I originally was interested in The Finders by Jeffrey B Burton because it had cadaver or human remains detection dogs. I was interested in going into this field with my Master's in Justice Studies. I still haven't, but saw this book and hoped I would learn a bit about it. I learned a lot about dogs and how amazing their noses are. It was also a great story. The author tricks you by thinking that the story is resolved quickly, but there are many more twists and turns that really flesh out the story. This was a good read.

Mason trains dogs for human remains recovery. He adopts a dog that turns out to be really special. She seems to have skills Mason has never seen before. The story has a mystery that will keep you guessing. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed Masons interaction with his dogs. I have never read this author before but I would definitely read more by him. I gave serious thought to a 5* review but am giving it 4 1/2* rounded up to 5*. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

The Finders is the first book in a new series by Jeffrey Burton called Mace Reid K-9. This is also the first book I have read by this author. It is a fantastic start for this new series and I’m thrilled to have found a new author/series to enjoy.

Mace is a dog trainer extraordinaire. He trains his personal dogs in finding human remains. His latest trainee is Vira, named for the Oak Ridge Boys song Elvira. He also has three other dogs, collies Delta Dawn and Maggie May, plus his German shepherd, a boy named Sue. Sounds like a light hearted, cozy mystery, right? Not even close. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat while Vira helps Mace and local cop Kippy Gimm hunt down a serial killer.

A well written mystery set in and around Chicago, Illinois.

The Finders by Jeffrey Burton is the first book in the A. Mace Reid K9 Mystery. It centers around a dog handler who trains dogs to find cadavers.

I liked the main character, Mace Reid. Any man who loves dogs the way this character did, will be a huge hit with me. I also liked the character of Kippy and the chemistry she had with Mace and the loveable and smart golden retriever, Elvira or Vira for short. The Everyman was an interesting reveal and totally believable as the serial killer.

The mystery was well written, lots of dog dialogue, and when the surprise reveal came, it was all action from that point on in the book.

If your a fan of mysteries you will love this book. If your a fan of dogs, you will love this book. If you like good storytelling, you will love this book. I highly recommend it for everyone.

Thank you to Net Galley, Jeffrey Burton, and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book.

I read mysteries all the time but I do believe this was my first time reading one in which a dog played a big role in the story. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a dog lover but I did find myself interested in the dog portions of the story. It's pretty amazing how they can play a vital role in police investigations due to their abilities. While I might not have enjoyed all aspects of the story, I am glad I picked this one up as it gave me the opportunity to learn a little bit about cadaver dogs.

Mason "Mace" Reid trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. His marriage is over and he recently lost his beloved dog. But then Vira, a golden retriever, enters Mace's life, and after training her, he realizes she might be an extra special cadaver dog. The two of them will help the police in Chicago track down a serial killer.

I liked Mace as a lead character but I wish the book would have only focused on him rather than occasionally switching over to another character. After awhile I dreaded the chapters featuring the other character. It just ventured into bad territory and not in a so bad it is fun type of way. More like I am bored can we go back to Mace and the dog already type way. (I'm being vague on purpose because I do try to avoid mentioning anything that isn't covered in the publisher's synopsis when writing my reviews)

If you are a dog lover and are in the mood for a quick mystery this isn't a bad pick. I was pleasantly surprised there managed to be a little heart to the story. The love Mace had for his dogs certainly enhanced the story and made him a likable character.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Finders, was a good introduction to a series. The characters were likable and I was interested to see what was going to happen. I enjoyed the storyline, however; some of the writing seemed very elementary, which through me off. I don’t know if this is something which will be corrected before publishing.

I would rate this book a 3.75 and will round to a 4 because I have high hopes the juvenile writing will be fixed.

