Stalking Ground (Timber Creek K-9 Series #2)

by Margaret Mizushima

Overview

A murder investigation takes Mattie Cobb and her canine partner, Robo, into the Colorado mountains—where the brutal winter landscape conceals an equally brutal killer

When Deputy Ken Brody's sweetheart goes missing in the mountains outside Timber Creek, Mattie Cobb and Robo are called to search. But it's mid-October and a dark snow storm is brewing over the high country—and they're already too late. By the time they find her body, the storm has broken and the snow is coming down hard.

While Brody hikes down to bring back the forensics team and veterinarian Cole Walker gathers supplies to protect them from the storm, Mattie and Robo find themselves alone, guarding the gravesite overnight in the dead of the early winter. And that's only the first long, dark night in a series of them, because as their investigation develops, Mattie, Robo, Brody, and Cole find themselves in the middle of the killer's stalking ground—with no way out unless they can catch a predator more deadly than any natural threat.

Filled with tension, excitement, and heart, this new installment in Mizushima's much lauded series will send a chill down every reader's spine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629538358
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Series:	Timber Creek K-9 Series , #2
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	NOOK Book
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	52,013
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

MARGARET MIZUSHIMA, author of the award winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, balances writing with assisting her husband with their veterinary clinic and Angus cattle herd. Active within the writing community, Margaret serves as president for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, was elected the 2019-2020 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and is also a member of Northern Colorado Writers and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Colorado on a small ranch with her veterinarian husband where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals.

Editorial Reviews

07/11/2016
Realistic characters and believable plot twists distinguish Mizushima’s brisk sequel to 2015’s Killing Trail. The disappearance of massage therapist Adrienne Howard, who’s also the girlfriend of Chief Deputy Ken Brody, mobilizes Deputy Mattie Cobb of the Timber Creek, Colo., sheriff’s office, and her canine partner, German shepherd Robo. When Mattie and Robo’s search in the surrounding mountains ends with the discovery of Adrienne’s body, the pair stay overnight to guard the makeshift gravesite during the middle of an October snowstorm. The investigation of Adrienne’s murder leads to her fractured family and previous relationships, as well as a determined killer. Meanwhile, Mattie faces some facts about her own background in foster homes, while her friendship continues to grow with local veterinarian Cole Walker, who contends with being a single father. Robo proves his mettle as a well-trained detective and a brave hero in this incisive look at small-town police work. Agent: Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Stalking Ground:
“Realistic characters and believable plot twists distinguish Mizushima’s brisk sequel to 2015’s Killing Trail...Robo proves his mettle as a well-trained detective and a brave hero in this incisive look at small-town police work.”
—Publishers Weekly

"The second adventure in Mizushima’s fine series...[is] a taut page-turner on multiple levels. A perfect read-alike for Robert Crais’ series starring LAPD officer Scott James and his K-9 partner, Maggie."
—Booklist

"Mizushima’s sophomore outing proves that her acclaimed series debut, Killing Trail, was no fluke...dog loves will want to read this thriller."
—Library Journal

"The story is one that will keep you reading...[I] would recommend it as a very good mystery."
—Night Owl Reviews, 4 1/2 star review, Top Pick

"The family complications of Adrienne Howard, Mattie, and Cole are as different as they could be, yet the novel succeeds in threading together the relationships into one cohesive theme...Mattie and Robo’s teamwork ensure a satisfying read, while Robo’s intimidating work ethic delivers a suspenseful and thrilling conclusion."
—King’s River Life

"Mizushima’s tale is woven well with believable characters and a compelling plotline."
—Noir Journal

"In her second absorbing K-9 mystery, Margaret Mizushima delivers tight storytelling and gripping suspense in a fully realized rural Colorado world populated by emotionally burdened sheriff’s detective Mattie Cobb and her indomitable working canine, Robo."
—Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Yellowstone Standoff

Praise for Killing Trail:
Nominated for RT Book Review’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best First Mystery

"Debut author Mizushima’s classic police procedural adds a fresh angle involving the work of K-9s. The appealing Robo knows what he’s doing, he just needs to train Mattie to trust him. Sue Henry fans will love."
—Library Journal starred review, Debut of the Month

"The interactions between Mattie and Robo will tug the heartstrings of every dog lover...Mizushima’s debut reflects both her skill as a suspense writer and her respect for animals. The shocking conclusion will stay with readers while they wait for the next story in the series. Pair this with Robert Crais’ Suspect (2013)"
—Booklist starred review

"Winning heroine...strong debut...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."
—Publishers Weekly starred review

"Mizushima does an excellent job of developing [Mattie and Robo] as characters, allowing readers to feel a personal connection to them both. Overall a great debut for an up-and-coming mystery writer."
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick

“A terrific debut with a refreshing detective duo—Deputy Mattie Lu Cobb and Robo, her K-9 partner! Margaret Mizushima has crafted a compelling and savvy mystery that explores the big secrets in a small western town. I was cheering on Mattie and Robo every step of the way.”
—Margaret Coel, author of The Man Who Fell from the Sky

From the Publisher

08/01/2016
Robo, the German Shepherd K-9, and his human partner Mattie Cobb are practicing their take-down skills when Mattie gets a call from the Timber Creek, CO, police department. Adrienne Howard, the girlfriend of a fellow deputy, is missing. Mattie and Robo are needed to locate Adrienne before a snowstorm destroys any chance of finding her alive. Local vet Cole Walker is also concerned about Adrienne, who was booked to provide massages to several clients' horses. When Mattie and Robo find Adrienne's body, it is only the beginning of a dark and arduous search for the truth. Timber Creek may be a small town, but it can't escape some big-city problems. VERDICT Mizushima's sophomore outing proves that her acclaimed series debut, Killing Trail, was no fluke. Carefully crafted tension is reinforced by the ominous weather hanging over the mountains. A strong sense of place will appeal to Ben Rehder fans; dog lovers will want to read this thriller as well.

Library Journal

2016-06-22
A K-9 cop and her canine partner track down the killer of a colleague's girlfriend in a case that hits close to home.Deputy Mattie Cobb has already proved that she and her K-9 co-worker, Robo, make a highly effective team (Killing Trail, 2015). So it's no surprise that when Chief Deputy Ken Brody's girlfriend, Adrienne Howard, goes missing, he wants Mattie's help, even though he's never been her closest ally. Brody, adamant that something has happened to Adrienne though she's been gone less than 48 hours, demands a search. Determined to do what she can to help her colleague, Mattie takes Robo to comb the area near Adrienne's abandoned car, but to no avail. When Robo finally finds a clue on a horse trail, he leads Mattie to Adrienne's body and an unwelcome night trapped with it during an early snowstorm in Timber Creek. Meanwhile, Mattie's friend and maybe more, veterinarian Cole Walker, volunteers to carry supplies to Mattie and Robo, only to end up guarding the body along with them. The two share personal tales through their overnight vigil and make some progress toward a more clearly defined relationship—though not if Carmen Santiago, Cole's newest client at the Dark Horse Stable, has anything to say about it. As if making it though a night with the potential for mountain lion attacks isn't trouble enough, Mattie and Robo have to track down Adrienne's killer while Mattie deals with her own emotions after her long-estranged brother reaches out. Equally packed with mystery and plot development for the series characters, Mizushima's second is heavy in animal interest if not always specifically dog drama.

Kirkus Reviews