Deadly Storms Threaten Mass Casualties in Alex Kava’s ‘Desperate Creed’ [REVIEW]

Ryder Creed and his K9 companion Grace look for survivors after deadly storms sweep Alabama. (Photo courtesy Canva)

The winds are changing. A storm is coming. And one woman is fighting for her life. As danger creeps closer, will two men and their dogs prove to be any help? Find out in Alex Kava’s hair-raising new novel, Desperate Creed. 

Prairie Wind Publishing

Twisters are scary things. And when a series of them ravage Alabama, Ryder Creed and Jason Seaver take their scent dogs, Grace and Scout, to look for survivors. But the storm system isn’t finished yet. And soon, all of them will face off with one of the most terrifying weather events they have ever seen.

In Chicago, Frankie Russo is video chatting with her co-worker when she witnesses his murder. The killers see her face on the victim’s phone, and now she’s a target herself and nowhere is safe. Grasping at straws, she phones Hannah Washington and her business partner, Ryder Creed, seeking help. Hannah makes arrangements for Frankie to meet up with FBI agent Maggie O’Dell.

Now Frankie races toward her meeting with Maggie with the killers dogging her every move. As if that isn’t frightening enough, now she is heading straight into the very storm system that is pummeling Ryder and Jason. The tempest will punish them all. Who will survive? And will they ever be the same again? 

Following the events of the previous Creed novel, Lost Creed, Ryder’s sister Brodie is having a stormy time of her own. After surviving 16 years of captivity, she is tortured by her past and is trying to forge a new life in the Florida panhandle. But starting over isn’t as easy as it seems.

Every time an Alex Kava novel ends, I can’t wait for the next one. Desperate Creed is no exception. From the moment this tale begins, we are swept into action when Frankie becomes a witness to murder. And while the tornadoes brewing in Alabama, threatening mass casualties, heightens the tension of the tale, it isn’t what makes the story so interesting.

Yes, the plot ebbs and flows as the characters encounter the impossible. What truly has my heart racing, however, are Kava’s intense descriptions, such as the moment when Ryder protects Grace when they encounter a second tornado. Ryder is bounced around the inside of his Jeep like a popcorn kernel in hot oil. But Ryder holds fast to his true friend and companion, wrapping her up in a blanket before the tornado strikes and lifts them beyond the point of no return. I don’t know about the rest of you dog lovers out there, but this scene (and others like it) was so realistic, it made my palms sweat!

There is definitely a lot going on in this multi-layered, surprising, and frequently alarming story. Still, as always, I enjoyed Kava’s deft plotting and the way she spins one fast-paced story within another. In fact, this fifth installment in the Ryder Creed adventure series moves with such speed, I was surprised how quickly I reached the last page. If you love stories that give you an adrenaline spike and have you grasping for a grab bar out of sheer terror, you’re going to love Desperate Creed. This is one wild ride, one you definitely don’t want to miss!

Alex Kava
(Photo by Deborah Groh Carlin)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Kava is the New York Times, USA Today and Amazon-bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Maggie O’Dell series and a new series featuring former Marine, Ryder Creed and his K9 dogs.

Her stand-alone novel, One False Move, was chosen for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, Whitewash, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year.

Published in over 34 countries, and selling 6+ million copies, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Poland. She is also a co-author of the e-novellas Slices of Night and Storm Season with Erica Spindler and J.T. Ellison.

Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and International Thriller Writers.

Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida. Visit her online at AlexKava.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

DESPERATE CREED
By Alex Kava
332 pp. Prairie Wind Publishing. $27.99

Purchase Desperate Creed at one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, and Powell’s.