to be brought in alive one of his pursuers has other plans. Milton finds himself in Dublin and Mark cleverly borrows a real life murder from 2016 which of course Milton gets innocently dragged into.
Even if Milton didn’t visit the best pub in Dublin, The Gravediggers, or wasn’t working in the hotel I went to every Friday night of my late teens to see a band in, this is still an excellent read, but for me it’s now my favourite Milton adventure.

[Jay Clement · Rating 3 out of 5]

79-2024. We are now some 20 books into this series, and our hero, Mr. Milton, is pulled out of cover to fight bad guys and get some justice for some folks. Solid.

[Mick Grimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is up there with one of the best in this series gripping from start to finish a must read

[Trisha Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favourite author and character

Excellent and I'll be sad when this series ends, which it has to at some point. Looking forward to next one.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent story in the John Milton series, set in Dublin, finds him caught up in a gang rivalry coming to a peak with an MMA fight

[Dale Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another superb Milton read. This one carries on the main story from the last book- Lily Moon has set up Milton, now he is top of The Group's hit list. He is in Dublin and gets involved with some local gangsters.

Wasn't really a ton of kick ass action in this story, more a cat and mouse chase between the different factions. It was still enjoyable but I could have done with seeing more of Milton getting his hands dirty.

The next book, Bloodlands, concludes the Lily Moon storyline. It's out next year. Hopefully I'll remember what happened in this one. I hope after that one that it's back to standalone Milton books (where he finds himself in towns, gets in trouble, kicks some butt, then leaves), I'm getting a bit sick of storylines dragging over 2 or 3 books. Good for the author (from a business point of view), not so good for the reader.

[Mr David Bevan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book. It appears to focus on the Gallaghers, Dillons and the Guarda, with John Milton appearing occasionally. I will also have to re read Bulletproof to remind me of the Lily Moon character.
Also the ending left you in the air again.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Milton book that was just okay. Not nearly as great as the previous 20+ books in this series. It’s an unusually slow moving plot line. The action is minimal and rarely invoked Milton. (I do realize he’s aging and unable to do some of his past actions). The most unfortunate part of the story is that is was all telegraphed before it happened. It was predictable. That’s the disappointment of this one book. I will be back for the next one. Hoping this is just a one off.

[Greg Strom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 since it is John Milton It is always nice to see John and Ziggy together again for another adventure as they visit Dublin and as true to form run into someone that wants them gone. The set up for this I tink was to give narrator a chance to use his Irish accent, though at times it was hard to tell one hood from another. He is doing his AA meeting routine as well as posing as a cook till the next locale but needs to get someone from the group off his back cause she is a bad seed. The gangster/mma connection was trendy but if you're looking for Eric John to mix it up with one of them (or anyone really) you'll be disappointed. Also the little girl at the center of story somehow manages to never say a word (autism) screams about missing her iPad, cries about dad who she watched gunned down or not eating or drinking for days as she sleeps in moldy immigrant half way houses. Then no reunion with mom , hug, sign she is in a better place after all that effort to protect her. And like he is going to put a proud not to bright MMA fighter in a trunk in front of his da without some pushback. I am glad Ziggy didn't get nicked though he was getting sloppy (like inside of his car) and John/Eric was a dick to just leave Maria (who didn't bring much to the party anyway) with a one way ticket to Amsterdam. Yes protecting her, but no romance, she was just another beautiful woman he couldn't touch. Also a bit of a cliff hanger as he needs to find control in Siberia , good luck with that mate. I tink it may be getting close to time to disappear for good and find a nice life John, hope you kept Marias number.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this story is complete, actually, it is a continuation of the previous story when Milton, five members of the group and Control, are betrayed on a secret mission by Group member Number 12, Lily Moon. The five Group members are viciously murdered and Control is kidnapped and being held somewhere in Russia. Milton survives the massacre but is now being hunted down by the Group since Lily Moon accused him of the disaster and a traitor to his Country. At present, Milton is hiding out with Ziggy with the objective of finding Lily Moon and exposing her treachery - since she is the only person who can clear his name. What could possibly have been her motive? - putting Control in mortal danger and setting up her fellow operatives for slaughter, especially Milton. As it seems with all Milton objectives, his compassion and need to right wrongs against innocent people, in this case, a young child, sidetracks him in his mission, lands him in the middle of two warring mobs and a murdering crooked cop, all of which cause a delay in the execution of his plans, and which puts him in the cross-hairs of the Group. When the Group locates Ziggy and uses him to track down Milton, the action heats up to an almost unbearable level, leaving Milton with no choice but to quickly finish his rescue plans for the child and to get out of the country. As with all Milton stories, there are continual twists and turns and breathtaking excitement. Really looking forward to the next in this incredible series.

[Mrs V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gripping but is this the penultimate book?

This tale returns with Milton intending to get the traitor, Lilly Moon, to confess to her betrayal of the Group operation that left Milton taking the the blame for the failure for the mission.

Needless to say nothing goes to plan. Milton goes to Dublin to trace where Moon is, by questioning her ex husband, but before this can happen events at the hotel, where he is working as a cook, gets him embroiled in a quest to save a young girl...........

...........Nothing goes well, with the Group having traced Milton and Penn putting their lives in danger, and with Dublin gangsters hot on his heels too.

This tale is skillfully written with various storylines entwining throughout leaving the reader guessing just who is trustworthy or not. For once Milton does not have it all his way.

An absolute must read for all fans (of which I am the No1- no arguing!!!) of this series......but will the next, due to be issued in May, be the last???????.......

........quote......'He was going to have to manage this by himself and, despite all his experience, he couldn’t help but think that this was a trip from which he would not return.'.......

I have not read the blurb on book 23 so as not to spoil anything have but have pre ordered it.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars 🌟

We have gotten to the point in this series (22 books and probably half that amount of additional novellas and short stories, not including the spinoffs) where I am never in doubt that the story is going to be good. John Milton just seems to ALWAYS find himself in the middle of a mess -

All. The. Time.

The amazing thing though is that Mr. Dawson continues to create the circumstances that support whatever bit of chaos that John finds himself in - and that it is always a realistic and compelling storyline that never fails to grab and keep my interest. I have no clue how he does it - but he does.

This time, John is in Dublin. After the events of the last book (which are still not resolved to my satisfaction with a certain person...but I digress), anyway, he is back to trying to stay off the grid while also knowing that the Group is back on his tail. Only John could get himself in the middle of a mafia gang war while taking on a temporary job as a sous chef.

This story was pretty straight forward and it is a fairly quick and easy read/listen. The story arc (the one that John found himself in at the hotel) gets resolved in a satisfactory manner, but there is still the over arching storyline regarding the Group and the traitor within the Group that I will be interested in. It always bothers the heck out of me when John gets the blame for things that he hasn't done. He does enough on his own to be responsible for :)

So- another good book and now I will be patiently waiting to see the announcement for book 23.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jam-packed with all the thrills and bloodspills you expect from a Mark Dawson Milton book, Uppercut makes for an adrenaline filled audiobook listen. #22 in the Milton series, sees Milton flee from the adventures in Russia to Dublin, with group 15 in hot pursuit. With orders to bring him in alive, someone isn't following orders and wants his blood. Milton is working in a Dublin hotel and soon finds himself thrust into the ugliness of the Dublin criminal world when there is a brutal murder and an innocent young woman is caught up in the mayhem. Listen, if you like high-octane cat and mouse crime thrillers where the hero fights tooth and nail to obtain victory, leaving a trail of destruction and enemies in his wake. Milton is a fierce and wily opponent underestimated by his opponents to their own detriment. A fast-paced audiobook that is sure to keep you binge listening to the finish. #uppercut #markdawson #Milton #crimethriller #audiobook #questaudiobook #wfhowesltd

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, suspenseful thriller!

So much going on in this book! It is definitely one of the best John Milton books. Mark Dawson is an amazing author who keeps the reader enthralled with unexpected twists and turns and plenty of surprises. It is an unputdownable book which keeps the reader wanting to see what will happen next. John cannot stay out of trouble because he has the desire to do the right thing. I can hardly wait for the next book to come out. If you like excitement , intrigue, and plenty of action, you can't go wrong with a John Milton book. Happy reading! 😊

[Jo Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I didn’t realise that this was a long standing character series. I’m actually glad that I didn’t as I may have allowed that to make me skip this over and that’d have been a mistake, it was excellent. The fact that it was part of a series made no real difference to me, the main character worked well as a standalone. I felt there was enough background info provided that it was easy to follow.

Set in Dublin on the fight scene, story itself was well balanced, exciting, gripping and disturbing. If you love a spy drama this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and W F Howes Ltd for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

[Louise Ridout · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest in the John Milton series and a familiar formula and approach. I really enjoy this series and the characters involved, and whilst this one took a little longer to get into than normal, once I got going it was just as enjoyable and interesting as the rest of the series.

