The Second Grave - (Chicago K-9 Thriller) by Jeffrey B Burton (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Another day another find for dog trainer Cory Pratt's cadaver dogs Alice and Rex. This time a mass grave with three bodies and a second single grave over three decades old. A cold case that Cory's sibling and Chicago Police detective Crystal has to solve fast as the killer of the four men is still out there. While the identities of the men are determined one by one, the bodies are linked to an infamous crime which remains unsolved to this day. And with the killer trying to cover their tracks, other dangerous and lethal individuals start getting involved ... Figuring out what happened all those years ago while trying to minimise the current body count, Cory, Crystal and the dogs are hot on the heels of the killer. But their involvement puts them right on their list and in more danger than they bargained for"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

The discovery of two graves digs up past crimes and a dangerous killer trying to erase their tracks in this fast-paced K-9 thriller series set in Chicago.

Another day another find for dog trainer Cory Pratt's cadaver dogs Alice and Rex. This time a mass grave with three bodies and a second single grave over three decades old. A cold case that Cory's sibling and Chicago Police detective Crystal has to solve fast as the killer of the four men is still out there.

While the identities of the men are determined one by one, the bodies are linked to an infamous crime which remains unsolved to this day. And with the killer trying to cover their tracks, other dangerous and lethal individuals start getting involved . . .

Figuring out what happened all those years ago while trying to minimise the current body count, Cory, Crystal and the dogs are hot on the heels of the killer. But their involvement puts them right on their list and in more danger than they bargained for.

For fans of action-packed K-9 mystery series, such as Margaret Mizushima's Timber Creek K-9 mystery, Paula Munier's Mercy Carr mystery and Susan Furlong's Bone Gap Travellers mystery: "A mighty impressive thriller" (Booklist)

Review Quotes

Past and present come together smoothly in the story, in which the two dogs play a critical role-- "Twin Cities Pioneer Press"

It's likely The Second Grave will be on my Best of 2025 List. Very likely-- "Kings River Life Magazine"

[A brisk] Windy City crime yarn, with dogs-- "Kirkus Reviews"

A gripping addition to the mystery genre . . . a standout and engaging read-- "Book Junkie Reviews"

Well-written and fun to read-- "Red Carpet Crash"

The author [has] considerable talent-- "Booklist"

An unputdownable book filled with nonstop action, great characters, and a fantastic setting. This should be on every mystery fan's nightstand-- "Andrew Gulli, Editor-in-Chief, The Strand Magazine"

The Lost grabs you with both hands and keeps you turning the pages to the very end. Burton's tremendous talent for storytelling is gripping, suspenseful, and spot on. And if you are a dog lover, this book is essential reading. I highly recommend it-- "Allen Eskens, bestselling author of The Life We Bury, on The Lost"

A high-octane thriller that will keep you guessing until the electrifying ending. Exceptional character development and breakneck pacing-- "Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish, on The Lost"

A thriller that's not only compelling but offers a good many chuckles along the way. The plot is wonderfully twisty. Add to the mix a pack of cadaver dogs that'll charm your socks off, a wry narrative voice, and you've got the recipe for a deliciously delightful read. You'll savor this one, I guarantee it-- "William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author, on The Lost"

An intricately plotted, fast-paced story . . . For fans of K-9 mysteries-- "Library Journal on The Lost"

Another solid dog thriller from Burton, that makes good use of the dogs, the lead characters pasts, and twists you don't see coming. Fans of his previous books will enjoy this one-- "Red Carpet Crash on The Dead Years"

Burton displays a too-rare knack for keeping the heat on while moving a complex story to its finale, all the while injecting welcome jolts of humor-- "Booklist on The Lost"

Readers will fall in love with Alice and Rex, of course . . . The twists and turns will keep you reading-- "Kings River Life Magazine on The Dead Years"

This is a mighty impressive thriller . . . Readers will take to Burton's brother-sister duo in this series launch and look forward to more Chicago K-9 thrillers-- "Booklist on The Dead Years"

What an amazing book . . . So inventive, it's so creative . . . A lot of fun to read-- "NPR's Radio Pet Lady (Tracie Hotchner) on Dog Talk on The Dead Years"

Will keep readers turning the pages. Dog lovers are in for a treat-- "Publishers Weekly on The Lost"