I enjoy Alex Kava's Ryder Creed series so much that I dole out each book sparingly. I know I'm going to enjoy the read, and I never want to run out of them, no matter how much I love Creed's relationship with his dogs. Lost Creed was no exception.

In Lost Creed, we learn Ryder's backstory, of what led to his sister's abduction and the aftermath that destroyed his family. We get to meet Ryder's mother, who's made a name for herself in the field that Martha Stewart made famous. But most of all, we get to be partners with Creed and FBI agent Maggie O'Dell on another high-octane thrill ride as they search for the information they need in order to find out what happened to Creed's sister. Also helping us piece things together are occasional chapters from the point of view of one of the abducted women.

In the meantime, we readers also follow along with Creed's employee, young Jason Seaver, a vet with a prosthetic limb whose troublesome attitude is slowly mellowing out. He and his young dog, Scout, are on their first solo mission, and it's Jason's chance to really learn the meaning of Rule #1: "Trust Your Dog."

Lost Creed has excellent pacing, ever-increasing suspense, and characters who make you come back for more. Kava has done so much to inform her readers about how talented dogs are, and what makes this series even more special is the fact that all of the dogs in Creed's K-9 Crime Scents business are rejects-- many of them abandoned at the end of Creed's driveway. He gives them all stability, love, and training, and as a result, many of his dogs have become heroes. Creed's primary objective is to make sure none of his dogs are ever hurt again, and you just have to mentally hug the stuffing out of him for his resolve. (At least I do.) However, this is a mystery series, not only for dog lovers but also for those who love fast-paced suspense.

Now that I've read Lost Creed, I'm going to have to force myself to stay away from the next book in the series. As I said, I enjoy these books so much that I never want to run out. But... my resolve is weakening... ( )

OMG Alex Kava you have written anther great read. I have been hoping they would find Creed's sister alive and this one brings it out. I was shocked to find out exactly how Brodie disappeared and the hell she must have gone through all those years. Really sad that human trafficking is a real problem in the world. It not only affects kids, but adults as well. I am just so glad she's alive and I hope with lots of love and counselling things work out for the family. Looking forward to reading the next "Creed" book. ( )

This is a tightly plotted, wonderfully written novel. I love the search and rescue/cadaver/sniffy dogs that show up in these books. The main characters are also strongly written. There isn't much more to write that isn't in the blurb and that won't be a spoiler. There are no cliff-hangers at the end of these books but some characters reappear frequently and show growth/development so reading the previous 3 books is helpful, but not necessary. ( )

I've genuinely missed Alex Kava's writing and the characters she's created.

In the past few books we've learned about Ryder's missing sister, Brodie. 16 years ago, she walked into a rest-stop and was never seen again. It was an incident that fractured Ryder's family, and upended his life. It also shaped his life path- he served with the marines, and returned to set up a K9 training unit that helped multiple organizations and multiple types of cases.

Yet, in over 16 years, there have been close to no leads about Brodie. Until FBI Agent Maggie O'Dell's task force apprehend a trafficker in Nebraska. A photo found among his possessions might offer clues about Brodie's life.

Lost Creed follows Maggie and Ryder as they set on a mission to find the trafficker's victims- some dead, some alive- and one of whom might just be Brodie. It is a heart-wrenching journey for Ryder, and for Maggie, to an extent. Their chemistry is sizzling, as ever. Reader's also get to see aspects to Ryder that we haven't seen yet- and learn more about how his life as a teenager was, in the wake of his sister going missing. One also wonders about the answers Ryder might find- he's been looking for them for years, letting them shape him, and there's no predicting how he might feel about what he finds out.

All in all, it is a great read if you love these characters. I hope Ms.Kava explores the issue of human trafficking more in her future books, as it played second fiddle to Brodie's case. My only complaint was that this book felt much shorter than the others in the series. ( )

I have enjoyed Alex Kava's Maggie O'Dell series for years and was really anxious to see where she would take the Ryder Creed series. Needless to say I have not been disappointed. Animal lovers will applaud Ryder Creed's wonderful dogs and the work he does with them. As always a beautiful read. You won't be able to resit Ryder's little Grace and her other four-legged companions as they find drugs... people...explosives...and return all the love their little canine hearts can hold. There is great interaction between the characters and Ms. Kava gave us a real surprise in the end. ( )