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Friday, June 12, 2020

Use of cadaver dogs in police work ~ Win a copy of Kylie Logan's The Scent of Murder


Happy Friday, suspense lovers. Today we welcome back author Kylie Logan, who has released a brand new mystery, The Secret of Bones. Logan's series involves human remains detection dogs, (HRD) also known as cadaver dogs to help solve crimes. Kylie has gotten up-close and personal with these fascinating dogs and their handlers. I asked Kylie to tell us about cadaver dogs:
Anyone who lives with one knows dogs are amazing. They are companions. They are confidantes. They are sometimes workers and sometimes clowns, and they can be incredibly smart . . . or not so much. They sit quietly at our sides when we read. Or they can romp like toddlers, and sometimes be just as challenging. With boundless energy and noses that can, according to scientists, detect scents 10,000 to 100,000 times better than any human nose can, dogs have become invaluable in police work, sniffing out drugs, bombs, and other contraband, and finding the lost.

But it’s not only the living who sometimes need to be found. That’s where Human Remains Detection (HRD) dogs–often called cadaver dogs--come in, dogs that are specially trained to track only the smell of human decomposition. It’s not a new concept. In fact, the first mention of a dog finding the dead was in Germany in 1809 when a court clerk, frustrated by the lack of evidence in a trial, walked his dog past the suspect’s house. The dog alerted to two bodies buried in a shed and the suspect was convicted. The modern concept of training dogs specifically to detect the scent of human death started in New York in the 1970s.

Today, cadaver dogs assist first responders across the country and are handled by teams of dedicated volunteers. What kind of breeds make good cadaver dogs? It really doesn’t matter. Breed is not nearly as important as drive, intelligence, and ability. HRD dogs are trained to pick up the scent of decomposition as it drifts in the air, so like many hunting dogs, they have to be good air sniffers. But like hounds and other tracking dogs, they also need to track scent on the ground for those times when dead cells are shed and fall to the earth. They need to be smart enough to made decisions and to work on their own, but they also need to be loyal to their handlers and to obey commands. And they need to get used to working in all weather over all terrain, both in rural and urban settings. Death in arid conditions has a different odor than death in humid places, and the dogs need to learn the differences as well as being able to distinguish the scent of death when it comes from both above and below the ground. HRD dogs have found the dead buried as much as 30 feet under ground and some are currently being used to find burials at archaeological sites, including Roman hill forts. To help in finding drowning victims, some dogs are specially trained to detect the scent as it rises into the air from underwater. A few years back, a canoer disappeared in a Canadian lake. Authorities searched for the body for two weeks and found nothing. When they brought in a water-trained HRD dog, the dog located the deceased in fifteen minutes!

For the dogs, the search isn’t as much about finding dead people as it is about the reward they get for work well done. Most handlers have a special toy for the dog and when it does its job–alerts to the presence of death–the dog is allowed to play with the toy. Handlers, too, go through grueling training that includes orienteering and first aid for both people and pups. Like their dogs, they are tested and certified, and they must be fit and willing to work outside in all kinds of weather. They also need to be ready to deal with whatever it is their dogs may find and part of their training includes how to secure a scene, how to make notes on the condition of the body and the area, and of course, how to contact the proper authorities. Dog and handler work as a team and provide invaluable assistance in important work, often giving the family of the missing answers and closure.

Tell us a little about The Secret of Bones: Assembly Day at St. Catherine’s school is always one of the highlights of the year as professional women gather from all around Ohio to talk to the school girls about careers. Administrative assistant, Jazz Ramsey, is involved, too, giving the girls a taste for her passion—cadaver dog training. The girls are impressed, until a dog leads Jazz to a little-used part of the school where she knows she hasn’t hidden a bone. The discovery of a skeleton answers questions about the disappearance of Bernadette Quinn, a teacher who never returned to school after Christmas break three years earlier. But now it appears that Bernadette never left the school at all, and the place where her bones are hidden make it clear—this is murder. Bernadette’s difficult personality means there are a plethora of suspects inside the school and out, and as Jazz gets closer to the truth, she can’t help but wonder if someone is dogging her footsteps.

