Major crimes intersect in this nail-biting installment of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries by award–winning author Margaret Mizushima.
A routine welfare check becomes a nightmare when Deputy Mattie Walker finds a young mother dead and a hysterical toddler, possibly the only witness to a brutal crime. Before the investigative team can start piecing together what happened, Mattie discovers another criminal act in Timber Creek.
During a traffic stop for speeding, Mattie observes a nervous driver and a teenage passenger frozen with fear. A quick sweep of the car with her K-9 partner, Robo, reveals a dangerous mix of drugs and suspected human trafficking, providing Mattie with grounds to arrest the driver. After she places the teenager in protective custody, the sheriff’s department hands the case over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
As the team gathers evidence and information, Mattie’s husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, notices suspicious activity during ambulatory calls at dog kennels, indicating yet a third crime lurking in the shadows. What begins as isolated incidents quickly reveals a chilling truth: Organized crime has infiltrated their rural mountain community.
Every clue leads to more questions, and each answer brings them closer to greater danger. Do Mattie and her law enforcement partners have what it takes to shut down this criminal ring before it claims more victims? And could its next victim be someone Mattie loves?
Praise for Fighting Edge: “A haunting tale of tribulation turned to triumph that only Margaret Mizushima could create. Mizushima masterfully mines Mattie Walker’s own troubled past when Mattie and her crack K-9 Robo confront the worst the world has to offer — the brutalization of throwaway children — making for a poignant and compelling tale with a fiery finish.” —Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Great Sand Dunes Massacre
Praise for the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series: “One of the West’s finest contemporary mystery writers.” —The Denver Post
“The story of the search, and the setting, are beautifully developed in a mystery that builds in intensity and suspense.” —Library Journal, starred review “A realistic view of how a K-9 team works . . . It's impossible not to fall in love with Robo.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Will tug the heartstrings of every dog lover.” —Booklist, starred review
“Margaret Mizushima is a master.” —San Francisco Book Review, 5 stars
“Instantly immersive, constantly surprising, and totally compelling . . . Such a terrific mystery!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author
Margaret Mizushima served as past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest.
Major crimes intersect in this nail-biting installment of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries by award–winning author Margaret Mizushima.
A routine welfare check becomes a nightmare when Deputy Mattie Walker finds a young mother dead and a hysterical toddler, possibly the only witness to a brutal crime. Before the investigative team can start piecing together what happened, Mattie discovers another criminal act in Timber Creek.
During a traffic stop for speeding, Mattie observes a nervous driver and a teenage passenger frozen with fear. A quick sweep of the car with her K-9 partner, Robo, reveals a dangerous mix of drugs and suspected human trafficking, providing Mattie with grounds to arrest the driver. After she places the teenager in protective custody, the sheriff’s department hands the case over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
As the team gathers evidence and information, Mattie’s husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, notices suspicious activity during ambulatory calls at dog kennels, indicating yet a third crime lurking in the shadows. What begins as isolated incidents quickly reveals a chilling truth: Organized crime has infiltrated their rural mountain community.
Every clue leads to more questions, and each answer brings them closer to greater danger. Do Mattie and her law enforcement partners have what it takes to shut down this criminal ring before it claims more victims? And could its next victim be someone Mattie loves?
Reviews
Praise for Fighting Edge: “A haunting tale of tribulation turned to triumph that only Margaret Mizushima could create. Mizushima masterfully mines Mattie Walker’s own troubled past when Mattie and her crack K-9 Robo confront the worst the world has to offer — the brutalization of throwaway children — making for a poignant and compelling tale with a fiery finish.” —Scott Graham, National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of Great Sand Dunes Massacre
Praise for the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series: “One of the West’s finest contemporary mystery writers.” —The Denver Post
“The story of the search, and the setting, are beautifully developed in a mystery that builds in intensity and suspense.” —Library Journal, starred review “A realistic view of how a K-9 team works . . . It's impossible not to fall in love with Robo.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Will tug the heartstrings of every dog lover.” —Booklist, starred review
“Margaret Mizushima is a master.” —San Francisco Book Review, 5 stars
“Instantly immersive, constantly surprising, and totally compelling . . . Such a terrific mystery!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author
Author
Margaret Mizushima served as past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest.
