READING MILESTONE - I HAVE BROKEN THE CENTURY MARK READING LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE NOVELS!

Regular blog readers know I regularly post reviews of Love Inspired Suspense books. Many of those know that it is an imprint of Harlequin Romance, yet nobody has asked me to turn in my man's card. Yet.

How did I get started? Well, I had gotten into reading Christian fiction, and during that time between 2010 and 2018 there were authors I wanted to read: Virginia Smith, Camy Tang, and Rachel Dylan. In each case, the book I located was a Love Inspired Suspense title ("Scent of Murder," "Gone Missing," and "Picture Perfect Murder" respectively. I enjoyed all the stories, but these happened to be more of a focus on particular authors.

Let me back up a little and go to the time I was a member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and took a class on point of view taught by Virgina Smith. In it, she mentioned "Scent of Murder" had four point of view characters, and she told how she justified having that many. That was the first Love Inspired Suspense book I read, and also the last one that had more than two point of view characters (the main protagonists).

Then, in 2019, Becky picked up "Undercover Protector" by Elizabeth 
Goddard. The story took place at a Tiger sanctuary. For a person who as a kid rooted for the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, and Arizona Wildcats, I read it and loved it. A month or so later, Becky  brought home "Dead Run" by Jodie Bailey. By the end of that year, I had read nine Love Inspired Suspense stories (including three by Jodie Bailey) and was ready for more. Allow me to add that Bailey would have a novella and two novels set at the Grand Canyon, enough to make me homesick. One more thing - one of those first Love Inspired novels I read was written by Meghan Carver, who was a fellow member of the Indiana chapter of ACFW when I belonged to the group.

Besides Bailey, I also discovered Jessica Patch. All the authors were great at giving you characters you cared about as well as exciting, twist filled stories, but there are several characters (main and secondary) that stood out and catch my interest. For example, Wilder Flynn from "Dangerous Obsession" (the first Patch story I read) made an impression by liking to tell stories and being obseessed with his hair. He made it to my 20 favorite fictional characters back in 2020. At this point, I've read 19 books by Bailey and 15 by Patch.

Right before COVID hit in 2020, I caught on that they had an annual 9 part multi-author K-9 Unit series each year. The story lasted from April to November, with a new book coming out each month, and in December they had a two novella release. From January to March, they would release new entries to their Search and Rescue series, though unlike the K-9 series during the year, this was basically a collection of stand-alone novels taking place in the wilderness. I've now read 60 of these K-9 books. Yes, I'm a dog lover, though I know that the dog is basically a supporting character (I've seen Amazon reviews where the reader wanted more of the dogs). One other note - I discovered another of my favorite authors - Terri Reed - from these K-9 series. Jodie Bailey joined the rotation in '21, and Jessica Patch followed suit two years later.

I'll admit that this series is very formulaic. I mentioned that aside from Virginia Smith's "Scent of Murder," all of the stories are told from the point of view only of the male lead and the female lead. The action usually starts by the end of the first chapter. In the midst of running for their lives and solving crimes, somewhere in the middle the main characters kiss and immediately determine that should never happen again (of course, by the end of the story they changed their minds and fell in love). 

These definitely consider these Christian novels. The characters pray. Sometimes, one of the leads has no interest in God; other times, they're convinced God has no interest in them. It's never preachy - it focuses more on those who are having their faith tested than those who are unbelievers.

In case you haven't noticed from the top, there are six new Love Inspired Suspense books each month. I used to suggest most of them for purchase from the library the first couple of years. I'll confess that they are a bit repitive, so I'll typically suggest one or two books a month (including the multi-author K-9 series), and rarely getting up to three. 

Will I ever burn out on these? Who knows. But it is nice light, positive suspense.

 

BOOK REVIEW - "STANDING WATCH" (DAKOTA K-9 UNIT BOOK 3) BY TERRI REED

 Why is this long-haired guy attacking K-9 Unit Task Force Agent Zach Kelsey's Park Ranger wife Eden at the Mount Rushmore observation deck? And why did he strangle one of Eden's co-workers? Can Zach - with help of his K-9 partner Amber - protect his wife and their unborn child from the killer and salvage their crumbling marriage?

"Standing Watch," written by Terri Reed, is part 3 of 9 books in the Dakota K-9 series. The collection is looking at the formation of a task force to stop guns from being smuggled into the Dakotas from a crime ring that murdered one of their fellow officers and the young girl Joy who was dropped off at her unknowing relative, ATF Special Agent and Dakota Gun Task Force director Daniel Slater with a note. This book looks at the story of Zach and Eden Kelsey and, of course, Amber the Labrador K-9. 

As already mentioned, this is the third story in this series. Can you start with this book if you missed the first two books and not feel lost or ruin any surprises? Technically yes: The authors do a great job trying to keep the reader caught up with the story. However, considering I'm writing this review after reading the first six novels of this collection, I would strongly advise to read all the books in order. I can't say more without spoiling some of the coming surprises.

Now to this story. I really enjoyed the development of Zach and Kelsey (and no, I can't leave out Amber). Additionally, there are some twists and turns in this story.

I highly recommend this book and the full series (saying this without reading the final three books of the Dakota K-9 Unit.

LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK SERIES CRITIQUE - MOUNTAIN COUNTRY K-9 UNIT (2024)

Some of my writing friends have a 5-star policy in reviewing fellow authors - if it's not worthy of a 5-star review, they don't review it. The purpose? To encourage authors and recognize the work it takes to make a publishable book. While I feel as a reviewer that I have at least as much (and probably more) responsibility to be honest enough in the reviewing to warn readers of things that will take away from their enjoyment, I give most novels 5 stars because they have done a good job writing the book, even if it's not one of my favorites. 

But this is not a review of the series, meant to strengthen the interest in a books. This is a critique. So this has spoilers. And I'll point out my opinion even if it is negative. And I'll go ahead and state - my favorite series is the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit and my least is the Mountain Country K-9 Unit. No, I don't think it's a bad series - I gave all the books a deserved 5 star - but there were several small things that made it less enjoyable.

However, let me start like I usually do, and give you an overview of the three main storylines, though in this case, two are intertwines immediately. The focus is on the Rocky Mountain Killer (aka RMK), who killed three young men of a seven person group a decade earlier, two more just before the story starts, number 6 in the middle of the series, and "saving the best for last." The group (or most of the group) had mistreated and humiliated a young lady ten years ago, so someone is taking revenge. In fact, the Mountain Country K-9 Unit was created specifically for the purpose to bring RMK to justice.

The second theme is the suggestion Ashley Hanson, the  rookie of the K-9 unit, to train a therapy dog for the small town where the killings were centered, and the designee was named "Cowgirl." Well, by the time the first book ends, RMK dognapped Cowgirl and got her a collar with "Killer" on it, showing up on occasion to taunt the good guys. During that 6 month course, Cowgirl gets pregnant and has pups, which RMK puts in a place where the K-9 Unit will find them, so they don't get in his way.

The third continuing storyline involves the tech guru Isla Jimenez, who wants to foster care and adopt this young boy. But someone calls the adoption agency and gives false accusations of Isla being on drugs and putting the adoption on hold. Then, that person locks up Isla's bank account. If that's not enough, Isla's house is set on fire. And is that the end of it?

Here are the books in the series:

1. "Baby Protection Mission" by Laura Scott.
2. "Her Duty Bound Defender" by Sharee Stover.
   
3. "Chasing Justice" by Valerie Hansen.
4. "Crime Scene Secrets" by Maggie K. Black.
5. "Montana Abduction Rescue" by Jodie Bailey.
6. "Trail of Threats" by Jessica Patch.
7. "Tracing a Killer" by Sharon Dunn.
8. "Search and Detect" by Terri Reed.
9. "Christmas K-9 Guardians" by Lenora Worth and Katy Lee.

Allow me to say there are things I applaud the writers of this series for. Of course, each story has thrilling plot twists, great romance, and interesting characters. For example, Jessica Patch repeatedly introduces me to characters I absolutely love, and Rocco and Sadie in "Trail of Threats" are prime examples. Also, most series introduces you to the main stories in book 1, and on rare occasions book 2, but only give reviews and updates until at book 7-8 (maybe as far back as book 6), while the authors focus on their individual stories. Not so here. The RMK is suspected to be involved in several crimes that he isn't. And unless if you count finding the puppies in book 7 a wrap up of that storyline (I don't, because Cowgirl is still in RMK's clutches), none of the story-lines are resolved until finale book 8, where unit chief Chase Ralston has to deal with RMK's plan to kill his final victim, the person troubling tech guru Isla Jimenez, and a person who's trying to kill a mother of a young girl.

For those who love youngsters as well as K-9s in this story, this will be your series. Six of the eight novels and one of the two Christmas novellas have a minor involved (two feature teen-agers, and one is approaching the 9th month of her pregnancy at the story's start).

As mentioned, this is not a bad series, but I do have a list of things that took away from the story in my opinion. They may not be negatives to all readers. So here goes.

• What is the difference between Mountain Country and Rocky Mountain? Both are separate series with no overlaps, but it is the same geography, with one story in New Mexico but mostly staying north. By the way, the two series ends with the respective K-9 units becoming permanent, though via different roads (Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit earned it in spite of sabotage by overcoming the various battles; permanence was not a goal of the Mountain Country K-9 Unit, but they received it by being successful in their main purpose.)
• While this series has three good covers ("Crime Scene Secrets," "Montana Abduction Rescue," "Search and Detect," the infant on the cover of "Baby Protection Mission" doesn't look realistic to me. By the way, neutral rather than negative, Laura Scott starting this series with the threat of kidnapping is not the first series she kicked things off with that plot - she did the same with Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit's "Shielding the Baby", the immediately previous series - nor the last - she's launching the next series, Dakota K-9 Unit, with "Chasing a Kidnapper. How long a streak will this be?
• Some of the individual stories had twists that I didn't care for. I never care for stalker stories, where the victim has to play along to keep alive, as in the climax of "Trail of Threats" (otherwise one of my favorites). Then in "Search and Detect," Chief Chase Ralston three or four times made a good case on why he felt one of the two main suspects was the killer. Surprise, surprise, he guessed wrong. Sorry, but I thought that could have been done better.
• The top reason I was disappointed in Mountain Country K-9 Unit was what I sensed as a greater than normal dose of sadness mixed in with the happy endings. The rookie ended her story on desk duty after shooting the villain (who survived that shooting). One male lead started the story handcuffed being transported to where he'd face trial, and he was temporarily in custody at the end until they officially recognized his innocence. The cousin of another female lead's cousin found out the woman he loved and was going to marry was a serial killer and a thief. And one of the other heroines learned that her brother was the RMK and hade to deal with that. 

I want to close a little more upbeat, though. There were several stories I enjoyed. As mentioned above, Rocco and Sadie were one of my highlights in Jessica Patch's "Trail of Threats," (book 6) and while Rocco wasn't as fun when he appeared in following stories, Jodie Bailey did a good job of showing the promise of Rocco being entertaining in "Montana Abduction Rescue" (book 5). The RMK was also an entertaining villain, a cold-blooded killer who took good care of the dogs he stole.

