Good Dog, Bad Cop

In Edgar finalist Rosenfelt’s appealing fourth K Team novel (after 2022’s Citizen K-9), the K Team—retired police detective Corey Douglas and other PIs who consult on cold cases for the Paterson, N.J., PD—look into the execution-style murder of police detective Danny Avery. Despite a lack of evidence, Corey is certain there’s a link between this case and the subsequent deaths of Danny’s mentor, former detective Jimmy Dietrich, and Danny’s wife, who were both killed on Jimmy’s boat. No one was ever arrested for this latter case, and cop gossip put the deaths down to a murder suicide, with Jimmy pulling the trigger. The K Team’s investigations lead Corey down a rabbit hole as the list of deaths and suspects grows, and no one is who they claim to be. The complicated, fair play mystery presents just the right amount of difficulty for the keen-eyed reader to solve. Corey’s musings and digressions on such topics as marriage and dogs add to the charm, as does Corey’s German shepherd partner, Simon Garfunkle (also retired), who acts like a real dog and only once jumps at someone threatening his master’s life. Rosenfelt reliably entertains. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Mar.)