This is a fast-paced mystery with a character twist: one of the main characters is a dog. And not just any dog, but a trained cadaver finder who also seems to be able to find a murderer by sniffing the murder victim’s DNA on him.

The dog, Vira, almost died before finding her way to professional dog trainer Mason “Mace” Reid. Reid specializes in training cadaver finding dogs and often helps the Chicago Police Department when the need arises. Mace soon realizes Vira’s unique gift when on a case. Not only does Vira quickly find the body, she also attacks a person among the crowd of onlookers. This person is later proves to be the victim’s murderer. Was it a fluke?

The book is told mostly from the POV of Reid and a serial killer called the Everyman. As Mason and Vira get more involved with murder cases, they come to the attention of Everyman. And not in a good way. They quickly become Everyman’s target.

Although the dog figures prominently in the story, the book is mainly about Reid and his work with the Chicago PD. One does not have to be a dog lover to enjoy this book, just a lover of a good mystery.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton 4 stars

This is the first time I've read anything by Mr. Burton, but the description was irresistible. A "new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid". I am big fan of Diane Kelly and David Rosenfelt and anything that mentions dog and mystery together is worth a look. While this is not as humorous as an Andy Carpenter book, the magnificent Vira (an Einstein of a dog) is worthy of consideration. We meet Vira (Elvira) as a puppy, too stubborn to die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Mason Reid picks her up from the pound and trains her to be a cadaver dog. They stumble onto a serial killer and what ensues makes Mason and his dogs the object of a psychopaths obsession. Since this appears to be a start of a new series,, there is some background setup for the main characters and secondary recurring characters. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

June seems to be going to the dogs. Well, at least in my book; coming off reading another wonderful "Chet and Bernie" mystery by Spencer Quinn, I dived right into this one, which also focuses on unbelievably intelligent canines. But in this case, they're honing in on dead bodies.

That alone attracted me to this book, which came to me as a pre-publication review copy from NetGalley (thank you very much). But other things were intriguing as well; for instance, dog trainer Mason Reid - Mace to his friends - is a fan of country music, as am I. His main pooches have names like Maggie May, Delta Dawn and, the newest pup, Elvira. The name of another lead character, Chicago police officer Kippy Gimm, made me chuckle as well; when our daughter Christine Elizabeth was just starting to talk, the best she could do with her own name was "Kippy Libilip" - so for two or three years, Kippy it was (for the record, though, I do have a bit of a problem taking any grown-up named Kippy very seriously.

Mason and Kippy meet up at the scene of an apparent suicide by carbon monoxide, and they find what may have been an unintended victim; a golden retriever puppy that's unconscious but miraculously still alive. No surprise, but Mason takes the pup to raise, dubbing her Elvira, or Vira for short. It should be noted, also no surprise, that Mason - who's coming off the death of a favorite pooch and a marriage turned sour (I'm not sure which he mourns more) - takes quite a shine to the aforementioned Kippy.

Mason begins training Elvira as a cadaver dog, and she proves to be noseworthy in stellar fashion. In fact, she tackles - literally - a murder suspect she sniffs out in a crowd of bystanders, seriously injuring him and landing herself on the must-be-put-down list. When the authorities determine that the man was perhaps the serial killer they've been trying to nail for years, strings are pulled to keep Elvira safe.

Further investigation determines that Elvira's victim isn't working alone and a serial killer remains on the loose. The rest of the book focuses on the chase to find him (or her) as well as the killer's determination to put down Mason, Kippy and that pesky Elvira. It's an exciting chase to the finish, to be sure. My only concern is that while I enjoyed learning more about the superiority of dogs' brains and sense of smell, the detail was a bit heavy-handed. Since this is the first of what I believe is a series, I can't imagine there would be anything left to reveal in future episodes without repeating much of what's been said here. But in any event, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and already I'm on the scent of another. Soon, please?

Oh my gosh I LOVED this book!! Hooked me from the first chapter and I just couldn’t put it down! Well told story with mystery, love, anger and loyalty woven together.
Nice plot perfect characters. Easy to love most of them. But the bad apples, oh man I was so enraged at their behavior.
Big 5 stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A good, fast paced mystery/thriller/adventure featuring a great guy who loves his dogs! I don't think it would classify as a 'cozy' mystery....having a bit more 'grit & grist' that tips it out of that category. There are some scary scenes implied, but no overt sex or gore. The author does a great job of describing the scenes, so you can, & want to, read right along & see where this is going. If you like dogs, this will be a good read. I'll certainly look for the next in the series.
I received this e-ARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, via NetGalley, in return for reading it & then posting my own fair & honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this novel because it takes my favourite genre and throws in a little pep to stand out from the crowd. Mysteries are just that, mysteries. But what happens when you take a mystery and throw in a beautiful golden retriever, who is also a young human remains detection dog? You get one hell of a story!

Burton surprised me with how well his story was able to flow with an intricate and deceptive plot that had me thrown for quite some time before the "villain" was uncovered. I think the story was really more focused on the main character, Mason Reid, and his lovable human remains detection dogs... with the added benefit of mysteries to solve thrown in. Something I really enjoyed was that the addition of the dogs wasn't just thrown into the story to make it into something new. The writing really pinpointed the relationship between an animal lover and their pets, with Reid referring to his dogs as his kids. You can really feel the attachment and feel the personalities of each dog throughout the novel. As an animal lover, and a fur mama, myself... these are all quite accurate. We communicate with our pets and treat them as our children... so for a mystery novel to really incorporate these actions and feelings between human and pet was really lovely.

The reason I knocked a star off my rating was because, looking back, I don't really understand how we ended up unofficially investigating this case. I don't want to give too much away, but it felt as though we have a solid case, and another inkling that there's more that we can't see going on... but instead of the detectives looking into, and building a case, we've got a police officer and a human remains detection dog trainer running off rogue investigating in something they've no idea how deep it runs.

Reckless, yes. Interesting, definitely. Illegal, probably.

Nevertheless, a very interesting story that I absolutely enjoyed. Can't wait to see where this series goes and will be keeping my eyes out for the next novel in the series!

I will be posting my review to my Goodreads page, and can post my review to Amazon Canada when the novel is published!

<i>I would like to thank the publisher, St Martin's Press, for reaching out to me and allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy given my previous interests in some of their other novels through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review!</i>

This was a very good book. I loved the humor that is throughout and the character development. My only issue is the constant use of generalized terms for people. I really hope before this book gets released they will change ‘Everyman’ and ‘dog man’ to something a little more entertaining. Other than that, this was great and I will look into this author’s other works.

This is a terrific mystery feature Mason (Mace) Reid and his team of cadaver-hunting dogs, on of whom has not only the ability to smell buried dead bodies, but an uncanny ability to sniff out perpetrators of crime.

Apparently the first in a series about this pair, the story is taut and well-paced and the characters (except for the bad guy) extremely likable and relatable. The author clearly has a good sense of humor which comes through in his writing, a talent not often seen in this genre. Highly recommended. I look forward to reading more by Mr. Burton.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

I am a golden retriever lover, which is what caught my eye about this first-in-a-series new book. Mason Reid trains cadaver dogs to find dead bodies. His newest family member is Elvira, aka Vira, a young golden retriever with an incredible sense of smell, with skills far beyond any dog Mason has ever had. When Vira attacks a seemingly innocent bystander at a crime scene for no apparent reason, Mason has to figure out why she did it, which leads him into a major murder case. I enjoyed the mystery, and didn't figure out the guilty party until deep into the story. There were a few plot holes that I found myself complaining about, but overall the book provides an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC.

This was an absolute enthralling read! I was hooked from page one with the unique story of how a golden retriever puppy belonging to a woman and her son got left behind, on the brink of death wiggled out of blankets and into the arms of Officer Kippy Gimm.

The puppy ends up at Chicago Animal Care and Control, where she meets dog training school owner, Mason 'Mace' Reid. Mace is dealing with the death of his English springer and the dissolution of his marriage. Mace trains dogs to be cadaver dogs. The puppy takes to Mace, and is given the name Elvira. She joins Sue, Delta and Maggie.

Right off the bat, Vira shows an uncanny intelligence. On her maiden voyage, Vira does what she is trained and something totally out of character.

It becomes Mace's mission to protect Vira, when he can't get the law to listen, he takes matters into his own hands. With the help of his friend Paul, a lie is created, but comes crashing down with a visit by Officer Kippy Gimm. From one dog lover to another, a truce is made.

Mace's actions have caught the eye of a serial killer, who sets a mission to get rid of Mace and his dogs. Officer Kippy Gimm and her partner, Officer Dave 'Wabs' Wabiszewski working alongside with Detectives Hanson and Marr are trying to locate the killer. The killer is coming for Dog Man!

After I finished reading this book, I was ready to dive into the second! I'm very much looking forward to more in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley via St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book that I have voluntarily reviewed.

I love animal stories and animals in mysteries. Animals with jobs aren't in books aren't as much of subject plus I loved the cover. A dog was adopted as a puppy and trained as a cadaver dog to find dead bodies. The intrigue doesn't end there; the dog's owner, a police officer becomes the target oh a deranged killer possibly with a link to the dog. And the ending? O-M-G!

A must read of a mystery/thriller for any animal lover. This dog is a hero.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/30/20

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Jeffrey B. Burton for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

St. Martin’s Press reached out to me to read and review this title, and I’m sure glad they did! Who doesn’t enjoy dogs, murder, and cadavers? Is that just me? We follow Miles Reid and his dogs, Elvira (LOVE), Maggie May, Delta Dawn, and Sue. Vira is a trained cadaver dog and works on cases with Reid. The field of cadaver training is SO interesting! It’s something that you know happens, but you never get the chance to explore the logistics of it. This was a quick, well written read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to those named above for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this novel!

