The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton is an excellent first installment in a new series featuring training dogs, specifically in this case, a cadaver trained dog. Elvira (Vira) is an exceptional Golden Retriever that has been paired with her handler, Mason Reid, whom is a trainer that works with the Chicago PD. They help each other solve crimes and “put away the bad guys”.

I was initially thrilled when I saw a book that revolved around a working canine. I love dogs, I have one myself, and I love any thing that has to do with jobs with dogs, dogs with jobs....you get the drift. So, I was so pumped that I was able to find and read this book. I was not disappointed.

Not only was there one murder/mystery....there were two. It was interesting, gripping, and drew me in from beginning to end. I cannot wait to read follow ups to this book. I would love to see more about Elvira and her original training, as well as her continued training. I always find that fascinating.

Excellent start to a new series.
5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

A woman is attacked on a walking path at a highway rest stop. A man dies from asphyxiation, his car left running in the garage. A tiny golden puppy, intertwined with a blanket in the corner, also appears to be dead. Against all odds, the puppy is alive and becomes a very large part of this compelling mystery. Young woman have been disappearing, and their bodies are being found with a velvet choker around their neck.

Mason Reid trains dogs for a living. When he visits the kennel, hoping to find a dog to replace his English Springer, Arnie, his compassion and knowledge of animals shines through as he makes a connection with this tiny golden retriever. You see, Arnie was his prized cadaver dog, and Vira is going to take his place.

On Vira’s first official search, she finds the victim then explodes out of control and attacks a man, drawing Mason into a mystery far deeper than he ever imagined. Now he must fight to save Vira and everything he has worked for, drawing himself into a case that threatens his very life.

There is a lot to like about this story, it is well written and has all the elements of a good mystery. Mace’s budding friendship with Kippy, a policewoman who is working the case, the steps taken to find the killer, and the interaction with his dogs are all intertwined along the path to discovery of the killer. The only shortcoming I found was that Mace, while a strong character some of the time, was often bumbling and definitely got more than his share of hurts.

The Finders is the first book in a new series by author Jeffrey B. Burton.

Before reviewing it, I have a new confession to make: I love police dogs. When I’m on my couch, switching channels on the telly, and stumble on a police or customs documentary, I remain on it in hope to see police dogs into action. They’re the overlooked heroes of law enforcement.

Hence, when I read the description for The Finders, I knew I had to read this book. And, I haven’t been disappointed.

Mason Reid is a dog trainer who also specializes in training and handling human remains detection dogs for the Chicago police. He adopts a new dog, a golden retriever named Elvira, who almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning as a puppy. Maybe because of the effect this incident had on the development of her senses, « Vira » becomes the most efficient of his pack in record time.

Early in the book, Vira solves her first major case, helping catch the Velvet Choker serial killer. Unfortunately, in doing so, Vira and Mason Reid also caught the unwanted attention of another, more cunning, vicious, and prolific serial killer. Then, the hunters become the hunted.

Even if we don’t get the direct point of view of the dogs, Vira and Reid’s other dogs are omnipresent in the book. Mason Reid doesn’t like dogs. He loves dogs. He empathize with them. He constantly notices what his dogs are up to and are thinking, and hence let the reader know about it. It is obvious the author put a lot of research into dogs in general, and police dogs specifically. It’s to be noted, as well, that each of Reid’s dogs has its distinct and coherent personality.

The writing style leaves nothing to be desired. No lengthy exposition, just enough for the reader to be involved into the story. The victims are not faceless. Jeffrey B. Burton always gives us enough information about them for us to be horrified by their fates. Even if a serial killer story doesn’t leave a lot of space for comedy, there are bits of humor here and there, sometimes dry and unexpected, often involving the dogs, which caused me to giggle quite a few times.

As for the twist required from all good mysteries, the revelation of the killer’s identity was quite shocking. Even if, in hindsight, all the clues were there. But, Burton nevertheless managed to surprise the seasoned mystery reader I am.

I don’t know when the next installment in this new series will be released, but it’s going to be a long wait. Dog thrillers ? Is that a new literary genre ? As far as I know, it might. And it’s one that seems to have been specially tailored to my needs.

Thanks to St Martin Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

I didn't plan for my first novel of 2020 to be about cadaver dogs and serial killers - but just like the very twisty plot of this book, sometimes one's reading schedule takes many unexpected twists and turns!

The Finders is the first book in the new (upcoming) Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series about dog trainer Mace Reid.

When Mace adopts a young Golden Retriever puppy who miraculously survives a scrape with death and trains him for cadaver work, he has no idea that his work helping the police department to find dead bodies will ultimately result in hm a target himself.

As an animal lover, I enjoyed reading about the heroic acts of Vira (the Retriever), Sue (the male Shepard named after the Johnny Cash song) and the "twins", although it was also tough reading about some of the battle scars they took during the line of duty.

The book is very well researched - I now know more surprising facts about cadaver dogs, serial killers, and the state of Illinois's DOT than I ever thought possible!

The book is full of unexpected plot twists that I did not see coming (and you probably won't either!)

What prevented me from rating this 5 stars were the characters - I didn't "like" or relate to the good guys as much as I wanted to (the "bad" guy characterization was much stronger). Vira and Sue (the dogs) were my favorite characters in the book.

Nonetheless, the characters grow on you as the book progresses. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

The Finders is the first in Jeffrey Burton's new series, Mace Reid K-9 Mystery. It starts at the beginning of Mace's relationship with Vira, when she is abandoned at nine weeks and scheduled to be euthanized. There's something about her that makes Mace save her and train to be a cadaver dog, in support of Mace's growing business in the assistance of the Chicago PD and their Canine Training Center. From the beginning, it's clear Vira is indeed special. She learns quickly, can mimic many skills, and when she begins going on jobs, she is as good as any cadaver dog Mace has ever had. It’s as though she has special powers to find the bad guys, well beyond the ability to track by scent. When she attacks what at first appears to be an innocent bystander, in the crowd of people watching the police work a murder, Mace won't quit until he proves that she actually sniffed out the killer, doing the job she was trained to do. In the process of proving this, Mace is attacked by the man's son and ends up killing him as he tries to save his life and Vira's. That puts both Mace and Vira in the crosshairs of another psychotic killer who considered this boy like the son he never had. The question is, will Vira, with her exceptional abilities, and Mace, with his uncompromising belief in his new cadaver dog, survive the onslaught of this vicious psychopath?

I love dog stories so I was pulled into the story quickly. I was intrigued when for much of the early pages, I couldn’t tell the sex of Mace. He was simply an androgynous professional doing his job and loving his life.

Overall, this is a wonderful read, quickly consumed, and hard to put down. It is fast moving with lots of unexpected twists and turns. If you love working dog stories (such as Margaret Mizushima's K-9 Mysteries and Sara Driscoll's FBI K-9), you will love this book. It respects dogs as working animals, doing their jobs, and acting as part of a team. It never treats them as pets or weak or needy. I'd highly recommend this for those who love animal stories.

--review to be published on my blog, WordDreams, 2/20

A good addition to the list of search and rescue dog books. One of seven books I was trying to get interested in and the only one that kept me reading to the end.

An excellent book that I really enjoyed. I do not usually read books that have a male as the lead character but this book c aught my interest and did not disappoint. Looking forward to book #2.

I read The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton quickly because I just couldn't put it down. It grabbed me from page one and kept my interest throughout. Mace Reid is a great character, and his dogs are the stars of the story. Learning about cadaver dogs and their training was a bonus. The characters had depth, and the dialogue was crisp and engaging.

I am looking forward to more books in this series.

I enjoyed this book. The story was interesting with not one but two serial killers and the second one's identity was a surprise. I really liked the dogs and how they can find things. This book has a lot of tension and great world building. hope that the two main characters do get together. I'd really like to read more about them all. #The Finders #NetGalley.

Loved, loved, loved this book and am so glad it is the start of a series. What could be bad about dogs in a book? Especially dogs trained to be human remains detection. Vira is a "special" dog who just just more than and just might be psychic Great novel can't wait for next one

Dog lovers and mystery lovers unite! This is a promising new series that does well on both counts. Mace Reid is a dog lover and a dog trainer. But he’s no ordinary trainer. His specialty is training canines to work crime scenes, specifically to detect human remains. His brood of “kids” as he calls them grows by one when he takes on Vira, a lovable golden retriever with some uncanny abilities. Both of their lives are put at risk as they hone in on a serial killer. This was a fun book. Some good mystery elements as well as great characters, dogs included. Looking forward to the next one!

