Despite this book being part of a series, I don't feel but not having read any of the previous books that I had missed out. Overall I enjoyed this book. I thought some parts were a bit unnecessary, the dysfunctional relationship between Cole and his wife and when she turned up she rarely was mentioned. However, perhaps this may have been more meaningful had I read the previous books and understood their relationship. This was an easy read, very similar to an episode of CSI.

I've been wanting to read the books in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series for a while now and when I got the chance to read this book did I go for it. I love reading books about cops or ex-military that has a K-9 as a partner and I was looking forward to seeing how this book would turn out.

I have to admit that the book was harder to get into than I thought it would be. For some reason, neither the story nor the characters clicked for me and I struggled with the book. Not that it was a bad book, more like I couldn't find myself completely liking it. Mattie Cobb never came alive for me, and I wasn't interested in her childhood traumas. To have a psychological damaged main female character has become very common, and unless the character in any way comes more than a stereotype then it's pretty hard to muster any energy to like here. And, her "relationship" with Cole Walker also was an aspect that just didn't work for me. And, finding myself quite uninterested in the characters made it harder to enjoy reading the book.

Now, the book becomes better towards the end of the book, the story picked up and made my interest grew as I was curious to learn who was behind the killing and later the kidnapping of another young girl. I just want to say one crucial thing about the story, or rather the blurb. It gives away TOO MUCH of the story. I've seen this too often, especially when it comes to thrillers and crime novels. This damages often the enjoyment of reading a book too much. Takes away surprises and to be honest, I will try to avoid books in the future that gives away too much of the story. I don't want to know!

Hunting Hour was not a strong book. However, I do want to read the previous two books to see if they will work better for me.

2.5 stars

Really good mystery. Once I got into it, I was on the edge of my seat. Mattie and Robo were a fantastic team, and I wish I had read the previous two books in the series.

Hunting Hour was the first book I’ve read by Margaret Mizushima, although it was #3 in her Timber Creek K-9 mystery series. Although I hadn’t read earlier books in the series, I didn’t feel completely lost in this book. There were a few times that the past was referenced in this book, but it didn’t distract from the story. It was easy to pick up at this point, and reading this book made me want to go back and read the previous books.

I really loved Mattie Cobb and her dog Robo. Mattie is a K-9 Officer and her dog his professionally trained to search for people and drugs. I felt like it gave a great depiction of how a K-9 officer would truly be – professional in the work environment, especially when it comes to the dog being ‘on duty’ and she was a true dog lover outside of work, doting on Robo as a real member of her family. It brought a wonderful aspect to the mystery. I also really enjoyed Cole, the local vet with 2 young daughters, that is good friends with Mattie and Robo.

The mystery itself was mediocre, but I found it easy and enjoyable to read. Without the relationships of the people in the small town and the dogs, the book would have just been an ok read. The author does a great job weaving everything together to make a really good book.

This book is the third in the Timber Creek mystery series. Thanks go to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for the DRC, which I received in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review. The book is for sale now.

Detective Mattie Cobb is investigating the murder of a junior high student with her K-9 partner Robo. The stakes are raised when a second girl goes missing—the daughter of her boyfriend, Cole Walker.

The story is set in the Rocky Mountains of the USA. The story also features mental health issues, and for me, the extensive amount of therapy dialogue drags down the plot and also diminishes setting, which should have been stark and immediate but wasn’t, and other aspects of character development.

Those that read my reviews know I don’t shrink from posting a two star review when I think it’s warranted, and you may wonder why the third star is there if I didn’t like the book, which I didn’t. In fact, I bailed from it much earlier than usual.

The third star is present because I do think there’s an audience for this story, even though I am not part of it. Many cozy mystery fans prefer a more sedate pace. In addition, those that are going through a mental health ordeal of their own, perhaps one that is distracting enough that they can’t focus on fiction very well, may find a kindred spirit in these characters.

