THE FINDERS by Jeffrey B. Burton
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is an exciting, suspenseful and easy to read book. The story caught my attention from the beginning to the end and I really enjoyed reading it. It’s an entertaining book about a K-9 golden retriever called Vira that is more than just a cadaver dog, she can smell scents that indicate death in an inexplicable way and she’s better than any other dog Mason Raid (her owner and trainer) has trained. I can’t wait to read the next books of this series. In this book, Vira helps her owner and the Chicago Police find a few bodies throughout the book and she also helps them find a serial killer, that was responsible for most of the murders and is now trying to kill her owner and herself as well. I caught myself rooting for Vira since the beginning when she went through a near death situation. Vira is very brave and is a very well written character. I believe there will be a little bit of romance in the coming books since Mason and Officer Kippy Gimm (the police officer that found Vira in the beginning) seem to like each other.

3 1/2 stars. Ever since Dean Koontz made a big beautiful golden one of his main characters in The Watchers, I have loved reading about dogs in mystery/thriller novels. This was a decent read and am hoping for the next in the series.

Love me a good dog mystery! I am used to more of a "cozy" type story about dogs and their handlers. The dog handler in this book gets thrown in to a serial killer murder mystery. This book had cops who were killed, a serial killer and a dog who tears a bad guys eye out. You'll root for the dog and love the handler who is clearly dedicated to his "kids".
If you love dogs and mysteries, this is the book for you. I hope this is the start of a long series- I'll be waiting! Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. Despite some rough edges, it was a good first in a series and set the scene for an evolving story. I had trouble determining if the narrator was male or female so establishing the lead character didn't really happen. Liked the dogs and appreciated the author's knowledge. I'll look for the next one.

Vira is a beautiful Golden Retriever with an important job and a very special nose. Vira is a cadaver dog, trained to locate and follow the scent of decomposing human flesh. Not a pretty thought, but the job is vital to both families of the victims, and to a justice system.

Vira isnt your ordinary cadaver dog, not that any cadaver dog is truly less than extraordianry. What makes Vira so special is her almost supernatural ability in not only locating the deceased but in detecting the stench of death on those responsible.

The finders is a fast paced novel packed with both nail biting scenes and hilarious moments. The characters are developed well and loveable ( the fury ones obviously). This is easily a book that both mystery lovers and animal lovers can enjoy.


I recieved a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I do enjoy stories about K-9 or cadaver dogs. It is interesting to see all they can do and how useful they are. This book was very entertaining, and I loved the dogs in this book. I am looking forward to see what happens as this series progresses. Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and trains cadaver dogs, also know as Human Remains Detection. He has recently lost his beloved springer spaniel and gotten divorced. When his friend takes in a Golden Retrieiver, that has survived a gassing by his owner, he takes him home hoping to train him to become one of his working dogs. What he didn't expect is that somehow, surviving the attempt to kill him, seemed to trigger another part of his brain and he has many skills that will be useful to Mace and the police. Enter a killer who is upset that Mace and Vira have spoiled his plans and now he wants to kill them. Every Man, as he has been dubbed, is a smart serial killer, but can he outsmart Mace, Vira and Police Officer, Kippy Gimm?

I really enjoyed these characters but especially the intelligent and brave dogs. The mystery is intriguing and well-plotted out and there's enough action to keep the reader turning those pages. Mace is damaged and nursing his wounds, so I liked that he and Kippy are taking small steps to become friends. The characters are well-developed and believable, but the dogs are the stars of the show. As they are involved with dangerous work, there are a couple of scenes where they are injured, so fair warning. The plot is well developed and unique. The mystery kept me turning the pages trying to follow the clues along with Mace and Kippy. Vira had the culprit sorted out long before the humans did. A very enjoyable read and a series and author I will be watching for. I definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy mysteries and stories involving working dogs.

Vira, the golden retriever cadaver dog, is a star in this story! My rating 4.5.

Mason Reid is a dog trainer who contracts with the police for the use of his trained cadaver dogs. Mace has had a rough year and hopes to turn things around when he adopts a rescue golden retriever. Elvira, later dubbed Vira, picks up the training very quickly.

Mace brings Vira to her very first official job and discovers the dog has a unique sensitivity. After finding the body of a kidnapped, buried girl, suddenly Vira turns on a spectator in the gawking crowd. The dog is taken into custody due to the attack, but Mace is certain that the man is the truly guilty party. Mace sets out to investigate, taking one of his other dogs. They uncover a situation that the police hadn’t found. This seems a good result except that this time there is a man hiding in the shadows. Mace and Vira are the hunted instead of the hunters when they become the target of the real serial killer.

I was quickly pulled into the easy flow of the story. Vira is an easy dog to love and I liked Mace as her trainer/handler. I enjoyed the slow build of friendship between officer Kippy and Mace. The author adds interest by interspersing chapters from the view of Everyman, the very creepy killer. The story has a good blend of dog interest, humor, and danger.

I will look forward to reading more in this series. I recommend this to readers who like canine dogs and crime thrillers.

Source: NetGalley 2020.

Mason Reid prided himself on being able to train dogs as cadaver dogs. His services were used by the Police Department of Illinois. In this particular case, his prize dog, named Vira was able to find the body of a young woman who had been missing from a rest area. It seemed as if young women were missing from the rest areas and their cars were found many miles away for the actual rest area that they had accessed. Who is doing this to the women and why? Now is this person able to do all of this without anyone seeing anything? Will Mason be able to use Vira to find the murderer? If you like intriguing psychological books involving very smart animals, you will definitely like this one. The plot was very well orchestrated and keeps the reader totally engaged. The character development was truly very descriptive of both the antagonist and the protagonist. The ending certainly did surprise me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

That was quite an intense read.

Mace Reid trains dogs to find dead bodies. He soon finds that one of his dogs has a sixth sense about murders. Thus throwing them into the path of a serial killer.

In the first part of the book, you figure "All right, I know how this is going to end." And the climax happens and then... there's more. So. Much. More.

Each character was brilliantly written and you never truly know what's going to happen. This story kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I have never read a story by this author before but now, after this book, he is on my must read list. Fascinating concept that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book. Great read and can't wait until the next one.

*3.5 stars*
I really enjoyed this book! The Finders is a mystery involving cadaver dogs with a sort of sixth sense with an extremely compassionate and compelling main character and it really took me by surprise.

Mace is an animals-are-better-than-people type of person and I immediately loved him for it (plus he has four dogs). He has some trouble connecting to and understanding people and he misses his wife quite a lot though it's been a year since their divorce so he's been in a difficult place since one of his older dogs died.

But The Finders is also about his new dog, a golden retriever named Vira, who seems to have more than just a great sense of smell when it comes to murder.</strong> I found this sixth sense notion interesting. I don't read dog books because they are heartbreakers but this being a mystery I thought I'd give it a chance and I wasn't expecting the turns and twists it took.

One thing I disliked was the villain - a.k.a. Everyman. He was just such a predictable, unoriginal type of character and I didn't enjoy reading his chapters all that much.

Overall, I had a great time with this book, sometimes I just couldn't put it down and it's a pretty entertaining, easy mystery to read. I didn't completely love it but I'm definitely interested in reading more of this series.

Books about dogs are great but this one was stressful as the cadaver dogs face danger. As a series there is potential. The novel has a few cases that our dog and handler solve through the dog's extra special senses. Good information on dogs.

Copy provided by publisher and NetGalley.

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton
Dog people will find this book irresistible. I like dogs, I’ve had three over the years but I am not really a dog person. Dog people live and breathe for their “children”. Mason Reid is a dog trainer; his specialty is cadaver dogs. He loves dogs and is a bit of a social isolationist after is marriage failure. Vira, his golden retriever and Kippy Grimm a dog loving cop, combine with Mace to track down a serial killer.
The author either is a dog lover or did really good research because Mace and Kippy are clearly portrayed. The plot was solid and the human and canine interaction was well done.
I recommend the book and I enjoyed it!

Wow! I received an advance copy of this book to read. This is the first book I have read by this author and I must say I really enjoyed it. Being an animal lover and dogs being a big part of this book made it even better. It’s amazing how intelligent these dogs are, especially Vira, and how the case was solved due to her. I hope there is going to be a follow up book to this to find out how everything turned out for Mace, Kippy and the dogs. Would definitely recommend this book!

This one was cute! I loved that the dog was such a large component. The storyline emphasizes the relationship between a dog and its owner. Man’s best friend!

Lighthearted little novel for dog lovers, mystery lovers, and someone just wanting a quick afternoon beach read.

Our hero, Mace Reid, trains cadaver dogs and gets his hands on a golden retriever who not only can do the job, she seems to have a little something extra that allows her to almost communicate with her owner. He stumbles into the middle of a serial killers plans and finds himself holing up at a safe house while the cute policewoman, longing to be a detective, Kippy Gimm (yes, that is really the name) helps him search for clues to the serial killers identity.

Everything moves along at a nice quick pace, the dogs aren't the main focus but make enough of a imprint that you get a feel for Mace's love of them. His stumbling attempts at initiating romance with Officer Gimm are adorable, albeit unsuccessful.

A good time is had by all, with a little violence and blood shed to keep things interesting.

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book.
Sorry I wasn't able to go on and finish this.
It just didn’t work for me.
I'll try again next time and leave a feedback.

4.5 stars
While responding to responding to a usual welfare check, officer Kippy Gimm immediately felt unsettled by the visit. the caller was a neighbor who heard a humming sound coming from Scott ganger's house, who was not responding to his landline phone. Once there her doubts were confirmed: the humming was coming from a garage-parked truck, and Scott, along with a golden retriever puppy was dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The reason was darker than suicide, he was trying to kill the poor dog. to her and everybody else's surprise, after a long moment of unconsciousness, the puppy made.

The dog was immediately entrusted to Mason Reid (Mace) a dog trainer, specializing in training cadaver dogs. Mace was infatuated by his new friend, now named Vira, not only because he needed the distraction, but Vira showed signs of high intelligence from a very early age. Her abilities went from impressive to almost supernatural when out of nowhere she pounced on a kidnapper.

The finders is the first book in Jeffrey Burton's new crime series. I really enjoyed reading it and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

the characters were interesting, especially Mace. He is goofy, caring, and obsessive in a kind way. I loved every aspect of his personality and the way he took it upon himself to find the killer.
The writing was good and the character interactions were incredible. all the elements for a captivating series.
the plot was very creative and suspenseful, and the ending was definitely a surprise! despite my guessings, I couldn't figure out who the velvet choker was.
Many thanks to the author, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press-Minotaur Books for my digital copy to read and give an honest review.

I love dogs and I love murder mysteries, it was really exciting to see a book that combined both.
I really enjoyed this story, of a cadaver trained dog and its owner handler; it's really easy to read and I was pulled in almost straight away and enjoyed the story-telling style. A great mystery, believable interactions and good pacing. I'm a happy reader and would recommend this book. It's well researched, showcases the skills and value of animals, and has a nice balance of tension and humour.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery Murder Thriller

Kippy Gimm is a very good police officer. She knows how to do her job well and when she finds a puppy that should have perished, she knows that this dog is special.

Mason, aka Mace, is a great dog trainer. He has cadaver dogs and drug sniffing dogs, does obedience classes, and is just a good guy. When he meets Vira for the first time, he knows that she is going to be an amazing dog. While he had a slow run in his love life for a while, when he meets Kippy, his ability to flirt is on display and it made me laugh. He was so awkward.

There is a serial killer around Chicago, and it'll be up to Mace, Vira, and Kippy to figure out who it is. This is a fast-paced story where you are seeing it from different perspectives. I really liked that you read from different views. It helped to build suspense. I am very happy that this was as fast paced as it was, because the actual characters were somewhat flat for me. I found Officer Gimm's first name very distracting and the first time I read it, it made me laugh and go back to make sure I was reading her name correctly. Overall, this was entertaining and a quick read. I can't wait to see what Vira does next!