The Finders: A Mace Reid K9 Mystery

Jeffrey B. Burton

Minotaur Books, 2020

Agent: Jill Marr

The beginning of a fast-paced new 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 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 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.
  

Reviews:

"The latest from the author of the Drew Cady FBI mysteries is an intense, graphic serial killer novel with a likable, aw-shucks hero and a remarkable dog."
--Library Journal (starred) 

"A wonder of a thriller, crammed to bursting with everything genre fans are pining for: fascinating characters, sparky dialogue, wry humor, sweaty-palm tension—all in a literate narrative that is a joy to follow."
Booklist (starred)

"Burton offers the right balance of humor and seriousness, along with a lead whose love and understanding of dogs will endear him to many, not just dog people. Hopefully, Mace and Vira will be back soon."
Publishers Weekly

"Please put this generous, dog-loving  book at the top of your TBR fall list. Reid and Kippy are nice people who seem to have a future together, their dialogue is funny, and each dog has a personality as carefully drawn as the human characters. Here is a thriller that will warm your heart."
--St. Paul Pioneer Press 

"Cadaver dogs, serial killers, and a brilliantly depicted Chicago setting—I was hooked on The Finders before finishing the first paragraph. Burton’s novel is steeped in authenticity, entertainment and education at the forefront of  this twisty thriller. But be forewarned that your heart will be forever stolen by Vira and Sue, the canine characters who propel the story forward with their unique talents. Unforgettable!” 
K.J. Howe, international bestselling author of Skyjack 

The Finders is an irresistible, expertly-woven thriller about a canine savant, her loving master, and the insidious killer after them both. Compelling and suspenseful. We should all be so fortunate as to have a best friend like Vira. I loved it!”
Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Ararat and Snowblind

"If you're a dog lover, you'll love The Finders.  If you love a thriller with a particularly nasty villain, you'll love The Finders.  And if you love both dogs and thrillers, well, have I got a book for you."
F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of the Repairman Jack series
 
"I was cheering for Vira the golden retriever from start to finish and you will be, too. The Finders gets its hooks into you and doesn't let go."
Spencer Quinn, author of the New York Times bestselling Chet and Bernie series

"When Chicago dog trainer Mace Reid rescues a fearless golden retriever named Elvira—Vira for short—he doesn’t know he’s just saved the best cadaver dog ever. But the clever K-9 proves her mettle when she and Reid join forces with police officer Kippy Gimm to take down a serial killer whose next victim may be Reid himself. The first in a new series, The Finders boasts a compelling roller-coaster ride of a plot, but ultimately the star of the show is Vira, a fierce beauty of a canine that dog lovers will find impossible to resist."
Paula Munier, USA Today bestselling author of A Borrowing of Bones

"Sharp, determined and intuitive, Vira the golden retriever is the Sherlock Holmes of cadaver dogs."
Neil S. Plakcy, author of the Golden Retriever mystery series

"Unique voice and compelling characters, both human and canine, make The Finders a terrific thriller. And meeting Elvira, a cadaver dog with a special gift, is one experience dog-lovers and readers won't want to miss."
Margaret Mizushima, author of the award-winning Burning Ridge: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery