Chasing Justice: A Romantic Suspense Mystery

Kathleen Donnelly

May 2022 · National Forest K-9 Book 1 · Sold by Carina Press

About this ebook

A former marine learns to love again in this suspenseful, action-packed K-9 search and rescue from debut author Kathleen Donnelly.

After losing her military K-9, former marine Maya Thompson swears she’ll never work with dogs again. But when she returns home to Colorado and accepts a job with US Forest Service law enforcement, fate brings K-9 Juniper into her life just as another tragedy unfolds.

Juniper, a beautiful two-year-old Malinois, isn’t the only new addition to Maya’s life. Josh Colten, the local deputy sheriff, insists on helping with her new case. Handsome and mysterious, he’s all anyone in town can talk about, but Maya can’t let herself like him, let alone trust him.

When Maya’s grandfather goes missing amid a growing drug war, Maya must put her faith in Josh, and her own battered instincts, to find him. But there's a web of secrets tying her grandfather to the tragedy that brought Juniper into her life—secrets someone would kill to keep hidden.

Ratings and reviews

This story centers around former K-9 Marine handler Maya Thompson. After she lost her K-9 partner in Afghanistan due to an IED, she decides her military career is over. The guilt of the death of her dog, the loss of her grandmother, the guilt of not attending the funeral, and her grandfather still not forgiving her for not attending said funeral, has Maya spinning out of control. Alcohol has become her vice. Now back home in Colorado, Maya has started a job as a US Forest Service law enforcer and hope it works out. What she never expected was to have her best friend Doug, another US Forest Service law enforcer, killed by a bomb, and she becoming once again a K-9 handler. Something she never wanted to do again. In the midst of finding out the reason for the bomb, it becomes evident that drugs are being produced in the ranch close to the forest. Can Maya trust Josh Colten, the deputy sheriff her grandfather has her working with? What secrets are Josh and her grandfather, the Chief sheriff, keeping? Who can she trust? Was Doug involved with the drugs? The story was engaging and the characters well developed. A whodunit that keeps you guessing from the beginning to the end. Some issues are left unresolved, so this reader assumes a series might be developed . Aside from the plot, this story is a reminder of the danger and stress those in the military and law enforcement deal in their lives and how it affects the individuals and their loved ones. It’s also a story about forgiveness. Not only from others but also from themselves. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Carina Press. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Intense K-9 Hunt for Drugs and Bad Guys This is a serious police K-9 type story. There is a lot of death and destruction involving former Marines with PTSD, drug runners, and militia types. The story takes place in the Colorado Rockies and involves the Forest Service, local sheriff's office, DEA, and FBI. I was expecting something much more lightweight and inspirational, this story is not that. It is a good tale but is at my outer limit of what I like to read. I cautiously recommend this story, it may cause nightmares.

About the author

Award-winning author Kathleen Donnelly is a K-9 handler for a private narcotics dog detection company. She enjoys using her K-9 experience to craft realism into her fictional stories. Kathleen lives near the Colorado foothills with her husband and her four-legged co-workers. Visit Kathleen on her website at www.kathleendonnelly.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorKathleenDonnelly, follow her on Twitter @KatK9writer or find her on Instagram @authorkathleendonnelly.