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Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #10
Dying Cry
A killer lurks in Colorado’s snowy high country in Dying Cry, the tenth thrilling installment of award-winning author Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 mystery series.
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream.
From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends.
The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler.
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream.
From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends.
The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
131 people are currently reading
3497 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Mizushima
16 books1,192 followersMargaret Mizushima is the author of the award-winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. Active within the writing community, Margaret serves as president for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, was elected the 2019-2020 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and is also a member of Northern Colorado Writers and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Colorado on a small ranch with her veterinarian husband where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals. She can be found on Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima, Twitter @margmizu, Instagram at margmizu, and her website at www.margaretmizushima.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
August 14, 2025
It’s still winter in Colorado’s high country as the suspenseful
Dying Cry
by Margaret Mizushima gets started. This is the tenth book in the exhilarating Timber Creek K-9 mystery series featuring Timber Creek Deputy Mattie Walker, her K-9 partner Robo, and her new husband Cole Walker.
While teaching Cole’s daughters Sophie and Angie to snowshoe, they hear a terrible scream. Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon at the resort to search for the source while Cole and the girls walk to get a cell phone signal and help. Mattie and Robo spot a figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buried the person before they can provide help. When uncovered, the person is dead. An investigation of the canyon rim indicates the wall wasn’t an accident. The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, but it will test Mattie and her new family in multiple ways.
Mattie is protective, a perfectionist, disciplined, and focused on training. Robo has taught her to trust again. She’s still trying to understand the boundaries of being a step-parent. Cole is big on procedures and has a good sense of humor. Robo loves to work and hates when he can’t go somewhere with Mattie. The family also has two other dogs, Bruno and Belle, and a cat named Hilde. While there are new characters, many of the characters have been in previous books in the series including Sheriff McCoy, Chief Deputy Brody, and Detective Stella LoSasso. Since the death occurs at Ponderosa Pines Resort, the resort employees have key roles in the story as well.
The author does a great job of making the reader feel engaged from the initial chapter to the end. The writing flows well and is descriptive without slowing the pacing. The story is captivating and the character development is wonderful. This tale kept my attention with a fast-paced and clever plot with a few twists. The subplots tied together well and there was good pacing from scene to scene. It’s full of action, intrigue, romance, and mystery with themes of murder, police investigations, veterinary procedures, family relationships and dynamics, and more. My only quibble was one of Mattie’s roles near the end of the book. I’m not sure she would have been allowed to take on that role in real life. However, this is a small police department and time was critical so I went along with it.
Overall, this is a clever and suspenseful mystery with compelling characters, a great sense of place, and tense moments throughout the story. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the entire series to enjoy the characters’ growth over time. This is the fourth book that I have read about Mattie, Robo and Cole. They seem like old friends, and I can’t wait to read the other books in this series. If you love police investigations and are a dog lover or just enjoy an engaging and suspenseful mystery, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Crooked Lane Books and Margaret Mizushima provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 14, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
While teaching Cole’s daughters Sophie and Angie to snowshoe, they hear a terrible scream. Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon at the resort to search for the source while Cole and the girls walk to get a cell phone signal and help. Mattie and Robo spot a figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buried the person before they can provide help. When uncovered, the person is dead. An investigation of the canyon rim indicates the wall wasn’t an accident. The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, but it will test Mattie and her new family in multiple ways.
Mattie is protective, a perfectionist, disciplined, and focused on training. Robo has taught her to trust again. She’s still trying to understand the boundaries of being a step-parent. Cole is big on procedures and has a good sense of humor. Robo loves to work and hates when he can’t go somewhere with Mattie. The family also has two other dogs, Bruno and Belle, and a cat named Hilde. While there are new characters, many of the characters have been in previous books in the series including Sheriff McCoy, Chief Deputy Brody, and Detective Stella LoSasso. Since the death occurs at Ponderosa Pines Resort, the resort employees have key roles in the story as well.
The author does a great job of making the reader feel engaged from the initial chapter to the end. The writing flows well and is descriptive without slowing the pacing. The story is captivating and the character development is wonderful. This tale kept my attention with a fast-paced and clever plot with a few twists. The subplots tied together well and there was good pacing from scene to scene. It’s full of action, intrigue, romance, and mystery with themes of murder, police investigations, veterinary procedures, family relationships and dynamics, and more. My only quibble was one of Mattie’s roles near the end of the book. I’m not sure she would have been allowed to take on that role in real life. However, this is a small police department and time was critical so I went along with it.
Overall, this is a clever and suspenseful mystery with compelling characters, a great sense of place, and tense moments throughout the story. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the entire series to enjoy the characters’ growth over time. This is the fourth book that I have read about Mattie, Robo and Cole. They seem like old friends, and I can’t wait to read the other books in this series. If you love police investigations and are a dog lover or just enjoy an engaging and suspenseful mystery, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Crooked Lane Books and Margaret Mizushima provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 14, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------------------------
My 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
August 27, 2025
I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I love catching up with Mattie and Robo and their latest murder investigation and SAR efforts. As long-time doggie mama, I love stories with amazing dogs in them, with my fave doggie duo stories being the SAR teams. Working in Timber Creek, CO, Mattie and Robo have a lot of experience in SAR cases. LOVE Robo!!! Best doggie ever! I know I say that about every great doggie story I read, but Robo really is an amazing doggie.
I love how Mizushima grabbed my attention pretty much from the get-go with a “dying cry” that had Mattie and Robo along with Cole and the girls, Angie and Sophie stopping in their tracks on their afternoon family hike. It was kind a creepy learning the definition of “dying cry” was the blood curling scream of someone and then the sudden cease, and in the mountains of CO, it was sound of someone falling from a cliff with sudden cease of the scream when they hit the ground. Eeewwweee!!!
The book summary is pretty vague and just introduces the primary storyline with a rather ominous statement about Mattie and her loved ones. So, from the get-go, I’m concerned about the girls and Robo. What the book summary doesn’t say is that the victim is Tess’s husband, Tom; Tess has been Cole’s vet assistant throughout the series. Tom works at the local bank and was at a team building event with some other bank staff and Tess had come along with her husband. Mattie and Cole were there with the girls and the dogs, Robo, Belle, and Bruno on a family weekend getaway.
There is also the resort owner, Brandon, who initially seems sympathetic to the tragedy, but is also concerned about the bad press his resort may get. Brody and Mattie quickly become concerned about his access to the case. Stella, Timber Creeks only Detective, has her sights on someone else and by the halfway point is making it very clear she is watching and looking into this person as a possible suspect.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the case. By the halfway point, I still have no clue the killer is or why. I can’t even narrow it down to one particular suspect and why. It’s deep into the second half, after some scary and intense scenes that had me staying up past my bedtime because I couldn’t go to sleep until I knew how it ended.
The continuing character development of newlyweds, Mattie and Cole, was well done as challenges of a blended family arise. I can’t forget Robo either! LOVE ROBO!!! Even Robo is learning to expand his tracking skills as well as his behavior and manners. Oh, my heart went out to him every time Mattie had to crate him; poor Robo would get so sad and dejected. Robo just loves to hang out with everyone and get love, attention and pets any chance he can get, that and work. Robo LOVES to work and catch the bad guys. The pacing was steady to fast, and the storyline was interesting, as well as a sad development for the series. The writing was also well done and one of the best in the series. Mizushima is a wonderful writer and storyteller. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DyingCry
I love how Mizushima grabbed my attention pretty much from the get-go with a “dying cry” that had Mattie and Robo along with Cole and the girls, Angie and Sophie stopping in their tracks on their afternoon family hike. It was kind a creepy learning the definition of “dying cry” was the blood curling scream of someone and then the sudden cease, and in the mountains of CO, it was sound of someone falling from a cliff with sudden cease of the scream when they hit the ground. Eeewwweee!!!
The book summary is pretty vague and just introduces the primary storyline with a rather ominous statement about Mattie and her loved ones. So, from the get-go, I’m concerned about the girls and Robo. What the book summary doesn’t say is that the victim is Tess’s husband, Tom; Tess has been Cole’s vet assistant throughout the series. Tom works at the local bank and was at a team building event with some other bank staff and Tess had come along with her husband. Mattie and Cole were there with the girls and the dogs, Robo, Belle, and Bruno on a family weekend getaway.
There is also the resort owner, Brandon, who initially seems sympathetic to the tragedy, but is also concerned about the bad press his resort may get. Brody and Mattie quickly become concerned about his access to the case. Stella, Timber Creeks only Detective, has her sights on someone else and by the halfway point is making it very clear she is watching and looking into this person as a possible suspect.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the case. By the halfway point, I still have no clue the killer is or why. I can’t even narrow it down to one particular suspect and why. It’s deep into the second half, after some scary and intense scenes that had me staying up past my bedtime because I couldn’t go to sleep until I knew how it ended.
The continuing character development of newlyweds, Mattie and Cole, was well done as challenges of a blended family arise. I can’t forget Robo either! LOVE ROBO!!! Even Robo is learning to expand his tracking skills as well as his behavior and manners. Oh, my heart went out to him every time Mattie had to crate him; poor Robo would get so sad and dejected. Robo just loves to hang out with everyone and get love, attention and pets any chance he can get, that and work. Robo LOVES to work and catch the bad guys. The pacing was steady to fast, and the storyline was interesting, as well as a sad development for the series. The writing was also well done and one of the best in the series. Mizushima is a wonderful writer and storyteller. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DyingCry
May 9, 2025
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole are vacationing with his two daughters at a ski resort when they hear an anguished cry. Mattie summons help, and they learn that a man they know, a banker who is the husband of Cole's employee, is dead. It's declared a homicide, and Mattie and Robo, her police dog, are on the case. The story builds to an exciting conclusion with Robo helping to collar the miscreants. An excellent police procedural with a strong female character and her amazing canine partner. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 19, 2025
I think I've read every book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, and the series just keeps getting better! Dying Cry didn't give me long to read and relax, however. Newlyweds Cole and Mattie, Robo, and Cole's daughters are at a venue where corporate meetings are held, and where the girls are learning how to snowshoe. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the canyon. Cole and the girls rushed back to the venue to find helpers, as well as snowmobiles. Sheriff's Deputy Mattie and her Search K-9, Robo, climbed down into the canyon, where they discovered the worst.
The book took off from there, with twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I couldn't figure out who could be trusted! Dying Cry seemed to have it all. Happy times. Sad times. Stressful times. The characterizations were wonderful, and I love Cole's housekeeper/nanny/cook, Mrs. Gibbs. Robo is the star, of course. He's brilliant, brave, and prances on his front feet when he gets excited!
I believe Dying Cry can be read as a standalone, although there is a lot of interesting background in the previous nine books.
BIG thanks #CrookedLaneBooks, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Dying Cry has an expected publication date of Oct 14 2025.
#MargaretMizushima #K9Mystery
The book took off from there, with twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I couldn't figure out who could be trusted! Dying Cry seemed to have it all. Happy times. Sad times. Stressful times. The characterizations were wonderful, and I love Cole's housekeeper/nanny/cook, Mrs. Gibbs. Robo is the star, of course. He's brilliant, brave, and prances on his front feet when he gets excited!
I believe Dying Cry can be read as a standalone, although there is a lot of interesting background in the previous nine books.
BIG thanks #CrookedLaneBooks, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Dying Cry has an expected publication date of Oct 14 2025.
#MargaretMizushima #K9Mystery
March 21, 2025
Margaret Mizushima hits it out of the park with Dying Cry featuring Mattie, her new husband Cole, and K-9 Robo. I was captivated from page 1 of this riveting mystery. There were plenty of questions, intriguing twists, and complex threads to follow, as well as a few surprises along the way. The intensity and emotion are gripping, and it was a hard book to put down. I love mysteries, particularly ones featuring a K-9, and this one is among the best!
October 9, 2025
4.5 stars, actually.
Okay, I'm a sucker for books that have lovable dogs in them. Robo, the K-9 partner of Timber Creek (Colorado) Sheriff's Department Deputy Mattie Walker, is among my favorites (this is the 10th in the series). Here, Mattie and her relatively new husband, Cole (a veterinarian and member of the Sheriff's Posse), are taking a few days off at a high country resort to teach Cole's daughters Sophie and Angela - Mattie's new family - to snowshoe. As they make their way with Robo along a canyon, they hear what appears to be a human scream. Knowing that's not a common thing and sensing danger, Mattie and Robo send the girls back to the resort with their father and head on to investigate.
What they find is anything but pleasant; an apparent body at the bottom of a cliff. Just as they get closer, though, more danger comes in the form of a landslide that, well, lands right on top of the body. When they can safely approach, Mattie - with help from Robo - uncovers the body of a man who was attending a bankers' retreat at the resort lodge. That's bad enough; but it turns personal when the body turns out to be Tom Murphy, the husband of Cole's very competent veterinary tech assistant, Tess.
