Leave No Trace

October 12, 2020
Driscoll’s enjoyable fifth FBI K-9 novel (after 2019’s No Man’s Land) takes FBI Human Scent Team agent Meg Jennings and her canine partner, Hawk, along with colleague Brian Foster and his dog, to a murder scene in a forested area of Georgia, where a sergeant in the Georgia State Patrol has been fatally shot by a three-foot-long hunting arrow. After the dogs are put on the scent, Meg and Brian follow them along a perilous path, proof of the killer’s daring and agility. Other people are later killed in a similar fashion. The suspense builds as the investigators try to figure out what connects the deaths before another victim turns up. Despite some red herrings, readers will have little trouble figuring out the guilty party. Driscoll offers a fascinating look at the training of working dogs, who are depicted as uniformly brave and obedient. The romance between Meg and her unbelievably patient boyfriend, firefighter Tom Webb, adds some depth. Fans will look forward to Meg’s further adventures. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency.