This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/07/02/the-lost-by-jeffrey-b-burton/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

3.5 hearts

I am a fan of K-9 books, so I discovered this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/277419-mace-reid-k-9-mystery" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Mace Reid K-9 Mystery</strong></em></a> series.   The dogs here are mostly HRD or cadaver dogs.  They mostly aren't trained to take down bad guys or protect people.  We see some of their personalities but Vira is the most often one to accompany Mace.   He works with the FBI this time, although Kippy is also on the case.  I enjoyed reading even with a few issues I had.

The mystery was kind of boring really. It was obvious who the bad guys were.  There was more than one bad guy.  The FBI / police were on to some of it but some was surprising to them.  But what they knew, they needed evidence to prove.  The kidnapping of a child did provide some suspense.   The police procedures were pretty good but they weren't quite good with their strategies.

The personal relationships and daily life of the main characters were also routine without much new or showing too much growth.  So I felt overall  <strong>The Lost</strong> needed more development of characters to add more interest and layers.  In the three books I have read in the series, Mace is a nice guy, good with dogs, but his police skills are bumbling.  Kippy has to up the bar when she is with him and luckily, she is competent.

I did enjoy Vira's part.  She was highly skilled and accurate. She also did some work to protect and provide comfort in her intuitive way without it being her trained skills.  She's a smart one.

The Lost is a stand-alone novel as well as part of a series involving Mace as a dog trainer and his cadaver dog named Vira. This is the first book I have read by Jeffrey B. Burton and I was put off a bit by the chapters “written” by the dogs. That didn’t last long before I was in the midst of this mystery/thriller. I would like to go back and read the previous novels now.
This is my unbiased review of an ARC shared by NetGalley and the publisher.

The Lost is the third Mace Reid K-9 mystery by by Jeffery B. Burton. Released 28th June 2022 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 solid installment in a very strong series in the animal mystery subgenre. The series started strong and has gone from strength to strength. The characterizations and descriptions are well rendered and distinct. Protagonist Mace Reid is a dog trainer who specializes in training human remains dogs (cadaver dogs). His "pack" includes ('Vira - short for Elvira), a golden retriever who is a natural wonder 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.

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 is well done and flowed smoothly. Mace is sarcastic but eminently likeable, kind, and honest to a fault. Some of the secondary antagonists are caricatures, but that's more or less to be expected with cozy mysteries. There are some disturbing descriptions of violence and ruthless killers included, but it's in character and not egregious. The language is rough (R-rated) in places.

This is a strong addition to the series and I am eagerly looking forward to more. Four and a half 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.

The Lost by Jeffrey B Burton
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley this title. I voluntarily read and review this title all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The 3rd Installment in the Mace Reid K-9 mysteries brings us on the search for a missing woman and her daughter. When the woman’s body is found and there’s no sign of the girl the FBI begins to look at Kenneth the husband and father. What they don’t know is that before long there will be Russian mobsters involved. After finding the missing girl the Russians show up and Mace tells her to run with Vira to protect her. But when they have the situation back under control the little girl and Vira are nowhere to be found.
I realy enjoy this series. I sure missed Dave Wabiszewki and am still heart broken over his demise in The Keepers, book 2 of the series.
I enjoy Burton’s interpretation of police procedure that is weaved in with the talents of the dogs he loves. This book is on sale 6/28/22.

A great addition to this series. Mace is a well developed character and his dog’s personalities come through more in this book. The storyline weaves a tale of murder, kidnapping and blackmail. Highly recommend this series.

The Lost is the third installment in author Jeffrey B. Burton's Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series. Key Characters: Mace Reid, specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs called the Finders to hunt for the dead. Chicago Police Detective Kippy Gimm who has been involved in recent escapades with Mace and has risen in the ranks of the Chicago Violent Crimes Unit. Special Agent Len Squire has become a friend of Mace's thanks to his Finders and what they've done over the course of this series. Vera, Golden Retriever who seems to have preternatural ability of linking a missing or dead person to the killer.

Mace, Kippy Gimm, and Vira are called out to the estate of billionaire financier Kenneth J. Druckman by Special Agent in Charge Len Squires where a home invasion and robbery has turned into a kidnapping. Druckman claims that several men broke into his home, stole all his valuables, and kidnapped his former supermodel wife Calley Kurtz and their 5 year old daughter Eleanor aka Scarf Druckman. After Vira locates Calley, Mace once again senses that Vera knows what really happened, and Kenneth may not be as innocent as you want to believe.

This time the complex plot involves scheming billionaires, deceit, kidnapping, murder, stolen jewels, and more. There are chapters from other characters as well to fill in the blanks as to what has happened before Mace, Vera and Kippy got involved. One of the things the book does do, is go back in time a few weeks, before bringing all key characters together for a twisted ending. We also get an interesting dynamic in that Vira has found Kippy to be trust worthy, and she also latches on to Scarf (aka Eleanor) when the little girl is found.

The relationship between Mace and Kippy continue to develop. They are more than comfortable with each other which is a change after Mace's divorce left him discombobulated and looking for something new to liven up his life. Although this is one of those series where reading the others are not required, I highly encourage it so that you can get a better understanding about Mace and his other Finders which includes Delta Dawn, Maggie May, Billie Joe, and Sue.

Interesting characters and a complex crime made for a fun read. The beginning was a bit slow but the pace picked up with more twists and turns.
I love all the dogs, especially Vira, and their different personalities. Their antics inject some great humour into the book. I just wish they played a more prominent roll in the story.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Mace, Kippy and Vira get up to next.
Thank you St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this ARC

I was hooked on the Mace Reid series with Burton's first book - "The Finders." Somewhat of a lost soul himself, Reid trains dogs to find human remains. While Reid loves all his dogs, he and Detective Kippy Gimm know that Vira (named after the song "Elvira") is really something special.

Called to a home invasion that involves a millionaire's missing wife and daughter, Reid and Vira set off to the woods looking for clues (and bodies). When they stumble upon Calley Kurtz, the missing wife, Vira's trail leads right back to the husband. Throughout the search nothing is as it seems, but you can bet that Detective Gimm won't stop until she solves the crime.

"The Lost" is an easy but intriguing and quick read. It's one of those books that you don't want to put down until you know the ending.

This is a great book. This is an edgy cozy mystery with great characters, and it had dogs. Really fast-moving plot that kept me page turning till the end. This is a new series for me and the third in the series, but I felt you didn't have to read the previous two books to understand this book. Just a really great book.

This is a Police K-9 Mystery, and this is the third book in the Marc Reid K-9 Mystery series. I have not read the other books in this series, but I feel you can read this book as a standalone. The very start of this book of ok then it went into boring and stuff that was not needed. I was so bored while reading the first 30% of this book, and I almost DNF this book. After I got through the first 30% it started getting better. I really enjoyed the ending. The characters I found to be dry. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Minotaur Books) or author (Jeffrey B. Burton) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I have really loved the previous two books in this series, Vira was always incredible and I loved learning all of the amazing things she could do.⁣
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With that said, unfortunately The Lost fell a little flat for me. I loved that we still got a little bit of Vira, but we didn’t get anywhere near as much as we previously had. I sort of felt like this book was repetitive from the previous two, with this sort of strange art heist background story, that didn’t seem like it really came full circle. ⁣
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I still enjoy all the dogs, Mace and Kippy; but this just didn’t seem to have a true plot to me and it fell a little flat.⁣
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Thank you for an ARC for my honest review.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 ⭐️‘s
The Lost opens with a gruesome murder and kidnapping to hook you in and reintroduce you to Vira, the cadaver dog and her handler, Mace Reid. While I found the story intriguing it was hard to follow the eclectic mix of characters and how they all fit together or if they were even related. And I was disappointed to find the husband with zero integrity with no likeable side even as a father to his daughter. The dog element and police collaboration was as good as ever and the developing relationship between Kippy & Mace held me to the end. If you are just starting out in the series I would definitely start at the beginning with The Finders. It helps in the overall development of the characters and the various professional relationships involved to get one grounded in the personalities of the dogs and their particular talents.

Title: The Lost
Author: Jeffrey B. Burton
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Glencoe, Illinois: A home invasion turned kidnapping at the mansion of billionaire financier Kenneth J. Druckman brings Mason “Mace” Reid and his cadaver dog, Vira, to this wealthy northern suburb of Chicago. Druckman was assaulted, left behind while his wife and young daughter were taken for ransom.

Brought to the scene by the FBI, Reid specializes in human remains detection, and Vira is the star of his pack of cadaver dogs he’s dubbed The Finders. After Vira finds the dead body of the mother, former supermodel Calley Kurtz, everyone is on high alert to find Druckman’s missing daughter before the five-year-old disappears forever. But the trail Vira finds on the property’s dense woodlands leads right back to Druckman himself.

With the help of Detective Kippy Gimm, Reid and Vira must race against the clock. Nothing is as it appears to be . . . and the red herrings could be lethal.

I’m really enjoying this series! Mace and Kippy are both characters I like—especially Mace with his self-deprecating humor—and obviously, Vira is amazing. I liked how the two separate storylines intwined, adding more nuance to both and, as always, I’m fascinated by the talents of cadaver dogs. This is a good, solid mystery.

Jeffrey B. Burton was born in California but now lives in St. Paul. The Lost is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

I have loved this series since the beginning and I was thrilled to get the ARC before I go out and buy it. What is not to love about a dog who cheated death and can help solve crimes?

This third novel had a complicated and intriguing story of kidnapping and double crossing. I think it may be my favorite so far. The relationship between Mace and Kippy developing at a natural pace in a realistic way. These two don’t dilute the plot with stupid arguments. They are a team. It’s nice to see. And every dog has their own personality. Vira, of course, stays the center. She is the one left for dead in the first novel as a puppy. She is the one who brought the humans together. Gotta love her. I read this on one drive of our road trip and I’m trying to review this on a small device in the car with spotty service. I may add to this later but I just wanted to praise this book and this series, it is for both dog lovers and lovers of mysteries and thrillers.

I enjoyed the previous books in this series a bit more as the beginning of this one was confusing (to me). The first characters in the story were not introduced as to who they were and how they were going to fit into the story although this was explained later. Mason “Mace” Reid trains human remains detection dogs, aka HRD. His dogs are his family and the love of his life is Detective Kippy Gimm. Mace is asked to bring his dogs to the scene of a home invasion and kidnapping where a man has been beaten and his wife and five-year-old daughter, Eleanor, kidnapped. It doesn’t take long for his golden retriever Vira (named for the son Elvira) to locate the missing wife…dead, but where is the daughter? Nothing is quite as it seems as police search for leads, but Mace believes he knows who the killer is. He has no evidence, well, except for Vira’s detection of the killers’ chemical signature. The humorous dialog between Mace and Kippy and the final ending of this twisted mystery makes for an enjoyable read. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Author Jeffery B. Burton scores again with another installment in his Mace Reid K-9 Mystery Series. For regular readers of mysteries, this is not your typical who-dun-it. Rather, the reader is treated to a look at all the parties, and thus has knowledge of what is going on with each person. Along the way, the author inserts bits of lighthearted humor as he humanizes his cadaver dogs, rationalizing their personalities and why they do the things they do.

The story moves back and forth between the characters, and Mr. Burton slowly reveals more and more about the mysterious person in the background who appears to be pulling all the strings. This is an interesting way to tell the story, and it is the suspense that kept me turning pages. We might know who and maybe why, but we don’t know how the story is going to end, and the author keeps us interested all the way through.

This is a tightly woven story that is highly recommended for mystery fans. I raced through the book in just a few sittings. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

3rd book in the Mace Reid K-9 Mysteries, but the first one I read.
Reid is a free lancer who specializes in human remain detection. His dogs in his “The Finders” pack vary but the star of this show is Vira.
Reid is called in by the FBI in the kidnaping of a Cally Kurtz and her daughter, once the body of Cally is found the race is on to find the daughter. The twists and turns are a fun read, and I didn’t see the end coming.
A nice read even when you haven’t read the previous books. Will have to read the others now.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my opinion.

An entertaining suspenseful K-9 mystery…

This is the third book in the Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series that can be read as a stand-alone.

The intriguing blurb for the book is a good synopsis of the story easily grabbing the reader’s attention as does what is inside the pages. Though we learn at the beginning who is responsible thanks to Vira, Mace Reid’s human remains detection dog who not only finds the bodies but the scent of those responsible, knowing who it is early on doesn’t detract from the story which is complex and convoluted. Numerous layers have to be unraveled; associated perpetrators whose connections have to come to light to bring the big picture of this crime into focus; multiple points of view are included. Mace and Detective Kippy Gimm have to figure out the billionaire Kenneth Druckman’s motivation, who else was involved, and where the kidnapped daughter is.

Mace is an amusing narrator. He has great conversations with his dogs, dogs that he trained yet at times seem to have him trained. He’s not the typical hero; he has his eccentricities and human vulnerabilities but he is doggedly (pun intended) determined to solve the puzzles his dogs point him to. Normally a dog handler would not be involved so directly in an investigation but Vira is a special dog with a proven track record and a secret that Mace and his friends protect. Mace’s relationship with Kippy develops more.

This was an engaging suspenseful read with well-developed characters and an intriguing, often intense plot, there are numerous twists and false trails to decipher. The flow of the story was fast-paced outside of provided flashbacks. Mace, Kippy, and friends have a lot to deal with, from murder and kidnapping to stolen jewels, deception, blackmail, and the Russian mafia. There’s a nice twist at the ending which had this reader thinking that justice was best served by the main protagonists' action of leaving what they’d just realized alone. Having read the prior books helps to understand the evolution of the characters but it isn’t necessary to have done so to enjoy this story. This reader hopes for more books in this series.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Lost is Jeffrey B. Burton's 3rd installment of his Finders series. This book features his Golden Retriever Vira and involves the assault on a multimillionaire and the disappearance of his wife and daughter. " Mace" and Vira are brought in to aid the police. Vira finds the dead body of the wife but the little girl is still missing. Told in alternating POVS the tension ratchets up while the search for the little girl takes on a new intensity. Twisty and fast paced the tension doesn't let up until the end. This is an excellent addition to the series, and I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an invitation from the publisher to read Jeffrey Burton’s The Lost and from the first pages I was hooked. Mace Reid trains cadaver dogs. His interactions with his canine companions is both endearing and entertaining. His dogs are named for well-known country songs, such as Vira for Elvira, Maggie May, Delta Dawn, Billie Joe and a boy dog named Sue. Each dog has a very distinct personality and they let Mace know when they are displeased. When the home of a wealthy financier is invaded and his wife and daughter are taken, FBI agent Squires calls Mace. Vira follows a trail from the house and discovers the wife’s body. Unexpectedly, she then runs back to the house directly to the financier, raising suspicions of his actual role in the crime. Scarf, the five year old daughter, is still missing. Finding the girl becomes the priority.

Kenneth Druckman, the financier, is being blackmailed. Someone discovered his illegal transactions and hidden accounts and is now demanding more money than Druckman has. His solution involved a fake kidnapping and the sale of his wife’s jewelry to a fence with connections to the Russian mob. From the first moment his plan goes wrong. Now the Russians are closing in on Scarf and Druckman’s accomplice. She was only supposed to look after Scarf and guard the jewelry, but now murder is involved. Mace and his girlfriend Kippy Gimm, an officer with the Violent Crimes Division, have also been tracking Scarf’s location with Vira’s help. As tension builds, it becomes Scarf and Vira as the stars of The Lost. If you love dogs and mysteries then this is a must read. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for making this book available for my review.