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K-9 Search & Rescue Mysteries #2

Buried Deep: K-9 Search & Rescue Mysteries, Book 2

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The mountain buries its secrets under four feet of powder. This winter, one of them surfaces.

January in Elk Creek is a different world — the ski season crowds flooding in, the cold settling into the bones of the valley, and the trails going silent under snowpack. When an avalanche on the north face of Ridgeline Mountain reveals a body that was never meant to be found, Gemma and Kira are called to confirm what the snow has uncovered. What looks like an accident turns into something much darker.

Nathan Cole was an IT manager at the Elk Creek Ski Area. He was also running a quiet blackmail operation against his own employer — skimming vendor contracts, bleeding the operations manager dry, and pushing harder when the money slowed. Three days after sending his final demand, Nathan disappeared. Now the avalanche has answered the question of where he went.

Greg Landon has motive, local knowledge, and a reputation worth protecting. But in a small mountain town, everyone has something to protect — and the deeper Gemma digs, the more complicated the picture becomes.

Meanwhile, the cold case Gemma has been circling since September grows colder still. Brianna Hartley is still missing. Warren Haskell is still untouchable. And Gemma is starting to understand that some secrets are buried with intention.

Perfect for fans of Dana Stabenow, C.J. Box, and Nevada Barr. Buried Deep delivers another gripping mystery in the Colorado Rockies — atmospheric, character-driven, and impossible to put down.

Book 2 of 14 in the K-9 Search & Rescue Mysteries series.

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2026

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Sophie Lyon

42 books26 followers

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5 stars
981 (55%)
4 stars
466 (26%)
3 stars
243 (13%)
2 stars
60 (3%)
1 star
20 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
3,633 reviews14 followers
January 18, 2026
Good story with likeable characters but the inconsistencies bothered me. There were two people Gemma met in the first book but she made it sound like they'd never met in this one. Also, when Gemma confessed what she was running from, Marco told her about Lily and she acted like it was new information but he'd told her in the last book. It's the little things...
111 reviews
March 17, 2026
Even worse editing than the first book

It started on page 14. Jo told Gemma that the controlled avalanche was scheduled for 7 am. Gemma should be in place by 6:30. A few pages later, the pager messages at 6:47, says 13 minutes before Gemma was supposed to leave. The avalanche already happened.

I suspect many of us thought the body uncovered by the avalanche was Brianna. It wasn’t. A whole new murder mystery.

On page 157, the name Brian Price was immediately followed by Kevin was…

Gemma and Kira had dinner with Rosa in the first book. In book 2, Rosa greets Mateo, then says “you must be Gemma” as if meeting her for the first time.

The worst mistake refers back to Brianna’s disappearance. All through book 1 everyone talks about Brianna disappearing after the party and never making it back to the hostel. But Dorothy, the hostel manager was interviewed at the time of Brianna’s disappearance and said “Brianna checked in that afternoon, went to the party in the evening, and came back late.”

Mistakes like these are jarring and greatly diminish the flow and veracity of the story.
9 reviews
May 10, 2026
on and on and on…

I thought it would never end! I enjoyed the first novel. Very little interaction with the other characters from the first book. This one focuses on Gemma and Marco with very little from other characters, even Kira isn’t the focus other than at the very beginning. Half the book is about who she suspects of the crime and restated so many different ways that you just want the story to end. I scrolled through the last third due to the repetitiveness of the story. Also the retelling of the first book several times. I listened to virtual voice due to driving…let me just say, I knew better! I will not be reading the others.
1 review
May 15, 2026
Who all has amnesia? Or is this an AI mash up?

I was drawn in by the title, and then the story line. So interesting, until the missing words, the illogical content, the repetition. Over and over, the redundancy is offensive to observant readers.

From book 1 to book 2 does the author have amnesia? And the characters too? And why can I highlight the same wording over and over and over? Book to book, page to page, paragraph to paragraph, sentence to sentence? TERRIBLE EDITING!!! Each book in series could be cut in half in length. Too bad! Because story line is good, as is half of content. I read one. Then gave a second book a chance to improve. NO. I cannot waste time on the third. Is this AI? Horrid and revolting to an avid reader . tv
8 reviews
February 24, 2026
Who edited this and book 1 in the series?

I love the story line.
The editing really needs work. #1: A person's conversation sentences shouldn't be separated into 2 or more paragraphs, until another person speaks. I kept having to re-read to see who was talking.
#2: Inconsistencies from 1st to 2nd book, like the main character forgot what she should've known from previous experience. Other series I've read explain things previously discussed.
#3: Fur on a dog isn't spelled fir.
99 reviews1 follower
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June 3, 2026
Repetitive

I really would like to know who murdered the the missing girl, assuming she's actually been murdered. And also assuming the author ever reaches a conclusion. 😑 But since she repeatedly repeats complete thoughts and sentences constantly, I seriously doubt it. Plus she favors annoying sentences like the prior one. I want to stress how much I adore dogs before my next observation. I love dogs. I've devoted my life to rescuing them. ❤❤❤dogs. So when I say I'm totally burned out on hearing what a wonderful S&R dog Kira is, believe me, I have good reason. Every few pages we're told Kira is the best dog ever, the best SAR dog in the entire WORLD, no other dog compares to Kira... On and on. I know it's just filler but it's repetitive and boring. The first book in this series was pretty good. Parts brought a few tears to my eyes. But this is one I wanted to stop right away. I just kept hoping the missing girl would be found, or her killer. But I'm guessing it will be dragged out into as many books as possible.
3 reviews
May 16, 2026
Good Storytelling, Not so good writing

Sophie's skills in storytelling is very good. Her characters are rich, believable and compelling. People kindly review these books and say the editing is bad but who wrote the words needing editing?
I read the reviews for book 3 and it appears Sophie is not paying attention to the feedback. The same issues plaguing books 1 & 2 are still present in #3. I really want to find out what happens since again, the storytelling is so good and I really like the characters. However, with all the books I have in my queue, I don't want to spend the time being distracted by excessive repetition, disjointed dialogs, scene/story inconsistencies between not only different books, different chapters but even different pages close together. Please clean this up. Honor yourself as well as those of us wishing you well. I'll check in again at a time in the future to see if things have improved but for now, I'm moving on.
Profile Image for Shannon G.
5 reviews
May 10, 2026
So much potential but the editing and story inconsistencies are AWFUL.
Book one had issues, book two has compounded them. It’s like the author had no idea what had been written in the first book.
Gemma meets Marco’s Abuela in book one, several
Times. But in book two, it’s like they’ve never met when they go to see her about the case.
Also, in book one Gemma tells Marco about the accident in the river; it was a family trapped in a car at a low crossing point. In book two? A kayaker against a log jam. Ethan was swept downstream 3 miles in one sentence but 2 miles in another. Names have changed on people from book one to two. In book one, Gemma focuses on Warren Haskells name. Meets him. In book two it’s like she’s had amnesia and hasn’t connected him to Briannas death.
It’s a hard read to get into with so many errors, skips and inconsistent through lines.
399 reviews5 followers
June 8, 2026
A step by step investigation

The reader is taken into the world of a homicide investigation. Step by step. Clear one suspect then go on to the next until all the puzzle pieces fit. Interesting.
But the writing is difficult in areas, hard to decide who is speaking. Tedious when the same sentences and thoughts
are "cut and paste" to other areas in the book. You sometimes think you have gone back to future chapters. It seems overworked.
The characters are well thought out, and the dog is featured, not just in the beginning find but a steady character in the whole book.
I'll probably read the next to find out who figures in the cold case. Warren Haskell is a prominent, well respected leader of the community. And a suspicious person.
I'm happy Gemma has decided to put down roots. So is Marco.
Profile Image for Wanda.
545 reviews
June 27, 2026
I am enjoying the stories, and I like how Gemma

Is developing as a character. The descriptions of theory environment are enticing. Kira is amazing. Too bad we don't get more explanation of her training. I do have to wonder at Genna's source of income. It was hinted that she worked with an ambulance service with Nina, but she never gets called out to work.

However, I think that a better editor would help with continuity. Gemma had her own booth/table at Mae's then Is suddenly back on her stool. She had had dinner at Rosa's then in this book it was like they had not met previously. A couple of confusions with names, e.g., Brian became Kevin. People keep repeating themselves unnecessarily, W. Hasskle seems to warrant a full retelling of his CV whenever his name comes up.
2 reviews
August 6, 2026
Needs an editor

I love a good dog story. The story line is wonderful. The issue is with editing. One error, is the avalanche time. Gemma is told the avalanche will be at 7am and to be there at 6:30. Then she gets a call at 6:47 saying they found a body after the avalanche. Another one is the little girl Marco talks about, the name switches between Amy and Lily several times in just a few pages. Lastly, a person says something, the writing moves to the next line, at times its hard to tell who is speaking. I read a lot and enjoy book series, I am not sure if I will continue with this one because of the issues I mentioned.
789 reviews5 followers
March 16, 2026
Secrets too many for a small town

Nathan Cross's body was discovered after a controlled avalanche. He left town 4 months previously for a new job in Utah. So what was his body doing here? Why was he killed? Who would kill him? Nathan was not the man he was cracked up to be. A gambler, thief and a people user, just a few peop!e to have a chat with.
FYI-just so you know each is an individual story but they all connect. Definitely a series to read. Great job. Thank you. On to the next!!
25 reviews
May 13, 2026
I loved the first book but this one has several repeated phrases and stories changing

I love the first book. I love the story the characters and this one started out the same somewhere along the lines. Gemma met Barco’s grandmother they had dinner. Later, on in the story, they had never met before. There was a lot of repeat phrases, and I just found the story lost its edge and intrigued by this. I will try book 3 and see how it goes. As I said book one was fantastic. I’m hoping it was just me having a bad day.
4 reviews
June 23, 2026
This book had many more inconsistencies than the 1st book. For the most part I enjoyed the concept of the story but editor should be seeing the inconsistencies in the book and have them fixed. Overall they aren't hard to see or to rewrite to make sure that the storyline works with the 1st book especially since they should be read in order. I would have liked to see more K-9 rescues within the book which is the concept of the book. There was the 1 body found and then the main character of the book then becomes more of a detective rather than a K-9 SAR volunteer.
Profile Image for Jocelyn O Hare.
2 reviews
August 12, 2026
Enjoyable

Enjoyed the story but inconsistencies in the story confusing. Gemma in book one was involved in a rescue where a car with family inside was involved. Then in first half of book 2 it was stated as being a kayaking incident. Then back to a car with family inside. In town Kira is wecomed in the store/cafe and then has to stay outside. Then back inside again. Meeting with Rosa in book 1 for dinner then meeting her for first time in book 2.

I enjoyed the books but would like the stories to flow.
217 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2026
Disappointing

This could have been an enjoyable read. It had a great setting. It had a murder to solve. It had it two people attracted to each other. Unfortunately it could have been 100 pages shorter if the dialog and description was not repeated ad nauseam. The constant repetition made the reading boring
I found myself skipping over full pages. My reaction something like Geez they are saying the same thing they said two pages prior. I have no desire to plod through another from this author


Profile Image for Anne Tully.
47 reviews
June 5, 2026
A good book, but....

I enjoy Sophie's books, but this one was very repetitive. The exact same phrases sprinkled over and over throughout the book. I also don't care for the way the dialogue is set up: I prefer one person's dialogue to be all together, not a,separate line for each phrase... Sometimes you don't know which person is speaking until you read a bit further. I will continue reading her books, but this one wasn't very engaging because of all the repetition
7 reviews
June 11, 2026
Good storyline, not so great editing

The book is fine. The storyline and characters are interesting. The editing was lacking. So many errors as in “his” for a woman “hers” for a male character…several times. The run on commentary, being stated again in the same exact words, exact same sentencing. Some times occurring in within a short paragraph of each other. So much chaos it drags the story down.

