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FBI K-9 #2
Before It's Too Late
As a serial killer plays games with the FBI, a special agent and her K-9 partner refuse to follow the rules in this Washington, D.C., thriller.
Somewhere in the Washington, D.C. area, a woman lies helpless in a box—barely breathing and buried alive. In Quantico, the FBI receives a coded message from the woman’s abductor. He wants to play a game: decipher the clues, save the girl. But when FBI cryptanalysts crack the code, Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner, Hawk, are too late. An innocent life is lost…and the killer’s game is far from over.
With more coded messages, the deadly pattern is repeated—again and again. As the body count rises, Meg decides to break protocol and consult her brilliant sister, Cara, to decipher the kidnapper’s twisted clues. Putting her job on the line, Meg is determined not to let one more person die under her and Hawk’s watch. If the plan fails, it could bite them in the end. And if it leads to the killer, it could bury them forever . . .
Somewhere in the Washington, D.C. area, a woman lies helpless in a box—barely breathing and buried alive. In Quantico, the FBI receives a coded message from the woman’s abductor. He wants to play a game: decipher the clues, save the girl. But when FBI cryptanalysts crack the code, Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner, Hawk, are too late. An innocent life is lost…and the killer’s game is far from over.
With more coded messages, the deadly pattern is repeated—again and again. As the body count rises, Meg decides to break protocol and consult her brilliant sister, Cara, to decipher the kidnapper’s twisted clues. Putting her job on the line, Meg is determined not to let one more person die under her and Hawk’s watch. If the plan fails, it could bite them in the end. And if it leads to the killer, it could bury them forever . . .
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2017
1052 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Sara Driscoll
17 books877 followersSara Driscoll is the pen name of Jen J. Danna, coauthor of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries and author of the FBI K-9s and the NYPD Negotiators. After over thirty years in infectious diseases research, Jen hung up her lab coat to concentrate on her real love—writing “exceptional” thrillers (Publishers Weekly). She is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and lives with her husband and four rescued cats outside of Toronto, Ontario. You can follow the latest news on her books, including the FBI K-9s, at www.saradriscollauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
August 30, 2017
This is the second in the Meg Jenkins and Hawk series. The FBI is receiving clues from a serial killer. The clues, written in code, are addressed to Meg and in each case refer to an abducted woman who bears a striking resemblance to Meg. In each case it's a race against time to see if the woman can be found before she's dead.
This book moves at a fast pace. I read and enjoyed the first book, but I don't feel it's necessary to have read it before starting this one. Driscoll’s writing is nothing fancy, just straight forward stories with good characters. As before, her ability to capture the relationship between Meg and Hawk is a key ingredient. Like all my favorite mystery series, Driscoll adds layers to each member of the team. Here, she focuses on the non-FBI characters who play a crucial role.
This book is very well researched. Driscoll had to do a fair amount of work to discover all the Civil War details. As with the first book, Driscoll gives a definition at the start of each chapter. This time, it's all Civil War facts. Now, a lot of times I get annoyed and tend to gloss over those little quotes or whatever that start a chapter. Do not! These are well chosen, tied directly to the action to come and always interesting. I was impressed.
I liked book one but found this one to be much more engrossing. She's got me hooked and I'm waiting for book three.
I was interested to learn that Driscoll is actually a pseudonym for two writers. You'd never know it, the writing is seamless.
My thanks to netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book.
This book moves at a fast pace. I read and enjoyed the first book, but I don't feel it's necessary to have read it before starting this one. Driscoll’s writing is nothing fancy, just straight forward stories with good characters. As before, her ability to capture the relationship between Meg and Hawk is a key ingredient. Like all my favorite mystery series, Driscoll adds layers to each member of the team. Here, she focuses on the non-FBI characters who play a crucial role.
This book is very well researched. Driscoll had to do a fair amount of work to discover all the Civil War details. As with the first book, Driscoll gives a definition at the start of each chapter. This time, it's all Civil War facts. Now, a lot of times I get annoyed and tend to gloss over those little quotes or whatever that start a chapter. Do not! These are well chosen, tied directly to the action to come and always interesting. I was impressed.
I liked book one but found this one to be much more engrossing. She's got me hooked and I'm waiting for book three.
I was interested to learn that Driscoll is actually a pseudonym for two writers. You'd never know it, the writing is seamless.
My thanks to netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book.
May 8, 2018
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE (FBI K-9 #2) by Sara Driscoll is an edge-of-your-seat FBI K-9 crime thrill ride! I enjoyed the first book in this series and this addition to the series did not let me down. I had to continue turning the pages without stop anxious for the team to catch the killer, but also dreading the next type of asphyxia used on each victim.
As women go missing, their dogs are found with coded messages attached to their leashes all addressed to Special Agent Meg Jennings. As the FBI cryptanalysts decode the messages, Meg and Hawk, as well as the other FBI K-9 team members race to save the women from a horrific death. It is a deadly game in which each woman bears a striking resemblance to Meg.
Meg cannot let these women be substitutes for her any longer. She breaks the FBI rules and brings in her sister, Cara who is talented with codes and puzzles and Clay McCord a reporter who is extremely well versed in Civil War history to solve each clue sooner to give the team more time to rescue the abducted women.
When Cara and another woman are abducted, Meg is told by the killer she cannot use any law enforcement to help. Can she save her sister in time? Will she have to let another die in her place? These games have to end and it is time to unmask this killer who keeps killing Meg over and over again.
Meg and Hawk are such an interesting team. If you love dogs added to your stories, this is the series to follow. This is a suspense/thriller series with just a hint at romance for the future. It was great to follow all of the team again, but this book also goes more in depth into Meg and Cara’s private lives. This story is full of action, thrills and chilling methods used by the killer. (The first death is a primal fear of so many, including me.) I am looking forward to reading more of this series in the future!
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE (FBI K-9 #2) by Sara Driscoll is an edge-of-your-seat FBI K-9 crime thrill ride! I enjoyed the first book in this series and this addition to the series did not let me down. I had to continue turning the pages without stop anxious for the team to catch the killer, but also dreading the next type of asphyxia used on each victim.
As women go missing, their dogs are found with coded messages attached to their leashes all addressed to Special Agent Meg Jennings. As the FBI cryptanalysts decode the messages, Meg and Hawk, as well as the other FBI K-9 team members race to save the women from a horrific death. It is a deadly game in which each woman bears a striking resemblance to Meg.
Meg cannot let these women be substitutes for her any longer. She breaks the FBI rules and brings in her sister, Cara who is talented with codes and puzzles and Clay McCord a reporter who is extremely well versed in Civil War history to solve each clue sooner to give the team more time to rescue the abducted women.
When Cara and another woman are abducted, Meg is told by the killer she cannot use any law enforcement to help. Can she save her sister in time? Will she have to let another die in her place? These games have to end and it is time to unmask this killer who keeps killing Meg over and over again.
