I love my dogs and I cannot imagine not having a dog. I’ve taken some classes in how to train dogs and what I’ve learned from my experiences is that nothing is as easy as it looks. Training a dog takes lots of time and lots of patience. It also takes a dog that responds well to the type of training you are doing and feels rewarded by the work. If you are willing to put in the time, it is remarkable how much dogs can do for people. They need to be respected and loved even if you decide your dog’s talent involves sleeping on the coach. They love you and still give back more than you’ll ever give. Take the opportunity to get involved with your local shelter and see what kind of help they need and what you can do for them. Most of all make sure that your local shelter is a no kill shelter and if it isn’t fight for the change to be made. In the meantime, there are plenty of mysteries that feature working K-9s and here are some to get you started.

Reading right now:

Jeffery B. Burton’s first book in his new series just came out June 30. The book features a golden retriever named Vira who is a cadaver dog handled by Mason Reid. When they work with Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Reid pushes his dog to her limits to try to help the police catch a serial killer. The series is the Mace Reid K-9 series and the first book is “Finders.” This is a new author for me and am looking forward to reading this first in a new series.

On hold right now:

Jen Blood writes the very popular Erin Solomon series and also the Flint K-9 search and rescue series. The first book in the series was “The Darkest Thread” which came out in 2016 and last year “The Redemption Game” came out as the third in the series. Jamie Flint is the dog handler and her dog is Phantom together they search for the lost usually with Jack Juarez who starts out in the series as an FBI agent and becomes a PI. This is a new series for me and I am planning to read it next.

Alex Kava’s mystery series with FBI agent Maggie O’Dell has been very popular over the years and now she spins off with a K-9 mystery series featuring Ryder Creed. Creed owns many dogs who do lots of different kinds of work from cadaver work to search and rescue. The first in the series came out in 2015 (“Breaking Creed”) and the sixth book will be available in September (“Hidden Creed”). While Creed is the main character, Maggie O’Dell often shows up in this series. This is a K-9 series that I really enjoy and am glad to see continue.

You may well be familiar with Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 mystery series which first appeared in 2015 with “Killing Trail” and the sixth in the series is coming out in September (“Hanging Falls”). Police Officer Mattie Cobb resides in the small town of Timber Creek where she has been lucky enough to become a K-9 handler with police dog Robo. Throughout the books Mattie’s background is explored as is her relationship with her fellow officers and veterinarian Cole Walker. This is a series well worth your time and once more am looking forward to another in the series coming out in September.

Sara Driscoll’s FBI K-9 series started with “Lone Wolf” in 2016 and the fifth book will appear in December (“Leave no Trace”). FBI K-9 handler Megan Jennings works with her Labrador Retriever Hawk to recover bodies either living or dead in this exciting series.

 Other Mysterious Things:

If you like the Chet and Bernie mystery series by Spencer Quinn, the latest in the series just came out “Of Mutts and Men.” These books, as you may know, are not the usual K-9 mystery, but are very popular. If you missed Robert Craig’s addition to the K-9 mystery lineup, K-9 LAPL officer Scott James and Maggie, his German shepherd, have appeared in two of Craig’s books (“Suspect” and “The Promise”), but he hasn’t added to the series since 2015. Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr series centers around a former Army MP Mercy Carr and Elvis her deceased fiance’s retired bomb-sniffing dog. They work with a U.S. Game Warden and his search and rescue Newfoundland Susie Bear. The first book in the series was “A Borrowing of Bones” and the third book will be “The Hiding Place” which comes out in March 2021. If you want something lighter try Diane Kelly’s Paw enforcement series. This cozy series centers around police officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner. Dogs are an important part of our lives and continue to grow as important parts of our society. It seems only right that they would now have a growing role in our reading lives as well.

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