I absolutely LOVED this book!! Can someone please get me a Vira!

This is the story of 1 exceptional golden retriever Vira and her human Mason Reid. Vira was saved from a near-death as a puppy and is now working as a cadaver dog. But she is not an ordinary dog. She has special skills that leave Mason dumbstruck. Their lives get entangled with an individual called "Everyman" who is 1 sick puppy....(pun intended!)

I found it a fascinating read and especially the details about a dogs sense of smell and how they can be trained to follow and find the scent of decomposing flesh; even if it's been in the ground for some time.
The book is well researched and
a must-read for all dog lovers and I can't wait for the next instalment in this new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was approached to review this novel, first in a new series, because I have read, reviewed, and loved another series. There are similarities with this book - a twisty mystery and great dogs. Also, both series focus on police/private investigators and the legwork involved in solving a murder (or several murders). This book is different because the characters - both human and canine - are directly involved in the case.

The case here is messy. The serial killer angle of this made the book darker than what I usually read. But it was compelling. There's something special about Mace's cadaver dog. The twist to this was well done and I enjoyed the potential love interest.

Readers who enjoy suspenseful stories where law enforcement takes a center role should be sure to check this series out. Readers who enjoy terrific animal characters in their books should not miss Elvira in this book. I am curious to see where the series takes her next. (Language, including one use of the word "retarded.")

"I smell dead people." Ok, ok, I know it's lame but how cool is that? Vira is a cadaver dog who quite literally is able to smell human remains with her trainer/owner Mace. And they're on the hunt for a possible serial killer who abducts young women then tortures and kills them. But Vira is in danger of being put down when she viciously takes out the eye of a bystander at a crime scene. It is then that Mace knows there is something uniquely special about her. Working with detective Kibby, Mace and his dogs work relentlessly to hunt down the killer. Told with a wickedly wry sense of humor this novel was both intense and funny and I had no idea just how much I would love it. And it's going to be part of a series so can't wait for the next one out!

If you love dogs, this book is for you. Okay, it also has a gripping murder mystery as well, but, come on…dogs!

The author knows how to weave a good story with realistic and diverse characters. Mason “Mace” Reid is a quirky and devoted dog trainer with a proclivity for detective work that ultimately gets him into trouble. Officer Kippy Gimm is an inquisitive police officer and a dog lover who has the skills and passion to become a great detective. As for the adorable and extremely smart Elvira “Vira” the human cadaver dog, well….she just steals the show with her almost supernatural powers of “scent DNA” where she can pick out a killer in a crowd in two shakes of a “dog’s” tail.

What an absorbing and thrilling suspense novel with an evil serial killer and a loveable and heroic canine. I was hooked from the first page. A great start to a promising series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mr. Burton for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This was a fast paced good start to a series. Very entertaining, I just had a hard time with some of the dog scenes but it is well written. I am just a mush ball when it comes to dogs.

Thank you Netgally for the opportunity to read this book.

I am a huge dog fan - I have my own pampered pooch who I dote on all day, every day. When St Martin's Press approached me about reviewing an upcoming mystery about a dog trainer and his cadaver dogs, I was immediately sold. Bonus points: there's an adorable dog on the cover. The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton was an exciting mystery, with some underdeveloped characters and half-baked explanations.

The mystery of this book was heightened by the rotating points of view (POV) - especially with the clashing points of view between Mason and the villain. Most of the book was told from Mason's POV, but every now and again we would get a chapter in the POV of the mysterious bad guy. The best part was that as readers, we got a peek into the head of the villain, but we weren't given their identity until the very end of the book. Learning how a villain ticks without knowing who they are was a unique story tool that I had never experienced in a book before. One thing that this book was missing, however, was significant insight into how the villain became the evil person they were - how they had become a depraved human and what backstory lead up to this point.

From a plot standpoint, Jeffrey B. Burton wrote a story that was well paced and used time jumps strategically. The story was a series of murders, all interconnected by one mysterious figure who somehow has a part in each death that Mason and his cadaver dogs are involved with. There were also strategically used action scenes that were well written and heart pounding interspersed throughout the plot.

It was a little hard to look past the seemingly magical powers that the dog, Vira, had in this book. In The Finders, Vira is a golden retriever with a troubled past who has been trained as a cadaver dog. During her burgeoning career finding murder victims' bodies, she had amassed a near stellar track record - there was no body Vira couldn't find. Unfortunately, The Finders took this track record a step too far for me, when suddenly Vira could identify a murderer in a crowd with no physical evidence (ie. blood, bodies, murder weapons, etc). The book gave a few hypotheses about why Vira could identify murderers, but none of them were concrete enough for me to accept. This seemingly magical power made it hard for me to get immersed in and get truly invested in the story. I hope that in later entries to the series, Vira's ability is explained.

Mason was a loner dog trainer, specializing in training cadaver dogs. Ultra-dedicated to his dogs, Mason lead a very solitary life - he had recently gone through a divorce and was in a dark time, when his newest dog, Vira, walked into his life. This left a ton of room for character growth - which Mason mostly realized.

Kippy was a spunky cop who found Vira during her job as a police officer. Kippy, as a character, was fairly underdeveloped. She had the potential to be a true partner in crime solving for Mason, but she was mostly kept around as a potential love interest. I wish she had had more of an impact on the story and had been involved in more critical scenes – it felt like her background of being a police officer was wasted. Hopefully in the next book her role will grow. The dogs themselves were their own characters - I loved reading about their pack dynamics and how loyal they were to Mason. My favorite was Sue by far - a majestic pack leader who ran the household with an iron fist but was really a softie deep down.

The Finders was a fun take on a serial mystery novel - it had some fun twists and turns, but it was also missing some explanations about Vira's abilities and character development for Kippy. While The Finders wasn't my favourite mystery of all time, I am looking forward to the next book in the Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series. I hope the next book gives readers more answers about Vira's gifts at identifying murderers and that we get to see more of Kippy and her interactions with Mace. 3/5

This book is about Mason Reid who is a dog trainer, and partners with his dogs: Sue, Vera, Maggie May and Delta Dawn to search out cadavers; with Vera being a gifted newcomer. Mason becomes the focus of a serial killer, along with Kippy, Mason and his dogs, they search for the killer.

What worked for this book was the characters and the plot. The author created this book with fleshed out characters from Mason, Kippy, Vera, Sue, Maggie, and Delta to Paul, Det. Marr.. Burton did not give one dimension but ensured that we had characters that were fully realized. I enjoyed that he ensured there were moments where the dogs were not just a side piece to the humans in the novel.

Additionally, Mason is this imperfect human that is trying to stay alive, and figure out who the murderer is. The author provides limited third and first person points of views on both Mason and the killer.

Overall, it was a good read, and I would say this book is for those who love mystery/thrillers and love animals, specifically dog lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the ARC.

#TheFinders #Netgalley

Cute mystery story. A little hokey, but overall enjoyable. I love stories that prominently feature dogs, and this one met that criteria. Dogs to the rescue!

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton
A Mace Reid K-9 Mystery #1

New series, new characters, new-to-me author and a dog that is exceptional…well…so is the everything about this book, actually!

What I liked:
* Elvira “Vira” the exceptionally gifted Golden Retriever with superhero-like olfactory abilities but a gift for rooting out bad guys, too. Loved this dog!
* Mason “Mace” Reid, dog handler/trainer that is perhaps more comfortable with dogs than humans
* Kippy Gimm: relatively new police officer working in Chicago that is smart, dedicated and saved the puppy that became Elvira
* Sue, Delta Dawn & Maggie May: Mace’s pack that Elvira joined.
* Hanson, Maar and Wabs: police officers that did a great job
* The plot, pace and writing – had me from page one and kept me till the end
* The interaction between the characters
* The way the story progressed, the clues were followed, and the serial killer(s) were unearthed
* The creep-factor of the bad guys – also hated it but loved that I could hate the bad guys so very much
* That the baddies were caught
* Wanting to read the next book in the series as soon as it is ready.
* Finding a new-to-me author that I would love to read more from in the future

What I did not like:
* The murderers and being reminded just how awful/evil some people can be
* Having to wait to read the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This is the first book in quite a while that made me stay awake reading long past my sleeping time! This book kept my interest and had likable characters

Mason Reid (aka Mace). trains HRD dogs (Human remains detection). Burton clearly has experience or did his research on HRD dogs and how they do what they do. Without textbook feel, he explains this, and it is fascinating! Mace gets Vira from the shelter after she has a tragic and potentially fatal incident as a puppy. Vira takes to detecting very quickly and then some. She is an invaluable tool In solving the case.

I hope these characters return again, I really enjoyed them. This did not have a predictable outcome, or at least I didn’t figure it out. Well, I did about the time it was revealed and I was wrong!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton is a highly recommended start to a new mystery series featuring Vira, a cadaver dog, and Mason Reid, her handler.

Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and loves dogs. He specializes in human remains detection (HRD) and he trains dogs to hunt for the dead, cadaver dogs, as well as other searches. Reid takes on a new, young golden retriever, who he names Elvira, Vira for short, and begins to train Vira as a cadaver dog. She picks up commands and learns her training very quickly. When he takes her out on her first case, she not only finds the body, she also picks out and maims the killer among the bystanders. It seems Vira has a special ability. Vira also has a connection to Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm who rescued her as a puppy. Now Mace, Vira, and Kippy must all work together to thwart a killer who has his sights on Mace.

First, people who love dogs and mysteries are going to appreciate this start to a new series. Mace is a well-developed, likeable character who is presented with a nice balance of analytical abilities, serious action, and even a good dose of self-deprecating humor. You will root for him, his dogs, and for Kippy Gimm. They are all believable characters. The dogs - Vira, Sue, the German Shepard, and collies Maggie May and Delta Dawn - are all characters too and you'll see their individual personalities. You will need to suspend some disbelief about Vira's special abilities, but those who have dogs know that sometimes they seem to know more than you realize. (They can also sometimes "clean" the litterbox, but I'm assuming Mace's dogs are all smarter than mine.)

The writing is great in this compelling, well-paced novel. The short chapters keep the action moving along and the clever twists in the plot grab your attention. The chapters alternate between the point of view of Mace and that of a intelligent killer, a sociopath who now has his sights set on Mace and his dogs. These two alternate, dueling narratives help keep the tensions high, with some humorous relief every now and then. The Finders is a perfect, comfortable summer read, with enough tension and excitement to keep your interest. This is a great start to a new series.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Macmillian.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks to Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this one! his is the first book in the new series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid. The opening starts out strong and hooks you from the beginning and the writing is well done and there is the perfect amount of suspense and it kept me guessing on who the serial killer was. I liked seeing some of the chapters through his POV!
⁣
I find police dogs and other working dogs to be fascinating, all of the work and special skills that go into training them and just how smart they are so this was a fun part to the book.

I really enjoyed this fast paced read. The author does an amazing job of drawing the reader into each chapter and each character's perspective and point of view. I thought the story did a good job of weaving different events together to create a compelling serial killer chase that I read in one sitting. We are introduced to our two main human characters Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, and Mason "Mace" Reid, both of whom have just gotten out of bad relationships, as well as an assortment of Mace's furry cadaver sniffing partners, including the new star golden retriever, Vira, in this first installment of this new K-9 mystery series. I can't resist characters that love animals, or mysteries featuring animals and that was what attracted me to this book in the first place, but I stayed for the story-line, and will look out for the next book in the series!

I received a complementary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

I actually quite enjoyed this book. I liked the pace and the narrative style. I was not the biggest fan of the ending though.. Hence the four stars rating.

Like a K-9 Inspired Criminal Minds Episode
This book comes out of the gate at a dead run and just gets better. I love working dogs and this tale shows them off like no other. The suspense, the tension, the evil; what a good story. I don't care if I get nightmares. I am not putting it down until I am done. I am also recommending it to my friends. I want to read the next book as soon as I can. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is a fun book to read. Not a lot of depth, but so much warmth. The narrator is a goofy, just-getting-by dog trainer with four canine "kids" (two collies, a German shepherd and a golden retriever with supernatural abilities -- all named for country-western songs.)

Author Jeffrey Burton has a deft hand with dialogue. His mystery is well-plotted, his suspense is well-paced. The human characters were all distinctly drawn and believable. The real stars of the book, though, are the four canines, and their relationships with the people and with each other are what sets The Finders apart.

Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for an advance readers copy.

The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton is a great first installment in a new series featuring trained cadaver search dogs. Vira is an exceptional addition to Mason Reid’s team, who works with the Chicago PD.

Mr. Burton has created compelling characters and developed them so that readers are invested in the continuing storyline. The dialogue is organic, the plot progression is solid, and the story is wholly believable. In any sort of police procedural or P.I. mystery I find that realistic, believable characters are key to my engagement in with the story, and The Finders delivers!

I was fully engaged in this murder mystery. I love dogs, and stories with dogs always grab me. Vira in particular, is a very special character. While I enjoyed Mason Reid and Officer Kimmy Gimm, Vira and her canine compatriots stole the show. Mr. Burton’s plot twist caught me completely by surprise. Between the mystery, humor and plot twists, I was riveted to the end. The dogs and their being named after song characters didn’t hurt either.

Human cadaver seeking dog extraordinaire

When a golden retriever puppy is found almost dead by rookie Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm and her partner, they reach out to dog trainer Mace Reid to see whether he would be able to adopt her. He does and as the dog gets older he finds out just how extraordinary his newest dog, Vira, is.

Reid trains dogs of all kinds but he specializes in training human cadaver detecting dogs and Vira is a stellar pupil. It almost seems like she has other worldly senses.

Officer Gimm comes to check on Vira and Reid and Vira end up helping to look for a serial killer (plus Reid thinks Gimm is pretty darn cute).

I enjoyed this tale. I tend to read a lot of books that have service dogs in them. Usually they are Search and Rescue dogs so the cadaver detecting was a new twist.

I enjoyed the Reid and Gimm and all the dogs in the book. I enjoyed it very much.

I received this book from Minotaur Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Do you love crime novels? Do you love dogs? Are you tired of the same detective point of views for every crime novel? Then you should try The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton..
The story follows Mason "Mace" Reid and his cadaver dog Vira who seems to be the most gifted dog he's ever trained,

This series was one I was really anticipating starting this summer and I'm really glad I did. The humor in this book was outstanding. It really catches you off guard how funny it is considering the grim content. I'm a sucker for a good dog story too so it was refreshing to have one featured in a crime novel. I'm looking forward to continuing with these characters and seeing their relationships develop across the series.

The only thing I didn't really enjoy in this book is the dual point of view. Every time we changed to the second point of view I dreaded it because it changed the whole tone of the book but I didn't feel it really added anything to the story. It would have been more interesting for me to spend the entire time with Mace and Vira while they figured out whodunit.

All in all this was a really good first book and like I said I will defintely be checking out the rest of the series so I recommend you trying it out for yourself.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Minotaur books for providing me a copy for an honest review.***