Meg and Hawk are such an interesting team. If you love dogs added to your stories, this is the series to follow. This is a suspense/thriller series with just a hint at romance for the future. It was great to follow all of the team again, but this book also goes more in depth into Meg and Cara’s private lives. This story is full of action, thrills and chilling methods used by the killer. (The first death is a primal fear of so many, including me.) I am looking forward to reading more of this series in the future!
February 7, 2025
It’s nice to catch up with Meg and her K9 partner, Hawk, and the rest of the FBI K9 team in this second installment. I love stories about K9 SAR teams; they always exhibit the truly magnificent strengths and abilities of amazing working dogs and their handlers. I also like Meg, who is a pretty bad@$$ FBI K9 handler as well as her sister, Cara, who owns and runs a K9 training center. Meg and Cara live together and between the two of them they have three doggies, Hawk (Lab), Saki (Pitbull) and Blink (Greyhound). This makes them good people in my book as well as their parents who own and run an animal rescue sanctuary.
The book summary introduces the primary storyline of the killer using codes that the FBI have to crack first in order to know where the killer has hidden his victims. What the book summary doesn’t really say is that the killer is leaving messages on the victims dog (none of the victims dogs are killed or harmed) and all the messages are addressed to Meg. Then there’s the fact that all of the victims look like Meg too. Meg shares the case and messages with Cara who actually cracks the codes before the FBI code breakers and discovers that the keys to the codes are also linked to Meg too. This has Meg on high alert because Cara also looks a lot like Meg too.
Most of the story revolves around cracking the killer’s codes and trying to rescue the victims before they die. Eventually, the FBI finds out that Meg has shared the case with outsiders and Meg is suspended for disobeying an order as well as FBI protocol. Throughout the story, the killer becomes more unhinged and more personal with Meg. The final abductions have the killer sending the message directly to just to Meg because the killer assumes that FBI is the one that is figuring out the codes really fast. Meg heads out without FBI support to save the victims. It’s a scary and absolutely frightening scene.
The continued character development of Meg and to some degree Cara and her fellow K9 teammates were well done. Some I’ve come to like more and others, I now don’t like or trust. The pacing was fast and action packed with the Meg and the team racing from one scene to another. The writing was also well done. I like how Driscoll started each chapter with some tidbit or trivia about some element of the civil war. The killer was using civil war heroes and locations in the messages. In the last installment, Driscoll used SAR training vocabulary and training in the chapter introductions. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Angela Dawe, was great at creating intensity at all the right parts. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
The book summary introduces the primary storyline of the killer using codes that the FBI have to crack first in order to know where the killer has hidden his victims. What the book summary doesn’t really say is that the killer is leaving messages on the victims dog (none of the victims dogs are killed or harmed) and all the messages are addressed to Meg. Then there’s the fact that all of the victims look like Meg too. Meg shares the case and messages with Cara who actually cracks the codes before the FBI code breakers and discovers that the keys to the codes are also linked to Meg too. This has Meg on high alert because Cara also looks a lot like Meg too.
Most of the story revolves around cracking the killer’s codes and trying to rescue the victims before they die. Eventually, the FBI finds out that Meg has shared the case with outsiders and Meg is suspended for disobeying an order as well as FBI protocol. Throughout the story, the killer becomes more unhinged and more personal with Meg. The final abductions have the killer sending the message directly to just to Meg because the killer assumes that FBI is the one that is figuring out the codes really fast. Meg heads out without FBI support to save the victims. It’s a scary and absolutely frightening scene.
The continued character development of Meg and to some degree Cara and her fellow K9 teammates were well done. Some I’ve come to like more and others, I now don’t like or trust. The pacing was fast and action packed with the Meg and the team racing from one scene to another. The writing was also well done. I like how Driscoll started each chapter with some tidbit or trivia about some element of the civil war. The killer was using civil war heroes and locations in the messages. In the last installment, Driscoll used SAR training vocabulary and training in the chapter introductions. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Angela Dawe, was great at creating intensity at all the right parts. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
November 20, 2023
Before It’s Too Late by Sara Driscoll
FBI K-9 series #2. Police procedural, mystery thriller. Can be read as a stand-alone, but relationships are advanced from the first book.
FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings answers her search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, race against the clock to find women that are being held under threat of suffocating, by a killer out for revenge. Clues turn personal as Meg and Hawk try to figure out clues to find the women and prevent their death but beating the clock takes clever puzzle skills and historical knowledge of the DC area.
Fast moving thriller and suspenseful action as they run from place to place trying to save the women in jeopardy. Of course, we all want to see Meg and Hawk successfully save the women, but just following Hawk is entertaining. Such a professional and such a good boy! Ok, some kudos to the firefighter and the journalist that help with the puzzles and life saving. This book cemented them both on the good side.
FBI K-9 series #2. Police procedural, mystery thriller. Can be read as a stand-alone, but relationships are advanced from the first book.
FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings answers her search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, race against the clock to find women that are being held under threat of suffocating, by a killer out for revenge. Clues turn personal as Meg and Hawk try to figure out clues to find the women and prevent their death but beating the clock takes clever puzzle skills and historical knowledge of the DC area.
Fast moving thriller and suspenseful action as they run from place to place trying to save the women in jeopardy. Of course, we all want to see Meg and Hawk successfully save the women, but just following Hawk is entertaining. Such a professional and such a good boy! Ok, some kudos to the firefighter and the journalist that help with the puzzles and life saving. This book cemented them both on the good side.
August 26, 2017
Before it's too Late is the sequel to Lone Wolf, which I haven't read, but that's in my Want-To-Read-List. So, when I got the chance to read this book did I grab it to see if the series is any good.
You don't have to have read Lone Wolf to read this book. The events in the previous books are mentioned, but this story is stand-alone. It's a fascinated case, where the kidnapper leaves messages that have to be deciphered in time to save the women taken. If too much time is spent on deciphering the message, well then it's over for the woman. And, the clues are not always that easy. Luckily, Meg knows someone that is great with word games, her sisters Cara.
I quite like this book. I adore reading crime novels with dogs, and in this case is Hawk one of the "main characters" in the book as he is a search-and-rescue dog. And, Hawk and the other search-and-rescue dogs are needed in this case as they often only have the locations to where the woman is and have to search to find her before it's too late. And, yes I liked the humans too (lol). FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings who is Hawk's owner and also the one that is taunted by the kidnapper in this book. It's easy to like Meg and I will definitely try to get hold of Lone Wolf to read what happened in that book. Cara.
It's a fast-paced book that only took a couple of hours for me to read, but that was very nice to read something "lighter". I felt that this is a perfect book when I want something less heavy, but not too light to read.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
You don't have to have read Lone Wolf to read this book. The events in the previous books are mentioned, but this story is stand-alone. It's a fascinated case, where the kidnapper leaves messages that have to be deciphered in time to save the women taken. If too much time is spent on deciphering the message, well then it's over for the woman. And, the clues are not always that easy. Luckily, Meg knows someone that is great with word games, her sisters Cara.
