Kill Devil

Jed Patrick #2

by Mike Dellosso

Jed Patrick is convinced he’s doing all it takes to keep his family safe―new names, new location, new identity. But just when he thinks he finally has his life back, trained men claiming to be CIA agents break in and threaten his wife and daughter, proving once and for all his family will never truly be safe until he eliminates the agency dead set on hunting him down.

Not knowing if Karen and Lilly are better off by his side or in hiding, Jed is determined to protect them while finding a way to use the classified information that he possesses to dismantle the Centralia Project. But he soon learns that eliminating Centralia may require compromising his own values. As danger escalates, Jed isn’t sure whether there’s anyone or anything he can trust―including his own senses.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Christian Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

416 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2016

About the author

Mike Dellosso is the author of numerous novels of suspense, including Kill Devil, Centralia, Darkness Follows, Darlington Woods, and Scream. Mike is a popular conference and workshop teacher and an adjunct professor of creative writing. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and five daughters. Mike is also a healthcare worker and survivor of colon cancer.

Reviews

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Dellosso has served up a fast-paced, adventure filled book in "Kill Devil". Now unfortunately, I began this book not knowing that it was actually a sequel to the first book in the series, Centralia. After diving into this second novel, I wished that I'd been able to first read Centralia not only to get a better sense of the context of the story, but because I was sure that it must have been a fabulous book if it is anything like the second novel! Despite being late to the party, I was able to get enough into the story with this second novel so that it didn't actually detract from my enjoyment of the book. Jed Patrick is a character who is larger than life and the author does a great job at allowing us to peer into Jed's mind. The writing is crisp and filled with vivid details that had the scenes playing like a movie across my mind. The characters are heroic yet flawed like any of us are. Twists abound within the plot itself, and the spiritual overtones of the novel point to the type of faith that we all need to long for. Lilly's childlike faith is particularly enjoyable to behold, and the supernatural aspect of some of her scenes reminds of us of God's miraculous intervention in our lives that continues to occur today. All in all, I greatly enjoyed this conspiracy filled novel that will have you questioning who exactly can be trusted, recalling Jesus' reminder of wolves in sheep's clothing. May we all cling to the One who can save us from evil, no matter the face it is wearing!

Male readers I talk to often lament about the lack of Christian fiction that is more targeted to men. If that is you, make sure you check out not only "Kill Devil" but any of Mike Dellosso's books. Kill Devil will be sure to provide an entertaining read for male and female readers alike! 4 out of 5 stars.

An egalley has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Tyndale, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Terry Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I gave book 1 in the series 5 stars and book 2 is even better. I liked the new characters in this book and they added some mystery. There was mystery, a bit of Sci fi and lots of supense. I think one of the reasons I love reading this authors books is because I am not only reading a great intense thriller but I actually live in his books. His descriptions are amazing.

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Kill Devil about 2 hours ago and here I sit, trying to find a way to craft a review that will do this awesome book justice. First of all, I love Mike Dellosso's books and I've read every single one; own all but the very first. He is a master at what he does.

This book is the sequel to Centralia, so if you've not read it, please do before reading Kill Devil. Kill Devil takes place after Jed Patrick, his wife and daughter have started living off the grid in the forest in Idaho. That peace is soon shattered when Jed is rudely made aware that Centralia is not dead. He is drawn in immediately into the cat and mouse game that he hates. All Jed wants is to live in peace and obscurity with Karen and Lilly. That, however, is a pipe dream, so it seems.

Mike Dellosso writes with such talent that the reader is totally drawn into the story, completely invested in the lives of his characters. This one took off running and did not let up. Powerful, heart-pounding, explosive adventure will have you gasping and totally stunned at the turn of events in this amazing book! I'm only glad I was reading at home and not in some public place, or people would have heard me exclaiming, "Oh no!" or "Oh my goodness!"

Seriously, this is an amazing book, chock full of suspense and a powerful spiritual message. I highly recommend it.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book in the Jed Patrick series, Centralia in May and thought it was good but not great. This book was much better in my opinion. The story is full of action and through the entire book, the reader is unsure who to trust (as the main character, Jed is). There is a great twist towards the end of the book that I never saw coming. I’m not always a fan of government/ military thrillers but this was really enjoyable.

The author is a very good writer, the writing style was extremely easy to fall into and the pacing was perfect. I flew through the book and didn’t want to put it down. My only problem with the book was that the daughter, Lilly in the book is 8 years old but many times seems much older than that.

This is a Christian fiction story and the subject of faith and trust in God is prevalent. I enjoyed that it was part of the story but don’t feel like it would be too much that a non-believer wouldn’t enjoy it.

Overall it was a great story and I’m interested in seeing if the series will continue. I own several other books by Mike Dellosso (the cover art is amazing on his books) and look forward to picking them up soon.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

I received this book from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Faith isn't about your feelings or even your senses; it's about the actions you take in light of what you know to be true. Putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward."

Former Army Ranger Jed Patrick, having survived one of the most harrowing experiences known to man, has started his life over again with his wife and daughter; residing off the grid deep within the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho's Coeur d'Alene National Forest. When a perfunctory trip to a local convenience store raises his protector mode instincts into high alert, he realizes that returning to normalcy may just have been a dream. Centralia has found him.

"Kill Devil" is a rather intense novel, filled with violent acts against both innocents and criminals, but underlying the fight for justice is the fact that God alone is on His throne and "he lets us ask until we're all out of questions, and then we just trust him". May it be so.

[Sara Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

** “Faith isn’t about your feelings or even your senses; it’s about the actions you take in light of what you know to be true. Putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.” **

Wow, just wow! Mike Dellosso delivers another amazing story with “Kill Devil”!

Continuing the story from “Centralia,” Dellosso’s newest offering is a little bit Jason Bourne and a little bit Liam Neeson in “Taken” — with some amazing faith lessons thrown in to the mix.

When Jed Patrick and his family, who have been hiding in Idaho from the government’s clandestine Centralia project, are located by CIA agent Andrew Murphy, who claims to want to bring down the project, Jed must once again figure out who he can trust and what is really real. He must go on the run as several factions are searching for an all-important thumb drive in his possession — a drive that can unravel Centralia.

Taking readers to Denver, Alcatraz, the Outer Banks, and Harrisburg, Pa., and using clever misdirection, Dellosso does an amazing job of creating confusion — the reader is drawn into Jed’s uncertainty.

Dellosso’s writing is fast paced, filled with twists and turns. He uses descriptive writing to describe the scenes and happenings, but doesn’t bog down his writing without being too bulky with his descriptions. He even injects come creepy moments, like when Jed is traversing through the dark dungeon under Alcatraz and hears a voice say “Vengeance is mine. Kill the devil.”

Dellosso always fills his stories with interesting and intriguing characters — people filled with darkness and people who act heroically.

“Kill Devil” is more than just an intense suspense thriller though. It’s filled with incredible life and faith lessons. Faith and trust are major themes throughout the novel, but “Kill Devil” also reminds us we are never alone, to cling to God and trust Him and He will carry you, God always knows the way to your path, to truly rely on God, and God is always working in the background.

As a stranger named Emma tells Jed’s wife in a diner: “I want you to realize you don’t have to carry any burden alone. Jesus has pretty broad shoulders and he wants to take that load for you. Give it to him. Let him bear the weight of it. … God’s been down this road with countless other folks. He knows the way. Trust him to lead you through it.”

Mike Dellosso never fails to deliver an incredible story, and “Kill Devil” definitely doesn’t disappoint. I hope to see a third book in Jed’s story!

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jed Patrick returns !!!

Kill Devil by Mike Dellosso is the second book in the series about the main character Jed Patrick. The first book is Centralia. I would recommend reading Centralia first.

Jed finally starts to hope he is safe, but quickly finds out that he is not, and the people from Centralia are after him again. In order to protect his family, he is now on the run again. This is a powerful twisted fast paced journey to search out who again he can trust and get his family back again. He must once again turn to his faith to make it through this journey.

The characters are well developed and new characters are introduced in Kill Devil. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense and thrillers. Note of caution; be prepared to be up all night reading.

Now, we wait for the third book in the series…...trying to wait patiently!

[Geri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book started out really good, I would have honestly given a 4 star. I really enjoyed the book from the beginning, but than the more I read the less interested I became. More religion than I thought was in the book and it was just too ridiculous how things panned out and predictable. Book rating kept going down the more I read I was really hoping it would stay good. Wouldn’t read again.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd probably rate this a strong 2.5 - 2.7 stars rounded down to 2 stars. I'm not sure how I feel about it, really, except that it was meh, that it was okay. The first two hundred pages moved pretty fast, oddly enough, and I read most of that in about two hours. The remaining 190+ pages took me the remaining time to read, which was really weird. I kept wanting the story to be over and keep looking to see how close I was to the end. The character development was so-so. The "action" was so-so. I just felt like the author was on the verge of something pretty cool and unique but just did not quite get it over the edge to where it felt like it wanted to be as a story in terms of suspense and a great "WOW!" factor. It barely held my interest, which made it hard to read.

I did not figure out all of the plot, which is also a good thing but I did briefly wonder if the chip that as supposedly taken out was actually implanted and if his wife was real or not. Who knew it would be a lucky guess? As it was, it was not much of a surprise when another CIA agent discovers Jed talking to himself in an empty trailer as if his wife were in the trailer with him.

There were some other things that did bother me, though. Like, what was up with the "Nebraska state trooper" following Karen through most of Iowa? That made zero sense. I guess he was supposed to be some kind of agent for Murphy? The thing is, that whole part of the plot disappears! We are led to believe she is pulled over and captured, yet we are never told how she escaped from this "crooked cop" to the "safe house" she was trying to reach! I was, "what the heck? How'd she get away?" when she is reunited with Jed.

The first time Jack told Tiffany that they cannot go to anybody with the information she uncovered about Centralia because they don't know who they can trust was "whatever" to me. The second and third time he told her that, it got annoying. It felt like wasting ink and trying to fill out pages to get the story to reach a minimum number of pages in terms of page count. These pages could have been put to better use describing how Karen somehow escaped the state patrolman (unless he was after somebody else and not her; we never find out). Yeah, that dangling plot point really bugged me.

I really am tired of the "evil U.S. rogue agency" thing in fiction - be it movies or novels. I feel like it has been overdone. This story really reminded me of Safehouse with Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, for some reason, and I barely liked that movie. I don't know if it had to do with the number of U.S. governmental agencies involved in these experiments or how it supposedly traced its path up to the White House. It feels like a "been there, done that" plotline in this book; it has been done well in other books, but not this one.

We already had the whole "super special forces operator who was brainwashed" in the first book; this one in some ways feels like a rehash of the first except that the means by which Jed is brainwashed is "different." It involves technology; he is partially controlled via a computer chip implanted into his skull and attached to his brain. That was clever and unique, in some respects, except for, you know, Johnny Mnemonic and some of William Gibson's other works. They also reference The Manchurian Candidate (both movies), so I could not decide if the author was trying to deflect accusations of partially lifting the plot of those two movies in this book (in which a decorated soldier is brainwashed into attempting to assassinate some elected official). In any case, I did not feel like the brainwashing in this book was that believable, myself.

I sometimes get tired of the whole "nameless, faceless, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent rogue government agency" that supposedly has limitless resources available to it and yet still somehow manages to lose in the end. Not that I necessarily want the "bad guys" to win, but the author really seems to stack the odds against the hero and his unexpected accomplices to "save the day" and overthrow the villain(s). I really did not truly believe most of what happened in this novel because of how "all-powerful" and "far-reaching" Murphy and his gang were and yet they still managed to lose, to get beaten. They are omniscient and omnipresent and omnipotent when they need to be, and then they are suddenly incompetent, impotent, and stupid for certain plot points to succeed. It's like, let's stay consistent, guys! Either make them unbeatable unless the right team is put together, or make them have more feet of clay. Some authors seem to manage to "get it right" when telling such tales, but not so much this story.

