The discovery of a missing boy’s body uncovers cruel schemes in this twisty, fast-paced K-9 thriller series set in the Windy City of Chicago. What if the past won’t let you go? It was supposed to be a fun dog demo day for the students at Henry Horner Elementary School in Chicago―but when Cory Pratt’s cadaver dogs sniff out the body of a missing teenage boy wedged into the wall of the cafeteria, his family’s life is shattered. It seems like tragedy follows the Shortridges. With the eldest son having taken his life a few years earlier, Patrick being found mutilated and murdered devastates the whole clan further. Now everyone is fearing for seven-year-old sister Charlotte. When a kidnapping attempt on the young girl fails, Cory and his detective sister Crystal are sure someone is targeting the Shortridges. But who is behind these savage attacks and why would someone want to kill off such a seemingly unassuming family? “A mighty impressive thriller” ( Booklist on The Dead Years ), perfect for fans of action-packed K-9 mystery series, such as Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries, Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr Mysteries and Susan Furlong’s Bone Gap Travellers Mysteries. A serpentine procedural grounded in an engaging detective duo and their lovable canines ― Kirkus Reviews Fast-paced, plot-driven, a heinous crime and a dog wedding . . . If you have read and liked Jeff’s other excellent mysteries (and who hasn’t?), The Boy in the Wall is a must read ― Cary J. Griffith , author of the Sam Rivers Mysteries Another solid K-9 thriller with Cory and his dogs ― Red Carpet Crash A compelling, police procedural thriller with emotional depth and a satisfying unraveling of long-held secrets ― Book Junkie Reviews Burton has an easy writing style. Any grimness is offset by Cory’s love for his canine best friends who are as carefully drawn as the humans. As it should be ― Twin Cities Pioneer Press It’s likely The Second Grave will be on my Best of 2025 List. Very likely ― Kings River Life Magazine on The Second Grave The author [has] considerable talent ― Booklist on The Second Grave Well-written and fun to read ― Red Carpet Crash on The Second Grave A gripping addition to the mystery genre . . . a standout and engaging read ― Book Junkie Reviews on The Second Grave [A brisk] Windy City crime yarn, with dogs ― Kirkus Reviews on The Second Grave Novels in Jeffrey B. Burton 's critically acclaimed Mace Reid K-9 mystery series include The Finders , The Keepers , and The Lost . His Agent Drew Cady Thrillers include The Chessman , The Lynchpin , and The Eulogist . The Boy in the Wall is the third installment in his latest Chicago K-9 thriller series, following The Second Grave and The Dead Years . Jeff lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his wife, Cindy, an irate Pomeranian named Lucy, and a happy galoot of a Beagle named Milo.