I quite like this book. I adore reading crime novels with dogs, and in this case is Hawk one of the "main characters" in the book as he is a search-and-rescue dog. And, Hawk and the other search-and-rescue dogs are needed in this case as they often only have the locations to where the woman is and have to search to find her before it's too late. And, yes I liked the humans too (lol). FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings who is Hawk's owner and also the one that is taunted by the kidnapper in this book. It's easy to like Meg and I will definitely try to get hold of Lone Wolf to read what happened in that book. Cara.
It's a fast-paced book that only took a couple of hours for me to read, but that was very nice to read something "lighter". I felt that this is a perfect book when I want something less heavy, but not too light to read.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
July 16, 2020
Driscoll did it again. These books are great. The dogs especially, but her characters are likable too. Meg, and in this one, both of her “Teams” were at the top of their games. Sure some of it was a little far fetched but that’s the way every good thriller is.
I also really like the way the Civil War history was woven in. In both books so far Driscoll takes a little time to teach her reader something that relates to the story. I always like to learn a little while being entertained. Can’t wait for the next one. Hawk reminds me so much of my first Lab Lily, that I take a little trip down memory lane in each book.
I also really like the way the Civil War history was woven in. In both books so far Driscoll takes a little time to teach her reader something that relates to the story. I always like to learn a little while being entertained. Can’t wait for the next one. Hawk reminds me so much of my first Lab Lily, that I take a little trip down memory lane in each book.
March 24, 2018
This is a great second book in the FBI K-9 series. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
There is a psycho looking for retribution, in the form of snatching up women who look very much like the main character, Meg Jennings. The "unsub" sends cryptic messages personally to FBI Special Canine Handler Meg Jennings. Figuring out the messages with the help of Meg's sister, then understanding the meaning with the help of a Washington Post journalist, a Civil War buff. The kidnappings then placements of the victims all relate somehow or another with the Civil War and particular main events during that time. And of course the main canine "Hawk" takes center stage and performs without a hitch.
A great read - highly recommend. The 3rd book in the series is due out in the fall of 2018, can't hard wait.
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
There is a psycho looking for retribution, in the form of snatching up women who look very much like the main character, Meg Jennings. The "unsub" sends cryptic messages personally to FBI Special Canine Handler Meg Jennings. Figuring out the messages with the help of Meg's sister, then understanding the meaning with the help of a Washington Post journalist, a Civil War buff. The kidnappings then placements of the victims all relate somehow or another with the Civil War and particular main events during that time. And of course the main canine "Hawk" takes center stage and performs without a hitch.
A great read - highly recommend. The 3rd book in the series is due out in the fall of 2018, can't hard wait.
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
September 26, 2017
I am delighted to be sharing my review for Before It’s Too Late by Sara Driscoll today, especially as it’s publication day! Having read and enjoyed the first book, Lone Wolf, I was thrilled to be asked to read and review the second in the series.
In Before It’s Too Late, we are back with Meg and Hawk as they are tasked with investigating a perpetrator that uses coded messages and mind games that leave Meg and her team in a race against the clock to find the victims before they die.
I am a huge fan of American-based crime thrillers, and these books definitely satisfy my appetite. Packed with action, a wonderful cast of characters and plenty to keep my mind working overtime, Before It’s Too Late has everything I look for.
I don’t want to go into detail on the plot. It is so well written, evokes emotion in the reader and it is fraught with tension so that every turn of the page left me wondering what was going to happen next.
The characters are all brilliant. Yes, that includes the perpetrator of the crimes. Horrendous as they are, it’s still really interesting to read about them and their motives. Meg and her team have a great camaraderie in this book. We also get a little more input from her sister, Cara, and Clay McCord, a reporter. I love the K-9 aspect too, as it isn’t something you read about too often.
Before It’s Too Late is a great read. It is full of action and it will definitely keep you turning the pages!
Highly recommended!
In Before It’s Too Late, we are back with Meg and Hawk as they are tasked with investigating a perpetrator that uses coded messages and mind games that leave Meg and her team in a race against the clock to find the victims before they die.
I am a huge fan of American-based crime thrillers, and these books definitely satisfy my appetite. Packed with action, a wonderful cast of characters and plenty to keep my mind working overtime, Before It’s Too Late has everything I look for.
I don’t want to go into detail on the plot. It is so well written, evokes emotion in the reader and it is fraught with tension so that every turn of the page left me wondering what was going to happen next.
The characters are all brilliant. Yes, that includes the perpetrator of the crimes. Horrendous as they are, it’s still really interesting to read about them and their motives. Meg and her team have a great camaraderie in this book. We also get a little more input from her sister, Cara, and Clay McCord, a reporter. I love the K-9 aspect too, as it isn’t something you read about too often.
Before It’s Too Late is a great read. It is full of action and it will definitely keep you turning the pages!
Highly recommended!
September 29, 2017
After having read the first book in the series, I was really looking forward to reading this one, and it didn't disappoint.
Meg and Hawk find themselves involved in a tricky case once more but this time it is VERY personal indeed. Who is this person who wants to kill young women in chillingly creative ways? What is his connection with her family? And is getting Cara involved such a wise move?
These questions and many more will be answered when you read the book. This is an excellent read, the story just flows and it was gripping enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, over and over again. The little touch of romantic tension was also appreciated. As was also the case with the first book, I really enjoyed reading about the relationship between Meg and Hawk as well. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Highly recommended from me, 4.5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to THE Book Club.
Meg and Hawk find themselves involved in a tricky case once more but this time it is VERY personal indeed. Who is this person who wants to kill young women in chillingly creative ways? What is his connection with her family? And is getting Cara involved such a wise move?
These questions and many more will be answered when you read the book. This is an excellent read, the story just flows and it was gripping enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, over and over again. The little touch of romantic tension was also appreciated. As was also the case with the first book, I really enjoyed reading about the relationship between Meg and Hawk as well. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Highly recommended from me, 4.5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to THE Book Club.
November 9, 2022
Reading the second book in a new series is always an exciting and somewhat anxious experience. If the first book in the series has captured your interest, you are in a state of high and hopeful anticipation. Will #2 solidify the series or not? Well, the new F.B.I. K-9 series by Sara Driscoll (aka Jen J. Danna and Ann Vanderlaan) is definitely on solid ground, with Before It's Too Late, the second book, hitting all the right marks for success. Not only do readers enjoy a fast paced, thrilling race against the clock, unfamiliar history of Civil War sites and associated people is brilliantly woven into each search and rescue attempt.
F.B.I. Special Agent Meg Jennings and her search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, face one impossible challenge after another in this story. A service dog has been found wandering in a D.C. park with a note stuck in its waste bag carrier. The note is addressed to Meg, and the rest of it is in code. The service dog's owner has been kidnapped and will die if Meg, Hawk, and the rest of her K-9 team don't figure out the clues and find her before time runs out. With the help of the F.B.I.'s Cryptanalysis Unit, the code is deciphered and a location is determined from the cryptic clues, clues that point to a Civil War connection. Sandy Holmes, a veteran of the second Iraq War is buried alive somewhere in Arlington Cemetery, waiting to be rescued. Meg, Hawk, and the team work fervently to locate the correct grave site, and it is amazing to read how competently they arrive at the answers leading to the victim. But, time is not on their side, and this victim has only recently expired. Meg and the others are, of course, devastated.