Overall, I guess I liked the story. It was an interesting take on an "old concept," I guess, but I did not feel like it was a smoothly-flowing narrative hitting all cylinders properly, as it were. I am not sure what I expected, but it was not this book. I figured he and his family would probably be discovered, somehow, by some silly mistake, or that he'd be called "back into battle on last time." The whole thing was not that believable in this book, in my opinion. And why would the CIA be operating on US soil, anyway? It is illegal for them to do so, and to be heading up an operation like they were heading up. Maybe the author should have created a "splinter-group" of the CIA or something, or a fake rogue agency doing all of this brainwashing and illegal experiments. I don't know; it just did not sit well with me.

He does make some good points about Yahweh and why our prayers might not be answered. One comment is about how Yahweh does not always act because He is waiting until we are finished asking our questions and choose to trust Him and in Him anyway. Sadly, I forget the other point and I forgot to mark it, but it was a good point about trusting Yahweh no matter what, even if we do not understand the "why's?" behind it or what is going on.

It is funny. He has introduced two other women, one in each book. I keep expecting something to happen to Karen that will allow a new relationship to develop. I am not sure why; I guess I have read too many other books where such things happen. In any case, it is cool the author does introduce other female characters in his two books that are important in their own fashion (I would say Tiffany in this book is more important than April in the 1st book) and have their own special skill sets, talent, and value.

It was an okay book. I felt the author left it open for more sequels because of the numerous mentions at the end of other "rogue government agencies" and their labs, about other illegal experiments. It made it sound like there was going to be some kind of "clandestine war" going on between deep-cover operatives and Jed would get drawn into that secret conflict. As far as I know, it never happened; Jed never got a third book. Which is fine. It might not have turned out that good, either. While I was not impressed with this book, I am glad that I read it and got it out of my system (especially as it is a sequel to Centralia).

[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy stories and movies that are fast paced and non-stop action, so when I heard about Centralia, I couldn't wait to read it. Centralia has ever thing I liked in thriller. Characters I cared about, running from danger, and the threat of impending doom. So I expected the same thing with Kill Devil, the second installment of the Jed Patrick series. While it does feature non-stop action, this one didn't grab my attention as much.

First, I was dropped right back into Jed Patrick's run from the government with his wife, Karen, and daughter, Lily in the first chapter. As the story progressed, I actually found moments that I wanted to put the book down. Not that the action didn't stop, but it felt forced. What I mean is that it seems Dellosso tried to put Jed through everything horrible over and over, but it wasn't necessary for that many bad things to happen in such a short time. Even watching the Bourne or Fast and Furious movies, there was moment of breaks. Dellosso didn't include many.

Jed Patrick in the second installment seemed more of a cardboard character. In the first one, his motivation was to save his wife and daughter. In this book, Jed believes his wife is with him without any question even though he told his wife to run away to a safe place right after a bad incident. He still worried about his daughter, but it didn't seem top priority for him.

Kill Devil is a fast, paced original yet predictable, to me, novel. There is a number of settings because of the nature of the story, so it was not a setting that could relate and feel comfortable in. The writing is top notch. I had no problem following Jed Patrick on his run to save his daughter.

Fans of the Bourne Identity and the Fast and Furious will enjoy Mike Dellosso's newest installment of the Jed Patrick series. With non-stop action and a race to create treason, Jed Patrick creates a moving target of how much your memory can hold.

I received a complimentary copy of Kill Devil from Tyndale Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

[Phillip Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jed Patrick thought he was out of Centralia's reach, off the grid and out of sight. Suddenly, he and his family are brought back into the fight. He's recruited to bring Centralia down, at least, that's what he is told. People are still out to stop him, and he isn't sure who he can trust. Faced with a decision that goes against his beliefs, what is he going to do?

Mike Dellosso's Kill Devil, a sequel to Centralia, holds just as much action and suspense as its predecessor. Patrick must fight for his life and freedom, and that of his wife and daughter. Dellosso has written a fast-paced book that holds your attention all through the story.

There were several plot twists that kept the story from being predictable, but it all flowed together and was easy to follow. That is a difficult thing to do in writing, but Dellosso did it well.

Though the book is entertaining, there is a message of faith and trusting in God that is prominent in the story, and plays a large roll in the Patrick family. Even when everything seems to be against him, and he thinks that he has to take care of the situation on his own, Jed realizes that God alone is able to carry him through. That makes this book an even better read.

One part that really stood out to me is when Jed realized how his life is not some random string of events, and has this thought, "He was so small, so insignificant, and yet God cared enough about him to plan his life and orchestrate it down to the smallest part in the smallest of workings." When life gets us down, we would do well to remember that God is always there and cares deeply for us, even we don't immediately see Him.

I was excited to see another book in the Jed Patrick series, and I was not disappointed in it. I was quickly caught up in the story, and it held my attention until the end.

I received a free copy of Kill Devil from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for this honest review.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story with as much intrigue, danger, corruption, and violence as well as a high element of surreal scenes is usually thought to be the domain of the male reader. I had seen the first book in this series, Centralia, and for some reason - perhaps a bit of squeamishness - I didn't choose to read it (it now resides on my to-be-read shelf). With the opening of Kill Devil the reader is immediately immersed into scary drama as it unfolds for Karen, sweet Lilly, and Jed. They've been found and it is not good.

Mike Dellosso captured my attention right away and I read on. And on. And on. This is a read that will virtually have the reader - male and female alike, literally holding their breath. And it would have been better to have read Centralia first, but it is not a do-or-die miss.

The surreal scenes are caused by mind manipulation and this makes one wonder just how far today's scientists or those of the future will go to manipulate people and create super warriors.

You've gotta love sweet little Lilly as she voices her strong faith in God. She is a true inspiration to the reader just like she is to her Mom and Dad. This is a faith infused story but it is not overwhelmingly so. These are simply folks who love God and place their trust in Him even in the most trying situations.

I liked the book and wonder is Mike Dellosso is going to give us a sequel?

I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale House Publishers to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated.

[Christina D.]

Kill Devil is the second in the Jed Patrick series by Mike Dellosso. In the first of the series, Centralia, we learn about Jed's amazing fighting skills and a little about the government agency that helped hone them. In this book, we see exactly how far Centralia will go to get what they want.

It's a pretty fast paced book, mixed with fight scenes, psychological warfare, and the everlasting grace of God. Dellosso does a great job of mixing in the characters' relationships with God and their struggles. He also does a great job of weaving in a few new characters. If I had any complaint it would be that it all tidied up pretty quick at the end. It could have been a bit more messy and I would have liked it even more, considering there is at least one more in the series.

Overall, the second in the Jed Patrick series does not disappoint. It's a great weekend read about a guy who is trying to discover himself and has the good fortune to have a family to help with that and the bad fortune to have a government agency that wants to keep him under their thumb.

A copy of this book was provided for me for the purpose of review from Tyndale Publishers. I'm never required to give a good or bad review, just my own opinions.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Dellosso new book is a continuance of Centralia, and I have not yet read it, but Kill Devil picks up where that book left off, and I didn’t feel at all lost.
This book is about corruption at the highest levels of our Government, and is there anyone left to trust? Our hero has served his country in Afghanistan, and we flash back to his time there, and he is a renowned sniper, which now puts him in danger, along with his family.
These people will go to all means to make their plans work, and that includes using Jeb Patrick to do their dirty work. You will never see coming the lengths these people will go to, I rather guess one of their evil stunts, but still wasn’t sure. They hit him in the juggler by using his family, and what they do to his eight-year-old daughter Lilly is atrocious.
The author really made me think, and this may be far fetched, but could or is our government out of control? I also love the Christian factor in this story, Lilly is a little one of great faith, and God is with her when they torture her.
I do recommend you read this book; it will really make you think!
I received this book from the Tyndale Book Blog Network, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Mariejkt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Kill Devil" by Mike Dellosso is the latest in the Jed Patrick series of books. Jed Patrick is trying to keep his family safe and to get away from the Centralia project. Which is a very secretive and dangerous group. He must decide if he wants to take them down or keep his values. I did not realize when I chose this book to review that it was part of a series. This book has lots of twists and turns that you will not expect. It is a very fast paced high action adventure story. I thought the characters were well developed and very interesting. Jed's family characters are very intertwined in this story. The book does go back and forth between characters which did make me have to slow down some on my reading to make sure I knew from whose viewpoint the story was from. I highly recommend this book if you like good mysteries/adventure stories.

I was given this book from Tyndale Publishers for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

[Tim Serdynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill Devil: Another masterpiece from Mike Dellosso! Who can you trust? Mike has done another wonderful job of blurring the lines between friend and foe in this second installment of the Jed Patrick series. He drops subtle clues to the truth in the descriptions of a look or behavior throughout, but stay sharp, people often aren't what they seem! Kill Devil was a real (edge of my seat) thrill with a satisfying conclusion, but still easily makes way for more to Jed Patrick's story. Did I hear the word "trilogy"?

*** With the exception of a few names from the first installment, this book as a standalone would be perfectly comprehensible. However, to get the FULL story, be sure to check out the first of the series, "CENTRALIA" from Tyndale Publishing. Available in retail stores (or for order) and digitally, of course.

[Yo Leo Ficción Cristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

RESEÑA COMPLETA EN ESPAÑOL

The story is not over

If the first book was full of adrenaline and had more questions than answers, this one has even more. Mike Dellosso definitely knows how to write a good sequel, he does not force history but makes you worry even more about the characters. But not only the story was interesting, but the message.

I did several pauses on my reading to reflect on the situations of the characters, and I liked how conflicts were resolved.

I do not know if there will be a third book in this series, but I recommend the novel for those who like action and suspense.

-I received a book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion, which I did-

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill Devil is the second book in the Jed Patrick Series and it was amazing. This book is a thrill of a ride. It is non stop adrenaline laced action that keeps the reader turning the pages until the very end. I really enjoyed the characters and the way they have developed through the series. I also enjoyed getting to know some new characters that were introduced in this story. They were tough and determined as was Jed and his family. I guess my favorite character is little Lilly. Oh, to have the faith of a little child. I loved this book and I highly recommend it!

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I was not able to set it down. I had not read the first book in this series but I was able to catch up with most of what was happening. I plan to read the first book because I loved this one so much. I look forward to reading more about Jed, Karen and Lilly. This book flowed wonderfully. This is a thriller with lots of twists and turns. I received this book from Tyndale blog network for a fair and honest opinion.

[Loraine Nunley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another roller coaster ride with Jed Patrick. The suspense… wow. This was one book that I had trouble putting down. The questions just kept coming. Who can Jed trust? How can he get him and his family out of danger and keep them safe? I really enjoyed rooting for Jed to find his way through the evil that continually came at him. (Full review at my website)

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win review. This excellent book is a fiction, suspense, and thriller. Jed needs to keep his family safe but all is not well so he has to try and figure who is still trying to harm him and his family. He finds it hard to trust anyone, even himself.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting christian psychological thriller that keeps you guessing is what the character is experiencing real or not?

[Harry Fouts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill Devil picks up where Centralia left off and doesn't look back. Lots of action, suspense, and surprise plot twists make this one of Mike's best works to date.

[Trey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lite-weight thriller of a summer read. Jed Patrick, former Centralia experiment victim, does his best to live a peaceful life with his small family, but ends up right back in the thorns and weeds of things. The mystery starts off well, simmers down to cruising speed and arrives at the ending almost out of gas.
During the read, it was hard to shake the formulaic feel of the story - trust no one, the good guy is really the "you-know-what", and the volatile quid pro quo that includes family members. The story lacked the sophistication it could have had, given the interesting characters and events. There are moments of depth in scenery, character mind set, character interaction, but it's short lived, making my investment surface-level deep.
There were elements of the story I didn't buy. For example: Tiffany Stockton - fetching character to a point, just not written to a believable end. As a CIA employee, there's no way they would trust someone with a hacker's past with a job in their finance department... whether or not her father was a Dept Director in the CIA. What they would do is recruit her into their Online Security Team. Also, the way the CIA and Washington, DC are described in the story... just lacked dimension to bring true credibility.
I haven't read "Centralia". Maybe my feelings for the characters and story would have been stronger if I had. What I did appreciate were the spiritual aspects of the story. Having the characters speak about God and faith was a pleasant surprise, even though it scuffed the borderline between story and preachy-ness at times.
With a growing catalog of strong stories, I get the vibe that Dellosso will eventually rival the caliber of current mainstream suspense/thriller writers - since he's shaping into quite the story teller.

[Dave Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Mike Dellosso’s second book in the Jed Patrick series, Kill Devil and it is every bit the page turner that the first book, Centralia, was, and even more. This is a great work of fiction that keeps the reader hooked to the very end. The story follows Jed Patrick, a soldier whose memory and history has been erased. In Kill Devil, Jed continues to regain memories, but his past is coming back to haunt him. It seems like the world is against him, in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of government. There is no place to run and no place to hide as he races against time, trying to survive. It is also a story of recovering and growing faith. This is a very good book.

I only have one word of caution for the reader. Kill Devil is a true sequel. While it probably could stand alone, I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Centralia, before reading Kill Devil. Reading the books in order will help the reader to understand a complex storyline a lot better and enjoy it a lot more. This is a definite five star book that any fan of thrillers will love—another top notch effort by Mike Dellosso! This guy is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read any of Mike’s books yet, pick one up today.

[Patrick Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Wow Wow! This book was amazing. From page 1 till the last drop it was a wild ride. This is another great book written by Mike Dellosso. Now i need to read the other books in this series.

Jed Patrick is convinced he’s doing all it takes to keep his family safe—new names, new location, new identity. But just when he thinks he finally has his life back, trained men claiming to be CIA agents break in and threaten his wife and daughter, proving once and for all his family will never truly be safe until he eliminates the agency dead set on hunting him down.

Not knowing if Karen and Lilly are better off by his side or in hiding, Jed is determined to protect them while finding a way to use the classified information that he possesses to dismantle the Centralia Project. But he soon learns that eliminating Centralia may require compromising his own values. As danger escalates, Jed isn’t sure whether there’s anyone or anything he can trust—including his own senses

[Brenten Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING 3.77 STARS

KILL DEVIL is a strong sequel to the Jed Patrick series - after a bit of a slow start. The opening chapters almost read like a sales pitch for a specific pickup truck that I won't name (but it's called out by name over and over) and the narrative, though filled with apparent action on the surface takes a while to gain traction, much like the truck's tires as they spin up the side of a muddy mountain in the rain. (It makes sense in context).

HOWEVER, once it gets a foothold, the story keeps you turning pages as it's full of twists and turns and at times intense action sequences. As expected, there are more shades of Jason Bourne in the character here, but this time, there's a dash of SHOOTER thrown in. It's a bit predictable at times, but it's such a fun read, that you don't mind knowing some of what's going to happen ahead of time.

Not sure if this is open to a third book in the series, but I'd be open to reading it if one happens to materialize.

[Jan Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kill Devil by Mike Dellosso is the second book in the series about the main character Jed Patrick. The first book is Centralia. I didn't realize that this was a series. I will go back and read Centralia.

Jed finally thought that he and his family were safe, but soon finds out that he is not. The people from Centralia are after him again. In order to protect his family, he is now on the run again. He must once again turn to his faith to make it through this journey.

The characters are well developed. I kept wondering who can Jed trust.

The lines are blurred between friend and foe. He drops subtle clues to the truth in the descriptions of a look or behavior throughout, but stay sharp, people often aren't what they seem!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I read this in one sitting. It's like...30 degrees outside, all I want to do is be flopped on my couch with the fan blasting on me for hours, so I might as well read.

This wasn't as compelling as the first book, but I still really like the pacing of it. I will say, one of my pet peeves is when authors write dialogue for children that makes them sound like they're adults. Lilly is guilty of this here. Sometimes, she'll talk like a kid (I can't remember how old she's supposed to be...8? 10?). But, when she starts talking about anything to do with God or her faith, it's like the author doesn't know how to write faith from the eyes of a child. She sounds like a 57 year old Baptist preacher, and it threw me off every time.

3/5

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill Devil by Mike Dellosso is a fascinating thriller. There was plenty of fast-paced action to keep the pages turning. I liked the main character, Jed a lot. He has tough choices with high risks involved. The plot has many ways it could have ended. I was intrigued and filled with suspense. This writer had my full-attention from the beginning. It reminded me of The Bourne Series with its dark and complicated scenes. There isn't a moment where I felt bored. I was amazed at this writer's talent. Overall, I recommend it to all  readers. 

I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.