Vegas Moon: a Donovan Creed Novel

Donovan Creed #7

by John Locke

TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, WHAT CRIME WOULD YOU COMMIT? In order to save his own life, Donovan Creed signs on as bodyguard to the most famous gambler in Las Vegas history, Jim 'Lucky' Peters. Lucky, worth millions, has hit a losing streak and must raise a lot of cash in a short period of time from some of the world's creepiest people. It doesn't take long for Creed to learn that the person who holds the key to his survival is none other than Lucy's smokin' hot wife, Gwen, who has secrets of her own.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Ebooks, Audiobook, Humor

250 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information. This is the novelist (2x spaces), not the philosopher (1x space).


New York Times best-selling author John Locke is the international best-selling author of sixteen books in four different genres. He is the 8th author in history to have sold one million eBooks on Kindle. Locke has had four books in the top ten at the same time, including #1 and #2. His Donovan Creed thriller series has sold more than 1,700,000 copies since January, 2011, and foreign rights have been acquired by six major publishers for Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Hungarian, and Lithuanian translations. (Amazon's brief biography)

NY TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR!

8th MEMBER of the KINDLE MILLION SALES CLUB!

First self-published author to hit #1 on Amazon/Kindle!

First self-published author to hit Kindle Million Sales Club!

John sold 1,100,000 eBooks in 5 months by word of mouth!

John wrote and published 6 best-selling books in 3 separate genres in 6 months, part-time!

John has had 4 of the top 10 eBooks on Amazon/Kindle at the same time, including #1 and #2! He’s also had 6 of the top 20, and 8 of the top 43 at the same time!

Every eBook John Locke has written and published has become a best-seller.

Reviews

[Julie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, I'm always a bit reluctant to admit how much I like the Donovan Creed books. He's an assassin/hit man, for God's Sake. I'm not supposed to like someone who kills for a living. But I do! I enjoy this series quite a bit. The 'dark humor' is fabulous, especially in this one. (The airport scene is totally hilarious). I always find these books verge on the edge of parody--there were moments in this book, as in the others, where' I think: are you kidding me? But somehow they still work, they aren't parody, they are just very funny & always full of quirky surprises. It's a kind of good quality pulp fiction.

The end of this one is pretty fun too ;) I love the sigh.

I'll be happy to read more of these as they come up.

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, the guy keeps pumping them out and my Kindle keeps getting giddy with delight that he is. Truly amazing! I read a number of character driven series, but already, John Locke has secured a spot at the top of my list. He just keeps cranking them out, and they get better and better and better. But let’s put the brakes on this love fest for a minute and give you guys an update on a few things in the world of G. Tomorrow I am posting on Paul Levine’s Flesh & Bones, an oldie but goodie, but the intense hook on this is that he is donating all the profits to children’s cancer research at Hershey hospital as part of the Four Diamonds fund. I was lucky enough to get to yap with Paul Levine last week on my blogtalk radio show, The G-ZONE, and we went over that and much more. Here is the link for that, he was on the show with Andrew Gross:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Just as heads up, there are going to be two new full length novels from Trestle Press coming out this week that I think and everyone at Trestle thinks are going to make some serious noise: Phantom Wolves by Joy Spraycar and Cleansing Eden by Benjamin Sobieck. They should be available for purchase by this weekend, and I would suggest that you give these full length novels a read; they kick some major fanny.
Okay, back to Amazon Kindle’s most downloaded author. He is now downloaded every 7 seconds, every 7 seconds. I have to say that again, every 7 seconds. Think about that for a minute or two, do the math, it is nothing short of amazing. Great execution of plan though, the man is a genius and an innovator. I will continue to read everything he produces, no questions asked; there has yet to be a bummer in the group. He is what is between the virtual covers:
“In order to save his own life, Donovan Creed signs on as bodyguard to the most famous gambler in Las Vegas history, Jim "Lucky" Peters. Lucky, worth millions, has hit a losing streak and must raise a lot of cash in a short period of time from some of the world's creepiest people. It doesn't take long for Creed to learn that the person who holds the key to his survival is none other than Lucky's smokin' hot wife, Gwen, who has secrets of her own.
Preliminary reviewers term Vegas Moon "Hilarious!" "Uproarious!" "Funniest book in the series!" With Vegas Moon, "Locke hasn't just hit a home run, he's hit it over the fence, out of the park, and into the comedy hall of fame!"
Creed rules and my Kindle almost caught on fire when I was reading this, the pages were flying by so fast. The equal parts humor, action, plot twists, peculiarity, and now recipes, made this read a fun romp that flew by way too fast. For me,it is difficult to savor them as I want to just want to consume them as quickly as possible. My Kindle and I become one; I don’t even realize I am pressing the button to change the virtual page. The one thing I think that I have not mentioned in one of my posts about him, is John Locke’s passion. I think it comes through and is immensely evident. He tries to deliver what he thinks his fans are looking for and wanting in a read. With each new addition, he is constantly pushing the envelope, taking the characters in some new and twisted plot twist. When was the last time you read a novel that had someone walking a rooster on a leash or giving you the recipe for a nice vinaigrette? If you haven’t had the chance to read one of his novels, give them a try, maybe next novel he has, will be then downloaded every 5 seconds.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com

[Anna K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Worst book I"ve read in ages. Not worth $.99 I paid for it. Horrible writing, terrible plot development, unsympathetic characters. Worst ending ever, even for a cliff hanger. Not sure why these are so popular other than they are cheap. Don't waste your money, and even more importantly don't waste your time.

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I have read all of the Donovan Creed novels, and I almost put this one down, The beginning didn’t quite make sense, nor seem to be going anywhere. I’m glad I kept going because Locke fuses everything together quite nicely even tying it in with Creed’s assassination of a terrorist (his primary job, after all.) Some nice twists in the end. Quite satisfactory (apparently, I’ve been reading way too much Rex Stout, lately.) Humor, too. The scene in the restaurant (weirdest dinner Creed has ever had,) is very funny.

It does help to have read these in order otherwise some of it won’t make sense. These books are a terrific Kindle bargain at $.99. Are they a little far fetched? Sure, but very entertaining. I would pay more for them.

[Kurt Gielen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because I gave this book 4 stars, don't go expecting a great American novel! This is beach literature, nothing more. But beach literature at it's best.
The story flows like a Norwegian river, sometimes steady, sometimes fast but it never stands still. And on top of that the guy throws in some funny one liners now and that.
All of that makes it alright that he has to throw in some side story about a famous terrorist to give him a chance to close the main story. Because as I said, this is a beach novel, nothing more.

[Rebecca Saxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The only reason I give it a 4 instead of a 5 is that I view this from pure entertainment instead of the absolute best writing in the world. I believe I finished it in a blink of the eye. Donovan Creed takes a job in Las Vegas as a hit man to ultimately try to gain some infomation to who is trying to kill him with something that has been implanted in his brain. John Locke's continues to come up with scenarios that I did not even think possible, that just make you laugh. Highly recommend for anyone looking for light, fun entertainment.

[David Donaghe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm on a John Locke kick right now. It doesn't hurt that his books are entertaining and fast paced, plus they only cost 99 cents! Vegas Moon was a great read. With Locke's main character, Donovan Creed, you never know what's going to happen next. I highly recommend it.

[Dan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Creed novels. If you've never read John Locke before, this is as good a place as any to start.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a great read! I always throw these in when I need a quick break in Fantasy. Great action, funny humor, and great twists!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least it's better than book 6.

[David Berkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted plot again

What seems like a straight forward plot, turns into a twisted thriller. Would read more books by this author for sure.

[Gypsi Babii · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series just keeps me laughing. I love it.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book in the Donovan Creed series!

[Bette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Today was the third and last time I have tried to complete this book. The humor, and at times the subject matter evades me.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing with my pursuit of the lone Hero (see reviews for Joe Pike novels, John Rain novels, and Jack Reacher novels) Donovan Creed is probably the most unique character I came across.

I'd never heard of John Locke until I received my Kindle DX in the mail. Locke made his fame and fortune self-publishing his books in the Kindle world. For the Kindle, his books are ridiculously inexpensive (around $0.99 to $1.99). I was surprised at what I read and hooked from the start. Unlike my other series books, however, there is a difference in the books in terms of ratings...so I have not given them the standard 4 or 5 star ratings across the entire series.

First of all, the books are short but packing a powerful punch, a mixture of excellent humor (left me laughing at the insanity of what I was reading) and the grim reality of a hero who kills people. Lethal people introduces us to Creed, the business he is in, his side-kicks and his insane relationship within his own world and certainly the world most of us live in (let's just say Creed is not fit to live a normal life and does not understand it). Get ready for a roller coaster ride and, above all...enjoy! You will find that towards the end of each book you will be filled with disappointment that the ride is over...and almost certainly you will hunt down the next Donovan Creed thriller.

[D-Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Locke’s Donovan Creed series has never been particularly subtle. It’s not particularly well written either. What all of the books in the series do have in common is their hysterical bits of dialogue and bat crazy bravado. I would consider myself a fan of the series and I like to sprinkle Locke’s books into my other readings. So it comes as somewhat of a surprise when I say Vegas Moon disappoints. It’s just lazy. A huge build up that really goes nowhere. Yes, it ends on continuation, but at just under two hundred pages that seems like a bit of a cop out. I was also disappointed in how a climatic action scene near the end was handled. All in all, the worst in the series thus far. Not giving up on Creed, but I hope he comes back into true form in the next installment.

[Delta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Donovan Creed book I have read and I was a bit surprised that I enjoyed it. The character shouldn't be sympathetic because, I mean, he kills people for a living. A lot of people. But he is and I think that is a credit to Locke's writing. The mystery is not great but it's not terrible either. The secondary characters are a bit despicable, but I guess they have to be when your antagonist is a hit man. I liked the tone of the book the best, as it never felt like it sunk to a place where explosions and gunfights overtook the plot of the story.

I listened to the audio version and I really liked the tone that narrator gave the story. It felt like a noir film which I generally don't like but really worked for this story. The character voices were alright, but he did help make Creed less horrible.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent $0.99 in order to see why John Locke's Donovan Creed series was so popular on the Kindle. The book was fast, creative, salacious, and funny. The story had a very dry wit throughout the book. The main character is a professional assassin who distrusts his co-workers, is surrounded by beautiful women, kills without feeling, but otherwise is somewhat likable. Did I enjoy this book ? Yes. Am I proud that I enjoyed this book ? No. This story appealed to my inner adolescent punk, the one who still finds dirty jokes funny, likes loud rock-n-roll, and enjoys fast-paced, racy, movies with lots of action.

[Ron Chicaferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun books this series is by John Locke! Making a hired killer funny is not an easy thing to accomplish - but, Locke does it as good as (if not better) then Elmore Leonard or Nelson DeMille. You'll cring at the start of a page and be laughing by the end of the page. Its a marvelous story involving love, sex, and the search for something really, really important. And, oh yes, some very bad terrorists get their do as well! Of all the John Locke books with protaganist Donovan Creed, Vegas Moon is at the top of the list!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a fast read. I read it all in an afternoon. This was my first Donovan Creed novel, and I enjoyed it. The story was fast moving and funny. I was a little put off at first by the casual attitude towards killing, but since the main character was a hit man, I guess that is to be expected. I plan to read more in this series. They are light and fluffy reading, and sometimes that is just what I need.

[amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie...the Donovan Creed series has very little literary value... I felt like I was potentially getting dumber as I read them:)

That being said...they are short, entertaining (in that perfectly mindless sort of way...I enjoy a good mindless read occasionally), and best of all, they're only .99 each on the Kindle! Most entertaining $7 I've spent in awhile...and the 7 books lasted me a full week:)

[Vered · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great one for Donovan Creed. Quick-witted Donovan Creed is back as number one assassin (not a hit man, as he explains in this story). When a client hires him to protect him against another assassin, Creed works out there’s another game going on behind the job. Not to mention his client’s beautiful and flirtations wife, Gwen. If you like strong, unique characters and sharp humour that can get a bit on the dark side, you’ll love Creed.

[Michelle Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh so good next novel from John Locke. Probably his best yet. My ONLY complaint was that it was a little too explicit for me. I don't mind the prostitutes and the sex and the language. But I'm not reading for that. I'm reading the excitement. Leave the soft porn out. Aside from that it's a thrill a minute. The dialogue CANNOT be beat. The one liners, the funny lines. I LOVE it.

[K.R. Bankston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hahahahahaha! OMG Donovan, if it wasn't for bad luck, you would have none at all. I love this series, definitely will be buying more. The ride was fun and fanstastic, just enough intrigue to keep you interested, enough humor to make your ride enjoyable!! Loved it!! (Just a hint though Donovan, next time don't introduce your freaky girlfriend to your freaky assistant)...lol

[Winona Smart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little embarrassed to have liked it. It's like porno, or picking your nose in private. You'd be embarrassed to do it in public. So I liked it? The man seems to have a ghastly concept of women, good taste and the notion of quality writing. But so what? It's fun and harmless. So enjoy and if that compromises your self-image, don't tell anyone.

[Ken Rossignol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Donovan Creed series novel did not disappoint. Those who are prudish and get their panties in an uproar at depictions of brutal killings should not read the book. It is FICTION and is not reccomended for the faint of heart or children. But it's a riot.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, easy read and i think that is the idea. No literary awards here. Fun characters, but pretty shallow. The book had good pacing and there was always something going on to keep you turning pages, but lots of holes in the story. I'd read another one, but probably never admit to it.

[Kt. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the ridiculous books in this series, this is probably the most ridiculous and that cost it a star. I think the entertainment value, if not the literary quality, qualifies these books for four starts. But not this one. He pushes the envelope just a little too hard with the plastic doll.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

really liked this book read it on my kindle was one of the first books i ordered on this to read, read it in about four hours could not put it down have read several of his books on my kindle excellent and intriguing to read.

[Gerald Nusbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all John Locke books. Outstanding reads. I can't wait till his next book comes out. Great work Lohn. OOU