When it comes down to a choice between a cat or a dog - either in a book or for real - gimme the cat every time, yo. But that doesn't mean I don't like canines, and for sure I'm a big fan of stories set in the wild and woolly outdoors (as evidenced by my undying love of books by writers like C.J. Box and Paul Doiron). And, of course, this one.
This book is the fourth in the series, and for sure it won't be my last. I read and enjoyed the third, Hunting Hour, but sadly not the first two. I choose the word sadly not because the books I did read don't stand alone quite well - they do - but simply because they're so entertaining and easy to read that I wish I'd started at the beginning. The heroine, police officer Mattie Cobb, is a strong (not to be confused with headstrong), competent woman with whom I'd be happy to share a beer or two. She's not overly nosy, whiny or self-doubting like many of the cop ladies ladies I've encountered (well, she's got a bit too much of the latter characteristic to suit me perfectly, but her abusive childhood - much of which she can't even remember - means I'll give her a pass on that score for now).
The setting here is scenic and relatively remote Timber Creek, Colorado, where Mattie is apprehensively awaiting a meet-up with her brother Willie. Separated 25 years ago and reared in different foster homes, the two have been in touch only a few times since and Mattie has no idea what to expect. She absolutely loves her K-9 partner Robo, and she's close to acknowledging her love of local veterinarian Cole Walker as well (understandable - I, too, am very fond of them both).
One day, on a horseback ride with his two young daughters, Cole's dog finds a treasure to haul back to his humans. A dead animal it's not; rather, it's what's left of a badly burned human foot and ankle that's still stuck in its charred boot. A subsequent search led by Robo turns up the rest of the body deep in the woods; evidence unearths a surprising connection to Mattie. Still other clues lead to still other searches and the discovery of more charred-beyond-recognition bodies.
Clearly, whatever's going on has been happening for quite a few years, so now it's a search for connections among the victims (and more to the point, to Mattie) and ultimately to the identity of someone who may be a serial killer. The trail leads over the rivers and through the woods, with some tense moments scattered hither and yon. The ending calls into question some of Mattie's family history - bringing, I'm sure, a big surprise to loyal readers of this series (and, no doubt, providing a solid start to the next edition). I'm up for it - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to stay in the series loop. Good job!
Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima (Crooked Lane Books, September 2018); 279 pp.
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