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In the Book Bar: SUSPECT by Robert Crais

With so many dog lovers and so many readers of crime novels, we find it strange that there aren’t more K-9 mysteries out there. Why?

Well, we were thrilled to find this one – SUSPECT by Robert Crais, which we originally found as an Audible daily deal, then loved it so much we bought the hardcover. It’s the story of Scott, a detective, and his K-9 partner, Maggie, a German shepherd who served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and who has now retired from Marine service. Both Scott and Maggie lost their former partners – Scott’s Stephanie was killed in a shoot-out, in which he nearly died as well – and Maggie’s Pete was shot by an IED sniper. The book begins with that attack, in Afghanistan. It’s an excruciating scene and I felt so much compassion for Maggie as she stood over Pete barking and whelping, doing everything she could to protect him, not to let him be taken away by medical helicopter, even though it was clear he was gone. The snipers start shooting at her as well, so she must be flown away to safety too.

At the beginning of their partnership, both Scott and Maggie are, understandably, suffering from PTSD. These are my favorite novels, where animal and human heal each other. It helps that there’s a great, page-turning suspense at the same time! Which is why we want more K-9 mysteries… Anyway, when Scott returns to his job and begins K-9 training, he spots Maggie from afar. He is supposed to be assigned a Belgian Malinois, but there is something about this German Shepherd that he connects to, he senses they share something, and he begs his Lieutenant, the wonderful, hard-exteriored but softy-at-heart Leland, to give him a chance with Maggie. Leland explains that Maggie is too afraid of loud noises to be a sufficient member of the force, and she is about to be returned; Scott is her last chance. So, Scott has his challenges cut out for him.

And of course he succeeds. What I loved was watching him train her, get her to overcome her fears. And she helps him in return. I also loved that Crais delves so deeply into his characters’ psyches, including Maggie’s. He details her progress from knowing Scott first as a guy who’s nice to her, then a real companion, and finally to her pack leader, just as Pete once was. The shoot-out that got Stephanie killed is the subject of their investigation, as the crime still hasn’t been solved. This is both a page-turning suspense and a detailed character study, and we can’t wait for more. There’s one more book involving Scott and Maggie – The Promise – though it appears to feature mainly Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, the stars of Crais’ two main mystery series. I will definitely read it. But more Scott and Maggie, please, Mr. Crais!

And, if anyone finds any other good K-9 mysteries, please let us know!

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Review: CRAIG AND FRED, by Craig Grossi

I loved this book! I saw it in my local library when I went there to get a novel for a book club. I haven’t read many military books, but how could anyone resist this cover! (BTW: since it’s a dog book, sister Sofia poses with it, and I love how she looks all serious and at-attention :))

CRAIG & FRED is the true story of a Marine – and Purple Heart recipient, Craig – who became very attached to a stray during his service in Afghanistan and managed to adopt the dog, Fred, and transport him back to his home in Virginia. You know the story has a happy ending because of all the pictures of Fred happy in the U.S. but it’s still riveting watching how it all unfolds.

Craig meets Fred when he finds him rummaging through garbage on the compound the troop has set up in Sangin, Afghanistan. Despite the dog’s being hungry and homeless in a country devastated by war and the murderous land mines the Taliban has hidden all throughout the desert, Fred is trusting and sociable instead of scared and defensive, as one might expect. Fred is taken in by the troop, and he immediately becomes best buds with Craig, though he is liked by pretty much everyone. He likes being around the guys so much, he sometimes follows them out on their missions, which can be a problem. At one point, the troop is scouting the desert in the middle of the night – they go out during the darkest hours so as not to be spotted by Taliban – when Fred sees some movement. He barks, and the men discover there are two people out planting mines. Fortunately, Fred’s barking does not alert Taliban and put the men in danger, but Fred is now deemed too risky and is kept at the compound. Oftentimes dogs who become too much of a risk are, horribly, euthanized by the military. So that is always a fear Craig carries with him while Fred is still in Afghanistan. This, combined with the fact that dogs are not allowed at Leatherneck, a base Craig stays at between deployments, provides much of the conflict for the book. But Fred is so endearing to everyone that people either help Craig smuggle him in or pretend not to notice.

As I said, I don’t read many military books and I learned so much about what it’s like to live in a compound, defuse bombs, and be attacked. One late combat scene does not end without casualties and it is after Craig returns that he realizes he is suffering from PTSD from it. That’s when Fred really helps him. It’s hard for Craig to talk to anyone about what happened and Fred helps simply by being there. When people casually ask about his dog, Craig tells them he got Fred in Afghanistan, and that opens into a conversation about his military service. I never realized how hard it is for veterans to talk about their experiences once they’re back home. I’ve had culture shock after returning home from study abroad and after reading this book I realized their experience is that times about 1000. By the way, the end of the book contains memorials to the fallen men, which I thought was wonderful.

Part of the book is also about a road journey across the U.S. that Craig and Fred take with Craig’s friend, Josh, also a veteran. I loved this part of the book as well because it’s kind of a journey of self discovery in that Craig has to figure out what he wants to do with his life now that he’s finished with combat and unsure whether a desk job will suit him. In his own way Fred is influential in that as well.

An excellent story – and you will fall in love with Craig and Fred, even if you’re a cat 🙂 Witty Kitty gives this one five bonito flakes!

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Review: LOVE AT FIRST BARK, by Julie Klam

Witty Kitty loved this short, sweet memoir she happened to find at a special sale at her favorite bookstore, Changing Hands. It’s by the very funny Julie Klam, about what her experiences rescuing dogs has taught her about herself.

There are several wonderful stories here about the endearingly-portrayed dogs Klam has found homes for throughout the years. She opens with one about Morris, a sweet pit bull she and her husband, Paul, find tied to a tree outside a museum, all day. When it was clear no one was coming to get him, they embark on a sadly funny race against time to get the dog checked in to a rescue Klam has found, which it ends up, can’t take him right away anyway. She and Paul know they can’t keep him because of the three little dogs they already have, but, happily, a friend who’s seen her constant flow of social media posts about the Morris, comes through. Their frantic struggle to find Morris a home brings her and Paul closer together and reminds each what is so amazingly special about the other.

The book ends with my favorite story: about Klam’s experience with a group of people in New Orleans right after Katrina, rescuing dogs left homeless by the flood. There’s one dog in particular, a yellow puppy, who has his head stuck in a jar. Very sad how it got to be that way, by the way. Another frightening but funny race ensues to try to capture and free the little dog, which it turns out takes a village to do. She learns a great deal about the lengths she will go to – literally risking her life – to help these severely distressed animals.

I was also very intrigued by Klam’s story of checking her two terriers, Fiorello and Wisteria – were there ever such cutely hilarious dog names? – to a boot camp known as Kamp Kanine, so the two will learn, among other things, how not to rip their human’s arm out of her shoulder socket during walks. My little terrier (pictured above with the book) so desperately needs this camp. We really hope there is one in the Phoenix area.