After a prominent senator's son is murdered, Capitol K-9 Unit captain Gavin McCord wants answers. The senator was a mentor to Gavin, and he'll stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice. With his team of elite K-9 cops and his loyal dog, Glory, at his side, Gavin discovers that a child at Cassie Danvers's nearby foster home may have witnessed the murder. He's drawn to the determined and beautiful woman, but she doesn't want him interviewing her traumatized charges. Yet trusting Gavin is the only way to stay one step ahead of the deadly gunman when Cassie becomes a target.
Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.
A senator’s son is murdered and a child living at All Our Kids foster home may have been a witness to the crime. Cassie Danvers, who works as a foster mother at the house, also has a run-in with a bad guy connected to the crime. Gavin McCord, captain of the K-9 Unit, and his canine partner Glory are assigned to protect Cassie and the children at the house until the perpetrators are caught.
This is book 1 in the Love Inspired Suspense Capitol K-9 Unit continuity series set in Washington, D.C. It was an enjoyable story with great suspense, but the romance seemed to take a back seat to the action. I really liked Gavin, and how he wanted to protect Cassie and the kids. I loved the dog, Glory, and how good she was at her job. Cassie was okay but tended to drive me nuts with her stubbornness and her refusal to listen to Gavin at times when he was only trying to do what was best for her and the kids’ protection.
Since this was book 1 of a six-book series, the main crime was not solved in this one (which is to be expected in these continuity series), and should continue throughout the series. However, there were a few other plotlines that were left open-ended that I thought would’ve and should’ve had some closure in this book. I plan to read the rest of the series, so I guess I’ll get my answers eventually. Still, this was an enjoyable and entertaining read.
This is the first book in the Capitol K-9 Unit series, and each book in the series is written by a different Love Inspired Suspense author. I loved the setting of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area. Cassie and Gavin have something in common- they were both in the foster care system, and are both continuing to assist foster children, thanks to the influence of Congressman Jeffries. I admired Casie's devotion to her foster kids, and the way she understood how to be patient and help them in their own unique ways due to their experiences with trauma. I loved Gavin and his K-9, and the way they are so protective and determined. The suspense in the story kept me up at night! There is plenty of action as an assassin makes multiple attempts on Cassie's life, bringing the children in danger as well. The only thing that disappointed me is that the mystery is not solved in this book! It seems that it will be an overarching plot that connects all the books in the series. So I was missing the sense of closure from that, but the story did wrap up nicely with Gavin and Cassie's relationship.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
This is the first in a new Love Inspired continuity series and I'm loving the whole concept! McCoy kept me spellbound with her fast-action plot and she set up the series over arcing suspense thread beautifully. Plus, she gives her readers a glimpse into the future heroes and heroines coming up in the next books. I can't tell you how excited I am over the K-9 theme that links these novels together so no surprise that Glory (the German shepherd) stole my heart! But no worries, hero Gavin caught...and held...my attention too! He's a man on a mission because this case is personal. There's an on-going battle of wills between Gavin and Cassie that adds a nice edge to their burgeoning romance. They both come from similar backgrounds and have definite opinions that often clash. Keeps the romance hopping while the bullets are flying!
Spoiler alert: There are facts revealed in this review about the ending of the story.
I was ready to give this book MORE than five if possible until I read the last chapter. I do NOT like books that leave unanswered questions at the end. Yes … this is personal preference, but it is a picky point with me as a reader.
What I liked: Just about everything. The plot was unique, the characters were lovable and had strong individual personalities. The suspense is gripping, especially since children’s lives are also being threatened. The locations of the scenes were varied and interesting. The homey atmosphere in the foster home for a group of children was both realistic and satisfying. And, the romance between Gavin and Cassie is sweet and tender.
What I didn’t like: When I put a book back on the shelf, I like to know who is responsible for the murder, (at the least) which is not the case with this book. Yes, they do catch the person who pulled the trigger, but he is killed in a shoot-out with the police and cannot name the person who hired him.