Needless to say, that puts Tess in the crosshairs of Mattie's investigation (the spouse is always a suspect, don't you know) and Cole in the middle. Then other possibilities begin to surface, especially when they learn Tom was concerned about something amiss at the bank. Could it be he was murdered to keep him silent? As the investigation progresses, both Mattie and Cole have their hands full trying to find the killer as well as soothe the agitation and concern of young Sophie and Angie and the demands of their mother, Cole's ex-wife Olivia.
The star of the show (well, to me, at least) is Robo, whose sensitive nose and protective nature get a good workout in this fast-paced adventure. The outcome of the investigation came as a surprise (and perhaps a little contrived), but it made sense and certainly kept my Kindle thumb busy turning the pages right to the end. Oh, and if you haven't read any others in the series, don't worry; this one stands alone quite well (the last one I read was in 2019, and I had no problem at all). I'm ready for the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch up by way of a pre-release copy. Well done!
Okay, I'm a sucker for books that have lovable dogs in them. Robo, the K-9 partner of Timber Creek (Colorado) Sheriff's Department Deputy Mattie Walker, is among my favorites (this is the 10th in the series). Here, Mattie and her relatively new husband, Cole (a veterinarian and member of the Sheriff's Posse), are taking a few days off at a high country resort to teach Cole's daughters Sophie and Angela - Mattie's new family - to snowshoe. As they make their way with Robo along a canyon, they hear what appears to be a human scream. Knowing that's not a common thing and sensing danger, Mattie and Robo send the girls back to the resort with their father and head on to investigate.
What they find is anything but pleasant; an apparent body at the bottom of a cliff. Just as they get closer, though, more danger comes in the form of a landslide that, well, lands right on top of the body. When they can safely approach, Mattie - with help from Robo - uncovers the body of a man who was attending a bankers' retreat at the resort lodge. That's bad enough; but it turns personal when the body turns out to be Tom Murphy, the husband of Cole's very competent veterinary tech assistant, Tess.
Needless to say, that puts Tess in the crosshairs of Mattie's investigation (the spouse is always a suspect, don't you know) and Cole in the middle. Then other possibilities begin to surface, especially when they learn Tom was concerned about something amiss at the bank. Could it be he was murdered to keep him silent? As the investigation progresses, both Mattie and Cole have their hands full trying to find the killer as well as soothe the agitation and concern of young Sophie and Angie and the demands of their mother, Cole's ex-wife Olivia.
The star of the show (well, to me, at least) is Robo, whose sensitive nose and protective nature get a good workout in this fast-paced adventure. The outcome of the investigation came as a surprise (and perhaps a little contrived), but it made sense and certainly kept my Kindle thumb busy turning the pages right to the end. Oh, and if you haven't read any others in the series, don't worry; this one stands alone quite well (the last one I read was in 2019, and I had no problem at all). I'm ready for the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch up by way of a pre-release copy. Well done!
December 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
November 30, 2025
I started reading Mizushimas books about seven years ago. Our book club had an author talk with her about a year ago and I am becoming a big fan. We are in a rural Colorado mountain community and we’re thrilled when Ms. Mizushima said she’d do an author talk with us. She seems to be a very down home level headed woman who wanted to write a novel and has become successful in not just writing a novel, but a good series of novels!
I have seen her stories and characters develop into rich satisfying, solid mysteries. If you like mystery series without lots of gore and bad language, yet more in depth than a “cosy” mystery you should try this series about a Colorado K-9 cop in the Rocky Mountains and her dog Robo. As each novel progresses you feel like you are getting to know each character more and see their complexity as humans along with a darn good mystery to boot!
I have seen her stories and characters develop into rich satisfying, solid mysteries. If you like mystery series without lots of gore and bad language, yet more in depth than a “cosy” mystery you should try this series about a Colorado K-9 cop in the Rocky Mountains and her dog Robo. As each novel progresses you feel like you are getting to know each character more and see their complexity as humans along with a darn good mystery to boot!
October 3, 2025
Dying Cry is a cozy mystery with a likable couple and their K-9 officer, Robo, at its center. While snowshoeing on a family vacation, they hear the titular shriek, leading them to jump into action after getting the kids back to the lodge safely. Unwinding the mystery is nicely complex yet not overly so. I enjoyed learning about the handling of K-9 officers and reflecting on how my own dog would flunk out of K-9 school (but of course I love him all the same). I look forward to reading more in this series. The audiobook is well narrated.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of f#DyingCry for review purposes. Publication date: 14 October 2025.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of f#DyingCry for review purposes. Publication date: 14 October 2025.
October 21, 2025
Another great book in the fantastic Timber Creek K-9series. featuring Mattie and her dog Robo, solving crimes in a small Colorado Mountain town. As a small Colorado Mountain girl, I can vouch that it feels very authentically Colorado, which is awesome.
In this book, someone kills Mattie's husband's colleague, and Mattie and Robo are in a race to stop the killer from furthering their scope
In this book, someone kills Mattie's husband's colleague, and Mattie and Robo are in a race to stop the killer from furthering their scope
October 15, 2025
This was a really good mystery novel. I enjoyed all the characters and the atmosphere the author created.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC.
September 10, 2025
Mattie and Cole Walker on a brief vacation with his daughters. They are snowshoeing when they hear a cry. Cole takes the girls back to the resort while Mattie and her K-9 Robo go to investigate.
Robo finds a trail and Mattie can see a body at the base of a cliff, but a landslide covers it before Mattie can get there. She's called in reinforcements from the sheriff's department but she Cole and the resort owner manage to uncover the body before they arrive. Cole is surprised to recognize Tom Murphy, a local banker and the husband of his vetinary assistant Tess.
Events quickly prove to be murder. The Timber Creek Sheriff's Department is on the case. Tom was at the resort with some of his colleagues from the bank planning future projects. Tess had come along for a mini-vacation. Mattie's first task is to clear Tess of involvement. But Detective Stella LoSasso isn't convinced that Tess didn't kill her husband.
When it comes out that Tom had contacted the Ethics hotline at work before his death, it looks like his death was work related. No one knows why he contacted them though. Maybe it had to do with the affair between the bank president and Tom's assistant manager who were both along on the retreat but the affair was supposedly over. And what do screenshots on his phone of various bank accounts have to do with the murder?
Tom was killed with a combination of fentanyl and xylazine - a horse tranquilizer - which puts Tess back on the list of suspects but also includes a couple of guys at the resort who manage the horses and had been turned down for a loan.
This was an excellent twisty episode in this long-running series. I like the way Mattie is integrating into her new family. I also love her relationship with her K-9 Robo.
Robo finds a trail and Mattie can see a body at the base of a cliff, but a landslide covers it before Mattie can get there. She's called in reinforcements from the sheriff's department but she Cole and the resort owner manage to uncover the body before they arrive. Cole is surprised to recognize Tom Murphy, a local banker and the husband of his vetinary assistant Tess.
Events quickly prove to be murder. The Timber Creek Sheriff's Department is on the case. Tom was at the resort with some of his colleagues from the bank planning future projects. Tess had come along for a mini-vacation. Mattie's first task is to clear Tess of involvement. But Detective Stella LoSasso isn't convinced that Tess didn't kill her husband.
When it comes out that Tom had contacted the Ethics hotline at work before his death, it looks like his death was work related. No one knows why he contacted them though. Maybe it had to do with the affair between the bank president and Tom's assistant manager who were both along on the retreat but the affair was supposedly over. And what do screenshots on his phone of various bank accounts have to do with the murder?
Tom was killed with a combination of fentanyl and xylazine - a horse tranquilizer - which puts Tess back on the list of suspects but also includes a couple of guys at the resort who manage the horses and had been turned down for a loan.
This was an excellent twisty episode in this long-running series. I like the way Mattie is integrating into her new family. I also love her relationship with her K-9 Robo.
October 27, 2025
This book was a perfect blend of intriguing mystery and character building. A very mild thriller that doesn't leave you scared or avoiding the rest of the series. I had no problem following along with it being the first book I've read of the series.
The book starts off strong, diving right into the moment Mattie, her new husband Cole, Cole's daughters, and their dogs hear a blood curdling scream while out snowshoeing. Things are immediately thrown into organized chaos as Mattie and her dog Robo attempt to check out the scene and figure out what happened.
One thing I appreciated was the amount of character building in the book. I feel like I had a chance to feel connected and learn about each of the characters without it being an interruption to the investigation going on. I also appreciated that the ending wasn't blatantly obvious as some thrillers can be. While there were some times I went back and forth on who I thought was suspicious, the author would throw another key detail or curveball in there to make me second guess!
I'm giving this book a 4/5 starts and cannot wait to get ahold of some of the other books in the series! Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC!!
The book starts off strong, diving right into the moment Mattie, her new husband Cole, Cole's daughters, and their dogs hear a blood curdling scream while out snowshoeing. Things are immediately thrown into organized chaos as Mattie and her dog Robo attempt to check out the scene and figure out what happened.
One thing I appreciated was the amount of character building in the book. I feel like I had a chance to feel connected and learn about each of the characters without it being an interruption to the investigation going on. I also appreciated that the ending wasn't blatantly obvious as some thrillers can be. While there were some times I went back and forth on who I thought was suspicious, the author would throw another key detail or curveball in there to make me second guess!
I'm giving this book a 4/5 starts and cannot wait to get ahold of some of the other books in the series! Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC!!
November 24, 2025
I absolutely love this series and this latest installment did not disappoint.
The murder mystery, the wonderful characters who I feel I know and good boy Robo all make for a great book.
The murder mystery, the wonderful characters who I feel I know and good boy Robo all make for a great book.
December 5, 2025
Awesome
I truly love these books and the characters. I really hope there will be more in the "Timber Creek K-9 Mystery" series.
Waiting anxiously for the next one.
I truly love these books and the characters. I really hope there will be more in the "Timber Creek K-9 Mystery" series.
Waiting anxiously for the next one.
October 30, 2025
I’ve read all the novels in the Timber Creek series, and I think this latest, Dying Cry, is one of her best. More complex than previous books. My issue doesn’t concern the story, but the choice of narrator. She is so nasal that it was like nails on the chalkboard. She did a good job with the energy but I cringed every time I tuned into the audiobook.
November 19, 2025
Another good page-turner, but I wouldn't want to live in Timber Creek. Too much happens there!
November 19, 2025
My take: Dying Cry is more than a mystery—it’s an experience. Highly recommended for dog lovers and anyone who craves a story with grit and grace.
Margaret Mizushima’s Dying Cry, the tenth installment in the acclaimed Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, delivers a gripping blend of suspense, character depth, and atmospheric setting. Set against the stark beauty of Colorado’s high country, the novel opens with a chilling moment: a family snowshoeing trip interrupted by a piercing scream that echoes through a remote canyon. Deputy Mattie Walker and her K-9 partner, Robo, spring into action, only to discover a body buried beneath a sudden rockslide—a death that quickly proves to be no accident.
Mizushima excels at crafting a taut police procedural that feels both authentic and emotionally resonant. The investigation tests Mattie’s professional instincts and her personal life as a newlywed and stepmother, weaving family dynamics into the high-stakes hunt for a killer. The narrative explores themes of trust, resilience, and the fragile balance between duty and home, all while showcasing the indispensable role of K-9 units in law enforcement.
The pacing is brisk, with tension mounting as secrets unravel and motives surface. Mizushima’s prose is vivid but never over-the-top. Characters—major and minor—are fully realized, with just enough natural dialogue, and their choices remain believable. Fans of the series will appreciate subtle callbacks to earlier books, while newcomers can dive in without feeling lost. But let's face it. Every book in the series deserves to be read and enjoyed.
My suggestion: grab a warm blanket, pour a cup of tea, and prepare for a ride that's equal parts thrilling and tender.
Reasons I loved this read:
- a strong, relatable heroine
- a working relationship - these newlyweds are committed to all the right things: fighting the good fight, a fierce love for their evolving family, a sense of compassion, and an understanding of why they do what they do
- a loyal K-9 partner who steals the show (and your heart)
- excellent twists that kept me reading
- elements of what I'll call "meaningful mystery," which are fresh and unafraid to tackle real-world issues without ever being preachy or overdone
And now, I can't wait to see what happens next for Mattie, Cole, Robo, and the entire Timber Creek cast!
Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of the book.
Margaret Mizushima’s Dying Cry, the tenth installment in the acclaimed Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, delivers a gripping blend of suspense, character depth, and atmospheric setting. Set against the stark beauty of Colorado’s high country, the novel opens with a chilling moment: a family snowshoeing trip interrupted by a piercing scream that echoes through a remote canyon. Deputy Mattie Walker and her K-9 partner, Robo, spring into action, only to discover a body buried beneath a sudden rockslide—a death that quickly proves to be no accident.
Mizushima excels at crafting a taut police procedural that feels both authentic and emotionally resonant. The investigation tests Mattie’s professional instincts and her personal life as a newlywed and stepmother, weaving family dynamics into the high-stakes hunt for a killer. The narrative explores themes of trust, resilience, and the fragile balance between duty and home, all while showcasing the indispensable role of K-9 units in law enforcement.
The pacing is brisk, with tension mounting as secrets unravel and motives surface. Mizushima’s prose is vivid but never over-the-top. Characters—major and minor—are fully realized, with just enough natural dialogue, and their choices remain believable. Fans of the series will appreciate subtle callbacks to earlier books, while newcomers can dive in without feeling lost. But let's face it. Every book in the series deserves to be read and enjoyed.
My suggestion: grab a warm blanket, pour a cup of tea, and prepare for a ride that's equal parts thrilling and tender.
Reasons I loved this read:
- a strong, relatable heroine
- a working relationship - these newlyweds are committed to all the right things: fighting the good fight, a fierce love for their evolving family, a sense of compassion, and an understanding of why they do what they do
- a loyal K-9 partner who steals the show (and your heart)
- excellent twists that kept me reading
- elements of what I'll call "meaningful mystery," which are fresh and unafraid to tackle real-world issues without ever being preachy or overdone
And now, I can't wait to see what happens next for Mattie, Cole, Robo, and the entire Timber Creek cast!
Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy of the book.
October 14, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Mattie is newly married. The family is out at a resort to do some climbing, hiking and snowshoeing. They hear a cry which might mean someone is hurt. Maddie and Robo go to check it out while Cole and the girls go back to the lodge to get help. Maddie is nearly to the body when a rockslide covers him. It turns out to be the husband of Cole's vet tech, Tess. It's definitely not an accident; it's murder.
Mattie is really comfortable as part of the team at work. In Dying Cry, she learns to work with the rest of the team and stay objective even when she isn't, as a friend has died. She struggles as she knows the widow has enough problems without being treated like a suspect with all the questions. Stella works closely with her keeping both of them professional, doing what needs to be done, clearing people as quickly as they can.
It doesn't seem like anyone would have wanted to kill him. In addition to family, there are his co-workers at the bank, where he was a manager. Did a customer have a problem? Mattie and Stella have to work through the rumors, to find the truth.
Cole has his own issues with being down a much needed vet tech. Then his ex-wife Olivia starts to make demands. He and Mattie are both worried about Angie's reaction to the death. Sophie seems unaffected and is not very involved with things in this book. It is encouraging how they all support each other and how Cole and Mattie are working together in their new marriage.
The Timber Creek K-9 series continues to give me a great working K9 in Robo, the mystery of police investigations and rescue missions, as well as a continuing to develop family life. I hope to read many more!
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Mattie is newly married. The family is out at a resort to do some climbing, hiking and snowshoeing. They hear a cry which might mean someone is hurt. Maddie and Robo go to check it out while Cole and the girls go back to the lodge to get help. Maddie is nearly to the body when a rockslide covers him. It turns out to be the husband of Cole's vet tech, Tess. It's definitely not an accident; it's murder.
Mattie is really comfortable as part of the team at work. In Dying Cry, she learns to work with the rest of the team and stay objective even when she isn't, as a friend has died. She struggles as she knows the widow has enough problems without being treated like a suspect with all the questions. Stella works closely with her keeping both of them professional, doing what needs to be done, clearing people as quickly as they can.
It doesn't seem like anyone would have wanted to kill him. In addition to family, there are his co-workers at the bank, where he was a manager. Did a customer have a problem? Mattie and Stella have to work through the rumors, to find the truth.
Cole has his own issues with being down a much needed vet tech. Then his ex-wife Olivia starts to make demands. He and Mattie are both worried about Angie's reaction to the death. Sophie seems unaffected and is not very involved with things in this book. It is encouraging how they all support each other and how Cole and Mattie are working together in their new marriage.
The Timber Creek K-9 series continues to give me a great working K9 in Robo, the mystery of police investigations and rescue missions, as well as a continuing to develop family life. I hope to read many more!
November 10, 2025
Mattie and Cole Walker were recently married. A weekend away with Cole’s daughters was a chance to bond as a family, but as they travelled the snowy trails around the Colorado resort a scream pierced the air. As a deputy sheriff, Mattie sent the girls back to the lodge with Cole to get help. Accompanied by Robo, her trained rescue dog, they spot a body in the canyon, narrowly avoiding a rockslide that covers the victim. When help arrives and the body is uncovered, he is identified as Tom, the husband of Cole’s veterinary assistant Tess. He was supposed to be attending a retreat with his co-workers, but their cabin was nowhere near the canyon. Mattie makes the call that it is a possible homicide and calls in the crime scene investigators. The death strikes close to home for the Walker family since Tess has worked with Cole for years. While Cole’s younger daughter is unaware of the death, his teenage daughter Angie takes it hard. While Mattie is involved in the investigation, she also looks for ways to help her cope with the loss. Tess’ husband was a bank manager. As Mattie traces the events leading to Tom’s death there is also an investigation into irregularities in the bank’s records that Tom had discovered, leading to his murder.
Margaret Mizushima has allowed her characters to develop their relationships through her series and Dying Cry is her best yet. She throws you right into the mystery with the scream in the opening pages. Timber Creek has a small police department that works well together, but the standout member is Robo. He instinctively reacts to Mattie’s actions, whether offering a sympathetic nudge or going into attack mode to protect her. Mizushima’s story evolves at a steady pace, leading to a tense standoff between police and a desperate murderer. This story was hard to put down once I started reading. It is a mystery, a police procedural and it features a dog. It does not get any better than that. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book.
Margaret Mizushima has allowed her characters to develop their relationships through her series and Dying Cry is her best yet. She throws you right into the mystery with the scream in the opening pages. Timber Creek has a small police department that works well together, but the standout member is Robo. He instinctively reacts to Mattie’s actions, whether offering a sympathetic nudge or going into attack mode to protect her. Mizushima’s story evolves at a steady pace, leading to a tense standoff between police and a desperate murderer. This story was hard to put down once I started reading. It is a mystery, a police procedural and it features a dog. It does not get any better than that. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book.
December 4, 2025
Dying Cry is the tenth book in the Timber Creek K-9 series, and although you can read it as a standalone, you will miss out on personal development and relationships between the characters. In this book, Maddie and Cole have recently married and are out with Cole's girls teaching them to snowshoe. They hear a scream, so Maddie and her K-9, Robo, head out to investigate. She is able to see someone who appears to have fallen from a cliff and before she can get to them, a landslide buries them in shale. Maddie calls for support and she and Robo begin a rescue operation. By the time the victim is uncovered, he has died. Maddie is heartsick when she realized that it is the husband of Cole's receptionist/vet assistant. Was it an accident or was he pushed?
