This book was very captivating. I highly recommend this book. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is an easy read.

I loved reading this story. First, it is about dogs, then it is about them being trained to find dead bodies. This ability gives family closure to their missing loved one. Mace Reid has 3 cadaver dogs, as they are called. Two collies and a German Shepard. A street cop, Kippy Gimm and her partner find a 9 week old golden retriever at a scene they had been called to. The puppy ends up next on the list to be euthanized. Then Mace Reid is called in by the director of the facility. He talks Mace into taking the puppy and calls her Elvira or Vira for short. Vira displays a characteristic that goes beyond her training as a cadaver dog to make her even more valuable.

Mace and Sue, his German Shepard (a boy even though he is called Sue!), are trying to locate a missing girl. With Sue recovering from being stabbed when they found the girl, Mace and Vira along with Kippy and her partner, find the kidnapper has connections to killer. The killer is hiding in plain sight and it takes Vira's abilities to run him to ground.

The descriptions of how Vira works, the spark of a new relationship between Mace and Kippy and the authors ability to keep his read involved make for one great book. Now on to Book 2 and 3.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

I loved the fact the hero of this was a K-9 dog (well and hte handler) a different take on a thriller but a very enjoyable one.

I DNFed this, as it didn’t capture my attention and contained more violence than I was looking for at the time. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Jeffrey B. Burton did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

I just could not get into this one. Not sure if it was me or the story. Tired multiple times but never clicked to want to finish.

Unfortunately I really struggled to get into this book. It was not for me as it was difficult to follow and I gave up with it.

The first in a series about a human remains dog trainer and his new trainee. They get involved in a murder investigation where it seems they might be more involved than they’d like. Pretty good story.

First, I apologize for taking so long to read this book. But I'm happy that I finally did.

I have to confess that I am a cat person, but if I were a dog person Goldens would be high on my list of a breed to have. I think they are smart dogs and this story reflected that.

Cadaver dogs are amazing to me, so having Vira be one in the story was interesting to me, and it was interesting to learn a little bit about her training. She did seem to almost have superpowers though... but it didn't bother me too much.

I thought the story was interesting, and the characters were developed well. It is a good mystery worth reading.

Sadly this book just was not for me. This sat on my kindle for quite some time - twice I have attempted to read and twice I did not finish.

Thankyou for the opportunity but I will not be providing feedback on any commercial sites for this book.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This is a unique mystery/thriller. Anything with a dog in it and I am hooked. And I loved Elvira. Mason also hit the right notes with me. He loves his animals and he does the best for them. So, when Elvira ends up in a mess after she attacked someone, Mason does not stop till he can prove that man is a killer!

I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book, but I’m glad I finally did. I immediately had to start the second book. You know it’s good when that happens.

I have a big soft spot for any story that has a k-9 unit has a man character. My husband was a K-9 Handler and it always is a yes for me.
This book was more of a thriller book and centers around a dog trainers by not just an dobedience trainer but a cadaver dog specialist. This book centers around Mace Reid who just lost his dog and recently got divorced. He gets a new dog and is staring to train her. During training this new dog a serial killer begins targeting women in the area. He must use the new dog to try to trail this crazy cruel killer.
I trulely loved everything about this book and will be ready more from the author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The first in a great series by Jeffrey B. Burton! In this first installment we’re introduced to Mason Reid and his pack of pups that he’s trained to be cadaver dogs.
We meet “Mace” as he’s just getting through a divorce and grieving the loss of one of his canine crew.
Don’t let the beautiful golden on the cover fool you, this is a medium paced crime story where Mace finds himself the center of the criminal’s motive.
The discovery will shock you.
The dogs are endearing.
Our main character is self deprecating enough to be comical.
While this can be read as a stand alone, if you’ve enjoyed this, read on!
I actually read the second installment in this series, “The Keepers,”
before I read this one and have enjoyed both!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jeffrey B Burton and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced reading copy; my opinion is my own.

Dog on the cover and it's a mystery, I'm sold. Well developed and likeable characters with a dry sense of humor. It was also fun getting a closer look at cadavar dogs.

Mace Reid trains dogs in human remains detection. When he meets Elvira - Vira, for short - & hears her backstory, he knows she's special, but he doesn't realize just how special. A serial killer is on the loose in Chicago, and, along with Chicago PD, Mace & Vira are on the case. Unfortunately, this attracts the wrong kind of attention from the serial killer, who has now set his sights on Mace. That being said, the novel was fast-paced with likable characters and a bit of a twist at the end. I am interested to see how the rest of this series turns out!

This one was not for me, sorry to say it but I didn’t enjoy this one at all. Difficult to read and follow

Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year—mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past—a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…

Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira's abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.

The above book description doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of this thriller about about a rescue dog and his new owner, who has a special skill and talent. I love dogs and am a dog mom of two, so I was stoked to read a book that incorporates a canine sleuth into the plot. But don't get it twisted, this a thriller with all of the necessary twists and turns. I definitely see this turning into a series! Don't pass this one up!