Love this series , even though I've only read a few books of it, which means this is a series I'm definitely going to pick up and start from the very beginning.

Hanging Falls is a great mystery and romance. This is a great series. I highly recommend it I hope there are more stories.

Crooked Lane Press publishes so many good mysteries including this one. Here is book six in a series that will be enjoyed by mystery lovers and those who like dogs and strong women.

This entry in the Colorado based series finds troubled waters and worse. There is, of course, murder and both some favorite old characters and complicated new ones. All in all, this is a good read. Note though that some reviewers feel the series should be read in order.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Hanging Falls

by Margaret Mizushima

Three story threads are woven together to form the foundation for the plot of Hanging Falls:
Mattie’s reconnection with long lost family members.
Two separate violent murders near Hanging Falls.
An unusual community, the Brothers of Salvation, comprised of a few males and many more women and children.

With a predominant theme of family, it is not surprising that a big part of this K-9 mystery focuses on Mattie’s canine partner, Robo, who is like family to her. Also important is her boyfriend Cole, a veterinarian, and his two daughters. Mattie’s sad past colors her relationships as she struggles to lead a normal life and help others as a deputy.

As always with the books in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, the information on Robo’s skills and training is fascinating. Mattie and Robo encounter some dangerous situations. Margaret Mizushima’s Hanging Falls is another page turner in a very good series.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #6 in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.

Publication: September 8, 2020—Crooked Lane Books

Memorable Lines:

Their sudden distance had lasted longer than he’d thought it would, and it chafed him like an ill-fitting harness on a workhorse.

Hanging Falls would never be the same to her again. It was like trading a little slice of heaven for a big chunk of hell.

The turgid river roared off to one side, and he hated having it flow downhill at his back, knowing full well that a wall of water could come down the canyon at any moment, sweeping them off the trail into its maelstrom.

This is the sixth book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series. I recommend reading them in order,

I am a big fan of the characters and series. I definitely recommend reading this series. I think this has become one of my favorite series!!

While on a scouting mission to pinpoint trail damage, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo stumble upon a body floating at the edge of a lake. With help from veterinarian Cole Walker, Mattie identifies the victim, and discovers an odd religious cult whose dress and manners harken back to the 19th century. As the list of suspects grows, an unexpected visit from members of Mattie's long-lost family sheds new light on her childhood

Margaret Mizushima must have been a fan of Nancy Drew as a child, as she has the narrative gift familiar to lovers of Carolyn Keene of leaving a little cliff hanger at the end of each chapter (or novel, as the case may be). I love series fiction for many reasons, but a big reason is visiting and checking in with the continuing lives of characters I’ve come to know and love, just as I loved checking in with Nancy, George and Bess when I was a girl.

With Mattie Cobb, Mizushima has created a character for readers to relish and relate to, as well as to be invested in. Mattie is a K9 officer in a small Colorado town and her partnership with her dog, Robo, is one of the joys of the books, as are the descriptions of the incredible wild landscape surrounding Mattie. As the book opens, Mattie has agreed to meet her friend (and fellow cop) Stella, at Hanging Falls. Robo sets a tough pace as the two head uphill, but the two women meet and set off together, only to discover a body in the falls.

Both women are afraid the body will be washed away by the heavy currents, and so they devise a plan to drag it out. It’s a magnificent set piece to open the novel, kind of like the baby-buggy scene in The Untouchables (if you haven’t seen it, go dial it up on Netflix). It’s the kind of memorable set piece that sets a tone for the rest of the narrative.

Suffice it to say (as I refuse to dim your own enjoyment of reading this bit of the book) the body is recovered and the search for who it might be leads Mattie and Stella to a new encampment in town of evangelical Christians, whose life style appears to be a mix of Mormon and Amish.

In the parallel universe where Mattie’s boyfriend, Cole Walker, a vet, operates, he meets one of the women from the compound and is himself intrigued by the family and especially by one of the daughter’s love for the German Shephard the family brings to the office for an x-ray. Cole’s expertise allows Mizushima to share even more details of animal life with her readers, and in this novel the focus is on horses.

Balanced on top of the mystery itself is the story of the developing relationship between Mattie and Cole, the sullen disapproval of his daughter, Angie, for their relationship, and Mattie’s imminent meeting with her sister. The two haven’t seen each other since babyhood, the paths the two women have followed in life taking very different trajectories.

To me the mystery part of this novel vied with the story of Mattie’s meeting with her sister in terms of importance and interest. Through now six novels, Mizushima has teased out Mattie’s background. Two books ago (Burning Ridge) Mattie was faced with the loss of her brother. In this novel, she’s reunited with family instead of losing a member of it, but the emotional moment of the sisters meeting has been so well prepared for by the talented Mizushima throughout the novels that it really packed a punch. I think I cried as much as they did.

The theme of family – both Mattie’s, Cole’s, and the families in the religious compound – drive the narrative and the emotional truth of this book. These books are compulsively readable, and I am looking forward already to whatever Mizushima plans for her next install

I devour each of the new books that come out in this series. This book was no exception. Twists and turns and me struggling to figure out the end result. All of this while getting to know Cole's family on a deeper level and Mattie's as well.

Mattie Cobb is finally going to meet up with her long lost sister and grandmother in this 6th book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series. If you haven't followed this series, Mattie was raised in foster care after her mother abandoned her when she was young and she was raised by an abusive, alcoholic father. Rescued by the Timber Creek sheriff, she lived with a wonderful foster family who she still considers family. In this story, she meets a woman and her children who are being raised in a cult-like atmosphere. There is also a body found in the creek, and a grave nearby that may have been the initial internment of the dead man. He has the word PAY carved into his chest, so Maddie and the police are on the hunt for a murderer and also the reason behind the death. Does the cult have anything to do with this death. When one of the teenage girls also disappears, Maddie's plans to spend time with her family change quickly.

Margaret Mizushima continues to write wonderful stories in her Timber Creek series and each one just gets better. Having said that, you can read this book as a standalone, but I recommend that you read them all, they are so good. This is a well written police procedural with a great mystery, well-developed storyline and great characters. The setting of Timber Creek and the Rocky Mountains adds to the atmosphere. So many K-9 stories are either about the human or the dog, but Margaret Mizushima writes books with great balance. She knows about dogs and how they work with their human handlers. I am enjoying how Maddie and Cole's relationship is developing. It is realistic and is developing in a slow and honest way. I enjoyed the ending and reveal, even though I was pretty sure who the murderer was. Overall, another great mystery story.

Mizushima is always a good read and her skill is getting better with each book. I love dogs and I love mysteries which makes this series ideal for me.

Hanging Falls (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #9). By Margaret Mizushima. 2020. Crooked Lane Books (ARC eBook).

While out near Hanging Falls with her K-9 partner Robo and the local district wildlife manager to assess flood damage, deputy Mattie Cob comes across a body floating in the water. Meanwhile Mattie’s boyfriend, veterinarian Cole Walker, takes on a new client he has never seen in town before. A second murder occurs before the first case is tied up and the investigations soon leads to a group of newcomers who may be a polygamist cult. A side story is Mattie learning more about her past and family.

Hanging Falls didn’t turn out to be my favorite in the series. But what I like about the series is the rural and small town setting. A lot of the Colorado Mountains become as much a character as the law enforcement and suspects. The details of having a K-9 police partner are also a nice touch and helps embed Robo into the investigations.

A body found in the falls on a hike got Mattie leading the investigation along with the Sheriff department. Swift paced, with many suspects, I was led down some false trails. The characters seemed interesting and I thought I would have loved the book more had I read the series right from the beginning. The investigation held my attention right from the get-go and I could finish the book without guessing the killer.


Being the sixth book in the series and my first, I didn't understand the nuances of the characters, yet I enjoyed the murder investigation conducted by Mattie and K9 Robo.

The relationship between Mattie and her K-9 are what makes this such a great series. I liked the historical bits that were woven into this story that a cult has taken on as their own.

After getting approved for this on netgalley, I read Tracking Game, the previous book in this series which had been on my physical TBR for about a year. I liked the main character and the dog in Tracking Game, as well as the main storyline, but didn't love how the whole thing came together. I think I would have cared more (for example, about the romance) if I had read prior books. But having read it, I was ready for this one.

I enjoyed Hanging Falls more than Tracking Game. I felt more connected to the main characters. I still had the most love for Robo, the dog, though. It was well-paced and interesting. I would read more of this series (before or after these two books.)

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a digital review copy.

Hanging Falls: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
By Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
September 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Timber Creek Deputy Mattie Cobb is anxiously anticipating her upcoming vacation. A DNA ancestry database led to the discovery of a family she didn’t know she still had, and in less than a week Mattie will be leaving Colorado to meet her sister and abuela in California. To help alleviate her anxiety until then, Mattie and her K-9 partner Robo join wildlife manager Glenda Dalton on a hiking trip to Hanging Falls. The peaceful setting is shattered by the discovery of a body washed up at the bottom of the rapids, a young man whose clothing resembles that of a new religious community. Another troubled man camping near the falls is an obvious suspect for what is obviously not an accident, but without hard evidence the police are forced to release him back into the woods. It’s an act they regret when they soon find Tracy Lee dead as well, his hanging body making it evident that he was either involved or more likely a witness. As Mattie and Robo continue their daily duties tracking down thieves and tackling fugitives, she is drawn into another case where a predatory construction company may have been taking advantage of the vulnerable following a destructive windstorm.

The one unexpected benefit of Mattie having to cancel her trip is that her newfound relatives are making this a case of “If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain,” with the two women now eagerly on their way to Timber Creek. Having been violently separated from them as a child, abandoned by her mother, and then raised in a series of foster homes, Mattie is riding a wave of emotions that have her insecure, terrified, and tentatively joyful. Mattie’s veterinarian boyfriend Cole Walker has his own challenges as their relationship hits a massive speedbump caused by his eldest teenage daughter, who sees her former friend Mattie now as a rival for her father’s affections. Navigating teenaged angst, a possible polygamist church, and an entirely new family will have Mattie more than ever relying on her clever and unwavering loyal canine partner for emotional and physical support.

This 6th in the series rewards readers by bringing a sense of conclusion to Mattie’s struggle to find answers about her past of how she, her brother, and her mother were so violently taken decades ago. Her traumatic childhood is what led to form such a strong bond with Robo, who has proved to be a better partner than she ever could have imagined. Far more challenging for Mattie will be resolving her friendship with Cole’s daughters, which has become such an integral part of her life. Having previously kept herself at a distance from others out of a sense of self-preservation, loving Robo has opened up the world and reignited her ability to trust. Of course, Mattie’s lazy former police partner continues to be as unhelpful and lunky as before, which means that she will have to rely more than ever on her K-9 for backup. Mattie’s growth as a confident deputy and skilled investigator has been as compelling to follow as her exploration of personal relationships, which continue to be tentative but assured. Dog lovers, mystery fans, and readers who appreciate a thrilling police procedural will enjoy this action-packed, emotionally moving series.

I love this series and this installment was great. I enjoyed revisiting with Maggie and Cole and following along on this adventure. I thought the plot was interesting and very well written. It was also very atmospheric of the small town setting.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was a little hesitant to jump into this series with number six, but it worked great as a stand alone, though I will certainly go back and read from the beginning when I get the chance.
Mattie Cobb is a sheriffs deputy in the small town of Timber Creek Colorado and she has a k9 partner, a german shepherd named Robo.
Her boyfriend Cole Walker is the resident veterinarian for the area.
Mattie prepares for a vacation, she is planning to meet her long lost grandmother and sister. Before she heads out, she and district wildlife manager Glenna Dalton, along with her own canine companion Moose, check the Hanging Falls area for damages done by the recent heavy rains.
They discover the body of a man, tangled among branches in the water.
When they bring him out, it is obvious by the state of the body that he was murdered.
Needing to stay in town to work the case, her sister and grandmother decide to travel to her to reunite. Mattie is full of anxiety at the prospect of seeing them again.
As she works the case, she finds a connection to the new religious cult in town.
Battling the weather and her nerves, Mattie struggles to find the killer with the help of her loyal, hard working partner Robo.
This police procedural/mystery/thriller had numerous thought provoking themes. I liked following the process and strategies employed in solving the crime.
The characters were engaging and easy to attach to.
The relationship between Mattie and Robo was my favorite part, such a great connection between them.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

What a marvelous surprise this was! When I choose this ARC, it was with low expectations even though the story features a K-9 officer. Dogs, horses, cats.... they all are elements that I love in any book. However, the quality of the writing, as well as the empathy shown to the characters convinced me to catch up with the earlier books in the series. Mattie Cobb and Robo, her K-9 partner, discover a body while assessing storm damage near Hanging Falls. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Cole, a veterinarian, treats a dog with an curiously garbed woman and girl. The intricacies of how these story entwine with a backstory of Mattie meeting her long lost family is deftly handled.

Enjoyed the suspense and mystery of this book. A new series for the mystery fans at my library! Our public loves mysteries and I am always looking for a new series to add. This is twice as good since there is an animal element as well.

This is the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
It's highly entertaining and well plotted. The characters are interesting and fleshed, the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I had a lot of fun reading it and it's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Hanging Falls is the 6th book in the Timber Creek K-9 series. This series is one of my favorites! I eagerly await each new book in this series!

Mattie Cobb is a police officer in Timber Creek, CO. Her K-9 partner, Robo, is always at her side. They also hang out often with local Wildlife official Glenna and her dog, Moose. The action in this newest book starts immediately...no waiting! While on a trail run with the dogs, the two women find a body snagged in the branches of a tree near Hanging Falls. Not only does Mattie have to find out who the dead man is...but also how he got in the water, who was responsible and what he might have been doing there. It ends up being a very complex case involving a local religious cult.

The story in this newest book is suspenseful and engrossing. There is some in-depth character development for Mattie in this newest book, plus a bit more focus on her love interest, Cole Walker, his veterinary practice and his daughters. Lots of Mattie & Robo action -- with some vital character and backstory developments!

I read my review copy of this book....but then also checked the audio book out at my local public library when it came out. I love listening to this series on audio. I already knew how the case came out, but I wanted to be able to savor the story on a second read, rather than reading under a review deadline. The audio book is narrated by Nancy Wu. Wu does an excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life. She reads at a steady pace and has a pleasant voice. The audio is just a bit over 10 hours long.

Awesome story! In print....and in audio! I love this series -- can't wait for the next book!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books...and also checked out the audio book from my local library. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**