A rescue dog, an ex-Marine, and an ex-convict are caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless gang in remote Washington state in this first-rate thriller (Associated Press) for fans of CJ Box and Michael Koryta (Booklist). After fifteen years behind bars, Mason Burke owns one set of clothes, a wallet, and a photo of Lucy, the service dog he trained while in prison. Seeking a fresh start, he sets a course for Washington state, where the dog lives with Jess Winslow—widow, former US Marine, and PTSD survivor. With one knock on Jess’s door, Mason lands in the midst of a standoff: Deputy Kirby Harwood has seized Lucy and threatens to destroy her unless Jess turns over the contraband that her late husband stole from under the deputy’s nose. The last thing Mason wants is to be dragged back into the criminal world. The last thing Jess wants is to trust a stranger. But neither of them can leave a friend, the only good thing in either of their lives, in danger. To rescue Lucy, they’ll have to conquer their fears, forge an uneasy alliance, and fight back—before all three of them become collateral damage in someone else’s private war. | Deception Cove by Owen Laukkanen, Paperback | Indigo Chapters