THE LOST

4 stars out of 5

This is the third in the series about cadaver dog trainer/handler Mason "Mace" Reid and his stable of intelligent pooches. It's perfectly readable and entertaining, but I have to say it didn't resonate with me as much as the other two. In part, that's because there's less focus on the dogs. Yes, super-smart golden retriever "Vira" (a nickname for her real name, Elvira, from the popular Oak Ridge Boys song of years ago) gets some page time and Mace does what he can to keep Bill from rolling around in stinky substances. But it's Mafioso-style crime that takes center stage here, and for me, that's never a favorite topic. And even though they're apparently an official couple now - if I recall correctly, that was just a wish on Mace's part in the second book - I just didn't feel the love between Mace and his main squeeze, Detective Kippy Gimm (yes, that's her real name).

On the plus side, though, there's plenty of action, and for those who haven't read the first two, it stands alone well. This time out, a reported home invasion sends Mace and Vira out behind the property of an uber-wealthy financier, where she sniffs out the very dead body of the rich guy's super-model wife Calley. Still missing, however, is their young daughter, Eleanor; even Vira's super-sniffing ability is no help in finding her. Then, their fears are realized; she's been kidnapped, and there's a stiff ransom demand for her safe return.

Needless to say, the clock starts ticking; no one, including the FBI, wants to find Eleanor's body somewhere. For the benefit of readers, chapters shift from what went on a few weeks earlier, with mentions of the aforementioned mobsters and his relationship to the aforementioned mobsters and hints that not everything and everyone are what and who they seem to be. Even Mace and the Chicago-area law enforcers seem to be running around in circles, finding little evidence and spending precious time with an investigation that often barks up the wrong tree.

The twists and turns continue right up to the end, and of course there are some tense moments with threats to the lives of Mace, Kippy and Vira. Will they all survive? Will they find Eleanor before it's too late? And will they bring the culprits to justice? Ah well, all I'll say is that Vira plays a part in the outcome. All in all, it's a fun romp that dog-lovers are sure to love. As for me, I once again thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. 

The Lost by Jeffrey B. Burton (Minotaur Books, June 2022); 273 pp.