However, there isn't a chance to dwell on the death of Sandy Holmes, as the code-taunting killer strikes again, another kidnapping and another race against the clock to save another female victim. This pattern will be repeated, a message addressed to Meg and a code to crack in time to save a life. The messages to Meg are not the only unsettling link between these kidnappings and Meg. After the second discovery, Meg and her teammate Brian notice an eerie similarity between the victims' physical appearance and Meg's. Something is horribly personal about these crimes, and Meg must go outside the protocols of her job to get a handle on and a jump on the madman's game. With the help of her sister Cara, who is an expert at solving puzzles and word games, and Meg's reporter friend, Clay McCord, an expert on Civil War knowledge, Meg begins to feel some hope in catching up to the unhinged mind of a ruthless killer. If she is successful, Meg's career might survive her unorthodox methods, but if she isn't, her life and the lives of those she cares about are in danger of forever being scarred.
This new crime series by Jen Danna and Ann Vanderlaan is such a distinct entry into the world of crime/mystery writing. Search-and-rescue dogs are highly trained animals who, working in sync with their human partners, are amazingly effective in in rescue and/or recovery. I find the interaction between the dog and the human fascinating, as well as their success at the job. The authors have blended story, character, and setting into gripping accounts of high stake, life and death moments. Before It's Too Late is edge-of-your-seat reading at its best.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this book, and my review is an honest, unbiased one.
F.B.I. Special Agent Meg Jennings and her search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, face one impossible challenge after another in this story. A service dog has been found wandering in a D.C. park with a note stuck in its waste bag carrier. The note is addressed to Meg, and the rest of it is in code. The service dog's owner has been kidnapped and will die if Meg, Hawk, and the rest of her K-9 team don't figure out the clues and find her before time runs out. With the help of the F.B.I.'s Cryptanalysis Unit, the code is deciphered and a location is determined from the cryptic clues, clues that point to a Civil War connection. Sandy Holmes, a veteran of the second Iraq War is buried alive somewhere in Arlington Cemetery, waiting to be rescued. Meg, Hawk, and the team work fervently to locate the correct grave site, and it is amazing to read how competently they arrive at the answers leading to the victim. But, time is not on their side, and this victim has only recently expired. Meg and the others are, of course, devastated.
However, there isn't a chance to dwell on the death of Sandy Holmes, as the code-taunting killer strikes again, another kidnapping and another race against the clock to save another female victim. This pattern will be repeated, a message addressed to Meg and a code to crack in time to save a life. The messages to Meg are not the only unsettling link between these kidnappings and Meg. After the second discovery, Meg and her teammate Brian notice an eerie similarity between the victims' physical appearance and Meg's. Something is horribly personal about these crimes, and Meg must go outside the protocols of her job to get a handle on and a jump on the madman's game. With the help of her sister Cara, who is an expert at solving puzzles and word games, and Meg's reporter friend, Clay McCord, an expert on Civil War knowledge, Meg begins to feel some hope in catching up to the unhinged mind of a ruthless killer. If she is successful, Meg's career might survive her unorthodox methods, but if she isn't, her life and the lives of those she cares about are in danger of forever being scarred.
This new crime series by Jen Danna and Ann Vanderlaan is such a distinct entry into the world of crime/mystery writing. Search-and-rescue dogs are highly trained animals who, working in sync with their human partners, are amazingly effective in in rescue and/or recovery. I find the interaction between the dog and the human fascinating, as well as their success at the job. The authors have blended story, character, and setting into gripping accounts of high stake, life and death moments. Before It's Too Late is edge-of-your-seat reading at its best.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this book, and my review is an honest, unbiased one.
October 31, 2019
I love search and rescue stories but I just couldn't get past how unrealistic and contrived this story felt. The plot had so much potential but there was a Mary Sue feel to Meg and her friend team. They were oh so much better than the entire FBI, she didn't share info with the the rest of the Bureau, she flouted all the rules and pretty well skated free. NOT REALISTIC. After the first kidnapping, Meg pretty well ditches the FBI (that she works for) and decides she can do everything so much better without them. Her sister likes to do puzzles and she has a special knack at it so she is so much faster and better than the FBI's team who were hired for their special decryption skills. Her reporter friend has always enjoyed history so he's the Encyclopedia of unknown facts and also knows all the geography of the area. And her fireman friend (potential special friend when she remembers him) has special EMT skills. The four of them are perfect and better than anyone else ever! She has a god complex - only she can save the day. Which the way the story is written, no one else can do anything.
It didn't help that a lot of the dialogue felt like a Wikipedia download of history and facts which isn't how people talk and got really boring...and happened a lot.
It didn't help that a lot of the dialogue felt like a Wikipedia download of history and facts which isn't how people talk and got really boring...and happened a lot.
April 28, 2022
Another message, another victim.
Book #2, and I still have the same likes and dislikes as I did for the first book.😜
On one hand, I love the circle of family and friends that surround Meg ... and I ADORE the SAR dogs! This story is jam-packed with action, and thrills, and I feel more educated about the Civil War than I was prior to reading Before It's Too Late! I loved the descriptions of the natural preserves, and I also liked that the book's pace made me feel as though I were hanging onto it by my fingernails!!
On the OTHER hand, I again found some of the plot lines to be rather unbelievable. And, again, I dislike it when people who are part of a team do so many things secretly and on their own!
Having said that, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the series!!
(PS. Can Hawk please come and live at my house?)
Book #2, and I still have the same likes and dislikes as I did for the first book.😜
On one hand, I love the circle of family and friends that surround Meg ... and I ADORE the SAR dogs! This story is jam-packed with action, and thrills, and I feel more educated about the Civil War than I was prior to reading Before It's Too Late! I loved the descriptions of the natural preserves, and I also liked that the book's pace made me feel as though I were hanging onto it by my fingernails!!
On the OTHER hand, I again found some of the plot lines to be rather unbelievable. And, again, I dislike it when people who are part of a team do so many things secretly and on their own!
Having said that, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the series!!
(PS. Can Hawk please come and live at my house?)
October 18, 2021
Meg and Hawk are my favorite K9 duo! The author does a great job of writing their story. This story was about women getting murdered/kidnapped who look similar to Meg. Clues are left and Meg recruits a few non-FBIers to help solve them. The riddles and games keep you into the book. I immediately started the next one after finishing this book!
April 17, 2023
I really enjoy mysteries/thrillers with handlers and dogs. This is the second book in the FBI K-9 series by Sara Driscoll and I liked it even more than the first. Messages in code which need to be solved to find the victims who may still be alive ramp the tension up. The solved codes are clever, obtuse and refer to something associated with the Civil War. There is a connection between victims, place and manner of death. Lots of puzzles and twisty thinking in this book as well as a strong heroine, the people who love her, and an amazing dog. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
February 22, 2025
An unsub is grabbing women off the street and setting them up to die unless Meg and Hawk can solve the messages addressed specifically to her left on the women's dogs.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one but will probably give the benefit of the doubt and read the next.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one but will probably give the benefit of the doubt and read the next.
September 26, 2017
Eeeek! You have to love a book that features a gorgeous Labrador as one of it’s main characters! My thanks to Jen J Danna and Netgalley for providing me with a widget to download and read the second book in this awesome series!! Lone Wolf is the first book in this series and you can read my review on www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk
The book starts in Arlington, Virginia and we are faced with fear, threats, the past, revenge, trust and the search for justice.
I was immediately pulled into the pages of this book from the get go – an emotive prologue and a #killerhook had me wanting more! more! more! My nerves were on end with this cat & mouse chase where the protagonist is at a loss of who she can trust. I loved the story-line and for me it felt like it had a personal touch and I wondered how much the author(s) injected a bit of themselves into this story.
YAY for Meg and Hawk! They are back with a bang and I have to say, I ADORE this pair! Despite Hawk being a gorgeous Labrador, the mutual respect, companionship and trust between this pair just oozes off the pages! And I loved when Meg used the command “Talon” to let Hawk know she meant business. Meg is a great character, determined, not afraid to break the rules but protective of those she loves. We see a more vulnerable side to her in this book – I won’t say why, but you’ll find out almost immediately. Her human-side outweighs her professional as she is determined to catch a killer. BRILLIANT!
We also see a little more of Cara, Meg’s sister, in this book and as much as they are alike – there are also alot of differences between these sisters. Cara is extremely clever when it comes to analysis and puzzle and it is this skill that has her pulled into this clverly plotted investigation. McCord, the journalist is back again and also helps the sister’s unravel the clues. Love him and I was pleased to see the direction his personal life was taking…won’t say anymore on that either! 😉
Todd Webb, a firefighter and Meg’s boyfriend also played a stronger role in this book. We had only been introduced to him at the end of Lone Wolf and I liked what I read back then. This time we see his protective nature on high alert but also his respect for Meg and her profession!
I loved the team Meg works with and so many of the other characters – I wish I could talk about them all. I do want to mention the killer, though. This is personal and the author feeds us bits of the clues alongside those Meg, her team and others are getting. Her past is coming back to haunt her and this killer is making it very clear that they mean business! Cunning and clever, we wait on tenterhooks to see what their next move will be!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Do I recommend this book? Hell-to-the-yeah, I do! I am absolutely LOVING this series; clever plots; interesting characters; twisted killers and suspense throughout – and Hawk! Well you #GottaLoveHawk ❤️
The book starts in Arlington, Virginia and we are faced with fear, threats, the past, revenge, trust and the search for justice.
I was immediately pulled into the pages of this book from the get go – an emotive prologue and a #killerhook had me wanting more! more! more! My nerves were on end with this cat & mouse chase where the protagonist is at a loss of who she can trust. I loved the story-line and for me it felt like it had a personal touch and I wondered how much the author(s) injected a bit of themselves into this story.
YAY for Meg and Hawk! They are back with a bang and I have to say, I ADORE this pair! Despite Hawk being a gorgeous Labrador, the mutual respect, companionship and trust between this pair just oozes off the pages! And I loved when Meg used the command “Talon” to let Hawk know she meant business. Meg is a great character, determined, not afraid to break the rules but protective of those she loves. We see a more vulnerable side to her in this book – I won’t say why, but you’ll find out almost immediately. Her human-side outweighs her professional as she is determined to catch a killer. BRILLIANT!
We also see a little more of Cara, Meg’s sister, in this book and as much as they are alike – there are also alot of differences between these sisters. Cara is extremely clever when it comes to analysis and puzzle and it is this skill that has her pulled into this clverly plotted investigation. McCord, the journalist is back again and also helps the sister’s unravel the clues. Love him and I was pleased to see the direction his personal life was taking…won’t say anymore on that either! 😉
Todd Webb, a firefighter and Meg’s boyfriend also played a stronger role in this book. We had only been introduced to him at the end of Lone Wolf and I liked what I read back then. This time we see his protective nature on high alert but also his respect for Meg and her profession!
I loved the team Meg works with and so many of the other characters – I wish I could talk about them all. I do want to mention the killer, though. This is personal and the author feeds us bits of the clues alongside those Meg, her team and others are getting. Her past is coming back to haunt her and this killer is making it very clear that they mean business! Cunning and clever, we wait on tenterhooks to see what their next move will be!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Do I recommend this book? Hell-to-the-yeah, I do! I am absolutely LOVING this series; clever plots; interesting characters; twisted killers and suspense throughout – and Hawk! Well you #GottaLoveHawk ❤️
September 21, 2017
Once again, a big shout-out of thanks and appreciation to Sara Driscoll for advancing me a copy of her new novel, “Lone Wolf” in exchange for my honest review.
What a terrific follow-up to the first novel, “Lone Wolf” and like others have mentioned you do not have to read “Lone Wolf” first; however, you should take the time to read it because it’s a terrific book. The author once again delivers a novel full of suspense and intrigue that moves at a fast pace and with so much going I never once felt confused or lost. “Before it’s Too Late” is a well-written novel and if you love dogs you have to read both “Lone Wolf” and “Before it’s Too Late” .
In my review of “Lone Wolf” , I mention my feelings about dogs and animals, someone who never had one growing up and doesn’t plan on ever having one. That being said, I ended up loving Hawk (how could you not?). Hopefully, nothing will ever happen to him otherwise many tears will be shed. Moving on, I love the relationship Meg has with Hawk. They’re so in tune with one another whether on the job or not. I also love how Driscoll included other K-9 units, agents and her sister, Cara, that it’s not just about Meg but giving the story something more to sink your teeth into, all of which I felt was realistic. You can see the dedication, strength and growth in Meg which is always a plus in my books.
“Before it’s Too Late” is full of action, suspense and puzzling as you try to understand the clues left behind on each victim. It’s also full of historical facts about the Civil War. Now, I was the one in the back of the class that would fall asleep as the Civil War really held no interest for me. I know, I’m awful but I’m being honest. As a Canadian, I didn’t care to learn about it. Again, I know, I’m awful. However, with each chapter the author provides you with facts about the Civil War which turns out to be quite intriguing. It’s quite obvious as to how much time Driscoll spent researching the Civil War. Perhaps if the author was my teacher I would’ve stayed awake during class.
I highly recommend “Before it’s Too Late” . Full of twists and turns, you can’t help but get sucked into the story and end up reading more and more. One more page turns into one chapter, one chapter turns into three more and the next thing you know it’s midnight. I just wish I had read it sooner. That being said, I can’t wait for Book 3.
What a terrific follow-up to the first novel, “Lone Wolf” and like others have mentioned you do not have to read “Lone Wolf” first; however, you should take the time to read it because it’s a terrific book. The author once again delivers a novel full of suspense and intrigue that moves at a fast pace and with so much going I never once felt confused or lost. “Before it’s Too Late” is a well-written novel and if you love dogs you have to read both “Lone Wolf” and “Before it’s Too Late” .
In my review of “Lone Wolf” , I mention my feelings about dogs and animals, someone who never had one growing up and doesn’t plan on ever having one. That being said, I ended up loving Hawk (how could you not?). Hopefully, nothing will ever happen to him otherwise many tears will be shed. Moving on, I love the relationship Meg has with Hawk. They’re so in tune with one another whether on the job or not. I also love how Driscoll included other K-9 units, agents and her sister, Cara, that it’s not just about Meg but giving the story something more to sink your teeth into, all of which I felt was realistic. You can see the dedication, strength and growth in Meg which is always a plus in my books.
“Before it’s Too Late” is full of action, suspense and puzzling as you try to understand the clues left behind on each victim. It’s also full of historical facts about the Civil War. Now, I was the one in the back of the class that would fall asleep as the Civil War really held no interest for me. I know, I’m awful but I’m being honest. As a Canadian, I didn’t care to learn about it. Again, I know, I’m awful. However, with each chapter the author provides you with facts about the Civil War which turns out to be quite intriguing. It’s quite obvious as to how much time Driscoll spent researching the Civil War. Perhaps if the author was my teacher I would’ve stayed awake during class.
I highly recommend “Before it’s Too Late” . Full of twists and turns, you can’t help but get sucked into the story and end up reading more and more. One more page turns into one chapter, one chapter turns into three more and the next thing you know it’s midnight. I just wish I had read it sooner. That being said, I can’t wait for Book 3.
September 9, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
When I first requested this book, I wasn't sure it was my cup of tea. Sure, I like crime, but nice, soft,predictable cozy mystery not thrillers. But there was a DOG, and it says FBI K-9 as the series title, so I was sold on that point. But could I handle the darker side to fictional crime? Hell yes!
Instantly I was sucked into the violent and unrelenting world of K-9 crime fighting. Although I hadn't read the first book, I don't think you really need to in order to understand this one, as well as the eventual motivations of the killer they are tracking. It's heart pumping excitement the entire time; will they save the victims before they succumb to the twisted killer's plans?
The writing matches the plot, it's solid and frenzied at times. There's no dancing around, it's just get into the story and find out what happens, and I appreciate that. I loved how each chapter gave you a snippet of Civil War history that was a prelude to what was going to happen next, if only you worked out the clues.
The character dynamics were excellent too; Meg isn't alone in being a great character as she's backed up by an excellent team too. Her friendships, relationship and rapport with Hawk the dog build this into an even more fantastic novel.
I definitely want to read book one now, as well as see the third book printed. I guess because this is outside the box for my normal reading pattern that it stands out as one of my favorite reads of the year. Five stars, really enjoyed this one!
When I first requested this book, I wasn't sure it was my cup of tea. Sure, I like crime, but nice, soft,predictable cozy mystery not thrillers. But there was a DOG, and it says FBI K-9 as the series title, so I was sold on that point. But could I handle the darker side to fictional crime? Hell yes!
Instantly I was sucked into the violent and unrelenting world of K-9 crime fighting. Although I hadn't read the first book, I don't think you really need to in order to understand this one, as well as the eventual motivations of the killer they are tracking. It's heart pumping excitement the entire time; will they save the victims before they succumb to the twisted killer's plans?
The writing matches the plot, it's solid and frenzied at times. There's no dancing around, it's just get into the story and find out what happens, and I appreciate that. I loved how each chapter gave you a snippet of Civil War history that was a prelude to what was going to happen next, if only you worked out the clues.
The character dynamics were excellent too; Meg isn't alone in being a great character as she's backed up by an excellent team too. Her friendships, relationship and rapport with Hawk the dog build this into an even more fantastic novel.
I definitely want to read book one now, as well as see the third book printed. I guess because this is outside the box for my normal reading pattern that it stands out as one of my favorite reads of the year. Five stars, really enjoyed this one!
September 6, 2017
This is a second in a series about FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 Hawk. Megan and her canine unit members are always prepared to solve crimes in the Washington DC area. This time a coded message indicates that a woman is buried alive somewhere in the area. The race is on. Will they get there in time to save her? Were the cryptic clues deciphered correctly or are they on a wild goose chase the wrong location? When they arrive too late, the team and especially Megan are crushed. But then another cryptic message arrives when another woman has gone missing. They are up against a serial murderer with a unique agenda.
Helping Megan puzzle out the clues are her sister, a word game buff and a reporter, a Civil War enthusiast. For them to assist her Megan has to break FBI secrecy but the stakes are so high, Megan believes the risk to her job is worth it.
In spite of the non-stop action, I did not find Megan or the book compelling. The dialog between characters was not all that differentiated, especially between the reporter and Megan’s boyfriend; and the myriad members of her team. Megan’s “luck” in having her savvy sister and the dogmatic reporter find clues quicker than the experts seemed over-the-top coincidental. The resolution of who-done-it did not seem to warrant all the prior mayhem. Most likely this book will appeal to those who want to read about canine assisted crime fighters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Helping Megan puzzle out the clues are her sister, a word game buff and a reporter, a Civil War enthusiast. For them to assist her Megan has to break FBI secrecy but the stakes are so high, Megan believes the risk to her job is worth it.
In spite of the non-stop action, I did not find Megan or the book compelling. The dialog between characters was not all that differentiated, especially between the reporter and Megan’s boyfriend; and the myriad members of her team. Megan’s “luck” in having her savvy sister and the dogmatic reporter find clues quicker than the experts seemed over-the-top coincidental. The resolution of who-done-it did not seem to warrant all the prior mayhem. Most likely this book will appeal to those who want to read about canine assisted crime fighters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
November 20, 2021
Great follow-up to first book in series LONE WOLF
I enjoy books about rescue dogs, service dogs, K-9 units, Search and Rescue operations, or just plainly dog books, like WHITE FANG or NOP'S TRIALS.
This book is the second in a series with FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and her dog, Hawk - both part of the FBI Forensic K-9 Unit.
In this offering, a killer's targeting young women who look like Jennings. The killer sends a coded message to Meg c/o the FBI and draws her and Hawk plus the other K-9 Unit members into a sick, twisted game to find young women he's abducted, armed with coded clues and hopefully before they suffocate to death.
Meg and Hawk are a great working team and the author (who is actually two women writing under a pseudonym) keeps the action moving quickly with puzzles, unusual methods of murder, interesting facts about the Civil War, and a gutsy heroine.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. It can be read as a standalone but if you can, read LONE WOLF first because it's a darn good book too.
I received this book from Kensington Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
I enjoy books about rescue dogs, service dogs, K-9 units, Search and Rescue operations, or just plainly dog books, like WHITE FANG or NOP'S TRIALS.
This book is the second in a series with FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and her dog, Hawk - both part of the FBI Forensic K-9 Unit.
In this offering, a killer's targeting young women who look like Jennings. The killer sends a coded message to Meg c/o the FBI and draws her and Hawk plus the other K-9 Unit members into a sick, twisted game to find young women he's abducted, armed with coded clues and hopefully before they suffocate to death.
Meg and Hawk are a great working team and the author (who is actually two women writing under a pseudonym) keeps the action moving quickly with puzzles, unusual methods of murder, interesting facts about the Civil War, and a gutsy heroine.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. It can be read as a standalone but if you can, read LONE WOLF first because it's a darn good book too.
I received this book from Kensington Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
October 14, 2017
An FBI thriller with a K-9 trainer being taunted by a serial killer. Don't get too invested in any of the abducted women during the story. They are only stepping stones for the killer and we don't meet them again after that part of the case.
The format is a treasure hunt with cryptic clues which seem to have a theme of the American Civil War but gradually become more personal towards the female dog trainer. I like the smart highly trained dogs and the journalist from the Washington Post. I am pretty sure the FBI lady (she is not an agent) would not just share her information with persons outside the FBI in case they could help; she would get into more trouble than was shown. The message is teamwork throughout.
For me the Civil War details got too much and I stopped reading them. Who has time to recite all this when there are lives at stake and a sadistic kidnapper / killer to catch? But for American readers who want to follow these details it comes across as well researched.
I enjoyed the read with several fast-paced gripping scenes, and I will be looking out for more.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
The format is a treasure hunt with cryptic clues which seem to have a theme of the American Civil War but gradually become more personal towards the female dog trainer. I like the smart highly trained dogs and the journalist from the Washington Post. I am pretty sure the FBI lady (she is not an agent) would not just share her information with persons outside the FBI in case they could help; she would get into more trouble than was shown. The message is teamwork throughout.
For me the Civil War details got too much and I stopped reading them. Who has time to recite all this when there are lives at stake and a sadistic kidnapper / killer to catch? But for American readers who want to follow these details it comes across as well researched.
I enjoyed the read with several fast-paced gripping scenes, and I will be looking out for more.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
December 4, 2017
The crimes in this one really seemed to hit home for Meg with how the notes were addressed to her. As she and her team started to investigate things got even more harrowing. I thought that Meg did a great job of keeping a calm head despite what she learned and how fast the notes started coming to her.
I liked the unusual way that Meg was able to find the women, even if it was not what the FBI wanted it was the right thing to do. I liked the plan that Meg and her crew came up with at the end, it was the right way to get the bad guy.
I liked the unusual way that Meg was able to find the women, even if it was not what the FBI wanted it was the right thing to do. I liked the plan that Meg and her crew came up with at the end, it was the right way to get the bad guy.
November 9, 2021
I so enjoyed book one, Lone wolf, that I jumped right into the 2nd book of the series, Before it's too late! This time Meg and Hawk are tasked to look for women who bear a striking resemblance to Meg, and who have been drawn in to a deadly game by someone who seems to know Meg and wants to kill her, over and over! This was a fast read with non-stop action!!! Totally recommend this series!
September 18, 2017
The blurb:
In this powerful K-9 crime thriller, FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and her trusted
search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, must race against the clock before a diabolical killer strikes again…
Somewhere in the Washington, D.C., area, a woman lies helpless in a box. Beneath the earth. Barely breathing. Buried alive. In Quantico, the FBI receives a coded message from the woman’s abductor. He wants to play a game with them: decipher the clues, find the grave, save the girl. The FBI’s top cryptanalysts crack the code, and Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner, Hawk, scramble to follow a trail of false leads to the scene of the crime. By the time they solve the puzzle, it’s too late. But the killer’s game is far from over . . .
Soon another message arrives. Another victim is taken, and the deadly pattern is repeated—again and again. Each kidnapping triggers another desperate race against time, each with the possibility of another senseless death. That’s when Meg decides to try something drastic. Break the Bureau’s protocol. Bring in her brilliant sister, Cara, a genius at word games, to decipher the kidnapper’s twisted clues. Meg knows she’s risking her career to do it, but she’s determined not to let one more person die under her and Hawk’s watch. If the plan fails, it could bite them in the end. And if it leads to the killer, it could bury them forever . . .
This is the 2nd in a series of books, but definitely can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the first in the series but I will get it soon.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I've not read one where some of the main characters are dogs before ...
There are quite a few twists and turns in this book and it goes along at a nice pace. Frantic at times when the FBI are searching for the victims and a satisfying ending. 4.5*
In this powerful K-9 crime thriller, FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and her trusted
search-and-rescue Labrador, Hawk, must race against the clock before a diabolical killer strikes again…
Somewhere in the Washington, D.C., area, a woman lies helpless in a box. Beneath the earth. Barely breathing. Buried alive. In Quantico, the FBI receives a coded message from the woman’s abductor. He wants to play a game with them: decipher the clues, find the grave, save the girl. The FBI’s top cryptanalysts crack the code, and Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner, Hawk, scramble to follow a trail of false leads to the scene of the crime. By the time they solve the puzzle, it’s too late. But the killer’s game is far from over . . .
Soon another message arrives. Another victim is taken, and the deadly pattern is repeated—again and again. Each kidnapping triggers another desperate race against time, each with the possibility of another senseless death. That’s when Meg decides to try something drastic. Break the Bureau’s protocol. Bring in her brilliant sister, Cara, a genius at word games, to decipher the kidnapper’s twisted clues. Meg knows she’s risking her career to do it, but she’s determined not to let one more person die under her and Hawk’s watch. If the plan fails, it could bite them in the end. And if it leads to the killer, it could bury them forever . . .
This is the 2nd in a series of books, but definitely can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the first in the series but I will get it soon.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I've not read one where some of the main characters are dogs before ...
There are quite a few twists and turns in this book and it goes along at a nice pace. Frantic at times when the FBI are searching for the victims and a satisfying ending. 4.5*
September 16, 2017
I saw this book on NetGalley and decided to read it when I saw that the setting is DC and involves a K-9 SAR handler with the FBI. I have not read any other books by the author but I hope to read more. I am so glad that I read this one! This is an action packed story that hits the ground running and doesn't stop until the end.
When the call comes in for a missing woman, the FBI team of four along with their dogs meet to get the information on the case before heading out. The missing woman's dog was found with a note on his collar for Meg Jennings, one of the team members. But the message was in a code that had to be decoded by a special team at the FBI headquarters in order to find out where they needed to go. This took time and they were too late. It quickly becomes apparent that the attack is personally directed at Meg when the victim is found to look like Meg. This starts a pattern that keeps going with women disappearing with their dogs left behind with a coded message, always with a short time to get to the scene. The messages are not only coded but are in the form of clues that have to be solved and each location seems to be geared to the missing woman.
This is a great mystery where the team has no clue who the antagonist is or what his motivation is. I certainly had no idea. But for some reason, Meg is someone he or she is trying to get to through the victims. Each location is tied in some form to the Civil War and the author gives a great deal of history about the locations and interesting tidbits about the war. This is a fascinating read that kept me reading as quickly as I could.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When the call comes in for a missing woman, the FBI team of four along with their dogs meet to get the information on the case before heading out. The missing woman's dog was found with a note on his collar for Meg Jennings, one of the team members. But the message was in a code that had to be decoded by a special team at the FBI headquarters in order to find out where they needed to go. This took time and they were too late. It quickly becomes apparent that the attack is personally directed at Meg when the victim is found to look like Meg. This starts a pattern that keeps going with women disappearing with their dogs left behind with a coded message, always with a short time to get to the scene. The messages are not only coded but are in the form of clues that have to be solved and each location seems to be geared to the missing woman.
This is a great mystery where the team has no clue who the antagonist is or what his motivation is. I certainly had no idea. But for some reason, Meg is someone he or she is trying to get to through the victims. Each location is tied in some form to the Civil War and the author gives a great deal of history about the locations and interesting tidbits about the war. This is a fascinating read that kept me reading as quickly as I could.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2017
Sara Driscoll's second FBI K-9 novel, Before It's Too Late, hits the ground running and never lets up. A woman in the D.C. area is abducted, leaving her dog running loose. Attached to his collar is a coded note with clues to the woman's location and a time limit. The note is directed to Meg Jennings personally. By the time the FBI unscrambles the code and clues, all based on Civil War history and locations, the time has run out. It's too late for the woman, but this is far from the end. More abductions occur, and notes arrive in quick succession, all to Meg's attention. Even worse, the victims are physically similar to Meg. It's clear that the FBI is up against a very organized serial killer; one with a personal grudge against her. Meg decides to take action that might very well cost her career. Against all Bureau policy, she enlists her sister, Cara, a puzzle-solving genius, and Clay McCord, Washington Post reporter and Civil War buff. The three are able to solve the puzzles more quickly than the FBI computers. But Meg can't imagine who her adversary might be, or why.
I liked the first in the FBI K-9 series, Lone Wolf, very much and Before It's Too Late does not disappoint. The action is non-stop, the mystery well-plotted and the characters engaging. The relationship between Meg and her Labrador, Hawk, is healthy and supportive, based on mutual respect and love. It's impressive what well-trained search and rescue dogs can do. I highly recommend the series to suspense fans and anyone interested in the inner workings of the FBI K-9 Units.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING-4 Stars
I liked the first in the FBI K-9 series, Lone Wolf, very much and Before It's Too Late does not disappoint. The action is non-stop, the mystery well-plotted and the characters engaging. The relationship between Meg and her Labrador, Hawk, is healthy and supportive, based on mutual respect and love. It's impressive what well-trained search and rescue dogs can do. I highly recommend the series to suspense fans and anyone interested in the inner workings of the FBI K-9 Units.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING-4 Stars
June 23, 2020
3.5 stars. K-9 book published in 2018.
When a service dog is found wondering the streets alone, authorities find the dog carries an encrypted message to FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings. Meg and her dog Hawk are team members with several others of the FBI's Forensic Canine Unit. Hawk finds the victim but too late for her. She had been buried alive in the coffin of a newly buried man. The victim looks very much like Meg. So does the next one.....and the next... It appears Meg is being killed over and over again with each new victim.
I love books with serial killers and dogs. There are a lot of dogs in this story with one for each team member plus Meg's parents run a dog rescue. I'm not a civil war buff so I didn't find parts of the book exciting but my husband would!
When a service dog is found wondering the streets alone, authorities find the dog carries an encrypted message to FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings. Meg and her dog Hawk are team members with several others of the FBI's Forensic Canine Unit. Hawk finds the victim but too late for her. She had been buried alive in the coffin of a newly buried man. The victim looks very much like Meg. So does the next one.....and the next... It appears Meg is being killed over and over again with each new victim.
I love books with serial killers and dogs. There are a lot of dogs in this story with one for each team member plus Meg's parents run a dog rescue. I'm not a civil war buff so I didn't find parts of the book exciting but my husband would!
September 8, 2020
This book is much stronger than the first. The challenges and dangers are more intense, and the characters are developed further, partly because no new characters are introduced. The K-9s are great. A soft romantic element is introduced, to be pursued in later books.
As with the first book, there are multiple events, and the common threads are clever - the author did a lot of research.
The ending is rushed (oh no, I'm at 290 pages, need to wrap this up!), and there is one technical error, forgivable.
I'll read the next one.
As with the first book, there are multiple events, and the common threads are clever - the author did a lot of research.
The ending is rushed (oh no, I'm at 290 pages, need to wrap this up!), and there is one technical error, forgivable.
I'll read the next one.
May 28, 2021
A tense nail biter. Loved the main characters and especially the dogs. I even learned some interesting Civil War history tidbits.
February 2, 2025
4.5 Stars 🌟
I REALLY enjoyed this book. This is the second book in a series about Meg, a canine agent with the FBI. There is an official title for the two of them, but I can't remember it at the moment.
They both (Meg and her dog Hawk) are involved in a case where women with service dogs are being kidnapped while walking their dogs. The dogs are left with a secret note addressed to Meg at the FBI. The note contains a coded message that has to be cracked, then there is a clue that has to be deciphered, but while all this is happening, there is a woman who is being held captive at a certain location with a limited time to live. They have to solve each steps and then go find the victim before it is too late. Needless to say, they are not successful every time.
Things become more serious when not only are the notes addressed to Meg, but the code also has to do with personal things in her life and the victims could all be carbon copies of Meg. Feeling extremely responsible, Meg breaks FBI policy and gets her sister Cara involved to help with the codes and her friend - reporter McCord- helping with the clues since he is a Civil War expert and the clues seem to revolve around that.
As tends to happen, the unsub escalates and eventually Meg is the target.
I enjoyed this tremendously. The book was extremely fast paced as things ramped up and the tension built at such a perfect level until I was holding my breath at certain parts. I LOVE K9 books and Hawk is a fantastic partner to Meg.
I listened to this on audio and Angela Dawe did a great job.
I gotta go now because I am going on to book 3 now :)
I REALLY enjoyed this book. This is the second book in a series about Meg, a canine agent with the FBI. There is an official title for the two of them, but I can't remember it at the moment.
They both (Meg and her dog Hawk) are involved in a case where women with service dogs are being kidnapped while walking their dogs. The dogs are left with a secret note addressed to Meg at the FBI. The note contains a coded message that has to be cracked, then there is a clue that has to be deciphered, but while all this is happening, there is a woman who is being held captive at a certain location with a limited time to live. They have to solve each steps and then go find the victim before it is too late. Needless to say, they are not successful every time.
Things become more serious when not only are the notes addressed to Meg, but the code also has to do with personal things in her life and the victims could all be carbon copies of Meg. Feeling extremely responsible, Meg breaks FBI policy and gets her sister Cara involved to help with the codes and her friend - reporter McCord- helping with the clues since he is a Civil War expert and the clues seem to revolve around that.
As tends to happen, the unsub escalates and eventually Meg is the target.
I enjoyed this tremendously. The book was extremely fast paced as things ramped up and the tension built at such a perfect level until I was holding my breath at certain parts. I LOVE K9 books and Hawk is a fantastic partner to Meg.
I listened to this on audio and Angela Dawe did a great job.
I gotta go now because I am going on to book 3 now :)
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