Today I am excited to welcome author Margaret Mizushima as she shares behind the scenes to her latest book.
Tracking Game is the fifth book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series. In addition to providing a new mystery for the reader to solve, it highlights the developing love story between the two protagonists, Deputy Mattie Cobb and veterinarian Cole Walker. And of course Mattie’s K-9 partner Robo also plays a huge part in the book, especially in that “Tracking” part of the title.
When I sat down to plan this episode, I decided to fold in things from my earlier life, more so than in any of the previous books. I was raised on cattle ranches, first in Texas and then in Colorado. Thus, the first victim’s family are also involved in the ranching industry, and they live on a property that has been in their family for generations.
These ranching folks are facing hard times, not just from losing a family member to murder. The family patriarch has sustained a stroke and is left with a communication disorder called aphasia—and this is where the other part of my past comes in. I worked as a speech pathologist specializing in neurologically based communication disorders for twenty-five years before I retired from that career, and I wanted to spotlight this particular problem that can result from brain injury.
The twists, turns, and action-adventure in Tracking Game were sparked by conversations I’ve had with veterinarians and wildlife managers in Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which are what inspired the “Game” part of the title. Wildlife trafficking is real, and not just in Africa. People in the USA are very much involved, and money is made from the suffering of exotic species, another topic I wanted to spotlight.
The result is a mystery with elements of romance and outdoor action. Tracking Game is set to release on November 12, 2019, and I invite you to join me in Mattie, Robo, and Cole’s latest adventure. It’s available online for pre-order now and is also available to order at your favorite bookstore. This mystery can stand alone, but if you want the full impact of the characters’ journeys throughout the series, start with Killing Trail and work your way through the episodes. I do love a series!
Two brutal murders, a menacing band of poachers, and a fearsome creature on the loose in the mountains plunge Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo into a sinister vortex.
An explosion outside a community dance sends Mattie Cobb and Cole Walker reeling into the night, where they discover a burning van and beside it the body of outfitter Nate Fletcher. But the explosion didn’t kill Nate–it was two gunshots to the heart.
The investigation leads them to the home of rancher Doyle Redman, whose daughter is Nate’s widow, and the object of one of their suspect’s affection. But before they can make an arrest, they receive an emergency call from a man who’s been shot in the mountains. Mattie and Robo rush to the scene, only to be confronted by the ominous growl of a wild predator.
As new players emerge on the scene, Mattie begins to understand the true danger that’s enveloping Timber Creek. They journey into the cold, misty mountains to track the animal–but discover something even more deadly in Tracking Game, the fifth installment in Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 mysteries.
About Margaret:
Margaret Mizushima is the author of the award-winning and internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. Active within the writing community, Margaret serves on the board for the Rocky Mountain chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected the 2019-2020 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She lives in Colorado on a small ranch with her veterinarian husband where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals. She can be found on Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima, on Twitter @margmizu, on Instagram at margmizu, and on her website at www.margaretmizushima.com.
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