Lethal People: A Donovan Creed Crime Novel [Paperback]

John Locke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2009

"Donovan Creed, a former CIA assassin, is a very tough man with a weakness for very easy women. Meet him in LETHAL PEOPLE a relentlessly entertaining crime novel that's often LOL funny! The action is fast and furious, the dialogue smart, savvy and sexy, and the story is filled with quirky characters and clever surprises. What more could you want when you turn the last page except the next Donovan Creed crime novel? Patience, please. You'll be reading Creed's next adventure in the very near future. Lucky you!" -Gerald Gross, Freelance Editor/Book Doctor, Editor of EDITORS ON EDITING: What Writers Need To Know About What Editors DoIn the first of an exciting new series, Donovan Creed, former CIA assassin and a smart-aleck tough guy with a heart of bronze, faces his biggest challenge ever. While pursuing a budding romance with the beautiful Kathleen Gray, Creed stumbles upon a plucky, but horribly burned, little girl named Addie Dawes. Creed's suspicion about the fire that killed Addie's family puts him on a collision course with crime boss Joe DeMeo, in what soon becomes an issue of kill or be killed.DeMeo, a relentless killer who will stop at nothing to protect his empire, targets Creed and his loved ones for death. But Creed has plans of his own. Employing a bizarre cast of characters including a giant, a rival crime lord, an angry midget bent on world conquest, and a team of circus clowns, Creed goes on the attack, with hilarious results.Lethal People is a bizarre, breezy and exciting thriller with excellent pacing, snappy dialogue and quirky characters who will keep you chuckling late into the night.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781440151712
• ISBN-13: 978-1440151712
• ASIN: 1440151717
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (226 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,434,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Locke reminds me of a cross between Jim Thompson and Carl Hiaasen' Mike Shatzkin. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

John Locke is the international best-selling author of seven Donovan Creed novels, all of which have made the Amazon/Kindle Top 20 Best Seller's List! Saving Rachel held the #1 spot for more than three weeks and remains one of the all-time best selling ebooks in history! Locke has had four books in the Top 10 at the same time, and six in the Top 20! His Emmett Love western, Follow the Stone, has been ranked #1 Western since the first week after release. John lives in Kentucky, where he is working on his second Emmett Love Western, Don't Poke the Bear!

Every 7 seconds, 24 hours a day, a John Locke novel is downloaded somewhere in the world!

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781440151712
• ISBN-13: 978-1440151712
• ASIN: 1440151717
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (226 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,434,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 118 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The good, the bad, and the silly March 10, 2011

By Arthur Bradley TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Lethal People is a "unique" thriller that takes the same old recipe and then spices it up with a serious splash of Tobasco. I'd have to use both hands and feet to count the number of books that have starred professional killers (ex-CIA, ex-snipers, hitmen gone straight, Bourne clones, etc.). Donovan Creed fits the same mold. Not only is he a killer, he's kills for just about any and every reason. In fact, his whimsical nature towards killing is one of the many things that detract from the story's believability. But hold on to that thought. Once you get far enough into the story, his indifference to killing is the least of the believability issues. Back to Creed... who kills terrorists for the bad guys, kills for the mafia, kills anyone who might be useful as a look alike double, and kills absolutely anyone for money. No one seems to be off limits, although the author does state that he doesn't kill kids -- very often.

On the plus side, the story has so much going on that it is impossible to get bored. No way, no how. There are hookers hopping in and out of bed, bombs blowing up hotels, secret satelites being taken over, kidnappings, wife beaters, house fires, restaurant shootouts, and more! All in all, things hold together fairly well until the midget army shows up. Uh yes, you heard me right. Not only a midget army, but one led by a rather upset quadriplegic billionaire who wants to conduct his own "Pay It Forward" experiment. Over the top? Oh yeah, way over. Fun? Well, yeah that too.

A few words of caution. Donovan Creed is not the typical "bad guy gone good" character. Dare I say that he's a psycopath? Yeah, I think that's fair. He kills anyone, so don't get your feelings hurt when he grabs a perfectly innocent woman and murders her in cold blood.... That's tough to read when you naturally really want to like the main character. You may well be feeling disgusted by some of his actions. On the other hand, he's a concerned father, falls in love at the drop of a hat, rescues strangers from burning buildings, and likes puppies and butterflies. A complex, not particularly understandable character. Did I mention that he sleeps in other people's attics and has his friends torture him with high tech devices? Why you ask? Not quite sure that there's a rational answer to that one - just because. Quit asking so many questions!

