A Body in the Attic (Emily Dahill CID)

Lindsay
Downs
ISBN Number: 
978-1-622135-006-4
Genre: 
Mystery

Special Agent Emily Dahill and her dog, Dakota lead an Army crime investigative team.  The story opens with a dead body, a Master Sergeant as a suspect, and a booby trapped secret tunnel where Emily is almost shot.  Dakota uses his super senses of smell, hearing and tracking to help Emily solve the whodunit murder mystery.  Special Agent Jenna Janson with the FBI is also working to solve a crime involving her supervisor, Special Agent Mark Albright.  Jenna and Emily end up working together, combining their talents with that of Dakota's to solve different parts of what turns out to be the same crime.  
Lindsay Downs writes two different story lines that come together nicely.  The attention given to the details of military crime investigation are thorough and realistic, making this story a good crime read and a surprise betrayal gives the story a great twist!  Given the book's shortness (75 pages), there is little opportunity for background and character development. This makes it difficult to follow the story line, especially if the reader has no experience in the military or previous knowledge of crime investigation. Most of the story is devoted to the criminal investigation, leaving little time for relationship building.  The investigative parts are also detailed and repetitive, becoming tedious at times.  The star is Dakota,  who works tirelessly for the occasional pizza slice or a doughnut;  Dakota's character provides a great counterpoint to the investigative process showing how canine talents can trump even the most sophisticated investigative tools.

Vicky Burg