The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton (Mace Reid K-9 Mystery #3) 5 stars

Mace and canine companions are called in by the FBI to search for a mother and daughter, victims of a vicious home-invasion kidnapping. Unfortunately, Mace and Vira (an Einstein of a dog) discover the mom’s body in the woods. It is now a race against time to find Eleanor, the daughter of a wealthy fund manager before it’s too late.

I adore this series because of the main character, Mace Reid and his interaction with his dog pack. The distinct personalities of his dogs are a hoot. The romance between Mace and Kippy is progressing at a nice pace and I look forward to seeing more progress in the future. This is a fun and entertaining series and I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this ARC.

“The Lost” by Jeffrey B. Burton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Third book in the Mace Reid K9 series
Release Date: 6/28/22
Genre: Mystery
Format: Netgalley Ebook

Thank you St.Martin’s Press for emailing me an ARC of this book! I’ve been lucky to receive ARCS of all three books and I’ve enjoyed each and everyone one! I can’t wait for book 4!

Mace Reid runs an obedience school training dog to become K9 cadaver dogs. His own personal pack follows him everywhere, but one of his dogs Vira is extra special. She’s the best cadaver dog he’s ever had. His girlfriend Kippy is a cop with the local PD. Sometimes Mace will help with local or FBI cases if they need a cadaver dog. A home invasion turned kidnapping of Billionaire Kenneth Druckman bring Mace and Vira. Vira finds the dead body of Kenneth’s wife, but no trace of their daughter. Mace ends up inserting himself into the case because of a sign Vira gave. The husband did it. Why and how? Who better to help investigate than Mace and Kippy and of course Vira.

The fur babies are at it again. Mace and his cadaver dog Vira are a great team. Along with Chicago police officer Kippy they can solve almost any crime. This is a great story series although each one can be read individually. The characters are always interesting. The plot is creative and doesn’t always go in the direction you think it will. Kippy, Mace and Vira take down the bad guys and solve the case.

Jeffrey B. Burton's series featuring the irreverent Mace Reid and his fabulous pack of dogs keeps getting better, and I enjoyed every single page of his latest, The Lost. The fast pace, the twists and turns of the plot, and the wit and humor all combine with the human and canine personalities for an exciting, fun ride.

Dog lovers should really get a kick out of The Lost, as each dog has a distinctive personality and knows exactly how to work Mace. I love how Reid chooses his dogs' names from song titles, too-- for example, Maggie (May), (A Boy Named) Sue, (El)Vira. Yes, Reid's star dog's name is pronounced Vira as in virus, not Vira as in veering off course. I'm vintage enough to know all the songs, so the dogs' names have a tendency to create their own playlist in my head.

There are some interesting bad guys to keep an eye on as well. The super-rich (and super creepy) Audrick Verlinden. He's one of these people who is convinced he's above the law, but I do have to admit that I wouldn't mind eating a meal in that dining room of his. Russian mobster Armen Kuznetsov isn't your typical brutish muscle, it's his companion that you need to keep your eye on. And the more you learn about billionaire Kenneth Druckman, the more you want to take a bath.

As good as the bad guys are, the folks wearing white hats shine even more brightly. I love Mace and his dogs, but the kidnapped five-year-old Eleanor Scarf Druckman stole my heart. What a star!

Some readers may scoff at how Burton has a tendency to have Mace pull rabbits out of his hat to get out of tight spots, but what saves these situations for me is two-fold. One, the solution doesn't just appear out of thin air; the author actually plants the seeds much earlier in the book and it's up to the reader to see those seeds for what they are and contemplate how they're going to be useful later on. Two, I love how Mace Reid himself describes these moments: Cheeta riding in on a herd of elephants to save the day. Having watched more than one Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movie in my youth, this paints such a vivid picture in my mind that I have to smile.

If you're in the mood for a fast-paced thriller that's a ton of fun to read, by all means, get your hands on a copy of The Lost. There's enough backstory to prevent reader confusion, but don't be surprised if you find yourself looking for the previous books in the series.

I absolutely love this series! Jeffery B. Burton does an excellent job portraying his characters, both human and canine! Their individual personalities really shine through! I love how Mace’s relationships with his ‘pack’ is described. His interactions with his dogs often just makes you smile - it’s so real! This series offers the reader murder, mystery, police investigation, action, unique characters and cadaver dogs! I highly recommend this series!

When I saw Burton was coming out with a new installment in the K-9 series I did not waste a single second in requesting a netgalley arc!

THE LOST brings us back into the fold with Mace, our main character and dog handler, and his lovable pups; Vira, Sue, Maggie May, Delta Dawn, and one recent addition whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. Vira is the star of the show with her special talents in discovery, although each pup has their talents.

While this novel is part of a series, I believe you could read each novel as a stand-alone. I, however, would highly recommend reading all the books in order to best understand the relationships of the characters, their humour, and their backgrounds.

THE LOST features a clever and intriguing, although complex plot with multiple characters who each have multiple motives making it hard to differentiate the ‘good guys’ from the ‘bad guys’. The plot is fast-paced and engaging with several red herrings and multiple flashbacks adding layers to the plot. There is ample suspense and nail-biting scenes as Kippy (Mace’s police officer girlfriend), Mace and Vira’s lives are in danger.

The writing style is easy to follow, engaging, with humorous dialogue. The climax and ending of the story was very well done, leaving a satisfying close. Burton has found a unique touch to his novels with the inclusion of dogs in amateur sleuth/police investigations. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>

I enjoy this series for many reasons: its Chicago area setting; its warm-hearted humor; its well-drawn characters, both human and canine, evil and good; and its dramatic plot. In this outing, Mace, Kippy and Vira hunt for a kidnapped girl after her mother is found dead. Their search takes them to Galena, Illinois and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin--two of my favorite places to visit.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for them opportunity to read more in this fun series.

Golly the writing here is just awful. Wordy, elliptical, and sloppy enough that sometimes the subject of a verb is obscure. I didn't care for the writing in the first novel in the series and I did not read very far in this one before putting it down.

Mason ‘Mace’ Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago he specializes in human remains detection that is he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs ‘ The Finders’ his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira. A home invasion brings Mace and Vira to the mansion of billionaire financier Kenneth J. Druckman in a wealthy suburb of Chicago. Druckman was assaulted while his wife and daughter were taken for ransom. Vira finds the remains of the mother former model Calley Kurtz every is on high alert to find Druckmans missing daughter before the 5 yr old disappears forever. But the trail keeps leading back to Druckman himself. With the help of Dective Kippy Grimm Reidand Vira must race the clock. Nothing is as it appears to be and that can be lethal. A very inspiring story using dogs in searches. I really enjoyed this story and recommend it to everyone.

I will leave a review on Amazon and B&N on June 28th

The Lost is the 3rd book in the Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series, and I believe this is the first book by this author that I have read. I found this to be a interesting read, and one that kept me turning the pages. I would recommend this book to others.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and am under no obligation to leave a favorable review. The opinion expressed here are my own.

The Lost is another great book in the Mace Reid K-9 series.

There is murder, kidnapping, corruption and so much more.

Of course there is Mace, Kippy a detective but so much more than that and above all the dogs.

Vira steals my heart, Billy makes me laugh and the rest of the dogs all seem so human.

Mace trains the dogs as search dogs and top of the list cadaver dogs.

When a child goes missing at Mace and his dogs are right there to help out.

Tension mounts, twists and turns , a red herring or two keep those pages turning.

I love this series and cant wait for Book 4 to see what the dogs are up too next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for another great mystery/adventure.

The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton is the 3rd book in his Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series.

"Mace is called to the scene of a home invasion. He takes Vira, who has a special sniffing talent, with him. The father was beaten and the wife and child were abducted. Vira lets Mace know that something is fishy with the father, who happens to be a wealthy CEO of an investment firm. But Mace and the FBI don't realize that someone has discovered the father's secrets and wants payback. And the race is on to find the missing family members."

If you like some humor and canine action in your crime fiction you should enjoy this series. Mace is a smart-aleck and keeps you chuckling as he tries to find answers. The dogs are smart and do what they want (just like real life dogs) But if they're pack is threatened they will protect at all costs.

Some interesting characters here and the first time I've ever seen the use of a certain object as a murder weapon. (That was different)

Nice addition to the series from Burton that can be read as a stand-alone.

Fans of the series (and new readers) should know that Mace's dogs play a lesser role in this complex and twisty novel than they have in the past but that doesn't mean that Vira isn't critical or that it's a lesser installment in the series. It will be fine as a standalone, btw. Mace, who owns five cadaver dogs, works with law enforcement (and his love interest Kippy, a detective). This time, he's called to the estate of Kenneth Druckman (who you will come to really dislike a lot) because Druckman's wife and daughter have been taken after a home invasion- except it wasn't. Mace and Vira find Calley Druckman's body but where is five year old Elle? Druckman has been backed into a financial corner and is now beholden to a mysterious man and a group of murderous bad guys after the valuable jewels he committed to selling to pay part of his debt. No spoilers from me but know that Mace, Kippy, and Vira make finding Elle their highest priority. This moves around in time and perspective, the ending in the mansion was gratuitous and inconsistent with the rest of the story, and some of the financial machinations were a little confusing but it kept me engaged and reading. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Mason “Mace” Reid is a dog obedience trainer specializing in human remains detection (HRD). His stable of dogs is as well-trained as it is loved, and is constantly on-call to assist Chicago law enforcement in seeking out the dead or otherwise lost. Though Mace is proud of all the dogs in his pack, the star of his enterprise is undoubtedly Vira, a golden retriever who does more than just sniff out corpses:

QUOTE
Vira, and perhaps all HRD dogs, receive this tidal wave of stimulus, this tsunami of scent data, and my golden retriever then takes the art of human remains detection to the next level…to the Albert Einstein or Thomas Edison or Marie Curie level. When Vira discovers a body, or visits a crime scene, she attempts to process this data, to perform some kind of forensic analysis on the various smells and odors–the scent DNA–in order to decipher the meaning. [S]he attempts to interpret these odors.

Vira makes links, she makes relationships…<i>connections</i>... Vira connects the unseen dots.
END QUOTE

As such, Vira is surprisingly good not only at recovering those gone missing, but also at ferreting out clues and tracking killers from the scent trails left on their victims. When the wife and daughter of Illinois financier Kenneth Druckman disappear, and a corpse is found soon after, Mace and his dogs are called in to assist. Vira quickly makes it clear to Mace that Kenneth is not the innocent victim he’s pretending to be. But what could possibly motivate the wealthy businessman to fake the kidnappings of his own family?

Mace and Vira soon find themselves caught in a tangled web of crime involving a mysterious Belgian tycoon and Russian gangsters. Our intrepid heroes must race against time to rescue the innocent victims, and occasionally foil the perpetrators, of criminal schemes gone unexpectedly and horribly awry. One such scheme involves a fence who has fallen out of the game, only to be tempted back in when Druckman comes calling with what seems like an easy score:

QUOTE
Besides–what could possibly go wrong? He’d moved some similar objects of interest for his New York associates over his years in Chicago–fewer and fewer as the days peeled past–after he’d ascertained there’d be little or no risk, of course.

Quite frankly, he’d leapt at Druckman’s offer.

[He] realized now the entire undertaking had been an ill-advised ego trip on his part, to reap glory or at least stay relevant in an ever-changing world. But the last thing he’d intended to do was double cross his own people over an <i>ill-advised ego trip</i>.
END QUOTE

Humor leavens the action of this darkly twisty tale, in a manner reminiscent of one of my favorite dog-loving and -featuring authors, David Rosenfelt. Mace has the same self-deprecating cognizance of his own limitations as the protagonists of Mr Rosenfelt’s books do, though his official capacity as the trainer of working dogs makes for a distinctly different perspective on the subgenre. His relationship with Chicago Police Detective Kippy Gimm is also a highlight, as they team up both personally and professionally to bring wrongdoers to justice. Though, as readers will discover in these pages, Mace’s definition of justice isn’t necessarily as black and white as that of the sworn officers of the law with whom he works.

