I have always been fascinated by K-9 rescue teams. What they do; what they put themselves and their dogs through is nothing short of heroic. Everytime they embark on a rescue, they are risking their lives and the lives of their beloved dogs. Sometimes that danger is apparent and immediate, and sometimes it comes creeping in years later.

So, I really, really wanted to like this book. I kept reading, hoping that the next chapter, or the next mission, would be better, but that never happened. The writing is so choppy. It doesn't flow, it doesn't pull you in, it doesn't paint the picture of what is happening. Suzanne's sections tend to be longer and are more frustrating because of these issues. It's like she is delivering a report; not telling a story. I never got a good sense of who she was. She goes off on tangents that distract from the stories, and adds in random sidebars that don't bring anything to the narrative.

Guy's sections are easier to read, but that is because they are so much shorter and to the point. They still don't flow, and they still sound like a report being given, but they are not as irritating as Suzanne's sections

I think that both of these people, and all of the K-9s, are heroes. They make a difference with every mission, and with every hour of training that they do. However, these two heroes are not writers, and I think this book would have been much better had they used a co-writer.

Good stories about K-9 rescue teams will stand the test of time because they show momentous actions by a very small, dedicated group of people and their dogs. This one will not join that group, not because the subjects aren't worthy, but because the stories are not well-written. It's a shame, but it is what it is.

I was very interested in reading this book, but after the first couple of chapters, I found myself reading it simply because I felt I owed it to the amazing search and rescue dogs. And then I felt guilty for not finishing it. The book felt like it was skimming the surface and did not pull me in. My apologies to the author and the dogs. I thank NetGalley and Ronan and Littlefield for the advance read.

This is an important book for people to read. Search and rescue work is demanding and requires highly trained dogs and handlers.
These teams are called in to do dangerous jobs that risk the lives of the dogs and their handlers. The dogs are so devoted to their jobs.
These volunteer teams get the opportunity to locate people that are alive and need help. They also look for bones and people that are dead. So there are adventures with wonderful endings. But there are also finds where the end is successful but it is very sad for the dogs and handlers.

It sounded quite intriguing: an account by a long-time Search and Rescue volunteer in the Pacific Northwest about the experiences she and her SAR dog, Keb, have gone through. Although the premise was exciting, the book itself was not.

Ms. Eshult's writing made me feel like I was reading an essay penned by a college freshman for an Intro to Writing 101 class. By the end of the first chapter I got the feeling this might be a DNF (did not finish) for me. I understand the necessity for background information, and some of it was appreciated, but I found certain things were repeated in the following chapters, such as the SAR community in-fighting. The actual amount of time in the book devoted to Keb searching for missing or deceased individuals seemed minimal. I was surprised to find that Keb didn't have more success stories - this was mostly details about the surrounding circumstances of training, getting ready to deploy, and cleaning up afterward. I skimmed through several chapters after losing interest somewhere around Chapter 3.

Perhaps with a good edit and rewrite this would become more compelling. It has potential, but as it stands now, it fell flat. The photos of Keb were the best part.

I have always been fascinated by K-9 rescue teams. What they do; what they put themselves and their dogs through is nothing short of heroic. Everytime they embark on a rescue, they are risking their lives and the lives of their beloved dogs. Sometimes that danger is apparent and immediate, and sometimes it comes creeping in years later.

So, I really, really wanted to like this book. I kept reading, hoping that the next chapter, or the next mission, would be better, but that never happened. The writing is so choppy. It doesn't flow, it doesn't pull you in, it doesn't paint the picture of what is happening. Suzanne's sections tend to be longer and are more frustrating because of these issues. It's like she is delivering a report; not telling a story. I never got a good sense of who she was. She goes off on tangents that distract from the stories, and adds in random sidebars that don't bring anything to the narrative.

Guy's sections are easier to read, but that is because they are so much shorter and to the point. They still don't flow, and they still sound like a report being given, but they are not as irritating as Suzanne's sections

I think that both of these people, and all of the K-9s, are heroes. They make a difference with every mission, and with every hour of training that they do. However, these two heroes are not writers, and I think this book would have been much better had they used a co-writer.

Good stories about K-9 rescue teams will stand the test of time because they show momentous actions by a very small, dedicated group of people and their dogs. This one will not join that group, not because the subjects aren't worthy, but because the stories are not well-written. It's a shame, but it is what it is.

I learned a lot reading this. The first hand accounts are interesting. Anyone can enjoy this, including those considering working in a k9 unit.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

This is a really good effort by Suzanne Elshult. My life's work is centered around canines and my love for them. I think sometimes working with them can be romanticized a bit. It's hard work and it is not just playing with dogs all day. This book does a wonderful job showing the reality of dog-related jobs and specifically search and rescue.

The flow is not always perfect but I think that comes with someone who is a rescuer first and a writer second.

This book shows the feeling of finding someone who didn't make it out of a disaster. It shows the hope of finding someone who is still alive. It shows how often you may turn up with nothing on some days. It shows the triumph of the dog when they alert to a potential victim/survivor location and the pride you feel when you find out those alerts have paid off and the emergency workers were able to find something to either give a family closure or reunite them with a loved one.

I have the utmost respect for the people who dedicate so much time and endure such rough conditions all to save someone they likely don't know and never will know personally. This book definitely needed to be written and I'm so glad that Suzanne gave us this gift.

I cannot express the gratitude and admiration I have for all the brave and committed humans and canines who volunteer for SAR!! You are all a huge asset to our local emergency departments and I commend all of you for your time, training and sacrifice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dogs are the best. And combining well trained search and rescue dogs with their handlers and other pros, they make a great team.
Each of the stories in this book show different types of searches the teams participated in. The pictures were definitely an added bonus.
I live vicariously through these SARS teams and their amazing dogs.

Kebbie is a dog on a mission. Trained to sniff out decomposing bodies in the wilderness, she is sent out to help with missing people possibly deceased.

I am not an animal story nonfiction reader, this was my first. I didn’t realize how much effort went into training these animals for these missions and how much a mission can turn up nothing. The stories in this book are interesting and you find yourself rooting for Kebbie to help find people. The pacing sometimes seems off at times. The first few chapters about the mudslide, although interesting, seemed to not mesh well together - you’d almost get repeated information. There were also I felt random information about Kebbie’s past (how she was picked, etc) that were put in, but it seemed in places that didn’t flow well.

Either way, it was a fascinating read and I look forward to adding it to my library.

Thanks Netgalley and Lyons Press for the ARC.

Suzanne and her dog Keb do search and rescue in Washington state. I learned that there are different kinds of search dogs. There are some trained to alert on human remains. Air scent dogs “find airborne particles carrying the scent of humans,” searching large areas from 50-100 acres, while trailing dogs follow a scent from, for example, a piece of the missing person’s clothing. Suzanne takes us through her and her S&R dog Keb’s grueling assignments, such as looking for survivors of a landslide, or searches for murder victims and missing hikers. The amazing thing is that these S&R teams are volunteers; no one is paid for the time and effort they put in for searches and training. Unfortunately, some of the teams have a lot of drama, as people who think they have the best dogs or the best training ideas clash with others--very disappointing for those who just want to help, and not be drawn into politics and power struggles. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this ARC.

This is a great inside look at the Search & Rescue groups and what it takes to dedicate your life to it. The book tells of different searches that Suzanne, her dog Keb, and her good friend and search support partner Guy volunteered on. The Oso landslide was harrowing to read about, with so many lost. It shows the variables between different types of searches and how wound up the searchers can get on the scene. Such an interesting read.