Wish I had read this book sooner, was a great thrilling read with good established characters and plot. Will recommend to family and friends.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Book #5 in the FBI K-9 series is another 5 str read from Sara Driscoll. She gives the mystery/ thriller genre a different kind of adventure by combining these two dogs and their handlers with the investigative team. You get a different, unique view from them that adds quite a bit to the story.

Numerous victims of a killer using a compound bow have left the team with few clues. When they are finally able to find a link between two of the victims, the thrills start to rev up.

This was a very good, fast moving thriller that kept my interest right through to the end. That's one of the best recommendations I look for when picking out a title. I know you'd enjoy it as much as I did.

Thanks very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. Many thanks, Dave

One of my all time favorite series been hooked ever since I read the first book, since then I've read books 1-5 , and thanks to NetGalley as well as to the publisher I have books 6-7 to read , which means I'll have to wait until the next one comes out. Series can be read as a standalone , but the one thing I love doing is reading them back to back like your supposed to do a series , which us funny because I tend to love read series out of order ,but not this one. This one I loved reading the books in they order they came out in because you get to see the characters grew with each book, as well as the world building becoming more real. As well as the relationship development between the characters. Other thing I love us how I learn something about the topic the author uses in her stories , as well as shows theknowledge of history of the topic used . This is a series you have to read

Leave No Trace is the 5th book in the FBI K-9 series. Although all the books can be read as standalone stories as each case is wrapped up in each book, I recommend reading them in order to get all the character building and relationship development. In this outing, Meg Jennings and Brian Foster of the FBI’s Forensic Canine Unit head to Georgia to investigate two murders, the victims having been shot through the heart by an arrow. With their K-9 partners, Hawk and Lacey, they try to follow the trail of a killer. The biggest problem is trying to connect the victims. In difficult terrain, wild animals, a rising body count, and too many possible suspects, they're kept on their toes.

The main characters in this series are excellent. They are all well-developed and their relationships very realistic. Meg and Brian are such great friends and partners that they can almost read each other's minds. The K-9 officers are the stars of this series. They are always an integral part of each case and usually end up saving someone's life during the story. The crime was very interesting in this book. There is history shared, Trail of Tears and the government giving the indigenous people's land away in lotteries is enmeshed into the story. I always enjoy the process use to solve the crimes in this series, using a reporter with amazing knowledge of history, as well as great skills of deduction and a great team with various skills. I definitely recommend this book and series, as they continue to entertain and keep me on the edge of my seat.

Loved the character development and good story line. Excellent description of local locals and plenty of suspense and action to keep me reading to the end.

Meg Jennings, Brian Foster, and their search dogs Hawk and Lacey are FBI agents, best friends, and partners whose lives depend on each other.

This time they’re tracking a killer in Georgia. The first death looked like an accident, but the second was obviously deliberate. Both victims were shot through the heart from a great distance with an arrow, specially designed. There doesn’t seem to be a connection between the two, but after a third death, the motive starts to take shape.
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The killer moves like a ghost, never leaving a broken branch or a footprint in the forests. Hawk and Lacey have no trouble following the trail, but by the time Meg and Brian reach the scene from their home base in DC, the killer is long gone. Even moving their base of operations to Georgia still puts them chasing rather than getting out ahead of the murderer.

As the attacks continue and suspects alibi out, the team begins to believe the motive dates back a couple of hundred years to impact the present. Just how far will the killer go?

This is book five in the series, one of my favorites. Driscoll gives readers insight into the workings of a tracker team, the dangers of the job, the rewards as well as the disappointments. There’s a cost in terms of personal life, too. Meg loves Todd Webb, a former EMT, now a fire fighter. Brian is married to Ryan. Without the understanding of the bond between the teams and their dogs, the awareness of danger and the willingness to face it to solve a case, their personal relationships would never last.

This story is a fast-paced page turner. Meg and Hawk never take unnecessary risks, but sometimes there’s no choice but to keep going no matter what. As always, I can’t wait for the next book, to catch up with old friends, to talk crime and dogs.

i'm loving this series as the books are well plotted, gripping and entertaining.
Good character and plot development, a tightly knitted plot that kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Meg Jennings and Brian Foster of the FBI's Forensic Canine Unit are tapped to participate in tracking what seems to be a serial killer, who uses a bow and arrow with pinpoint precision to hunt and kill the victims.

As the number of dead grows, so does the danger to Meg and Brian and their canine partners Hawk and Lacey…and it’s not just from the murderer they’re hunting. They face plenty of danger tracking the elusive assassin through the wilderness, facing wild animals and the might of Mother Nature.

Leave No Trace will keep you turning pages to see if you can figure out who is stalking and killing before Meg and Hawk or Brian and Lacey become the next fatalities. So grab a hot or cold drink, settle into your favourite chair and follow the clues!

This series is amazing. You can jump in here if you haven't read the others, some nuances may not click, but it'll still be enjoyable.

These characters are strong, yet down-to-earth, and face over the top danger but still stay level-headed. The dogs obviously steal the show though.

What I loved was how author weaved native American history into a mystery novel. I thank netgalley for letting me review this book

I'm a sucker for mysteries with dogs, especially when the dog is not just dressing but part of the story. The leads in this story, Meg Jennings and her dog Hawk, are an FBI K-9 team and work well together. Meg and Hawk are partnered with Brian Foster and his dog Lacey. This time they go down to Georgia to find someone who is committing murder using a bow and arrows. Different, for sure.

"Leave No Trace" weaves together history, politics, environmentalism, murder, family drama, romance, and action. Soooo much action and yet, sometimes this slowed the story down as Driscoll can be heavy on details which took away from the pacing. A lot happens in this book, too much actually; it felt overstuffed, and the ending, with Meg and her boyfriend, felt contrived. Now, I also didn't read books two through four, so maybe if I had, I'd feel differently.

Meg, Brian, and their dogs are frequently at risk or in danger, so much so I questioned sometimes how competent they actually were but given I know nothing about the work they do, I'll cut Driscoll some slack there. Meg and Brian consistently place the health and well-being of their dogs above their own. Sometimes they have to choose between the safety of their dogs and tracking the killer which is a challenge at times for local law enforcement.

Perhaps the most fascinating, and saddest part of the story, was the history of Native Americans in that region and the abuse and broken promises they endured at the hands of the US government. That history, worthwhile on its own, plays into what's happening now as does the decision to create a new dam and the ramifications that has. Driscoll made good use of reporter McCord here. A regular since book one, he's involved with Meg's sister but also works with Meg, researching information for her cases in exchange for first shot at publishing stories about those cases at the newspaper he works at. He dug up lots of information and helped them connect the dots. I worried, when Driscoll first brought in Native Americans, that she would resort to stereotypes or be disrespectful of them but she was sensitive in their portrayal. I also appreciated the tactful way she handled the disrespect and racism that a local police officer, who was not white, had to deal with on a regular basis.

The mystery kept me guessing for a while, there didn't seem to be a pattern, but then one emerged, and I began to suspect one person. The clues, and some red herrings, were sprinkled throughout but not too obvious. I would have preferred a little less drama and a little less technical detail and more time spent on the killer's motives but "Leave No Trace" was enjoyable and engaging. It's a series I'll keep reading.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

When opening a new FBI K-9 novel, I can count on it being action-packed, heart-pounding adventure from beginning to end. Leave No Trace lives up to, and exceeds, expectations as Meg and K-9 partner Hawk, along with teammate Brian and his K-9 partner Lacey investigate a new, possibly serial, killer in Georgia and Tennessee. The characters are so well defined and realistic that they leap off the pages. The setting is fascinating, sending me to the internet to learn more about the terrifying place of one of the searches. I also appreciated learning about the background of the Native American tribes in the area. The mystery is quite a challenge, and if not for one detail I overlooked, I might have figured out sooner who the killer was.

Meg and her boyfriend, Todd, a firefighter, have been seeking a place to move into together for several months. Meg and her sister Cara have had a home together for several years that meets their needs and that of their dogs; moving in with Todd will send Cara looking for a place she can afford on her own. Cara and her boyfriend, Clay, an investigative reporter for the Washington Post, are not at the point of making a commitment and she refuses to rush into anything to afford a residence.

We open to Meg and Brian going to investigate an unusual murder in Georgia. A state police officer was killed with an arrow designed to kill in a particularly gruesome manner. It is turkey and bow hunting season, but this is not the result of a hunting accident. It is hauntingly familiar, as another man died a few days ago in the same manner. It is also why the local FBI agent has called for their assistance. When determining where the shot was taken from, it is clear the archer is an expert. We are given an insider’s view of how the dogs work together to find and follow the scent of the killer, but eventually lost the scent when the shooter probably left in a waiting car.

The first man killed seemed to have no connection to the state police officer. He was of the county board of commissioners, involved with the building of a new dam for the TVA project. Building the dam would require either purchasing, for pennies on the dollar, or taking eminent domain of land that had been in the owners’ families for generations. It is also land that the Cherokee tribe had hoped to regain for their tribe.

Only two days later, another man is killed with a similar arrow; this one was overseeing the repair to the five-mile flume of a dam across the state line in Tennessee. When they lost the trail of the shooter again, Meg obtained permission for her and Brian to stay locally until they can get the shooter, as they are losing too much time flying back and forth when they could be on the ground searching.

I enjoy learning more about the characters in each novel. Watching their actions, and for Meg, following her thought processes, brings the fully human dimension together with her knowledge and experience. Meg and Brian are the ultimate professionals when it comes to tracking down the bad guys. Meg’s mind is always working, trying to understand how the killer’s mind works. Both have their normal, human fears and concerns. Brian understands one of Meg’s triggers and helps her compensate for it. They also love their dogs, going to any length to keep them safe.

There are many scenes that one may not be able to close the book on and go to sleep immediately after reading. The fire that Todd was trapped in, tracking the killer over the flume where one misstep would be deadly, avoiding warning shots from the killer, facing the elements and wildlife, and severe injury to one of the K-9’s kept this reader rivetted. K-9’s and their handlers in law enforcement around the country do not have easy jobs. They operate in sometimes harsh, frightening conditions, risking their lives and those of their K-9’s to serve and protect. The killer was elusive, and a real challenge to identify. The resolution was very satisfying with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this, and earlier books in the series!

With her ever present dog Hawk and cast of supporting characters, Meg once again finds herself and FBI dog Hawk in a manhunt for a serial killer. With insightful observations about the controversy of land rights back to the 1800s and current war about civil rights, this was certainly worth the read.

106 Leave No Trace

Hey folks, daddy Steve here with some doggiebook talk. I read book #5 of the « An FBI K-9 Novel » series by Sara Driscoll title Leave No Trace.

I loved all four of the previous books in this series that follows an FBI K-9 handler, Meg, and her dog Hawk. That’s putting it to it simplest expression because the author has worked in a great cast of characters that I’ve come to also love and care about. That also includes the whole FBI K-9 team, handlers and dogs, as well as some other characters I don’t want to name for fear of spoiling some of the earlier books.

The dog action is well done, the stories are well presented and always seemed greatly researched.

Not only is that book a recommended read to me but I’ll tell you to go back to the book 1 and start from there.

Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets... The book is available for sale right now, as an e-book, hardcover or audiobook.

#Malcolmstories #doggiebooks
#LeaveNoTrace #NetGalley

Links to my reviews of previous books in the series:
Lone Wolf, an FBI K-9 Novel #1 (Sara Driscoll)
https://www.facebook.com/malcolmstories/posts/652710122004961

Before it’s Too Late, an FBI K-9 Novel #2 (Sara Driscoll)
https://www.facebook.com/malcolmstories/posts/660422577900382

Storm Rising, an FBI K-9 Novel #3 (Sara Driscoll)
https://www.facebook.com/malcolmstories/posts/678558529420120

No Man’s Land, an FBI K-9 Novel #4 (Sara Driscoll)
https://www.facebook.com/malcolmstories/posts/684809818794991

The fifth book in the FBI K-9 series, Leave No Trace, by Sara Driscoll is so much in so many ways. It's hard to decide which aspect of the book to praise first. The story is an original, thrilling adventure through the outdoors fraught with river rapids, challenging forest and hill climbing, wild animals, and survival skills. One of the shining qualities I love about this series are the original story ideas, the situations that the FBI’s Human Scent Evidence Team, dogs and their trainers, encounter, and the skills they must hone to overcome killers who put them in dangerous spots. And, within these original stories are historical insights and learning that are such integral parts of the story, never just information, it is the backstory that is the backbone of current circumstances. The characters, both regulars and new draw the reader into their lives and create an investment from the reader. When an author creates characters who evoke emotions and understanding from the reader, well, the great idea of the story comes to life full force. While the FBI dog handlers and others are the characters who create the action, it is the dogs in this series that grab your heart and don’t let go. Setting is another area in which Driscoll excels, as the demanding surroundings with which the team must contend are so aptly described, it's easy to imagine oneself struggling with thick forest and churning rivers. Meg’s fear of heights aptly registered with me and had me gasping more than once.

In Leave No Trace, handlers Meg Jennings and Brian Foster, with their dogs Hawk and Lacy, are called from Washington, D.C. to small town Blue Ridge in Georgia, where an expert bow hunter has killed multiple times, a single deadly arrow piercing each victim precisely on target. Special agent Sam Cruze, in charge of the investigation, welcomes the resources of the tracking dogs. Unfortunately, this killer seems to be particularly wily about covering tracks. As the victims are in some way associated with a new dam proposal for the area, the suspect list includes a large number of people who stand to lose their land and livelihoods to the construction of the dam. Also of interest are the Cherokee Indians in neighboring North Carolina who are trying to reclaim this land that was stolen from them in the early 1800s. Add to the suspect profile that bow hunting in the area is a competitive sport, and there are many who fit that descriptor. With connection to the three states of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, narrowing down the suspect list is a daunting task. The shooter is, however, in an elite status of perfection shooting from difficult terrain and hitting the mark, so that factor can eliminate many.

One of the aces in the hole that the FBI K-9 unit has is Clay McCord, a Washington Post reporter who is an outstanding researcher and has worked with the team before, with the promise of an exclusive on the story afterward. McCord also happens to date Meg's sister, Cara. So, when McCord arrives on site, he immediately goes into his whirling dervish mode to gather needed research on the bow hunters who have a stake in dissuading the building of a new dam.

Before a solid suspect will be identified and apprehended, the action is intense. Readers say that a book is page-turning exciting, but Leave No Trace is as compelling a read as I have encountered. Meg and Brian and Hawk and Lacy must be at their most fit, physically and mentally, ever to overcome the obstacles of the Appalachian wilderness, man-made flumes, unfriendly wildlife, and a unerring killer. My heart was in my throat more than once while reading about characters and animals I've come to care about being in great peril. Pacing is yet another element that the author accomplishes effectively.

Not apart from creating a great story, characters, setting, and pace are two features of this book and this series that make it such a favorite of mine. At the heart of the series is the relationship and interactions between the handlers/trainers and their dogs. In particular, Meg and her black Labrador Hawk are in a symbiotic relationship of mutualism, both working as one and benefiting the other. Of course, it's the affection they show one another when not on point that warms my heart. With so many dogs being in the book, the FBI dogs, Cara's dogs, and McCord's dog, it's a most satisfying place for we dog lovers. But, it is representative of loving partnerships with all of our furry family members.

The other feature of the series is what I learn from the stories. There's nothing didactic about these books, but there are always issues, more than one, which benefit the readers as they navigate their lives and worlds. In Leave No Trace, the land that the new dam will cover with water is land which was stripped from Native Americans two hundred years ago, with no reparation, and much heartache. The infamous Trail of Tears is part of this history. With the Cherokee having filed claim to the land, the history of it flows throughout the book in a natural inclusion. The epigraphs at the beginnings of each chapter contain quotes or information relating to the topic of the stolen land and the demise of those forced from it. Not all the epigraphs are Native American related. Some explain facts or aspects of dams, which figure so importantly in the book. None of this information gained through the epigraphs is overwhelming or moralizing. For me, it helps with the understanding of the characters and their actions.

This series has been a favorite for me since its beginning. Each has its own story that is completed in the book. There are growing relationships with the characters, their personal dramas, but it is possible to pick up one of the five books and read alone, too. Leave No Trace especially lends itself to a stand-alone read. Of course, I would encourage readers to enjoy all five, but the starting point is up to you. As with most loved series, waiting for the next book is hard, but the good news is that #6, Under Pressure, has just been finished and will be out a year from now.

I was given the opportunity by author Sara Driscoll and Net Galley to read Leave No Trace before publication, and I assure all that my remarks are all my own opinion.

This one is not for me. The writing was fine and the plot/characters were good but I didn't connect with it. There was not a rise & fall of action or anticipation of something to happen. It felt really wordy & overexplained what was going on.

Though this is book 5 in this series about the dogs and handlers of the FBI’s Forensic Canine Unit, you won’t have any trouble following what’s going on if you join the series at this point… I didn’t! And I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Meg Jennings and her Labrador Hawk, the focal pair here, as they are called into track a killer who uses bow and arrow to hunt human prey.

I was nervous early on when some Cherokee references were made, that the author might be about to fall into an unfortunate trap of making a Native person the villain, but was pleasantly surprised that it went quite another way and, in fact, Meg and the other law enforcement personnel she was working with showed great empathy for the plight of the Native tribespeople and respect for their history. With a gay character prominent (Meg’s human partner Brian) and the racism faced by a Latinx cop working in the Appalachians referenced, this is a diverse and delightful read… even if it is a struggle at the moment to like stories painting law enforcement in a positive light, canine units are definitely the exception.

The only trap I think the author might have fallen into is putting a bit Too Much Drama in. It read like the Perils of Penelope Pitstop occasionally, and you could be forgiven for thinking that the Appalachians are the most perilous landscape in the world… Meg and colleagues face attacks from a bear, a cougar, a rattlesnake, coyotes and humans, not to mention almost drowning and then getting lost in the wilderness. It got to feel like a bit much after a while.

There were plenty of suspects initially, but once it started getting narrowed down I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was, and I was correct. It’s not telegraphed too early, but it doesn’t come completely out of left field either; I think the author did quite a nice job of laying the trail of breadcrumbs to the reveal. I’d have liked to hear a bit more about what happened after everything was resolved, about the killer’s motives and thought process, because while Meg and company did speculate, we didn’t get to hear it directly from the culprit or see the outcome of any interviews, or hear a confession, and there were definitely things that didn’t add up as far as I was concerned.

Overall, I’d give this four stars; I liked the characters a lot and the mystery was well constructed, but I’d have liked to see a bit less Drama and a bit more criminology.

Leave No Trace by Sara Driscoll is a well written mystery.
I enjoyed the characters and the twists.
Will definitely look for more by this author.