Now you probably see why I used the term "unique" to describe Lethal People. Perhaps bizarre would have been a better descriptor. I did not toss the book to the other side of the room as some reviewers have posted. In fact, I found it to be quite the page turner, even if it does lose its way during the second half. The writing is fairly solid, the story is fast paced, and the characters are twisted spinoffs of all too common thriller stereotypes. Yes, it's ridiculous and morally dark at some points, but if you dare, give this one a try. My advice... go into it with a light heart and look for the absurdity while enjoying the ride.

Would I ever read another Donovan Creed novel? Nope. Even for a 99 cents? Nope. What about if I were on a twelve hour flight with nothing else to read and no one interesting to chat with? Well, okay, maybe just one more. But that's it I swear.

Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Process of Elimination" and "Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family."

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166 of 185 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A killer with his heart in the right place. April 23, 2010

By Roger Y

Format:Paperback

This is a novel dealing with a primary character named Donovan Creed. In his primary job, he works for homeland security killing terrorists. Since this doesn't fill all of his time he also tests out torture devices for the military and sometimes does contract killings for the mob. Not necessarily the type of person you think of when you want to have a fun time or a romantic evening. Donovan really is a nice guy though. It is just that his work tends to give him a different outlook on life and this makes him sometimes awkward when dealing with people in "normal" situations.

In Lethal People Donovan gets a call from his daughter who is concerned about the man who is engaged to his ex wife. Donovan finds out the man is a "reformed" wife beater and while investigating him meets a young burn victim whose family died in a house fire. He likes the girl and checks out the fire and finds that it was arson. He figures out why the fire was set and who was responsible and sets out to find justice for all involved.

"Lethal People" by John Locke is a book that shows us that just because you kill people for a living doesn't necessarily make you a bad guy.

82 of 98 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Disappointing June 8, 2010

By L. Wilson

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

After reading numerous reviews that said this was a great read I downloaded it to my Kindle and dove in. Interesting characters for the most part but then he gets a little too far-fetched and it is a distraction from the story and dialogue. Kept waiting for a twist or a surprise but it never happened. Not even much of a climax in the plot. Could have been better, more thought out and more entertaining. It never really drew me in. I finished it just hoping for some kind of redemption in the ending but it did not happen.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not lovin' Donovan March 23, 2011

By Bluetooth Rookie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

My first Donovan Creed read was Saving Rachel. I thought maybe I had found me another Jack Reacher type character. After reading a few chapters of Lethal People I am thoroughly disgusted with Donovan and his pals. I don't find the happenings in this story "smart" ,"funny" or "sexy". Luring a young girl for sex with the intent of using her as a body double he may have to kill...a real scream!!! Murdering an innocent women and describing how she pees on Donovan's pants in fear...couldn't stop laughing!!!! He lives in people's attics and spies on them 24/7....how cute!!! Sorry Donovan I'm deleting you from my kindle app.

37 of 44 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars One star is being kind February 3, 2011

By Alan E. Gesler

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Creed is a psychopath. There is no moral play in this book, ala Dexter. No ambivelance, ala John Rain. The bedroom in Creed's residence is a jail cell unless he sneaks into stranger's homes and sleeps in the attics or basements. He has himself tortured just for the sport. He has sex with a girl barely older than his own daughter and is untroubled that he thinks about his daughter during the event. He considers it no more than a tough day at the office when more than a hundred innocent people including women and children die in bombing meant for him. He kills, or at least does his best to kill, a woman who is innocent of wrongdoing proclaiming that it's not his job to judge. He and his cronies participate in a "social experiment" where murder victims get to name other people they'd like to be killed. In his job as a killer for mobsters or midgets with delusions of grandeur he receives massive welfare from the federal government in the form of jet transportation, clean up crews, and secret weapons. But we're supposed to like him because he's good with kids and can bake popovers. That this author is free to walk the streets gives me the creeping willies.