I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Atria Books. Thank you.

The main focus of this riveting novel is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered by the main character, Sergeant LeAnne Hogan, after she receives a traumatic injury during a mission in Afghanistan. Fully the first half of the novel is focused on her past family history and on this tragic aspect of LeAnne's life as she tries to grapple with the consequences both physical and psychological coming out of her last military mission. The loss of her right eye, the scarring left from that wounding, the headaches, blackouts, and memory loss seem overwhelming obstacles to move on from.

This story is told with flashbacks which slowly reveal to the reader, as well as to LeAnne, what the true circumstances were in that mission which failed so tragically. The paradox of this story was that LeAnne had been such a strong woman in her military service and yet that same strength was keeping the military and her doctors from helping her reconstruct the failed mission for intelligence analysis and her learning how to cope with the stress she was living through. Progress is made for LeAnne slowly, made because she does what she knows will help her cope best, by setting a mission for herself. This mission involves the fellow soldier she shared a room with at Walter Reed Hospital and LeAnne's struggle to get to Marci's home town. Her arrival sends LeAnne to the next part of her mission, finding Marci's missing daughter.

I've read all the Chet and Bernie novels written by Spencer Quinn. This novel is completely different. Everything is much more serious here, the main character; the adult stray dog who appears from nowhere with some kind of previous training which helps LeAnne handle her missions; the psychology and physical wounding of Sergeant LeAnne Hogan. I think this is the first book in a new series for Quinn, at least I certainly hope there will be more written about these characters. It seems that LeAnne is working her way to learning how to deal with her problems - almost on a minute-by-minute basis. But what about Goody, the stray dog with such unusual abilities to be such a help to LeAnne and yet be completely lacking in basic obedience training? I need to know more about these two and I'm counting on Spencer Quinn to continue their story.

The Right Side is an engrossing book about LeAnne Hogan, who has just returned from Afghanistan after being wounded. At the hospital where she is staying as she tries to come to terms with what happens does she get to know Marci, who has lost a leg. They become friends and bond over their military life. Then, Marci suddenly dies and LeAnne after leaving the hospital decides to drive to see Marci's daughter. But, she learns when she arrives that Marci's daughter has disappeared, did she run away or has anyone taken her?

Writing this short outline of the book is truly like giving away very little of what is going on in this book. I mean it takes over half the book before she even is close to seeing Marci's daughter and getting acquainted with a very special dog. But, that's also the thing I really like about the book, it seems like a straightforward story, but there is so much going one in LeAnne's life, both what happened in the past when she was growing up, her life in the military and what happened when she was wounded. And, then we have the presents events with her trouble remembering things, and her road-trip to see Marci's daughter and not to mention the dog that suddenly appears in her life.

It's such a rich story, and I came to like LeAnne quite a lot and of course dog too (yes she gets a name, but you have to read it to find out since it's part of the story) and I wouldn't mind reading more books with them. I mean they are a fabulous team and I really want to know what will happen next!

3.75 Stars* (rounded up)

LeAnne Hogan is a woman who imagined her life turning out very differently. She is a former High School pole vaulter who joined the army immediately after High School and ended up doing several tours in Afghanistan. She worked her way up through the ranks to become a Sergeant. She then became tougher than almost anyone she knew, including the men in her unit. Her dream once her tours ended was to open a Camp for young girls: to coach & train them to be as tough as she was. And then everything blew up in her face. Literally.

And now, whatever life LeAnne imagined for herself is gone forever. For her view of the world will forever distorted.

LeAnne wakes up after that dreaded day in Walter Reed Hospital. There she meets Marci, another Vet who has also suffered heinous injuries. Fast bonds are formed and then just as quickly, things go awry and LeAnne is alone again. Feeling lost, LeAnne decides to trek across the country, to Marci's hometown. Along the way, she meets a stray dog - one, she does her best not to become attached to. Yet somehow, this dog (Goody) accepts LeAnne for who she is and Goody heals her, in more ways than one.

When LeAnne and Goody arrive in Marci's hometown, they discover that Marci's daughter has gone missing and LeAnne takes it upon herself try to help find her.

The character of LeAnne is an incredible strong and well written one. She is a tough nut to crack and has a hard time letting anyone in (though who can blame her). Though the novel took several turns (some of which may or may not have been necessary), I personally thought that most of them helped the character let go of some of the pain she was carrying around. That said, LeAnne suffered from PTSD - and what she went through & the exploration of her treatment options could have been addressed more fully, in my opinion.

The best part of the book? Well, the dog of course! LeAnne learning to trust herself and Goody. The author, Spencer Quinn did a phenomenal just letting that trust build up slowly between both Goody and LeAnne.

All in all, I would recommend this book - for it gave me hope that our soldiers who have given up so much, can receive a little bit of healing and most of all, unconditional love from animals (including my personal favorite: dogs!) who have oh so much love to give.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Spencer Quinn for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 5.30.17.

*Will be published on Amazon on 6.27.17.

The blurb for this novel is far more dramatic than the actual story. I can’t call it false advertising because it does include all the elements listed. LeAnne Hogan is a veteran of several tours of duty in Afghanistan. She has returned Stateside with traumatic injuries. Her right eye is missing, she has shrapnel lodged in her brain and she is suffering from severe PTSD. She does form a bond with her roommate Marci and this connection influences LeAnne’s soul-searching travel plans. When she eventually reaches Bellville, Washington, Marci’s daughter is missing. There is a dog.

Here’s my problem with this blurb. The best part of this story is the focus on LeAnne dealing with her PTSD, her survivors guilt, and some unresolved issues with her past. The dog does make an appearance at a low point in her journey and seems to have some sort of calming effect on the now impulsive, angry and bitter LeAnne. Problem is, this connection comes quite late in the story. Later still is the mystery of Marci’s missing daughter. It comes almost as an afterthought. Considering LeAnne has barely been aware of her need to bathe and feed herself up to this point, taking part in a rescue mission seemed unlikely, clever dog or not.

Add in the times when this author struggled to remember he has created a female protagonist, making her actions, and thought processes more male than female and I was left wondering how this author has become a best seller.

Well done on the PTSD, survivor’s guilt angles, weak on the blurb claims and LeAnne might has well have been a Len. Once again I was swayed by a great cover.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley for review.

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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Okay, since I first opened the pages of Dog On It 8 years ago, I've been a Spencer Quinn fan -- it probably took me two chapters to consider myself one. So it's kind of a given that I'd like this book -- but only "kind of." This was so far from a Bowser & Birdie or Chet & Bernie book that they could be written by different people.

Sgt. LeAnne Hogan was an excellent athlete in her childhood and teen years, and then she joined the Army (deciding her West Point plans would take too long -- an oversimplification that'll do for now) and became an excellent soldier, serving multiple tours in combat zones. During her last sting in Afghanistan -- as part of a team working to build intelligence sources among Afghan women -- she is involved in an attack that leaves some dead and her injured -- physically and mentally.

Her memories of that fateful day are vague and dim at best, but the scars will not leave. Not only that, she lost an eye, her confidence, her future plans, and career. She slowly befriends a woman who lost part of her leg to an IED in Iraq who shares a room with LeAnne in Walter Reed. Marci dies suddenly and unexpectedly -- and that is too much for LeAnne. She leaves the hospital immediately and sets off on a drive across the country, she really doesn't have a plan, but she needs to be somewhere else.

It's pretty clear that LeAnne is suffering from PTSD on top of everything else -- as you'd expect. She comes across as angry and rude to almost everyone she runs across and exchanges more than a few words with. She eventually finds herself in Marci's hometown -- where her daughter has gone missing. For the first time since the day everything changed, LeAnne has a purpose -- bring her friend's daughter home. Along the way, she LeAnne gets adopted by a large dog who will prove an invaluable aid in this challenge.

LeAnne is a great character -- not a perfect person by any means, but you can see where a lot of writers (novelists or journalists) would try to paint her as one. She has huge flaws -- some of which are easier to see after the injury (and some of them are new after it, too). There are some other good characters, too -- even if you don't necessarily like them (LeAnne's mother would be an example of this -- she's trying to do the right thing, but the reader can sense LeAnne's apprehensions toward her -- and will likely share them). The people in Marci's hometown (particularly those that are related to her) are the best drawn in the book -- and I'd be willing to read a sequel or two just in this city to spend more time with them. Not everyone gets what LeAnne's going through -- some don't know how to react to her -- but those that come close will endear themselves to you.

The dog, Goody, isn't Chet, he isn't Bowser -- he's a typical dog, no more (or less) intelligent than any other. Goody won't be serving as the narrator in a story any time -- he will drink from the toilet bowl and ignore a lot of what LeAnne wants him to do.

Like I said, I'm a Quinn fan -- but I didn't think he had this in him. Funny mysteries with dogs? Sure, he's great at those. But sensitive explorations of veterans dealing with the aftermath of life-altering injuries? I wouldn't have guessed it. But man . . . he really got this flawed character, this incredibly human character, right. There's a couple of moments that didn't work as well as they should've -- a couple of moments that were hard to believe in a book as grounded in reality as this book was. But you know what? You forgive them easily, because so much is right with this book -- so much just works, that you'll accept the things that don't. It wasn't all dark and moody -- there's some hope, some chuckles, a lot that is somber and sad, too. While not a "feel good" read by any means, you will feel pretty good about who things end up.

This is probably categorized as a Thriller, as that's where Quinn's readers are -- but I can see a case for this being labeled General Fiction (or whatever synonym your local shop uses), it's flexible that way. This is Spencer Quinn operating on a whole new level with a character we need more like -- such a great read.

"She had years and years of contrary stored up inside her, like a smoldering mound just waiting for a blast of oxygen."

I enjoyed this story about LeAnne Hogan. A small part of the story is about the large dog that adopts her and a even smaller part of the story is about a young missing girl.

LeAnne has always been strong and athletic. Her father had a military background - Sergeant in the Green Berets - and pushed her. LeAnne was in gymnastics and then pole vaulting and all roads were leading to West Point until a personal tragedy has her enlisting in the Army.

Sergeant LeAnne Hogan has three tours in overseas and is looking to get out of the Army and has her future planned out when she is talked into another tour in Afghanistan, one that ends disastrously for her.

I like that LeAnne, the protagonist of this gritty story, is not perfect. In fact, she is far from perfect. She is damaged physically and emotionally, suffers terribly for PTSD, and is just trying to make sense of her life and her future.

She is not an easy character to like but I liked her. I enjoyed being included on her journey of discovery. I liked the dog too. Both LeAnne and the dog aren't touchy-feely nice but they feel real.

"She could feel a daydream about that waiting in the wings. Actually more of a night dream: it lurked behind her right eye socket, where night prevailed. That hit her pretty hard: now she had night inside her, twenty-four seven."

I received this book from Atria Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

LeAnne is a wounded combat veteran at Walter Reed suffering from PTSD and the loss of her right eye. Her only friend is her roommate Marci who lost her leg from an IED. When Marci unexpectedly dies from a blood clot, LeAnne bolts the hospital for a trip home to Arizona and eventually to Marci's hometown in Washington, where she is adopted by a stray dog who seems to understand her darkness.

First, this is NOT a Chet & Bernie mystery-type story even though those do treat PTSD sensitively. Quinn had several opportunities to take the story on a Lifetime Channel path, but chose to keep it real. LeAnne is a complex character whose actions and reactions are the result of her parents' influence as well as her love of gymnastics and sports, not to mention military training. And, of course, the dog is a natural. The result is a realistic and compelling read.

How could I not read this? Just look at that cover…..a woman & a dog. It’s not exactly love at first sight but they just might end up saving each other.

When we meet Sgt. LeAnne Hogan, a few things are immediately clear. She has PTSD following a horrific attack in Afghanistan that also cost her an eye. Her brain is seriously scrambled. And she’s really, really angry. Thank God for Marci, her one-legged hospital roommate.

LeAnne’s memory of the attack is as fragmented as the right side of her face. But when an army investigator shows up with a briefcase of questions, she begins to wonder if she screwed up. Any interest she had in cooperating goes out the window when Marci suddenly dies. The hospital becomes an unbearable place & LeAnne is soon on the first bus out of town.

She has no idea where she’s going but it feels good to be on the move. Her prickly personality & damaged face keep people at bay as she struggles to adapt to her new reality. Just keeping track of her slippery thoughts can be exhausting. It’s the memory of Marci that eventually gives her direction & LeAnne heads to Bellville, Washington to visit Coreen & Mia, Marci’s mother & daughter.

Once there, she discovers not only has she missed Marci’s funeral but Mia is missing. And while some people are welcoming there are others who’d prefer she move on. LeAnne rents a small cabin & soon acquires a new friend who is large, black, pushy & opinionated. And she has sharp teeth to back up the major ‘tude. But she also senses her new human’s frailty & as LeAnne begins to search for Mia, her furry partner becomes a constant presence on her right side.

It’s the beginning of a mystical relationship that gives LeAnne strength as she digs for clues in the present & faces up to her past.

Mia’s story line doesn’t appear until the second half of the book & despite the blurb description, it’s really a vehicle for the development of the MC. This is LeAnne’s story. Through her character, we experience all the fear, confusion, anger & hopelessness that shadows someone struggling with PTSD. She begins as a lost soul who can’t even trust herself let alone others. When she finally attempts a relationship, it’s with another outcast & I loved that the author chose to make that character a dog. Anyone who’s had a furry child knows there’s something about their silent acceptance & unconditional affection that makes the worst day a little easier to get through.

In LeAnne’s case, she finds a companion whose circumstances mirror her own…..another scruffy looking stray trying to figure out where she belongs. Like most friends, they have their disagreements. But when the chips are down, they also have each others’ back.

By the end most of the past & present has been resolved. Instead of a cheesy miraculous transformation, LeAnne is changed in subtle ways which is much more realistic. She’s an interesting, compelling character & if she & the ferocious furball decide to hit the road again, I’d happily go along for the ride.