For so long, nobody was supposed to talk about mental health, and even today, when it’s not unusual to see a professional for issues with ADHD, anxiety, or depression, the harder-to-treat illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder remain fodder for stand-up comics, just a few steps forward from the days when the “crazy” relative was locked in the attic or packed off somewhere while said to be visiting a relative in a distant location. So I think this book has a niche audience, and if that’s you, then this may be your book. You won’t need to have read the first two in the series to dive in here.

Robo, the German Shepherd that sniffs out crime and its victims, is the best part of the story.

For cozy mystery fans with an interest in mental health issues, this book is recommended.

I do love books with animals, and dogs are special animals! This book was an enjoyable read, one that makes me want to read the series. Wrap that up with a good murder mystery, and I have a happy read to devour.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

What an extraordinarily good novel! Why yes, there is a murder mystery for which I congratulated myself on following the clues, and there is marvelously detailed K-9 work plus attention to proper police procedure. But at the heart of this story is a troubled young woman with scars from her childhood working her way through her issues, with a number of other protagonists also coping with medical or emotional curveballs from depression to schizophrenia to abandonment to "simple" dysfunctional family. All the normal "stuff" folks have to deal with daily in one degree or another.

In the midst of all these troubled psyches we get back to the extremely absorbing mystery I seemed to dismiss above. It is the vehicle through which all these other insights are exposed as the story unfolds, all the puzzle pieces intricately interlocked.

This is my first introduction to the main cast of characters and, although it is obvious there is history among them, this tale stands on its own; however, I find myself compelled to discover the earlier books for my own reading pleasure. I especially love good mysteries--this clearly qualifies!!--and the K-9 element (also love animals) and teaser caught my attention when I was selecting my next offering from Netgalley--voluntarily read and reviewed--as I once more congratulate myself on my perspicacity in zeroing in on great, informative entertainment. <--feeling very smug!

Try this one for a good read with an intrepid female detective in Mattie and a terrific canine partner in Robo. I read the first two books in this series with great glee because these two made such a wonderful pair; this third book is equally good and entirely readable as a standalone. Mattie is dealing, at long last, with her past. The discovery of the body of a teenage girl (Candace) and the sudden disappearance of young Sophie are the backbone of the novel but the real attraction for me is Mattie's relationships not only with Robo but also with Cole. Their dance continues but doesn't overwhelm the plot, which is more a procedural than romantic suspense. Thanks to net galley for the ARC- this is.a thoroughly enjoyable book.

Are you an incurable devotee of K-9 mysteries? Have you already devoured (and loved) Suspect and The Promise by Robert Crais and Blood on the Tracks by Barbara Nickless? Then you can do no better than to add Hunting Hour to your reading list.

Hunting Hour features the lovable, and doggedly persistent Robo, a German Shepherd officer. You will love him as much as you love Maggie and Clyde--those larger-than-life dogs that leap off the page onto your lap and into your heart. When I interviewed the author, she told me Robo is named after a real canine hero. What a wonderful tribute that is! Mizushima has spent many hours working with and caring for dogs, and her knowledge shines through in the pages of this mystery. One great strength of this novel is the author’s meticulous layering of police procedure and canine training without slowing the pace of the story.

Hunting Hour can be read as a standalone. I had no trouble following the tangle of emotions Robo’s handler Mattie Cobb feels for single dad Cole Walker, but I think it might be best to begin with the first book of the series, Killing Trail, to see how the characters evolve. For instance, Hunting Hour opens with a tense conversation between Mattie and her therapist that touches on an earlier trauma--no doubt revealed in an preceding book.

It is during this therapy session that Mattie and Robo respond to a call about a missing junior high student. Sadly, the missing girl’s body is soon discovered on Smoker’s Hill. As Mattie and fellow police officers search for clues, another girl goes missing. And this time it is someone close to Mattie and Robo’s hearts.

Motives and opportunities abound in this K-9 mystery, and while I guessed the identity of the miscreant halfway through the novel, that did not lessen my enjoyment or racing heartbeat as Hunting Hour reached its exciting climax.