This time we find John hiding out in Dublin following events of the previous story, and in tradition, he finds that trouble seems to follow him. Getting embroiled in a fight between families in the Dublin underworld whilst on the run from The Group and trying to track down Control, Uppercut is another fast paced adventure.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

All hell breaks loose

John is in Dublin, looking for a way to get to lily moon and persuade her to confess but as always where John’s concerned it’s not as straightforward as it sounds.
Unfortunately for him, he is dragged into the middle of two feuding gangster families and he must deal with them whilst trying not to identify his whereabouts to the group.
Can John clear his name?
His he working alone?
Will Lily Moon confess?
Will the group find him?
To find the answers you’re going to have to read the book.
Happy reading.
Ps Bring on Bloodlands.

[Shane Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was very good. Some Milton books i find a little hit and miss, sometimes they seem to go on forever without much happening especially his books set in the southern US. This was fast paced, and seemed to draw on bits of well known Irish fighters and drug cartels for inspiration.

The narration (audio book via audible) was good as always. Some dodgy pronounciations of place names and surnames and accents were a bit off considering the characters were north dublin cartel members and fighters not generic irish brogue, but that is to be expected and not a major deal.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems the whole world is after Milton, again. Why? Because Lily Moon sold her soul to try and get her daughter back and needed a scapegoat. So Milton is foolish enough to leave his cell phone where it can be pinged and bring Lily Moon right to him. Do you believe that? Of course not. That makes you smarter than the Control agents. He could have killed them all. But he needs to get to Lily. This is how he ends up as a chef in Dublin and saving a little girl during a shooting.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading a book in this series but this one was exceptional. The storyline kept up a steady pace of action and unexpected twists and turns. The characters, as always is the case in a Milton book, are complex and multidimensional with most having their moments of positive vs negative although primarily one or the other. Definitely not a book that is easy to put down.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading “Uppercut” with John Milton as the primary character was like seeing an old friend for a chat. It’s like John Milton never left, he just been gone for a little while. Mark Dawson continues to turn out the thrillers with John Milton, but in “Uppercut”, he introduces several other local characters and Milton’s nemesis, Lily Moon. This was a decent storyline, but lacked the John Milton touch. I miss the John Milton action. Still this novel is a Five Star novel!

[Vivienne French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missed you John glad you're back!

Another great read from Mark Dawson, our troubled hero is closer to home which I like and is caught up in an Irish turf war with boxers,which he knows about and likes. A believable story line acknowledging our heroes advancing physical years offset by his belief in doing the right thing whatever. A classy novel saved for my holiday and savoured, welcome back John go get that duplicitous Lilly!!

[David Patsel · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Mark Dawson never disappoints. He has a great franchise with these John Milton books. Milton is a flawed character but perfect for these stories. I absolutely love this series and never miss buying a new book. When I get it I absorb it quickly with glee only to be sad when it’s over and I must wait on the next one. If you like thrillers Mark Dawson is one of the best you can read. I highly recommend his books and this one in particular.

[David Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New Nailbiter

Hard to put down. Sleep deprivation was the only thing. Lilly Moon will stop at nothing to silence Milton once and for all. The Group that remains after the terrible ordeal is bent on getting him, while a whole new problem surfaces that is unrelated. Milton steps in to help on that. The bouncing story is absolutely spell binding. I can't spoil the story!!

Can't wait for the next installment... Bloodlands!!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entertaining and worthwhile listen thriller audio book has a number of story lines including gangland warfare, spy trying to prove innocence, police corruption and prize fighting. The action is fast paced, once it gets going. Before starting this audio book I hadn’t listened or read any books in this series. But I was immediately able to follow the story and back story. Thank you to W. F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Neville Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

An all action thriller. John Milton is working in Dublin as a chef where he's caught up in a gangland war. Good characterization with pace that you'll find hard to put down. I would recommend new readers to go to earlier books to get the background. I really liked the narrator his accents were good and you also knew which character was speaking. I received this audiobook from W F Howes LTD and Netgalley for a review.

[Michelle Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just finished reading this book! What goes on here? Finishing like this? That is why you are getting on,g 3 stars.
Milton is getting old aged not just middle aged, and weather he can run in three minutes or two and a half is beside the point, he is still a bad man doing good things. Perhaps it is time to end his time on earth. But that said I would really like to,know what happened when he gets to France, and does he find Control in Siberia, all unreal but entertaining.