If you don’t mind reading the first book in a series that leaves unanswered questions until the next book in the group, you will enjoy reading this book. Because of the ending, this is not one of my favorite books, so I have to give it three stars, but I believe Ms. McCoy is an excellent author! Since this was a Love Inspired book, I’m sure she was following the instructions of her publisher by leaving a cliff-hangar for the next book in the series. Therefore I can’t blame her for the ending. I LOVE her writing, and I look forward to reading more books by her … hopefully ones that answer the question “who-dun-it?”
So excited for this continuity series. I saved them to read all together.
Politicians, murder, foster kids and dogs. Quite a mix! Reading these to the younger boys and they enjoyed this one.
Gavin and his dog Glory take over protection of the kids at All Our Kids after their neighbors son is murdered. But one of the kids witnessed something to put them all in danger. Cassie won't let anyone come between her and her "kids" so it's a bit of a struggle to figure out which child saw what. The book was full of suspense and action. Enjoy getting an introduction to the other characters in the series.
I liked how Gavin and Cassie are attracted to each other. A lot of mystery involves a kid who is fostered by Cassie and it will take time to solve the mystery.
Bold, reckless and violent murderer is on a loose, little child has witnessed a crime, and is in danger for his life. The K-9 unit is tight and professional team of crime fighters, trying to solve a several murders, kidnapping attempts, and attempted murders. Every new crime seems to be related somehow, there are several clues, but not leads. The stakes are high, the threat is constant, and there is no safe place for the children or staff of the Children's Home. The foster home is full of children, love, and chaos. One or two of the children has somehow witnessed one of the murders, but no one is talking are admitting anything. Cassie's life is in danger, but she still does her best to protect and take care of the children. Gavin, former foster child himself, is doing his best to solve the crimes, protect the children, and Cassie, and keep his heart from Cassie. He has no room for romance in his busy life with K-9 unit. The threat to their life is constant, with many attempts of killing the witnesses. The children are scared, and feeling insecure in the presence of the danger. Chaos is held in control the best they can, leads are examined, but no real headway is made. Gavin and Cassie bond while he is investigating the crimes and protecting the witnesses. Soon deeper emotions get involved, despite the fact that both Cassie and Gavin hadn't planned for finding love in their lives. They support each other, protect each other, seeking refuge and strength in their faith in God. This is book one in a continues series, so no crime is solved. But Cassie and Gavin find each other in the midst of the mayhem, and carefully start to dream about a possible future together. It is a 'clean' romance story with possible connection in the future. But I felt too many things were left open and nothing seemed to come to a conclusion. While I enjoyed the part of the story that was told, I had hoped for a bit more 'ending', solution, completion at the end. But more is to come in the series sometime this summer. For this part ~ Three Spoons
I want to thank the publisher for making a copy of this book available in Advance Reader form so that I could give it a read and provide an unbiased review.
The story is that of the Capitol K-9 unit in our nations Capitol. The unit was designed to provide a police officer and K-9 unit that could respond to crimes or provide protection to our nations leadership. The thought is good and as we know K-9 units across the U.S. provide great services to our communities. They have also been developed for good work with our Military in combat situations.
For a crime novel though I found the book a bit underrated. The author didn’t seem to catch that tense crime scene writing that I have grown to love with other writers. Having been a Police Chaplain and watching K-9 units in work I find them fascinating.
McCoy does a good job of detailing how well a dog can be used to help protect and track down a criminal. That part of the book is done very well.
What I found troublesome is that this was more a romance novel that didn’t quite work. The two main characters just didn’t have a good development of character, as far as I’m concerned. The story also is so short that I think the author could have added another 100 pages, developed the plot and the characters more and she would have had a great novel.
The main plot is that a Senator’s son has been murdered and the Senator shot and wounded. A home that he built and funds for Foster Kids is just next-door. One of those Foster Kids saw what happened and the killer is doing his best to track him down and do away with the witness.
The House Mother confronts the Killer on her porch, by accident, and now he wants to eliminate her as well. Enter our K-9 and his handler. They will do their best to keep everyone safe and solve the crime.
Again, I think the plot could be developed more and the tension developed further.
It’s not a bad read and very quick (less than a day), but just a bit disappointing to me.
Emotions and suspense both run high in this one of a kind romantic suspense. The intricately crafted plot draws readers deep into the complex world that the author has created. McCoy drops bits of scenery into everything that happens, until readers can picture the entire world. Even though this title is from Harlequin’s Love Inspired line & you can easily see the presence of God in the lives of the characters, McCoy doesn’t go over the top with it, nor does she try to hide it. It’s the perfect balance for all readers. It also adds sweetness to the romance itself. This story is about falling in love, the real, lasting kind, not about falling in lust.
I found that the working canine aspect added a great deal to the tale. It took the concept of law enforcement hero to a whole new level. This made the already loveable male lead into a man with even greater depth. His caring and compassion for others was backed up by the aura of competence and reassurance brought by an officer of the law. Combined with a female lead who’s had a difficult life and an even more difficult few days and you have a couple who will turn heads. I loved the strength of character in the female lead. She stood up for those in her ‘family’ beyond all else. I appreciate how McCoy takes the time to develop the world of the foster children that we meet. They aren’t simply a backdrop to the story but real individuals with real (and heartbreakingly realistic) stories of their own.
As a whole, this was a remarkably complex tale that combined suspense with real romance. McCoy will capture your heart, your emotions, and your imagination.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
Protection Detail by Shirlee McCoy is part of the Capital K9 Unit series. It is a very good book and I loved the K9perspective of the book. It is the first book in the series. You are introduced to several other handlers and their dogs; and I have to admit to being a tad overwhelmed with the number of characters. Gavin is a handler and Glory is his dog. Gavin is handsome, protective, and extremely patient with the stubborn female lead and the troubled kids. You are going to love him. Cassie took me a little longer to like and I was frustrated with her decisions and behavior more than once. One thing I found strange for a Christian novel was the reason Cassie divorced her husband. He did not support her calling so she divorced him. She also makes stupid decisions in the spirit of being stubborn and strong. One of my favorite scenes was when she had blood on her hands. The author created a very touching dialogue between them as Gavin helped her through it. One of my favorite secondary characters is Ms Alice who isn't even alive. The kids are a major part of the story. If you enjoy slow building clean romance with a good mystery and K9 units, I recommend Protection Detail. You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.
Protection Detail is the first book in the Capitol K-9 Unit mini series and it was a fine read.
I didn't particularly connect with the characters or romance. I don't know why, but it was just an okay romance story. I liked the mystery, but I wish it wouldn't have ended the way it did. I don't have plans to read the other books in the series at the moment, so I’m now left wondering things about this one because of the ending. :/
All in all, Protection Detail was an okay read. I liked it for the most part, but wouldn't consider it a favorite.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
This was a great book! It was very suspenseful, lots of twists, and I was a little surprised at how some things concluded. The book is definitely a mystery, but I felt like the people and the relationships in the book were equally developed. Win, win! Everything wasn't wrapped up perfectly at the end, which means I will definitely be hunting down the next book in this series. [4.5 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
4/5 A child from the All Our Kids foster home might had seen a murder so now the All Our Kids home is in danger especially Cassie who is the foster mother who took care of the children and vow to protect them and she will do anything to protect them. A K-9 unit Captain is on the case to find out who is the murderer of the senator's son, he and his team will do anything to protect Cassie and her foster kids. Cassie and Gavin get to know each other during the process and one thing they have in common is they are also in a foster care system when they were young. And the kids in the foster care system were worried about Cassie because she had been injured by a man who also wants to kill her.
