6/28/22; 288 pages
Minotaur Books
Mace Reid K-9 Mystery #3
The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton is a highly
recommended K-9 mystery/procedural and the third book in the Mace Reid
series.
Mace Reid and his human remains detection (HRD) dog, a golden retriever named Vira, are called out to the estate of Kenneth J. Druckman where a home invasion and robbery turned into a kidnapping. His wife and their five-year-old daughter are missing, as well as all of his wife's jewelry. Vira searches for remains and finds his wife's body, but returns back to the house, leading Mace and Chicago police detective Kippy Gimm, to suspect that Druckman had something to do with the murder. Now the search is on for his daughter and the truth behind the purported home invasion and robbery.
It is always a pleasure to read Burton's K-9 novels. If you love
mysteries and dogs this is a series for you. As the third book in the
series featuring Mace Reid and his pack of dogs, The Lost follows The Finders (2020) and The Keepers (2021). Although it is not necessary to read the first two books in order to enjoy The Lost,
you will likely want to do so after reading it. This is an entertaining
and exciting case where the tension is often softened by Mace's humor
and observations.
The excellent writing helps create tension and suspense while holding
your interest with a fast pace and intricate plot. This time the
complex plot involves billionaires scheming, deceit,
kidnapping, murder, stolen jewels, and more. After a startling opening
chapter you will have to keep reading to see how it all fits into the
overall plot. I liked the chapters going back in time following the
events that led up to the kidnapping. Once the two story lines merge the
tension is palpable and the action really takes off. This has
consistently been a good series.
At this point Mace
is a fully realized likeable character with flaws and strengths. He continues to have a nice
balance of analytical abilities and irreverent humor, and even a good dose of
self-deprecating humor as he talks to his pack. You will root for him, his dogs, and for Kippy
Gimm. They are all believable characters. The dogs - Vira, Sue, the
German Shepard, and collies Maggie May and Delta Dawn and blood
hound Bill (Billie Boy) - are all characters too and you'll see
their individual personalities.
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