The Finders is a the first book in a new series by Jeffrey Burton. Mace Reid, the dog whisperer, is a dog trainer who maintains a group of cadaver dogs with song-inspired names. He adopts a golden retriever puppy who proves to be exceptionally talented at sniffing out bad guys. In a story with twists and turns, Mace and Vira (the retriever) get mixed up with a serial killer or two, while Mace tries to figure out how to romance the attractive police officer who initially rescued Vira (or, Honey Bear as she calls her). Great start to what I hope is an ongoing series. Recommended for fans of Paula Munier and Margaret Mizushima.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for access to a digital ARC.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The story line grabbed me right from the start and didn't let go.

This is the first of a supposedly new series starring dog trainer Mace Reid. Mace is not your ordinary trainer, although he does his fair share of that, but his personal dogs' modus operandi is that of cadaver dogs. Specially trained to find the dead. His prize pupil is a Golden Receiver named Vira who comes into his life as a puppy and becomes his best decomposition finding dog. But Vira seems to have an extra-sensory perception which is put to the test when a daring, prolific killer sets sights on both Mace and his beloved pet.

Please put this one on your to read list for this coming summer and stay wary of interstate rest stops. Enough said.

This is a fascinating story which taught me so much about the power of dogs to help in human endeavors. When Chicago Police Officer Kimmy Gimm finds a golden retriever puppy in a carbon monoxide filled garage during a police investigation, she falls in love with it but has to turn it over to Chicago Animal Care and Control where Paul, the head of the organization realizes this dog would be perfect for his friend Mason Reid, who is a dog trainer who works with the police department but who is also mourning the loss of his springer spaniel Amie. When Mason first begins to train the golden, who he names Elvira, he is astounded at her capabilities and accomplishments, all of which make for a compelling plot. I enjoyed the story and feel that I have a new appreciation for human cadaver dogs and the work that they do.

It has been a long time since I truly laughed out loud while reading, but this book did that. He got me with ' there are 2 kinds of people in the world, people who like dogs and......assholes. Loved that.
While I may have been more endeared to the dogs and how he writes about them than the story, nonetheless, very fun to read.
I rarely enjoy the romance stuff in these mystery thrillers, this one was not too obnoxious.

WIll be very much looking forward to the next book.
If you love dogs, do read, I give it 5 stars for his clear and humorous love of dogs.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of The Finders. This book was a winner for me, and I plowed through the story quickly. There were a couple of things that made this more than just a fast-paced suspense novel: 1) The hero's dogs, one in particular, are integral to the story (the canine-crimesolving element is the lynchpin of this new series, after all), and Burton does a great job with canine character development--the dogs' personalities jump off the pages. 2) Great suspense novels have more than good plotting; they also have a hero or heroine that we care about, that we want to journey with and watch grow and evolve, and the hero of The Finders, Mace Reid, is someone I found it easy to like. He's been hurt, his confidence has taken a beating, but his heart is still open, as evidenced by the awkward and endearing way he engages with police officer Kippy Gimm. Plus, he LOVES dogs and hates Hawaiian pizza. How can you not root for a guy like that?

This is a book I'll recommend to friends, and I await the next installment.

#NetGalley #The Finders #St. Martin's Press-Minotaur Books

This is the first book in a new series by Jeffrey B. Burton. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more in this series. The characters are very believable. There were many twists, turns and surprises. I enjoy a story that keeps me guessing which character is the bad guy. I devoured this book, I was not able to put it down, yet at the same time did not want the story to end. Well done Mr. Burton, I look forward to reading more from you and this wonderful series.

THE FINDERS by Jeffrey B. Burton is the first book in the new Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series. It is also my first book by this author. Mason (Mace) Reid lives outside of Chicago and trains dogs with various end goals such as obedience and missing persons tracking, as well as searching for drugs and explosives. However, his specialty is training dogs in human remains detection (HRD). He recently acquired and began training a golden retriever named Vira. With a serial killer targeting young women, the Chicago police department asks for Mace’s help. What follows is a terrific mystery with lots of action, twists and turns, a little humor, and some fantastic moments with Mace’s family; his four HRD dogs.

The characters are compelling and well-developed for a first book in a series. They have clear goals with believable motivations and show appropriate emotions. The secondary characters are well-rounded and the characters seemed believable and not contrived. The prose was engaging, well-written, compelling, and compulsively reading. The plot was clever, intriguing, creative, intense, suspenseful, and riveting. The final twist caught me by surprise. This is one that I did not see coming even though there were enough hints that I conceivably could have deciphered it. Themes explored included serial killers, police procedures, HRD training, the relationships between dogs and people, and much more.

Overall, this was an entertaining novel and a great start to a new series. I look forward to the next book in the series. Additionally, I want to read this author’s FBI Special Agent Drew Cady mystery series starting with THE CHESSMAN.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Jeffrey B. Burton for an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Jeffrey B Burton is a new author for me and his crime thriller is written from a different and unusual angle which made it just a bit more interesting to read.
Mace Reid is a dog trainer by profession and he occasionally works alongside the police department using his cadaver dogs to help locate the deceased bodies.
Mace adopted a dog which he called Vira and she very quickly demonstrated extra powers of smell.
Vira is the heroine of an interesting and exciting thriller and I look forward to her next adventure.

I love dogs! that was the first attraction to the book so I'm glad it lived up to what i wanted! It had a nice bit of suspense, awkward crush, dogs, and more dogs ;) I look forward to reading more about these characters in hopes there is a series coming!

This is an excellent start to what looks to be a great series. There is a lot to like about this one. It has mystery, a serial killer, dogs, a bit of romance, and the perfect dose of humor. Mace is an interesting character. Vira is the star of this one though. I also found Kippy to be a strong female character. I look forward to seeing more character development as the series progresses, but this story gives a great start. The mystery surrounding the killer is full of twists that kept me engaged and wondering. I found the dog training to be well handled. It is written in a way that is interesting without being too much. This is my first book by this author and I really liked the writing style. It will keep me coming back for more.

"The Finders" is the first book in the new Mace Ried K-9 Mystery series, and it did not disappoint. Mace Reid is a trainer of dogs, specializing in the training of HRD (Human Remains Detection), or cadaver, dogs. In "The Finders", Mace gets called in by the Chicago Police Department on a case involving a serial killer that going after young women in the area. While Reid is out is out on a search for a body believed to have been discarded by the serial killer, with one of his new HRD dogs, a young golden retriever named Vira, Vira goes after a man in the crowd of onlookers, leading Mace to eventually identify the young man that his dog attacked as the killer. However, once he is eventually arrested and jailed, Mace suddenly finds himself to be that target of another killer.

"The Finders" is a fast-paced thriller, and I found it hard to put down! While it does detail a little bit of the training that goes into turning a dog into a working cadaver dog, I am hoping that future books in the series will continue to provide more of that information, because its definitely interesting. Mace obviously has a special relationship with his 4 dogs, whom he affectionately refers to throughout the book as "the kids", and after the attack on the young man, who later is identified as the serial killer, he especially becomes interested in whether Vira is able to sense more then just the scent of death, as she almost appears to Mace, as well as the female police officer who found Vira as a puppy, to have almost a clairvoyant ability to her. I am definitely interested in reading more in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review. "The Finder" is scheduled to be release on June 30, 2020.

This book about human remains detecting dogs and their trainer/handler was a good start to a new mystery series. Mace Reid and his dogs, Maggie Mae, Delta Dawn, Sue, and especially Elvira, were all great to read about! I enjoyed police officer, Kippy Gimm, very much too.

The storyline was intense and fast-paced. The mystery was complex and had more than one facet. I'm looking forward to seeing what will be next for Mace, his team of dogs, and Kippy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Finders.

When I saw The Finders, I had to request it. It combines two of my favorite things in the world: dogs and mysteries.

Mace Reid loves dogs, so it's no surprise he works with them, notable training them as cadaver dogs.

When Vira, a clever dog with an unusual gift ends up with Mace, the two of them find themselves pursuing a serial killer, who has his sights set on Mace and Vira.

The Finders was an enjoyable read; the prose flowed, and Mace was a likable character, a bit self deprecating, kind of a doofus in the way he regards himself, though I wished he held himself in higher esteem.

He is a good guy, kind, loves animals, has an interesting job, so he has a lot going for him.

I did love how the author discusses how Mace trains his dogs, how dogs have uncanny senses, and their talents and abilities. It's clear the author did his research.

I also enjoyed the budding relationship between him and Kippy, a policewoman with big ambitions toward becoming a detective. She was competent, persistent, and tough; naturally, she's a beauty but aren't love interests in most books?

Vira is the standout; smart, intuitive, with preternatural instincts, she overcame a traumatic event to become a protege, a very special golden retriever Mace has never met before.

The mystery wasn't bad; I guessed whodunit it the moment the person showed up but I liked how the author adds a twist there isn't one killer, but two, and drops enough clues for it to lead to one particular person, clues that make sense.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

The story is well written and makes for an awesome mystery. As a person who is allergic to dogs, the only way that I get to “enjoy” them is in print, so reading about how the humans interact with the dogs as they weed out the killer, is always going to be a plus in my book. As the first in a new series, this is a good offering and a wonderful read with great plots and twists that lead into the next one. Love that the dogs are the stars of the story, but do not overshadow the efforts of everyone involved to bring justice.

Found this to be a very interesting read. Mason is a man who trains dogs for human remains detection. He adopts a dog with a mysterious past. Who seems to have super special ability which puts him and Mason in the path of a serial killer. Aided with the help of Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm they set out to thwart the serial killer before he kills Mason. A good read that keep me on the edge of my seat. Look forward to reading more by this Author.

Mason Reid trains dogs to search for human remains, and he adopts Vira, a traumatized puppy who was rescued from CO poisoning by police officer Kippy Gimm. This book was entertaining and kept my interest, especially because it placed a heavy emphasis on the role of the working dog in investigating a murder. It's always a bonus if a book introduces you to the details of an unfamiliar subculture, as this one does with dogs and handlers. The biggest flaw for me was that Vira was portrayed as essentially having superpowers; the story was much more satisfying early on, when she was just described as really, really talented at her job rather than possessed of some quasi-magical insight, which seemed to be the turn things took later in the book. This has the makings of a series and is likely to appeal to a wide audience. I look forward to the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital advance review copy.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this book- a taught psychological thriller... with dogs! There is a serial killer on the loose and Mace Reid and his cadaver sniffing dogs are called in to find the bodies in remote areas. His rescue puppy Vira is a savant at the work, not only sniffing out the bodies, but using her superior nose skills to identify the killers. After Mace and Vira foil a Everyman’s plans, they become his target. The randomness of the killer’s targets had me totally creeped out, and checking the locks on my doors twice.
The book has humor and even a little romance as newly divorced Mace finds fellow dog lover police officer Kippy Gimm ( hate her name btw) as irresistible a milk-bone. They work side by side to find the killer before he finds Mace and Vira.

On a side note I find the training dogs for this work really fascinating and wished the author had provided a bit more of a description of how Mace went about training a dog to do this work. On the other hand, it would have slowed the plot, so I understand why it was only briefly described.
It looks like this book is going to be a series, I cant wait to read the next one.

The Finders, I originally solely requested this book because of the beautiful golden retriever on the cover, well and maybe because I like crime thrillers, however I LOVED this book.

Mace trains dogs to find human remains, his three female dogs do just that, but his golden retriever rescue Vira takes finding remains to a whole new exceptional level. He also has an older male German Shepard who holds down the fort.

I love how Mace refers to his dogs as his kids and his conversations wish his pups cracked me up through out the book.

Mace (the handler) and Kippy a female cop team up, with the help of Vira to track down missing women who are getting abducted and murdered by a serial killer in Chicago, only to find that maybe Vira’s exceptional senses can also track down the serial killer.

This book had me on the edge of my seat wondering if they were ever going to catch the killer, and hoping nothing was going to happen to beautiful Vira. 5 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an ARC of #TheFinders by @jeffreybburton for my honest review. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #crime #doglover #goldenretriever

A book I enjoyed loved Vira the golden retriever a new series so well written .Found myself staying up late to finish the book. Highly recommend looking forward to next in the series.#netgalley#st.martinsbooks

I really enjoyed this book! Loved the whole interaction with the dogs. This book grabbed me from the first description and I couldn’t put it down. I’m happy to see it might become a series too, I will definitely be adding them to my list. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

First book by this author. Giving it a solid 4/5 stars.

Vira is given a second shot at life, and uses it to help her human, Mace, as a cadaver dog. While helping the Chicago Police Department find the latest victim of The Velvet Choker Killer, Vira and Mace find themselves targets of a serial killer. Will they discover the truth before it’s too late?

With an amazing plot, and a twist you won’t see coming. This book manages to mix a little police procedural, supernatural elements, and good old story about a boy and his dog.

Pro:
Quick Read, great Story, based in Chicago

Con:
Does seem to drag a little in the middle, but not for long

I want to thank St. Martin Press, Minotaur book for letting me read an ARC of this book via NetGalley

Thank you Jeffrey B Burton for an amazing start to a new series that is now one of my "followed" authors. This first in a series has a solid back story in Mace Reid training recovery dogs while struggling with his personal life. The community of characters, including a golden retriever cadaver dog, all bring to life a city being terrorized by a serial killer who is getting just a little too close to Mace and his dog, Vira. I really loved this book!

I found this book to be very interesting. I loved reading about the training of dogs. I felt the dogs character was well developed. I look forward to more books in this series.

A golden retriever puppy who has a near-death experience becomes a search and rescue dog with near-mythical abilities. The mystery is intriguing but the humans around the dog-- the police officer who finds her and the man who trains her-- and the dog as well are great characters. 

Looks to be the start of a great new series.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

A great start to a new series featuring dog trainer Mace Reid, police officer Kippy Gimm, and most importantly, his amazing dogs. Mace adopts a golden retriever puppy, Vira, that Kippy rescued from death. Like his other dogs he’s training her to become a finder of cadavers. Not only does Vira show extraordinary talent in this they discover she’s also able to pick out the guilty party in a crime. When Vira brutally attacks a bystander in the crowd who’s watching them recover a dead body, everyone thinks she’s lost it, however he turns out to be the perpetrator.

Mace Reid’s love of his dogs, and his self deprecating funny repertoire, endears him to me. Sometimes the writing reminded me of David Rosenfelt’s, and at one point I even googled Burton to see if they were one and the same.

I can see this becoming the start of a long-standing series, one I know our library patrons will thoroughly enjoy.
I know I’m already looking forward to the next book.

Thank you St Martin's Press for inviting me to read this book. I'm a golden retriever owner (3) and dog trainer so it was perfect for me. It had an interesting twist that kept me reading. I finished The Finders quickly and hope the author continues writing about Elvira.

A fast, fun k9 procedural. Mase and his dogs (trained as cadaver dogs) track down a pair of serial killers who have, on occasion, worked together. Lots of action and great descriptions of the dogs’ work. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur for an ARC for an honest review.

This book is a first rate murder mystery. The inclusion of interesting working dogs makes it a step above first rate in my opinion. A sweet golden retriever puppy, through no fault of her own, wound up in Animal Control. Mason Reid, a dedicated dog trainer, did an assessment of this totally shut down pup and knew he could work with her. Ten months later she is a promising cadaver dog and becomes a part of Mason's team of dogs who search for human remains. A cunning serial killer gives Mason's dogs a chance to shine.

The story is fast paced and held my interest from beginning to end. The characters are well developed and believable. I specially liked Mason whose sense of humor makes him a likable protagonist. I look forward to reading what comes next in this series.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TheFinders #NetGalley

This book was intriguing from the start. The main character is a dog trainer and also consults with the police at times with his own dogs. Assisting on one case leads to so much more. With a puppy back from the brinks of death, this book keeps you guessing at every turn. Can't wait for more in the serious and get to know Vira , Kippy, and Reid more!

Mason “Mace” Reid is an easy-going dog trainer who lives near Chicago. He specializes in training dogs to detect humane remains. With three dogs of his own, he is often called upon by the local police departments to help with search and recoveries.

While still mourning the death of his spaniel and the death of his marriage, he become the owner of a Golden Retriever pup he names Elvira. Nicknamed Vira, it soon becomes apparent that this is a dog that has extraordinary intelligence and instincts. In short order, Mace and Vira are drawn into a murder case that will threaten both of their lives.