I hope you noticed with the warnings of spoilers and my disappointment that you read this series, and that you liked it better. As for me, this weekend I'll be starting the third-in-a-row-baby-abduction-Laura-Scott-K9-Series-Kickoff, book one of the Dakota K-9 Unit series. (And hoping sometime they'll have an Arizona series.)

 

LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK SERIES CRITIQUE - PACIFIC NORTHWEST K-9 UNIT (2023)

For your information. Regular readers may notice that typically my font style changes from column to column, but it hasn't been in this series. That's because while I'm writing reviews on K-9 series, I'm using the font Blogspot calls "Underdog." 

Another confession. I wasn't thrilled to see a series on the Pacific Northwest. True, it's more due to the politics of the urban parts of that region, not the wilderness that this series focuses on. Did the writers win me over? I'll get to that later.

This series starts out with a bang... actually, two. The co-owner of a hotel chain and her new boy-friend were shot and killed in the open. The co-owner is the sister of the hero of book one, a widowed father with an infant son. The new boy-friend is the former boyfriend of Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit Crime Tech Mara Gilmore, who's seen running away from the crime scene. Is she guilty? Or is she being framed. Of course, you have to read the whole series to get the answer to that question.

Two other questions. First, who stole three bloodhound puppies that were going to be trained to be K-9s? Second, which of the four candidates vying for two openings on the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit is sabotaging the work of their three competitors?

Remember that there WILL be spoilers, as in the rest of these critiques. Here are the books in this series:

1. "Shielding the Baby" by Laura Scott.
2. "Scent of Truth" by Valerie Hansen.
3. "Explosive Trail" by Terri Reed.
4. "Olympic Mountain Pursuit" by Jodie Bailey.
5. "Threat Detection" by Sharon Dunn.
6. "Cold Case Revenge" by Jessica Patch.
7. "Undercover Operation" by Maggie K. Black.
8. "Snowbound Escape" by Dana Mentink.
9. "K-9 National Park Defenders" by Katy Lee and Sharee Stover.

Ready for a pair of items different? First, this is the first time I've read the Christmas novella duet. Second, I point out my two favorites. Why two? Well, I look at my year-end lists of favorite novels, and include those which made the list, which was two each in the previous four series. In this series, though, five out of the nine qualified! So my favorites were "Shielding the Baby," "Scent of Truth," "Olympic Mountain Pursuit," "Threat Detection," and "K-9 National Park Defenders." Out of these, "Scent of Truth" would be the top dog (sorry, couldn't resist), where the heroine is fighting a foe that looks just like her.

The main story in this series has similarities to the one from Alaska K-9 Unit a couple of years earlier. Both have a damsel in distress on the run, with the villain and his sinsiter henchman becoming apparent in the mid section of the series, and with a shining knight on his white ... uh, K-9 to rescue her in book 8. Yes, there are definite differences, but I caught some common ground.

My suspicion with the four candidates was that it was none of the four doing the sabotage, and all four would be accepted. Well, in book 7, it was revealed which of the four was trying to sabotage the others, and was dismissed. I still held to the thought that the others would all be accepted and an extra spot would be corrected, and I was right.

As far as the cute bloodhound puppies, which you see on the cover of book 7? Uh, would bloodhound puppies be that small when it took six months to find them? One Amazon reviewer mentioned they lost it when the heroine picked up all three puppies and ran. 

In spite of an easy mystery and some ignorance on how quickly puppies grow, this was definitely my favorite series out of those I've read (there were other series before True Blue K-9 Unit). And the novella duet gave me the closure I thought it was meant to do.

LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK SERIES CRITIQUE - ROCKY MOUNTAIN K-9 UNIT (2022)

I keep hoping for an Arizona series, but this is getting close.

Note - this critique will give spoilers of the series.

The main story involves a car crash with one fatality, one person in a coma and with amnesia when she recovers, and one missing baby. Other stories include a serial killer striking at various state parks who targets blondes (such as K-9 officer Harlow Zane in book 6) and Sergeant Tyson Wilkes working to  convince his highers up to make the K-9 unit permanent, in spite of several sabotage attempts.

This series includes:

1. "Detection Detail" by Terri Reed.
2. "Ready to Protect" by Valerie Hansen.
3. "Hiding in Montana" by Laura Scott.
4. "Undercover Assignment" by Dana Mentink.
5. "Defending From Danger" by Jodie Bailey.
6. "Tracking a Killer" by Elizabeth Goddard.
7. "Explosive Revenge" by Maggie K. Black.
8. "Rescue Mission" by Lynette Eason.
9. "Christmas K-9 Unit Heroes" by Lenora Worth and Katy Lee.

Once again, I didn't read the Christmas novella duet.

In the previous series, the broad stories are resolved in books 7 and 8, but this one completes one of the stories in book 6. My favorites are "Undercover Assignment" and "Explosive Revenge." The former one is based in New Mexico (the territory for this K-9 Unit is from New Mexico to Montana); not quite Arizona, but close enough for me to feel homesick.

While I enjoyed the series, there was one story I had a hard time getting into, a first for the K-9 series, that being "Hiding in Montana." Also, there were two different stories in this series where the heroine enters the book struggling to keep her business afloat, with her main business antagonist is a suspect for the trouble-making, and exits the book selling her business to that main antagonist (who was not part of the troublemaking after all) to take another job and be close to the hero. I may be one of the few, but that made me feel sad in both cases. 

That said, this series is full of great suspense and romantic tension. 

 

LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK SERIES CRITIQUE - ALASKA K-9 UNIT (2021)

Alaska K-9 Unit is the first series I read all eight of the main books (not counting the novella duet at the end). It also moved from the city where the two previous years (and maybe further back) were based into the wilderness, where it basically was since.

The big story was the runaway bride. A young lady (who it later was revealed was expecting), her best friend, and her fiance and his friend went hiking with a guide. The guide was killed, the bride's best friend was pushed off a cliff, and the bride went missing, and the men claimed the bride was responsible for the actual and attempted deaths. But were they telling the truth? Since this is a critique, and I had announced they will contain spoilers,  yes, it turns out that the groom-to-be was upset that the bride emptied her bank account that he wanted to empty. Other series wide stories include K-9 team assistant Katie Kapowski's family reindeer ranch being sabotaged by her not-very-nice uncle and Tech guru Eli Partridge trying to locate his isolationist family members.

The series includes: 

1. "Alaskan Rescue" by Terri Reed.
2. "Wilderness Defender" by Maggie K. Black.
3. "Undercover Mission" by Sharon Dunn.
4. "Tracking Stolen Secrets" by Laura Scott.
5. "Deadly Cargo" by Jodie Bailey.
6. "Arctic Witness" by Heather Woodhaven.
7. "Yukon Justice" by Dana Mentink.
   
8. "Blizzard Showdown" by Shirlee McCoy.
   
9. "K-9 Christmas Protectors" by Maggie K. Black and Lenora Worth.

As you might expect, each series closes with reintroducing you to the main characters of the series. Some are handled better than others. This one, though, seemed staged. Each couple entered for a Thanksgiving dinner in order with their K-9s, and they didn't mention that the heroine of the first book was to be the maid of honor for the heroine of the eighth (and hostess for the dinner). If this is the weak point of this series, then we've got a good series.

This series does a good job of looking at various aspects of Alaska, such as dog-sled racing, summer cruises, northern lights, reindeer ranches, and, of course, lots of winter snow. Additionally, while they do have typical breeds in the series like German Shepherds, Border Collies, and Belgian Malinois, this one includes other breeds suited for northern environments like Huskies, Wolfhounds, Norweigen Elkhounds, Akitas, Newfoundlands, and St. Bernards.

My favorites were "Wilderness Defender" (I absolutely loved the interaction between the large K-9 and a little kitten) and "Deadly Cargo" (the first K-9 story I know of that one of my favorite authors, Jodie Bailey, wrote). I will admit, though, that most villains don't stand out. Lance, the treacherous bridegroom mentioned above, is a notable exception.

This was a very enjoyable series.

LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK SERIES CRITIQUE - TRUE BLUE K-9 UNIT BROOKLYN (2020)

In this critique series (all of which contain spoilers), I'm dealing with six Love Inspired Suspense K-9 series. Most of them have several covers. However, I wasn't able to do that with True Blue K-9 Unit Brooklyn, and the cover I'm showing belongs to one of the two in the series I didn't read!

This series is a spin-off of the previous year's True Blue K-9 Unit, which is set in Queens. There are a few characters from the previous series - Chief Gavin Sutherland whose wife still works with the Queens Unit, Lani Branson whose romance with Queens Chief Noah Jameson, and Snapper, a K-9 MIA in the previous series and is now handled by Lani. Other than that, it's new heroes (both human and canine) and new villains.

The story starts with a man in a clown suit giving a young child a stuffed monkey before going into the house and killing the child's parents on the 20th anniversary of an identical murder. Was the same fiend involved, or was it a copycat killer, meaning there are two bad guys to catch? Also, the Unit adopt an abandoned dog and her pups, with the goal of training them. But then a neighbor claims those dogs belong to him. 

This series consists of: 

1. "Copycat Killer" by Laura Scott.
2. "Chasing Secrets" by Heather Woodhaven.*
3. "Deadly Connection" by Lenora Worth.
4. "Explosive Situation" by Terri Reed.
5. "Tracking a Kidnapper" by Valerie Hansen.
6. "Scene of the Crime" by Sharon Dunn.
7. "Cold Case Pursuit" by Dana Mentink.
8. "Delayed Justice" by Shirley McCoy.
9. "Brooklyn Christmas" by Laura Scott and Maggie K. Black.*

* Indicates ones I haven't read. Until recently, I haven't read the Christmas novella duets because those follow the main action. Also, most of these have come to the Indianapolis Library when I suggest them for purchase, but COVID was messing up ordering books during that time, which is how I missed "Chasing Secrets."

I found this series well written over all. My favorites were "Explosive Situation" - where a K-9 Detective falls in love with the internal affairs officer investigating him - and "Delayed Justice" - where a reporter finds herself threatened by a man who's been dead for years. 

Needless to say, there are two killers. Penelope McGregor solves the case where her parents were killed twenty years earlier in "Cold Case Pursuit",  and "Delayed Justice" reveals who the modern day killer is, with an exciting rescue of the heroine. 

SERIES ON LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE K-9 UNIT SERIES CRITIQUES

You probably have noticed that I read and review a lot of novels from Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense imprint, and the majority of those belong to their annual multi-author K-9 series. After all, who can resist all those wonderful dogs?! So far I've read six series (or the majority of six series) and will be starting a seventh next week.  With that in mind, I thought I'd give an overview of the six series I've read.

Technically, this is my second review of a series. The first book review I did, in fact (posted September 22, 2020) was on this series. If you want to review it, click here. 

However, there is a difference between that and what I'll be doing here. This series is not of book reviews but critiques. What's the difference? In my reviews of the individual books, I go out of my way to avoid spoilers. (Anybody notice that?) My goal is to get those who would enjoy that book (or movie or album) interested in reading it and not ruining it in the process. Let me make this clear: THIS SERIES WILL HAVE SPOILERS! I'm looking at the development of each series, and thus cannot avoid spoiling parts of it. 

Typically, each series can be considered to have either eight or nine books. The story, which includes a major and usually two story threads that go through most or all of eight novels. But then, they have a ninth book featuring two novellas, which take place after the main stories have concluded. I have not read most of those final books. In the True Blue K-9 series, the main story involves the unsolved murder of the K-9 unit's chief and finding his K-9 Snapper. The other stories is the choosing of a new chief (which is one of the three brothers of the former chief, all of which are in the unit) and a restaurant that has a section for the K-9 officers and their partners called the doghouse, which closes down but is reopened at the end. One difference with this series is that it also has a prequel. 

The books in this series are: 

1. "Shield of Protection" by Dana Mentink.
2. "Justice Mission" by Lynette Eason.
3. "Act of Valor" by Dana Mentink.
4. "Blind Trust" by Laura Scott.
5. "Deep Undercover" by Lenora Worth.
6. "Seeking the Truth" by Terri Reed.
7. "Trail of Danger" by Valarie Hansen.
8. "Courage Under Fire" by Sharon Dunn.
9. "Sworn to Protect" by Shirlee McCoy.
10. "True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas" by Laura Scott and Maggie K. Black.

Note - I have not read the first two on the list nor the 9th one, due to the quickness of books going out of print and COVID. Less than 24 hours before writing this, I found the Christmas book, so I read this primarily to confirm my hunch that the restaurant reopened (it did).

My favorites were numbers 3 and 6. "Act of Valor" was the first K-9 unit book I read, and it got me hooked. It also included one of my all-time favorite villains - Javier Beck, a drug dealer who enjoyed being bad. But that one was topped by "Seeking the Truth." The heroine, reporter Rachelle Clark, basically had no family. She fell in love with widower Carter Jameson, one of the brothers of the murdered former chief. But Rachelle didn't just get the love of her life: she also got Carter's daughter and mother and rest of the family. After Carter proposed, his eavesdropping mother then told Rachelle it was time to go shopping.

Some of these older series may be hard to find, but if you can, they're worth it.

 

BOOK REVIEW - "SEARCH AND DETECT" (MOUNTAIN COUNTRY K-9 UNIT BOOK 8) BY TERRI REED

 

Who is so wicked that they blew up Zoe Jenkins' house... while Zoe and her baby girl were still in it? Is there a connection between this crime and the Rocky Mountain Killer's reign of terror? If not, can K-9 Unit Director/FBI Special Agent Chase Rawlston and his team catch all the murderers? 

"Search and Detect" is the explosive (pun unintended) concluding 8th book of the Mountain Country K-9 Unit series. Author Terri Reed not only has the job of concluding the running stories (catching the above mentioned serial killer who also stole a therapy-dog-in-training from the K-9 Unit and finding out who is terrorizing their tech guru Isla Jimenez), but she also is telling a moving and exciting story with Chase Rawlston and Zoe Jenkins.

As mentioned, this book is the 8th in the series, and since it is the finale, of course you'll want to read the preceding seven novels so you know what's going on. (Technically, there is a ninth book involving characters featured in the previous books, such as Isla, but the main story ends with this one.) 

As typical, this multi-author series is exciting, and this one is one of the strongest in the group (as well as having one of the best covers, though I think the one for competing with book 5 - Montana Abduction Rescue - tops it. In other words, I highly recommend this series, and "Search and Detect" in particular.

FAVORITE FICTION - 2024

Courtesy of Enclave Publishing

My annual favorite lists start today with fiction, followed by songs with non-fiction the day after that. I'll call today's list a top ten, though I'm combining two books from the same series as one of the ten. 

I'll wait to next year to recalculate the novelists I read the most of, but I've read 3 novels by one author, which puts them in a tie with James Blish in 6th place at 13. 

Once again, I'll put them in alphabetic order by name. I don't want the author who's in tenth place disappointed they didn't end up higher, but I figured the real reason is that it puts all on the list on a level plane for potential readers. So here goes:

1. "BLOWN COVER" by Jodie Bailey. A non-K-9 book from Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense. I've lost track on how many books are in this series she's written. This is one of two stories where the male character has amnesia for most of the book. 

2. "COLD THREAT"/"COLD VENGEANCE" (Ryland & St. Clair, books 2 and 3) by Nancy Mehl. These are the second and third of the Ryland & St. Clair trilogy. This series is one that I thought got better as it got further along. 

3. "ICE LAKE" (A Katy Russell Mystery, Book 1) by Jackie Zack. Cozy mysteries are my comfort food, and this one fit the need. Looking forward to the rest of the series. 

4. "K-9 NATIONAL PARK DEFENDERS" (Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit, Book 9) by Katie Lee and Sharee Stover. This is a two novella conclusion of the Pacific Northwest K-9 unit. Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense has an annual multi-author K-9 series, with the main continuing stories resolved in book 8, but includes a two novella Christmas wrap up. This is the first of the concluding novellas I've read, and it won't be the last. By the way, this is the fifth of those series I've read, and is definitely my favorite.

5. "OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN PURSUIT" (Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit, Book 4) by Jodie Bailey. Yep, the second Jodie Bailey book I've mentioned, as well as the second Pacific Northwest K-9 story. 

6. "RHATALOO" (a Takamo Universe Novel) by Kerry Nietz. This is a prequel to his Muto Chronicles ("Rhats," "Rhats Too," and "Rhats Free" are all out). This story has the man-sized rats landing on a primitive earth in the days of Napolean. 

7. "SECRET SABOTAGE" by Terri Reed. Like "Blown Cover," this is a Love Inspired Suspense story where the male lead has amnesia through most of the book. I'll let something slip here: those were my two favorites of the year. 

8. "SCENT OF TRUTH" (Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit, Book 2) by Valerie Hansen. In this book, the heroine is trying to solve killings and bad behavior from someone who looks just like her.

9. "THREAT DETECTION" (Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit, Book 5) by Sharon Dunn. You might look at the list, and realize I have 4 books from this series on my list, just less than half. Well, I actually have the first book on last year's list, meaning over half the books have the "honor" of being one of my favorites!

10. "WITNESS IN PERIL" by Jodie Bailey. The third Jodie Bailey book on the list. It takes place at the Grand Canyon, helping me feel homesick. 

Have you read any of these books? Any that you want to add to your list to read?

Tomorrow, I'll be looking at my favorite songs.

 

BOOK REVIEW - "SECRET SABOTAGE" BY TERRI REED

 What happened in the two week prior to Ian Delaney waking up in a Colorado hospital bed? Who is trying to kill him before he regains his memory of that time? And how can he be free to learn who his enemy is without bodyguard Simone Walker and her assistants getting in the way by keeping him safe?

I discovered Terri Reed while reading Love Inspired Suspense's annual multi-author K-9 collections, and her contributions made me a fan (particularly "Seeking The Truth" and "Explosive Situation," respectively book 5 of True Blue K-9 Unit and book 4 of True Blue K-9 Unit Brooklyn). 

"Secret Sabotage is the first non-K-9  story by Reed, and I absolutely loved it. The excitement and mystery starts on the first page and doesn't let up, and I loved the characters, especially Simone. 

This book includes characters from a former story which I have not read. I didn't need to read that story to enjoy this story.

I highly recommend this book.

BOOK REVIEW - EXPLOSIVE TRAIL (PACIFIC NORTHWEST K-9 UNIT, BOOK 3) BY TERRI REED

 

Who is exploding trail markers at the National Park and why? And who is more dangerous to K-9 Officer Willow Bates: the unpredictable, vengeful bomber, or her soon-to-be-ex-husband, FBI Officer Theo Bates?

"Explosive Trail" by Terri Reed is the third book of the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series from Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense series. As usual with the multi-author K-9 series, each book has threads that extend the whole series, but also has its own story. Thus, it is written where if you miss a story or start with a book other than the first one, you'll neither feel lost with references to earlier stories nor spoil the previous installments if you want to catch up. (In this case, I have read the opening book "Shielding the Baby" by Laura Scott, but I've yet to read book 2, "Scent of Truth" by Valerie Hansen.)

I've read Love Inspired Suspense stories where the lead characters were formerly married and fall in love again (am I spoiling a Harlequin to say there's a happily ever after ending?), but this is the first I've read where the characters are on the verge of divorce. Reed tells a compelling story about the ups and downs of the relationship. Personally, I found that aside from the first scene, more focus is on the romance side than the suspense angle, but it felt natural to the story.

I highly recommend this book and the series (at least, as far as I've read so far).

BOOK REVIEW - DETECTION DETAIL BY TERRI REED

 

 

Was Mia Turner and her best friend guilty of burning down a warehouse and killing the mayor's son a decade earlier? Did she have anything to do a car fire, and a possible child abduction? And are K-9 Officer Nelson Rivers and his yellow lab accelerant sniffing partner Diesel her source of protection from someone who's trying to destroy her business and her life? Or do they represent a different kind of danger - the romantic kind?

This is the first book of Love Inspired Suspense's Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series. Terri Reed, besides telling the story of Mia and Nelson (and Diesel), is setting up other mysteries which this story doesn't solve. That's what the seven other books of this series will do.

Terri Reed is becoming one of my favorite authors. I've read four of her novels, all parts of K-9 series.  This one is great, with surprises and two strong lead characters... make that three - I keep forgetting Diesel!

I really enjoyed this story, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

BOOK REVIEW - ALASKAN RESCUE BY TERRI REED

 

This is the first novel of the Alaska K-9 Unit series, written by Terri Reed. For those not familiar with Love Inspired Suspense's K-9 series, each installment is written by a different author, and that there's both the overarching story that ties the series together as well as each part being its own story.

In this novel, Bridesmaid and sled dog breeder/racer Ariel Potter finds herself pushed off a cliff. After being rescued by Alaskan State Trooper Hunter McCord and his husky Juneau, she finds her stud sled dog drugged and herself with someone else's hands around her neck. Are all these events related?

This book has great characters and an exciting plot with plenty of twists and turns. I highly recommend it, and I'm already deep into part 2.

You may remember I had done an interview with author Terri Reed (and if not, you can click here to remedy that). I've really enjoyed this book and the other two  I've read: Seeking the Truth (True Blue K-9 Unit part 5) and Explosive Situation (True Blue K-9 Unit Brooklyn part 4).  

FAVORITE FICTION OF 2021

 

Courtesy of Enclave Publishing

In yesterday's blog, I mentioned that this was a strange year, and it is reflected in my novel reading. I'll be listing my ten favorites in alphabetic order (as usual). What's not usual is that I'm limiting it to ten, and not moving it up to twelve or fifteen. Sometimes, I keep it down by reading two or more in a series and counting them together. Not this year.

I usually keep track of three things in my novel reading - comparing male authors to female (the latter usually dominating), the number of new-to-me authors compared to ones I've previously read, and the division of genres. The first division is 20 female authors (24 books) to 3 male authors (3 books) - a few less men than normal. For the first time, previously read novelists overwhelmed the new ones - 19 to 4 (normally they have a narrow lead). 

