Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Finders marks the beginning of a fast-paced new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid. Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year–mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well … springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past–a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…
Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira’s abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
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The Finders is my first book by this author and I liked it. Mason “Mace” Reid trains dogs in human remain detections and often is called on by the police to help locate bodies. Mace adopts a new dog to train, a golden retriever named Vira but Vira is not like his other dogs. Surviving a major trauma as a pup, Vira actually can find the bad guy from the scent left with the bodies and she’s not afraid to go for their throat. A near death experience on the case leaves Mace recovering and in the bullseye of a serial killer. A little flirtation with the local detective and some amazing dogs makes Mace a likable character that I want to read more about. Original and fast paced, The Finders makes for a good read. My voluntary, unbiased review is base upon a review copy from Netgalley.
THE FINDERS marks the beginning of a new series featuring Vira (Elvira), a brilliant Golden Retriever cadaver dog and her handler, Mason Reid.
Mace specializes in human remains detection. He also gives instructions in dog training. Coming across Vira at a bad time in his life, he’s come to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is.
When Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, calls for a cadaver dog in her latest investigation, neither of them see the danger coming their way in the form of a serial killer called the Velvet Choker Killer … and he’s targeting Mace.
I loved this book! Vira, of course, takes center stage, playing an integral role in the story, but it’s also the laid-back, sometimes humorous character of Mace that everyone will fall in love with. There’s a lot of action to keep the reader engaged, with a few twists and turns along the way that will have you scratching your head. As this is book 1, I really look forward to following the further adventures of Mace and Vira.
Many thanks to the author / St Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Cozy Animal Mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Mason “Mace” Reid trains cadaver dogs. He assists with the rescue of a golden retriever that almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning and realizes that this dog, Elvira (Vira for short), is very special. Officer Kippy Gimm was there when Vira was rescued and follows up on how she is doing. When the body of a young woman is left for dead, after suffering at the hands of a killer, Vira recognizes someone in the crowd that is connected to the dead woman. A very unusual and amazing feat. The search is on for the serial killer and Mace and Kippy continue to be a part of the hunt…or are they the hunted? The characters, the story, and the humorous writing style of the author (reminiscent of David Rosenfelt and his Andy Carpenter mysteries) made this a very enjoyable mystery. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Human cadaver seeking dog extraordinaire
When a golden retriever puppy is found almost dead by rookie Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm and her partner, they reach out to dog trainer Mace Reid to see whether he would be able to adopt her. He does and as the dog gets older he finds out just how extraordinary his newest dog, Vira, is.
Reid trains dogs of all kinds but he specializes in training human cadaver detecting dogs and Vira is a stellar pupil. It almost seems like she has other worldly senses.
Officer Gimm comes to check on Vira and Reid and Vira end up helping to look for a serial killer (plus Reid thinks Gimm is pretty darn cute).
I enjoyed this tale. I tend to read a lot of books that have service dogs in them. Usually they are Search and Rescue dogs so the cadaver detecting was a new twist.
I enjoyed the Reid and Gimm and all the dogs in the book. I enjoyed it very much.
I received this book from Minotaur Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
If you put a dog on the cover of a mystery, you will certainly get my attention. If it’s a Golden, well that seals it for me. I will want to investigate further. I’m so glad I requested this mystery. I’ll be upfront here – I refuse to read a book in which animals are gratuitously put into danger. They must come out of it okay. I also don’t like Noir and serial killers. Trust me when I say, the animals are awesome in this mystery and they are very much loved and respected and the danger at the beginning of the book was necessary to the mystery. It’s okay, really.
