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Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #3
Hunting Hour
Deputy Mattie Cobb is working through issues from her past and has withdrawn from Cole Walker and his family to focus on herself, when she and her K-9 partner Robo get called to track a missing junior high student. Until they find the girl on Smoker's Hill behind the high school, dead. But that's only the start of trouble in Timber Creek, because soon another girl goes missing--and this time it's Sophie Walker. Hard as they search, Cole, Mattie, and Robo can't find her anywhere. Mattie's primary suspect, a strange man who lives near the wilderness area, calls to report he hears deer "screaming" in the woods. Suspecting the man might have lost touch with reality and be referring to something he's done to Sophie, Mattie takes Robo into the dense pine forest, hoping to pick up a trace of her scent. But when Robo does catch Sophie's trail, it leads them to another clue that challenges everything they thought they knew about the case. Now Mattie and Robo must rush to hunt down Sophie's kidnapper before they're too late in Hunting Hour, the third installment in critically acclaimed author Margaret Mizushima's exhilarating mystery series.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2017
497 people are currently reading
1564 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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October 30, 2025
Candace Banks was not your typical thirteen-year-old. A socially precocious young lady, particularly popular with local high-schoolers, Candace was also an asthma sufferer, who had left her meds at home. Mom freaks and calls in a missing person report when her daughter does not turn up after a reasonable time, terrified that Candace could be in serious trouble if she had an attack. If only. Deputy Mattie Cobb and her trusty German Shepherd, Robo, are called in to try to find her. They do, on a hill behind the high school, on her back, hands folded on her chest, eyes closed, red abrasions on her face, broken fingernails, and blue lips.
Margaret Mizushima - image from AKA Literary Management
The small Colorado town of Timber Creek has seen its share of trouble in the last few years, enough that it might remind one of another idyllic place that seemed host to an unusual concentration of unpleasantness, Cabot Cove. The author does wink to the reader about this. But despite the criminally inclined orientation of both places, The Hunting Hour is a procedural, while Jessica Fletcher’s investigations made her tales mysteries of the cozy variety. The professionals we follow as they try to solve crimes are Deputy Mattie Cobb, her trusty partner, Robo, and a local veterinarian, Cole Walker, a divorced dad with two young daughters. When the younger, Sophie, a nine-year-old gem of a kid, who looks eager to follow in pop’s professional footsteps, is snatched, the tension and action pick up considerably.
The strengths of the book include detailing how a dog is used for tracking, how some sorts of training are done, information on different sorts of specializations within K-9 cop world, and details on how Mattie interacts Robo. Another is Mizushima’s talent for portraying characters. Although Mattie, fused with Robo, constitutes the prime mover, and is/are well written, I was most impressed with her portrayal of Cole Walker. Maybe I related so much because I am a father of two girls (and a boy), however all-grown-up they may be now. I too was a divorced dad for a while. In addition to her primaries, I was impressed with the quality of her secondary character portrayals. I would particularly love to see more of Sheriff McCoy in future tales.
The author knows of what she writes re animals. In addition to working as a speech pathologist for bipeds in real life, Mizushima has had some experience with quadrupeds, having grown up on cattle ranches. Her husband is a DVN, and Mizushima works in their veterinary clinic. Like the story’s veterinarian, Cole, they have two daughters, and live in Colorado. Unlike Cole they live on a ranch, and are, you know, real.
It was a bit of a disadvantage coming in to this series at volume #3. Not at all for the procedural and payload elements (on veterinary practice and K9 work) of the novel, but for the interpersonal. There are some references made to prior deaths, including appearances by characters connected to those. Also, there is some romantic tension between Mattie and Cole, thankfully not of an icky nature. They obviously have mutual interest, but there are issues to be overcome, distances to be bridged, bonds of trust to be tested, probably shots that need to be administered. The interactions and tensions between Cole and Mattie in this volume would have been much clearer had one read the first two. Mattie is an appealing character. There are hints of her very difficult background. More of that would have been appreciated, but I presume that the author intends to space them out over the length of the series, however many books it may last. Again, a disadvantage of not having read volumes 1 and 2 is that I have no idea what else may have been revealed about that history before.
I have a couple of gripes, one minor, another more significant. Robo is adorable, the perfect pooch, behaves, is smart, affectionate and does not chew up Mattie’s slippers. It would be a good thing for Robo to have something about him that is not adorable. Not enough to make him a bad dog, but, like people, even canine characters could do with a bit of texture to their personalities. More significant is the ultimate resolution. The how of the story, particularly the tracking element was strong, especially as relates to use of dogs of Robo’s particular talents. But the why was problematic. The author offers us a very thin rationale for the act, and offers little to support some details of their actions.
People read mysteries for various reasons. One is the information one can learn about people, places, a period of history, and aspects of life that are unfamiliar. Some take particular pleasure in how a writer uses the wand of language to make magic. Think Raymond Chandler, among many. Another is to try to figure out, along with the characters, given the clues we are offered, whodunit, and why. A fourth reason is because we enjoy spending company with the continuing characters in a series. One of the best examples of this last one is The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, by Alexander McCall Smith. In a similar way, Mattie, Robo, Cole, and many in the supporting cast offer a good reason, in addition to the joy of trying to suss out the baddie, to check out Margaret Mizushima’s book, and series. While not quite a blue ribbon read, Hunting Hour is a perfectly satisfactory procedural, an entertaining way to pass a few hours, maybe during the Dog Days of summer. You should have no trouble tracking down a copy.
Published – August 8, 2017
Review first posted – November 17, 2017
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
A nice piece on how Mizushima got started writing the series - Murder and Mayhem in Small Town USA
Margaret Mizushima - image from AKA Literary Management
The small Colorado town of Timber Creek has seen its share of trouble in the last few years, enough that it might remind one of another idyllic place that seemed host to an unusual concentration of unpleasantness, Cabot Cove. The author does wink to the reader about this. But despite the criminally inclined orientation of both places, The Hunting Hour is a procedural, while Jessica Fletcher’s investigations made her tales mysteries of the cozy variety. The professionals we follow as they try to solve crimes are Deputy Mattie Cobb, her trusty partner, Robo, and a local veterinarian, Cole Walker, a divorced dad with two young daughters. When the younger, Sophie, a nine-year-old gem of a kid, who looks eager to follow in pop’s professional footsteps, is snatched, the tension and action pick up considerably.
The strengths of the book include detailing how a dog is used for tracking, how some sorts of training are done, information on different sorts of specializations within K-9 cop world, and details on how Mattie interacts Robo. Another is Mizushima’s talent for portraying characters. Although Mattie, fused with Robo, constitutes the prime mover, and is/are well written, I was most impressed with her portrayal of Cole Walker. Maybe I related so much because I am a father of two girls (and a boy), however all-grown-up they may be now. I too was a divorced dad for a while. In addition to her primaries, I was impressed with the quality of her secondary character portrayals. I would particularly love to see more of Sheriff McCoy in future tales.
The author knows of what she writes re animals. In addition to working as a speech pathologist for bipeds in real life, Mizushima has had some experience with quadrupeds, having grown up on cattle ranches. Her husband is a DVN, and Mizushima works in their veterinary clinic. Like the story’s veterinarian, Cole, they have two daughters, and live in Colorado. Unlike Cole they live on a ranch, and are, you know, real.
It was a bit of a disadvantage coming in to this series at volume #3. Not at all for the procedural and payload elements (on veterinary practice and K9 work) of the novel, but for the interpersonal. There are some references made to prior deaths, including appearances by characters connected to those. Also, there is some romantic tension between Mattie and Cole, thankfully not of an icky nature. They obviously have mutual interest, but there are issues to be overcome, distances to be bridged, bonds of trust to be tested, probably shots that need to be administered. The interactions and tensions between Cole and Mattie in this volume would have been much clearer had one read the first two. Mattie is an appealing character. There are hints of her very difficult background. More of that would have been appreciated, but I presume that the author intends to space them out over the length of the series, however many books it may last. Again, a disadvantage of not having read volumes 1 and 2 is that I have no idea what else may have been revealed about that history before.
I have a couple of gripes, one minor, another more significant. Robo is adorable, the perfect pooch, behaves, is smart, affectionate and does not chew up Mattie’s slippers. It would be a good thing for Robo to have something about him that is not adorable. Not enough to make him a bad dog, but, like people, even canine characters could do with a bit of texture to their personalities. More significant is the ultimate resolution. The how of the story, particularly the tracking element was strong, especially as relates to use of dogs of Robo’s particular talents. But the why was problematic. The author offers us a very thin rationale for the act, and offers little to support some details of their actions.
People read mysteries for various reasons. One is the information one can learn about people, places, a period of history, and aspects of life that are unfamiliar. Some take particular pleasure in how a writer uses the wand of language to make magic. Think Raymond Chandler, among many. Another is to try to figure out, along with the characters, given the clues we are offered, whodunit, and why. A fourth reason is because we enjoy spending company with the continuing characters in a series. One of the best examples of this last one is The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, by Alexander McCall Smith. In a similar way, Mattie, Robo, Cole, and many in the supporting cast offer a good reason, in addition to the joy of trying to suss out the baddie, to check out Margaret Mizushima’s book, and series. While not quite a blue ribbon read, Hunting Hour is a perfectly satisfactory procedural, an entertaining way to pass a few hours, maybe during the Dog Days of summer. You should have no trouble tracking down a copy.
Published – August 8, 2017
Review first posted – November 17, 2017
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
A nice piece on how Mizushima got started writing the series - Murder and Mayhem in Small Town USA
October 2, 2017
Hunting Hour (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #3) by Margaret Mizushima is a clean K-9 mystery that had a lot of twists and as soon as I thought I figured it out I was wrong. Of course. There was a hint of romance, and that is the way I like it, no sex scenes. Great dogs, a great plot, good characters, and many other side info that makes the story real. I enjoyed it. I was given this story to read and the review is voluntary.
November 16, 2017
"Whom do you trust, Mattie?"
Mattie drew her knees up, hugging them to her chest. Finally, she answered, "Robo."
Deputy Mattie Cobb is well-trained and well-equipped to handle any situation that arises in the wilds of Timber Creek, Colorado. Mattie knows only too well that humans have a tendency to side-step into the darker elements of life. She hunkers down on her own secrets of the past. And yet, we'll come to see that no matter how one tries to stifle the voices within, the whispers visit all too often.
Mattie works the K-9 department with her remarkably trained dog, Robo, who has a gifted sense of smell and direction. Although he runs the gamut of his profession, Robo has bonded with Mattie and senses her every need. Mattie's hand signals and verbal commands set Robo on a relentless trail to find clues and assist victims of crimes.
When a thirteen year old girl turns up missing, Mattie and Robo are called to the girl's home. They find her body not far from the middle school that she attended. In the course of these events, young Candace's secret life is revealed. Did Candace travel paths that may have led to her own demise? And do these footsteps lead back to her own home life?
This is the third book in this series by Margaret Mizushima. Although I have not read the first two, I was able to easily hit the road with Mattie and Robo. We are introduced to Cole Walker, the local veterinarian, and his two daughters. Recently divorced, Cole is questioning his feelings for Mattie. The two seem to be in denial that there's something more here than friendship. When Cole's younger daughter goes missing, Cole relies on his bond with Mattie. She's the only one that he knows can bring her back. But time is of the essence.
Hunting Hour starts off with high interest. There are intense avenues that are explored in regard to the original murder. This ain't no sugar-coated romp in the woods. We even know that Mattie comes to the fore with a rock-loaded backpack of her own. But then the ending seemed to deflate everything that transpired prior to it. Unlikely vs. Likely plays out here. Wrapped up in light canvas and taken to the trash. There just seemed to be too many threads that were left unexplored. Why broach a subject and then shelf it later?
In spite of that, Hunting Hour is a good read. It heightened my interest into going back to the first two books. Mizushima is on to something here with the main character of Deputy Mattie Cobb. Robo, himself, is worth the price of admission. A loud bow-wow up for Robo.
I received a copy of Hunting Hour through Crooked Lane Books for an honest review. My thanks to them and to Margaret Mizushima for the opportunity.
Mattie drew her knees up, hugging them to her chest. Finally, she answered, "Robo."
Deputy Mattie Cobb is well-trained and well-equipped to handle any situation that arises in the wilds of Timber Creek, Colorado. Mattie knows only too well that humans have a tendency to side-step into the darker elements of life. She hunkers down on her own secrets of the past. And yet, we'll come to see that no matter how one tries to stifle the voices within, the whispers visit all too often.
Mattie works the K-9 department with her remarkably trained dog, Robo, who has a gifted sense of smell and direction. Although he runs the gamut of his profession, Robo has bonded with Mattie and senses her every need. Mattie's hand signals and verbal commands set Robo on a relentless trail to find clues and assist victims of crimes.
When a thirteen year old girl turns up missing, Mattie and Robo are called to the girl's home. They find her body not far from the middle school that she attended. In the course of these events, young Candace's secret life is revealed. Did Candace travel paths that may have led to her own demise? And do these footsteps lead back to her own home life?
This is the third book in this series by Margaret Mizushima. Although I have not read the first two, I was able to easily hit the road with Mattie and Robo. We are introduced to Cole Walker, the local veterinarian, and his two daughters. Recently divorced, Cole is questioning his feelings for Mattie. The two seem to be in denial that there's something more here than friendship. When Cole's younger daughter goes missing, Cole relies on his bond with Mattie. She's the only one that he knows can bring her back. But time is of the essence.
Hunting Hour starts off with high interest. There are intense avenues that are explored in regard to the original murder. This ain't no sugar-coated romp in the woods. We even know that Mattie comes to the fore with a rock-loaded backpack of her own. But then the ending seemed to deflate everything that transpired prior to it. Unlikely vs. Likely plays out here. Wrapped up in light canvas and taken to the trash. There just seemed to be too many threads that were left unexplored. Why broach a subject and then shelf it later?
In spite of that, Hunting Hour is a good read. It heightened my interest into going back to the first two books. Mizushima is on to something here with the main character of Deputy Mattie Cobb. Robo, himself, is worth the price of admission. A loud bow-wow up for Robo.
I received a copy of Hunting Hour through Crooked Lane Books for an honest review. My thanks to them and to Margaret Mizushima for the opportunity.
September 23, 2020
Thrilling, dynamic, original, and loaded with trepidation from beginning to end! Dog lovers and mystery lovers alike will enjoy this series!
After receiving a report of a missing teen-age girl, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, hurry to the junior high school in Timber Creek, Colorado. Thirteen year old, Candice, didn't come home after school and has now been missing for over three hours. Mattie and Robo begin by searching areas around the school, moving on to an area behind the high school known as Smoker's Hill.
Would she find Candice up here, casually sharing a cigarette or a joint with a friend? Surly a kid with asthma would know better than to smoke.
Robo continued up the trail, his ears darting forward and back. About halfway to the top, he breached a rise that led into a depression surrounded by scattered boulders and rocks of all sizes. After following him into the bowl, she scanned the area, realizing no one could see her from the bottom of the hill. Isolated.
There were changes on the ground, torn sod and footprints, as if there'd been a scuffle. They spoke to her.
Somthing's wrong.
The hair on her neck rose about the same time it did on Robo's. Something bad had happened here; Robo could feel it, and so could she. She glanced behind her to see if Brody was near, but the rise blocked her view. She hurried to keep up with Robo, who was trotting off-trail now and heading around a rocky outcropping farther up the hillside. He disappeared behind it, and Mattie ran to keep him in sight. Sprinting uphill, she rounded the rocky area and found him sitting beside a clump of rabbit brush, staring at her.
"What is it? What did you find?"
She spotted something under the brush. Denim... jeans. The setting sun provided dim light. Shadows gradually took shape. Jean-clad legs.
Mattie squatted beside Robo, gently pushing the brush aside so she could see what lay beneath. She heard and felt Brody come up beside her, but she couldn't divert her gaze to look at him.
The girl lay on her back, hands folded on her chest, eyes closed.
Only the broken fingernails, blue-tinted lips, and red abrasions on her face belied her peaceful reprose. Curly brown hair—no doubt it was Candice. Dead.
******
Hunting Hour by Margaret Mizushima is the third in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series.
The characters are well developed, realistic, and full of personality. I enjoyed them in the first book and have become quite attached to them as the series continues.
The story is thrilling, original, and full of trepidation that had me quickly turning the pages from start to finish!
I had an inkling of who the killer was but I wasn't certain until I was very near the end of the book.
This is a dynamic and wonderful series for dog lovers and mystery lovers alike.
I received the fourth book in this series, Burning Ridge, from NetGally, due for publication in September 2018, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
After receiving a report of a missing teen-age girl, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, hurry to the junior high school in Timber Creek, Colorado. Thirteen year old, Candice, didn't come home after school and has now been missing for over three hours. Mattie and Robo begin by searching areas around the school, moving on to an area behind the high school known as Smoker's Hill.
Would she find Candice up here, casually sharing a cigarette or a joint with a friend? Surly a kid with asthma would know better than to smoke.
Robo continued up the trail, his ears darting forward and back. About halfway to the top, he breached a rise that led into a depression surrounded by scattered boulders and rocks of all sizes. After following him into the bowl, she scanned the area, realizing no one could see her from the bottom of the hill. Isolated.
There were changes on the ground, torn sod and footprints, as if there'd been a scuffle. They spoke to her.
Somthing's wrong.
The hair on her neck rose about the same time it did on Robo's. Something bad had happened here; Robo could feel it, and so could she. She glanced behind her to see if Brody was near, but the rise blocked her view. She hurried to keep up with Robo, who was trotting off-trail now and heading around a rocky outcropping farther up the hillside. He disappeared behind it, and Mattie ran to keep him in sight. Sprinting uphill, she rounded the rocky area and found him sitting beside a clump of rabbit brush, staring at her.
"What is it? What did you find?"
She spotted something under the brush. Denim... jeans. The setting sun provided dim light. Shadows gradually took shape. Jean-clad legs.
Mattie squatted beside Robo, gently pushing the brush aside so she could see what lay beneath. She heard and felt Brody come up beside her, but she couldn't divert her gaze to look at him.
The girl lay on her back, hands folded on her chest, eyes closed.
Only the broken fingernails, blue-tinted lips, and red abrasions on her face belied her peaceful reprose. Curly brown hair—no doubt it was Candice. Dead.
******
Hunting Hour by Margaret Mizushima is the third in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series.
The characters are well developed, realistic, and full of personality. I enjoyed them in the first book and have become quite attached to them as the series continues.
The story is thrilling, original, and full of trepidation that had me quickly turning the pages from start to finish!
I had an inkling of who the killer was but I wasn't certain until I was very near the end of the book.
This is a dynamic and wonderful series for dog lovers and mystery lovers alike.
I received the fourth book in this series, Burning Ridge, from NetGally, due for publication in September 2018, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
July 16, 2017
It's funny how a series can grab you. I've really liked this one since the first book so I was glad to get an advance copy of this, the third in the series. Mattie is an interesting character, smart, but damaged. But this time around, it was Cole with whom I really connected.
For anyone who likes Archer Mayor, Sara Driscoll or Angela Marsons, I can really recommend this series as well. In similar fashion, the entire police team is well developed. In particular, Stella continues to be well drawn.
Mizushima’s stories are consistently fast paced and engrossing. Of course, the addition of Robo, Mattie’s police dog heightens my enjoyment of this series immensely. Mizushima does a wonderful job of showing us how the dog works and aids in police investigations. She also totally understands the bond between dog and human and how often we rely on them for so much more than the job.
My only quibble is this is the second book when I could pick out the bad guy early on in the book.
My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
For anyone who likes Archer Mayor, Sara Driscoll or Angela Marsons, I can really recommend this series as well. In similar fashion, the entire police team is well developed. In particular, Stella continues to be well drawn.
Mizushima’s stories are consistently fast paced and engrossing. Of course, the addition of Robo, Mattie’s police dog heightens my enjoyment of this series immensely. Mizushima does a wonderful job of showing us how the dog works and aids in police investigations. She also totally understands the bond between dog and human and how often we rely on them for so much more than the job.
My only quibble is this is the second book when I could pick out the bad guy early on in the book.
My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
June 29, 2017
One of the joys of being part of the NetGalley book review community is finding great new-to-me authors. When it turns out to be the writer of a series, my happiness grows exponentially. Such is the case here; this is the third in the author's "Timber Creek K-9 Mystery" series. I did not read the first two, but I didn't need to in order to enjoy this one; the backstory tidbits included here are quite sufficient to bring me up to speed.
For the most part, I came to like Mattie Cobb, a deputy in Timber Creek and the star of the show. She comes from an abused childhood and has some baggage that at times gets in the way of her investigative skills, but in another way it helps her identify with the victims and their families. That comes into play at the start of the story, when a junior high student goes missing and in short order is found dead on a hill behind the high school.
There's another character I loved even more than Mattie, though - her K-9 partner Robo. He's a real sweetheart, and his tracking ability makes him invaluable in situations like this. But wait, there's more: Still another totally lovable character is a real gem - Cole Walker, the local veterinarian who is, off-and-on, Mattie's boyfriend. He's got two daughters who love Mattie (and vice versa), but also an ex-wife for whom Mattie is sure is still carrying a torch.
Their relationship is put to the test when, shortly after the first young girl is found and determined to have been murdered, Cole's younger daughter goes missing. From that point on, the race is on to find her - hopefully still alive - as well as identify and bring the killer to justice. Needless to say, Robo gets a good workout, performing like the trooper he is.
In short, this is a solid murder mystery with interesting characters that will leave you satisfied and your fingernails intact. Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. It's a sure bet I'll be watching for the next installment.
For the most part, I came to like Mattie Cobb, a deputy in Timber Creek and the star of the show. She comes from an abused childhood and has some baggage that at times gets in the way of her investigative skills, but in another way it helps her identify with the victims and their families. That comes into play at the start of the story, when a junior high student goes missing and in short order is found dead on a hill behind the high school.
There's another character I loved even more than Mattie, though - her K-9 partner Robo. He's a real sweetheart, and his tracking ability makes him invaluable in situations like this. But wait, there's more: Still another totally lovable character is a real gem - Cole Walker, the local veterinarian who is, off-and-on, Mattie's boyfriend. He's got two daughters who love Mattie (and vice versa), but also an ex-wife for whom Mattie is sure is still carrying a torch.
Their relationship is put to the test when, shortly after the first young girl is found and determined to have been murdered, Cole's younger daughter goes missing. From that point on, the race is on to find her - hopefully still alive - as well as identify and bring the killer to justice. Needless to say, Robo gets a good workout, performing like the trooper he is.
In short, this is a solid murder mystery with interesting characters that will leave you satisfied and your fingernails intact. Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. It's a sure bet I'll be watching for the next installment.
September 19, 2017
I've been wanting to read the books in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series for a while now and when I got the chance to read this book did I go for it. I love reading books about cops or ex-military that has a K-9 as a partner and I was looking forward to seeing how this book would turn out.
I have to admit that the book was harder to get into than I thought it would be. For some reason, neither the story nor the characters clicked for me and I struggled with the book. Not that it was a bad book, more like I couldn't find myself completely liking it. Mattie Cobb never came alive for me, and I wasn't interested in her childhood traumas. To have a psychological damaged main female character has become very common, and unless the character in any way comes more than a stereotype then it's pretty hard to muster any energy to like here. And, her "relationship" with Cole Walker also was an aspect that just didn't work for me. And, finding myself quite uninterested in the characters made it harder to enjoy reading the book.
Now, the book becomes better towards the end of the book, the story picked up and made my interest grew as I was curious to learn who was behind the killing and later the kidnapping of another young girl. I just want to say one crucial thing about the story, or rather the blurb. It gives away TOO MUCH of the story. I've seen this too often, especially when it comes to thrillers and crime novels. This damages often the enjoyment of reading a book too much. Takes away surprises and to be honest, I will try to avoid books in the future that gives away too much of the story. I don't want to know!
Hunting Hour was not a strong book. However, I do want to read the previous two books to see if they will work better for me.
2.5 stars
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
I have to admit that the book was harder to get into than I thought it would be. For some reason, neither the story nor the characters clicked for me and I struggled with the book. Not that it was a bad book, more like I couldn't find myself completely liking it. Mattie Cobb never came alive for me, and I wasn't interested in her childhood traumas. To have a psychological damaged main female character has become very common, and unless the character in any way comes more than a stereotype then it's pretty hard to muster any energy to like here. And, her "relationship" with Cole Walker also was an aspect that just didn't work for me. And, finding myself quite uninterested in the characters made it harder to enjoy reading the book.
Now, the book becomes better towards the end of the book, the story picked up and made my interest grew as I was curious to learn who was behind the killing and later the kidnapping of another young girl. I just want to say one crucial thing about the story, or rather the blurb. It gives away TOO MUCH of the story. I've seen this too often, especially when it comes to thrillers and crime novels. This damages often the enjoyment of reading a book too much. Takes away surprises and to be honest, I will try to avoid books in the future that gives away too much of the story. I don't want to know!
Hunting Hour was not a strong book. However, I do want to read the previous two books to see if they will work better for me.
