Acts of Nature (Max Freeman Series #5)

by Jonathon King

Overview

A PI’s vacation in the Everglades is disrupted by a deadly hurricane—and dangerous criminals—in this riveting read by an Edgar Award–winning author.
 
The peace and quiet of Max Freeman and Sherry Richards’s vacation ends abruptly when Hurricane Simone slams into the Sunshine State. Sherry suffers a devastating injury in the storm, and the two are left stranded in the swamp.
 
But as they struggle to find help, they’re thwarted by not only opportunistic crooks looking to benefit from the disaster, but also hired muscle from a powerful oil company hoping to protect a lethal secret—regardless of who stands in the way—in this “survival-of-the-fittest tale” by a master of mystery and suspense (Newsday).

“King vividly describes the hurricane’s force and the different ways people respond to it. Sherry displays her grit and Max his ingenuity in a series of desperate gambles as the story builds to an explosive climax. This is a worthy addition to a Florida subgenre that includes Carl Hiaasen’s Stormy Weather and Tim Dorsey’s Hurricane Punch.” —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781453209844
Publisher:	Open Road Integrated Media LLC
Publication date:	10/14/2010
Series:	Max Freeman Series , #5
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	496,782
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Jonathon King is an Edgar Award–winning mystery novelist and the creator of the bestselling Max Freeman crime series. Born in Lansing, Michigan, in the 1950s, King worked as a crime reporter in Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale for twenty-four years before becoming a full-time novelist. Along with the seven books of the Max Freeman series, King has authored the thriller Eye of Vengeance (2007) and the historical novel The Styx (2009).

What People are Saying About This

Roland Person

Ex-con Gladesman and two teenage accomplices set out to salvage (steal) in the aftermath of a hurricane that hits the Florida Everglades. Two ex-military hardguys on a secret mission for a global oil company are dropped on a mysterious island in the area. And Max Freeman, Philadelphia cop-turned-P.I. (Killing Night), and his lover, Sherry, plan a rare vacation at his isolated Everglades cabin. How these plot lines converge on one storm-battered island is the stuff of King's fifth Freeman novel, following last year's standalone (Eye of Vengeance).

Although the bodies pile up quickly, King displays a deft touch for sketching rounded characters, has a sympathetic eye for the south Florida environment, and stirs up a suspenseful plot that only in its ending flirts with melodrama. Rather self-absorbed in earlier tales, Max now is energized by action-and love. He is likely to return and so are the many fans of the Edgar award-winning King. For all thriller and crime fiction collections. (Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale)

From the Publisher

“King adds new dimensions of depth and substance to the modern crime novel.” —Michael Connelly“King’s writing is gritty, vivid, and suspenseful.” —Harlan Coben

Editorial Reviews

"King vividly describes the hurricane’s force and the different ways people respond to it. Sherry displays her grit and Max his ingenuity in a series of desperate gambles as the story builds to an explosive climax. This is a worthy addition to a Florida subgenre that includes Carl Hiaasen’s Stormy Weather and Tim Dorsey’s Hurricane Punch.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“An action-packed glide through the Glades.” —South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“King adds new dimensions of depth and substance to the modern crime novel.” —Michael Connelly

“King’s writing is gritty, vivid, and suspenseful.” —Harlan Coben

From the Publisher

Florida, hurricanes and crime make a potent mix, as shown in Edgar-winner King's fifth entry in his Max Freeman PI series (The Blue Edge of Midnight, etc.). The vacation trip that Max and his cop girlfriend, Sherry Richards, take to his Everglades cabin and then to a friend's even more remote fishing camp turns into a struggle for survival when hurricane Simone shifts course unpredictably. A trio of unscrupulous thieves scavenging in the hurricane's wake and a pair of deadly security guards out to protect an illegal asset compound the danger. King vividly describes the hurricane's force and the different ways people respond to it. Sherry displays her grit and Max his ingenuity in a series of desperate gambles as the story builds to an explosive climax. This is a worthy addition to a Florida subgenre that includes Carl Hiaasen's Stormy Weatherand Tim Dorsey's Hurricane Punch. (Aug.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

Max Freeman is a thinking man’s PI. His lady, Sherry Richards, is a Broward County sheriff’s detective. When the two attempt a few quiet days in the Everglades, they find themselves directly in the path of Hurricane Simone, an assortment of unscrupulous criminals, and deadly local wildlife. Mel Foster elevates King’s fifth Max Freeman mystery into a thoughtful demonstration of overcoming deadly odds. His intelligent narration makes Freeman a likable and accessible character. Foster’s other characterizations are equally well done, and he handles the convoluted plot elements with ease, keeping the tension high and the believability higher. King’s exciting story and Foster’s strong performance make this well worth a listen. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

DEC 07/JAN 08 - AudioFile