Acts of Nature (Max Freeman Series #5)

Craving some quiet time together, Max Freeman and Detective Sherry Richards retreat to Max’s secluded shack deep in the Florida Everglades. No television. No cell phones. No neighbors. It’s a perfect and much-needed escape from the daily grind. But when a violent hurricane rips through South Florida obliterating everything in its path, Max and Sherry’s peaceful getaway turns into a desperate fight for survival. And the hurricane is only the beginning of the nightmare.

With Sherry severely injured and no way to call for help, the couple begins a treacherous trek back to civilization, only to find that the hurricane’s devastation is the least of their worries. In the wake of the storm, the isolation they originally sought soon becomes deadly as undesirables invade the Glades. Some have come to profit from the destruction and loot what remains, while others will stop at nothing to protect secrets. All are willing to kill to get what they came for, and Max and Sherry are smack in the line of fire.

“Jonathon King writes with the eye of a reporter, the instincts of a cop, and the heart of a champion.” - T. Jefferson Parker, bestselling author of Storm Runners

Publishers Weekly

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.)

Jonathon King is the author of five critically acclaimed, award-winning novels, including The Blue Edge of Midnight, an Edgar Award winner, and Eye of Vengeance. His novels have been published all over the world, including the UK, Germany, France, Finland, Japan, Portugal, and the Netherlands. He lives in Florida.