Breaking Creed by Alex Kava

BREAKING CREED BY ALEX KAVA

SEPTEMBER 2015

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born 1960, in Silver Creek, NE;. Education: College of Saint Mary, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1982. Memberships: International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime. Addresses: Home: Omaha, NE; Milton, FL. E-mail: serialkillerlady@aol.com.

Web Site:  http://alexkava.com/

Alex Kava, born Sharon Kava, grew up in rural Nebraska, and she held a variety of jobs, one of which included cleaning up in the morgue and surgery departments of a hospital while she attended college.Writer, graphic designer, and teacher. Worked in various jobs for a hospital and a newspaper, and, for fifteen years, as a designer, writer, and director of a public relations firm; Square One (graphic design company), owner; part-time college teacher.

RYDER CREED SERIES:

• Breaking Creed: introducing Ryder Creed, #1 (Jan 2015)

Receiving attention after intercepting drug deals with his canine assistants, K9 search and rescue trainer Ryder Creed teams up with FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell to stop a human smuggling operation and halt a series of brutal murders.

• Silent  creed, #2 (July 2015)

MAGGIE O'DELL SERIES:

• A Perfect Evil, #1, (2000)
• Split Second, #2, (2001)
• The Soul Catcher, #3, (2003)
• At the Stroke of Madness,#4, (2004)
• A Necessary Evil,#5, (2006)
• Exposed, #6, (2008)
• Black Friday,#7, (2009)
• Damaged, #8, (2010)
• Hotwire, #9,  (2011)
• Fireproof, #10, (2012)
• Stranded, #11, (2013)

STAND ALONE NOVELS:

• One False Move (novel), 2004.
• Whitewash (novel), 2007.

SERIES READ-ALIKES:

1. The Search by Nora Roberts  Reason: Search and­ rescue dogs take center stage in these suspenseful stories surrounding murder investigations. Romance blooms between the main characters in the steamier The Search, while it is a more subtle backdrop in Breaking Creed. ­­ (Anthea Goffe)

2. The Promise by Robert Crais  Reason: Animal lovers will enjoy the police dogs featured in these fast-­paced, suspenseful novels with intertwining storylines and plenty of plot twists. Breaking Creed adds a touch of romance to the mix. ­­(Anthea Goffe)

3. The Kill Switch by James Rollins,  ­ Reason: The Kill Switch features a military operation with potentially devastating scientific aspects; Breaking Creed is a twisty suspense novel tackling an operation that smuggles both drugs and people. Both fast-­paced novels feature a dog handler and his four-­footed partner. ­­ (Shauna Griffin)

AUTHOR READ-ALIKES:

1. Lisa  Gardner --  Reason: Both Alex Kava and Lisa Gardner turned from writing Historical Romances to Suspense. Both authors include extensive forensic detail, complex protagonists, psychological insights, plot twists, and an undercurrent of romance in their works. ­­ (Krista Biggs)

2. Diane Fanning -- Reason: Diane Fanning and Alex Kava write police mysteries featuring a policewoman and and a female FBI agent. These are strong women who are determined and principled. The suspense-­filled stories have multilayered plots that are often told from multiple viewpoints. The stories are gritty and violent with realistic characters. ­­ (Merle Jacob)

3. Tami Hoag -- Reason: Like Kava, Tami Hoag develops strong characters and offers up fast, tight plotting with a female protagonist. The use of the repetitive character will appeal to readers of Kava who like meeting characters who reappear in subsequent novels. ­­ (Krista Biggs)

4. Becky Masterman -- Reason: Becky Masterman and Alex Kava write thrillers featuring FBI agents who hunt serial killers. These are complex women who are troubled by their work and their personal lives, but they are gutsy to a fault. These suspenseful books move quickly and are filled with violence, plot twists, and evil characters. ­­ (Merle Jacob)

5. Elizabeth Heiter --  Reason: Elizabeth Heiter and Alex Kava write hard-­hitting, fast-­paced thrillers featuring strong female FBI special agents who search for serial killers. The protagonists are complex women in difficult jobs, but they are also still looking for love. The dark stories feature violence, ugly villains, and page­turning suspense. ­­ Merle Jacob

Cuckoo's Calling by J. K. Rowling

 Cuckoo’s Calling, August 2015

Known As: Rowling, Jo;Rowling, Joanne; Rowling, Joanne Kathleen; Scamander, Newt; Whisp, Kennilworthy; Rowling, Joanne K.; Galbraith, Robert (British writer); Murray, Joanne; Rowling, J.K.

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born July 31, 1965, in Chipping Sodbury, England; Education: Exeter University, B.A., 1987. Addresses: Home: Edinburgh, Scotland. E-mail: info@jkrowling.com.

CAREER:

Writer. Author of books for children, 1987--. Has worked as a producer and consultant on the "Harry Potter" film series; former teacher in Scotland and Portugal; has worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International. Volant Charitable Trust, founder; Children's High Level Group (now Lumos), cofounder, 2005; Shannon Trust, benefactor; Gingerbread Charity, president; has appeared on international television and radio programs.

"HARRY POTTER" SERIES

OTHER WRITINGS

• (Under pseudonym Newt Scamander) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, special edition with a foreword by "Albus Dumbledore," 2001.
• (Under pseudonym Kennilworthy Whisp) Quidditch through the Ages, 2001.
• (And illustrator) The Tales of Beedle the Bard, 2007.
• The Casual Vacancy, 2012.
• (Under pseudonym Robert Galbraith) The Cuckoo's Calling, 2013.

Writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, Rowling published the crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling in 2013. Private investigator Cormoran Strike is hired to look into the apparent suicide of a supermodel. After reluctantly poking around the thoroughly investigated case, he finds it is not as clear-cut as the media had made it out to be. With the assistance of his secretary, Robin, Strike finds that the supermodel was researching her genealogy, leading him to suspect family ties could be at least partly responsible for her death.

Cormoran Strike Series:

Cuckoo’s Calling (2013)

Silkworm (2014)

Career of Evil (October, 2015)

Read-alikes (for the Cormoran Strike Series)

Jackson Brodie Mysteries by Kate Atkinson     Reason:  These atmospheric, somewhat dark mystery series starring private detectives who are troubled loners take place in Britain. Cormoran Strike's office is in London, where his cases arise, and Jackson Brodie works in more provincial cities. -- Katherine Johnson

J. McNee Mysteries   by Russel D. McLean Reason:  The J. McNee and Cormoran Strike mysteries feature private investigators who are struggling with professional and personal problems that have shut them off from personal relationships. Multidimensional characters, intricate plotting, and sharp social criticism make these gritty books compelling reads. -- Merle Jacob

Read-alikes (Cuckoo’s Calling)

Tonight I said goodbye by Michael Koryta    Reason:  Fast-paced and compelling, these mystery debuts introduce private investigators hired by the families of individuals who allegedly committed suicide. Charged with locating murderers whose communities are inaccessible to outsiders (mobsters, celebrities), the protagonists soon find themselves in over their heads. -- Gillian Speace

The little sister by Raymond Chandler   Reason:  Though The Little Sister is more hardboiled than The Cuckoo's Calling, both fast-paced, character-driven mysteries star dysfunctional private investigators whose rough exteriors mask fierce intelligence and a contemplative mindset. Both bleak yet darkly humorous novels consider the pitfalls of celebrity. -- Gillian Speace

Case histories by Kate Atkinson   Reason:  These character-driven mysteries feature eccentric British private investigators with messy personal lives and considerable financial woes who rely on old-fashioned detective work to solve cases. While engaging storytelling distinguishes both compelling, darkly humorous novels, Case Histories is more leisurely paced. -- Gillian Speace

Just one evil act by Elizabeth George   Reason:  Blending mystery and social criticism, both of these engrossing, expertly written novels feature engaging if flawed British sleuths who must battle an unscrupulous tabloid press and untangle the victims'  family dynamics in order to solve baffling crimes. -- Anne Filiaci

Read-alikes (Silkworm)

Original sin  by P. D. James  Reason:  These character-centered detective novels focus on the deaths of people in the publishing industry. The Silkworm's victim is a novelist whose books insulted people he knew, while the more leisurely paced Original Sin involves the murder of a publishing magnate. -- Katherine Johnson

Death of a writer  by Michael Collins   Reason:  The characters' commentary on the publishing world adds irony to these suspenseful detective stories featuring atmospheric writing and complex storylines. Both mysteries involve fictional books whose plots strangely resemble the murder cases the novels are portraying. -- Katherine Johnson

One good turn by Kate Atkinson  Reason:  These mystery novels feature brooding, damaged private detectives and atmospheric writing. The Silkworm portrays an investigation into the disappearance of a controversial writer, while in One Good Turn the PI gets involved after witnessing a road rage murder. -- Katherine Johnson

A murder of magpies by Judith Flanders  Reason:  These murder mysteries set in the context of the British publishing industry satirize publishers' and writers' quirks as they weave twisty plots. The Silkworm has a somewhat darker atmosphere than A Murder of Magpies. -- Katherine Johnson

House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

July 2015

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born April 5, 1955, in Stanmore, Middlesex (some sources say North London), England; Education: University of York, B.A. Addresses: Office: c/o Greenlit Productions, 13 D'Arblay St., London W1, England. Agent: Peters, Fraser & Dunlop, 34-43 Russell St., London WC2B 5HP, England. E-mail: ajhorowitz@aol.com.

CAREER:

Creator, screenwriter, and co-producer of television series Foyle's War, 2002-05.

Creator of the television series Midsomer Murders,Author of "The Last Englishman" and "Menace," for the television series Heroes & Villains, has also written television screenplays for Agatha Christie's Poirot, Crime Traveller, and The Saint.

Horowitz has written several series of book for children and for teens, including graphic novels.

Books by Horowitz have been translated into Spanish, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Hebrew, Japanese, Flemish, Italian, and other languages, and published in braille editions.

AWARDS:

Great Britain's Red House Children's Book Award, 2003, for Skeleton Key; Rebecca Caudill Young Readers'  Book Award, 2004, for Stormbreaker; named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the New Years honours list for services to Literature, 2014.

Sherlock Holmes novels:   Anthony Horowitz is authorized by Conan Doyle's estate to write new Holmes stories.

The House of Silk (2011)   It is 1890. A year after Holmes's death, Watson ­­now in a retirement home ­­narrates a tale of Sherlockian detection that could tear apart the very fabric of society. The story opens with a train robbery in Boston, and moves to the innocuous setting of Wimbledon.

Moriarty (2014)    Pinkerton agent Frederick Chase arrives in London to help Scotland Yard Inspector Athelney Jones track down the sinister figure determined to be Moriarty's successor.

Read­alikes

1. The adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle  Reason: Readers who enjoy Anthony Horowitz's retelling should consult Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories, which have enough intricate puzzles, rational deductions, vivid characterization, and charming period detail to win over modern readers. ­­ Derek Keyser

2. The devil's workshop by Alex Grecian   Reason: Both are grim historical mysteries set in Victorian London, where Jack the Ripper (or an admiring copycat?) stalk once more. House of Silk relates one of Sherlock Holmes' "lost" adventures, while Devil's Workshop features Scotland Yard's newly ­created Murder Squad. ­­ Kim Burton

3. The strange return of Sherlock Holmes by Barry Grant   Reason: NoveList recommends for fans of Sherlock Holmes novels by Anthony Horowitz. Check out the first book in the series.

4. The infernal device by Michael Kurland  Reason: An enemy's enemy becomes an ally in these Victorian mysteries. Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, Moriarty pairs a Scotland Yard inspector and a Pinkerton agent; The Infernal Device pits Holmes and his archenemy against their mutual adversary. ­­ Gillian Speace

5. The shadow of Reichenbach Falls by J. Robert King  Reason: Mystery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows in these Sherlock Holmes pastiches, set in Victorian London and Switzerland. Following Sherlock Holmes' confrontation with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls, odd couple detectives form unlikely partnerships to discover what really happened. ­­ Gillian Speace

6. The return of Moriarty by John Gardner   Reason: Threats to Professor Moriarty's crime syndicate emerge in these Victorian mysteries, prompting protagonists to take action: The Return of Moriarty's eponymous anti­hero must return to London and resurrect his empire; in Moriarty, detectives search for the "Napoleon of Crime's" successor. ­­ Gillian Speace

Trigger Mortis, a James Bond adventure is coming in September, 2015.  Horowitz is the latest contemporary novelist to tackle literature’s greatest action hero, and the first to place his work directly within Fleming’s original canon

Website:  www.anthonyhorowitz.com/

Take a look at the ‘Extras’ for some short stories by Anthony Horowitz

Play Dead

Play Dead by David Rosenfelt

June 2015

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Born in Patterson, NJ; married; children: two. Education: Graduated from New York University. Addresses:Home: CA. E-mail: david@davidrosenfelt.com.

CAREER:

Writer. Tri-Star Pictures, former president of marketing; Tara Foundation (dog rescue organization), cofounder, with wife, 1995.

AWARDS:

Mystery Prize, Audie Awards, 2014, for Unleashed, read by Grover Gardner

Former film executive and screenwriter David Rosenfelt pens mysteries and suspense novels. The bulk of his work is a series featuring a wealthy, witty, deceptively easygoing attorney who loves both dogs and justice. Rosenfelt places his wise-cracking protagonist in assorted unpleasant situations -- mostly in Paterson, New Jersey -- ratchets up the danger, then takes his readers on a fast-paced ride with criminals, cops, and dramatic courtroom scenes. Rosenfelt's stand-alone novels are equally brisk and witty, although they tend to be more plot-driven and suspenseful. Start with: Leader of the Pack.

"ANDY CARPENTER" SERIES

• Open and Shut, (#1), 2002.
• First Degree,(#2), 2003.
• Bury the Lead, (#3), 2004.
• Sudden Death, (#4), 2005.
• Dead Center,(#5), 2006.
• Play Dead, (#6), 2007.
• New Tricks,(#7) 2009.
• Dog Tags,(#8) 2010.
• One Dog Night, (#9) 2011.
• Leader of the Pack (#10) 2012
• Unleashed (#11) 2013
• Hounded (#12) 2014

NOVELS

• Don't Tell a Soul, 2008.
• Down to the Wire, 2010.
• On Borrowed Time, 2011.
• Heart of a Killer, 2012
• Unleashed, ,\ 2013.
• Airtight, 2013
• Without Warning, 2014

Play Dead finds Andy Carpenter defending Yogi, a golden retriever that has supposedly bitten its owner. Carpenter posits that the dog was protecting itself from an abusive situation and ultimately wins its freedom. The story deepens, however, when the dog turns out to have belonged to another owner five years previous and holds the key to proving the innocence of U.S. customs inspector Richard Evans in the case of the murder of his fiancée.

Read-alikes  series

1.	Dismas Hardy novels  by John T. Lescroart Reason:  Realistic courtroom drama surrounding provocative issues can be found in these series, which contain sympathetic, realistic characters who engage readers in their lives, not just the courtroom. The Carpenter novels are lighter in tone, while the Dismas Hardy novels are grittier, darker, and more urban. -- Rebecca Sigmon
2.	Paul Madriani novels  by Steve Martin Reason:  Both of these fast-paced series follow the suspenseful exploits of star defense attorneys whose violent cases and complex personal lives frequently intertwine. -- Kim Burton
3.	Jason Kolarich novels  by David Ellis Reason:  The Jason Kolarich novels and the Andy Carpenter novels are fast-paced and suspenseful, certain to entertain legal thriller fans with their independent-minded defense attorney protagonists and compelling plots. Justice is alive and well in the hands of these unorthodox but ethical lawyers. -- Mike Nilsson

Read-alikes  author

1.	Evanovich, Janet Reason:  If it's the snappy banter, humor, offbeat characters, and fast-paced (and sometimes wacky) plots that draw you to David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter Legal Thrillers, you might want to try Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, which features a wise-cracking bounty hunter who never met a donut she didn't like. -- Shauna Griffin
2.	Lescroart, John T. Reason:  Rosenfelt's readers who don't mind a darker tone should try John T. Lescroart for his novels that also raise disturbing, provocative issues about the law and feature sympathetic series characters, investigative background, and grandstanding courtroom action. -- Katherine Johnson
3.	Corleone, Douglas Reason:  Corleone and Rosenfelt write legal thrillers that feature defense attorneys as their sleuths. The men are likeable and have a wry sense of humor. The stories are fast paced with intricate twists and turns in the plots. The sleuths often resort to uncovering the truth outside of court. -- Merle Jacob