Jeffrey B. Burton melds nail-biting action and appealing characters in The Keepers, his highly satisfying second novel about Mason "Mace" Reid, who trains dogs in human remains detection (HRD), assisting various Chicago law enforcement agencies.
Burton infuses The Keepers with fascinating details about HRD training as well as a detailed look at Mace's five working dogs, managing to reveal each one's personality but showing they are dogs, not humans with four legs. Still, Burton realistically illustrates the skills, instincts and abilities that dogs have, while highlighting the strong bond that service dogs have with their handlers. This is especially true of Vira, Mace's sensitive golden retriever, who works on "the Sherlock Holmes level," able to sniff out the guilty. Vira does her job superbly--it's up to the people to find the evidence to support her.
Mace and officers Dave Wabiszewski and Kippy Gimm tackle three separate investigations--the deaths of a faded rock musician, a union organizer and the head of the Special Prosecutions Bureau in the state attorney's office. The cases begin to merge as the three--and the dogs--come up against dirty Chicago politics.
Hard-charging action scenes collar the plot's realism, leading to a fast-paced finale. Readers can be assured that each dog survives, and each is a hero. The believable characters continue to evolve as the investigations affect each in different ways. The growing relationship between Mace and Kippy adds to their character development. Burton's appreciation of dogs and how they relate to people elevate The Keepers. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer