annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Lost is the third Mace Reid K-9 mystery by by Jeffery B. Burton. Released 28th June 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 288 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a solid installment in a very strong series in the animal mystery subgenre. The series started strong and has gone from strength to strength. The characterizations and descriptions are well rendered and distinct. Protagonist Mace Reid is a dog trainer who specializes in training human remains dogs (cadaver dogs). His "pack" includes ('Vira - short for Elvira), a golden retriever who is a natural wonder as a cadaver dog, and just might be a canine Einstein in addition. The plot arc is full of action and the author is adept at moving the narrative along without info dumping.
There is some anthropomorphism, but it's not out of control. Honestly for some readers who love animal mysteries, it will be a plus. I think there are relatively few readers who will be yanked out of the story by that facet of the writing. The dialogue is well done and flowed smoothly. Mace is sarcastic but eminently likeable, kind, and honest to a fault. Some of the secondary antagonists are caricatures, but that's more or less to be expected with cozy mysteries. There are some disturbing descriptions of violence and ruthless killers included, but it's in character and not egregious. The language is rough (R-rated) in places.
This is a strong addition to the series and I am eagerly looking forward to more. Four and a half strong stars for me, certainly 5 for fans of mysteries featuring dogs.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Lost is the third Mace Reid K-9 mystery by by Jeffery B. Burton. Released 28th June 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 288 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a solid installment in a very strong series in the animal mystery subgenre. The series started strong and has gone from strength to strength. The characterizations and descriptions are well rendered and distinct. Protagonist Mace Reid is a dog trainer who specializes in training human remains dogs (cadaver dogs). His "pack" includes ('Vira - short for Elvira), a golden retriever who is a natural wonder as a cadaver dog, and just might be a canine Einstein in addition. The plot arc is full of action and the author is adept at moving the narrative along without info dumping.
There is some anthropomorphism, but it's not out of control. Honestly for some readers who love animal mysteries, it will be a plus. I think there are relatively few readers who will be yanked out of the story by that facet of the writing. The dialogue is well done and flowed smoothly. Mace is sarcastic but eminently likeable, kind, and honest to a fault. Some of the secondary antagonists are caricatures, but that's more or less to be expected with cozy mysteries. There are some disturbing descriptions of violence and ruthless killers included, but it's in character and not egregious. The language is rough (R-rated) in places.
This is a strong addition to the series and I am eagerly looking forward to more. Four and a half strong stars for me, certainly 5 for fans of mysteries featuring dogs.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
achoward's review against another edition
3.0
The Lost is billed as a K-9 mystery, and this appealed to me. I'm a dog lover, and a mystery lover, so what could go wrong?
As it turns out, this particular book is heavier on the mystery than the dogs, which was a bit disappointing. The mystery itself is fine, although it seems unnecessarily complicated.
A billionaire is attacked in his home, and his former supermodel wife and young daughter abducted. Mace Reid is called out with his dogs, and the wife is found dead at the rear of the property. The daughter, however, is not found, and the hunt is on for the daughter.
The plot proceeds from there, with various agencies joining in. For Reid and his cadaver dog Vira, there isn't much to do, and when he is involved, it feels forced, because he has no reason to be involved. He's (sort of) in a relationship with Kippy, one of the members of the law enforcement team, so tangentially, we get Reid and Vira in those moments, when Kippy is telling him what's happening, in order to keep the reader informed. Not my favorite way, and of course we all know "show, don't tell".
The narrative switches back and forth between the bad guys and the good guys, so there's no mystery in the whodunnit other than if law enforcement can catch up to the bad guys and spoil their plans.
It's not a bad book, but if you're looking for a focus on dog sand their utilization in bringing the story to a conclusion, you might be, as I was, a bit disappointed.
Three out of five stars.
Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the reading copy.
As it turns out, this particular book is heavier on the mystery than the dogs, which was a bit disappointing. The mystery itself is fine, although it seems unnecessarily complicated.
A billionaire is attacked in his home, and his former supermodel wife and young daughter abducted. Mace Reid is called out with his dogs, and the wife is found dead at the rear of the property. The daughter, however, is not found, and the hunt is on for the daughter.
The plot proceeds from there, with various agencies joining in. For Reid and his cadaver dog Vira, there isn't much to do, and when he is involved, it feels forced, because he has no reason to be involved. He's (sort of) in a relationship with Kippy, one of the members of the law enforcement team, so tangentially, we get Reid and Vira in those moments, when Kippy is telling him what's happening, in order to keep the reader informed. Not my favorite way, and of course we all know "show, don't tell".
The narrative switches back and forth between the bad guys and the good guys, so there's no mystery in the whodunnit other than if law enforcement can catch up to the bad guys and spoil their plans.
It's not a bad book, but if you're looking for a focus on dog sand their utilization in bringing the story to a conclusion, you might be, as I was, a bit disappointed.
Three out of five stars.
Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the reading copy.
hyp3rpop's review against another edition
It was a library book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Cursing
ktlong's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks Minotaur books @Minotaur_Books for an advance copy via a Goodreads contest.
The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton is a stand alone book in the Mace Reid K-9 mystery series. I found all the characters interesting and the story line was easy to follow yet had a few plots twists to keep the readers interest.
Mace Reid is a cadaver dog handler, Vira is his prize dog and together they become tangled in a kidnapping, murder and international jewelry heist when Vira finds a wealthy business mans wife murdered body. Also Mace's girlfriend, Kippy , who is a Chicago police detective also becomes involved as they race to save the kidnapped daughter.
Grab a copy of The Lost when it is released June 28th 2022
[email protected], #The LostBook
The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton is a stand alone book in the Mace Reid K-9 mystery series. I found all the characters interesting and the story line was easy to follow yet had a few plots twists to keep the readers interest.
Mace Reid is a cadaver dog handler, Vira is his prize dog and together they become tangled in a kidnapping, murder and international jewelry heist when Vira finds a wealthy business mans wife murdered body. Also Mace's girlfriend, Kippy , who is a Chicago police detective also becomes involved as they race to save the kidnapped daughter.
Grab a copy of The Lost when it is released June 28th 2022
[email protected], #The LostBook
kle105's review against another edition
3.0
When Mace is brought into a case concerning a missing wife and daughter he uses his cadaver dogs to try and find the scent. The story that the billionaire financier Kenneth J. Druckman spins doesn't seem fully true. With the help of his girlfriend Police Detective Kippy Grimm they try to sort out all the missing pieces of the story.
There are some flashbacks with a Russian Mobster and an art heist that is part of the story but you aren't sure how it intermingles until the end.
This is the third book in the series but unfortunately this didn't pull me in like the first book.
I received an arc for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.
There are some flashbacks with a Russian Mobster and an art heist that is part of the story but you aren't sure how it intermingles until the end.
This is the third book in the series but unfortunately this didn't pull me in like the first book.
I received an arc for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.
mackenzierm's review against another edition
4.0
When I saw Burton was coming out with a new installment in the K-9 series I did not waste a single second in requesting a netgalley arc!
THE LOST brings us back into the fold with Mace, our main character and dog handler, and his lovable pups; Vira, Sue, Maggie May, Delta Dawn, and one recent addition whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. Vira is the star of the show with her special talents in discovery, although each pup has their talents.
While this novel is part of a series, I believe you could read each novel as a stand-alone. I, however, would highly recommend reading all the books in order to best understand the relationships of the characters, their humour, and their backgrounds.
THE LOST features a clever and intriguing, although complex plot with multiple characters who each have multiple motives making it hard to differentiate the ‘good guys’ from the ‘bad guys’. The plot is fast-paced and engaging with several red herrings and multiple flashbacks adding layers to the plot. There is ample suspense and nail-biting scenes as Kippy (Mace’s police officer girlfriend), Mace and Vira’s lives are in danger.
The writing style is easy to follow, engaging, with humorous dialogue. The climax and ending of the story was very well done, leaving a satisfying close. Burton has found a unique touch to his novels with the inclusion of dogs in amateur sleuth/police investigations. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series!
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.
THE LOST brings us back into the fold with Mace, our main character and dog handler, and his lovable pups; Vira, Sue, Maggie May, Delta Dawn, and one recent addition whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. Vira is the star of the show with her special talents in discovery, although each pup has their talents.
While this novel is part of a series, I believe you could read each novel as a stand-alone. I, however, would highly recommend reading all the books in order to best understand the relationships of the characters, their humour, and their backgrounds.
THE LOST features a clever and intriguing, although complex plot with multiple characters who each have multiple motives making it hard to differentiate the ‘good guys’ from the ‘bad guys’. The plot is fast-paced and engaging with several red herrings and multiple flashbacks adding layers to the plot. There is ample suspense and nail-biting scenes as Kippy (Mace’s police officer girlfriend), Mace and Vira’s lives are in danger.
The writing style is easy to follow, engaging, with humorous dialogue. The climax and ending of the story was very well done, leaving a satisfying close. Burton has found a unique touch to his novels with the inclusion of dogs in amateur sleuth/police investigations. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series!
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.
megs2kool's review against another edition
4.0
Another fun Burton novel. They are not meant for readers who want their books to be serious- they are light-hearted, jokey, and fun, while bringing a mystery along for the ride. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
readinggrrl's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com.
I really enjoy these books. I think the dog element makes them unique and Vira's special something makes them even better. As Mace works with the FBI to help solve a home invasion and the kidnapping of a child and her mother he finds that there may be more to this case than meets the eye. This book was a little different than the other books in this series, and I'm not sure I liked it as much but it was still a good read. I love the dog hierarchy in Mace's crew and the quirks of each of the dogs, especially Sue.
While this is the 3rd book in the series, it isn't necessary to read the others, since the author catches you up on what went down in the last books in the beginning on this one. Fast paced, and some humor I think what I wanted more of was the creepy Belgian billionaire, there seemed to be so much more to this character and I feel like we only just tapped the surface. Druckman wasn't nearly as scary or interesting, I actually found him weak and spoiled.
Overall I have a love for Mace and his pack of cadaver dogs. I am fascinated by these animals and these books bring them to life. They are just as much major characters in the books as Mace and Kippy.
I really enjoy these books. I think the dog element makes them unique and Vira's special something makes them even better. As Mace works with the FBI to help solve a home invasion and the kidnapping of a child and her mother he finds that there may be more to this case than meets the eye. This book was a little different than the other books in this series, and I'm not sure I liked it as much but it was still a good read. I love the dog hierarchy in Mace's crew and the quirks of each of the dogs, especially Sue.
While this is the 3rd book in the series, it isn't necessary to read the others, since the author catches you up on what went down in the last books in the beginning on this one. Fast paced, and some humor I think what I wanted more of was the creepy Belgian billionaire, there seemed to be so much more to this character and I feel like we only just tapped the surface. Druckman wasn't nearly as scary or interesting, I actually found him weak and spoiled.
Overall I have a love for Mace and his pack of cadaver dogs. I am fascinated by these animals and these books bring them to life. They are just as much major characters in the books as Mace and Kippy.
ablondebooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of THE LOST.
Mace Reid and his pack of tracker dogs are back for another wild ride in the third installment of Jeffrey B. Burton’s series. This time Mace, Kippy and the dogs are searching for a kidnapped billionaire’s young daughter after a home invasion gone wrong leaves her father beaten and her mother murdered.
Burton delivers another binge-able read with THE LOST. I sped through this one in just two days. The short chapters and quick pacing make this book hard to put down. While we got lots of time with Vira, Mace’s golden retriever, the other tracker dogs (Sue, Delta Dawn, Maggie May and Bill) don’t get as much love in this one. I missed Sue and his no nonsense attitude and relished the few chapters he appeared in.
If you’re looking for a thriller to keep you entertained while on the beach this summer, then be sure to check out this series!
THE LOST is out June 28, 2022.
Mace Reid and his pack of tracker dogs are back for another wild ride in the third installment of Jeffrey B. Burton’s series. This time Mace, Kippy and the dogs are searching for a kidnapped billionaire’s young daughter after a home invasion gone wrong leaves her father beaten and her mother murdered.
Burton delivers another binge-able read with THE LOST. I sped through this one in just two days. The short chapters and quick pacing make this book hard to put down. While we got lots of time with Vira, Mace’s golden retriever, the other tracker dogs (Sue, Delta Dawn, Maggie May and Bill) don’t get as much love in this one. I missed Sue and his no nonsense attitude and relished the few chapters he appeared in.
If you’re looking for a thriller to keep you entertained while on the beach this summer, then be sure to check out this series!
THE LOST is out June 28, 2022.