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Available
Call number
Series
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Collection
Publication
G.P. Putnam's Sons
Description
Struggling to reclaim his career after the devastating murder of his partner eight months earlier, LAPD cop Max Kent is teamed with a traumatized military canine named Maggie who assists Max in an effort to track down his late partner's killer.
User reviews
LibraryThing member alanteder
Perhaps you'll start this book, as I did, by wishing it had been Elvis Cole #14 and/or Joe Pike #5. But you will definitely finish it cheering and hoping that it is actually Scott & Maggie #1!
This was a great new read from Robert Crais with a cast of new characters (although the hyper sex-drived
This isn't one of those anthropomorphic animal books where the dog is assigned all sorts of unlikely human-like thoughts. Maggie the german shepherd comes across as a real dog with dog-like characteristics and no more than that, but those traits are more than enough to make you love her.
And by the end you will be looking at your closest loved ones and smiling and thinking to yourself: "Pack!"
Highly recommended!
This was a great new read from Robert Crais with a cast of new characters (although the hyper sex-drived
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SID criminalist John Chen from the Cole/Pike books makes a cameo appearance in his usual sleazy style) centring around two post-traumatic stress syndrome damaged survivors trying to make a go of it again. The trick is, one of them is a dog!This isn't one of those anthropomorphic animal books where the dog is assigned all sorts of unlikely human-like thoughts. Maggie the german shepherd comes across as a real dog with dog-like characteristics and no more than that, but those traits are more than enough to make you love her.
And by the end you will be looking at your closest loved ones and smiling and thinking to yourself: "Pack!"
Highly recommended!
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Given the fact that Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are getting on in years and their exploits are becoming a bit of a stretch given their access to senior discounts at the mega-mart, it was time for Robert Crais to give us another couple of characters to follow. He's come up with a twist on the buddy act
I don't read a ton of detective thrillers, but enough and I can't recall another K-9 duo. I guess Turner and Hooch of movie fame is close, but since I haven't seen it, I can't really give an opinion. So as changes of pace go, it's a nice one. Scott and Maggie are both beaten up and basically discarded by their respective units; in Scott's case the LAPD and in Maggie's, the Marines. Battle-scarred and weary they end up together because no one else will have them.
Early on, Scott is of the opinion that working as a K-9 officer will be easier because if he loses another partner it's just a dog. I shook my head ruefully because I knew that attitude couldn't stand and wouldn't last as soon as the two bonded. I was right. Soon Scott begins to see Maggie's intelligence and after a few episodes he begins to trust her. There's nothing magical or extrasensory about their communication; it's still dog and master, but the connection feels real. So does Scott's alienation. Once part of the team at LAPD and on the move to bigger and better units, now after almost being killed he's grudgingly allowed to stay on the force, but his options are limited. Not only does he have to deal with these circumstances, but he's still healing from his multiple gunshot wounds and has daily rounds of pain-killers which make him feel conflicted. He doesn't want to get addicted or take the easy way out, but the agony of the twisting scar tissue both inside and out makes him need the meds.
Chapters are divided into sections featuring the thoughts and actions of different characters, Maggie included. At first I was leery of these thinking they'd be anthropomorphized versions of what Crais imagines a dog thinks. Luckily he didn't go there. Instead Maggie's parts feel like they come from a dog. Very single-minded and simple. Pack. Crate. Protect. Protect Pack. Protect Crate. Her initial confusion and isolation make us feel for her plight. Then there are the smells. Smells are to dogs what colors and lights are to us. Dogs live by their noses in ways we can only dream about. Crais does a good job illustrating that otherness of how dogs slip through the world, but even though it's alien, it's also comforting and knowing and relatable. Maggie's character almost makes me want to get a dog of my own. Almost.
Because it seems Crais was so enmeshed in giving us character, background and relationship it seems that he took his eye off the ball when it came to plot. Yes Scott does some actual detecting and things become clearer with each link in the chain he produces, but the ending seemed kind of rushed. The real villain is discovered, coerced, trapped and taken down in just a few pages. I'd have liked a bit more of a dance, but that's just me and my experience of the Cole novels. Maybe he's trying out something a bit more dynamic with this set of characters and circumstances. It wasn't unsatisfying exactly. The time we spend with Scott while he's actively squirming on the hook is emotionally engaging, but it is short.
Overall I like the direction I think this series (and who are we kidding, it's going to be a series) will take and I'll be up for the next installment for sure, even if it's just for another pervy cameo from John Chen.
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- a cop and his dog. Not a pet. A partner. Two cops. One gun. Six legs. All heart.I don't read a ton of detective thrillers, but enough and I can't recall another K-9 duo. I guess Turner and Hooch of movie fame is close, but since I haven't seen it, I can't really give an opinion. So as changes of pace go, it's a nice one. Scott and Maggie are both beaten up and basically discarded by their respective units; in Scott's case the LAPD and in Maggie's, the Marines. Battle-scarred and weary they end up together because no one else will have them.
Early on, Scott is of the opinion that working as a K-9 officer will be easier because if he loses another partner it's just a dog. I shook my head ruefully because I knew that attitude couldn't stand and wouldn't last as soon as the two bonded. I was right. Soon Scott begins to see Maggie's intelligence and after a few episodes he begins to trust her. There's nothing magical or extrasensory about their communication; it's still dog and master, but the connection feels real. So does Scott's alienation. Once part of the team at LAPD and on the move to bigger and better units, now after almost being killed he's grudgingly allowed to stay on the force, but his options are limited. Not only does he have to deal with these circumstances, but he's still healing from his multiple gunshot wounds and has daily rounds of pain-killers which make him feel conflicted. He doesn't want to get addicted or take the easy way out, but the agony of the twisting scar tissue both inside and out makes him need the meds.
Chapters are divided into sections featuring the thoughts and actions of different characters, Maggie included. At first I was leery of these thinking they'd be anthropomorphized versions of what Crais imagines a dog thinks. Luckily he didn't go there. Instead Maggie's parts feel like they come from a dog. Very single-minded and simple. Pack. Crate. Protect. Protect Pack. Protect Crate. Her initial confusion and isolation make us feel for her plight. Then there are the smells. Smells are to dogs what colors and lights are to us. Dogs live by their noses in ways we can only dream about. Crais does a good job illustrating that otherness of how dogs slip through the world, but even though it's alien, it's also comforting and knowing and relatable. Maggie's character almost makes me want to get a dog of my own. Almost.
Because it seems Crais was so enmeshed in giving us character, background and relationship it seems that he took his eye off the ball when it came to plot. Yes Scott does some actual detecting and things become clearer with each link in the chain he produces, but the ending seemed kind of rushed. The real villain is discovered, coerced, trapped and taken down in just a few pages. I'd have liked a bit more of a dance, but that's just me and my experience of the Cole novels. Maybe he's trying out something a bit more dynamic with this set of characters and circumstances. It wasn't unsatisfying exactly. The time we spend with Scott while he's actively squirming on the hook is emotionally engaging, but it is short.
Overall I like the direction I think this series (and who are we kidding, it's going to be a series) will take and I'll be up for the next installment for sure, even if it's just for another pervy cameo from John Chen.
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LibraryThing member TommyB
Excellently told story, largely from the perspective of the dog.
LibraryThing member annbury
Police/suspense novel set in LA with one great big distinction -- it's mostly about a dog. The dog, Maggie, is a Marine bomb-sniffing German Shepherd, whose handler is killed in Afghanistan. Wounded in the attack and psychologically damaged, she is sent back to the States, and ends up in an LAPD
From this, the plot line will be clear -- damaged dog bonds with damaged man, to the benefit of both. But the way in which the plot is worked out is fascinating. The author clearly knows a lot about dogs -- military and police dogs in particular, but also a lot about dog pyschology that's only recently been widely written about. This is fascinating stuff on its own, but he transmutes it into a sympathetic and (to me at least) convincing dog character. He also conveys the growing bond between the man and the dog without getting slushy. Some of the story is told from the viewpoint of the dog, which I just loved. Yes, there is a mystery too, and it is nicely wrapped up at the end. For me, however, this was mostly about the dog.
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K-9 training compound. There, she is teamed up with an policeman who was badly wounded in an attack in which his partner was killed. The cop is totally focused on finding out what happened and bringing those responsible to justice, and has ended up in the K-9 program because no one wants him anywhere else. He wants to do well, but isn't much interested in the dogs.From this, the plot line will be clear -- damaged dog bonds with damaged man, to the benefit of both. But the way in which the plot is worked out is fascinating. The author clearly knows a lot about dogs -- military and police dogs in particular, but also a lot about dog pyschology that's only recently been widely written about. This is fascinating stuff on its own, but he transmutes it into a sympathetic and (to me at least) convincing dog character. He also conveys the growing bond between the man and the dog without getting slushy. Some of the story is told from the viewpoint of the dog, which I just loved. Yes, there is a mystery too, and it is nicely wrapped up at the end. For me, however, this was mostly about the dog.
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
Excellent book. The information on PTSD was correct and wonderfully presented. I think this partnership should appear in other books. The crime elements were not too difficult to work out but it is always nice to read a detective story with nice characters.
LibraryThing member kmmt48
Enjoyable novel. If you are a dog lover you will love the interaction between Maggie and her new K-9 handler, Scott. Both were wounded in their previous jobs - Maggie in Afghanistan and Scott as a police officer in L.A. Scott's injuries were serious enough to have him qualify for a medical
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retirement from the police force but his partner was killed when he was wounded and he is determined to apprehend the killers. He qualifies for the K-9 unit and receives his new partner, Maggie, just as he is brought back into the murder case of his partner. Scott and Maggie not only need to bond together but also start working together on the leads. The characters are finely drawn and both have lots of baggage from their previous personal tragedies. A good buddy story but one buddy is a dog. Nicely done. Show Less
LibraryThing member sprocto
I loved this book! As a dog lover I was enchanted with the two new characters and the author's respect for the K-9 unit and the human/dog relationship. Thank you Robert Crais!!
LibraryThing member everfresh1
I thought that was an excellent thriller with good characters, fast paced plot and - a big factor - great and sentimental dog story. Overall, easy read thriller with heartwarming add-on.
LibraryThing member bfister
Is it weird to find a thriller charming? Well, this one is. Two characters with PTSD find each other in a K9 unit. Of the two, there's no question that Maggie is the star. She's a German shepherd, and she has a lot of character. Scott James isn't nearly as interesting, but it is the shooting that
Crais can be sentimental, but in an effective way. i enjoyed this book a great deal, though there is a bit of manipulation in the climax that I could have done without.
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killed his partner and two other people and which almost killed Scott that is the focus of the plot. Scott learns about the investigation from the two detectives currently in charge of it, and soon he's finding new clues to a case that seems to have stalled. Crais can be sentimental, but in an effective way. i enjoyed this book a great deal, though there is a bit of manipulation in the climax that I could have done without.
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LibraryThing member writestuff
LAPD cop Scott James is battling PTSD after a violent incident where his partner, Stephanie, was killed and Scott was seriously wounded. More than nine months have slipped by and the detectives assigned to crack the case have come up empty. Meanwhile, Scott has joined LAPD’s elite K9 squad, a
Maggie is suffering from PTSD too – but hers is of the canine variety. After surviving three tours as a marine K9 in Iraq and Afghanistan, the dog is back in the United States after witnessing the sudden and violent death of her handler. Donated to the LAPD for evaluation, her chances at a come back as a police canine don’t look too promising – she reacts with fear when a gun is fired, and seems to have lost her heart for the work she was bred to do.
Scott and Maggie seem meant for each other. It isn’t long before both are plunged deeply into the murder investigation of Stephanie, but someone doesn’t want them to get any closer to the truth. What they discover together will either kill them both, or help them find their way back to the jobs they love.
Robert Crais has written a suspense-thriller with loads of heart. I was only 15 pages into the novel and found myself riveted…and crying. I have to confess, I am often put off by novels that feature working dogs. I almost always find errors or plot holes that don’t fit with my knowledge of what it is like to work a dog. So I was pleasantly surprised to find myself pulled convincingly into Suspect, a book which captivated me and kept me reading nearly non stop.
Crais clearly has done his research (although he offers an author’s note which explains some looseness with the “facts” for the sake of the story). I loved that he chose a female German Shepherd as the working K9 in the book. When I was working my dog in Search and Rescue, I was dismayed that so many law enforcement personnel thought the best dogs in police work had to be male…a belief I frequently argued against based on my female dog’s heart, drive, courage and intelligence.
Suspect is first and foremost a fast paced thriller. But it is also something a little more. Crais explores the after effects of violence on those in law enforcement – both human and dog. He also creates a love story of sorts between Scott and Maggie. Anyone who has ever opened their heart to a dog knows the power in that relationship.
There are sections in Suspect which are written solely from Maggie’s limited point of view – a technique that can quickly go awry if not done well. Crais clearly knows what it is like to live inside the brain of a dog and these parts of the novel were some of the best.
Suspect is a novel which will appeal to anyone who loves dogs or has worked a dog – but it will also reel in readers who love great characters and fast-paced writing. Alone, Scott and Maggie are just characters struggling to recover from trauma, but together they are a crime team with incredible heart who will win over readers.
Highly recommended.
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position he may not be capable of filling given his frequent flashbacks, anger and an inability to let go of the guilt he feels every time he thinks of Stephanie.Maggie is suffering from PTSD too – but hers is of the canine variety. After surviving three tours as a marine K9 in Iraq and Afghanistan, the dog is back in the United States after witnessing the sudden and violent death of her handler. Donated to the LAPD for evaluation, her chances at a come back as a police canine don’t look too promising – she reacts with fear when a gun is fired, and seems to have lost her heart for the work she was bred to do.
Scott and Maggie seem meant for each other. It isn’t long before both are plunged deeply into the murder investigation of Stephanie, but someone doesn’t want them to get any closer to the truth. What they discover together will either kill them both, or help them find their way back to the jobs they love.
Robert Crais has written a suspense-thriller with loads of heart. I was only 15 pages into the novel and found myself riveted…and crying. I have to confess, I am often put off by novels that feature working dogs. I almost always find errors or plot holes that don’t fit with my knowledge of what it is like to work a dog. So I was pleasantly surprised to find myself pulled convincingly into Suspect, a book which captivated me and kept me reading nearly non stop.
Crais clearly has done his research (although he offers an author’s note which explains some looseness with the “facts” for the sake of the story). I loved that he chose a female German Shepherd as the working K9 in the book. When I was working my dog in Search and Rescue, I was dismayed that so many law enforcement personnel thought the best dogs in police work had to be male…a belief I frequently argued against based on my female dog’s heart, drive, courage and intelligence.
Suspect is first and foremost a fast paced thriller. But it is also something a little more. Crais explores the after effects of violence on those in law enforcement – both human and dog. He also creates a love story of sorts between Scott and Maggie. Anyone who has ever opened their heart to a dog knows the power in that relationship.
There are sections in Suspect which are written solely from Maggie’s limited point of view – a technique that can quickly go awry if not done well. Crais clearly knows what it is like to live inside the brain of a dog and these parts of the novel were some of the best.
Suspect is a novel which will appeal to anyone who loves dogs or has worked a dog – but it will also reel in readers who love great characters and fast-paced writing. Alone, Scott and Maggie are just characters struggling to recover from trauma, but together they are a crime team with incredible heart who will win over readers.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member mysterymax
I enjoyed the book and found his take on Maggie, the dog, interesting, but so far it doesn't rival the Elvis and Pike series.
LibraryThing member librarian1204
Dog lovers , this is a book you will love. A great story (minus Elvis and Pike) about a police officer assigned to a K9 unit and the dog he bonds with. Both man and dog are recovering from past experiences that that have scarred them physically and emotionally. A fast and engrossing read.
LibraryThing member amanderson
A traumatized combat veteran meets a police officer recovering from his own wounds and trauma. They fall in love and band together to solve the bizarre nighttime shooting and the murder of the officer's partner. It's touching and suspenseful. The combat veteran happens to be a very loyal and
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intelligent German shepherd. Show Less
LibraryThing member themythicalcodfish
This book is fantastic. The first section is actually really hard to read; the description of a Marine dying in combat from the point of view of his dog is utterly heartbreaking, and very well written. Likewise, the mirroring event where Our Hero loses his partner in the crossfire of a shootout is
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heartwrenching. The narrative of man and dog helping each other to recover from their trauma draws on all of the old Man's Best Friend tropes, and turns it around into a new kind of mystery thriller where the reader is given cues and clues from two radically different perspectives. In summation: read it, and make sure you have kleenex handy. Show Less
LibraryThing member emkemi23
I read at least one book a week and this is the BEST book I have read in a long, long time. If you like dogs and police procedural books, this is a good one!
LibraryThing member Rainrider
Just started reading; the prologue begins the story of one of the main characters, Maggie, a German Shepherd Marine patrol dog. As a dog lover, this immediately locked me into the story. I've read other Crais books and liked them, so I'm confident that I'll like this one as well.
Half-way through
Half-way through
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and liking this one even more; possibly my favorite Crais and probably will be a favorite for me to recommend to friends. Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
This suspenseful action thriller tells the story of K-9 Maggie.
At the start of the story, Maggie is with her Marine handler, Pete. Both are shot by snipers. Pete is killed and Maggie wounded.
At a later time, we view a shootout in Los Angeles where LAPD officer Scott James is wounded and his partner
After a time, Scott returns to work and transfers to the K-9 unit. He's paired with Maggie who was retired from the Marines. Now she must be retrained as a police guard dog.
Both Maggie and Scott have a period of getting to know and trust each other. What makes this interesting and emotional is that we follow the action from the points of view of both Scott and Maggie. Her thoughts are excellent as we see her learn to love Scott. She feels that he is Alpha and should be guarded and protected.
Both characters continue to bond and Scott devotes his time to finding those responsible for the shootout when Stephanie was killed. Having Maggie is helpful as her sense of scent helps with the evidence.
There are many levels to the story. On one hand we see the faith and friendship between Scott and Maggie and admire Scott's devotion to finding Stephanie's killer.
There are a number of twists and surprises and the conclusion is such that the reader will want to cheer.
At the start of the story, Maggie is with her Marine handler, Pete. Both are shot by snipers. Pete is killed and Maggie wounded.
At a later time, we view a shootout in Los Angeles where LAPD officer Scott James is wounded and his partner
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Stephanie, is killed.After a time, Scott returns to work and transfers to the K-9 unit. He's paired with Maggie who was retired from the Marines. Now she must be retrained as a police guard dog.
Both Maggie and Scott have a period of getting to know and trust each other. What makes this interesting and emotional is that we follow the action from the points of view of both Scott and Maggie. Her thoughts are excellent as we see her learn to love Scott. She feels that he is Alpha and should be guarded and protected.
Both characters continue to bond and Scott devotes his time to finding those responsible for the shootout when Stephanie was killed. Having Maggie is helpful as her sense of scent helps with the evidence.
There are many levels to the story. On one hand we see the faith and friendship between Scott and Maggie and admire Scott's devotion to finding Stephanie's killer.
There are a number of twists and surprises and the conclusion is such that the reader will want to cheer.
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LibraryThing member mrkleve
Wow! The parts from Maggie's POV are fantastic but you had better keep the Kleenex handy for the first few.
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Maggie is a military dog in Afghanistan. When her handler gets killed and she gets wounded she's shipped stateside where she ends up a police dog in L.A.'s K-9 corp. Scott is a policeman whose partner is killed and he's wounded with major wounds. The two 'misfits' get paired up. Scott is obsessed
Of course, Scott finds things the new investigators don't.
This is my first Robert Crais book and while I may not look for more of his books, this was an interesting and quyick read.
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with closing the case in which his partner was shot and a new team of investigators has taken the case on, so it's promising.Of course, Scott finds things the new investigators don't.
This is my first Robert Crais book and while I may not look for more of his books, this was an interesting and quyick read.
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LibraryThing member techeditor
SUSPECT is a crime novel,and it's not great literature. Although I prefer more literary books (and, yes, there is such thing as a literary crime novel), this book is more than just a who-done-it.
Robert Crais describes a wonderful man-dog relationship. Unlike so many man-dog relationship fiction,
Robert Crais describes a wonderful man-dog relationship. Unlike so many man-dog relationship fiction,
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such as RACING IN THE RAIN, this story never sounds childish. This is why I rate SUSPECT highly. Show Less
LibraryThing member LeighScarletRyan
"Suspect" was a quick, fun read and I enjoyed the relationship of Scott James and his K-9 platoon dog, Maggie, however, not quite as much as the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. I will definitely read the next Maggie story, if there is one. "The approved K-9 diet does not include baloney." Good to know.
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Well, it's not Elvis or Pike. I don't like Elvis books very much (too much "humor") but I really like the Pike ones (pleasant butt-kicking books) This was somewhere in the middle.
There is a lot of effort spent "developing" the relationship between man and dog, but not enough time passes in the
The "mystery" here was a mix of being quite convoluted and being a little light. The crime occured in the past so it was a "cold case" and yet all the evidence needed was available all of a sudden. But, don't worry, this sudden ability to solve an old case is explained - can't tell you how 'cause that's really the crux of the story. Well, the crux of the non-emotional-I-love-this-dog part of the story.
Overall... it was okay. I'll read more Pike books by this author, but that's probably it.
There is a lot of effort spent "developing" the relationship between man and dog, but not enough time passes in the
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novel to make this believable. If the dog was as traumatized as indicated, it probably wouldn't have bonded the day after it was taken home. But anyway... who knows what dogs think... maybe this is perfectly normal.The "mystery" here was a mix of being quite convoluted and being a little light. The crime occured in the past so it was a "cold case" and yet all the evidence needed was available all of a sudden. But, don't worry, this sudden ability to solve an old case is explained - can't tell you how 'cause that's really the crux of the story. Well, the crux of the non-emotional-I-love-this-dog part of the story.
Overall... it was okay. I'll read more Pike books by this author, but that's probably it.
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LibraryThing member DeanClark
What makes this story so interesting is the dog as protagonist. The dog is one of main characters and has an interior life. Overall a good story.
LibraryThing member TheBoltChick
I have been a fan of Robert Crais for years. His Elvis Cole /Joe Pike novels are always wonderful. When I first heard this wasn't going to be an Elvis-Joe novel, I was a bit disappointed. I now hand my head in shame for feeling that way. This is my new favorite Crais novel, and I am hoping it will
This book tells the story of a damaged police officer and a damage military service dog that manage to find each other and help one another to heal. The mystery is compelling as always, and the characters are ones that I would love to meet in real life. Highly recommended!
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be the start of a new series. This book tells the story of a damaged police officer and a damage military service dog that manage to find each other and help one another to heal. The mystery is compelling as always, and the characters are ones that I would love to meet in real life. Highly recommended!
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LibraryThing member Patbilly
Having never read a book about K-9's before, I was happy to see the bond and respect between a handler and his canine. The mystery/thriller captured me and brought me through a one-sitting read, always searching for whodunit.
If there was one drawback, it was in Mr. Crais' professional treatment of
If there was one drawback, it was in Mr. Crais' professional treatment of
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the one female investigator on the case. He seemed to be somewhat hesitant in making her a strong woman. It seems he feared that making her strong would detract from the protagonist's swashbuckling actions. Not so in the real world of investigators, Mr. Crais. Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Thriller/Suspense — 2014)
Anthony Award (Nominee — Novel — 2014)
Barry Award (Nominee — Novel — 2014)
Original publication date
2013
ISBN
0399161481 / 9780399161483