I loved the book and I especially loved Billie. Billie was a female Belgian Malinois who became the partner of Columbus, Ohio Detective Reed Maddox. The dog was a perfect partner since Maddox was determined to NEVER take on another human partner. The dog was a military bomb sniffer whose original handler died while attempting to defuse an IED while stationed in Afghanistan. She has been assigned to the K9 unit as a police dog in Columbus, Ohio. These are two kindred souls if I ever saw any. I thought as I read that this man must have never lost his heart to a four-legged creature. He has no idea of the heartbreak that he will encounter there. The "Boatman" is the antagonist in the story...a serial killer who we only see identified by that name... for Charon from Greek mythology, who carries souls across the rivers Styx into the world of the dead. It's a wonderfully written and presented story. It's essentially a tale of vigilante justice. I found it to be both intense and extremely enjoyable. I will search for more of Billie and Reed. ( )

Another mini review as I attempt to catch up on some older downloads. Either I'm getting better at picking books or have no control when it comes to those featuring a dog. I suspect it's the latter.

This police procedural is set in Columbus & introduces us to cop Reed Mattox & sidekick Billie, a Belgian Malinois. After Reed lost his human partner, he transferred to the K9 unit & eventually met Billie. She was a bomb-sniffer in Afghanistan who ended up back in the states after also losing her human.

Reed initially chose to work nights in an effort to avoid people & responsibility. His patch is the gritty, poverty stricken part of town known as The Bottoms. After coming upon the scene of a gruesome murder, he ends up saddled with leading the investigation.

In alternate chapters, we spend time with a man bent on revenge. An unsolved crime from the past robbed him of everything that mattered in his life. The police quietly shelved the investigation & if they won't go after those responsible, well....he has his own methods (yikes!).

I really enjoyed this. The story behind the murders is gripping & heads off in surprising directions. But what makes it a compelling read is the relationship between Reed & Billie. They have a lot in common. Both are adapting to new realities & have difficulty working with others. Neither is really interested in having a new partner but as the story progresses, initial wariness gives way to trust as they learn to depend on each other.

Reed, Billie & the killer are all trying to make sense of life changing events, albeit in very different ways. It's a well paced & atmospheric read that will have you thinking about the true meaning of justice. And did I mention it has a dog? ( )

Great read!

The characters grabbed me right off the bat. They are likable if somewhat formulaic. The story is almost predictable but is written intelligently which saves it from being boring. I think the best is yet to come from this writer working with these characters and I look forward to reading their further adventures. ( )