Why teach a dog to speak if no one will listen to him? XK9 Rex was bio-engineered and cyber-enhanced to be the most capable police dog money could buy. He even has a collar-mounted vocalizer. But then a catastrophic explosion on a space dock sidelines his human partner. Now his new masters on Rana Station assume Rex has nothing to say. But Rex’s keen nose picked up a vital clue about the explosion. He must get the investigators to listen, even though the handling protocols say that without his human, this forensic tool must go on the shelf. Giving them “puppy-eyes” doesn’t work. Rex must dare to disobey orders and make them listen. But neither he nor the Police Chief know that the handling protocol hides an ugly truth. When Rex takes an independent hike to HQ, the truth is laid bare. Rex has revealed an international conspiracy that could destabilize the entire Chayko System. Who will listen to him now? WHAT'S BRED IN THE BONE is an exciting, highly imaginative science fiction thriller and police procedural. Whether human or canine, Gephardt knows her characters and breathes life into them. Her writing is taut, the plot intricate and fast-paced. This novel is a dog-lover's dream! --Robin Wayne Bailey, author of the Brothers of the Dragon Series There were so many things to love about this book . . . besides from all the animal goodness, there is a good mystery going on. I think this can best be described as a police procedural in space - and with dogs. There's plenty of action and intrigue to keep the reader's attention. -- Booker T's Farm Gephardt does a fantastic job of putting us inside of these animals' heads. Every action they take makes sense for an animal, and you get the feeling that she truly understands what makes our canine friends tick. She also has a great sense of humor, with some pages making me giggle as I read them. -- Dogpatch Press Jan S. Gephardt is a writer, artist, publisher, and longtime science fiction fan. Her "XK9" books feature a pack of super-smart, bio-engineered police dogs who struggle to establish themselves as full citizens of the space station where they live, while solving crimes and sniffing out bad guys. She and her sister G. S. Norwood are the founders and co-owners of Weird Sisters Publishing LLC. Jan lives in Kansas City with her family.