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Stranded
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Stranded
Unavailable
Stranded
Audiobook7 hours

Stranded

Written by Alex Kava

Narrated by Tanya Eby

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

New York Times bestselling author Alex Kava returns with another action-packed thriller featuring Special Agent Maggie O'Dell, who is on the hunt for a madman terrorizing the nation's highways.

Tired travelers and exhausted truckers have stopped at rest areas on the nation's highways for decades to refuel, grab a bite, and maybe get some shut-eye, but one man's rest stop is another's hunting ground. For years the defenseless, the weary, and the stranded have disappeared along interstates and tollways, vanishing without a trace. But these seemingly unconnected incidents are no coincidence, and a serial killer stalks the roads.

When FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell and her partner, Tully, discover the remains of a young woman, the one clue left behind is a map-an invitation of sorts for Maggie to play a game: a game of cat and mouse between killer and investigators that will take Maggie and Tully on a frantic hunt crisscrossing the country to halt the truck-stop killer before he strikes again.

With the body count rising, Maggie and her partner race against the clock to unmask the monster before it's too late. As they piece together the clues, following the killer's trail from D.C. to the heart of the Midwest and finally to the isolated forests of the Florida Panhandle, it becomes eerily clear that this killer may have had Maggie in his sights all along.

Intense and harrowing, this white-knuckle ride of a thriller introduces a lethal foe for Maggie and is Alex Kava's most compelling novel yet.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 16, 2013
ISBN9781455856886
Unavailable
Stranded
Author

Alex Kava

ALEX KAVA GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY outside Silver Creek, Nebraska. She earned a bachelor's degree in art and English from College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska.  She has done a variety of jobs, from working as a hospital tech, cleaning and sterilizing utensils from surgery, pathology and the morgue, to running her own graphic design firm, designing national food labels and directing television and radio commercials. IN 1996 SHE QUIT HER JOB as a public relations director to dedicate herself to writing a novel and getting published. To pay the bills, she refinanced her home, maxed out her credit cards and even took on a newspaper delivery route. TODAY, ALEX IS A NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR of psychological suspense novels.  Her Maggie O'Dell series, comprised of A Perfect Evil, Split Second, The Soul Catcher, At the Stroke of Madness, A Necessary Evil, Exposed and Black Friday along with her stand-alone novels, One False Move and Whitewash, have been widely praised by critics and fans. They have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Her books have been published in twenty-four countries and have hit the bestseller lists in Australia, Germany, Poland, Italy and the UK.  She is also one of the featured writers in the anthology Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, edited by James Patterson. ONE FALSE MOVE WAS SELECTED AS Nebraska's 2006 One Book One Nebraska.  (My Antonia by Willa Cather was the 2005 selection).  In 2007 Alex was awarded the Mari Sandoz Award by the Nebraska Library Association. Whitewash made January Magazine's list of best thrillers for 2007. Exposed,Black Friday and 2011's DAMAGED received starred reviews by Publishers Weekly.   2010 marked Alex's ten year anniversary as an author with the publication of her tenth novel, Damaged (Doubleday, July 13th). HOTWIRE, her ninth Maggie O'Dell will be released July 12th, 2011. She also has co-authored two short stories in anthologies to be published in June and August: First Thrills, edited by Lee Child (After Dark, co-authored with Deb Carlin) and Florida Heat Wave, edited by Michael Lister (A Breath of Hot Air, co-authored with Patricia Bremmer is now on KINDLE. ALEX WRITES FULL-TIME AND LIVES IN Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida (where her 2010 book, Damaged is set).  She is a member of International Thrillers Writers.    

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Reviews for Stranded

Rating: 4.024192903225806 out of 5 stars
4/5

62 ratings13 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good mystery, a bit graphic but that was necessary to the story....watch those road side rest areas at night....
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Stranded
    4 Stars

    As part of the FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative, profiler Maggie O'Dell and her partner, R.J. Tully are tracking a vicious killer targeting weary travelers at truck stops along the freeways of the United States. Unfortunately, the investigators are always one step behind the unsub, whose ultimate end game seems to be the deaths of the agents themselves.

    Series note: This is the final Maggie O'Dell book and it provides closure to the unresolved plot points from the previous installment - Fireproof. It also introduces Ryder Creed, who is the protagonist of the spin-off series.

    Despite ongoing issues with Kava's writing, i.e., continuity errors, unanswered questions and loose ends, her books are easy to read, fast paced thrillers with diabolical villains and a likable heroine. Stranded is no exception as the story is well-developed with an exciting build up and satisfying, if somewhat anti-climactic, resolution.

    The introduction of Ryder Creed and his canine companions adds an extra layer of enjoyment as he is a very compelling character with an interesting past both in terms of his personal backstory and his involvement with dog training. That said, Kava's inclusion of a physical attraction between Creed and Maggie feels forced and out of place, and will hopefully not be a focus of the spin-off.