Genres? Normally, it is balanced between mystery, suspense, and speculative (sci-fi, fantasy, horror). This year, out of 28 books, one was speculative, four were mysteries, and three were none-of-the-above. With the other 20 falling in the realm of suspense, 18 of those were Harlequin's Love-Inspired Suspense.

So here's my list, in alphabetic order:

1. Arctic Christmas Ambush by Sherri Shackleford. A young lady in the Witness Protection program has just witnessed another murder - related? Or not? That's in the mind of her and her Alaska State Trooper ex-boyfriend as they're stranded in a lodge by storm and avalanche with the killer (and a batch of sled dogs with an adorable runt of a puppy).
2. The Dog That Whispered by Jim Kraus. What do you do when you feel you need to adopt a Labrador Retriever but you're in a nursing home that won't let her keep him? Why, of course, you call up your middle aged bachelor son and have him take care of the dog. By the way, the dog told the lady he agreed with that set up. And naturally the son knows it's impossible for the dog to communicate with humans, even though the dog seems to be whispering things to him.
3. Explosive Situation by Terri Reed. Henry Roarke is being investigated for excessive youth of force by Internal Affairs officer Olivia Vance, when he is notified about a bomb threat, right where his teenage (and orphaned) sister is. On the plus side, he has an adorable bomb-sniffing Beagle partner. But how does he catch the bomber while being investigated and taking care of his sister who thinks he's overbearing? This part four of the eight part series "True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn; it's a collection of novels which have their own story but also have a trio of threads overarching the series; each book is written by a different author.
   
4. Fatal Identity by Jodie Bailey. This is the sixth book I've read by Bailey (though I'll be honest and admit that one is a combination of two novellas, with Valerie Hansen writing the other). In this story, Alex "Rich" Richardson prevents the abduction of friend Dana Santiago. But why does her boss question if she's working with an infamous drug cartel? And why are her would-be kidnappers calling her "Danna", a name that she's called only in her nightmares? NOTE: This is the third of a series. I read the first a couple of years ago (Mistaken Twin, which was in my 2019 favorites list) and missed part 2 (Hidden Twin), but you can enjoy this without reading the other two.
   
5. Fugitive Trail by Elizabeth Goddard. How can you not love Samson the mastiff in this exciting story? Deputy Sierra Young and Samson go up to see if there's survivors in a helicopter crash. It turns out that the occupants were escaped killers, who have a vendetta against Sierra. One dies in the crash, but the other is at large. Technically, this is the third of the three part series "K-9 Mountain Guardians." This "trilogy," written by different authors, have different settings (except they're all in mountains) and no characters in common. 
   
6. The Keeper of the Stone: Of Saints and Chieftains by Donna Fletcher Crow. Most of what I read by Crow (who is currently #2 on my most read novelist behind only Agatha Christie, though that won't last long) are mysteries. This book is definitely historical. It starts looking at a trio of contemporary 20 somethings and an older storyteller, but the bulk of the book is on St. Columba in the 500's, establishing a monastery in Scotland. First in her ten volume Celtic Cross series, with part 1 (volumes 1-4) taking place in Scotland and part 2 in Ireland.
   
7. Mountain Survival by Christy Barritt. Derek Peterson is seeking help on the mountain for his injured brother when he meets ranger Autumn Mercer and her Australian Shpeherd partner Sherlock. But when they return to the site, they found blood, no brother, and someone shooting at them. If that's not enough, they have storms, floods, and wildcats to deal with. This is part of another series-in-name-only.
   
8. Night Fall by Nancy Mehl. Part one of the Quantico files. Behavioral Analyst (aka profiler) Alex Donavan is called in to a series of murders by a serial killer calling himself "The Train" man, and spraying quotes from a cult group her aunt belonged to. Can Alex and the rest of her team stop "The Train Man" from unleashing a virus that would make COVID seem like the common cold? NOTES - first novel I've read to mention COVID. Also, the book I mentioned that I'm reading is part 2 of this series, which will put Nancy Mehl in a tie for second with Donna Crow.
9. Scene of the Crime by Sharon Dunn. Forensic specialist Darcy Fields is scheduled to testify in a murder case. So of course someone's trying to discredit her and kill her, and the stalker is ready to take out her protector Jackson Davison and his trust K-9 partner Smokey. Very exciting story. Like Explosive Situation, above, this is part of the eight part series "True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn; it's a collection of novels which have their own story but also have a trio of threads overarching the series; each book is written by a different author. Scene of the Crime is part six.
   
10. Through Chaos by Joshua A. Johnston. The thrilling conclusion to the epic trilogy "The Sarco Chronicles". Yes, the term "epic" is often overused, but have you ever heard me use it before? This series fits the description, looking at a federation of five planets ...well, until recently. The threat is Dar, who has faced some defeats but holds that while their bodies are free for the moment, their souls belong to him.  NOTE: Another item on my list, like this was the end of a trilogy. While you don't need to read that other one (Fatal Identity) in order, you. Need. To. Read. This. Trilogy. In. Order.

I had thought of asking if you could figure out which of these are Love Inspired Suspense stories (which six of the ten are), but I have a hunch it's fairly easy. 

Do you have any favorite novels you've read this year? Any of you read any on my list? What do you think of them?

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR TERRI REED

 

JR: As a writer, do you tend to be more of a plotter, or more of a blank pager? Additionally, as a regular contributor to Love Inspired Suspense's K-9 series, how does this impact your normal approach?

TR: I’m definitely a plotter, but I allow for some leeway as I’m writing. My characters will sometime surprise me by doing, saying or feeling something that I hadn’t planned on and I’ve learned those are some of the best moments to allow the story to go where it needs to go. As for the K-9 series, each author is given a synopsis to loosely follow when writing but we are given permission to tweak the story to make it our own.

JR: Your most recent release, I believe, is Alaskan Rescue, the first in the Alaska K-9 Unit series. Which is more fun? Starting the story as in this case? Winding it up? Or writing something in the middle, as Seeking The Truth (True Blue K-9 Unit, part 5) or Explosive Situation (True Blue K-9 Unit Brooklyn, part 4)?

TR: Ohh, good question. Each position in the series has its perks and downside. There’s a lot of pressure being the first book. The author starting off the series has to set up the world of the series, lay out the overarching threads that will run through all the books while at the same time having its own story arc. Being the author who wraps up the series also has the job of making sure all the threads are tied up in nice little bows, that all the characters from the series are mentioned with their happily ever after endings and, also, having their own story arc to give the reader a satisfying ending. The middle books need to make sure they are pulling the threads through from the previous books and, also, setting up clues and such for the next books, all while having their own story arc. Continuities are challenging in a good way and I really enjoy writing them. 

JR: By the way, I absolutely loved Seeking The Truth and Explosive Situation. Would you like to tell us about them and what inspired those stories? And especially, one of my favorite supporting cast members: Kitty?

TR: LOL, Kitty was special!

In Explosive Situation, Olivia Vance is out to prove herself as an internal affairs officer by investigating the accusations leveled against K-9 detective Henry Roarke, but it soon becomes clear Henry and his K-9 partner, Cody, a bomb sniffing beagle, are being targeted by a bomber with a grudge and she’s in the crosshairs. Henry may not like having Olivia digging into his life, but he’s sworn to protect the innocent from harm, including the internal affairs officer and her hairless cat, Kitty. Working together, Olivia and Henry race to stop the bomber before they all lose their lives. 

In Seeking the Truth, Rachelle Clark, the heroine is an ambitious reporter who sets out to interview a K-9 officer, Carter Jameson, about his job and the upcoming K-9 Trials, but she secretly is investigating the murder of his brother and unknowingly puts a target on her back. Carter wants nothing to do with reporters who have made his family’s lives miserable chasing after the story of his brother’s death. His K-9 partner, Frosty, a white German shepherd, on the other hand takes an immediate shine to the pretty lady. When Carter’s tasked with protecting Rachelle, he’s resentful but slowly her southern charm breaks through the defenses of this NYC cop, but can he save her before it’s too late?

JR: As a regular K-9 writer, you don't like dogs, do you? Do you have any dogs? And do they inspire your stories? (I'll admit - I would be surprised if a K-9 story includes my favorite breeds - Keeshonds and Miniature Pinscers.)

TR: I love dogs! I do have a beautiful five-year-old Australian shepherd. We do agility together which has been such a fun activity for us both. I’ve used some of the training I’ve learned with my dog in my stories to bring some realism to the dogs and the handlers. I haven’t written a story yet with either of the two breeds you mention. Hmmm. I will have to suggest them to my edtior.

JR: I see you're working on a story that lacks a dog on the cover. Could you tell us about Dangerous Pursuits and Protecting The Heiress?

TR: Yes, not all of my stories contain dogs. I have a series set in Colorado that features horses, though I did sneak in a dog in one of the books. Though there is no dog in the novella, Protecting the Heiress, the story is a fast-paced tale about a reluctant heiress who needs the protection of the intelligence officer who broke her heart if she is to make it to the reading of her father’s will alive. Here’s the blurb:

 

Time is running out...

On a damp Seattle night, Cecily Fairhaven is rescued from a mugger by the man who broke her heart, Malcolm Cruz. When she learns it’s not a coincidence that Malcolm has shown up out of the blue and that her life is in danger, she must set aside her hurt and anger to trust the man she once loved. But is she really safe? Or will she suffer another broken heart when he leaves?

US Air Force Operations of Special Investigations Agent Malcolm Cruz received a cryptic message begging him to protect Cecily. To honor the man who’d been instrumental in his career, Malcolm wasted no time traveling across the world to safeguard the only woman he’s ever loved and to ensure she makes its home to deal with her father’s estate. But as the threats against her escalate and his feelings for her resurface, he begins to wonder if either of them will come out of this unscathed.

JR: Thank you for your time. Are there any other projects you want to mention? How can we keep up with what you're up to?

TR: Thank you for having me! My upcoming book, Secret Sabotage - book four in my Bristle Township series, releases this coming February 2022. 

The crash was intentional…But he can’t remember why.

With no memory of the crash that landed him in a hospital, Ian Delaney is determined to uncover who sabotaged his helicopter—without the protection of his family-appointed bodyguard. But Simone Walker’s used to stubborn clients and won’t let Ian leave her sight. To catch an unknown traitor, they must rely on each other…or the next attack could prove lethal. From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Readers can find me: 

• https://www.amazon.com/Terri-Reed/e/B001H9VYCQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share 
• http://www.terrireed.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/terrireedauthorpage/
• https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/178940.Terri_Reed
• https://www.bookbub.com/authors/terri-reed
• https://www.instagram.com/terrireedauthor/

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Pair of questions for my readers.

1. I doubt I'm spoiling anything to mention the plot of Explosive Situations is about a police officer falling in love with the Internal Affairs lady who's investigating him on excessive force accusations. Can you think of a combination of hero and heroine that would be just as fascinating?
2. I mentioned my favorite dog breeds. Yes, I find it hard to envision a Min-Pin (or any other toy breed) serving as a K-9. But I find it easy to envision one of these little yappers thinking they can handle the job as well as the big boys, and maybe trying to convince the K-9 who the real alpha is. Can you think of an amusing side story like that?