Suspect

When the prologue makes me hold my breath, and the first chapter keeps me on the edge of my seat, I know I can expect a well thought out thriller. Great narrator too!

Crais introduces us to a new hero in this book-a very likable 32 year old LAPD policeman, He and his partner, Stephanie, stumble upon a car accident and violent altercation on a quiet street. In trying to intervene Stephanie is killed, and Scott is severely wounded.

Scott eventually gets a new partner- a four legged one. It's hard to make a dog one of the central characters in any book, but Crais does it beautifully. The dog, Maggie, and Scott become a K9 team. Both horribly wounded in the line of duty, they are both written off as "damaged goods" - an evaluation that Scott and Maggie prove to be wrong as they depend upon each other in the search for those who killed Stephanie.

I learned a lot from this book about the care, concern, and respect for K9 dogs by fellow officers--and a lot about the training and close bonds that are formed. They are amazing animals.

A very worthy read by Robert Crais!

loyality, duty, grace

Master Crais is at his very best on this one. My all time favorite, the watchman is being chased by this one and I am only on chapter 9

many different scenes get to you. Maggie getting a drink out of the big water bowl in the bathroom. Maggie protecting her Marine handler in chapter 1 had me in tears on the fwy.Our hero eating his first dinner with Maggie on the floor with her.

I am listening this first day I could download it

get any of Crais books read by James Daniels and David Stuart. I was most surprised by this reader MacLeod. He is just terrific and now joins the ranks of James Daniels. Luke Daniels did not do a good job on the last two of Crais books. Joe Pike story missed it when Luke read it. Get the Watchman. I own all of audio Crais. I hope you enjoy as much
as I have.

I downloaded the preview chapter when audible was giving us the first 2 chapters, after I listened to them, I pre-ordered "Suspect." This is absolutly a great story!!! loved it! Different kind of story than the normal Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series, but great in it's own right!

Suspense, passion, healing. Crais puts us in the mind of a remarkable K-9 dog with realism and passion. He makes the training, care and relationship of the man and dog so interesting I could not stop listening. And he introduces us to a faction of police work and warfare we've never experienced before in this genre.

In most police novels the hero never suffers from post traumatic stress disorder after being shot and/or seeing his partner shot or killed. In fact, I can't remember having ever read of this in fiction. In real life it happens to most officers involved in violence that results in tragedy. Crais masterfully takes us through the process of suffering and healing in an entertaining manner.

He also gives us a heck of a good mystery.

The opening two chapters set the stage for the whole book.

He did a great job on this one. For example, a k9 officer must use a commanding, alpha voice when giving orders to the animal. But he also has to baby talk his dog to build trust and relationship. Andrews was great in a difficult contrast...

I listened to this book in one day!

This was my first experience with this author and I was going to pass it up until I read it was about a dog. What can I say . . . a great read! I was so hooked I got to bed too late then was almost late to see my client. I will most certainly check out more of his books (along with telling all of my dog friends about it).

I will definitely recommend this book to a friend. If you love dogs, murder mysteries and suspense this is the book for you. I really loved that he wrote sections from Maggie (the dog's) perspective. I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails. Just what I want from a good story

Robert Crais is as reliable as a writer can be and more. This book is a great example. It's as enjoyable as all of his books AND it takes me on a new and unexpected adventure. If I had read a sloppy summary of this book I don't know if I would have picked it up, but Crais grabbed me immediately and never lost me.
Lots of writers have given a bad reputation to books that have a dog in a central role. While I love Jack London's dog books and would compare Crais' sensitive handling of the dog's narrative to London, this is a human's story. Maggie, a retired military dog, is the companion that catalyzes our hero's actions.
Put yourself in Crais' hands. Don't be afraid of the dog.

Compact, engaging, substantial.

This is a great twist on a thriller, delivering unpredictable villains and even more unpredictable heroes. The shifting points of view richly enhance the reader's experience without being repetitious.

Maggie.

I consumed it!

Looking forward to more about Scott James and Maggie

I really enjoyed this short, sweet book about a broken detective that teams up with a broken dog to solve crimes and heal each other along the way. If you've ever had a dog that you loved than this one will bring tears to your eyes (and keep you on the edge of your seat!)

This is more than just a dog story. It is a tale of two emotionally and physically wounded beings, a dog and a man, who find each other and heal together. As I have not read any of Crais' books before, I can't compare this to them. For me, this was a great listen, well-narrated and well-written. I will definitely look for more from this author.