    In sum, as a plot rather than character driven reader, the concerns of some reviewers regarding Kava's characterization shortcomings are not as significant for me because the stories are intense and suspenseful. Moreover, Creed is an intriguing addition and has convinced me to continue on.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When FBI special agent Maggie O'Dell and her partner, Tully, discover the remains of a young woman in a highway ditch, the one clue left behind is a map that will send Maggie and Tully on a frantic hunt crisscrossing the country to stop a madman before he kills again.

    As the body count rises and Maggie races against the clock to unmask the monster who's terrorizing the nation's highways, she turns to a former foe for help since he seems to know just what the killer's next move will be. As she gets closer to finding the killer, it becomes eerily clear that Maggie is the ultimate target.

    The story is fast moving and the details are clear but not bogging the story down. The interplay between the main characters is believable and easily understood. The introduction of a new character was just what the story needed with the addition of a tracker and his specialized dogs. You will simply adore little "Grace".
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Tired travelers and exhausted truckers have stopped at rest stops on the nation's highways for decades to refuel, grab a bite, and maybe get some shut-eye, but one man's rest stop is another's hunting ground. For years the defenseless, the weary, and the stranded have disappeared along interstates and tollways, vanishing without a trace. But these seemingly unconnected incidents are no coincidence, and a serial killer stalks the roads. When FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell and her partner Tully discover the remains of a young woman, the one clue left behind is a map - an invitation of sorts for Maggie to play a game; a game of cat and mouse between killer and investigators that will take Maggie and Tully on a frantic hunt crisscrossing the country to halt the truck-stop killer before he strikes again. With the body count rising, Maggie and her partner race against the clock the unmask the monster before it's too late. As they piece together the clues following the killer's trail from DC to the heart of the Midwest and finally to the isolated forests of the Florida Panhandle, it becomes eerily clear that this killer may have had Maggie in his sights all along.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sehr unterhaltsam und schnell durchgelesen.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a classic Alex Kava novel of the Maggie O'Dell series! Loved this book! As always, Alex Kava, draws you into the story and wraps the story with the characters around you. Very intense, page turner, nail biting story of a serial killer on the loose and taking victims along the interstate highways.

