by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Special FBI Agent Meg Jennings and her black Labrador, Hawk, are enrolled in a water search training weekend. Hawk, already a search and rescue dog for the Human Scent Evidence Team, understands how to find and leave evidence in place, and to always listen to Meg. Now’s their chance to add to their skills. Her partner, Brian and his dog, Lacey, are there, too. Along for the ride, and the fishing, are Meg’s significant other and his two brothers. With the trio in charge of the food, everyone’s guaranteed good eating for the weekend.

In the boat, Hawk is able to find the scent and Meg manages to give directions to the right spot based on Hawk’s reactions. On land, Hawk is distracted, something Meg’s never seen before. It’s a timed search and Hawk’s score isn’t good. Brian and Lacey had a great run and can’t understand how they came in second, especially with Brian timing the run on his own as well as depending on the judges. Based on other scores, something seems fishy.

As in any group, there’s always one or two people who make life unpleasant for the rest. This time it’s Rita Pratt and her Belgian Malinois who take the win and lord it over everyone. She even manages to throw in a snide comment about Hawk. However, her own dog is skittish, never a good sign.

The next day’s water search goes well, with Hawk detecting the scent and Meg able to direct the boat to the location. Taking the long way back, Hawk indicates another scent. The team thinks it’s probably a dead animal but check anyway. Eighty feet down they find what Hawk scented—a dead body. It’s one of the other competitors. Since she and Hawk found the body, suspicion falls on Meg. With her boss Craig on hand, her friend the newspaper reporter asking questions, and Brian as backup, can Meg prove her innocence? A second death makes things even worse for Meg.

This is book seven in the series. For any dog lover, reading about how search and rescue dogs work is a real treat. The bond between Meg and Hawk is apparent on the page, and the mystery is always a good one. This is a series I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to many more tales of Meg and Hawk’s exploits.

To enter to win a copy of Still Waters, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “waters” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 14, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.