cover image Suspect

Suspect

Robert Crais. Putnam, $27.95 (320p) ISBN 978-0-399-16148-3

Expect the expected in this stand-alone crime thriller from Shamus Award–winner Crais (The Two Minute Rule). Maggie, a weapon-detecting German shepherd who was seriously traumatized in Afghanistan after an IED killed her human partner and she was shot by a sniper, is struggling as a new member of the LAPD K-9 Platoon. LAPD officer Scott James—who was traumatized after unidentified gunmen killed his partner, Stephanie Anders, and seriously wounded him—makes it his mission to get past Maggie’s defenses to make her functional again. An attractive female detective assists James after his own return to form enables him to take a more active role in investigating who gunned down Anders. Dog lovers who believe the animals are superior to humans in every way will find this lukewarm tale of redemption inspiring. Fans of Crais’s sharp-edged Elvis Cole novels will find less to admire. Author tour. Agent: Aaron Priest, Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency. (Jan. 22)