    The story sticks with you long after you put down the book and it gives you pause of being extra careful while driving the interstates that criss-cross the country as no one truly knows who lurks just out of sight or who might be watching. Giving this book a five star read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I will never feel the same at a rest area after reading this book! Really enjoy Maggie O'Dell books, and I hope too see more of Creed in upcoming volumes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Every now and again as a reader I'm fortunate enough to come across a series by an author that just seems to get better with each book. The Maggie O'Dell series by Alex Kava is, for me, one of these series. In Stranded the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are dealing with a series of murders that don't seem to have any connection until it is realized that all of the people were taken from rest stops. When O'Dell and her partner, RJ Tully, come across a body in the DC/Virginia area, a map is found that quickly sends them across the country in search of clues. These clues lead to more bodies and even more questions. Is it possible that this is the work of one person? How is it possible for the killer to have gone for so long without being caught?Just when it seems like Maggie and Tully are getting close to answers, an even bigger problem arises that requires the assistance of Maggie's close friend and Tully's significant other, Dr. Gwen Patterson, is brought into the investigation to talk with a prisoner that might have information. Although information is revealed, it is revealed piecemeal and seems to be just enough to lead Tully and Maggie into a trap.Stranded provides a lot of drama and suspense. When it seems like the investigation is going to provide some answers, another clue is revealed that takes the investigation down a new avenue. I rather enjoyed seeing Maggie, Tully, Dr. Gwen Patterson, work together to solve this crime. Detective Racine, from previous stories, made a cameo appearance and participated in the multi-agency investigation. New faces included an FBI agent and computer whiz, Alonzo, as well as Creed and his search and rescue dogs. The action was all too plausible and was scary enough to make me think twice about stopping at a rest area any time soon. This was another story that gripped me from the first page to the very last. If you enjoy suspense thrillers then you'll definitely want to add Stranded to your reading list (you may want to wait and read after that road trip).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As always I think it best sometimes to read books in order. This book could be read as a stand alone but readers will miss the earlier encounters with profiler Maggie O'Dell which are the better ones.The earlier books for me were better because of the relationship Maggie did or didn't have with Nick Morelli. These earlier books for me were page turners and I couldn't wait for the next installment. The Nick was wrote out of the stories and the books became for me an average thriller. I really missed Nick !Now a new character, Ryder Creed as been introduced and in this novel straight away there is something between him and Maggie that will maybe bring back that magical spark. The story has been left open and the nect book is called Breaking Creed, so will is still around.The story was a fast paced thriller with the back stories of the familiar characters of Maggie, Gwen, Tully and now Ryder. Again this is why I like to read books in order. A better read from the series but earlier books are a must.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this book - very suspenseful. I also like where Kava is leading us. Like Creed a lot and hope he is part of the next novel as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    StrandedbyAlex KavaMy " in a nutshell" summary...A psycho serial killer is attacking people at highway rest stops! My thoughts after reading this book...I have not read an Alex Kava book in ages and after reading this heart pounding nonstop thriller...I have no clue why. I read this book in one sitting. It was a rainy muggy gloomy day and this book was perfection. The action and mystery started from the opening pages and continued throughout the book.The serial killer is elusive and I never even remotely had a glimmer of an idea of who he was. He is the kind of psychotic killer who enjoys the hunt as much as the capture. I feared for everyone and had sheer utter amazement at the end! I had no clue!What I really truly loved about this book...I loved these characters...Maggie and Tully and Creed...even poor tortured Noah...you will have to read the book to know why Noah is tortured. I loved Grace and Bolo...Creed's dogs. I loved the way Creed was with animals...I loved his potential with Maggie.What I did not love about this book...Hah! I hated Otis and the psycho/killer. You will, too!Final thoughts...I found this book to be a real honest to goodness thriller of a mystery...extremely skillfully written!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    FBI Special Agents Maggie O’Dell and her partner, Tully are members of a task force that tie together killings and missing persons involving interstate highway rest stops and are on the trail of a serial killer who appears to be playing a game with Maggie. He finds his victims at rest stops and is leaving clues to guide her to the next scene or body dump site with the intention of impressing her.Dr Gwen Patterson, Tully’s girlfriend and Maggie’s best friend, is brought on to the task force as a forensic psychologist, working out of Quantico. She’s unnerved at having to speak to a prisoner about a guy he’d talked to a year ago who’d told him where he dumped bodies. The last time she’d done this she’d been attacked by the prisoner.The serial killer had actually gotten Maggie’s attention at the end of the last book, Fireproof. While the story reads as a continuation of the last book--I’ve only read the last 2 books but I’m assuming the entire series is done this way—there is plenty of back filler so that you’d be able to pick up this book without having read prior ones.The story is told from a number of points of view, all in short, tightly written chapters. The story moves along at a good clip.There’s suspense, a nice dose of sexual tension, fear and some drama yet to come. We’re introduced to Ryder Creed and his dogs that are trained for search and rescue, finding cadavers, bombs, etc. So we get some insight in how that works. I hope we see him and his dogs in the future.A good mystery with an unexpected outcome. And after reading this I’m sure I’ll remember this story every time I use a rest stop.Read as an ARC via Amazon Vine Voice
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Stranded – No Place to HideI don’t know how I have done it but I would love to know how I have missed Alex Kava’s Maggie O’Dell thrillers but better late than never. Stranded is a fast paced page turner of a thriller with plenty of twists and turns and working out who is the protagonist leaves you in suspense until the end. This book really is for fans of the TV show Criminal Minds and the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit at Quantico. Stranded is also proof that Alex Kava is at the top of her game, understands the genre and delivers a thriller with a punch. Now all I have to do is get my hands on her previous work!Anyone that has driven around America and gone either state or interstate will know how great the interstate roads are and sometimes what a god send it is to see the truck rest stops. As an Englishman I love driving their interstates as they are straight and easy to work out where you going even later at night as long as you stay in the speed limits which are low compared to the UK and Europe. Those truck stops to a traveller are an oasis in the desert if you are a trucker or covering long distances.Maggie O’Dell has been tasked to a serial killer investigation team based out of Quantico searching for someone who is killing people at the rest stops along the interstate. Not only content with killing them he happily slices and dices the victims probably for pleasure. O’Dell and her partner Tully are sent along to investigate the latest body dump which turns out to be part of an old farmstead but they have been guided their by a prisoner called Otis. The killer had also left a mad of the I-95 in Maggie’s burnt out house and there is nothing worse really than a killer taunting the FBI as they will always come through in the end, or in O’Dell’s case will they?Tully warns O’Dell as the body count rises that this seems to be a game to the killer and that she seems to be the ultimate prize to her or him especially after CNN had profiled her. She recognises that this danger is part of her job and tries not to let this worry her. It is a fast paced game of hide and seek with her either as the prize or the victorious. You can feel O’Dell’s weariness but dogged determination in that she will not give up and try not to be too predictable for the killer.Special Agent Maggie O’Dell is a brilliant investigator and she delivers in Stranded a strong determined woman who is not afraid of anything other than her own personal feelings. Kava has created a brilliant character who shows that women are just as dogged just as determined and just as inquisitive as their male counterparts who will stop at nothing to get the job done. The intensity grows throughout the book as the pace gathers and you feel a need to finish so you can see who and how the characters develop and who wins in the end. In Stranded Alex Kava proves that women are taking hold of the crime thriller genre and making it their own and improving it with every book published.