Here's a little about the author: Kylie Logan is the author of the Jazz Ramsey mystery series. Jazz
trains and handles cadaver dogs in her hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. The second installment in the series is “The Secrets of Bones.” It follows last year’s “The Scent of Murder.” The books are published by St. Martin Minotaur. As Kylie Logan, she’s also written light-hearted cozy mysteries including the League of Literary Ladies series, the Button Box series, and the Ethnic Eats mysteries. As Casey Daniels, she’s written the Pepper Martin books. Pepper solves mysteries for the ghosts in the cemetery where she works. Logan has been writing for nearly thirty years and in that time, has published 62 novels. In addition to mysteries, she’s written both historical and contemporary romance, books for young adults, and one children’s book. These days, she likes nothing better than concocting mystery plots filled with eccentric characters and plenty of twists. This fall, writing as Lucy Ness, she’ll premier a new series, the Haunted House Mysteries, which will be published by Penguin/Random House. The first book in that series is “Haunted Homicide” and features a hoity-toity women’s club in an aging mansion...and the ghost of a flapper in an old basement speakeasy. Logan lives near Cleveland with her husband and two dogs. Lucy is a rescue who came to the family through a prison training program. Eliot Ness is a two-year old Airedale who besides being a show dog, has never met anything–food or otherwise–that he doesn’t want to put in his mouth.

To order a copy of The Secret of Bones, please click on this link: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Bones-Mystery-Jazz-Ramsey-ebook/dp/B07Z2LFM12/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WVR9JXMBPYUG&dchild=1&keywords=the+secret+of+bones+by+kylie+logan&qid=1591132042&sprefix=The+Secret+of+Bones%2Caps%2C282&sr=8-1


For a chance to win a print copy of The Scent of Murder, please lease Kylie a comment to be
entered in the drawing. You MUST leave your email to win. Sorry, US readers only. 






53 comments:

  1. "The Secret of Bones" sounds like a wonderful book and has been on my TBR list since I first read about it. Love the cover! You can just see the alertness in the dog's ears and yet the patience of waiting for his owners signal. It also looks to me like the dog can see the answers (in the light) while the handler is still hasn't a clue (in the darkness), but together they can find the clues.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy! I've shared everywhere to spread the word, but hoping to be the fortunate one selected so I can finally satisfy my desire to read "The Secret of Bones".
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  2. Wow, I found the water-trained HRD dog information amazing! cabinkak@gmail.com

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  3. Wow that is very interesting! Dogs truly are amazing. I will definitely be checking out all of Kylie's books.
    nstotts (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

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  4. Dogs are amazing creatures!! We don’t have one at the moment but are thinking about getting another one. Your sounds interesting and is headed to my TBR pile. Anne at Rightler dot com

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  5. This book and series look like something I'd love to read. Going to add these to my TBR list. Thanks for the chance to win. Boxtopscrazy at gmail dot com.

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  6. The storyline sounds intriguing and I absolutely love reading mysteries!

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  7. I'm not a dog lover, but enjoy books where they are used in police work and in the military. Sounds like a great book.
    marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  8. interesting info
    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  9. Sounds like a good book. Would love to win and read it. pianosue@yahoo.com

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  10. Kylie here, checking in as her alter-ego, Casey! So nice to hear from all of you. Yes, couldn't agree more. Dogs are incredible, and the people who train HRD are remarkable, too. All of them volunteers, and incredibly dedicated to their work!

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  11. Wow, dogs are so very smart. Thank you for sharing this awesome and very informative post, I enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed learning about these awesome dogs and their trainers. This book sounds like a very good read, I would love to read it. I have a half Schnauzer and half ?? and he is such a good little companion . Thank you so much for the chance at this awesome sounding book. Have a great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you all. aliciabhaney(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  12. It’s amazing what dogs can do. This sounds like a very good read.
    janeen dot bair at gmail dot com

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  13. I've thought owning a German Police Dog would be awesome! They are so beautiful & smart. Your book sounds very intriguing, thanks for sharing your interview & chance to win. RW620 AT aol DOT com

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  14. I love finding new-to-me authors! This sounds like an interesting idea to write about and I would definitely like to check it out!

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  15. The story sounds good. I like a story with dogs in it. Thanks for the chance to read it.

