Deadly Trade

Readers of the FBI K-9 series by Sara Driscoll (pen name for Jen J. Danna) are in for a treat with the tenth book in the series, Deadly Trade. The book features Meg Jennings and her Labrador K-9 partner Hawk as well as her new husband, Washington D. C. firefighter and paramedic Todd Webb.

Meg is a civilian employee of the FBI’s Human Scent Evidence Response Team.

They’re ready for two weeks on Hawaii for their honeymoon and Hawk accompanies them. After a week of relaxation, the three are ready to go hiking on the Big Island, where Meg and Hawk can practice search strategies. They decide to go to a natural area reserve on the northeast flank of Mauna Loa that contains important habitat for some of Hawaii’s rarest birds as well as several rare plants. They encounter two men trapping birds. The poachers escape, leaving behind several birds in bags. Agents from the local FBI and US Fish and Wildlife arrive and confirm that the birds are all endangered species.

Meg, Todd, and Hawk are asked to join an official search that also includes a local conservation dog to pinpoint vulnerable nesting grounds to attempt to stop the poachers. However, there’s another threat. Mauna Loa, one of the island’s active volcanoes has been grumbling and seems to be getting more active.

Meg is compassionate, friendly, wants to help others, and has a keen sense of justice. Hawk loves the rescue life. He’s steadfast, determined, and full of drive. He also loves and trusts Meg as she does him. Todd has a larger role in this novel. He’s extremely perceptive, but also strong and quick to react to dangerous situations. Both Meg and Todd understand the other’s unpredictable schedule and the dangers they face. There are a few characters from prior books that help with continuity and a sense of visiting friends as well as the introduction of some new colleagues.

Dynamic characters and fantastic world-building combined with a great plot, intense scenes, and excellent pacing are a standard expectation with this author. She has once again delivered that in this excellent and intense novel. I always learn something new in each book in the series. This one has a volcano related word or phrase and their definition at the beginning of each chapter. I also learned more about conservation dogs and how they are used in environmental research as well as wildlife management and enforcement.

The author’s writing style continues to hook me quickly with a story that is intriguing and had the right amount of tension. The prose is well-written and engaging. Readers can tell she did a lot of research to get the details right regarding the habitat and the dangers encountered in this novel. The atmosphere is tense and serious throughout most of the novel and it has more technical details than usual in this type of book without slowing the pace. There are a few threads that could lead to the next book in the series. Time will tell.

Overall, this tense, engaging, and suspenseful mystery gripped me from the beginning with its multiple types of danger and great characterization. It was difficult to put down. I’m a fan of the series and looking forward to reading the next book. Enthusiasts of crime mystery and detective stories featuring K-9s will likely enjoy this book.

Kensington Publishing – Kensington and Sara Driscoll provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 28, 2025.