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Raine Stockton Dog Mystery #15
The Judge's Daughter
An Epic Installment in the Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series
In this pivotal fifteenth book in the ground-breaking Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series, the death of an old friend leaves Raine Stockton with an unwanted inheritance, an old wound reopened, and the most challenging mystery of her life.
The name Stockton has always carried weight in the small Smokey Mountain community of Hanover County, North Carolina, and Judge Jonathon Stockton was one of the most respected men in the county… until a scandal was uncovered that destroyed his legacy and shook his daughter, Raine, to the very foundation of her being. Now her father’s misdeeds are once again threatening to upend Raine’s world, this time in the form of a relative she never knew she had.
Both Raine’s ex-husband, county investigator Buck Lawson, and her fiancé, Miles Young, warn Raine that Casey Macintosh is not what he appears to be. But while Raine is not as naïve as either man seems to suspect, she finds herself unwillingly charmed by this stranger who claims to be her long-lost brother, and more curious than suspicious. But the more she learns about Casey the more she realizes that he is not only deceptive, he may also be dangerous.
Raine and her search-and-rescue golden retriever, Cisco, have spent their lives rescuing others who have stumbled off the trail. She has never faced a crisis she couldn’t manage with the help of her devoted dog and her friends. But with Buck in the midst of an out-of-state move and a new county prosecutor looking to make a name for himself, Raine soon finds herself entangled in a desperate situation with no way out and no one to turn to. This time, she is not the savior, but the victim. And not even Cisco can help her now.
In this pivotal fifteenth book in the ground-breaking Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series, the death of an old friend leaves Raine Stockton with an unwanted inheritance, an old wound reopened, and the most challenging mystery of her life.
The name Stockton has always carried weight in the small Smokey Mountain community of Hanover County, North Carolina, and Judge Jonathon Stockton was one of the most respected men in the county… until a scandal was uncovered that destroyed his legacy and shook his daughter, Raine, to the very foundation of her being. Now her father’s misdeeds are once again threatening to upend Raine’s world, this time in the form of a relative she never knew she had.
Both Raine’s ex-husband, county investigator Buck Lawson, and her fiancé, Miles Young, warn Raine that Casey Macintosh is not what he appears to be. But while Raine is not as naïve as either man seems to suspect, she finds herself unwillingly charmed by this stranger who claims to be her long-lost brother, and more curious than suspicious. But the more she learns about Casey the more she realizes that he is not only deceptive, he may also be dangerous.
Raine and her search-and-rescue golden retriever, Cisco, have spent their lives rescuing others who have stumbled off the trail. She has never faced a crisis she couldn’t manage with the help of her devoted dog and her friends. But with Buck in the midst of an out-of-state move and a new county prosecutor looking to make a name for himself, Raine soon finds herself entangled in a desperate situation with no way out and no one to turn to. This time, she is not the savior, but the victim. And not even Cisco can help her now.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2022
90 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 4, 2022
So many twists and turns ! It was a wild roller coaster ride!
I love Donna Ball's Raine Stockton series and have read every book in the series. Raine Stockton is a strong independent female character with enough personality quirks to make her relatable to any woman of any age. And the fact that she runs a kennel, trains dogs and works search and rescue, makes her a woman you really want to know. She is impetuous and quick tempered, which usually gets her in trouble. In The Judge's Daughter, book 15 in the series, Raine's natural tendency to want to believe the best about people, gets her in the most trouble she has ever experienced. And this time she may not be able to get herself out. This premise kept me glued to this book from page one to the very last word! It was a wild ride filled with many twists and turns and a surprise ending that only Donna Ball can write! It left me letting go of a breath I didn't know I was holding, shaking my head I said, " Wow! I really didn't see that coming!"
My only complaint was that I had problems keeping up with where Buck (Raine's ex) fit in the timeline of the story. I had read his new story Unfixable as soon as it was available, months before The Judge's Daughter was realized. Donna's author note at the beginning of the book, helped to put things in perspective. Yet, I kept flipping back to Unfixable, to try to keep the storyline together. In many ways, I thought I might have been better to not have read Unfixable first. And now having met Buck's replacement in The Judge's Daughter I wish Buck would make a different decision about his life direction. Yet, I know that a writer's direction is very personal and often involves going where your characters development takes you. Even if your readers, and sometimes the authors themselves don't always agree with the turns. Isn't that a reflection of true life? I have not always been 100% committed to the changes I have made in life but at the time I was convinced it was the only direction I could take. Maybe that is the reason I am so drawn to Raine Stockton. She is so real, I want to get to know her better! Like a new friend in town!
I think you too will find a new book friend in Town Raine Stockton!
I love Donna Ball's Raine Stockton series and have read every book in the series. Raine Stockton is a strong independent female character with enough personality quirks to make her relatable to any woman of any age. And the fact that she runs a kennel, trains dogs and works search and rescue, makes her a woman you really want to know. She is impetuous and quick tempered, which usually gets her in trouble. In The Judge's Daughter, book 15 in the series, Raine's natural tendency to want to believe the best about people, gets her in the most trouble she has ever experienced. And this time she may not be able to get herself out. This premise kept me glued to this book from page one to the very last word! It was a wild ride filled with many twists and turns and a surprise ending that only Donna Ball can write! It left me letting go of a breath I didn't know I was holding, shaking my head I said, " Wow! I really didn't see that coming!"
My only complaint was that I had problems keeping up with where Buck (Raine's ex) fit in the timeline of the story. I had read his new story Unfixable as soon as it was available, months before The Judge's Daughter was realized. Donna's author note at the beginning of the book, helped to put things in perspective. Yet, I kept flipping back to Unfixable, to try to keep the storyline together. In many ways, I thought I might have been better to not have read Unfixable first. And now having met Buck's replacement in The Judge's Daughter I wish Buck would make a different decision about his life direction. Yet, I know that a writer's direction is very personal and often involves going where your characters development takes you. Even if your readers, and sometimes the authors themselves don't always agree with the turns. Isn't that a reflection of true life? I have not always been 100% committed to the changes I have made in life but at the time I was convinced it was the only direction I could take. Maybe that is the reason I am so drawn to Raine Stockton. She is so real, I want to get to know her better! Like a new friend in town!
I think you too will find a new book friend in Town Raine Stockton!
February 24, 2024
Hmmmm
I guess there had to be one I didn’t like and this was it. I realize the author has the creative license to make things up but there were 2 things that did this book in for me. The first was starting in the now and going back to the beginning. Stories that do that make me want to just skip to the end. The second is when the author played fast and loose with the laws of civil procedure. When a suspect invokes their right to an attorney that’s IT. No more questions…no more conversation indicating the desire for a response…you pack up your toys and walk out of the room and wait for their attorney. The detective kept hammering at Raine even after several requests and statements that she was waiting for her attorney and he just kept going. That was a violation of her civil rights and would have been enough to get the whole thing thrown out. Using the video of the ring camera would not have been allowed as evidence since they couldn’t be identified. Etc. Etc. The fact that the judge allowed such flimsy circumstantial evidence in his courtroom is further proof that this entire proceeding was nothing more than a farce. That in itself takes away from the story for me. I would almost like to see another one that does follow up on taking down the prosecutor for abuse of power.
I guess there had to be one I didn’t like and this was it. I realize the author has the creative license to make things up but there were 2 things that did this book in for me. The first was starting in the now and going back to the beginning. Stories that do that make me want to just skip to the end. The second is when the author played fast and loose with the laws of civil procedure. When a suspect invokes their right to an attorney that’s IT. No more questions…no more conversation indicating the desire for a response…you pack up your toys and walk out of the room and wait for their attorney. The detective kept hammering at Raine even after several requests and statements that she was waiting for her attorney and he just kept going. That was a violation of her civil rights and would have been enough to get the whole thing thrown out. Using the video of the ring camera would not have been allowed as evidence since they couldn’t be identified. Etc. Etc. The fact that the judge allowed such flimsy circumstantial evidence in his courtroom is further proof that this entire proceeding was nothing more than a farce. That in itself takes away from the story for me. I would almost like to see another one that does follow up on taking down the prosecutor for abuse of power.
June 3, 2024
Ugh..
I've read and enjoyed the entire Raine Stockton series, and I have to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous books. I'd never found Raine as irritating as I did here. She was petulant, argumentative, childish, and acted more like a hormonal 15-year-old girl than an adult business woman and disciplined dog trainer. She was super annoying; she wouldn't have accepted the behaviors she exhibited from any of her dogs. Everyone had to tiptoe around her because the only thing she could focus on was how she was suffering. If anyone dared to even gently contradict her opinions, she'd snarl at them. Everyone she had contact with ended up trying to mollify her when she'd "blow”; that got tiring pretty quickly. I had to quit reading and come back later to finish the book. I ended up skimming over many of the parts pertaining to Raine, although I read the parts pertaining to everyone else. I especially enjoyed learning more about Buck and Jolene and their relationship. This was not my favorite book of the series by a long shot, but I'll probably read the next one. If Raine continues to act like some kind of “mean girl princess”, I'll have to give her up for good. Jolene might be a Rottweiler, but here, Raine was a cranky Chihuahua who barked and snapped at everyone through the whole book.