Mace (Mason) Reid has the deepest love and respect for animals and for his four furrbabies in particular. He’s a dog whisperer and trains cadaver dogs. As soon as we meet Mace and he lets us know the names of his pups, well, I was certain that this would be a series I needed on my must read list. Their names are Sue (a boy), Maggie May, Delta Dawn and Elvira, the Golden and youngest member of his family. See what I mean? His sense of humor is pitch perfect. His only shortcoming is that, while he is in tune with dogs, he tends to be a bit out of sync with humans, may I even say a bit clueless? But, honestly, it’s sort of a nice shortcoming. He’s 30 something, single, loves dogs, is an awesome trainer and prefers jeans, hiking boots, t-shirts and finger combs his hair…and sometimes forgets to shave.
He works closely with the Chicago police department and partners up with police officer Kippy Gimm. She and Mace find themselves up against a serial killer who wants to add Mace to the list of kills. The puzzle is well crafted, the writing style flows and I was halfway through it before I was aware of the passage of time. I hope this becomes a long running series.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Pulse pounding read. Mason trains dogs to find dead bodies. He loves dogs and treats them well. They are his very best friends. Kippy is a beat cop who also loves dogs. Finding a puppy at a crime scene brings her into Mason’s world. Eventually both along with the dog find them chasing and being chased by a serial killer. I love Mason’s character because he is a bit of a geek that has to be protected by Kippy and his dogs. He says the wrong things and gets himself in trouble. Kippy is a go getter who knows how to kick butt. As the story unfolds there are surprises that you won’t see coming. I love the human feelings given to the dogs that make the story so much more exciting. Great job!
This is a bit of an unusual read for me but ones I got started I kept on reading. It shows the strong relationship between the dogs and their trainer. I learned a bit more about this type of dogs used by the police and rescue teams. The story itself keeps you guessing about the villain but everything becomes clear at the end. I hope there is a follow-up to continue with the lives of Reid, Kippy and of course all four dogs. The characters of the humans and each dog were well developed and in my case brought a smile to my face reading the description of their behavior. Actual I think the dogs are training Reid and not the other way around.
Vira is a rockstar. This book is the beginning of a series that I am excited to read more of. The writing is descriptive and the story was multifaceted. I did not figure out the Everyman until it was presented which is always a good thing.
There is a hint of a romance, but the story is really about Vira, her skillset and this case. The development of friendships with Mason and the detectives was fun and the love of animals tangible.
The criminal(s) themselves are colorful and fully developed. The story shows the point of view of the Everyman and provides background to help enrich and strengthen his storyline. The practicality of his decisions was jarring, but helped create this world and how he did successfully complete so many horrendous acts
Vira is not the only pup, Sue and the twins were also important to the case and story. Sue sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to see what is next for the four dog crew, Mason and Kibby.
Thanks for the chance to read this book and share my opinions.
This was an absolute enthralling read! I was hooked from page one with the unique story of how a golden retriever puppy belonging to a woman and her son got left behind, on the brink of death wiggled out of blankets and into the arms of Officer Kippy Gimm.
The puppy ends up at Chicago Animal Care and Control, where she meets dog training school owner, Mason ‘Mace’ Reid. Mace is dealing with the death of his English springer and the dissolution of his marriage. Mace trains dogs to be cadaver dogs. The puppy takes to Mace, and is given the name Elvira. She joins Sue, Delta and Maggie.
Right off the bat, Vira shows an uncanny intelligence. On her maiden voyage, Vira does what she is trained and something totally out of character.
It becomes Mace’s mission to protect Vira, when he can’t get the law to listen, he takes matters into his own hands. With the help of his friend Paul, a lie is created, but comes crashing down with a visit by Officer Kippy Gimm. From one dog lover to another, a truce is made.
Mace’s actions have caught the eye of a serial killer, who sets a mission to get rid of Mace and his dogs. Officer Kippy Gimm and her partner, Officer Dave ‘Wabs’ Wabiszewski working alongside with Detectives Hanson and Marr are trying to locate the killer. The killer is coming for Dog Man!
After I finished reading this book, I was ready to dive into the second! I’m very much looking forward to more in this series!
Thank you to NetGalley via St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book that I have voluntarily reviewed.