Would have been a much nicer read with attention to detail in editing.
Profile Image for Cindy Blue.
9 reviews
July 7, 2026
Still enjoying this series, but those pesky details that have inconsistencies trip it up.
And there is repetition in the “who done it” like just hit me over the head already, I get it, this is who you are circling back to. Make it less obvious please.
I love the SAR aspect and will continue to read this series, but even the 25 year-old cold case suspect is becoming too obvious.
Looking for a no-brainer light read, then these are very enjoyable.
Profile Image for Carrie.
267 reviews
July 16, 2026
steady pace

This book has a steady pace that matches the rhythmic beat of the murder investigation in winter. There is always a need to move faster but answers have their own time. Watching Gemma move through two different cases, has shown her steady presence in the town. I am not sure how a paramedic/ SAR handler qualifies as a police consultant, but that is the relationship she has been written into.
Profile Image for Mickmoni.
1 review1 follower
August 9, 2026
I hoped that the first book in the series would be the result of a new author and bad editing, so I read this one.
Don't bother, the editing might just be worse, the same passages are duplicated so many times, almost always with a different name attached ...so very frustrating.
Most people do remember what they just read and realize the errors immediately.
I have three more that I just can't bring myself to touch.....now I understand the discount pricing
9 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2026
A good read if you can look past the inconsistencies

Another great story that has you trying to figure out Who Done It! As with the other reviews, it was frustrating to read about Kira being kept outside of Mae’s store in one chapter and then lying at Gemma’s feet in the next chapter. Also her meeting Marco’s mother for the first time again. If you can get past those things, you will enjoy the book. I did!
Profile Image for Erica.
31 reviews
March 6, 2026
I love k-9 mysteries, small towns, and getting to know most of the characters who reappear throughout a series.
The discrepancies from book to book is distracting. There are a few plot errors in this book. but they're worse in book 3.
I agree with others admit proofreading & editing needing improvement.
11 reviews
March 17, 2026
Guilt and relief

I like these books,the way the characters are drawn as real human beings with issues and solutions.
Only problem is there are some inconsistencies in places not the same as stAtement s in previous book. And much redundancy in many places that would make better flow if removed..
90 reviews
March 21, 2026
Good stories

The story line and the characters get you involved. I've just read the first two so far.
It does need better editing. I constantly have issues with someone talking to someone else and I'm not sure who's talking . Seems like there's a tendency to start a new sentence as if it's a new paragraph instead of all in one paragraph for each person. Confusing.
4,027 reviews20 followers
April 16, 2026
Amazing book!

I love this series! Working search and rescue with a dog would be so different from tracking which I got to do many times with my dad, his brothers and my grandfather. Many times it was just tracking missing cattle or horses from my grandparents ranch. But reading these books brings back those memories. Great storyline and writing with a awesome dog!
152 reviews1 follower
April 20, 2026
Well written. Real characters.

I get tired of books that rely on men who are all studs and match with instant sexual attraction. These books have the complexity of real life and the investigations take all the research and time they do in actual life. I do like SAR books where the author knows dogs and how difficult the work is.
20 reviews
April 26, 2026
well written story. as is the first book.

Well written story. Characters are developed well as are facts about the different events, people and cases. This is a very visual series that pulls your interest in as are the characters, their thoughts and lives.
Strongly recommend this series.
8 reviews
May 15, 2026
Nice Story Line but Poor Concluding Section.

The title tells it.all. The story and characters were nicely drawn and presented. However, the concluding section was poorly developed. Didn't fit to.have someone who had been terribly victimized end as a premeditated killer for killing a really lousy person.
10 reviews
May 19, 2026
good storyline

I enjoyed the story however there is so much repetitiveness. It really kind of surprised me there were times that I thought I had turned the pages backwards and was rereading something. I already read. And there are times where you’re not quite sure who’s doing the talking. Overall I did enjoy it thank you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews