In Burning Ridge, Margaret Mizushima's 4th in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series (Crooked Lane Books 2018), Mattie Cobb, K9 deputy in the small mountain town of Timber Creek Colorado, and her working German Shepherd Robo are tasked with tracking bodies and associated evidence that are showing up in remote areas and in strange configurations. But this time, it quickly becomes less like the work she loves and more like unraveling clues that hit too close to home, so close, they could endanger Mattie's life.

I've read every book in this series and have come to expect a tightly-woven plot, well-developed characters, believable plot lines, a fast pace, high tension, and lots of information about working police dogs. Again, Mizushima delivers in Burning Ridge as she skillfully weaves a variety of subplots into the main action in ways that don't detract and always nicely enhance the main storyline. For example, there's Mattie's growing love interest with the local vet despite Mattie's trust issues, difficulties rooted deeply in her childhood. Then there's her effort to re-establish a relationship with her drug-afflicted brother just released from prison. As if that isn't enough, Mattie becomes a role model for a local teen who wants to spend time with Mattie, so much so that Mattie gets suspicious. By the end of the story, Mizushima has carefully woven all of these plotlines together so there is no wasted time, words, or pages that could be skipped.

If you aren't convinced yet that you want to travel with these characters, here's the story's description of Mattie:

"...a small package of dynamite with twice the power"

--and she is, always, throughout the story. Here's a description of Robo relaxing:

"Robo circled and then flopped down on his dog bed beside her desk, heaving a sigh. He looked up at her as if to ask what they were waiting for."

And finally, Mizushima is an all-around talented wordsmith. See if you don't agree:

"The sharp edge of a half-buried rock caught the toe of her shoe and sent her sprawling, the hard ground knocking the wind out of her. Spent, she lay still, heaving for breath. Her world gradually stopped swaying and she spotted the shadow of bushes off to her right. Staying low, she crawled into them, sharp thorns from prickly rose snagging her clothing and piercing her skin. She huddled inside the shrub like a rabbit brought to ground. Burning thirst made her yearn for water.

I’ve read every book in this series and they just keep getting better. I'm looking forward to the next.

--Review will appear on my writer's blog August 24 2018

Burning Ridge, by Margaret Mizushima, is a light summer read with a touch of mystery. It continues the adventures of Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo. Nothing heavy here - a quick, fun read.

Loved ,loved this book and the others in this series. Love the action and the characters. I recommend this book to my friends , especially those dog lovers

This is book 4 in the Timber Creek K-9 mystery series. The best so far in this series with friendship, surprises and a great plot with excellent character development. Mattie and Robo are a formidable team. Robo, the dog, has to be my favourite character and dog lovers, as well as lovers of thrillers, will enjoy this book. I would recommend this series. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Facebook.

Burning Ridge is the latest book in the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries by Margaret Mizushima. Burning Ridge is a stand alone story, in which Ms Mizushima makes it quite easy to understand the background relationships. Our heroine, Mattie Cobb, feels like a friend and the reader can't help but wish Robo, her German Shepherd, belonged to us! I was given an early copy to review.

Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima

Burning Ridge is the fourth book in Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, set in Timber Creek, Colorado nestled within the majestic Rocky Mountains. While on a day excursion in the mountains, Cole Walker, the local veterinarian and his two daughters inadvertently stumble across an unthinkable crime scene. Deputy Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, are called to investigate only to discover this crime hits much closer to home than she expects. As the investigation unfolds in the mountains, another crime scene is unearthed with the same MO only decades older.
Mattie has been dealing with issues from her childhood, including repressed memories of an abusive father. Now, with a personal connection to the first victim, will she ever find the answers to the mysteries of her past? Or will the past catch up to her, with a killer on her trail putting her in danger in the exciting fourth book of the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series?

I suspect this series just isn't for me. (Looks like I gave the last one I read three stars too.) I recently saw someone on Goodreads tag this as "cozy." While i wouldn't go that far, the tag is somewhat apt. This is a comfortable mystery that isn't exactly a page turner that will make you sweat (which is more my preference.)

It is a solid mystery though. Probably too solid for my tastes. The author is meticulous about crossing her metaphorical Ts and dotting her metaphorical Is, plot-wise. On the plus side, that means you'll never have a moment where you're wondering about a loose end that hasn't been addressed or someone promises "I'll call you later" and then doesn't. On the negative side, I felt like at times all of the follow up details/ police business minutiae bogged down the book a bit. For me, the book took a long time to get moving. It wasn't until about the 60% mark that things picked up speed.

However, if you're reading these, it's likely because like me you're a dog fan. As with previous books, this one does not disappoint on that front. Robo is the best. His relationship with Mattie is super cool and you're rooting for them, regardless as to where the plot takes you. Series-wise, there is also a nice deepening of relationships between characters. In other words, if you're a fan of this series, this book will likely make you pretty happy.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
I loved this book. It was fast paced, great characters and it drew me in from the first page and I just couldn't put it down. I wanted it to keep going and I guess I will just have to wait till the next book.

Loved the series, and this one is moving right along! Still have to read the first 2 books but I am still enjoying this series. Training dogs takes a lot of patience and time and Robo is amazing, and keeps getting better, book to book. This book made me pause and think because I cried, but I still can't wait until the next one.

LOVE LOVE ROOF ROOF this series of a detective, Mattie Cobb, and her K-9 partner Robo. Strong woman making a difference with the help of her dog. # 4 in this series but think it could be read as a stand alone but a lot of the emotion and needed background of the characters would be missed. Mizushima bring forth a story of not only loyalty but romance even if Mattie tries to ignore the romance part. Truer words were never said than a Dog is Man's Best Friend! In the case of Robo a focused police dog with the nose to SEARCH and FIND and skills to PROTECT! "A copy of this book was provided by Crooked Lane Books via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

BURNING RIDGE by Margaret Mizushima (Crooked Lane, $26.99). Rating: B+
A charred body is found in a shallow grave on Redstone Ridge, near Timber Creek, Colorado. Police officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo travel to the scene (she on horseback – not her favorite means of transportation). Most of the body is burned beyond recognition, but a tattoo on the neck leads to the corpse’s identification. It turns out that the corpse has a significant personal connection to Mattie – one that sends her emotionally reeling.
Searching the adjoining mountainside, Mattie and Cole Walker, the local vet and Mattie’s love interest, more surprises are discovered. As the investigation progresses the more it delves into Mattie’s own past and that of her abusive father – and her mother who disappeared while she was still quite young.
I’ve read all of the entries in this series and enjoyed them all. The highlight of each book is the interaction between Mattie and Robo and how well they work together to “serve and protect.” This plot stretched credulity a bit more than I liked (the villain’s motivations and actions based on those motivations) but I still like the series a lot and look forward to each new episode. The strength of Mizushima is her characterization – she has created some very memorable and interesting people, and I, for one, want to know what will happen to them in the future.
This review will appear in a future issue of Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This is the first book by Margaret Mizushima that I have read and I really enjoyed it. There was a good mix between character development and a police procedural mystery. I particularly enjoyed the K-9 aspects and the interplay between Mattie and her dog, Robo. I look forward to other books in this series.

Having never mastered the skill of training any of our dogs to do more than "sit," I tend to be captivated by working dogs, their skills and their training. Set in the Colorado Rockies, Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries combine the abilities of Robo, a talented young search and rescue dog with good characterization and suspenseful plots

Burning Ridge is the 4th book in the series, and I was just as enthralled as usual. Robo may be my favorite character, but I like all of the regular cast from members of the Sheriff's Dept. to Cole, the local veterinarian, to Mama T, the foster mother who raised Mattie.

Deputy Mattie Cobb is the K-9 officer in the small town of Timber Creek, CO. Mattie and Robo have a tremendous bond and trust each other implicitly. He may be a working dog, but he is definitely loved and respected, not only by Mattie, but by all those who have come to appreciate his talents and personality.

When a burned body is discovered high in a mountain valley, all are stunned at the apparent brutality, but the situation is worsened when the identity of the victim is revealed.

Burning Ridge touches close to home for Mattie.

Couldn't turn the pages fast enough--(so to speak, as I read it on my Kindle). Ready for the next in the series and hate having to wait.

Read in June. Review scheduled for August 29
NetGalley/Crooked Lane Books
Crime/Suspense. Sept. 11, 2018. Print version: 279 pages.