The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton was an enjoyable read. I liked the idea of a dog trainer with a very talented, well-trained cadaver dog being the main character. That Mace Reid mostly trains cadaver dogs is a little something different for me. I’m more used to drug/bomb sniffing dogs or search and rescue dogs in stories. This book has a well-developed storyline and good pacing. I will be looking for more books by this author.
First Read for me By This Author
What A Book.
Absolutely Loved this Story.
Looking forward to more of this series..
Mason Reid adopts this Beautiful golden retriever pup..
Saves her life..
This little dog has been through so much in her short life. Mason is a
Dog Trainer.
Living with Scott Granger.
A Anger Drunk.
Whom does not like Dogs.
Granger’s Girlfriend and her son has moved out. Left this pup behind….
This Golden Retriever.
Has a mysterious past.
Can pick up on bad people…
Picks them out of a crowd.
She’s on the lead of the serial killer. Can smell there dirty deals.
There’s so much about this book I would love to tell you. But I don’t like giving away the story.
Will just say I Loved This Book.
Pick up yours as soon as it comes out. JUNE 30TH.2020
Thank you Netgally
For this Early Read..
The Finders is the first book in a new series and what a great start to the series!
Mace trains cadaver dogs and his new dog Vira is just one of the three he owns, all named after songs.
Mace and Vira who seems to have special skills, are out to track down a serial killer that is at large.
I don’t want to give anything away about the story though it is tempting. Twists and turns , mystery, thriller this book has it all.
I will be first in line for the second book in the series !!
Now to check out Jeffrey Burton’s other books, I am now a big fan!!
Thanks to Net Galley, St Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the privilege of reading a wonderful start to a new series in The Finders.
Big thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the ARC of this fantastic book. This is a new author to me but I am impressed. The Finders is also the first book in this series “Mace Reid K-9 Mysteries”. I was drawn to the book first by the cover. Okay, I am a sucker for dogs. But also by the description and I was not disappointed. From the first page, I didn’t want to stop reading. Now I can’t wait to read more in the series.
Yes! First time author and knocked it out of the park for me. I requested this from the Title and the cover. Then I read the premise and thought I was in for an awesome search and rescue story. Oooohhhh no, this is SO MUCH MORE! Yes I am yelling, read this book. Murder, mystery, thriller, psychological thriller, dogs (more than 1, insert big grin here) heart break and a total out of the blue for me who the creep(s) was(were).. Mace (dog trainer, handler) was a likeable fellow, and made me smile with his interaction Kippy. (Police woman) And what can I say about Elvira, VIra for short our intrepid Golden. I am so thrilled this is book 1 in a series. Hello Mr Burton. so nice to meet your books! I want to thank Mr. Burton, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. I will be posting everywhere I can find the book and upon release day will hit Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo. Thank you!
I absolutely loved this quirky tale of a dog and his people. This is a great mystery covered in a dog tale covered in a human to human spark. I love the way the author intermingled some super special things about the dog and yeah it made me smile a lot. There is plenty going on and this author takes the time to go into more detail than I prefer but it doesn’t really take away from the story since it’s all pertinent. All in all its a great clean read with plenty to keep you invested.
Mason “Mace” Reid trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies to become cadaver dogs. He adopts a rescue, a golden retriever named Vira. Reid soon realizes that Vira is special with special instincts on not only finding dead bodies but also identifying the killers. Mace take ms on an assignment with Kippy Gimm from the Chicago Police Department to close in on a serial killer case.
Burton’s writing on this police procedural was exciting, fast paced, and thrilling. I loved surprise twists and smart killers that had me guessing until the end. With the addition of a very gifted and loyal K9, my heart was doing some tumbles as Vira on multiple occasions save Mace from a brutal serial killer. This was a real fun read I enjoyed very much!