I received a copy of Hunting Hour from Netgalley.

Hunting Hour is the phenomenal third offering in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series that far exceeded my expectations. The mystery is breathtaking! It can be read as a standalone or in the series. The characters, action, and plot together are a synergistic success!

Mattie is a deputy and K-9 officer with the Timber Creek sheriff’s office. Her partner is Robo, a well-trained dog and friend, able to sniff out drugs and people. Mattie has begun dealing with devastating repressed memories of her past; she lacks sleep and has lost weight. Those she works for are concerned as is Rainbow, a friend and the office receptionist. The memories Mattie fights lead her to withdraw from friendships, especially single father and veterinarian Cole. They had been growing close, but she backed off without explanation.

This absorbing story hits the ground running with Mattie and Robo searching for Candace, a missing 13-year-old; her asthma inhaler is at home and she hasn’t been seen since classes let out. Her mother works two jobs while her father, with a hair-trigger temper, arrives home late from the mine. He is enraged to find Mattie, Robo, and Stella, the detective, searching Candace’s room. The clues they find are shocking; finding the girl’s body was even worse.

Mattie visited Cole so his daughters could learn about Candace from their father. His daughters adore Mattie, and she them. The next search, less than 48 hours later, is heartbreaking. Cole was late getting back to meet Sophie, his 8-year-old daughter, at the bus stop. She wasn’t at home or anywhere else checked. Mattie and Robo went to work immediately with Robo tracing where Sophie got off the bus to tire tracks where a vehicle had turned around. It is feared that the same person who killed Candace has taken Sophie.

Mattie is fully three-dimensional. I like her; she pushes past her own demons to hunt relentlessly for the girls. She and Robo are a force to be reckoned with as they are closely bonded. Other characters are defined as their roles require. I like Cole, an honest, hardworking man who loves his children and the animals he has learned to help. Cole and his daughters have come through hard times in the past year and are working their way through, the girls retaining their sweet personalities.

One thing I enjoyed is how familiar the author is with police service dogs and their abilities. Even details of differences between German shepherds and bloodhounds explain part of the story. I appreciated how the author demonstrated how Stella treats with dignity the person suffering from a mental disorder. While there are a couple things her descriptions could indicate, I hadn’t guessed the reason for the behavior.

This fabulous novel considers the human element of law enforcement along with the urgency of situations and making fast decisions. There are surprising plot twists, especially as they continued to change the search for Sophie. I immediately had empathy for Mattie and for Cole based on how well their circumstances were written. My attention was riveted from the first chapter, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! The bad guy wasn’t easily evident, as I was still partially surprised. The conclusion was satisfying and I hope to visit Timber Creek again soon. I highly recommend this novel, especially to those who appreciate K-9 officers and their partners.

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

The deputy and her dog are an engaging pair. The deputy has issues from her past. She jumps to conclusions based on her own experiences. It is interesting to watch her grow and move beyond her initial prejudices. I don't think I have read either of the previous ones in this series. That did not detract from my enjoyment of this one. I do look forward to reading the next one.

I enjoyed this book it was very authentic and I felt it was very realistic.I thought the relationship between the main character and her clever dog was great, I'm a sucker for animals in books and loved this,the story was good and so was the pace and action.I thought it captured the feel of the place really well, and I could picture it.It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review

I am new to Margaret Mizushima but I thoroughly enjoyed the hauntingly suspenseful Hunting Hour and will be checking out the earlier books in the series. The solid, likeable and realistic main characters and the intense and heart touching plot kept me tied to the book . I think of the book as police procedural with personality. This book focused on the K9 handler Detective Matty Cobbs and her close friends, the family of the local veterinarian. When one child is killed and another disappears, deep emotional issues haunts Matty's view of the investigation. She is under counseling but it is hard not to relate her the investigation to the abuse she suffered as a child. Luke's wife left him a year earlier and he and his two daughters are still dealing with the fall out. Matty is attached to them but she is afraid that Luke still loves his ex-wife.

I requested and received an advanced readers' copy of Hunting Hour. The review is all me, I always review book that I enjoy. I was highly intrigued by the premise and the book met all my expectation. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Deputy Mattie and Robo, the K-9 - quite the team

This is the third book in the Timber Creek K-9 series, all revolving around Deputy Mattie Cobb, K-9 officer Robo, and local veterinarian Cole Walker in the small fictitious mountain town of Timber Creek, Colorado.

In this offering, a young junior high school girl goes missing, ending with terrible results. Later another young girl, one that is near and dear to Cole and Mattie, is kidnapped and the search is on.

I am enjoying this series and it just keeps getting better. The characters are becoming more three-dimensional and I'm able to visualize the setting more clearly.

Mattie isn't perfect and has a troubled past but is getting help with that.

One thing I thought should have been mentioned in this book is some sort of closure on the ending of book two STALKING GROUND rather than acting like it never happened. Oh, and I've been able to figure out whodunit in each of the books fairly early on but the stories are well-written enough that I still enjoyed them very much.

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

Deputy Mattie Cobb is more emotionally attached to her K-9 partner, Robo, than she is to anyone or anything else, and it's this attachment that makes them one of the best teams in crime fiction. However, in this third book in Mizushima's riveting series, Mattie is much too emotionally involved to be objective, and readers get to see her coming off the rails in her frenzy to find Cole's daughter.

One of the reasons why Mattie loses her objectivity is because she really doesn't understand mental illness-- one of the issues Mizushima handles so well in Hunting Hour-- and this stresses the importance of proper training for all police officers, not just the four-legged ones.

As in the previous two books, Hunting Hour is a superb look at working dogs in a police department, their training, what they're capable of doing, and how those capabilities could expand. The book also has the author's trademark action sequences that keep readers glued to the page, and the rich relationships between the main characters that make them so easy to care about.

Evidently my whodunit radar was in fine fettle when I read this because I spotted the villain immediately. Perhaps it's the work I did in a mental health institution so many years ago. I really don't know. Be that as it may, I enjoyed Hunting Hour, and was happy to see a small hint at the end that leads me to believe that Mattie and Robo could have new challenges in the future. I really think a new direction is needed because the series has been heavy on child jeopardy. After all, Cole's daughters have had more than their share of terror!

If you're a fan of small town Colorado settings, action that gets your adrenaline pumping, solid mysteries, wonderful dogs, and a fine cast of characters, you're in for a treat with Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 series. Start at the beginning with Killing Trail!

Hunting Hour (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, #3)
by Margaret Mizushima

This is my first book by Margaret Mizushima and unfortunately, it is # 3 in the series. I think to get the full effect of the series, I would recommend you start with book one. (which I will as soon as possible) I love finding new series and new authors especially about search dogs and their relationship with their partners. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Hope you enjoy it too.

3.5 stars- A nice change of pace

Hunting Hour is the first book I’ve read by this author. I was in the mood for something a bit different from my usual so I dove back into the mystery/law enforcement genre for a little reset. Plus, that cover made it hard for me to pass this title by. Although Hunting Hour is the third book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series and there are references to characters, crimes, and circumstances from the previous books, it was easy enough to read this title as a standalone.

While tragic, the crime detailed in Hunting Hour immediately grabbed my attention. I loved the search dog element and appreciated how accurate those components were. I also liked that the book featured a flawed heroine. The opening sequence provided a glimpse into Mattie’s history that hooked my interest and gave ample opportunity for character growth over the course of the book and series. Unfortunately, I felt like that’s where the book floundered too. Mattie let her own experiences and judgments cloud her views and color her perceptions of secondary characters. While a very honest approach which I initially liked, when it impacted her treatment of others, I struggled with liking her. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the drawn out romance between her and Timber Creek’s vet, Cole Walker. I certainly didn’t anticipate a romance to dominate the book’s plot, but when it’s teased at, I expect that side plot to advance a little more than it did.