Mattie Cobb and her K9 partner, Robo, return! A man’s badly burned body has been found in a shallow grave on Redstone Ridge. As Mattie and local vet, Cole Walker search the scene for clues, they come across another horrific scene. The remains of two adults and a child, long since reduced to only bones. Mattie begins to be terrorized by a killer who tells he r things, secrets that make her doubt who she really is. This is SUCH a good series, it combines the outdoor grandeur of Nevada Barr’s books with one of my favorite female heroines in mystery fiction. And that’s without the amazing dogs! Pure enjoyment

I really enjoyed the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery books previous to this fourth one, and it seems these books only get better. Brilliant characters, particularly Mattie and the town of Timber Creek. Love the interaction with the K-9, ad how integral that element is to the story.

Strong mystery, vivid characters and setting, and great writing--Margaret Mitzushima brings the best to the cozy mystery genre. I look forward to the next book.

Book #4 in Timber Creek K-9 series.
I have enjoyed this series. I have discussed them with library patrons, book clubs, and friends. They all also have enjoyed them.

This book started right off with action.
Cole makes a discovery that noone wants to make.
A newcomer moves from L.A. to Timber Creek - is she an innocent needing a role model or someone sinister.
Mattie has a loss in her life that is difficult. A link from her past comes to her life now.

Suspense keeps building and will keep you reading.
Robo is a dog that I wished I owned.

The <i>Timber Creek K-9 Mystery</i> series is described on the author’s web site as “police procedurals with heart.” Like others in the series, <i>Burning Ridge</i> includes, in my opinion, the perfect combination of a mystery, the Colorado Rockies, a touch of romance, and a dog.

Central to the story is Robo – a beautiful 100 lb. German Shepherd trained in search and rescue and part of a K-9 police team along with his partner, Mattie Cobb. Not only is he Mattie’s most loving and loyal companion, he demonstrates the purpose and range of skills of these admirable working animals. It’s fascinating to read about how this team.

Highlights of the other elements include:
* a mystery which focuses on a gruesome murder (without overly graphic details) and comes to a heart-thumping conclusion.
* several steep climbs into breathtaking mountains on horseback (written with authenticity by Colorado resident author Margaret Mizushima.)
* the personal relationship, between Mattie and the town’s veterinarian, Cole Walker, which continues to slowly develop despite the baggage of Mattie’s intriguing personal history.

Although this is fourth in the series, readers can easily catch up. I had read the first one several years ago and then lost track of the series. After reading <i>Burning Ridge</i>, I’m glad I rediscovered it and look forward to catching up on those I missed as well as any future additions!



FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mattie Cobb grew up in Timber Creek CO in a foster home; her father was in jail and her mother disappeared. Mama T's house kept Mattie on the straight and narrow and now she is a K-9 Officer for the Timber Creek PD. Mattie and her partner, Robo, are trained in search and rescue as well as drug sniffing, so when a burned body shows up in a meadow where the Colorado Wildlife Federation is due to count mountain sheep, Mattie and Robo head up to the remote site for reconnaissance. Little do they know what they will uncover...three more grave sites containing burned bodies dating back 30 years. The strength of this series lies in the relationships between all the characters, Mattie and Robo; Mattie and the local vet, Dr. Cole Walker; Mattie and Mama T; Mattie and the rest of the Timber Creek PD. Mattie is the core and cares the series well. If you like the outdoors and dogs, you need to be reading this series.

This is the first book I've read by Margaret Mizushima but it won't be the last. I like the way you get involved with the charters. First, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her amazing K-9 Robo. Secondly, the Veterinarian Dr. Cole Walker, who is raising his two daughters on his own. His interest in Mattie is not platonic and he hopes she can overcome her past enough to let him closer. Cole, discovers a body part when horseback riding with his daughters. As Mattie and Robo investigate she soon learns her past may be tied to multiple bodies and now her life is in danger. This book has strong characters, intrigue, mystery and romance. The twists and turns keep you guessing throughout the book! I thank NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

An excellent K-9 mystery!

Deputy Maddie Cobb and her K-9, Robo work together with local law enforcement and the FBI to determine the killer after a burned body is found in the mountains. This is the 4th in the series and the characters are evolving. I love the scenes between Maddie and Robo.

What I enjoy about this series is that the balance between character development and a really well-built mystery. They are a delight to read!!