Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Killer Secrets by Kathleen Donnelly Series: National Forest K-9 #3
Published by Carina Press on March 26, 2024
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 324
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Until an avalanche ripped down a mountainside, exposing a serial killer’s dumping grounds, Antler Valley, Colorado was a quiet town. Now Forest Service officer Maya Thompson and her beautiful K-9, Juniper, must catch the murderer before they become the next targets.
With the neighboring town’s new overconfident sheriff deterring the entire investigation, a murderer on the loose and heartthrob deputy Josh Colton racing through her mind, Maya is at a crossroads. Josh is ready to go all in, but Maya has one foot out the door. As she lets her guard down, she needs to accept that she’s falling deeply in love with him, no matter how risky it may be.
When evidence from the Antler Valley victims links the murders to deaths in other ski towns, secrets long buried are unearthed. Maya and Juniper must run toward an answer, though finding it might lead them directly into a fatal trap…
The National Forest K-9 series is a romantic suspense series with the same primary couple so far. Maya is with the Forest service. Her Pops and Josh are with the sheriff’s department. There are continuing story lines from the first two books including an investigation into her grandfather the sheriff, and her relationship with Josh. Both Maya and Josh have had issues with addictions and military backgrounds so they understand those issues and support each other.
There are good parts with training and work by the dogs. I love to see them. Juniper really has energy and it’s sad when she isn’t working. Maya helps another handler train Finn, a golden retriever. Maya is sent to assist another sheriff when there may be a serial killer as many bodies are found.
The sheriff is angry and controlling and not helping himself on these cases. He is worried about his re-election coming up and a serial killer case is stressful. Also he has a wanna-be journalist and another relative who are only adding to his pressure.
Maya is doing better about not going everywhere without enough backup. It gets more difficult when she starts to think law enforcement may be involved and she isn’t sure who to trust. She does her work as well as she can.
There’s plenty of excitement with a serial killer on the loose. Maya does a good job of finding evidence and doing smart research to resolve the case. Maya and Josh have some big issues blow up and while they are irritated and apart because of their work, they still stay supportive of each other. I look forward to their relationship being more settled and having the bizarre cases in their work with plenty of K-9 time for future books.
About Kathleen Donnelly
Award-winning author Kathleen Donnelly is a K-9 handler for a private narcotics dog detection company. She enjoys using her K-9 experience to craft realism into her fictional stories. Kathleen lives near the Colorado foothills with her husband and her four-legged co-workers.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
I love a good K-9 series and am glad you’re continuing to enjoy this one, Anne💜
Yes! It’s got some National Forests and National Parks setting also.
I LOVE when there are working dogs like this in a series. Makes the series better imo. 😀
It’s definitely one of my favorite things.
Like Lark above, I love it when we get dogs working along with their human partners on cases. Sounds like Maya is making some positive improvements with making sure she has backup. That’s a big plus. Sounds like a series I’d enjoy!
I hope you get to try it sometime. I love all the K9 stories.
Puppers!!!!!!!!!!!
K9 series are my favorites.
I do love dogs in stories, as long as they don’t die, lol. Glad you’re enjoying this series.
Well working dogs have the risk of being injured or dying but luckily that doesn’t seem to happen in K9 books I’ve read (dying).