This was a fun read that also managed to be an exciting crime story. Enough humor to keep it from being too heavy but enough intrigue to keep you turning pages.

Yes, characters talk to their dogs. Do you really expect a story with a human/canine pair to not have the human talking to the dog? If so, I have some waterfront property (at low tide) to sell you. The pop culture references add to the fun, and I am a musician as well as many others and found it fun. It DID NOT interrupt the flow of the story, but then I am not one who is easily distracted.

I would recommend this to both readers who like crime stories as well as those who like animal/dog stories. Maybe not readers who lose the thread of a book when there is something to distract them. Look, squirrel!!

Lost Dog was a great and exciting read. I highly recommend this novel to any reader. This is the third in a series.

I started this book without realizing it was third in a series. However, that part is easily and quickly overcome. If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers, you should give this book and this series a chance.

Oh my, this was good. I loved the character of the dog Sirius and thought he was a great addition to this police procedural. Gideon is flawed and very realistic. I enjoyed the humor in the story and that kept the book special for me.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

I like mysteries and I like dog stories, so this book was naturally an enjoyable read. It is the first book that I've read from this author, but it will not be the last.

LOST DOG by Alan Russell is the 3rd book in the Gideon and Sirius series, and the first book that I’ve read by this author.

Michael Gideon is a detective with the LAPD, along with his K9 partner Sirius.

Heather Moreland is a young woman with a troubled past who has recently adopted Angie, a bloodhound mix who also has had a troubled past and is a last chance dog from a rescue mission.
One night Angie begins growling which surprises Heather as the dog has settled in recently and her agitated state is out of the ordinary. Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Heather drops Angie out of her bedroom window to protect her just as her bedroom door crashes open and she is abducted.

Detective Langston Walker is the leader of the “187 Club” (California Penal Code 187 is the designated number for a homicide) that is a support group for people who have lost loved ones to tragic deaths, many of them classified as ‘cleared other’ which often is a homicide that doesn’t include a conviction.
Langston asks Michael to be a guest speaker at a meeting for the group.

Angie shows up wounded near the home of Gideon, and after being discovered by Sirius, Gideon’s detective instincts soon kick in which develops into a search for the missing Heather.

Reviewing books can be somewhat difficult when it’s a mixed reaction to a read, and this is one of those times.

Overall, I liked the storyline, and last part of the book was well done, but the first quarter of the book felt like an adult version of ‘Timmy and Lassie’ with both Heather and Michael constantly conversing with the dogs as if they are human, and don’t get me wrong – I love dogs, but this was over the top.
Also, the over abundance of bad puns, bad jokes and incessant pop music references were annoying and interrupted the flow of the book (and this is coming from a musician who’s a big fan of Spenser and Elvis Cole’s smart ass replies), along with detailed information on stages of grief, rescue dogs, and other subjects felt like the author had definitely done his homework; but included all of it in the finished book.

I’m sure many and maybe most wouldn’t have the problems that I had with this book, but that’s the impression I was left with after reading it.

2-1/2 stars.

Well crafted mystery with engaging characters, human and canine. Enjoyable read.