288 pages
5 stars
Police officer Kippy Gimm finds an unconscious Golden Retriever puppy at the scene of a suicide. She is a dog lover and finds the condition of the pup more horrific than the death of the ne’er-do-well homeowner.
When the puppy winds up with dog (and their people), trainer Mace Reid, she turns out to be very bright and loyal. He trains her to be a cadaver dog. She excels at this work, but at a scene after finding the body, Vira viciously attacks one of the bystanders. She is promptly incarcerated and there is a kill order out for her in 24 hours. Mace must prove her innocence. While doing so, he is badly injured, but a hero nonetheless.
Finally cleared of wrongdoing, Mace now finds himself being stalked by another serial killer, but finds the time to foster a serious crush on Officer Kippy.
This is a fast-moving and very well written thriller. And dogs…gotta love them. We meet four of Mace’s remarkable dogs in this book and they are all very special. I liked Mace and his semi-bumbling ways with Kippy. I hope that there is a future for them. I was seriously wondering why the second killer was so fixated on Mace and then I figured it out. The writing was even and proceeded logically from event to event. I truly enjoyed this book and look very much forward to reading the next in this series. Very well done, Mr. Burton!
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.
THE FINDERS by Jeffrey B. Burton is the first book in the new Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series. It is also my first book by this author. Mason (Mace) Reid lives outside of Chicago and trains dogs with various end goals such as obedience and missing persons tracking, as well as searching for drugs and explosives. However, his specialty is training dogs in human remains detection (HRD). He recently acquired and began training a golden retriever named Vira. With a serial killer targeting young women, the Chicago police department asks for Mace’s help. What follows is a terrific mystery with lots of action, twists and turns, a little humor, and some fantastic moments with Mace’s family; his four HRD dogs.
The characters are compelling and well-developed for a first book in a series. They have clear goals with believable motivations and show appropriate emotions. The secondary characters are well-rounded and the characters seemed believable and not contrived. The prose was engaging, well-written, compelling, and compulsively reading. The plot was clever, intriguing, creative, intense, suspenseful, and riveting. The final twist caught me by surprise. This is one that I did not see coming even though there were enough hints that I conceivably could have deciphered it. Themes explored included serial killers, police procedures, HRD training, the relationships between dogs and people, and much more.
Overall, this was an entertaining novel and a great start to a new series. I look forward to the next book in the series. Additionally, I want to read this author’s FBI Special Agent Drew Cady mystery series starting with THE CHESSMAN.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Jeffrey B. Burton for an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
murder-investigation, law-enforcement, dogs, amateur-sleuth, not-quite-horror, verbal-humor
I loved it and am hoping that someday there will be more in the series! I do have an issue with the title–these dogs are not police officers as the use of the term K-9 would indicate and therefore do not wear personal protection equipment. This is not to say that they are not extremely valuable! Just being picky.
The story is good, the characters realistic and yet inventive. I normally avoid books about serial killers, but this one makes reading it worthwhile. I like the idea that Vira is preternaturally enhanced as well as brilliant and adaptable. The general location of the story is rather familiar to me and that probably influences my preference as well as my love of dogs. That and the fact that the writing kept me up too late!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton is an excellent first installment in a new series featuring training dogs, specifically in this case, a cadaver trained dog. Elvira (Vira) is an exceptional Golden Retriever that has been paired with her handler, Mason Reid, whom is a trainer that works with the Chicago PD. They help each other solve crimes and “put away the bad guys”.
I was initially thrilled when I saw a book that revolved around a working canine. I love dogs, I have one myself, and I love any thing that has to do with jobs with dogs, dogs with jobs….you get the drift. So, I was so pumped that I was able to find and read this book. I was not disappointed.
Not only was there one murder/mystery….there were two. It was interesting, gripping, and drew me in from beginning to end. I cannot wait to read follow ups to this book. I would love to see more about Elvira and her original training, as well as her continued training. I always find that fascinating.
Excellent start to a new series.
5/5 stars