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  16. forgot to leave my email with my comment - jlb12563@sbcglobal.net

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  17. Wow, these look good and very interesting. I like the storyline a lot. Also, nice to meet you as a new author. Would love to win and thank you for a chance. paralegal7@hotmaildotcom

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  18. This sounds so incredibly interesting

    nancydarby2007@yahoo.com

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  19. I love books where dogs have a major role, thank you for the chance! ldreher520@comcast.net

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  20. This book sounds like it's right my alley!
    duellonlysis (at)aol(dot)com

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  21. I am buying this book as soon as I can order it. I have one SAR dog (Doc, a Border Collie mix) and one in training (Ona, a gorgeous GSD, from a hard core working line from Czechoslovokia, and I am SAT Tech II certified. It has been a long held dream to do this AND write a book about it. You beat me to it. Can't wait to read your book. Congratulations! :)

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  22. I find this really interesting. I would love to read these books. Thank you for this chance to win. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com

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  23. I can't wait to read your book, and will order ASAP! I have one SAR dog (Doc, Border Collie mix) and one in training (Ona, a GSD from a hard core working line from Czechoslovakia), and I am SAR Tech II certified. I love search and rescue, and it has been a long held dream to write about it, but you beat me to it. Congratulations! :) Can't wait to read your story.

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  24. I'm adding this to my (ever growing) BOOK REQUEST LIST for when the Bookmobile comes back to my town (June 19th!) I love dogs, and how smart they are, and how each one has his/her own personality! I enjoy reading stories about how dogs assist in keeping this world a safer/better place! Thanks for an opportunity to win! MS Barb Badawson16 at aol dot com

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  25. I've heard of cadavers but had no idea what it meant. It's a needed but very difficult occupation. racheltirzah(at)gmail(dot)com

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  26. I love Colleen Coble’s Rock Harbor series with the SAR dogs. And I’ve read a few with cadaver dogs as well. Just my kind of book! Can’t wait to read this one!

    ktpoole at bellsouth dot net

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  27. Sounds like an interesting book. Would love to win a print copy! Lual Krautter Email: krautter41120@outlook.com

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  28. What a fascinating post! I love learning new things! Congratulations on your new book!
    whthomas13 at yahoo dot com

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  29. This book looks so good. It’s on my TBR list for sure. Love learning about these amazing dogs and all that they and their handlers can do. rmstands@msn.com

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  31. Wow that was a really good post. The book, The Secret of Bones sounds like a great book.

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  32. Sounds like a book that I’d enjoy.
    tumcsec(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. "The Scent of Murder" sounds like a great book. It's amazing what dogs can be trained to do. Would really love to read.

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  34. There are so many things that dogs can do. I learned about cadaver dogs from the crime shows. I am so glad that it is the reward they appreciate.

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  35. I love the book cover and the excerpt sounds interesting and intriguing. Dogs are so smart. Sometimes I wonder if they're smarter some people LOL.
    Cadaver Dogs are not only very helpful solving crimes but they help their owner/handler in so many ways.
    I love books like this. I find books like this fascinating, intriguing, mysterious, interesting and yes sometimes even informative.
    My Full Name: Crystal Stewart
    My e-mail: don(dot)stewart(at)zoominternet(dot)net
    I would love to read and review the paperback/print format.

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  36. This sounds fascinating!

    amy bradsher at gmail dot com

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  37. My goodness, you are one busy lady! I wasn't aware that you wrote under so many pseudonyms. This book sounds intriguing! Thanks for the chance to win.
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

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  38. Sounds good. Thank you for sharing.
    leliamae54(At)aol(dot)com

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  39. This looks so very interesting. It is fascinating that these dogs are helping archeologists!
    paulams49ATsbcglobalDOTnet

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  40. This sounds like a great book and I can't wait to read it! It's going on my list right now. Thanks for introducing us to this author!
    clhutson1016(at)gmail(dot)

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  41. I enjoyed the first book in this series and look forward to reading this new one. Thank you for the opportunity to enter. Becca12901(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  42. Wow! This sounds so interesting. I've never read a book about cadaver dogs before. Definitely adding this to my tbr list!

    dmandres5 at gmail dot com

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  43. These dogs are heroes among heroes.
    livinginjoytogether@gmail.com

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  44. This sounds like a great book Thanks for the chance to win this book SARAHTAYLOR601973(at)YAHOO(dot)COM

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  45. Sorry. My email is thereadmaster@me.com

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  46. Nice cover. I liked the blurb. It sounds like a really interesting book, very intriguing. Thank you for sharing.
    dianah7272@gmail.com

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  47. This looks really good. Thanks for the chance.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  48. The interesting, an unusual way to find out dogs could be used that way. The book sounds wonderful.
    Theresa Norris
    weceno at yahoo dot com

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  49. Sounds like a great read!
    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  50. I love dogs in police work. This book sounds really good. Stella (dot) potts77 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  51. I've read other books with cadaver dogs and always enjoy them. They are exceptional dogs. And, the handlers are as well. I would love the chance to read the book. lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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