Author Jeffrey Burton's second installment in his Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series is fantastic! The Keepers again features Mace Reid and his number-one K-9, Vira. Don't be fooled by the cover, this is not a sweet animal story! The Keepers is a realistic, often grisly thriller.

In this fast-paced thriller, Mace, his working dogs, and officer Kippy Gimm are hot on the trail of a gruesome murder spree. I really enjoyed these two characters together. I appreciated the depth of the character development and the breadth of the subplots. Both added tremendously to the story; The Keepers is not a dry police procedural filled with stoic characters. The plot goes deep as Mr. Burton adds dirty politicians into the mix.

Mr. Burton's first book, The Finders, was not a one-hit-wonder. The Keepers is every bit as exciting and fun to read as his first novel. While the grisly murder scenes were tough to read through, I was riveted to Mace, Vira and Kimmy's story.

Murder, mystery and dogs-what could be better? After reading the first in the series last year, I became a huge fan and couldn’t wait to read more. Thank you so much to Jeffrey, Minotaur and NetGalley for the review copy!

Mace Reid is a dog handler, his dogs specialize in finding dead bodies and unbeknownst to the bad guys, protecting their owner. Mace works with the police and others who need help but, somehow he’s always more involved and his life becomes endangered. In this book he’s working with his friend, Officer Kippy, who was also in the previous installment. His dog Vira can sense the bad guys and corruption becomes evident as the lead story.

I really enjoyed this story. It was good and well developed. The suspense kept me going and it was honestly hard to put down. I loved it and once again, can’t wait for the next in the series.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. With Vira the human remains detection dog and her handler Mace helped Officer Kippy catch a serial killer. In this story there is a string of murders and Vira is picking up a scent. They find themselves on the run when the murderer points the clues in their direction.

While they are on the run they are chasing clues. Learning just how far the corruption goes.

The beginning of this story was very confusing and a lot of characters were introduced that I lost focused many times. The second half of the book does pick up and the ending was intense and I loved it. While it didn't wow me as much as the first book it was still an intense ride.

Wow, great second story in the series! Mace is a great character and he takes such good care of his dogs. The book picks up from where the last book ended, and we find the Vira has a new ability that seems almost psychic. This leads to some interesting happenings when people start turning up dead. I love the courageous dogs in this book, in fact all the characters are well written and descriptive, I can picture them in my mind as I'm reading. Loved the story and can't wait to see what happens in the next one!

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I read the first book in this series and absolutely loved it. Which surprised me as I, generally, don’t read K-9 books. However, the premise of the mystery grabbed my attention and I took a chance.

Turns out, my favorite part of the stories are the dogs. The author, Mr. Burton, has managed to give them to give them characters which explode from the printed word. I feel as if I know these wonderful creatures and look forward to spending time with each of them. Just a comment, there is considerable strong language in the book.

I also like Mace Reid and Officer Kippy Gimm. Mace owns the dogs and Kippy keeps them in line (from time to time.) However, Mace has a way of walking into situations that could harm him and his dogs but that is part of the job with being a cadaver dog owner.

These fantastic dogs are taught to be able to find cadavers based on a whole lot of criteria which was informative, though not for reading just before a meal.

In this story, Mace and his especially gifted dog, Vira, are brought in to look for something on an already discovered body. This sets off a train of events which Mace could not foresee. It leads Mace and his dogs into situations fraught which danger at every turn.

I was happy to see Sue, the fantastic German Shepherd, recovering and to get to know Vira, Delta Dawn and Maggie May even more than before. There is a new puppy kid on the block who had me laughing hysterically with his antics.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and will wait impatiently for it to be written and released.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

After reading the first book in the series, I was so delighted when the second book cam out. Great story and mystery.

3.5?⭐️‘s
Mason Reid, Mace, specializes in human remains detection along with his HRD dogs, Elvira, Maggie May, Sue, Delta Dawn and Billie Joe. Elvira (Vira) has taken things to the next level and is a complete wonder dog. Mace keeps this under wraps as most would not believe him nor would the evidence be admissible in court. Teeming up again with Chicago Police Officer, Kippy Gimm, they will go to great lengths to solve their newest case. This second book can be read as a stand alone, and while entertaining did not flow as well as the first. I chalk that up to the case not being quite as compelling, but the interaction between Mace and his dogs is once again delightful and the bond they share is something you won’t soon forget!

'R' Rated- Working Dog- Political Corruption-Action
This book will keep you on your toes! It is pretty much non-stop action. There are murders, corruption on several levels, and dogs doing their number one job. It is a bit grizzly in parts, putting it firmly in the R rating category, but there is very little bad language and nothing more than an onscreen kiss. It is difficult to say anything about the story without spoiling the plot. So, I'll just say that if you love dogs, you will love this book. Anyone who appreciates working dogs would love to take any of these babies home! I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed this novel. Although it is the second in the K-9 Mystery series, it read well on its own. I like the characters. Mace has a passel of dogs and does cadaver discovery work. He loves his dogs and they, in tern, will do whatever it takes to protect him. I like Kippy too. She is a gutsy policewoman.

The plot revolves around Chicago corruption in politics and law enforcement. There are some good twists and turns in the plot as corruption is revealed. And the suspense in the second half of the book is nearly continuous. There is a little language but only what fits the character. I appreciate that the novel is clean in that there are no sex scenes.

I appreciate learning about how the dogs do their work. I like Vira, the special dog who can recognize trace elements left by a murderer. Whether a dog can actually do that or not, it makes for an exciting story.

Much of the novel is from Mace's point of view. There are many scenes, however, where Mace is not present so the point of view is that of a narrator. Burton also introduces a new character and his story and only later shows how that character is part of the overall plot. That made for a disjointed reading sensation from time to time.

This is a good novel for those who love an amateur sleuth with two capable sidekicks, one a canine and the other a policewoman.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Mace Reid is the trainer/handler of the Finders. In his position he gets into trouble with the bad guys. Really it is Vira’s (short for Elvira) fault. She is uncannily able to scent out the bad guys and does so in a loud and aggressive manner. Which draws attention to Mace.

This time, the bad guys are gangsters with suspicious connections. Events build, dead bodies pile up and eventually, when Mace and Kippy (the cop that Mace has a thing for) are being hunted for a crime they did not commit they will have to go on the run with the dogs.

The overall plot was not terribly clever. Despite the fact that several characters began as nameless actors, it was easy to figure out who was who. There are more than a couple of bad guys that need to be brought down, so there is a lot of action in the story. Some of it was quite violent. If The Keepers was a movie, I would not watch it because of the violence.

While the presence of the dogs helps to lighten the mood, there are some very dark themes. A psychopath along with mafia characters means everybody gets shot at. Everybody, including the dogs, gets injured. And the death of a semi-beloved character was heartbreaking.

On the lighter side, the relationship between Mace and Kippy is cute, and moving along at just the right pace. Very slowly. I have high hopes for this couple.

I fell in love with the Finders in the first book of this series. These dogs are oh so smart. They are also very protective. And they are dogs, doing dog things like chasing squirrels and rolling in stinky stuff. The thing is, they have a terrible job as cadaver dogs, sniffing for dead bodies. So they should get to dog things. And get treats. And get an even bigger role in these books!

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love Mace and Vira. You can feel the love in the story that he has for his Finders. The storyline is great and the characters are awesome. There were times I didn’t want to keep reading because I wasn’t sure I wanted to see what happened next, but I couldn’t stop. The story grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. If you haven’t met Kippy, Mace, Vira, Sue, Delta, Bill and Maggie yet, I think you will enjoy doing so. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This is a wonderfully written book about cadaver dogs and their owner (oh, and murder). Vira (the dog) has special powers and is able to track down an actual murderer. Some have said in their reviews that it's a little far fetched but reading is for enjoyment and taking you away from your every day world. So pick up this wonderful book and grab a cup of tea and enjoy!!!!

I received an ebook ARC from Netgalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

This is the second installment in the Mace Reid K9 series. Mason..Mace..Reid trains dogs to search for human remains. His newest dog. Vira seems to have a great sense of who was involved in the murder. Mace and his dogs, who he calls the Finders will work hard to uncover the corruption at the highest level of the police dept in Chicago. There is a lot of mystery going on in this book.

This book was very fast paced and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. This was a great follow up book to The Finders.

Book 2 in the series and can be read as a stand a lone. I enjoyed this book and am definitely looking forward to book 3, Hoping there is a book 3. This one seemed a tad more in depth, and wild convoluted trail that slowed things down. Anytime Mace, Kippy, Wabs and Vera were on the pages I was thrilled, It wasn't enough for me. There are several heart wrenching moments, several made me reach for the kleenex. It also had a few, smile, moments, I was like dang, way to go Kippy. If you love dogs, mystery, suspense this is the book for you. Thank you for the arc, I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N June 29th

The Keepers is the second book in the Mace Reid K9 series and the first book I have read by this author. I found this to be a well written book, and one that kept me turning the pages. It was action packed, and I absolutely loved the dogs in this book. They may have been cadaver dogs, but they also had no problem protecting their owner. I would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first book, but that is because a corruption plot is not as interesting as a serial killer plot to me. I’m also grading down because the author used an offensive term in the first book, (which was at the near end of the book, did nothing to further the plot so in my opinion was totally unnecessary) and the author did the exact same thing in this book at the exact same point in the book, but used a different offensive term. I don’t get it.

With that said, I still plan to continue with the series, because I love the idea of a Golden Retriever as a pivotal character and her handler. I love learning about how dogs are used in police investigations and the background on the different training, etc. While I really wish the author would stop using offensive words at the tail end of his books, I don't think it warrants never reading them again. Since I mention my dissatisfaction with him including these words in his writing, I am hoping that will do enough for anyone who considers reading this series.

Thanks to St. Martins Press, Sara Beth Harding and the author for a print review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review Date: 06/13/2021
Publication Date: 06/29/2021

The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton (Mace Reid K9 #2) 4 stars

A follow-up to last years "The Finders", this book is an excellent read and can be read as a standalone. Mace Reid and his cadaver dogs are on the job again. Mace Reid and his cadaver dogs are called in by the Chicago PD for various cases. He loves all his dogs, but his golden retriever, Elvira "Vira" is the Einstein of cadaver dogs. She has a special sense that can remember the killers scent even days after the crime. Mace and Vira help Officer Kippy Gimm and her partner Officer Dave Wabiszewski "Wabs" solve the murder of a rock star. But when he is called in to find the body of the head of the Special Prosecutions Unit of the Cook County DA; that's when things get dicey for Mace and company. Can he help get the bad guys before they get him?

This was a action packed and fast read. I have to say, the dogs are the real stars of this book and they save the day. I just wish that Mace didn't end up injured so often in these books. On another positive note, there is progress on the relationship front between Mace and Kippy. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.

I love the first book, The Finders, and love this second one even more! Mace and Vira are back with more action to solve three different mysteries, and it was not easy. For those who haven't read the first book, Mace is a K-9 trainer specializing in finding dead bodies; well, he trained his dogs to do so. And Vira is one of his dog kids and the smartest, if I may say. In this book, Vira proved to be the Alpha, and her pack is loyal, protective, and unique! The story focuses on Chicago and the crimes that involve well-known subjects. Mace, together with his kids, will do everything to find out the truth and solve the case with the case/ There’s a lot of suspense, mystery, few heartbreaking moments, and a little bit of romance as well. I seriously want this series in a movie!

Mace and his dogs take us on another pulse pounding escapade. From the first story I read in this series I was hooked on this unusual cast of characters. Mace, Kippy, Wabs, and the dogs are super heroes who protect the city of Chicago. Against all odds they fight back and win the battle against evil. It is a very well written story that is well paced with wonderful information.

Mace Reid is a police consultant. He brings his trained dogs to sniff out the dead at crime scenes near Chicago. But one of his dogs, Vira, can also sniff out the murderer. In the first book of the series, The Finders, that worked out great. However, in The Keepers, the murderer is much more vicious than anything Reid has dealt with before. Even his friend, Chicago police officer Kippy, can’t deal with political corruption this deeply embedded in Chicago government. Reid and Vira feel like prey. Can they find their hunters before the hunters find them?

The Keepers is rousing and engaging cat-and-mouse tale. Plus, you will learn a lot about how dog’s noses work. Overall, it was an enjoyable mystery. 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.