The Finders is the first book in a new series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mace is an appealing character, his interactions with both dogs and people are entertaining, the subtle humor is excellent, and the plot is well-conceived. I’m a sucker for any mystery that portrays a dog on its cover. So, of course, I took a chance on a book by an author I had never read. Now, I’m so glad I did and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton is exceptional. It is a very well done mystery with gripping action and psychological suspense and yet one of the primary characters is one of man’s friendliest best friend’s. Don’t let the golden retriever fool you, though, there is some fierce action in this book and both Vera (the golden) and Mason (her handler) are intelligent engaging characters that I look forward to seeing again.

I loved this story, first in a new series. Mace Reid is a dog trainer, specializing in human remains detection. His dogs are his family, and he has just added a new member, Elvira, who turns out to be fantastic at the work. Officer Kippy Gimm contacts Mace to help find the most recent victim of a serial killer, and he takes Vira to see how she does. Amazingly, not only does she find the body, she grabs a man watching the scene! Turns out he is involved, and the mystery begins. Taut thriller, great dogs and a series I will follow!

Mace is a dog trainer. He trains them as Cavader dogs for the police.
But when his dog Vira picks out the murderer in the crowd and attacks him. Mace has to go all out to prove that Vira has a sixth sense! Before he knows it he's tracking a serial killer who is also trying to kill him!!

A brilliant book. At first I thought I wasn't going to like it but as soon as I read more. I was gripped and really got into it. Told from the point of view as Mace and the masked killer.
Little did we know the killer was under our noses the whole time!
This book has been written well and kept me engaged and entertained.

This book was great! It made me keep reading to the point of neglecting other things (like sleeping). It started out a little weird and I couldn’t figure out who was talking and which person / persons were the main characters until I read a couple of chapters and then when that was established, the story moved right along. I loved the characters and can’t wait to see most of them again in book 2. The plot revolved about a psychopath serial killer. That subject always fascinated me because it is hard to fathom what makes people turn out that way. Jeffrey Burton is a new author to me but I’m sure I will become more acquainted with his writing in the future. I also love to read about K-9s.

I recommend this book to all my mystery loving friends out there.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Cadavar dog trainer Mace Reid and the golden retriever puppy Vira develop an amazing bond, but even more amazing are her abilities - not only does she seem to understand her training almost before he trains her, but once she has found the victim, she appears to know who the killer is. This immediately gets Reid and Vira into some very difficult situations, and well into the cross-hairs of a serial killer. While the "hunter becoming the hunted," especially by a serial killer, has been done repeatedly, throwing in a very talented cadaver dog does shake up the formula nicely. And this book is a thriller and all about the action, start to finish. You will not fall asleep. The dogs play a big part, so if you pick the book up for the dogs, you will be happy. There were several parts where the police officer Kippy and Mace kept talking about how psychic Vira was, or other various woo-woo ideas for her skills, but I just figured it's her NOSE people! Ah well. Good read if you don't over-analyze it. I look forward to the series.

Mason Reids divorced, lives in the Chicago area, and trains dogs. He gets a special golden retriever puppy that was almost asphyxiated, and finds that she has remarkable, almost psychic abilities. Dogs are man's best pet. The book was informative about cadaver dogs and while reading the book I just wanted to hug this dog. Look forward to the next book.

The Finders is my first time reading this author. The book centers on Mason Reid, who lives outside Chicago and trains dogs. His area of expertise is training dogs in human remains detection. He recently acquired and began to train a golden retriever named Vira, who was recently rescued by Officer Kippy Gimm.

After Vira attacks a seemingly innocent man at a crime scene, Mason and Kippy begin to suspect the dog has some additional sensory powers. Along with Kippy, two hardened detectives and his “kids” they set out to solve the mystery of a serial killer targeting young women travelling along the interstates of Chicago.

The characters in the book are well-developed and gives the reader a sense of really knowing them and understanding their motives.

This is a good mystery, with action and lots of twists and turn. The best part is it’s balanced with a bit of humor that is relatable. The book is well written in that the suspense keeps you hooked and draws the reader in. A good final twist.

Overall a very good read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.