A killer lurks in Colorado’s snowy high country in Dying Cry, the tenth thrilling installment of award-winning author Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 mystery series.
Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker are teaching Cole’s daughters how to snowshoe in a remote canyon when a shattering scream pierces the air. They know that somewhere ahead, someone has been injured or worse. Cole takes the girls while Mattie and Robo go deeper into the canyon to search for the source of the scream.
From a distance, Mattie and Robo see a shadowy figure at the base of a cliff, but a rockslide buries the person under layers of stone and shale before they can provide help. Desperate to uncover the individual in case they’re still alive under the rock, their efforts are in vain. The victim is already dead. When they investigate the canyon rim from which the person fell, they discover evidence that indicates the fall was no accident. To make matters worse, the victim was one of Cole’s friends.
The Timber Creek County investigative team springs into action, uncovering a trail of greed that leads to a killer who threatens Mattie’s cherished new family and tests her with the most difficult task she’s faced in her duty as a K-9 handler.
My Review:
This is my favourite K-9 mystery series. It’s grittier than a cozy but not quite a thriller and probably about as edgy as I’m willing to go ’cause I’m a scaredy cat. It’s definitely best to read the books in order because of the phenomenal character growth – and not just with Mattie and Cole but a host of secondary characters as well. It is worth taking the time to watch them all evolve over the course of the series, including the romance (eeeeppp!)
Robo, the wonder dog, is a huge draw for me too and I love the extra bits of K-9 training and logistics that the author includes. I haven’t read another book with such a comprehensive approach to the K-9 aspect. Informative without taking away from the action of the story. In fact, it actually adds to the tension and suspense. I get as revved up as Robo trailing a scent!
‘Dying Cry’ is part police procedural, part wilderness adventure and chockfull of emotion since this murder hits close to home for Mattie. Newly married and trying to find her footing as stepmother to Cole’s precocious daughters, she struggles to find a balance between family life and working a gruesome investigation.
Love the role reversal of Mattie being the deputy facing danger every day while Cole is ‘safely’ ensconced at his veterinary practice. And the way the suspense plays out kept me on edge all the way to the end. Mercy, that climax – completely riveting with plenty of gasp out loud moments!
I listened to the audio book and Nancy Wu’s narration is a perfect match for Margaret Mizushima’s storytelling style. She’s been the Timber Creek K-9 voice from the very beginning and I really appreciate that continuity. Highly recommend the audio books to discerning listeners everywhere!
My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio coy of this book.
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