If my visitor is coming for you, you don’t have long to live.
Jeffrey B. Burton
The Finders
Format:
Audiobook
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year—mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past—a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is…
Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira’s abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
Point of view:
1st & 3rd person. Sections from Mace’s perspective are 1st person while all others are in 3rd.
Rellim’s Thoughts:
Jeffrey B. Burton is a new to me author I discovered while hunting for more books narrated by Matt Godfrey. I enjoyed the mystery/suspense and world building for The Finders, which launches Burton’s Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series.
Mace is a trainer based in Chicago that specializes in cadaver dogs. He’s obviously an animal lover and it shows with how he treats and talks to his dogs. He finds himself in the middle of a hunt for a serial killer with newly trained Golden Retriever, Vira, by his side.
A few times the jokes were indelicate, but for the most part I enjoyed the humor. The pacing was really well done. I liked that Burton offered perspective from more than just Mace – in a unique approach the chapters from Mace’s perspective were in 1st person while all others were 3rd. There are chapters from the killer’s perspective, but they aren’t revealed until just before Mace & Kippy figure it out. It worked well for me.
While there’s a little interest and flirting banter, romance is a very minor part of the story. Though I’m definitely looking forward to more of Kippy & Mace in book 2, The Keepers. Their personalities and partnership are a lot of fun.
Narration:
I picked this specifically because it was narrated by Matt Godfrey. I love what he did with all of Burton’s characters. He’s the perfect Mace. It was a great performance and this was an enjoyable listen all around.
Content Warnings (possible spoilers):
details of victims’ deaths are shared, dogs are injured (some severely) but all live
About the author:
Jeff was born in Long Beach, California, grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and received his BA in Journalism at the University of Minnesota. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, an irate Pomeranian named Lucy, and a happy galoot of a Beagle named Milo.
You can connect with Jeffrey B. Burton here:
About the narrator:
Matt Godfrey was raised in the Deep South on O’Connor, Welty, and Lee, and spent most of his teenage years in Yoknapatawpha County. But the books took him places, from Los Angeles to Tokyo, Bradbury to Murakami. After nine years as a working film and TV actor, he found his true passion in audiobooks and now is lucky enough to live inside books every day. He is a winner of the Audiofile Earphones Award and a multiple-time nominee for the Society of Voice Arts & Sciences Awards and the Independent Audiobook Awards.
You can connect with Matt Godfrey here:
My Favorite Quotes
“It’s okay, Honey Bear,” she said again, scratching behind the dog’s ears. “It’s going to be okay.” – The Finders by @JeffreyBBurton1 #NarratorMotivated by @GodfreyTweets #Mystery #Suspense
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there are only two kinds of people in this crazy world of ours—those who like dogs … and assholes – The Finders by @JeffreyBBurton1 #NarratorMotivated by @GodfreyTweets #Mystery #Suspense
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Something was out there all right. – The Finders by @JeffreyBBurton1 #NarratorMotivated by @GodfreyTweets #Mystery #Suspense
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If my visitor is coming for you, you don’t have long to live. – The Finders by @JeffreyBBurton1 #NarratorMotivated by @GodfreyTweets #Mystery #Suspense
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Rellim Reads 