Kenny O’Neill, a villain with a conscience, returns in a hard-hitting thriller of exploitation, corruption and criminal gangs. When Kenny’s cousin, Ian, comes to the aid of a fellow ex-squaddie in a heap of trouble, he gets caught up in the vicious underground fight scene, where callous criminals prey on the vulnerable, damaged and homeless. With Ian in too deep to escape, Kenny has no option other than to infiltrate the gang for the sake of his family. Kenny is an experienced MMA fighter, as tough as they come, but has he found himself in the one fight he can never win?
Dog Fight is gritty and brutal, a vicious story of illegal fight clubs and the ex-servicemen who are forced to fight for their lives against a backdrop of PTSD and abandonment by the state.
The characters are fantastic, portrayed warts and all. The action is intense and pulls no punches (sorry) as we’re drawn into Kenny’s world as his cousin Ian gets caught up in the shady world of underground fight clubs. There’s a real sense of menace running through the pages. Not everyone is going to get out of this in one piece, and some aren’t going to get out at all.
There are some brutal scenes in the book, it’s not for the squeamish, but it’s a worthwhile read. The plotting and characterisation is top-notch, with a nice layer of dark humour in the dialogue running throughout.
Thanks to Contraband for the review copy, and to Gordon (@grabthisbook) for organising the blog tour. Dog Fight by Michael J. Malone is out now in paperback and ebook.
espresso coco 
Hey Dave – thanks for being part of the tour – and thanks for your thoughtful review. Cheers!