I really enjoy this series, especially the characters. I have followed Maddie's story from the start and she has gone through a lot. Robo is more than just her partner. He has saved her life more than once. Cole is the local veterinarian and their relationship grew and developed over time. Maddie has a great team that she works with and I like how Detective Stella LoSasso balances her out. This investigation was an interesting one. Mizushima's writing flows well and pulls the reader into the story. I wasn't sure who the killer was, as it didn't seem there were a lot of suspects. Everyone liked the victim, but as facts about his life prior to his murder came to light, more suspects emerged. This was an engaging mystery with lots of danger to Maddie's family as she got closer to the killer. I enjoyed this book as much as the previous ones in this series. I am a fan of narrator, Nancy Wu. She does an excellent job with the voice and storytelling. As the suspense built in the story, her voice pulled me in even more. If you enjoy K-9 stories, especially mysteries and thrillers, than I recommend you pick up Dying Cry in whatever format you prefer.
I really enjoy this series, especially the characters. I have followed Maddie's story from the start and she has gone through a lot. Robo is more than just her partner. He has saved her life more than once. Cole is the local veterinarian and their relationship grew and developed over time. Maddie has a great team that she works with and I like how Detective Stella LoSasso balances her out. This investigation was an interesting one. Mizushima's writing flows well and pulls the reader into the story. I wasn't sure who the killer was, as it didn't seem there were a lot of suspects. Everyone liked the victim, but as facts about his life prior to his murder came to light, more suspects emerged. This was an engaging mystery with lots of danger to Maddie's family as she got closer to the killer. I enjoyed this book as much as the previous ones in this series. I am a fan of narrator, Nancy Wu. She does an excellent job with the voice and storytelling. As the suspense built in the story, her voice pulled me in even more. If you enjoy K-9 stories, especially mysteries and thrillers, than I recommend you pick up Dying Cry in whatever format you prefer.
October 10, 2025
This is my favourite K-9 mystery series. It’s grittier than a cozy but not quite a thriller and probably about as edgy as I’m willing to go ’cause I’m a scaredy cat. It’s definitely best to read the books in order because of the phenomenal character growth – and not just with Mattie and Cole but a host of secondary characters as well. It is worth taking the time to watch them all evolve over the course of the series, including the romance (eeeeppp!)
Robo, the wonder dog, is a huge draw for me too and I love the extra bits of K-9 training and logistics that the author includes. I haven’t read another book with such a comprehensive approach to the K-9 aspect. Informative without taking away from the action of the story. In fact, it actually adds to the tension and suspense. I get as revved up as Robo trailing a scent!
‘Dying Cry’ is part police procedural, part wilderness adventure and chockfull of emotion since this murder hits close to home for Mattie. Newly married and trying to find her footing as stepmother to Cole’s precocious daughters, she struggles to find a balance between family life and working a gruesome investigation.
Love the role reversal of Mattie being the deputy facing danger every day while Cole is ‘safely’ ensconced at his veterinary practice. And the way the suspense plays out kept me on edge all the way to the end. Mercy, that climax – completely riveting with plenty of gasp out loud moments!
I listened to the audio book and Nancy Wu’s narration is a perfect match for Margaret Mizushima’s storytelling style. She’s been the Timber Creek K-9 voice from the very beginning and I really appreciate that continuity. Highly recommend the audio books to discerning listeners everywhere!
My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio coy of this book.
Robo, the wonder dog, is a huge draw for me too and I love the extra bits of K-9 training and logistics that the author includes. I haven’t read another book with such a comprehensive approach to the K-9 aspect. Informative without taking away from the action of the story. In fact, it actually adds to the tension and suspense. I get as revved up as Robo trailing a scent!
‘Dying Cry’ is part police procedural, part wilderness adventure and chockfull of emotion since this murder hits close to home for Mattie. Newly married and trying to find her footing as stepmother to Cole’s precocious daughters, she struggles to find a balance between family life and working a gruesome investigation.
Love the role reversal of Mattie being the deputy facing danger every day while Cole is ‘safely’ ensconced at his veterinary practice. And the way the suspense plays out kept me on edge all the way to the end. Mercy, that climax – completely riveting with plenty of gasp out loud moments!
I listened to the audio book and Nancy Wu’s narration is a perfect match for Margaret Mizushima’s storytelling style. She’s been the Timber Creek K-9 voice from the very beginning and I really appreciate that continuity. Highly recommend the audio books to discerning listeners everywhere!
My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio coy of this book.
October 29, 2025
This series is one of my favorites, one of the few in which I am fully caught up and will pre-order new installments.
What I truly love about this series is the character of Mattie. She’s a young sheriff’s deputy with a difficult past. She’s overcome a traumatic childhood, and unresolved issues related to her upbringing are important to plots of earlier books in the series. She is strong and brave, but we see how she sometimes has to work hard to overcome the emotions that rise up in her. She has a vulnerability that’s relatable. Her past is described but not made overly dramatic. As the series progresses, we see her meet her demons head on and succeed. She’s easy to root for. This installment is the first after Mattie has married and become a step-mother. Her emotions and doubts about her new roles of wife and mother are realistically portrayed.
I also love the K-9 character, Robo, Mattie’s faithful German Shepard. I enjoy the insights into how police dogs are trained for various purposes and how they are deployed in dangerous situations.
This series could be considered what I’ve heard referred to as an “outdoor” mystery. Set in rugged Colorado, the weather and terrain play a role in most plots.
The audio version is over 10 hours long. I recently had the pleasure of watching the author be interviewed by a staff member of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona (live streamed via YouTube). She mentioned that she made the book longer to give readers more for their money. I love that! How considerate of her. The author also mentioned that she has moved away from blatant cursing in the dialogue because she learned that some cozy readers are open to her work. I found that comment very interesting. I hadn’t noticed the absence of cursing, but now that you mention it, I see it. It’s may seem unrealistic to depict law-enforcement officers in stressful situations where they don’t curse. But it is true that avoiding cursing causes the author to better articulate the character’s thoughts and feelings. While this book may appeal to cozy readers, it’s definitely not a cozy. The plot and action is intensely scary at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will eagerly continue with this series.
What I truly love about this series is the character of Mattie. She’s a young sheriff’s deputy with a difficult past. She’s overcome a traumatic childhood, and unresolved issues related to her upbringing are important to plots of earlier books in the series. She is strong and brave, but we see how she sometimes has to work hard to overcome the emotions that rise up in her. She has a vulnerability that’s relatable. Her past is described but not made overly dramatic. As the series progresses, we see her meet her demons head on and succeed. She’s easy to root for. This installment is the first after Mattie has married and become a step-mother. Her emotions and doubts about her new roles of wife and mother are realistically portrayed.
I also love the K-9 character, Robo, Mattie’s faithful German Shepard. I enjoy the insights into how police dogs are trained for various purposes and how they are deployed in dangerous situations.
This series could be considered what I’ve heard referred to as an “outdoor” mystery. Set in rugged Colorado, the weather and terrain play a role in most plots.
The audio version is over 10 hours long. I recently had the pleasure of watching the author be interviewed by a staff member of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona (live streamed via YouTube). She mentioned that she made the book longer to give readers more for their money. I love that! How considerate of her. The author also mentioned that she has moved away from blatant cursing in the dialogue because she learned that some cozy readers are open to her work. I found that comment very interesting. I hadn’t noticed the absence of cursing, but now that you mention it, I see it. It’s may seem unrealistic to depict law-enforcement officers in stressful situations where they don’t curse. But it is true that avoiding cursing causes the author to better articulate the character’s thoughts and feelings. While this book may appeal to cozy readers, it’s definitely not a cozy. The plot and action is intensely scary at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will eagerly continue with this series.
October 3, 2025
I loved this book. This book would fit into so many categories and would appeal to lots of different people, it's so much more than a mystery. I don't normally like a book that pays heavy attention to the characters home life but the Walker family's life is so wound up in the story that you can't help but get caught up in the drama too and what's even better is this is one family that it is great to spend time with. That doesn't mean the book forgets the mystery so you can get to know the characters, instead the whole family gets caught up in the investigation, with either Mattie investigating the death or because Cole's employee is the wife of the victim. It all unfolds at a fast paced and had me hooked until the very end.The mystery had me suspecting the wrong person and I was on the edge of my seat as the book came to its conclusion. I can't wait for the next book from this must read series.
Mattie is getting used to married life, by taking her new husband and his daughters for a weekend get away but a scream has it coming to an abrupt halt. Mattie and her K-9 partner Robo soon discover a body at the bottom of a snowy cliff. To make matters worse it's somebody they know, Cole works with the dead man's wife. As Mattie and the team investigates it quickly becomes obvious that it was no accident. With Cole's assistant at the top of the suspect list, Mattie will still have to follow up every lead to find the killer, no matter where it takes her and Robo.
I like the narrator. She makes the story and characters come to life better than any actor could.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Mattie is getting used to married life, by taking her new husband and his daughters for a weekend get away but a scream has it coming to an abrupt halt. Mattie and her K-9 partner Robo soon discover a body at the bottom of a snowy cliff. To make matters worse it's somebody they know, Cole works with the dead man's wife. As Mattie and the team investigates it quickly becomes obvious that it was no accident. With Cole's assistant at the top of the suspect list, Mattie will still have to follow up every lead to find the killer, no matter where it takes her and Robo.
I like the narrator. She makes the story and characters come to life better than any actor could.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
October 22, 2025
It’s hard to put into words the rush of emotion I felt while reading Trace of Magic by Patrick Dolan. From the very first chapter, I found myself pulled deep into the snow covered mystery of Colorado’s high country a place so beautifully described that I could almost feel the icy wind biting my cheeks and hear the crunch of snow beneath my boots.
As the story unfolded, I wasn’t just reading about Mattie and Cole Walker I was right there beside them, my heart racing as that haunting scream echoed through the canyon. The moment they discovered the figure beneath the rocks hit me like a punch to the gut. There’s something so raw, so human, about the way Dolan (or perhaps the spirit of the story itself) captures loss and desperation in those frozen mountains.
But what makes this book unforgettable isn’t just the suspense it’s the soul behind it. The bond between Mattie and her K 9 partner, Robo, feels so real, so deeply loyal, that it adds warmth to even the coldest scenes. And as the investigation twists and turns, revealing betrayal, greed, and the painful cost of truth, I found myself gripping the pages tighter with every revelation.
By the end, Trace of Magic didn’t just feel like a crime novel it felt like a journey through the fragile edges of trust, love, and survival. It’s one of those stories that lingers in your chest long after the last page, leaving you a little breathless, a little changed.
If you’re drawn to mysteries that blend heart pounding danger with emotional depth, this one will haunt you in the best possible way.
As the story unfolded, I wasn’t just reading about Mattie and Cole Walker I was right there beside them, my heart racing as that haunting scream echoed through the canyon. The moment they discovered the figure beneath the rocks hit me like a punch to the gut. There’s something so raw, so human, about the way Dolan (or perhaps the spirit of the story itself) captures loss and desperation in those frozen mountains.
But what makes this book unforgettable isn’t just the suspense it’s the soul behind it. The bond between Mattie and her K 9 partner, Robo, feels so real, so deeply loyal, that it adds warmth to even the coldest scenes. And as the investigation twists and turns, revealing betrayal, greed, and the painful cost of truth, I found myself gripping the pages tighter with every revelation.
By the end, Trace of Magic didn’t just feel like a crime novel it felt like a journey through the fragile edges of trust, love, and survival. It’s one of those stories that lingers in your chest long after the last page, leaving you a little breathless, a little changed.
If you’re drawn to mysteries that blend heart pounding danger with emotional depth, this one will haunt you in the best possible way.
October 30, 2025
With ten book in Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series I am happy to say that I have read most of them, only missing out on a few. And I can tell you that I am a huge fan, love the characters, the town, the relationships, and the drama and murders !!
Dying Cry, the latest book, starts with main character Mattie spending a weekend with her new husband Cole, his two daughters and their dogs doing wintery activities at a local resort. Unfortunately their weekend ends with them hearing a scream while snowshoeing and when Mattie goes to see what it was, she notices a human form in the snow. But before she can get to it a rock avalanche occurs burying the person.
Luckily with help Mattie is able to uncover the person. But Cole recognizes it as the husband of his veterinary assistant. Tess is at the resort with her husband Tom who is there for work seminars through his job as manager of the local bank. Tom was supposed to be at a building used for seminars and such a ways away from the cliff he fell from ... which brings up lots of questions for Mattie and her team.
When Tom's death is ruled a homicide, Mattie has to put personal feelings aside and focus on why someone would want to kill Tom. Cole, being the supportive partner and husband that he is, does whatever he can to help .....
Readers cannot get enough of this series !! You fall in love with Mattie and her partner Robo and as soon as you start reading one of the books, you cannot help but w
ant a murder to occur so you can see them in action.... knowing it isn't real.
Dying Cry, the latest book, starts with main character Mattie spending a weekend with her new husband Cole, his two daughters and their dogs doing wintery activities at a local resort. Unfortunately their weekend ends with them hearing a scream while snowshoeing and when Mattie goes to see what it was, she notices a human form in the snow. But before she can get to it a rock avalanche occurs burying the person.
Luckily with help Mattie is able to uncover the person. But Cole recognizes it as the husband of his veterinary assistant. Tess is at the resort with her husband Tom who is there for work seminars through his job as manager of the local bank. Tom was supposed to be at a building used for seminars and such a ways away from the cliff he fell from ... which brings up lots of questions for Mattie and her team.
When Tom's death is ruled a homicide, Mattie has to put personal feelings aside and focus on why someone would want to kill Tom. Cole, being the supportive partner and husband that he is, does whatever he can to help .....
Readers cannot get enough of this series !! You fall in love with Mattie and her partner Robo and as soon as you start reading one of the books, you cannot help but w
ant a murder to occur so you can see them in action.... knowing it isn't real.
December 9, 2025
I’m a long-time fan of author Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, and Dying Cry, novel number 10 in the series, did not disappoint! The story opens right into the action as the Walker family—veterinarian Cole Walker and Deputy Mattie Walker, now newlyweds, Cole’s daughters Angela and Sophie, their dogs, Doberman pinscher Bruno and Bernese mountain dog Belle, and Mattie’s K-9 partner, German shepherd Robo—are enjoying a snowshoe hike in Colorado’s high country when they hear a piercing scream. Fearing someone has fallen from the canyon rim, Mattie and Robo decide to go on ahead to search for the person while Cole, his daughters, Bruno, and Belle turn back, heading for the lodge and cell service to call for help. Robo excitedly searches and is on the scent, alerting Mattie to a person lying at the base of the cliff, when a rockslide cascades down the cliff face, covering the person and thwarting Robo’s search. Mattie is joined by Cole and other helpers, but when they uncover the victim, they also uncover evidence revealing that this was not some freak accident—it was murder. Even worse? The victim has close ties to the Timber Creek community and is one of Cole’s friends. Suddenly Mattie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation that puts her squarely at odds with balancing her loyalty to Cole and her new family and doing her job. Dying Cry will keep you guessing right up until the end, with a twist you won’t see coming! Great read!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book. I very much enjoyed reading and reviewing it.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book. I very much enjoyed reading and reviewing it.
April 29, 2025
Another excellent K-9 mystery
Deputy Mattie Walker and her K-9 partner, Robo, are back in action in this 10th book of the Timber Creek series. Mattie and her veterinary husband, Cole Walker, are snowshoeing with their daughters at a nearby resort when they hear a scream. Someone they know has died. Someone they know is the killer. This murder has hit too close to home. Can Mattie and Robo find out who the killer is before anyone else dies?
This series keeps getting better. It has all the elements I love: suspense, relatable characters and a K-9 dog. The author has created a blended family with normal problems, but they are loving and care for each other. Mattie and Cole have concerns about the tragedies that the girls have experienced. In this story, Angie, the older daughter, struggles to cope.
Mattie and Robo are part of a larger Sheriff’s department team. Detective Stella LoSasso, Chief Deputy Brody and Sheriff McCoy are all on the hunt for the murderer. They have a challenging task in a county where everyone knows everyone else. They must wade through many secrets, and the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous the killer is.
Dying Cry keeps you on pins and needles throughout the book, ending with a very tense situation. I highly recommend it for readers who love Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr and Melinda Leigh’s Sheriff Bree Taggert series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital review copy.
Deputy Mattie Walker and her K-9 partner, Robo, are back in action in this 10th book of the Timber Creek series. Mattie and her veterinary husband, Cole Walker, are snowshoeing with their daughters at a nearby resort when they hear a scream. Someone they know has died. Someone they know is the killer. This murder has hit too close to home. Can Mattie and Robo find out who the killer is before anyone else dies?
This series keeps getting better. It has all the elements I love: suspense, relatable characters and a K-9 dog. The author has created a blended family with normal problems, but they are loving and care for each other. Mattie and Cole have concerns about the tragedies that the girls have experienced. In this story, Angie, the older daughter, struggles to cope.
Mattie and Robo are part of a larger Sheriff’s department team. Detective Stella LoSasso, Chief Deputy Brody and Sheriff McCoy are all on the hunt for the murderer. They have a challenging task in a county where everyone knows everyone else. They must wade through many secrets, and the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous the killer is.
Dying Cry keeps you on pins and needles throughout the book, ending with a very tense situation. I highly recommend it for readers who love Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr and Melinda Leigh’s Sheriff Bree Taggert series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital review copy.
September 9, 2025
I love police procedurals. Add a dog or two into the mix and I’m in hog heaven. And Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek series is one of the best. Dying Cry is book ten in the series and it’s another strong entry.
Mattie, Cole and the girls are at a resort, snowshoeing, when they hear a scream. Mattie investigates and before she can even reach the body, a rock avalanche covers it. Once uncovered, it turns out to be the husband of Cole’s vet tech.
This book does a great job of showing the stress when the victim is someone you knew and friends have to be considered suspects. Mizushima does a good job of showing the rifts that occur. And the series always does a phenomenal job of giving an idea of the trust and love between a working human/dog partnership. My favorite parts of the book involve the interactions between Mattie and Robo. As a mama to a totally spoiled four legged child, I was happy to see even a perfectly trained dog like Robo isn’t happy when he’s caged. 😘
The story moves at a brisk pace and there are plenty of red herrings. It was apparent to me from early on who was (sort of) responsible for the murder.
I think the book would work as a stand-alone but you would miss out on some of the back stories.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
Mattie, Cole and the girls are at a resort, snowshoeing, when they hear a scream. Mattie investigates and before she can even reach the body, a rock avalanche covers it. Once uncovered, it turns out to be the husband of Cole’s vet tech.
This book does a great job of showing the stress when the victim is someone you knew and friends have to be considered suspects. Mizushima does a good job of showing the rifts that occur. And the series always does a phenomenal job of giving an idea of the trust and love between a working human/dog partnership. My favorite parts of the book involve the interactions between Mattie and Robo. As a mama to a totally spoiled four legged child, I was happy to see even a perfectly trained dog like Robo isn’t happy when he’s caged. 😘
The story moves at a brisk pace and there are plenty of red herrings. It was apparent to me from early on who was (sort of) responsible for the murder.
I think the book would work as a stand-alone but you would miss out on some of the back stories.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
October 6, 2025
This was my first novel by Margaret Mizushima and it did not disappoint. She did a great job bringing the details.
I am a sucker for any dog and wilderness mystery and this book delivered plenty of twists and turns. I can’t wait to read more.
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream.
From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends.
The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler.
I am a sucker for any dog and wilderness mystery and this book delivered plenty of twists and turns. I can’t wait to read more.
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream.
From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends.
The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler.
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