Stalking Ground

July 11, 2016
Realistic characters and believable plot twists distinguish Mizushima’s brisk sequel to 2015’s Killing Trail. The disappearance of massage therapist Adrienne Howard, who’s also the girlfriend of Chief Deputy Ken Brody, mobilizes Deputy Mattie Cobb of the Timber Creek, Colo., sheriff’s office, and her canine partner, German shepherd Robo. When Mattie and Robo’s search in the surrounding mountains ends with the discovery of Adrienne’s body, the pair stay overnight to guard the makeshift gravesite during the middle of an October snowstorm. The investigation of Adrienne’s murder leads to her fractured family and previous relationships, as well as a determined killer. Meanwhile, Mattie faces some facts about her own background in foster homes, while her friendship continues to grow with local veterinarian Cole Walker, who contends with being a single father. Robo proves his mettle as a well-trained detective and a brave hero in this incisive look at small-town police work. Agent: Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management.

July 1, 2016
A K-9 cop and her canine partner track down the killer of a colleague's girlfriend in a case that hits close to home.Deputy Mattie Cobb has already proved that she and her K-9 co-worker, Robo, make a highly effective team (Killing Trail, 2015). So it's no surprise that when Chief Deputy Ken Brody's girlfriend, Adrienne Howard, goes missing, he wants Mattie's help, even though he's never been her closest ally. Brody, adamant that something has happened to Adrienne though she's been gone less than 48 hours, demands a search. Determined to do what she can to help her colleague, Mattie takes Robo to comb the area near Adrienne's abandoned car, but to no avail. When Robo finally finds a clue on a horse trail, he leads Mattie to Adrienne's body and an unwelcome night trapped with it during an early snowstorm in Timber Creek. Meanwhile, Mattie's friend and maybe more, veterinarian Cole Walker, volunteers to carry supplies to Mattie and Robo, only to end up guarding the body along with them. The two share personal tales through their overnight vigil and make some progress toward a more clearly defined relationship--though not if Carmen Santiago, Cole's newest client at the Dark Horse Stable, has anything to say about it. As if making it though a night with the potential for mountain lion attacks isn't trouble enough, Mattie and Robo have to track down Adrienne's killer while Mattie deals with her own emotions after her long-estranged brother reaches out. Equally packed with mystery and plot development for the series characters, Mizushima's second is heavy in animal interest if not always specifically dog drama.

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August 1, 2016

Robo, the German Shepherd K-9, and his human partner Mattie Cobb are practicing their take-down skills when Mattie gets a call from the Timber Creek, CO, police department. Adrienne Howard, the girlfriend of a fellow deputy, is missing. Mattie and Robo are needed to locate Adrienne before a snowstorm destroys any chance of finding her alive. Local vet Cole Walker is also concerned about Adrienne, who was booked to provide massages to several clients' horses. When Mattie and Robo find Adrienne's body, it is only the beginning of a dark and arduous search for the truth. Timber Creek may be a small town, but it can't escape some big-city problems. VERDICT Mizushima's sophomore outing proves that her acclaimed series debut, Killing Trail, was no fluke. Carefully crafted tension is reinforced by the ominous weather hanging over the mountains. A strong sense of place will appeal to Ben Rehder fans; dog lovers will want to read this thriller as well.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
Officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, find the body of a missing woman, shot with an arrow, on a mountain trail in this second adventure (following Killing Trail, 2015) in Mizushima's fine series. This time Mattie is dealing with trouble on two fronts: finding the young woman's killer, and sorting out some dormant personal issues, following a phone call from her long-missing brother, who apologizes for not protecting Mattie from parental abuse, thus forcing Mattie to confront her own blocked memories. The unlikely mix of Mattie's intense psychological drama with the series' signature elementswatching Robo work a case and reveling in the author's vivid descriptions of the outdoorsgel surprisingly well here, producing a taut page-turner on multiple levels. A perfect read-alike for Robert Crais' series starring LAPD officer Scott James and his K-9 partner, Maggie.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)