FBI K-9 #9
Sara Driscoll’s FBI K-9 novels follow Meg Jennings, and her FBI human scent evidence team partner, Hawk the black lab, as they work hard to save lives in the face of horrific situations. Summit’s Edge is her ninth book, and this time Meg is coming face to face with her very deep fear of heights. A private jet was hijacked, and went down in the mountains of the Elk Mountains in Colorado. Mountain climbing might be a deep personal torment for Meg herself, but she knows that Hawk is needed, and that he loves nothing more than being out in the field saving lives. So Meg faces her deepest fear and heads off to the mountains.
Mountain climbing has many dangers. Some are obvious such as an avalanche or a fall, but some are much sneakier, such as high-altitude sickness. As I am not an avid hiker or mountaineer, this is the first I’ve ever heard this term. But it makes sense, going from a low altitude to high without giving the body time to adjust can be fatal. Luckily, Meg’s fiancé Todd Webb happened to know of this particular risk and was more than willing to fill Meg in. Thanks to his insight she and her human partner, Brian Foster, are as prepared as they can be for this sneaky opponent.
Getting to the crash site is difficult because no one knows exactly where the jet went down, but also the weather and climbing conditions are less than ideal. The pair have a determination to save lives and bring the hijacker to justice. Anyone who appreciates dogs will also love how much attention and praise Sara Driscoll – via Meg – give to the dogs themselves. Meg and Brian both pay close attention to their K-9 partners, making sure to keep them just as safe as themselves, not only on the climb but also internally to avoid the potentially fatal high-altitude sickness.
Sara Driscoll does a fantastic job describing the challenges faced by those scaling a mountain. Especially rescuers. Mentioning mountaineering terms at each chapter beginning helps to immerse readers in Meg’s mindset as she adapts to the situation. The amount of detail and knowledge in Summit’s Edge is truly impressive. Sara Driscoll has always impressed me with her research and how she relays information to readers in an effective and clear manor that draws them into the story rather than leaving the reader feeling overwhelmed. The airplane high jacking is detailed in a few different ways and injuries sustained in the crash are also quite vivid. As far as that’s concerned, I advise readers to be aware that this is a bit more intense than the cozies than I usually review. New readers of the FBI K-9 novels won’t have any problem following the story or becoming invested in Meg’s adventure. Those who have enjoyed the previous eight books will definitely like this newest addition to the series. There is one warning I feel I should give to any potential readers – Sara Driscoll writes in such a way that readers won’t be able to put the book down until they know Meg, Hawk, and any survivors there may be are all home safe and sound, and if the hijacker is brought to justice. – Carla Schantz