The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton
Review by Sandra Murphy

Mason (Mace) Reid and his dogs live just outside Chicago. The collies, Delta Dawn and Maggie May, and a male German shepherd named Sue (the song, you know?) are trained human remains detection dogs (HRD). It doesn’t matter if the human is recently dead or is a matter of being only bones, HRD dogs can find them. Working with law enforcement, the dogs help bring closure for families as well as provide clues to solve the case.

Paul Lewis, executive director of Chicago Animal Care and Control, is a good friend who also alerts Mace to dogs with potential to become HRD trained. Now there’s a golden retriever puppy who has had a rough start in life that’s caught his attention. Mace names her Elvira, Vira for short.

Although Vira appears to be only nine weeks old, she takes to training like no other. She watches the other dogs and trains herself, too. When she’s a year old, she’s ready for her first search. The location is a recently demolished building, now reduced to rubble, chunks of cement, and piles of bricks. Vira finds the body of a young woman in record time—under two minutes. One odd thing—when she found the right spot, instead of patting with her paw as she was trained to do, Vira began to shake, almost like she was having a seizure. It lasted less than a minute, and she was fine.

Then disaster. While waiting for police to secure the scene, Vira begins to growl, then bark. Standing at full alert, she’s watching the crowd behind police lines, there to gawk. Before Mace can figure out what set her off, she yanks the leash from his hand, runs through the crowd and attacks a man, causing serious damage.

As with any serious dog bite, especially seemingly unprovoked, she’s thought to be a dangerous dog which puts her life in danger. Mace has twenty-four hours to prove she had a reason for the attack or Vira will be put down.

From here on, the story is a race to save the lives of Vira, Mace, Kimmy a policewoman, and a kidnapped teen. Readers will be torn between reading faster and the risk of missing clues. With all the requirements for a thriller—suspense, high body count, serial killer, a deadline—there are moments of humor. Mace is a flawed character but knows it. Freshly divorced, he’s not progressed much past high school level social skills around women. He’s just better around dogs.

It’s a tightrope walk to infuse a book with background on dog training, police procedures, likable characters, and added tension, without using the traditional and hated information dump. Burton manages it flawlessly. This is the rare book that once read, I want to flip from the last page to the first and read it again. And again. Hopefully, there will be many more tales of Vira and Mace to follow.

As Mace says, there are people who like dogs, and there are people who love dogs. This book is for dog lovers.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I must say I was pretty impressed. My curiosity has been peaked and I will definitely be looking for more titles.

Hey folks, daddy Steve here with a report on one sweet doggiebook, The Finders by author Jeffrey B. Burton. I won't lie, the first thing that got to me with this one is the amazing resemblence between the dog on the cover page and my boy Malcolm. If I could run backward in front of him instead of side by side with him, I imagine that is exactly what he looks like when on a sprint.
This book is marked as the first in the Mace Reid K-9 mystery series and honestly, I hope that series has a very, very long life. What a fun and entertaining and thrilling first book!
Mace Reid is Mason Reid, trainer of cadaver dogs. Yeah, I didn't know cadaver dog was a thing. I knew about search and rescue dogs and such, but cadaver dogs are trained in a similar way, but they detect dead people.
Don't let Amazon fool you. One of the tags they gave this book is "cozy" but this is not the usual cozy style mysery story but much more of a real thriller, with bad guys and all!
I enjoyed the writing and pace of the story. Vira, the main canine character, is a real special working dog, I loved that.
This book is coming out on June 30th and is available to preorder right now. I higly recommend it. I know I will be looking for the next installment in the series.
Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets...

Loved this one but I like any book with a dog but I did love the book . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I have never read a book about specialty trained dogs and so I was very interested when I received it. I loved the story line and I learned about how dogs are used in murder investigations, which was fascinating.
I enjoyed seeing the serial killers POV and how the stories were intertwined. This felt like a great first book in a series and I would be interested in reading other books in the series.
The dialogue felt simple or juvenile at times and the dogs came off a bit “superhero-ish”. Overall, I felt the story line held and enjoyed reading it by the pool this summer.

This is the first book in the Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series and the first book I have read by Jeffrey B. Burton. I couldn't pass up the chance to read this book as it involves dogs - trained cadaver dogs. I am a total sucker for anything dogs. I was hooked into this novel right from the first chapter.

Mace Reid is the main character, who is a dog trainer. He also works along with the Chicago PD with his dogs to help on some cases as a contract worker. Vira is a sweet golden retriever who finds herself in the wrong family and ends up at a shelter. Mace swoops in to save Vira, adding her to his pack. He plans to train Vira as a cadaver dog. Vira is a quick learner and finds herself on her first real job really fast, helping to locate a missing women. The Chicago PD are working on a serial killer case and Mace ends up being pulled into it as more than a contract worker this time. He ends up being a target for the killer.

The author has us flipping between Mace and the killer's point of view. The killer goes by the nickname Everyman (because he looks like the average joe when anyone is questioned). It's so hard not to talk more about the characters but I don't want to give anything away. Mace is definitely a likable guy, Everyman has lived a long life of killing without being caught.

Suspense, mystery, wry humor, everything a good mystery series needs! I look forward to the next book in this series!

A super intelligent K9, helping the human solving crimes? I'm sold, don't need to know more than that, I love dogs and everything about them. I'm sure they are truly devoted to their human family and love unconditionally. Sure, there are some things sounding a little far fetched, but it was a great read nonetheless. Looking forward spending more time with Mace and Vira.

The Finders is an excellent first in a new series by Jeffrey B. Burton, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Mace and Vira's story goes from here. Mace is a specialist who trains and works with cadaver dogs, and Vira is his latest K-9. Coming from a horribly abusive background, Vira has a special set of skills when it comes to working with Mace, and they work together seamlessly to track down a serial killer in Chicago. The case is full of twists and turns, as all good mysteries are, and the writing itself is great. . I was very attached to both Vira and Mace by the end of the book; I love finding characters to fall in love with, and this book offers that perfectly. I received an e-arc from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review.

Burton's book about Mace Reid and his cadaver dog, Vira, is a fast-paced story.. Reid, a dog trainer, rescues Vira from the local animal shelter after she is found in a garage filled with carbon dioxide. After a few months, Reid takes Vira to her first crime scene. Upon discovering the body, she sprints across the street into the crowd and brutally attacks a man. Believed to be a danger to humans, Vira is set to be put down. But, Reid believes she knew the man was the killer. Was he? A fast paced thriller, The Finders, hold the reader's attention to the very end. Lovers of crime and dogs will find this book to be a well-written novel.

This was a well written and very good addition to the dog stories I love. The story was well paced and absorbing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

When I opened this book, I had no idea why I'd requested it in the first place, but since I had gotten a review copy, I figured I'd give it a shot. While I love this kind of TV show or movie, I'm not usually a fan of reading them... Goes in way too deep into the darkness of the serial killer mind, I suppose, and all the hurt these poor dogs go through in the tale - believe me, if your heart isn't solid, this isn't the book for you. I was almost tempted to stop reading in the very first chapter when Vira is found as a puppy and believed to be dead... Didn't think I would be able to stomach it, to be honest. Got past that to then have the German Shepherd critically injured... Goodness me! Strong heart, I tell you (though both dogs make it out okay).
This was a good story, not without its pitfalls, but it held the line pretty much. I hadn't been expecting the hero to be this young, though (he's barely 30, I believe), which was novel but also made the book a bit juvenile at times. Also, there was too much serial killer POV in this one, which kinda peeved me because I wasn't there to read about the bad guy, just how he got caught.
On the whole, good elements, and you'll love it if this is your kind of read. Still, strong heart if you're an animal lover - you'll need it!

The Finders, by Jeffrey B. Burton, is the 1st book in a new fast-paced mystery series (Mace Reid K-9 Mystery) featuring dog handler Mace Reid and golden retriever cadaver dog Vira.
Mace and Vira assist the police in capturing a serial killer of young women. It is soon discovered that the killing hasn't stopped and there may be an accomplice.
I enjoyed that there was a lot of focus on the work being done by the dog. How interesting!
A well-written and unique plot has me looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

There could be no better partnership between Mason Reid and his cadaver dog Vira. Vira has been specially trained in locating human remains. It is a difficult job, but it is one that must be done. Vira is not Reid's first partner. Actually not only did his beloved dog die, his marriage recently ended in divorce.

So, Reid has taken Vira on, and not only are they thrust headfirst in a difficult murder case, they are paired with Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm. A serial killer is on the loose and Reid has to fight an uphill battle to stop the vicious killer before the body count rises.

I loved this book - actually any book with a canine partner. I am happy that this book is beginning of what is most certainly to be a thrilling story. Seeing how this specialty dogs are trained was eye-opening, as well as watching the bond between Reid and Vira grow. While Reid, Vira and Kippy work hard together, the tension ratchets up from beginning to end.

This is my first time reading Jeffrey A. Burton, but it certainly won't be my last. I am eager to continue the series with The Keepers, set for release in June, 2021.

Many thanks to Minotaur and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I think that the work the Police Dogs do is utterly amazing so I was delighted to be offered a chance to read the first of a new series featuring them (OK, she’s not strictly a POLICE dog, since she’s not part of a Police department K9 unit). In this book, there are two mysteries that need to be solved, and the dogs are integral to those resolutions. In addition, the author provides interesting insights into how cadaver dogs are trained and worked. Interesting without being gruesome. The mysteries were, overall, well told, though a bit dragged out at the end.

However, there were some shortcomings to the book that just put me off. It’s hard to discuss them so some spoiler information coming up here….

I found it difficult to accept fully the “psychic” episodes that Vira has early in the book. They were dramatic and important to the story at the points they were introduced, so I let it go, but it seems that the author never really “did” anything else with them so I’m not quite sure why this “gift” was included in the overall scheme of the story. Perhaps it will play out in future books and have more purpose, but I'm not a fan of this direction.

The one thing that really didn’t sit well with me was when Vira attacks someone in the crowd at a crime scene. For a dog to attack a member of the public and then have no repercussions just didn’t sit well with me. It doesn’t matter that the person being attacked turned out to be a ‘bad guy’. And there was barely a slap on the wrist as a result. I just don’t think the real world operates like this.

I don’t know if I would read any further books if the series materializes. The overall style didn’t sit well with me, and I didn’t love the characters enough to commit to more of them.

Thanks to NetGallery, the publisher and the author for a complimentary copy of this book to review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

As a dog lover and a mystery enthusiast I was really excited for this book and it didn't disappoint. This is a faced paced mystery and if you are like me you will become very invested in Vira and her human counterparts. When I first started reading I pictured Mace as being older than I later determined he was, the same with Kippy. The book begins when Kippy is called for a wellness check and discovers a dog in a garage where a truck has been running. Thinking the dog was dead she left the door open and stood down the driveway so she wouldn't have to see the adorable puppy who was left to die only to discover her teetering down the driveway. Invested in the dogs well being she tries to adopt her only to discover she was adopted by Mace and trained to be a cadaver dog. However Vira is way more than your average cadaver dog.

Mace Reid is called in to locate a body at a crime spree they think is linked to the Velvet choker killer. Vera starts behaving strangely at the dump site and while sitting in the back of his truck after discovering the body she goes nuts and attacks a bystander. Suddenly finding himself faced with having to put down his new prize dog Mace is willing to do anything to save her.

This is a fast paced thriller with a lot of quirks and many of mans best friend in supporting roles. I really enjoyed it and if this is the first book in a series I'm even more excited.

The Finders is the first novel in a new series by Jeffery B. Burton. Released 30th June 2020 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 288 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a standout murder mystery and truly a must-read for lovers of the animal mystery sub-genre. Protagonist Mace Reid is a dog trainer who specializes in training human remains dogs (cadaver dogs). His newest adoptee ('Vira - short for Elvira) is a golden retriever puppy with a traumatic past who is a natural as a cadaver dog, and just might be a canine Einstein in addition. The plot arc is full of action and the author is adept at moving the narrative along without info dumping. The characters are well delineated and fleshed out. I had no trouble keeping them straight or engaging with them (especially Vira, she's wonderful). The denouement was suitably creepy and engaging (no spoilers).

There is some anthropomorphism, but it's not out of control. Honestly for some readers who love animal mysteries, it will be a plus. I think there are relatively few readers who will be yanked out of the story by that facet of the writing. The dialogue was well rendered and flowed smoothly. I liked Mace Reid, he's a sympathetic (dog-crazy) intelligent protagonist and he works pretty well with law enforcement and the secondary characters in the book. The rendering of some of the minor (antagonist) characters, one in particular, struck me as a bit out there, but the author handled the more extreme plot elements logically and (mostly) believably.

This is a strong series debut and I am eagerly looking forward to future entries. Four strong stars for me, certainly 5 for fans of mysteries featuring dogs.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Great action. Highly recommend. Well paced and plotted out. Looking forward to checking out other works by this author.

A Mace Reid K-9 mystery
Mason Reid saves Vita from the dog version of death row with a view to training her as a cadaver dog and join his existing canine crew. One day she attacks a spectator in the crowd and Mason will have to prove to authorities there is a legitimate reason she acted the way she did. In the process Vita will be credited with catching a serial killer known as Everyman.
Having a canine character was a huge appeal for me and I loved reading about the cases she solved. A few times in early parts of the book it felt like I was reading notes from an investigators diary which made me wonder if the writer had a law enforcement background. The following comments reflect the thoughts I noted as I read and are not meant as criticism. Sometimes when I read a book I don’t get a feel for the sex of the writer but this had a male/female feel to it eg ‘the usual biddies sat farting around with yarn and past and shit all day’ and ‘sported a white button down shirt with a gray pinstripe skirt she’d gotten on sale’. Originally I was going to say perhaps different words could have been used till I decided they suited the writing style.
It took me a while to feel caught up in the storyline and it was around the halfway mark before I began enjoying myself. When Vita, Mason and Officer Kippy start to zero in on the killer things get very interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of the uncorrected digital galley in return for an honest review.

I returned this book! It just wasn’t my kind of story! I didn’t like it and I’m being honest I just have too many wonderful books to read.

The Finders is an excellent first installment in a new series about a cadaver dog named Vira and her handler/police officer Mason. They make a fantastic crime solving team. I absolutely love dogs (I have three) so this book is right up my alley and I was very excited to read it! This book does not disappoint it is full of interesting characters and plenty of suspense as Vira and Mason work to solve the murders. I am so excited I found this series and I can’t wait for more!
I received this book from NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an honest review.