Citizen K-9

Former police officer Corey Douglas, the narrator of Edgar finalist Rosenfelt’s winning third K Team novel (after 2021’s Animal Instinct), tackles a cold case involving two of his high school classmates who disappeared seven years earlier during their 15th reunion. One of the classmates, Chris Vogel, had ties to drugs and organized crime, while the other, Kim Baskin, seemed to barely know Vogel, though witnesses saw them leave the reunion together. Their car was found abandoned a few miles from the event with the only clue being a playing card left in the glove compartment. Corey and his fellow team members soon discover a rash of murders around the country where playing cards were also left behind, though nothing else seems to link the crimes or the disappearance. The no-nonsense Corey has a dry sense of humor, and the interplay between him and his colleagues complements a twisty plot whose threads tie together in an exciting finale. Corey’s perspective on Andy Carpenter, who plays a minor role, will please fans of the author’s series featuring that attorney sleuth. Rosenfelt consistently entertains. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Mar.)