2.5 stars
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
September 20, 2020
At the beginning of Hunting Hour, Mattie was working through some personal matters with the help of a good therapist. For much of her life, she was a loner but her K-9 partner, Robo, her coworkers and the local vet and his daughters caused her to change. For the better. They brought her out of her shell.
There is something about this series (be sure and read the books in order!) that pulls together interesting characters and a solid mystery. I am continually learning about the importance of dogs. Search and rescue, struggling with grief and helping with mental illness are just a few things they offer humans.
Ms. Mizushima has a gift with her wonderful word-building. Her lead protagonist, Deputy Mattie Cobb, is by no means perfect but her perspicacity and resourcefulness enrich her character. When you add Robo’s sharp judgement and keen observation, the twosome stand out.
I read this police procedural/mystery in one day. The story started in one direction but traveled on a different course when one of Dr. Walker’s daughters went missing. When this happened, I immediately wanted to turn to the last chapter but I told myself no. For this reason, I kept reading page after page, chapter after chapter to a reassuring conclusion.
I am finding this series mildly addictive.
4.5 stars
There is something about this series (be sure and read the books in order!) that pulls together interesting characters and a solid mystery. I am continually learning about the importance of dogs. Search and rescue, struggling with grief and helping with mental illness are just a few things they offer humans.
Ms. Mizushima has a gift with her wonderful word-building. Her lead protagonist, Deputy Mattie Cobb, is by no means perfect but her perspicacity and resourcefulness enrich her character. When you add Robo’s sharp judgement and keen observation, the twosome stand out.
I read this police procedural/mystery in one day. The story started in one direction but traveled on a different course when one of Dr. Walker’s daughters went missing. When this happened, I immediately wanted to turn to the last chapter but I told myself no. For this reason, I kept reading page after page, chapter after chapter to a reassuring conclusion.
I am finding this series mildly addictive.
4.5 stars
October 21, 2019
Hunting Hour is the 3rd book in the Timber Creek K-9 series. This series is one of my favorites! I like the characters, the setting and the suspenseful plots.
This time, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo are searching for a missing teenager. When they discover her body behind the high school, the case quickly becomes complicated. It only gets worse. Another girl disappears, and this time it's Sophie Walker, daughter of the local vet. As they investigate and search for the missing little girl, the case gets even more confusing and strange. But Mattie is determined to find Sophie before her kidnapper kills her.
This story was so engrossing and suspenseful! Lots of suspects, investigation and action going on. Mattie is a great main character. She is intelligent and very good at her job. She handles Robo quite well, and they both worked hard to solve this case. There is some significant character development in this book. I'm enjoying the progression of the characters and their relationships, as well as Robo's continued growth as a police dog.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is just shy of 10 hours long and is narrated by Nancy Wu. Wu reads at a nice pace and does a great acting job, as usual. A very entertaining listening experience!
I'm definitely continuing to read this series. It has quickly become a favorite! Just one more book to read, Burning Ridge, before I get to read my review copy of the newest book....Tracking Game!
This time, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo are searching for a missing teenager. When they discover her body behind the high school, the case quickly becomes complicated. It only gets worse. Another girl disappears, and this time it's Sophie Walker, daughter of the local vet. As they investigate and search for the missing little girl, the case gets even more confusing and strange. But Mattie is determined to find Sophie before her kidnapper kills her.
This story was so engrossing and suspenseful! Lots of suspects, investigation and action going on. Mattie is a great main character. She is intelligent and very good at her job. She handles Robo quite well, and they both worked hard to solve this case. There is some significant character development in this book. I'm enjoying the progression of the characters and their relationships, as well as Robo's continued growth as a police dog.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is just shy of 10 hours long and is narrated by Nancy Wu. Wu reads at a nice pace and does a great acting job, as usual. A very entertaining listening experience!
I'm definitely continuing to read this series. It has quickly become a favorite! Just one more book to read, Burning Ridge, before I get to read my review copy of the newest book....Tracking Game!
March 14, 2018
I really enjoy this series, and so far each book seems to get better than the last. The length of this book was perfect for the type of story -- it keeps the suspense up and your attention doesn't wander because of a lot of unnecessary filler just to add a few chapters.
After three books I've really gotten attached to Mattie and Robo, Cole and his family, and the rest of the characters, so having Cole's little girl Sophie go missing in this book makes the reader feel like they have a personal stake in the outcome and ratchets up the tension.
I can't wait to see what developments happen in the next installment of this series.
(2018 reading challenge month of March: March “comes in like a Lion, and goes out like a Lamb,” so read a book that features an animal as one of the protagonists [does not have to be a talking animal])
After three books I've really gotten attached to Mattie and Robo, Cole and his family, and the rest of the characters, so having Cole's little girl Sophie go missing in this book makes the reader feel like they have a personal stake in the outcome and ratchets up the tension.
I can't wait to see what developments happen in the next installment of this series.
(2018 reading challenge month of March: March “comes in like a Lion, and goes out like a Lamb,” so read a book that features an animal as one of the protagonists [does not have to be a talking animal])
December 10, 2018
Audiobook: This series is very informative. The author knows what she is writing about and teaches it in her books. It's still a dry read, it feels emotionally stifled to me. I think it's the narrator or perhaps it is the writing, it's just so logical. I feel like I'm reading a "just the facts" book. This one had more internal emotional turmoil but no flares. It's all so maddening calm and reserved. The narrator is very precise and reads it like a book, she may be killing it for me. This might be a book to read only ? I'm have book 4 through my library, I'm not sure if I want to read anymore of this series or not.
July 23, 2021
Loving both german shepherd dogs and mysteries, I enjoy Mizushima's K-9 series. I like her characters and the warmth of the small community in which the story takes place. On to book 4
September 9, 2017
This is a haunting mystery. Yes it is book three but to be honest this can be read as stand alone. What I found really interesting was the training of the K-9. Robo the K-9 dog and his handler deputy Mattie Hobb. However if you want to know the back stories of the characters I guess reading the first two books would benefit you. But the story is stand alone.
Robo and Mattie are asked to investigate a missing child. But when they find her she is dead. Both Robo and Mattie are very involved in the investigation to find the killer. In the mean time the local veterinarian's daughter is taken. There are a lot of twists and turns and no I am not going to tell you what happens. But as a side note it is amazing how the dogs are used.
If you like a good mystery then this is for you. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely be checking out books one and two. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
Robo and Mattie are asked to investigate a missing child. But when they find her she is dead. Both Robo and Mattie are very involved in the investigation to find the killer. In the mean time the local veterinarian's daughter is taken. There are a lot of twists and turns and no I am not going to tell you what happens. But as a side note it is amazing how the dogs are used.
If you like a good mystery then this is for you. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely be checking out books one and two. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
July 1, 2019
I just absolutely love this series and I'm so sad to see that there's only one more book left after this! I certainly hope there are more to come because I want more, more, more!
Obviously Robo is my favorite character but I really want to see where things go in these character's lives! There's always an excellent mystery that Robo leads us on and I just thoroughly enjoy reading these books!
Obviously Robo is my favorite character but I really want to see where things go in these character's lives! There's always an excellent mystery that Robo leads us on and I just thoroughly enjoy reading these books!
July 29, 2018
A series keeps getting stronger and stronger. Mattie is dealing with her personal problems while still handling Robo and her job with great skill.
July 20, 2021
3.5 stars
What starts as investigation for a murdered teenager ends up with intense search for town veterinarian Cole Walker's younger daughter, Sophie, who is presumed to be abducted by the killer. And Deputy Mattie Cobb alongside her K-9 German shepherd partner, Robo, is smack dab in both cases while also battling her deep-seated trauma.
While I thought the case was excellent, and Mizushima threw a number of red herrings while at the same time raising the issue of mental health (in one of Cole's client), I wasn't completely satisfied with Mattie. I KNEW that she was a working in progress and in this book, clearly, her repressed childhood memory of being () was being addressed since Mattie was now seeing a therapist...
... but I was hoping that she talked to others as well. I know it isn't logical way of thinking. I know that people don't easily talk about this. Mattie's decision to see a therapist is already a good step towards healing. BUT, Mattie has a lot of friends who can help her if she wants *whines*. Because this problem made Mattie rather reckless in judgment when it came to suspects.
Yeah, I think it's probably more of MY issue than Mattie, huh? I know that I'm not being fair to her character. However, my rating always relates to how I feel and experience the book, and I guess I'm a bit frustrated. SORRY BOOK!
What starts as investigation for a murdered teenager ends up with intense search for town veterinarian Cole Walker's younger daughter, Sophie, who is presumed to be abducted by the killer. And Deputy Mattie Cobb alongside her K-9 German shepherd partner, Robo, is smack dab in both cases while also battling her deep-seated trauma.
While I thought the case was excellent, and Mizushima threw a number of red herrings while at the same time raising the issue of mental health (in one of Cole's client), I wasn't completely satisfied with Mattie. I KNEW that she was a working in progress and in this book, clearly, her repressed childhood memory of being () was being addressed since Mattie was now seeing a therapist...
... but I was hoping that she talked to others as well. I know it isn't logical way of thinking. I know that people don't easily talk about this. Mattie's decision to see a therapist is already a good step towards healing. BUT, Mattie has a lot of friends who can help her if she wants *whines*. Because this problem made Mattie rather reckless in judgment when it came to suspects.
Yeah, I think it's probably more of MY issue than Mattie, huh? I know that I'm not being fair to her character. However, my rating always relates to how I feel and experience the book, and I guess I'm a bit frustrated. SORRY BOOK!
September 13, 2017
This is the third book in the series, and I have throughly enjoyed them all. I love working dogs, and in fact, live with four Belgian Malinois so that undoubtedly adds to my interest in these books. The dogs I have met are every bit as driven and intelligent as Robo, the German Shepherd K-9 in the novels, and the training described is similar to what the military and TSA use. The handlers I know are just as devoted to their partners as Mattie is to hers. I like the characters and the way the author weaves their lives into the mystery of each of her books.
However, while I have found each of the books absorbing and enjoyable, all three have involved the death or adduction of young women or girls. I hope the next book in this series will have a different kind of problem for Mattie and Robo to solve. Mizushima seems glued to plots involving dead and missing girls. Enough! Find another storyline, please.
Because I enjoyed the book so much, I rated it 5 stars, but I will be disappointed if Book #4 involves another dead woman or one needing to be rescued.
However, while I have found each of the books absorbing and enjoyable, all three have involved the death or adduction of young women or girls. I hope the next book in this series will have a different kind of problem for Mattie and Robo to solve. Mizushima seems glued to plots involving dead and missing girls. Enough! Find another storyline, please.
Because I enjoyed the book so much, I rated it 5 stars, but I will be disappointed if Book #4 involves another dead woman or one needing to be rescued.
November 7, 2017
When I started Hunting Hour, I wasn't able to walk away. I was so involved in the search for a killer and kidnapper. I am as Also so fascinated by the skill of Robo the K9 tracker and drug dog. What a skilled and amazing talent this boys nose has. He outdid himself in this book.
I liked meeting Cole, the father of the missing girl Sophie and local vet.
If you have read book one the he is already a familiar face. This time with Mattie actively seeking help with her inner demons she knows what she wants and knows why she believes it is unobtainable.
Great fleshed out characters that you come to like and enjoy their conversations, training, and skills. This book was excellent.
I liked meeting Cole, the father of the missing girl Sophie and local vet.
If you have read book one the he is already a familiar face. This time with Mattie actively seeking help with her inner demons she knows what she wants and knows why she believes it is unobtainable.
Great fleshed out characters that you come to like and enjoy their conversations, training, and skills. This book was excellent.
April 21, 2021
I keep hoping that these stories would get better, but I can't seem to engage with the main characters. While the mystery was appropriately convoluted, many of the players had mental health issues, to the point that it became a distraction. The resolve came from left field, with insufficient clues to support it. The slow-burn romance took two steps back, then one step forward. And I'm just not clicking with the writing style.
But I love the dogs!
But I love the dogs!
March 16, 2019
OK I'm in binge mode here. These are addictive for me. They have the right blend of mystery, K9 and all kinds of relationships.
August 9, 2019
Candace Banks is a sexually promiscuous young lady, particularly popular with the highschool boys. When she doesn't come home after school her mother panics as she suffers from asthma and has left her inhalers at home. Worried that she has had an attack and is unable to get home, Deputy Mattie Cobb and her partner, K-9 Robo, are called in to try to find her. They do, on a hill behind the high school, hidden under a bush lying on her back, hands folded on her chest, eyes closed, red abrasions on her face, broken fingernails, and blue lips. Was this an asthma attack or something else that killed Candace? When it is determined is is a homicide, Mattie, Robo and Stella are on the case. When another young girl goes missing shortly after, it hits close to home as it is Sophie, Cole's daughter, the young girl that is close to a daughter to Mattie.
I am really enjoying this series. Mattie and Robo are like one main character. Robo has skills that stand him apart from other K-9 officers. He is able to find cadavers, locate drugs, track a scent and even air scent. All but one of these skills help in this book. I enjoy learning about the training and developing relationship between these partners. Mattie is smart, driven, yet caring with some flaws caused by some things in her background. She is working on her baggage and we are getting to know more about her with every book. I am enjoying the relationship between Cole and Mattie. There is some tension there caused by their developing relationship, but it is moving slowly and has its ups and downs. Her secondary characters are also becoming more developed with Chief McCoy and Detective Stella LaSasso playing a larger role in this story. Margaret Mizushima has written a well-plotted police procedural with a great mystery to solve. There are a lot of possibilities, clues and twists in this book that had me highly invested in the story. I felt for the older man in the story who appeared to have some mental health issues and Maggie's reaction to him reminded me too much of how mental health patients are often treated by others. I liked how she wove in this storyline to bring awareness to this issue. My one niggle with this book was the ending. I felt it was a bit of a let down from the intensity of the search and story up to that point. Having said that, it was a good story and I love seeing Mattie and Robo work together to solve another series of crimes in Timber Creek. I look forward to seeing Mattie and Robo continue to solve crimes in Timber Creek while Mattie becomes a more trusting and loving person who develops strong and lasting relationships with others in her life.
I am really enjoying this series. Mattie and Robo are like one main character. Robo has skills that stand him apart from other K-9 officers. He is able to find cadavers, locate drugs, track a scent and even air scent. All but one of these skills help in this book. I enjoy learning about the training and developing relationship between these partners. Mattie is smart, driven, yet caring with some flaws caused by some things in her background. She is working on her baggage and we are getting to know more about her with every book. I am enjoying the relationship between Cole and Mattie. There is some tension there caused by their developing relationship, but it is moving slowly and has its ups and downs. Her secondary characters are also becoming more developed with Chief McCoy and Detective Stella LaSasso playing a larger role in this story. Margaret Mizushima has written a well-plotted police procedural with a great mystery to solve. There are a lot of possibilities, clues and twists in this book that had me highly invested in the story. I felt for the older man in the story who appeared to have some mental health issues and Maggie's reaction to him reminded me too much of how mental health patients are often treated by others. I liked how she wove in this storyline to bring awareness to this issue. My one niggle with this book was the ending. I felt it was a bit of a let down from the intensity of the search and story up to that point. Having said that, it was a good story and I love seeing Mattie and Robo work together to solve another series of crimes in Timber Creek. I look forward to seeing Mattie and Robo continue to solve crimes in Timber Creek while Mattie becomes a more trusting and loving person who develops strong and lasting relationships with others in her life.
June 1, 2018
The formerly quiet town of Timber Creek is in the past. Interrupting Deputy Mattie Cobbs’ doctor’s appointment, she is called into work with her K-9 partner, Robo, to search for a missing child. This is only the beginning of this suspenseful story with its great cast of characters. I am so happy to have had this author recommended to me. Burning Ridge, the fourth book in this series, will be released September 11, 2018.
Quotes I liked from this book: “Let me clarify. You were having sex with a thirteen-year-old girl. Were other boys at the high school having sex with Candace?” [Detective] Stella asked…
Find Hunting Hour at the Westminster Public Library.
Quotes I liked from this book: “Let me clarify. You were having sex with a thirteen-year-old girl. Were other boys at the high school having sex with Candace?” [Detective] Stella asked…
Find Hunting Hour at the Westminster Public Library.
April 23, 2017
In Mizushima's Hunting Hour (Crooked Lane Books 2017), Mattie, a K9 officer with the Timber Creek police is called on to use her trained tracking dog Robo to track a young girl who is missing. The 8th grader is found dead and Mattie and Robo segue to tracking the killer. As Mattie's working this case, the daughter of a friend is kidnapped by one who must be the same as the killer. Mattie and Robo chase the kidnapper knowing they only have a brief time to find the child. An early are the kidnapped and the
I read the first in this series (loved it) and this is an excellent addition. The tension never ends. The details of a working dog are exciting, and Mizushima's respect and love for all animals shines through with every plot twist.
In murder mysteries, I always try to guess the killer before I finish but this one, I just couldn't do it. It was that clever. Headline. You'll never guess the killer.
I read the first in this series (loved it) and this is an excellent addition. The tension never ends. The details of a working dog are exciting, and Mizushima's respect and love for all animals shines through with every plot twist.
In murder mysteries, I always try to guess the killer before I finish but this one, I just couldn't do it. It was that clever. Headline. You'll never guess the killer.
April 24, 2017
This is a great story and people who appreciate the abilities of dogs are sure to enjoy it. That does not include people who load their dogs into a baby carriage and push them around a store, or people who coddle their dogs, purchasing airfare so they can ride as a passenger on a flight. Rather a working dog, as in trained to sniff out drugs, or track a missing person, and countless other abilities to assist law enforcement. The K-9 officer struggles with her own problems and her dog is not only a working dog but a comfort to her. The plot involves a dead child, a missing child, and a few eccentric characters along with a cast of others, some normal and some less than normal but all beset with their own issues. The use of dogs is especially appealing to someone who is a fan of law enforcement canines. The entire story is a five-star thriller, set in a homey country like small town in the west. The character personalities are very much like people many of us have known, presenting a realistic crime story, that could easily be based on an actual case. Hard to put down and a commendable work by the author. Upon finishing this book I immediately purchased “Stalking Ground” and “Killing Trail” by this same author.
November 25, 2017
Thank you NetGalley.
While I really enjoyed the 1st book in the Timber Creek K-9 series, I found the 2nd to be somewhat draggy.... all the adolescent emotional angst and drama really slowed the story down. However I have often found the 2nd book disappointing after the first n=and decided not to give up on this series (yet).
While Robo was still featured in The Hunting Hour, I felt he was kinda there just to support the main theme of mental health.....or the lack thereof in a small town. Skyping sessions with you internet therapist??? Really????? C'mon Mattie, get real help or stick with FaceBook. Quit fooling yourself. At least Cole was committed enough to the process he made the effort to get dressed and drive to his counselor's office for his sessions. I'm guessing even poor old Gus will be doing better than Mattie in a couple of months.
