A massive mudslide in North Carolina has buried a top secret research facility under the umbrella of DARPA and with such a sensitive location there is only one man that can be trusted to search for survivors - Ryder Creed. When an old army colleague calls in a favour, Ryder heads to North Carolina to start the search with Bolo, but it seems as though there are secrets buried in the mud. The facility is completely buried which will make finding survivors difficult, and when a body is recovered it has an execution style bullet wound that has the powers that be on the side all flustered and secretive. The landslides are far from over and the ground is likely to move under their feet as they search, and it seems as though the mud clogged slopes aren't the only things that are slippery.
When FBI Agent Maggie O'Dell arrives on the scene she finds an injured Creed and more questions than answers. Bodies recovered from the filed of debris have been badly injured, and there are remains that need to be examined but no one seems to be in a hurry to examine them. As O'Dell and Creed settle into the site it becomes apparent that the mudslide is a tragedy for the civillian population in the area, and that there is something not quite right happening on the ground where they are putting their lives at risk to search for answers. While Creed and his dogs search for answers O'Dell needs to watch their backs because some secrets are meant to remain buried - no matter what the cost.
This was my second outing with Creed and O'Dell and I thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it a well paced and evenly balanced read from the point of view of both characters without one voice taking too much of the story. Once again the dogs feature strongly in the story, with their own strong presence and point of view - Grace is still absolutely charming and reminds me very much of several little terriers I know who also deploy their little dog charms to devastating effect. The other characters are also rounding out more, not just Creed and O'Dell, but the other people that inhabit their world. This is a book that can be read independently of Breaking Creed, but I think I enjoyed it more because I had the background from the first book.
Ryder Creed and his dogs occur a unique piece of the crime genre - they are based on real working dogs and their handlers, and their multiple skills mean that there are many opporuntinies for future storylines. Working dogs are often underestimated or misunderstood, but they are finely tuned and carefully trained to be very good at what they do - and any working dog develops an intense bond with their human partner that should not be underestimated either. There are some interesting developments with personal lives and relationships here and it will be worthwhile following the storylines to see what happens to Ryder, his dogs, and all the people in their lives.
Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the next book in this series because this was another thoroughly enjoyable escape from the world into a richly imagined disaster that make you feel like shaking off the mud and rain yourself.
If you like this book then try:
- Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
- Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarratano
- The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
- One step too far by Tina Seskis
- The postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
- The basement by Stephen Leather
- The silence of the lambs by Thomas Harris
- Level 26: Dark origins by Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski
- Now you see her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
- The postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
- Private Oz by James Patterson and Michael White
- The survivors club by Lisa Gardner
- Darkly dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
- Kill switch by Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene
- The edge of normal by Carla Norton
Reviewed by Brilla
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