Suspect

This book is totally different from what I usually read, or have ever read, and I loved it. I think the last contemporary crime thriller I read was The Brethren by John Grisham, like 15 years ago, which was horrible and casually homophobic. But I asked the internet for recommendations of books featuring dogs; this one sounded great, so I decided to take a chance.

The main characters are Maggie, a dog, and Scott, a policeman, and the book's structure reminds me a lot of a romance novel. They both come from very dark pasts, having recently lost the person most important to them in the world - Maggie's handler and Scott's police partner, whom he was romantically interested in. They both have PTSD, they are both very lonely, and they specifically need each other, although neither knows it at first. Their bond deepens over the course of the story, until they're willing to do anything to protect each other. It's a really satisfying plot.

There are several chapters from Maggie's point-of-view, including the opening section, which shows her handler's death. The author goes into interesting detail about how a dog's sense of smell works; although I don't know enough about the topic to know if the explanations are accurate, it all made sense to me as a layperson, especially comparing it to a human's vision. Maggie is also completely devoted to her “alpha,” first Pete and later Scott, which makes for some very emotional moments. I know there is some debate on the “alpha” concept as it relates to dogs, but the concept works well for this story.

Scott is a sensitive guy, and he's very brave and determined, but he definitely has some flaws. Since his partner's death, he has lied to everyone in his life. I think part of the reason he becomes so close to Maggie is that he doesn't lie to her, although the book never explicitly states that. He does maintain her training, and sometimes has to modify his behavior to suit it, but Maggie knows that life in general is difficult for him, because she can see it - when his injuries ache, or he's nervous or afraid.

The side characters are great - Scott's love interest (they don't get together in this book) is an interesting character who is also flawed, or maybe that's just my own take on it (she gets prissy about dog hair, which I consider a flaw!). I get annoyed way too easily at the way female characters are written in fiction, and I'm happy she has a personality and substance, as well as an important role in the story. But my favorite side character is the gruff old sergeant who loves dogs. He's definitely a guy I want to pluck out of the book and spend time with, even though I am sure I could never measure up to his standards of pet ownership. Dogs need someone like him as an advocate.

The nature of the mystery was not surprising, although I did not guess the identity of the main villain before it was revealed. I recommend this book to anyone who is okay with some violence in a book - the violence isn't excessive, but we do see both of the deaths that have devastated the main characters, and Scott has many flashbacks to the night his partner died.

This was the first audiobook I've listened to narrated by MacLeod Andrews, and I really enjoyed his style. I'll definitely be seeking out more of his narrations.