Tracking Justice by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray is Book 2 in A Maddie Castle Thriller Series.
Maddie Castle was a cop/K-9 Handler who lost her beloved "Bear" (specially trained K-9) and the normal use of her knee, forcing a replacement, by finding a serial killer known as The Country Killer. She's now a Private Investigator living in a trailer park trying to make ends meet. Her new dog "Tempest" belonged to another detective who was shot and killed. Tempest required significant retraining, but Maddie was determined to make the necessary behavioral reforms in the dog as the alternative was to put this smart but improperly trained canine to death. That would've been a waste of a very intelligent and willing partner who became unexpectedly affectionate with a fun personality under Maddie's adept regimen.
Maddie's former close friend, a very good friend which makes what they've become more painful, recommends Maddie to a wealthy woman who owns a car dealership and has just lost her daughter with little help in finding out how this happened from local law enforcement. Since the brilliant young college woman who was very close to her mom was found on her bed OD'd from a party drug, the cops labeled it a suicide and closed the case. At first, that's what Maddie thought too until she interviewed her on and off boyfriend, former best friend, and searched her room. What she discovers tells a completely different tale.
As Maddie wrestles with the possibilities, the victim's mom wants to be informed about everything, but there are some things about her daughter that Maddie must confirm before revealing anything because what she's learning will be painful for her mom to hear. In the process of the investigation, there is an obvious attempt on Maddie's life, but no one at the police department wants to take it seriously.
Mixed in with the difficulty of discovering leads and feeling threatened by an invisible pursuer, Maddie wrestles with her feelings for her best friend, Bentley. Is there more for them?
This is a good mystery with plenty of twists and some thrilling action - usually at Maddie's expense. The mom is a good client and generous to Maddie because as far as the mom is concerned, Maddie is the only one who has taken her daughter's death seriously enough to prove it wasn't a suicide.
This is a good series with a worthwhile tough heroine and an amazing partner in her K-9 Tempest.
(Profanity present.)
Father, you know it all, hearts and minds, all of it. I pray you would minister to L.T. and C.R. and give them the material they need to keep writing good stories. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.