I think I will read the next in, A Mace Reid K9 Mystery series, especially if the next book is under 300 pages. I love a good, short mystery!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really liked this mystery. Even though you are able to see into the mind of the killer, the main characters are Mace and his marvelous dogs. The mystery starts slow, but it grabs your interest. The readers meet one of the killer's victims, then the puppy who will be one of the main characters, Vira. Elivira is her real name as Mace names his dogs with country songs titles. Vira turns out to be the best cadaver dog Mace has. She is not only able to find dead people, but she can find who killed them. The police found the puppy in a garage and thought she was dead from exhaust fumes. The policewoman, who found the puppy, wants to keep her, but the puppy is taken to the shelter. That is where Mace comes in. Mace is a dog trainer and works part-time with the Chicago Police Department as a K-9 unit. Mace is called to the shelter about the Golden Retriever puppy. Now the stage is set for the rest of the story.
We have a serial killer that police are hunting, and another serial killer that the police know nothing about. This killer goes by the name of "Everyman" and is so careful that no one even knows he is killing as he hides the bodies very well. This is the one who is a minor/major character. Mr. Burton lets the reader into the mind of Everyman. He is a sociopath who has perfected the art of killing.
This book is a must-read one. It does have a little romance, but the main thrust of the mystery is who is Everyman. If you like dogs, good cops, and a dog trainer, you will definitely like this book. I highly recommend it.

3.5 stars

I am the crazy cat lady that loves dog books. A book with a cat or dog on the cover immediately grabs my attention. That is how I found myself reading the first book in this new series.

Mason "Mace" Reid trains dogs in human remains detection. He adopts a golden retriever named Vira and begins training her as a cadaver dog. Suddenly, Reid and Vira find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm.

I loved the dogs in this book, but I didn’t love Mace. While he did cause me to laugh a couple of times, he also struck me as immature. I don’t recall being given his age, but I would put him in his 30s. He is someone called on by the police for his training with dogs and I expected someone more together, more adult like. He struck me as more teenager, than adult. His personality didn’t fit the person I imagined.

There is a good mystery in the pages of The Finder, but I often thought it was too hard to pull that mystery out from all the instances where I was slightly annoyed with Mace. What kept the rating of this book going any lower than it did were the dogs (of course!) and that the killer was a complete surprise. The mystery and suspense here are good. I love it when the least expected is exactly what happens.

I think animals are amazing and really enjoy books, such as this one, that showcase just that! While I had issues with The Finders; it was a good start to the series. I’ll be checking out the next book to see what Mace and Vira do next.

Yes! First time author and knocked it out of the park for me. I requested this from the Title and the cover. Then I read the premise and thought I was in for an awesome search and rescue story. Oooohhhh no, this is SO MUCH MORE! Yes I am yelling, read this book. Murder, mystery, thriller, psychological thriller, dogs (more than 1, insert big grin here) heart break and a total out of the blue for me who the creep(s) was(were).. Mace (dog trainer, handler) was a likeable fellow, and made me smile with his interaction Kippy. (Police woman) And what can I say about Elvira, VIra for short our intrepid Golden. I am so thrilled this is book 1 in a series. Hello Mr Burton. so nice to meet your books! I want to thank Mr. Burton, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. I will be posting everywhere I can find the book (Goodreads, Google Play, BookBub, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and then on release day will hit Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo. Thank you!

The Finders is my first time reading this author. The book centers on Mason Reid, who lives outside Chicago and trains dogs. His area of expertise is training dogs in human remains detection. He recently acquired and began to train a golden retriever named Vira, who was recently rescued by Officer Kippy Gimm.

After Vira attacks a seemingly innocent man at a crime scene, Mason and Kippy begin to suspect the dog has some additional sensory powers. Along with Kippy, two hardened detectives and his “kids” they set out to solve the mystery of a serial killer targeting young women travelling along the interstates of Chicago.

The characters in the book are well-developed and gives the reader a sense of really knowing them and understanding their motives.

This is a good mystery, with action and lots of twists and turn. The best part is it’s balanced with a bit of humor that is relatable. The book is well written in that the suspense keeps you hooked and draws the reader in. A good final twist.

Overall a very good read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Finders is my first book by this author and I liked it. Mason "Mace" Reid trains dogs in human remain detections and often is called on by the police to help locate bodies. Mace adopts a new dog to train, a golden retriever named Vira but Vira is not like his other dogs. Surviving a major trauma as a pup, Vira actually can find the bad guy from the scent left with the bodies and she's not afraid to go for their throat. A near death experience on the case leaves Mace recovering and in the bullseye of a serial killer. A little flirtation with the local detective and some amazing dogs makes Mace a likable character that I want to read more about. Original and fast paced, The Finders makes for a good read. My voluntary, unbiased review is base upon a review copy from Netgalley.

this is a well written story if you like suspense and dogs you will like this adult story i was given a copy of the book but this is an honest review

Snappy, snarky, and with a psychic golden retriever puppy, The Finders takes you down some interesting trails in an effort to find a serial killer...or is it killers? Dog trainer Mace Reid and his pack of talented canines help Chicago PD by using his dogs to find dead people. But his young golden retriever pup (called Vira) seems to have a special talent; in addition to finding cadavers, she seems to be able to sniff out the killer as well. When Mace and Vira are engaged to work with Chicago police detective Kippy Grim (no, I did not make that name up!), he finds his life might be in danger too.

With lots of surprises, a plethora of villains, misdirection and of course the dogs, The Finder's is an entertaining read. The characters are engaging, the bad guy is not obvious, and is just a lot of fun. Great for beach or vacation read!

Mason Reids divorced, lives in the Chicago area, and trains dogs. He gets a special golden retriever puppy that was almost asphyxiated, and finds that she has remarkable, almost psychic abilities. Dogs are man's best pet. The book was informative about cadaver dogs and while reading the book I just wanted to hug this dog. Look forward to the next book.

I picked up The Finders by Jeffrey Burton because the description really drew me in. Also, I love the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. For lovers of Rosenfelt, be warned this book is a bit darker that the Andy Carpenter books.

Mason Reid has a profession that many would love. He's a dog trainer! While he does do the run of the mill obedience classes he also has his own troop of specially trained pups. His dogs are trained in human remains discovery. He's recently added to his family with a Golden Retriever puppy, Vira, who on her first outing has a strange reaction. That reaction puts Mace in the cross hairs of someone who would prefer to not be detected. If you want to find out what happens next you'll just need to read to find out!

A very promising start to a new series for mystery lovers and dog lovers alike!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Cadavar dog trainer Mace Reid and the golden retriever puppy Vira develop an amazing bond, but even more amazing are her abilities - not only does she seem to understand her training almost before he trains her, but once she has found the victim, she appears to know who the killer is. This immediately gets Reid and Vira into some very difficult situations, and well into the cross-hairs of a serial killer. While the "hunter becoming the hunted," especially by a serial killer, has been done repeatedly, throwing in a very talented cadaver dog does shake up the formula nicely. And this book is a thriller and all about the action, start to finish. You will not fall asleep. The dogs play a big part, so if you pick the book up for the dogs, you will be happy. There were several parts where the police officer Kippy and Mace kept talking about how psychic Vira was, or other various woo-woo ideas for her skills, but I just figured it's her NOSE people! Ah well. Good read if you don't over-analyze it. I look forward to the series.

5 stars
The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton
How have I missed this author? Holy buckets, this is an amazing book. I was drawn into this book from the very first page and practically read it non-stop. I have not done that in a very long time. There is so much to like about this book. Dogs, dogs and more dogs. Main character Mace is a dog trainer who trains his dogs in human remain detection.
The secondary characters are just as richly written as Mace and Kippy. This book had an intriguing plotline and one I have never read before in any book nor have I heard of in real life.
I cannot wait to read book two and now I have to go find more books by Burton.

I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

This book was great! It made me keep reading to the point of neglecting other things (like sleeping). It started out a little weird and I couldn’t figure out who was talking and which person / persons were the main characters until I read a couple of chapters and then when that was established, the story moved right along. I loved the characters and can’t wait to see most of them again in book 2. The plot revolved about a psychopath serial killer. That subject always fascinated me because it is hard to fathom what makes people turn out that way. Jeffrey Burton is a new author to me but I’m sure I will become more acquainted with his writing in the future. I also love to read about K-9s.

I recommend this book to all my mystery loving friends out there.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I was invited to read this book by the Publisher. While I am an animal lover I found it hard to believe that Vira, a Golden Retriever, had psychic abilities. The story itself and the hunting of a serial killer was good and kept my interest. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was a quick, easy read. The story was good. I almost gave up in the first chapter because the author was trying way too hard to use "cool, young person lingo". Besties. Sisters before misters. Bros before hoes. It was really cringy. It died down for most of the book, so I kept going. I was dismayed when it came back later on in the book. Don't bother writing "wtf" if you have to define what it means. Just write it out. Then he used "binocs" instead of binoculars. Twice. No. Just no.

I found all of this to be especially ironic since the author had to get in some completely unnecessary millennial bashing in the book, too. It's so tired. It's so overdone. It's just not a good idea to put down an entire generation, many of whom you will depend on to read your books. Stop.

Finally, I thought it was distracting that one of the victim's names was almost exactly the same as one of Ted Bundy's victims. Surely this was not necessary.