The Lost is an entertaining dog-centric mystery packed with plenty of surprises for both thriller and procedural fans. While this is the third installment of the series, it’s an easy jumping on point for new readers, who will find much to appreciate in the empathy of its protagonist and in the endearing nature of his companions, canine or otherwise, as they fight crime and offer rescue to those in need of it.

If you are looking for a good suspense series filled with wonderful characters, animal and human, then you need to read Jeffrey B. Burton’s Mace Reid K-9 Mysteries!

I’ve enjoyed every book in this series, and The Lost seemed a bit more twisted and depraved than the others… and I loved it. Especially the very end with the basement… that left an impression on me.

I love how Burton’s sense of humor can be seen throughout the book and hope that in real life he’s as amusing. I mean, who else would think about a pair of dogs who are sisters and continually gaslight the main character?!?

Besides the humor (human and animal) that is woven throughout the book, Burton’s characters are so well developed… even the ones we get introduced to in this book. I do think that the young girl and the dogs really stole the show in this one.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced summer read then make sure to get a copy of The Lost. And while you don’t need to start the series from the beginning, I would recommend beginning with, The Finders, if you are new to the series.

What a great story! I love all the twists and just when I have it all figured out, there’s a new twist that I never saw coming. Mace and Vira (Ira with a “V”) are great together, it seems that Vira has her own personality that comes out in the writing and now Kippy is around a lot more and fits well with Mace and his doggie crew. I hope this series will continue, I really enjoy reading it!

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

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE LOST ABOUT?
Mace and his dogs are moving in different circles after the events of The Keepers, and get called to help the FBI look for a missing mother and daughter—they were kidnapped after a home invasion went wrong. Their husband/father, financier Kenneth J. Druckman, was beaten and left behind. It's up to Mace and Vira to give them a lead.

Sadly, it doesn't take long for Vira to find the mother's body on Druckman's land, or for her to act like Druckman did the killing. It's not like Mace can just point at the billionaire and shout, "J'accuse!" He's going to need to find more than the word of his young dog—he also needs to help the FBI (if he can) to find the five-year-old girl before it's too late.

Kippy Gimm (now a detective) and the rest of Mace's dogs are, of course, in on this, too.

NON-MACE PERSPECTIVES
Typically, I'm not a fan of a first-person narrated book frequently switching to the third person—usually the killer. It doesn't turn me off of a book, but I really don't enjoy it. Burton, however, has done a better job of it in this series than most authors. I don't know that I can say that I've enjoyed every instance of it—but, unlike most, in the previous two books in this series, those sections have added to the novel.

That really doesn't sound like a compliment, but it was one.

In The Lost, most of those scenes/chapters are essential. The way this novel is set up—and the crimes perpetrated by the various criminals involved (and there are a handful)—necessitates that we see things from several perspectives that aren't Mace's. There's just no way that he can find this information (he doesn't require it, but the reader is going to demand to know what's going on)—and it'd take months of investigation after these events for the FBI to figure some of this out (assuming they'd try).

The later in the book we get, the better these non-Mace portions get. Particularly those from the daughter's point of view, they brought a lot to the table and got me really invested in these characters.

I still think I'd prefer more Mace and less of everyone else in future books in the series—but The Lost really shows that this approach can work. It also underlines how good at it Burton is.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE LOST?
I'm not sure how the space is given to the non-Mace perspectives in this book compares to the previous novels, but it's significantly more—that alone makes this novel feel different. The fact that many/most of those sections of the book take place prior to Mace's involvement with the Druckman family also contributes to that feeling. I appreciate the fact that Burton's doing things in Book 3 to make sure the series doesn't get in a rut.

Sure, it'd be a fine rut to get stuck in and I'd have gladly read more books that were structurally similar to The Finders and The Keepers.* But I'm glad Burton made the step now and didn't wait until he needed to shake things up.

* I read The Keepers a year ago and didn't get the title until right this moment. I'm not too proud to admit that.

