This is another winner for the author! I’m a big fan of the series about troubled cop Mattie Cobb and her K9 partner, Robo. The love and respect Cobb has for her dog shines through in each book and this one was no exception.

A twisty murder mystery is the setting for this latest installment, with the backdrop of the Colorado mountains looming large as usual. Unique to this story was a subplot of big game hunting and a ferocious big cat on the loose. Mattie must depend on Robo to keep her safe from both human and animal as they track a killer.

We learn a bit more about Mattie’s past – the author loves to peel back the layers bit by bit in each book, which helps develop the character, as well as adding to the reader’s kinship with Mattie. She is a troubled soul, fiercely independent and devoted to her canine companion Robo. The ways in which Mizushima describes their interactions is both heartwarming and jaw-dropping – this German Shepherd is such a smart dog!

I was also happy to see Mattie’s romance with veterinarian Cole Walker developing some more – there is a lot of chemistry between them and he is so good for Mattie’s wounded soul. In fact, there are a few ways that Mattie overcomes some of her fears in TRACKING GAME – I was proud of her for getting out of her comfort zone.

If you love backcountry mysteries, you will love the Timber Creek series. There is just enough fast-paced intrigue plus a little romance to keep nearly every reader interested. This book could be read as a stand-alone, but some of the references will go over the heads of readers. This will not detract from the plot or outcome, but it is always recommended to start with the first book and go from there. I am anxiously awaiting the next mystery from Mizushima; she is one of my favorite authors and I’m always ready to dive into her next work.

This is another installment in Margaret Mizushima’s series about Officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 Robo. The stories take place in Timber Creek, CO. This one starts out with the murder of a local businessman and develops into a full fledged mystery. Ms. Mizushima has a way of telling a story that keeps you guessing till the end and very satisfied with the outcome. I love the characters and how the storyline develops as it goes along. She always leaves you hanging on some part of the story at the end so you wait (impatiently) for the next book. In this book that was some information about Mattie Cobb’s personal life.

I enjoyed this book ( as I have all by this author) and recommend it to all my friends who like a good cop story / mystery. I received a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love this book . I have read all this series so far and have loved all. This book just adds to the characters I love already. Can't wait for the next one. Highly recommended

This is a terrific series with characters that are constantly changing. I’m so excited to see what happens for them next! A good pick for fans of Nevada Barr.

This is a new-to-me author and I wasn't sure what to expect, all I can say is WOW!! This book is outstanding. It is full of action, suspense and drama. Once you start reading you don't want to stop, you have to know what happens next. I feel in love with Robo, what a dog! You could feel the bond he had with Mattie. I want to go back and start with the first book in this series. Thank you Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Deputy and K-9 officer Mattie Cobb rushes to a burning vehicle to find a man who was shot and killed. She and her colleagues trace the killing to drug and wildlife trafficking, and including another murder. The takedown involves harrowing searches through the Colorado high country in forests and canyons. Mattie’s family past and her relationship with Vet Cole Walker round out her story.

This mystery works as a stand-alone, but the references to other criminal investigations which are presumably covered in the earlier 4 books suggest reading in order would be preferred. There is a lot of K-9 training woven into the story which should appeal to dog lovers and readers of police procedurals. Rugged and suspenseful. Recommended.

Readalikes/Similar Authors:
Katie Ruggle’s Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series; Archer Mayor’s Joe Gunther mysteries; Gabriel Cohen’s mysteries; Susan Hill – The Various Haunts of Men; Inger Ash Wolfe – The Taken.

Pace: fast
Characters: Developed, backstories, likeable; strong female
Story: Plot-driven
Language: Compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Timber Creek, Colorado; contemporary

Review copy provided by the publisher.

A steady-paced, character-driven mystery that continues the strong storyline begun in the earlier books in the series. This fifth volume in the series adds more resolution of the growing relationship between Mattie and Cole. The book also continues with the interesting details about working with and supporting a K9 partner. The plot thread about Mattie's DNA drives toward developments in the next book in the series, but it seems like an uncomfortable part of the fifth book.

This book will be released November 2019. With the solid mysteries and crimes to be solved that author Mizushima builds into the series, this title should be on your TBR list for November. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to the NEXT title to be released!

This continues the story of Mattie Cobb and her police dog Robo. This has been a great series and this book is no exception. There is character development, character interaction, and a good story to surround them. When I first saw this book and saw that it was part of a series, I just had to read all that had come before. I am glad I did and look forward to see what is next.

Ms. Mizushima has continued the journey of Mattie and Robo with another great mystery. I am fascinated by the relationship between Mattie and Robo. She has captured it in the way I think a K-9 unit would operate. Her mysteries are fleshed out completely and they keep you engaged throughout the story. This is a great series and I hope she continues to let us into Mattie, Robo and Cole's lives.

In Margaret Mizushima's Tracking Game (Penguin Random House 2019), next in the Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries, Mattie Cobb and her working dog Robo are called In to find the criminals who blew up a car and killed everyone inside. Timber Creek is a tight community so most residents knew the person killed. That makes it more personal. The two partners start by tracking down clues the murderer may have left, then try to track down people who may have fled the crime scene, and it builds from there. Before they solve the crime, they face an unexpected and highly-dangerous wild predator that should have no part in the Timber Creek wilderness.

With each piece, Mizushima describes in authentic detail how a working dog like Robo can follow a scent, track down non-human evidence, and everything else he does to help his partner solve the crime:

"She let Robo pull her forward through the deep grass while she watched his every move, looking for his head to go up and his hackles to rise, his way of telling her that someone is here, someone is out to get us. Robo raised his face"

"He stuck his nose in a depression between bales to sniff, then turned to sit and stare at her. His signal that he’d found something."

"When she slipped on his narcotics detection collar, it focused all that eagerness into work. She clipped on his"

For those of you who are avid readers of this series, we know Mattie and the town veterinarian Cole have a budding romance. In this installment, it continues to grow but not without a few bumps. Mattie loves Cole, but she has secrets from her past he doesn't know and Mattie is sure when he finds out, he will no longer want any part of her.

In every chapter, every scene, her every move, Mattie's affection for her partner Robo defines her life:

"Life seemed so simple for Robo: rest and relax when you can, take pleasure in a job well done. He didn’t lie awake at night wondering if he’d done the right thing. She loved him for it."

In everything they do, they are partners, each with their own strength, both with a high degree of respect and trust in the other;

"Cops might need a warrant to collect DNA from a person, but there was no law on the book to inhibit a K-9 officer from taking in someone’s scent.

Overall, this is a well-constructed, fast-moving, engaging story you won't want to miss, especially if you're a dog love.
--published to my blog, WordDreams,

This latest book in the series is one of my favorites. The characters feel like friends and I felt like I was right there with them as they navigate the case. Fans of Alex Kava's Ryder Creed series will enjoy Maggie and Robo. I have enjoyed the slow build up to Maggie and Cole' relationship because it feels natural. However, after this book I hope to see better progression. It's okay to have obstacles, but, I hope to see more strength and confidence in each other. The author is great at making the reader feel multiple emotions. I was happy, sad, angry, frustrated, and stunned at various plot points. Never once in the five books of the series have I correctly guessed the bad guy. To me, that is the hallmark of a great mystery!

This one seemed a bit overlong to me although I liked the evolving characters and the plot. Just was a bit boring here and there
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this arc in exchange for an honest review

Mattie and Robo are once again called to track a killer, while Cole helps to track a wild cat in the mountains. Will love bloom between Mattie& Cole? Great addition to this series.
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I marvel of the ability of Ms. Mizushima to place you into the hunt of technology wild cat. I felt I was right there with the group in the fifth book of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries. This book was the same quality as the previous book.
Mattie Cobb is still having problems with her childhood past which interfering with her romance with Cole Walker. His past has come to cause problems with his ex-wife.
Cole and Mattie feel the explosion near them. Cole finds a close friend unconscious as he spies the burning van. His friend was trying to save the driver. The twist and turns the tale takes until reach pinnacle of the wild cat hunt. There is a cliff hanger at the end which will lead to the next edition.

Disclosure: Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
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Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.
This is the fifth in the K-9 Timber Creek series featuring Maggie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo. I just love Robo, what a magnificent dog he is!
Cole Walker, Mattie's love interest, is getting ever closer to Mattie, but she is still cautious because of her difficult past. That part of the story is getting a big tedious, I wish she would just get over it, Cole deserves her love and trust...
The story starts with the murder of a close friend of Cole's and soon thereafter one of the main suspects is also killed. When Mattie and Robo go on the hunt to try and find the body they hear the terrifying roars of what seems to be a large wild cat.
Between this predator and the human ones this mystery is a good one; the bond between Mattie and Robo is as usual great to read about, but I do wish the romantic angle would be less important!
As a dog lover I recommend this book, more of the dog please! 3.5 Stars.

A wonderful installment in this series. Some very complicated characters and relationships, Cole's ex-wife and his children and Mattie's basic relationship fear. Adding a very complicated murder and the need to interpret truth from lies make this a face paced adventure. The depth of family ties is challenged and exposed for all to see.

I have read several books with a similar search and rescue theme, but they pale in comparison to these books by Margaret Mizushima with Mattie and her dog Rolo. This is a great mystery with lots of descriptive scenery, which makes you feel you are right there in the mountains, or woods searching on foot or searching on horseback. I enjoyed all the twist and turns in the mystery that kept you guessing who was guilty and what would happen next. I also enjoyed seeing the characters evolve, and the relationships and friendships in the book. You can read this as a stand alone, but it is definitely worth reading all the series and taking the journey with the characters. Good book!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

This is the first book in this series that I read. I'm so going to get the other books in this series soon.

I really enjoy getting to know Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo.

As she tries to manage a romance with Cole the local vet her past keeps getting in the way.

When a explosion happen they discover a man name Nate inside a van but the explosion isn't what killed him it was two bullet in the heart that did it as they inform the family about to make an arrest another man is shot but when they arrived they find something more dangerous.

I like the relationship between Mattie and Robo and how he helping her deal with her emotions. I can totally see this on hallmark movie mystery channel.

This is another mostly enjoyable installment in this small town, mountain mystery series. The main character is a sheriff's deputy who partner is a trained K9, part drug and explosives locating dog, part search and rescue dog, and parttime scene stealer.

In between finding criminals, missing people and wildlife, Mattie tries to allow a romance with Cole (local veterinarian and a major character) to move forward, but situations and her history keep getting in the way. Yes, tension is needed but there is too much of this time. Just jump ahead.

After reading several of these books, I find it surprising that the author relies so heavily on Mattie's crippling fears in this newest book. Her past is what makes her such a great deputy but it also is exhausting to read about and short changes the reader. I want to shout "Come on! Get the girl some therapy!" If this sappy romance stuff keeps up I'm going to relegate this series to the young adult section.

I love this series. I love the setting and Robo. It features a strong female lead which I also love . It is fast paced .