Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I'm a fan of this author's Mace Reid series and thought I'd give this series a second try. I didn't like the first book and I'm sorry to say this one wasn't much better. It didn't hold my attention, and there was too much repetition in the "past" chapters of a dual timeline story. I like the idea of the brother-sister duo solving crimes but Cory seems very immature and Crystal, for being a detective, seems to be a lone wolf with no police team to back her up. I found myself skimming too much and probably won't read more of this series.

I am not sure I have read any books where the K9 team was more than a passing mention despite reading a lot of police procedurals so this was a nice change. Although they are not really a K9 unit, more cadaver/human detection dogs that occasionally help out the police. It is also the second in the series but I did not find I was missing any context by skipping the first book.

We start off with a simple search for an elderly man who wandered away from his family lunch but while calling in that find, Cory's dogs start alerting to the ground and they are rarely wrong. Then they find a second grave site too. The bodies have been missing for decades and someone will kill to keep the secrets that died with them.

It becomes even more complicated when one of them turns out to be the nephew of the head of the Chiacgo crime family. Only his side of the family are supposed to be on the straight and narrow, so how did he end up in a long hidden grave with two ex cons?

This one is hard to do without some minor spoilers but I am happy that the dogs and Cory survive all that is thrown at them and the "mastermind" gets what they deserve. The families finally get some closure on their decades old missing persons cases too.

A decent read if a little repetitive in places as it tells the story from multiple points of view. The person behind the deaths reveals themselves well before the end, so less of a mystery and more if they will get away with it. Plus how many people they will harm trying to keep their secret buried.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the copy for review.

4* Good intro to this series, and it didn't matter that I'm late to the party.

This is an engrossing and engaging tale, partly because of the dynamics of the brother-sister duo, partly because of the brother's telling of the tale, partly because of the storyline but mostly because there are dogs in it, dogs that save the day, literally, and that don't get hurt.

It's easy to start and there's enough told that I didn't find myself wondering about the previous book. It's quite fast paced and Cory is unaffected and literal and his 'voice' is youthful and believable and carries the tale well. The storyline is sad at the start, but that's just a facilitator for the plot, which is a good one. A sad one for some of the people involved, and boy is it good that justice of a sort, the type I find satisfying when someone's gotten away with something for too long, got done. 'Al' definitely deserved what they got. But those involved in the decades-old crime should've known better, and because of them, their families suffered, not knowing what'd happened to them.

What I liked is that the dogs didn’t get harmed unnecessarily in this just to up the horror factor. Brit here, and that matters hugely.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Severn House, for my reading pleasure.

Cory Pratt returns with his cadaver dogs Alice and Rex for another fast paced and fun to read mystery/thriller. I thoroughly enjoy Burton’s books because they’re full of twists and turns and suspenseful with humor thrown in - very much like David Rosenfelt and Harlan Coben’s books. Great book thanks for the advanced read!

I enjoyed this book. It is a unique plot, I kep my interest all the way thru. It has lots of twists & turns. And has an unexpected ending. #TheSecondGrave #NetGalley

A dangerous secret buried for 30 years deep in a forest

Corey Pratt and his human remains detection (HRD) dogs are searching for an elderly gentleman lost in a large state park. While hunting for the lost senior, Corey’s K-9 companions Alice and Rex alert to 2 separate spots in the forest. They have found the graves of 4 people murdered 30 years ago. Crystal Pratt is a Chicago PD detective and Corey’s sister. She takes the case as one of the bodies is that of a missing Chicago native.

The bodies tie into an unsolved high-profile crime. The killer wants it to remain that way and will go to great lengths to stay hidden. As the brother and sister get closer to the truth so is the killer getting closer to them. Add a Chicago mob connection and the excitement and danger build. Now it is a race against time for them to finish the case before it finishes them!

This is the second in the Chicago K-9 series and I love the dynamic between the siblings. Their parents died in a car accident and now they share their parent’s house. Corey is a young man still figuring out what he wants to do. He is taking college computer courses but is well-suited to HRD work and owns a dog training academy. Adorably, he thinks of his dogs as goofballs, except when they are working. When working they are all business. He has an endearing addiction to junk food and a habit of stumbling over dead bodies.

Flips back and forth between the present day and the events leading to the crime in 1994. It is fast-paced and twisty-turny to keep you on the edge of your seat! Recommend for readers who like the author’s Mace Reid K-9 mysteries, Sara Driscoll’s FBI K-9 series, or Alex Kava’s Ryder Creed series.

Thanks to Severn House for access to a digital advance review copy on NetGalley.

In Jeffrey Burton's second book in the Chicago K9 Thriller series, The Second Grave, Cory Pratt's cadaver dogs, Alice and Rex, are called out on what should be a routine find-a-missing-elder who wandered into the woods, at night, in the cold. The dogs should have no problem tracking him, and in fact, they don't. What they also find are two more graves with four bodies, all three decades old. Cory is excellent with working dogs, but he's young, in school to learn IT, and still finding his way in life. His sister Chrystal, though, has a passion for this sort of cold case. She manages to see connections others might have missed, despite that the bodies have no ID and little to indicate who they are or why they were buried in the middle of a forest. Are they related? Or is this coincidence? One clue leads to another until it seems all were involved in a long unsolved bank robbery with unproven connections to organized crime. Though it is a cold case, the killer doesn't seem to know that because as soon as the graves are opened, s/he begins to attempt to cover his/her tracks.

This is a good story with unique characters and a sense of humor to keep the murders and threats from getting too dark. It is told as a dual timeline, from Cory and Crystal's present day and the events leading up to the three decades old murder. I enjoyed it, though some plot spots left me scratching my head. I think --IMHO--the author took a few too many liberties with the privileges of writing fiction and mixing the timelines for me to get completely lost in the book although with dogs, detectives, funny guy for a character, I really wanted to. I give this a shaky4/5, but probably won't pick up Book 3 in the series.

This story centers on Cory Pratt, a canine dog trainer/handler and his sister Crystal, a police detective. The discovery by Cory and his dogs of graves in a remote area of their town becomes the storyline. I think more emphasis on their relationship would have strengthened the storyline and increased the likeableness of both of them. I would definitely read another book featuring this brother-sister duo, but hopefully featuring more developed characters. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

A bit slow to get going but plenty of twists and turns. Interesting characters especially the two cadaver dogs.

The Second Grave by Jeffrey B. Burton is a gripping addition to the K-9 thriller series that seamlessly weaves tension, mystery, and the bond between humans and their canine counterparts. Set against the backdrop of Chicago, the story kicks off with the discovery of two graves, igniting a race against time.

The narrative centers around Cory Pratt, a dedicated dog trainer, and his brave cadaver dogs, Alice and Rex. Their latest find—a mass grave along with an older, solitary grave—unearths dark secrets from the past and connects to a notorious unsolved crime. As the identities of the victims are revealed, the stakes rise, revealing a dangerous killer intent on erasing any connection to their past. The author portrays the dynamic between Cory and Crystal, a Chicago Police detective. Their collaboration is both heartwarming and full of tension, emphasizing not just their professional objectives but their personal stakes in the case.

The tension builds not only from the investigation of the crimes but also the unpredictable threats that emerge as they delve deeper. Fans of thrillers and dog lovers alike will appreciate the strong representation of the K-9 unit. The loyalty and instincts of the dogs add an enriching layer to the story, enhancing the emotional depth and highlighting the teamwork required in such dangerous pursuits.

Overall, The Second Grave is a good read for anyone looking for a gripping, well-crafted mystery. With its clever twists and well-drawn characters, it’s a page-turner that makes one eager for the next installment in this series.

#TheSecondGrave #NetGalley @severnhouse

Hidden graves, murder, bank heists, fixers, mob bosses, revenge, betrayals and search and rescue dogs - complex and fast moving investigative tale, great for fans of detective mysteries, and there are dogs!

The discovery of two graves digs up past crimes and a dangerous killer trying to erase their tracks in this fast-paced K-9 thriller series set in Chicago!
Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!