I've read and enjoyed the entire Raine Stockton series, and I have to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous books. I'd never found Raine as irritating as I did here. She was petulant, argumentative, childish, and acted more like a hormonal 15-year-old girl than an adult business woman and disciplined dog trainer. She was super annoying; she wouldn't have accepted the behaviors she exhibited from any of her dogs. Everyone had to tiptoe around her because the only thing she could focus on was how she was suffering. If anyone dared to even gently contradict her opinions, she'd snarl at them. Everyone she had contact with ended up trying to mollify her when she'd "blow”; that got tiring pretty quickly. I had to quit reading and come back later to finish the book. I ended up skimming over many of the parts pertaining to Raine, although I read the parts pertaining to everyone else. I especially enjoyed learning more about Buck and Jolene and their relationship. This was not my favorite book of the series by a long shot, but I'll probably read the next one. If Raine continues to act like some kind of “mean girl princess”, I'll have to give her up for good. Jolene might be a Rottweiler, but here, Raine was a cranky Chihuahua who barked and snapped at everyone through the whole book.
October 14, 2022
I hav read all of the Raine Stockton books and have loved them all! In this book Raine is engaged to Miles Stockton. Buck is now seeing Jolene and they eventually marry in this book. Raine finds out that her mentor Maude has died and has left her with her house and a dog. Visiting the house brings many good/bad memories for Raine. Then Raine meets a young man at Maude’s house who claims to be Maude/Judge Stockton’s son. Needless to say, this is quite a shock to Raine and brings many questions about her Dad whom she had put on a pedestal. Both Buck and Miles check this young man out and find questions. Raine later finds herself in jail and for the murder of Casey, her half brother. Circumstantial evidence all point toward Raine. This book is easy reading and will keep your interest to the very end. I can’t wait for the next Raine Stockton book. Does she finally marry Miles Young?
October 2, 2022
Love Those Dogs and Mountains
Like catching up with old friends. I needed this bitter sweet closure. I stayed up all night reading this one but I'm sad to finish it.
Computer editing is the worst thing to happen to books. I was distracted by the missing/wrong words. I find this to be true of most everything I read today. This one not as bad as some. I've had to abandon many only partially read.
Can't wait for more from this author. Hoping she uses several pairs of human eyes for editing future ones. Oh how I hate to be critical of my favorite author.
Three years and still grieving the loss of my female "Cisco" who roamed the North Georgia mountain forests with me for 13 years.
Like catching up with old friends. I needed this bitter sweet closure. I stayed up all night reading this one but I'm sad to finish it.
Computer editing is the worst thing to happen to books. I was distracted by the missing/wrong words. I find this to be true of most everything I read today. This one not as bad as some. I've had to abandon many only partially read.
Can't wait for more from this author. Hoping she uses several pairs of human eyes for editing future ones. Oh how I hate to be critical of my favorite author.
Three years and still grieving the loss of my female "Cisco" who roamed the North Georgia mountain forests with me for 13 years.
March 27, 2024
Raine sure is stubborn and feisty and contrary with the men in her life, even if she is great with dogs and children and other people. In fact, she gets so angry at her newly found half-brother she kicks him in the ankle and another time punches him in the nose. She also seems to get caught up in dangerous situations a lot. This 15th story in the Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries is more about character development and criminal investigations than about dogs, but it wouldn’t be a dog mystery if lovable dogs didn’t thread through everything. The story starts out with Raine inheriting an old friend’s house and property and her last dog, Rags, who is perhaps a goldendoodle. She also unexpectedly “inherits” from that friend her half-brother, Casey.
October 5, 2022
I’ve long thought the description “Dog Mysteries” did this series an injustice! Yes, dogs are a huge part of the protagonist’s life and often intricately involved with the plots, but the stories are well-crafted and the characters well-developed - much more than a dog cozy series would suggest.
This is a flashback of sorts, the story’s timeline falling in between or before previous books. We experience an introspective and unsure Raine as so many of her constants are uprooted.
I enjoyed this book more than I have previous titles and that’s saying a lot. I’m eager to return to the people and places in this series.
This is a flashback of sorts, the story’s timeline falling in between or before previous books. We experience an introspective and unsure Raine as so many of her constants are uprooted.
I enjoyed this book more than I have previous titles and that’s saying a lot. I’m eager to return to the people and places in this series.
February 17, 2023
Raine Stockton book 15 review
This is one of the best books in this series. Which is really hard for to state as I thoroughly all of Donna Ball's books. But this one held my attention from start to finish. I would highly recommend the entire K-9 library to anyone who enjoys dogs, their training, friends and families. You can't go wrong the 15 books in this series. Great reading! Enjoy!
This is one of the best books in this series. Which is really hard for to state as I thoroughly all of Donna Ball's books. But this one held my attention from start to finish. I would highly recommend the entire K-9 library to anyone who enjoys dogs, their training, friends and families. You can't go wrong the 15 books in this series. Great reading! Enjoy!