Although I struggled with the romance side plot and elements of Mattie’s character, I really enjoyed the crime detection portions of the plot. The action scenes moved steadily with a good amount of detail that kept me engaged. I also appreciated the slow reveal of how the players fit into the story and liked there were some twists involved to keep me guessing. Overall, I found Hunting Hour to be different than the usual law enforcement mysteries I read and certainly wouldn’t mind reading more from this author in the future.

Margaret Mizushima is a new author for me to read. Also, it turns out that Hunting Hour is the third book in the series. Still it is such an enjoyable mystery, though a bit of a nail biter for me since the targets are young girls. The well-written plot is fast-paced with enough background thrown in along the way so that I did not feel lost for not having read the first two books in the series.

Deputy Mattie Cobb is an intriguing character; a survivor who still is carrying a trailer of baggage from her childhood behind her. What a wonderful complex character. Of course, Cole Walker and his daughters are easier to like but Mattie is worth the effort. Her imperfections make her more real somehow. Even so, it is Robo who steals my heart as he works hand in paw, so to speak, with Mattie to find the missing and bring the murderer to justice.

Much more action than romance but fans of D.D. Ayers’ K9 Rescue will want to add this one to the list. Margaret Mizushima is a name I had added to my Want-to-read List.

I am currently on a major mystery/suspense kick. I love the anxiety that I feel as I read and wonder what is going to happen next. With Hunting Hour, I enjoy the get-no-sleep-tonight mystery so much that I went back to purchase the first two books in the series. They aren't needed as each book stands on its own, but I want to learn more of the characters’ background.

The Timber Creek K-9 series is a series that continues character development in each book. Learning more about Mattie Cobb and the other characters in each new book keeps the stories and the characters from getting stale.

The action is set in the small fictitious town of Timber Creek Colorado about an hour outside of Denver. It is one of those small towns that has a small police department, and everyone knows most of the people in town. The main character, Mattie Cobb, is the department’s K9 unit. She is relatively new to this function even though she has seven years of experience as a cop.

Mattie Cobb is a complex character with a lot of baggage in her background. She didn’t have an easy life as a young person. Her father was abusive. Eventually, she is separated from her mother and brother ending in the foster system. Fortunately, her foster mother is a good woman and has Mattie's best interests at heart even now that she is an adult.

The recurring characters are fascinating people with their own stories to tell. Cole Walker is reeling from his divorce and working out his feelings for his ex. He is a great dad who is working through all the ins and outs of being a single dad while helping his daughters deal with a mother who walked out of their life. Rainbow is a good friend and a rather flamboyant individual. Sheriff McCoy is the boss and father figure of sorts. Deputy Brody is often hard to read, and he is working through his issues of Mattie beating him in the quest to be the K9 cop.

My favorite character is Robo, Mattie’s canine partner. He is a loving animal who has Mattie’s back in the most dangerous situations. The partnership is honestly depicted, and their adventures are often nail-biting. I love how he is so affectionate and ready to play but, with one word he is at attention and ready to work.

Hunting Hour, as well as the first two books in the series, tells a riveting tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is very attention-grabbing. The procedural aspects are well researched and presented realistically. The drama of the crime mixed with the continued development of the personal relationships makes for a satisfactory conclusion while it lays the foundation for more character development in the future.

It is important for me to give kudos for the mental health sub-plot. Again, the research is thorough and brings to light some issues that touch many lives. A lot of the events are thought-provoking as well as entertaining.

My only negative comment is that it looks like Ms. Mizushima only releases one book a year. I would love to have more to read about this team. Hunting Hour and the Timber Creek K9 series are a must read for anyone who likes good mysteries, complex characters, and the promise of more to come soon.

Loved the book. Great story of people, their problems and love of animals. The Police team each took on characters - ability to work together, train and support each other. Two murders in a short time but thena third disappears. Excellent writing and look forward to reading her previous books.