Breaking Creed

Bestseller Kava introduces Ryder Creed, who has started his own search-dog business after serving in a K9 unit in the Marines, in this superior introduction to a new thriller series. In the Gulf of Mexico, off Pensacola, Fla., Creed and his team inspect a commercial fishing vessel, which the authorities suspect is being used to smuggle drugs. Unexpectedly, one of Creed%E2%80%99s dogs uncovers human cargo hidden in the hold%E2%80%94five filthy children who appear to be Americans. Meanwhile, FBI agent Maggie O%E2%80%99Dell, the star of the author%E2%80%99s other series (Stranded, etc.), tries to identify a floater found in the Potomac with marks of torture. O%E2%80%99Dell and Creed later unite in Alabama to search the property of another murder victim, who may have been tied to stakes in the ground atop a mound of fire ants. Romance fans will enjoy following how the attraction between O%E2%80%99Dell and Creed plays out. Dog lovers will also find a lot to like. Author tour. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media. (Jan.)