I'm not sure that we needed to learn about Kippy's job woes at this point—it didn't have an impact on this book, as FBI-centric as it was. It might have been better to talk about her difficulties with her new assignment when it'd have a bearing on the plot, and wouldn't risk feeling like a repeat when it does come up. It's not a good position for her to be in—I don't want to minimize that—I'm just not sure the reader needed to get that information now, I don't know what we're supposed to do with it. As complaints go (and I think it's the only one I had with this book), that's a pretty minor one.

The pacing on this is strong—we hit the ground running with Mace and Vira at the beginning and we really don't stop. There isn't a lot of time here for contemplation and rumination—it's not a breakneck speed, but it's a steady jog. Again, it shows that Burton's doing something different in this book.

I feel like I'm spending too much time talking about how different The Lost is from the other books—and I don't mean to harp on it, I'm just commenting on the various ways it is. I don't know that readers who aren't writing about the book are going to spend that much time thinking about it—I think they'll note the freshness of it, they'll feel the overall effect, though. I'm not saying it's better or worse than the other two, just appreciatively different. And that's a nice thing.

As always, any time spent with Sue, Maggie May, Delta Dawn, Vira, and Billie Joe is a boon. They're a fun pack of animals to read about—and I'm already looking forward to their next adventure. Mace and Kippy are good, too—but we all know who the stars are here.

This would be an okay jumping-on point to the series, I'm not sure you'd get the full idea of Vira's special talents—but that's okay, it's not required to appreciate the books. The important thing is that mystery readers—particularly the dog-loving kind—jump on to the series at some point.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read an advance copy of The lost by Jeffrey B. Burton. The lost is the 3rd novel in the Mace Reid K-9 mystery series and this time Mace and his canine companions, The Finders find themselves immersed in a home invasion, the husband assaulted and the wife and child kidnapped; Vira, the star of the pack, quickly locates the dead body of the wife, but the child Eleanor is missing. Vira quickly leads Mace back to the house and to Druckman, who staged the whole thing. But where is Eleanor? Mace, Vira and Detective Kippy 'Gimm must figure out the clues in order to find Eleanor in time. I am a big fan of this series. The relationship between Mace and his dogs is wonderful. Each dog has their own personality and are all adorable and I love the names of the dogs.! Each of those songs are favourites of mine! I enjoy Mace's character. He is an amateur detective; and he knows he is amateur; but he gets the job done. He also knows the stars of the team are his dogs. I enjoy the relationship he has with Kippy. They work so well together, Totally recommend this series!!!!

I really like this author, and his series with cadaver dogs is interesting. Mace Reed is a dog trainer and has a stable of cadaver dogs that are called upon by federal agents, local police and anyone requiring help with searches for victims. His golden Vira is the star, with special senses that seem to transcend belief.
A local millionaire reports a home invasion robbery and the kidnapping of his wife and daughter. Mace and his dogs are called in to search the grounds and woods adjoining the mansion. Vera does her job when the dead wife is found and the search begins for the missing child. Mace’s girlfriend and Chicago cop Kippy joins him in the effort.
This is a very tense, gripping story of Russians, stolen jewels and antiques, and the ticking clock to find the missing child. The chase puts Mace, Kippy and Vira in immediate danger, trying to track down the players.
Jeffrey Burton is a very good story teller and his characters are interesting and likable. My thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Jeffrey Burton for the ARC. All opinions are my own. I loved the book and loved the dogs. A really good read.

This is a great series in every way but especially if you love dogs, quirky characters and just the right touch of humor. Mace and his cadaver dogs sure do deliver a satisfying read, start to finish. The mysteries aren't the soft cozy type. There is serious stuff going on but Mace, Vira (short for Elvira, like the song - I love it) and Kippy Gimm are up to the challenge. If they aren't? A kidnapped child may never be found. There are some very bad people doing very bad things but knowing that Mace and the others are fighting the good fight makes it worth reading the tough parts.
The mystery was top notch but, to be honest, it took me awhile to adjust to its delivery. If this had been the first book in the series I think that would have made me set it aside as not finished. However, I fell in love with The Finders (Book #1) and was equally drawn into the second book, The Keepers. That was the reason I stuck with it and I was rewarded. It earned its 5 stars.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.