Crooked Lane Books | December 2015 | 320 pages
Crime doesn’t stick to the big cities; even idyllic locales have their fair share of murder and intrigue. Killing Trail by Margaret Mizushima is the first in the new Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, which is set in the mountains of Colorado.
Deputy Mattie Cobb has just finished training with her new K-9 partner, Robo, when the body of a local teenage girl is found partially buried in a grave in the woods. The girl’s dog is found protecting the body, and the animal is the only link the police have to the crime. Mattie enlists the help of Cole Walker, the local veterinarian whose daughter knew the deceased, to examine the dog to try and determine if it can provide any clues to the killer.
Meanwhile, Mattie is forming a bond with her new K-9 partner, and their interactions are particularly heartwarming: “Robo pushed forward to sniff, thrusting his nose through the heavy wire mesh that separated his compartment from the rest of the vehicle. He bobbed his head, obviously getting a nose full. She could tell from the satisfied look on his face that Robo enjoyed the scent of the forest as much as she did.”
Despite the loving nature of their developing partnership, Mattie and Robo soon learn that there are plenty of dirty secrets in their small town.
Mizushima’s characters are extremely compelling, and she ably draws the reader into the life of each one. Readers will quickly become invested not only in the outcome of the mystery but in the arc of each character. It is the first connection to series characters that brings readers back for more, and many will be eagerly reading each and every installment.
