I finally took the time to read one of L.A. Dobbs’ Sam Mason K-9 mysteries. “Seeking Justice” is the seventh book in the popular series.
It took a few chapters, but I discovered that Police Sgt. Jo Harris moved to White Rock, North Carolina, to follow a lead in the long-ago disappearance of her 4-year-old sister, Tammy. After years of drug abuse and living on the streets, Jo’s sister, Bridget, is finally clean and has moved in with Jo. The sisters have included Police Chief Sam Mason in their quest to find Tammy.
A few months ago, Deputy Kevin Deckard was closing a nasty drug trafficking case and took a bullet meant for police dog Lucy. After months in a coma, Keven is finally returning to duty. His memory is still spotty but he is well enough to do desk work.
As this story opens, Sam, Lucy and Jo are at the local owl sanctuary where the body of environmental activist April Summer has been found. It appears that she was struck on the head with a piece of wood but died after landing on a rock. Pretty straightforward, but why was an owl shot with the small handgun they found nearby?
April had plenty of enemies due to her involvement in creating the owl sanctuary and a recent fight against a logging company. The investigation rapidly becomes a tangle of relationships and family connections.
As they look into her past, they discover that she had divorced Hank Madden and changed her name before becoming a radical activist. Another potential lead involves the secretive Webster/Madden family. Sam had dealt with some of the unsavory family members, but his gut said that grandson Ricky was a decent kid in a tough situation.
As they interview people April had upset, they see a pattern. With a little help from Sam’s friend Mick, they learn that April wasn’t a dedicated environmentalist at all. Instead, she was a devious extortionist who targeted developers with deadlines to meet.
While the rest of the department is working leads, Kevin has a breakthrough. When his brother delivered his belongings, he found a thumb drive. He doesn’t know what is on it and can’t recall the password but has a feeling it is connected to a previous case. Going against his training, Kevin digs out the evidence box and takes photos of notebook entries.
He plans to give the drive to Sam, but a break in Summer’s case sends Sam to the logging camp to confront Travis and Danika. At the same time, Jo’s conversation with local artist, Lily Madden offers terrifying possibilities. Without telling anyone where she’s going, Jo rashly follows up on a lead, leading to the dramatic reveal and conclusion.
The cases are solved, but Dobbs has set several other potential situations in motion, assuring readers that the series will have many more cases to solve.
AT A GLANCE
Book: Seeking Justice (Sam Mason K-9 Mystery, Book 7)
Author: L.A. Dobbs
Publisher: L.A. Dobbs
Year published: 2024
Number of pages: 324
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