Reckless Creed

Alex Kava's Ryder Creed series is one that I have to keep myself from gobbling up like a starving woman, and Reckless Creed is no exception. The stories are exceptional, and I love the relationship between Creed and his amazing dogs. Kava goes a long way into explaining just what remarkable talents dogs have.

In an article about Creed and his business, K9 Crime Scents, a journalist talking about his success said, "They did it by rescuing abandoned and discarded dogs and turning them into heroes." In fact, as Creed's success becomes better known, more and more people are abandoning pets at the end of his driveway. This has the conflicting effect of making me angry and my being thankful that at least the dogs have a much better shot at a show more good life.

Published in 2016, having a story revolve around dogs that can sniff out diseases ratcheted up the tension and chill factor now that we are battling a pandemic. In Reckless Creed, we learn more about young Jason Seaver, a vet with a prosthetic limb and an often troublesome attitude, as well as the plight of other returned veterans who must deal with the search for proper-fitting prosthetics and doctors who seem to love to over-medicate. Creed has Jason training a young dog, and it's good to see them learning to work with each other.

If you enjoy exciting stories, fantastic working dogs, and a passionate main character you can believe in, Alex Kava's Ryder Creed series is the one for you. I'd suggest that you start at the beginning with Breaking Creed. It was one of my Best Reads of 2019. show less

Ex-Marine Ryder Creed, his K9 search-and-rescue dogs, and FBI agent Maggie O'Dell team up for a dire and mysterious case involving two suspicious suicides and a lake where a huge flock of snow geese is found dead.

This is the 2nd book I’ve read in this series and I continue to really like Creed, his business partner Hannah and FBI agent O’Dell. There are also a few military Vets who have physical or mental difficulties after Afghanistan that add interest. I love the dogs, their training and their abilities. The story slowly grew in suspense as a bird flu pandemic becomes a possibility. Although published in 2016, what was said about a pandemic was quite believable after going through Covid. I enjoyed this story and plan to read more show more in the series. show less

I really enjoyed reading this book. The idea behind the story was really pretty scary largely because of how realistic everything felt. All of the characters that I have grown to love over the past few years played a part in this complex and exciting story. There was really a lot of action in the story and I had a hard time putting the book down.

The story was very relevant to today's world. The book starts out with several seemingly unrelated events that may be more than they originally appear to be. The events take place in several different locations in the United States. Maggie is called to Chicago to investigate the suspected suicide of a man that appears to have been ill while Ryder and his dogs are searching for a lost girl. As show more the book progresses, everything starts to be pulled together until a frightening plot is uncovered.

One of the things that I love about reading a series is the characters and this series has some wonderful characters. I have read so many books featuring Maggie O'Dell that I feel like I know her. I am not sure whether I like Maggie or Ryder more but since they are both featured in this series I don't feel like I have to choose. As an animal lover, I love the whole aspect of Ryder's service dogs. Each of the dogs used in the book become an important part of the story with the personality of the dog really adding an authentic element.

I loved the way this story was told though multiple points of view. Each of the points of view added an important element to the story. I loved how each of the plot threads started out being told from a different perspective. Each perspective brought the emotions of the individual and really made things feel real. Figuring out how everything would come together in the end was part of the fun of reading this book.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of mystery. This is the third book in the Ryder Creed series which picks up after the Maggie O'Dell series. While I think readers could enjoy this story as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible. I already can't wait to get my hands on the next Alex Kava novel!

I received an advance reader edition of this book from G.P Putnam's Sons via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review. show less

Every bit as adrenaline charged as the first book in this series, Breaking Creed, with a plot so believable it's downright scary. Plus, this features a fascinating glimpse into the world of medical alert and disease detection dogs. Ryder Creed and FBI agent Maggie O'Dell share the spotlight with Jason, an Afghanistan veteran and trainee K9 handler, whom I hope to read more about in future books.

I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Reckless Creed] by Alex Kava
Ryder Creek series Book #3
4.5★'s

Ryder Creed and his amazing dogs take on an enemy that is virtually invisible until it makes it's self known when it is often too late. Some one is using human carriers to spread a newly concocted strain of bird flu. Creed's kennel of dogs have been trained to detect this virus along with many other virus and cancers. Of course the government is involved and are actually helpful. Creed works out a deal for additional dogs from a kill shelter by getting the government to agree to finance it to become a no-kill shelter with at least 20 dogs a month being trained as air sniffers and sent to other facilities to begin their new "careers". Good job Ryder. Wish reality was that show more simple and successful. Agent Maggie O'Dell has her place in the story line searching for a physicists that she has chased for over a year and is suspected of inventing the new bird flu virus and infecting the human guinea pigs. Overall...it was another good addition to Kava's newest series. I like her books as she is a dog owner and therefore no dogs are ever harmed in any of her books. show less

An entertaining read, but I wish there was more stuff with the dogs and more things going on the Maggi and Ryder.

Solid series - still the best thing is the time spent talking about training the dogs and the connection between dogs & people.