A Great Summer Read from Owen Laukkanen

I'm a big fan of Owen Laukkanen's series featuring Minnesota BCA agent Kirk Stevens and FBI agent Carla Windermere, and I really enjoyed his stand-alone thriller, Gale Force. Laukkanen now returns with Deception Cove, which races away from the first page in sixth gear and doesn't pause long enough to downshift anywhere along the road to the last. It may be his best book yet.

The novel has three main protagonists. Jess Winslow is an ex-Marine who returns home to Deception Cove on the Washington Coast, psychologically wounded after two tours in Afghanistan. While she's been in the service, her husband has died, leaving her only a ramshackle house and a boatload of trouble. Mason Burke is an ex-con, fresh out of prison after serving fifteen years on a murder charge.

The third character, who brings Winslow and Burke together, is Lucy, a black and white pit bull mix. Lucy was rescued just before being euthanized and was brought together with Burke in a prison program where convicts would work with damaged dogs, preparing them to move on to loving homes. Burke brought Lucy out of her shell and trained her well. The dog then went on for additional training before being given to Winslow as a comfort animal, and in the end, the two wind up comforting each other.

Burke remains emotionally attached to Lucy and upon his release from prison, tries to check up on her. He's not looking to get Lucy back, but he does want to make sure that she's safe and in a good environment. He's shocked to discover that Lucy has bitten someone--a deputy sheriff, no less--and is scheduled to be put down. Burke borrows money, buys a bus ticket to Deception Cove and races off--at least as fast as one can race on a Greyhound bus--in an effort to save Lucy.

Upon arriving in Washington state, Burke meets Winslow who is in serious trouble with the deputy sheriff who was bitten by Lucy and who has taken possession of the dog. The ex-convict and the ex-Marine form a tenuous bond, united by their affection for Lucy and their determination to save her. To say any more would be to say too much, and this is one of those cases where, in my opinion at least, the tease on the book jacket gives way too much away. If you get the book, don't read the tease; just dive in and discover the book's great twists and turns for yourself.

Those who follow the author on Twitter or Facebook will have already met Lucy, who Laukkanen rescued several years ago. She appears to be a great dog in real life and she plays a major role in Deception Cover. I really hope that we will see her, along with Burke and Winslow, again soon. In the meantime, this is an excellent summer read that should appeal to anyone who loves a great thriller.