Thank you Minatour Books and St. Martins Press for providing a free galley of the The Finders to Give a review. Elvira (Vira) is a golden Lab that is rescued and becomes a cadaver dog trained by Miles Reid. Miles also has Dogs named Sue, Maggie May and Delta Dawn. Vira has special abilities though that brings Miles and his dogs working on a case together.

Jeffrey Burton writes a good book. I got a little tired of the cute colloquialisms used almost on every page. His descriptions and talk about the dogs was what kept me reading. The description of the cadaver training is thoroughly entertaining.and enlightening.. A little romance. A very decent murder mystery and lovable dogs.

I enjoyed the book though almost stopped due to the cute colloquialisms. Those got very tiring but then Mr Burton got down to the mystery and the book got very interesting and readable. I look forward to the second in the series.
#minatour books #stmartinspress #netgalley #thefinders #goodreads

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I read by this author, and I'm hooked. Not just by the photo of the gorgeous dog on the cover, although that certainly didn't hurt, but also by the immensely likeable human characters and the great mystery. This was a quick read, but the characters felt real (albeit a wee bit "aw shucks" cheesy at times), and the training and abilities of police dogs that were highlighted was very interesting. The storyline with the serial killer was creepy, and did raise a few questions in my mind. A well-trained cadaver dog viciously attacking someone? A dog trainer breaking and entering into a residence on his own, where he has reason to believe a serial killer lives? Really?

All in all a good read with a few minor flaws - I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you St. Martin Press, Minotaur Books for this gifted e-arc⁣
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I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️. A story about Mason Reid who trains dogs to hunt for the dead, a golden retriever adopted and trained by him which he named Vira who by the way have survived death herself and, of course, a female cop officer Kippy Gimm who found Vira and witnessed her survival. The trio began their search for the notorious serial killer, and it was not as easy as they think it would be. ⁣
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I do have a soft spot when it comes to animals, especially dogs. I admire their sense of loyalty, intelligence, and the way they care for their humans. This story did a superb job in showing a significant relationship between a dog and his human, and how incredibly smart dogs are especially in doing their jobs. I’ve seen law enforcement dogs and military dogs in action, and I admire their skills and devotion.⁣
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All the characters in this story are admirable and funny. The antagonist is smart, which makes me hate him. The dogs are so lovable. Mason Reid reminded me of a man who can be very smart but doesn’t know how to talk to women. The story is direct to the point, with no excessive or pointless narration. I was appalled on the reveal. I couldn’t put this down, and it is very compelling. I highly recommend it!⁣

I adored this book! I am an avid crime reader and dog lover, combining these two was just fantastic. Elvira is a unique cadaver dog with a special sense to detect a little more than the average dog, so when her handler takes her to a crime scene he in unprepared for what happens next and how that incident drains him into a game of cat and mouse. A game that could cost him and his dog pack their lives! Fast paced with a super creepy killer, oodles of suspense, an edge of your seat ride. The characters are well developed and the story flows just right. I highly recommend this read.

Easy to read, straight forward police story with two great characters - not Mace, the owner of four wonderful dogs and not Kimmy, the police woman he's crushing on but Vira - the star golden and a male german shepherd named Sue (with apologies to Johnny Cash). If your dogs sleep in their own beds and don't jump up on the furniture, you might like this story. If you're part of the pack and your dogs sleep on your bed, you are going to love this story.

I loved this book! The mystery of who the murderer is will have you guessing the whole time. I couldn’t figure out until Mace did and then it made perfect sense! This was the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be my last!

“The Finders” by Jeffrey B. Burton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was sent a copy from the marketing manager at St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley for a honest review. This book releases 6/30/20.
I love mysteries and dogs, so this was the perfect book for me! I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved how the suspense and action started admittedly! I was drawn in and ready to solve the mystery with Mace and Kippy.
Mason “Mace” Reid loves dogs more than people. He trains cadavar dogs and had an obident school. He believes he’s a regular guy until the hunter becomes the hunted. He finds himself in multiple predicaments throughout the book.
When Vira a golden retriever puppy comes into his life he senses she’s special. She trains faster and smarter than any dog he’s ever seen. On top of that she had a six sense. When Mace is called to find a body he brings Vira. Not only did she find the body she also spotted the killer in the crowd. Officer Kippy Gimm is the one that found Vira left for dead and has a strong bond with the now 10 month old pup. When she hears about Vira attacking the killer of multiple woman she finds herself visiting Vira at Mace’s home. While Kippy is not interested in dating. Mace has a strong attraction to Kippy and is surprised as this is the first since his divorce. What no one knows is Vira catching the killer isn’t the end to this tale. In order not to spoil the thrill I highly recommend reading this book! Vira is a heroic dog and saves Mace’s life in more ways than one.

Loved this story!
Great plot
Believable story
Thanks you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC.