Lone Wolf

What a great read this is! I have been interested in reading about K-9 partners as well as search and rescue teams with dogs for quite some time, but this one is the most intense I've held my breath through so far. The beginning of the novel has us chasing after Meg, who is racing behind her beautiful black lab, Hawk, who is scenting out a rapist. We see, after many hair-raising minutes, positive results. Barely have Hawk and his FBI handler Meg had a chance to relax but they are called out on another emergency. This one is heinous, an explosion at the Department of Agriculture complex in DC, involving middle school children touring the building. Part of the building collapsed, much of it on fire, with few other details. Hawk diligently tracks for survivors before they seek those who did not survive the blast and subsequent fire. This is only the first in a series of bombings without rhyme or reason for why the next would be chosen. The ego and rage of the bomber bwho didn't get the attention he or she felt deserved led the person to contact McCord, a journalist at a DC paper, to rant and rave. In the meantime, Meg, a firefighter she met at the first bombing, and McCord are ready to use their respective resources to find the killer. This well-written novel shows how very human the first responders are, including those who go into ruins to find the missing. The gamut of emotions is faced by the characters, emotions those outside of the profession can only imagine. The bond between a K-9 and its human partner is incredibly close, often stronger than the bond when both partners are human. The characters in this novel represent some of the finest of traits of such partners. There are plot twists that, even though we see the mind of the killer, we don't see coming. To me, it is interesting to see the combination of investigative techniques and those who provide search and rescue to figure out who the real bomber is. The story is intense and suspenseful. I thought I knew how it would end, but I couldn't have foreseen just how much more stunning the story would get. I very highly recommend Lone Wolf; I am so looking forward to the next-in series!

A great story.