I reas this but do not know where my revue went from 2 years ago
Arc from NetGalley
It was unmemorable

I’ve been reading my way through Tyler Dilts’ “Long Beach Homicide” series, and being the son of a police officer, his books about the police feel authentic. Like in his series, there’s a mystery to solve in this standalone, but there's so much more. The protagonist here, Ben Shepard, is no longer on the police force. He was a member of the Long Beach police force, and some of the characters from the series make appearances, one playing a major role in this book. But this is Ben’s story, the story of a man who was medically retired from the force after sustaining and surviving a gunshot to the head while on duty. The injury has changed him in many ways, as brain injuries so often do. He often doesn’t recognize himself, doesn’t remember chunks of his life pre-injury, and feels like he lost a substantial portion of himself when he lost his job. Now he finds himself as caretaker for his father, who has his own struggle with dementia. They have a tenant, Grace, whose recent arrival has brought the warmth of new friendship to their lives. When Grace disappears, Ben has to draw on the investigative skills he can remember to try to find her and bring her home safely.

This one is heartbreaking in many ways, but ultimately it’s also hopeful.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Sometimes you get very emotionally invested in characters. That's when you know you've stumbled upon an amazing book and story. That's what happened to me in this instance. The story itself is fantastic, but my love and concern for Ben and his father, Peter made this one exceptional thriller. Be st book by Tyler Dilts yet!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Ben Shepard is a retired cop, who was shot in the head 2 years ago. Now, he stays at home with his father, Peter Shepard who is going through episodes of dementia. After 2 years of therapy, Ben was finally able to speak regularly again, but still constantly jots down notes and reminders in case he forgets - an after effect from his traumatic event.

Fast forward to the present, their tenant, Grace, had been missing for a few days and he begins to grow with concern. Is she OK? Where is she? Did she not like living with him and his dad? He files a missing persons report, and starts taking matters into his own hands when he felt his case wasn't being treated as a priority. Through a series of flashbacks and fractured memories, he was able to use the skills he had acquired from his LBPD days.

It was great to be on this journey with the Shepards. Ben's determination to solve Grace's mystery while protecting him and his father at the same time hit the home run for me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good detective mystery.

I will be posting a full review of this book on my personal blog site this weekend: www.cassanita.wordpress.com

The author really does paint a beautiful picture of humanity in this book. Long Beach detective, Ben Shepherd, is shot in the head and suffers a traumatic brain injury as a result. The relationship between Ben and his father, who suffers from dementia, is both beautiful and emotionally described. This book is not just a mystery but is also about the fragility of life. Beautifully written, I have no hesitation in recommending it. My thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

Ben Shepard, an ex-cop, was shot in the line of duty and now lives with his father, who is starting to exhibit dementia. Ben is a little shaky in the mental department, too, since the shooting, and writes himself copious notes so he doesn’t forget anything. When Grace, the woman SHO lives in his father’s garage apartment, vanished, Ben tries not to get involved, but he thought they were becoming more than friends, and he tries to find out what happened to her even though his detecting skills are rusty. A wonderful book about loyalty and friendship and duty. I loved this one. A rare five star read.

Mercy Dogs by Tyler Dilts

Choppy, fractured, broken, disconnected, fragmented…these were words I wrote down as I began reading Ben Shepard’s first person narrative of this story that gives insight into the lives of Ben, his father Peter and their tenant Grace. Ben’s story is revealed through thoughts, interactions, notebook entries and information he shares with Grace and others. This is a story of family, friendship, support, seeking, control, health issues, truth seeking, corrupt cops, murder and survival.

Here I have to say that having worked as an RN with patients in neurosurgical intensive care and later with people who survived with neurological damage and were trying to adjust while working to create a new way to live their lives, well, THIS book hit close to home. Ben’s experiences reminded me of people I knew well and the struggles some of them dealt with. I felt it was real and gritty and difficult as it also made me thankful to I have much easier issues to contend with in life.

Ben was a man that I admired more and more as I read. I realized that he might not be the man he once was but he was a good man more than willing to take on the challenge of caring for a father with dementia while also trying to find out what happened to his missing tenant. I was blown away and wrote W O W and thought it more than once as I continued reading.

This is a book that will linger with me. It reinforced that the moment we are in is the one that is truly important just as who we are right now has more weight than who we once were or who we may become.

I had to return to the beginning of the book to read the words that had such a huge impact…the ones that told the story of Mercy Dogs. Only near the end did I realize they were written by Ben’s father in a book he had researched and written after talking to WWI veterans.

There is no doubt much more I could say about this book but what I will say now is that I highly recommend it. This story hit home and it hit hard. Life is short – we should not waste it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Wow. This matches an entirely original premise for a detective with a good mystery. Ben is damaged as a result of a bullet in the head- really damaged-AND he is taking care of his father, who has dementia. That alone could have been a novel but Ben also finds himself searching for Gwen, who has gone missing. The connection between Ben, his dad, and Gwen is critical to this. There are good guys and bad guys but there's also a sense that what you might think is true is not. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a very good read highly recommended for those looking for something different.

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading. A fading dad, a seriously, and I mean seriously damaged son hang on to one another as one attempts to recover and the other tries to stave off the inevitable.

Its so awful to have to confront increasing deficits and knowing there is little you can do. From inside and from outside, trying to resurrect the past can seem like a glass hill.

That scared me, the author so authentically conveyed the daily struggles that he must have had to walk this path.
The added layer of the missing tenant changed the narrative in a good and constructive way for both the story and the hero.

I found myself really intrigued and wanting to know what happened next. Often I find myself rushing through the story simply to find out what happens next. WIth this book, I did find myself reading each paragraph. Ben, hsi dad Peter and their struggle together and apart is almost more compelling as figuring out what happened to the mysterious roomate.

Suspicion, abuse of power, betrayal, greed and violence, standard police book stuff, was fine. The aspect of this book I appreciated most was the obvious and clear compassion of the author.

This was an older book that I got from Netgalley, I will go find his other titles.

I'm dipping my wing to Tyler Dilts for another great story, well told. This one kept me coming back for more, and you felt for all the players in the game.

4,5 stars rounded up

The reason I asked for an ARC was not ONLY because of 5 stars reviews- I'm aware that the book hasn't yet officially released and I normally treat with caution a few existed high-rating-reviews - but because I have a week spot for a shattered cop/ex-cop/pi, and the blurb sounded exactly what I could enjoy.

Mercy Dogs turned out to be not EVEN better than expected, but in the first place, absolutely NOT what I had expected. I wanted to read a well-done mystery and I wasn't disappointed: A key word dirty cops, the situations when you don't know whom you can trust and whom you can relay, a thrilling challenge for my imagination! I love it!

However, as the story of Ben's life unfolded, through current events, flashbacks and internal thoughts, the mystery itself became somehow a matter of secondary importance.
What mattered was not WHO and WHY did it, but HOW Ben managed to cope with this task.
A great moving novel, with characters that one will not forget too soon.


This book is about a responsibility, love and courage, and how important it is for people to love each other, to care for each other.


Highly recommended!

The author drew my attention to the ever-present fragility of life. Implied how it could change in the blink of an eye. The meaning was clear: we live our lives perched on a precipice - one day at a time. Felt a bit unsettling as I swept from page to page to bear witness to the demoralizing decline of mental health. How it strained relationships. Painful to behold. Engulfed me with quiet empathy as the scenes cascaded into a downward spiral. Yet at the same time, I was moved by the undying eternal bond of a father and son that permeated the novel. A soothing warmth washed over me. The main characters were well-drawn. The steady well-paced narrative culminated with a superb ending.

Long Beach PD Detective Ben Shepherd took a bullet in the head. Not the way the 16-year veteran planned retirement. His former confidence and personality he'd come to enjoy around people had also taken a bullet. The physical and mental after effects he suffered were devastating. No longer the man he used to be. Now when he looks back on himself, it's like looking at another person. Though someone vaguely familiar. 

Ben moved into his ailing father's house to provide the necessary care for the onset of dementia. Something none of us want to think about. Heartbreaking. In Ben's present diminished mental state, it was all he could do just to keep it all together. Like watching the blind leading the blind. As the scenes unfolded, I found it difficult to escape the emotional fallout.

To further complicate matters, Ben found himself immersed in a missing persons case. Not just anyone, a beloved friend. I thought that added a nice twist to the storyline. He could not wait for the police to take action so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Though many of the former skills he once embraced had left him high and dry. Questioned himself if he'd be able to pull this off just one more time. No matter what it cost he had to try.

Thank you, Net Galley, for this book
I have read all of Tyler Ditts books and this one does not disappoint. This one is a standalone that is set in the same world about police officers in Long Beach. The main character in this book, Ben, was shot in the head and had to retired early. He is living with his father who is has dementia and has health problems. Ben has memory lapses and must write everything down.
An old partner-now in internal affairs- asks Ben to rent their back-yard apartment to Grace.
When she disappears, Ben starts looking for her. Ben is still damaged from the gunshot in the head.
This book is about damaged people and how they care for each other and do the best that they can.
The entire book is seen through Ben’s eyes and his thoughts and feelings. He had memory gaps and has a hard time.
I loved the surreal feel of the writing. All Ditts books have the same feel, they capture people doing the best they can. I did miss some of the characters from his other books, who only have small cameos in his one. Keep writing Mr. Ditts!!

Read this book in a matter of hours, absolutely loved it. Tyler Dilts never disappoints me and that is why he is at the top of my list for favorite authors !! His books are always original, not a typical "cop" book. He writes with heart, compassion and wit every single book. Even when the topic is dark you can't help but love the book. These characters have been through so much . Their relationships are heartwarming. You can't help but feel for these people, pull for them and hope they come out on top. Great new characters in this story plus a few old familiar characters from his other books. I hope that you will read this book and if you love it, read his other books as well because they are some of the best books I have ever read. I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy !