Killing Trail: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery

Deputy Mattie Lu Cobb of the Timber Creek, Colo., Sheriff's Office, the winning heroine of Mizushima's strong debut, has found a calling as the handler of Robo, a German shepherd who's her new police service dog. Robo's discovery of the body of a teenage girl in the mountains outside of Timber Creek leads Mattie to a criminal operation that uses dogs as drug mules. Along the way, the brisk plot delves into the false security of small towns that seem isolated from crime and the grief that permeates the lives of family and friends after a senseless murder. Mattie proves to be a perceptive investigator, and her attraction to a handsome, newly divorced veterinarian is mutual. Mizushima enhances her story with a realistic view of how a K-9 team works, treating Robo as an important character, but never stooping to anthropomorphism. And it's impossible not to fall in love with Robo. Agent: Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management. (Dec.)