Cassie is a great foster mother and she is always worried about her foster kids and never wanting to let them be alone eventhough she is injured badly while Gavin told her that everything is in control his team will protect the children and he will also go and check on them.
Can't really spoil the story too much because it is a crime investigation. You would have to read to find out. Can't wait to read the next book.
This book is the first book of the series by 6 different authors. So it is an ongoing case with a few cases that are related along the way. Can't wait to find out who is behind this case. Can't wait to read the next book.
Cassie is a professional foster mom. Gavin and his German Shepherd Glory are with the Capitol K-9 unit. When one of Cassie's kids witnesses a murder, Gavin must protect the whole family.
I enjoyed the book. The characters were likeable and the suspense was engaging. The dog, the kids, and the romance were all sweet yet believable.
I'm one of those people who is easily torn from the story when they encounter distracting errors. The distraction level was moderate for me--a few typos (not too bad), one jaw-dropping violation of gun safety rules by a supposedly competent character, and a small handful of "huh?" moments.
One of the major plot elements is wrapped up, but another is left hanging. I acknowledge that this is a series opener, but the ending just wasn't satisfying.
The characters are openly Christian, but there isn't any particular edifying message to the story.
The e-book ends with an excerpt, but the title and author of the excerpt are never identified.
I loved this book. Cassie Danvers is one heck of a foster mom. She would do anything to protect her kids, she calls her own. Captain Gavin McCord is investigating a murder when he hears someone running through the woods late at night. He and his partner follow. Someone tried to attack Cassie, so she took off running away from the foster home in hopes the guy would follow her, and not hurt her kids. It worked, but she couldn’t run fast enough to escape from Glory Gavin’s K-9 partner. Gavin was a little surprised to find Cassie up in a tree. Loved the way the book started off. This book had action, suspense, romance, a group of kids that will steal your hearts.
Why would someone attack Cassie housemother to “All Our House” kids. Then to find out murder had happened at Congressman mansion next door A mitten from one of the kids,now a coat is missing, did they see anything. None of the kids here, trust cops, if they did. Then again Gavin and Cassie didn’t trust cops or people having been in the system. The kids are her family, and someone is determined to harm them. Good plot with the safety of the little ones, and how it all ties together. And maybe even for Gavin and Cassie to add to this family.
A fast moving story. A prominent senator's son is murdered and Gavin McCord wants answers. While investigating with his K-9 dog, Glory, they encounter Cassie Danver's from the nearby foster home fleeing from someone trying to kill her! Has she seen the killer? Can they protect her until they find him? The they realize one of the children saw the killer too. Which child? Is it the same man or another? Will they be able to find out what happened and why before they take our Cassie and the children?
This is the first in a series of books, the plot of which is finding out who murdered a senator's son and why. Each book in the series deals with an aspect of that plot. I liked this novel because of the interaction with the at-risk children. I would have liked to have seen more plot and character development, but that may come in the books that follow.
Interesting plot, good character development, completely unacceptable ending! Many loose ends; unexplained motive for multiple murders, infant placed with questionable foster relative, relationships unresolved.
I enjoyed this start to the series and thought it was well-written until the end. However, the "resolution" wasn't really one, and while I understand an overarching problem to tie together multiple books, it felt like an abrupt end.
Another romance author recommended Margaret Daley in her newsletter and the book I planned on reading was part of this series. So I started with book one. I didn’t realize this was a continuity series. I’m glad that Hoopla has this series in a box set of three books.
With all that said, I liked the story overall. I liked Gavin but Cassie was annoying. Gavin is trying to protect her and the kids and all she does is argue with him. Legally those children are not hers so she needed to get off her high horse. As for the romance, Gavin could do better.
I’ll continue with the series and hope Cassie calms down some.
A great start to another Love Inspired Suspense series. Love the storyline and the wholesome romance. Have already downloaded the other books in the series.
Loved this book in the first of a series of K-9 officers and their well-trained dogs in our nation's capitol. Just finished the second in the series and am starting on the third.