While the mystery itself moved along between "sessions" and began with a fairly large suspect pool, the drama kept putting the brakes on the pacing or maybe I'm just frustrated with the lack of character development. If I trip across the next book in the series and have nothing better to read at the time, maybe I'll read it. But I doubt I'll be looking for it.
2.5 stars
While I really enjoyed the 1st book in the Timber Creek K-9 series, I found the 2nd to be somewhat draggy.... all the adolescent emotional angst and drama really slowed the story down. However I have often found the 2nd book disappointing after the first n=and decided not to give up on this series (yet).
While Robo was still featured in The Hunting Hour, I felt he was kinda there just to support the main theme of mental health.....or the lack thereof in a small town. Skyping sessions with you internet therapist??? Really????? C'mon Mattie, get real help or stick with FaceBook. Quit fooling yourself. At least Cole was committed enough to the process he made the effort to get dressed and drive to his counselor's office for his sessions. I'm guessing even poor old Gus will be doing better than Mattie in a couple of months.
While the mystery itself moved along between "sessions" and began with a fairly large suspect pool, the drama kept putting the brakes on the pacing or maybe I'm just frustrated with the lack of character development. If I trip across the next book in the series and have nothing better to read at the time, maybe I'll read it. But I doubt I'll be looking for it.
2.5 stars
August 8, 2017
I am new to Margaret Mizushima but I thoroughly enjoyed the hauntingly suspenseful Hunting Hour and will be checking out the earlier books in the series. The solid, likeable and realistic main characters and the intense and heart touching plot kept me tied to the book . I think of the book as police procedural with personality. This book focused on the K9 handler Detective Matty Cobbs and her close friends, the family of the local veterinarian. When one child is killed and another disappears, deep emotional issues haunts Matty's view of the investigation. She is under counseling but it is hard not to relate her the investigation to the abuse she suffered as a child. Luke's wife left him a year earlier and he and his two daughters are still dealing with the fall out. Matty is attached to them but she is afraid that Luke still loves his ex-wife.
I requested and received an advanced readers' copy of Hunting Hour. The review is all me, I always review book that I enjoy. I was highly intrigued by the premise and the book met all my expectation. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I requested and received an advanced readers' copy of Hunting Hour. The review is all me, I always review book that I enjoy. I was highly intrigued by the premise and the book met all my expectation. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
May 25, 2020
This fine series delivers another great mystery. This is not a cozy mystery, yet does not include much in the way of darkness, gore or evil. Colorful characters in a mid-size Western town help create a great setting.
A promiscuous middle school girl is killed near the high school. That is hard enough on the town of Timber Creek, but then the popular veterinarian's nine-year-old daughter Sophie goes missing. Her dad Cole, is a single dad with two daughters. He is also Maggie's conflicted love interest. Maggie, a police woman, and trainer of Robo, the greatest search dog ever become intensely involved looking for the murderer and the kidnapper. They might just be the same person. All hands on deck.
This covers a lot of ground. Single dad concerns, a schizophrenic elderly man, couple forms of PTSD, drugs, gambling, good neighbors, professional search practices, and more. It was possibly drawn out a bit more than needed, and can envision a different conclusion that would be more intense. Yet...
This series is a pleasure to read. Did I mention there are lots of animals in this: dogs, chicks, horses. All good.
A promiscuous middle school girl is killed near the high school. That is hard enough on the town of Timber Creek, but then the popular veterinarian's nine-year-old daughter Sophie goes missing. Her dad Cole, is a single dad with two daughters. He is also Maggie's conflicted love interest. Maggie, a police woman, and trainer of Robo, the greatest search dog ever become intensely involved looking for the murderer and the kidnapper. They might just be the same person. All hands on deck.
This covers a lot of ground. Single dad concerns, a schizophrenic elderly man, couple forms of PTSD, drugs, gambling, good neighbors, professional search practices, and more. It was possibly drawn out a bit more than needed, and can envision a different conclusion that would be more intense. Yet...
This series is a pleasure to read. Did I mention there are lots of animals in this: dogs, chicks, horses. All good.
July 10, 2017
An outstanding police procedure featuring K-9 dog, Robo and his handler, Deputy Mattie Cobb. The information on Robo's training is educational and how a police department broach a missing person is enlightening. This is the third book in the series and a new author for me. The story switches between Mattie and Robo with a veterinarian, Doctor Cole Walker. The sheriff officers all are well developed. The backstory intrigued me and I will be reading the previous books before too long.
Mattie and Robo are asked to find a missing teenager who did not return home from school. They follow normal procedures and when they find the girl she is dead. Robo's activities are great as he continues to aid in the solution. Before the killer is found one of Cole Walker's daughters is missing. The twists and turns this story will keep the pages moving. The use of how the K-9 dogs are use in this case is extremely informative. I highly recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Mattie and Robo are asked to find a missing teenager who did not return home from school. They follow normal procedures and when they find the girl she is dead. Robo's activities are great as he continues to aid in the solution. Before the killer is found one of Cole Walker's daughters is missing. The twists and turns this story will keep the pages moving. The use of how the K-9 dogs are use in this case is extremely informative. I highly recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
October 6, 2025
The series continues to build between Mattie and Robo the K9 service dog and Cole and his two girls. The mystery isn’t complicated but it’s like a comfortable pair of shoes to continue with a series where the characters are likable and there’s a growing romance built on trust and friendship while they all work to solve crimes that cross their paths. Book #3 was decent and a little predictable but I don’t mind that too much in a series that spans 9 books. I look forward to continuing to read all of them.
May 11, 2017
I'm so excited that I found a new series of mysteries! I realize this one is #3, but it was a fine entry point to the series, and after finishing this one, I bought the first two.
Detective Matty Cobbs is a K-9 officer who is brought in when a young teenager is missing. I really enjoyed watching the dogs in this book work, and it seemed like a realistic depiction of what scent dogs can and cannot do. The mystery was good, as were the characters. I would highly recommend this to mystery lovers, especially if they also like dogs.
Detective Matty Cobbs is a K-9 officer who is brought in when a young teenager is missing. I really enjoyed watching the dogs in this book work, and it seemed like a realistic depiction of what scent dogs can and cannot do. The mystery was good, as were the characters. I would highly recommend this to mystery lovers, especially if they also like dogs.
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