A very powerful, enlightening and graphic portrait of a hero who had been injured in war and is struggling to gain her life back. A must read for everyone.

I was very intrigued by the plot summary for this book, but I don't feel it quite lived up to potential. It was an enjoyable read and an interesting look into the mind of a female soldier with PTSD, however, I do always struggle with male authors who try to write female characters with deep minds. Sometimes things come up that I think, "Women don't think like that". But maybe that's just me. Overall, it was a good book, just not outstanding. Worth the read though.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Normally, "cozies" are not my favorite, so that may be influencing my opinion here. The Right Side was just a little too "neat" for me. It struck me that maybe Spencer Quinn was trying to break away from the "cozy" type mysteries, but somehow missed and just couldn't help himself and reverted back to the "tried & true" formula that works in the Chet & Bernie stories. I was hoping for something "grittier" given the main character a returning war vet with PTSD issues. The book's blurb made it sound like another Burning Bright by Nicolas Petrie (which I LOVED), but it wasn't. Some of the characters were semi-developed, others just plain one dimensional. It read smoothly enough, but again, I like plots a little "twistier" (maybe a reflection of my character). And the ending....way too "neat" for me (again, possibly a reflection of my housekeeping)!

While the plot was tedious due to the slow pace, Quinn made the MC Leeanne so intriguing, unique and developed that it all kind of balanced out in the end. I loved Goody from the first moment, it took me a while to warm up to Leeanne.

My feelings reading this book seesawed between deep sympathy for LeAnne and irritation at her treatment of others. Deeply scarred mentally and physically, her brain at times feeling like a pressure cooker, she leaves her hospital and psychiatrist behind after her roommate Marci dies unexpectedly. Marci lost a leg in Iraq and LeAnn was almost fatally wounded in Afghanistan and the two women formed an incredible bond. On LeAnne's trip, slowly travelling towards Marci's hometown, she meets a stray dog who has decided to adopt LeAnn and won't leave her side...the right side, the side where her eye no longer is. As a one-eyed person who adores dogs, this felt poignantly personal. By the end of the book I loved LeAnne and Goody so much. I would love to go on more journeys with them, but in the meantime I ordered 2 Chet and Bernie books from the library to tide me over.
The subject of PTSD in women vets was handled sensitively, shining a light on a subject that's often ignored and should be discussed much more widely and treated much more seriously.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an unbiased review.

THE RIGHT SIDE is the story of LeeAnne, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. She returns home missing an eye and suffering from a traumatic brain injury. When she sets out to visit her friend Marci's hometown, she gets caught up in the search for a missing child and finds herself with a new canine companion, a mutt named Goody. This was a lovely book and it depicted the sacrifices made by our soldiers in a compassionate and straightforward way and provided remarkable insight into what veterans with TBIs experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I picked this book for two reasons. I love Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie series and I gravitate to books with female war veterans that face some serious problems and overcome them. This story met my expectations of an exceptional dog character and a strong resilient woman. LeAnne came back from Afghanistan physically and mentally wounded. When the woman in the bed next to her dies unexpectedly, she feels the need to talk to the soldier's family and travels to the Pacific Northwest. Another blow meets her there when she discovers that Marcie's young daughter has disappeared. LeAnne makes it her mission in life to find young girl. As she searches she meets and accepts the presence of a dog who goes to great lengths to become her protector and companion. I hope the pair of them appear in another book as they meet the world head on in their own way. This book serves as a reminder that women veterans can have troubles adjusting back to civilian life the same as men, it's just not a big topic of conversation.

Quinn clearly knows what he's doing in this really professional novel of a traumatised veteran, returned from Afghanistan and some awful times, whose lost her eye and has schrapnel left in her head. She's ornery; a dog helps her - and a quest to help out the daughter of a friend she made in hospital - very strong stuff, and she's grimly well-portrayed. A good argument, again, against war and a sense of the brutality that overtakes you - a good plot - although the book slightly seems to break in half - much time spent intracking her recovery a bit. She makes self-destructive decisions right from the beginning. So we recognise that she participates in the difficulties she gest into to some extent. Very impressive and seems authentic - even the dog who is her companion makes utter sense. Grimly entertaining and gripping ...

I've always enjoyed the Chet and Bernie mysteries and was looking forward to this new book from Spencer Quinn. Her background is well established to the detriment of the overall mystery but in the first of what I hope is a new series that is not all bad. You want to root for her and her new companion
"Goody".

I understand that Spencer Quinn is a popular author, but if this is representative of his work I don't follow why.

This book took forever to get to the main plot, and spent more time than necessary developing a character that I'm not sure even the author understands. The book blurb was wholly different that what was delivered.

The book was extremely disappointing.