October 4, 2022
Liked it greatly. Was glad to see Casey was alive and not a jerk. I hope series continues to see what happens to him. Miles and Raines marriage. Want to see if Rains gives him Mayer's house think she should. Would have changed end a bit. Guess he needs protection but should be staying with Uncle Ro and Aunt Mart while he recovers not at hospital.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
Very Good
Raine is accused of murdering her half brother in this book. The story goes into detail when she meets her half brother, when they get into a disagreement and when his body is discovered. Then there is a hearing with all the evidence presented and Buck, now married to Jolene returns to testify. What happens next is the best part, so read the book to find out.
Raine is accused of murdering her half brother in this book. The story goes into detail when she meets her half brother, when they get into a disagreement and when his body is discovered. Then there is a hearing with all the evidence presented and Buck, now married to Jolene returns to testify. What happens next is the best part, so read the book to find out.
October 2, 2022
Another fun read!
I always enjoy the books in this series and while this had a while lot less of the search and rescue aspect of the dogs, we did get to see them learn to read and write! And had a good mystery to solve at the same time...
I always enjoy the books in this series and while this had a while lot less of the search and rescue aspect of the dogs, we did get to see them learn to read and write! And had a good mystery to solve at the same time...
October 3, 2022
Another Great Story
Wow! Another bulls eye. A well written and very interesting plot with a few unexpected twists and turns. A gripping story that grabs you from the very first paragraph. I couldn't put it down. Thank you, Donna Ball, for another very enjoyable story.
Wow! Another bulls eye. A well written and very interesting plot with a few unexpected twists and turns. A gripping story that grabs you from the very first paragraph. I couldn't put it down. Thank you, Donna Ball, for another very enjoyable story.
October 7, 2022
This is my favorite series
Donna Ball has several series, and the Raine Stockton series is my favorite. I love the focus on dogs and each of the characters. It felt like a reunion to read about them again.
Donna Ball has several series, and the Raine Stockton series is my favorite. I love the focus on dogs and each of the characters. It felt like a reunion to read about them again.
January 1, 2023
liked this book the best
I’ve read all of the Raine Stockton books and I feel this was the best of them…Raine is not always a likable main character…the others seem to pull her together and the plot, side lines, twists and skulduggery make this a cohesive story.
I’ve read all of the Raine Stockton books and I feel this was the best of them…Raine is not always a likable main character…the others seem to pull her together and the plot, side lines, twists and skulduggery make this a cohesive story.
September 30, 2022
Another hit!
As always I read this book straight through without putting it down. She can’t write them fast enough for me.
As always I read this book straight through without putting it down. She can’t write them fast enough for me.
November 17, 2022
The Judges Daughter
I have enjoyed all of Donna Ball’s Dog Mysteries Books. I am looking forward to reading many more in the future.
I have enjoyed all of Donna Ball’s Dog Mysteries Books. I am looking forward to reading many more in the future.
February 1, 2023
Highly entertaining read
Well written. Very likeable and relatable characters. Stories within each story as well with a mystery to solve. Wish Ms. Ball wrote more in this series.
Well written. Very likeable and relatable characters. Stories within each story as well with a mystery to solve. Wish Ms. Ball wrote more in this series.
February 24, 2023
I'm not always a fan of Raine herself, but i enjoyed this.
June 12, 2023
This is a fantastic book, I myself am a judge and father, if you haven't read or bought this book I suggest you do now. that dog on the cover is ACE
June 19, 2023
Best one yet
Love this entire series. Interesting stories, complex characters and once I start reading I don't stop until I finish the story.
All of these books are great reads.
Love this entire series. Interesting stories, complex characters and once I start reading I don't stop until I finish the story.
All of these books are great reads.
January 14, 2024
What can I say? She is consistently really good and this particular plot was convoluted enough to keep the most clever of mystery solvers guessing. I think. Or at least it did for me.
July 20, 2024
I absolutely loved this! I did not expect the ending at all!
March 9, 2025
Awesome Read if you like dogs and mysteries!
Well written with a good emotional punch! 13 more words are required but all I can say is the same.
Well written with a good emotional punch! 13 more words are required but all I can say is the same.
May 2, 2025
Wow!!!!!
Each of these books is better than the last! Never stop writing them.! They are totally wonderful mysteries. Amen Amen
Each of these books is better than the last! Never stop writing them.! They are totally wonderful mysteries. Amen Amen
December 31, 2025
one sitting I read this in one sitting its one of her best books.
November 21, 2022
Wow! I knew that I would love the newest Raine Stockton book, The Judge's Daughter but I wasn't prepared for the emotional journey Donna Ball would take us on in this 15th book in a series that has consistently kept me wanting more.
For fans who have read the first book in Buck's new series, this book mostly runs before that one with a little overlap, so he has a part in the story.
For fans who have read the first book in Buck's new series, this book mostly runs before that one with a little overlap, so he has a part in the story.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews