All That I Dread (K-9 Search and Rescue #1) (2024)

So multi-layered, with a great pace. Unexpected twists and an ending that gave me goosebumps and a big lump in my throat! A beautiful read - highly recommended!

Pros:
Great pacing.
Interesting facts about dogs and how they are trained to do search and rescue.
Both Nate and Jessica had well-developed backstories that enriched the story.
Nate was supportive and patient as he insisted that Jessica find the help she needed to heal.
Jessica's hesitancy to get counseling as well as her desire for a quick fix came across as genuine.
This is Christian fiction! Christ is presented as the only true source of strength and healing.

Cons: I think the reader is told every time Luke relieved himself. 🤣

This was the first book I've read by this author.
Will I read more books by this author: YES!

Overall rating: 4.5 Stars

Linda J. White is a master storyteller who has a knack for developing realistic characters and a plot that draws one in and holds attention to the end. There are three characters in this book that have pasts that wounded them and shaped them because of it. Jessica Chamberlain is a private investigator who wants her German Shepard, Luke, to become a search and rescue dog. She has joined the Battlefield Search and Rescue team where Luke is being trained. Nate and his dog Sprite are a seasoned SAR team that work to train Jess and Luke. Nate's military background has left scars but his faith sustains him. He senses that Jess is a wounded soul and is drawn to mentor her through work on the team. Scott Cooper, an FBI agent, is drawn into the group when Luke finds a body on federal land while on a normal training routine. Scott's sister was murdered when he was a teenager and the killer never found.
As the bodies of young women increase in the Virginia countryside, Scott and the SAR teams work together to find answers and stop a serial killer while the suspense ramps up. It was hard for me to put this book down. Nate's soft spoken voice and faith threads through this story and gives a common theme that prevails in all situations-one of grace. There is so much more to this story but I don't want to give away too much. I have never been disappointed by Linda White's books and was so excited to see this new one. So good!

All That I Dread is a very well written romantic suspense. The plot kept my attention almost from page one. Very well developed and believable characters. I highly recommend this book. My thanks to the author for my complimentary copy of the book. This is my unbiased review.

This book was a super read, full of suspense, but also human resilience. It begs for a sequel...!

Jessica Chamberlain was a cop until her partner was killed - she blames herself for his death. Now she is a P.I. and part-time member of Search and Rescue with her partner's dog, Luke.
Jessica has PTSD, not helped by the fact that her father died in 9-11 and his body was never found. Her SAR mentor Nate, a scarred war veteran, tries to help through a mixture of advice and Scripture.
During a search Luke finds the body of a murdered young woman - the F.B.I. is called in as there seems a strong possibility that it is the work of a serial killer.
The book is at its strongest when it deals with SAR, the emotions, the pressure, the interaction with more 'official' searchers.
And then 'All That I Dread' gets strange (unless you are religious, in which case it all makes perfect sense). The religious end of the story feels mostly like it was crowbarred in to make a point - though if the message is that you shouldn't blame yourself and Jesus won't take the blame, I seriously doubt that the message makes a lot of sense.
Remove the religious element from the book and, with the exception of Nate's faith, it all becomes more believable. Jessica's eventual conversion, while expected, is forced.
If you are looking for a better SAR book you could try the Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries by Donna Ball - a truly excellent series.

"Was I doomed to live under the shame of my failures until I died?"

Jessica Chamberlain has intentionally stuffed her painful past into a corner of her life that rarely sees the light of day, carefully transitioning from one career to another, while pursuing certification as a volunteer search and rescue team with her beautiful German shepherd, Luke. When a live search call-out turns into something more sinister, Jess's carefully applied exterior shell fractures, giving training director Nathan Turner an opportunity to share hope with another tortured soul. Meanwhile, young women are dying, and there's no time to spend wallowing through regrets.

Offering keen insight into the lives of those who donate hours of their time searching for, and rescuing, those who have become lost, this book also offers much insight into the lives of those who are spiritually lost and searching for something entirely different; no condemnation. In the words of Jesus himself, "Neither do I condemn you: go, and from now on, sin no more." . . . . . In the words of the author, "What you've done doesn't need to define you."

I received a copy of this book from the author. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Compelling story of God, search dogs

Compelling story of God, search dogs and the healing that can come from both. Jess lost her father an then her partner, along with the job she loved. Now she finds herself trying to find purpose and peace through her work as a private investigator and search and rescue with her dog Luke. Luke finding a live person and then a dead person, brings many fears and memories to Jess, and she backs away. One of her fellow search and rescue volunteers changes that. God brings the rest of the story through the author's words. I enjoyed this book and plan to read more by this author.

Wont finish

The main character was not likeable at all. I almost didn't finish. This wasn't advertised as a religious book. That's not what put me off but just shocking that it was so heavy in the story line. The main character. Is rude. All about herself and her problems. Always lashing out at others. She was not a likeable character at all. Will not finish

This was my first book by this author, but I know it won’t be my last! I absolutely loved this book! I didn’t want to put it down! This book kept me on the edge of my seat! I really enjoyed reading about search and rescue dogs. It was all very interesting! I definitely recommend this book!

This was the first book I’ve read by Linda J. White. Overall, I thought the suspense part of the story was well executed. I learned a lot about search and rescue and the use of dogs in searches. This was very interesting. The three main characters were complex and had each experienced a traumatic event that shaped them. Nate was my favorite. He was wise and had an authentic, strong faith. Readers will like him immediately. The same cannot be said for Jessica and Scott. It took a long time to understand why they were so hard, so my advice is just hang in there with them. Their transformations are slow, but that makes the changes more believable. There are two points of view in this story. Jessica is in the first person and Scott is in the third person. I prefer third, but appreciate that first person is harder to write. There isn’t really any romance in this book, but there is a hint that Jessica and Scott might have potential. All That I Dread is the first book in a series, and I will read the next story to see what happens next.

Nowhere does anything say this is Christian fiction or I wouldn't have read it. One * off for misdirecting me and one * off for misleading me. I enjoy stories about K-9 Search & Rescue, so I continued with the book. I enjoyed the dogs and the descriptions of their work. The characters and their journeys are good, but this particular religious aspect kept me from fully enjoying the book. I won't read any of the authors other books.

Missed the religious factor of this book as the description or tags are not mentioning it on Storytel. As that is not my cup of tea, those references annoyed me.
Interesting was the K-9 search and rescue training and action. The search for the killer was well done. The story has a good pace on the investigation level, but it lacks a certain character development that would have been nice as the characters were obviously struggling a lot with their personal stuff.

Another reviewer:
"Compelling story of God, search dogs and the healing that can come from both. Jess lost her father and then her partner, along with the job she loved."

by Barbara Kelley

I dearly love novels about people who have K-9 partners and how those characters bond, live, and work together. I did have a hard time getting into the novel (Chapters 1-6), but as soon as I reached Chapter 7, I was hooked on the themes, plots, and storylines.

This novel has 3 main storylines, but they interconnect with one another. All three main characters have faced a tragedy and life-changing experience in their pasts.

Jessica Chamberlain suffered one tragedy when she was twelve years old and a second tragedy three years prior to the start of this book. She was a NYPD officer, but is currently a private investigator (the job that pays her bills) and a volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR), along with her dog, Luke.

Nate Tanner is a war veteran who was the sole survivor of an IED explosion. All other soldiers, as well as Nate's K-9 partner in the Middle East were killed. He tells the story about how his K-9 partner, Rock, was found lying on top of Nate after the IED hit, as if the dog was still trying to protect him. Nate was burned over most of his body and the mention of Brooke Army Medical Hospital in San Antonio, Texas was mentioned. He was from Texas, which accounts for his accent.

FBI Special Agent Scott Cooper had a tragedy of his own. When he was seventeen years old, his fifteen year old sister was murdered, and the killer was never found. He was a great baseball pitcher and could have been recruited to the major leagues, but he decided he wanted to be a police officer, and then an FBI agent, so he could stop other young women from being killed.

This novel combines these three characters former tragedies when another woman is found dead, and she was found in much the same way as Scott's sister was found.

While this novel may have sounded preachy to some of the reviewers, it had the opposite effect on me. Even though I love, fear, and respect God, my Father in Heaven, I also struggle with the question of why He allows certain tragedies to happen. All three characters struggled with what they called "the God thing"; however, by the end of the book, each came to terms with how God can help us in our lives. Pay special attention to Chapter 36, when you come to it.

I liked what Elizabeth Caldwell, the first victim's mother, said about Jessica's K-9 partner, Luke, who found her daughter's body. She touched Luke's head and said, "Luke, the healer." Jessica did not understand what she meant, but I got it right away. Her statement was in reference to the Bible's Luke (the third book in the New Testament) as being the Great Physician. Luke, the dog, had lain down next to the dead victim and barked, not leaving her side until Jessica got to him. And the victim, according to her mother, had loved dogs.

I liked how each point-of-view was handled and how spot-on they were when each character was they were alone. For instance, the book started in Jessica and the first-person narrative; while each time Scott and Nate were alone, they were in third-person narrative. This reminded me of Julie Moffett's Lexi Carmichael series during the last 2 or 3 books so far in the series. Lexi is consistently in first-person narrative, and Slash, her boyfriend's was in third-person narrative. This makes the story flow better.

Chapter 21 had a section on "dog massage" that was totally interesting. Also, throughout the book, the two main dogs, Luke and Sprite's (Nate's dog) intuitions were fantastic. It is amazing how animals connect with their owners, and can physically, mentally, and spiritually feel their owners' pain.

Be sure to carefully read the last seven or eight chapters because they are critical to all 3 characters' storylines. I won't say anymore about this because I don't want to leave spoiler alerts, for those of you who have not read it yet. All I can say is that I will definitely buy the second book in the series. I gave this book 5 stars, even though I had a little trouble with the first 6 chapters. If you have the same kind of trouble, trust me, and finished reading the book from start to finish. You'll be glad you did. If the film industry makes a movie out of this book, I hope they keep the Christian aspect in and do not clutter it with bad language. If a book can be cleanly written, then a movie can also be made cleanly filmed.

There's a difference between being strong and histrionic

I didn't like Jessica. For most of the book, she acted like a sulky, hormonal pre-teen, moaning and groaning about how horrible her life had been since her father died. She is bound and determined to get into SAR because it sounds like loads of fun, but as soon as things get sticky and messy for her own peace of mind, she runs like crazy in the opposite direction, refusing to answer her phone when Nate and Emily try to contact her. She wants people to ignore her anxiety and stress about her past, and yet her actions in those situations keep screaming, "look at poor little me!". She demands that Nate "fix" her. She demands that her psychologist fix her. She says all she needs is for them to tell her what to do to be fixed, and she'll do it, like a paint-by-number picture, but she refuses to believe them when they give her direction. She blames and accuses everyone for the way she is. I got sick of her pretty quickly. I kept reading because I wanted to find out who the killer was (coincidentally, unbelievably, someone from the past). I liked Nate, although he got a bit tiring talking about God 24/7. But, for what it's worth, Jessica DID ask him how he got better when he was in a bad place, so he told her - and for him that happened to be finding God, so he wasn't lying to her. She just scoffed and refused to listen to him. I suppose that we had to see how messy Jessica's life was because we had to see how much better and freer she was after she found God for herself. And we had to see what a hope-filled, loving woman she becomes after that. You'd have to be dumb as a post not to get the difference God is supposed to have made, comparing the "old" Jessica and the "new" Jessica. It wasn't the constant "religiousness" of this book that got to me. It was the message that if your life is a crappy mess, just find God, and everything will be blue skies and sunshine. I don't think I will be reading any more of this series.

Ok, you can't go wrong with a story that involves a K-9 search and rescue dog, right?! Luke is an amazing dog, and it was "great" to see him work in this story.

This was my first introduction to this author and the storyline was very intriguing. I've read books similar to this one before, but never wondered if this was something I'd want to do with a dog until now. Well, wondered, and then decided against it because you can tell how hard the job is through Luke and his handler, Jess.

It took a little while to figure out what the storyline was going to be overall. I think when we finally got to 25% of the way through it came to light what the mystery was that needed to be solved. It was fascinating reading about the entire SAR team, how they trained, and how they all worked together. I liked how Nate came into Jess's life at just the right time. He was such a wonderful teacher and leader, not just in SAR, but also in his faith. One of the other main characters, Scott, grew on me after not liking him much in the beginning.

The SAR sections of the book definitely kept my attention and I really enjoyed reading how the dogs and handlers worked together. There were a number of them which helped propel the story along. There's also a wonderful thread of faith that's shared through Nate's life and I really appreciated how he shared his experience of coming to faith and pouring that over into Jess and Scott's lives.

I think the part I struggled with the most in the story was all of the details. There were sections of the story that had a lot of it so I skimmed some of those pages. Jess I also had a hard time with. I completely understood her PTSD, but she wasn't a very positive person throughout the whole story. I was hoping she'd lighten up a bit towards the end, but not as much as I would've liked.

If you love K-9 stories and suspense, this would be a good series for you!

*I received the ebook for review. This is my personal opinion.

Wow. New-to-me author (an instagram discovery) and I am hooked on her storytelling style! It puts me in mind of Carrie Stuart Parks — has that same depth and grittiness infused with faith. The author digs deep to push past layers of characterization that is raw and real and emotionally sucker punching at times. And she draws out Jessica’s backstory with intriguing hints of foreshadowing. I was on tenterhooks trying to put the puzzle pieces together and once I knew everything….whoa!!!!

The K-9 details are incredibly well done. I knew a bit about Search and Rescue from other suspense novels, but there are so many new elements (at least to me) addressed in this story. Jess’s K-9 is a work-in-progress. Mischievous Luke makes for an endearing four-legged hero — good for laughs, ‘ahhh’ moments and heroic Lassie flare. 🙂

Told from three points of view, the author expertly weaves disparate lives together in a compelling way. Faith might be considered a fourth POV as inspirational subplots interlace throughout. Powerful. Moving. Redemptive. Healing. I was as captivated by Jess’s faith journey as I was the suspense.

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition of All That I Dread, narrated by Vanessa Daniels. She has the right ‘voice’ for Jessica and the rest of these characters and enhanced my ‘reading’ pleasure.

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2023/02/27/a...

Love is an Anchor

While Jessica Chamberlain and her dog Luke are trying out for SAR she and Nathan Turner the training director find a dead body. Enter Special Agent Scott Cooper who is tracking a possible serial killer. Jess struggles after finding the dead woman, her past coming back to haunt her. Even as she tries to push everyone away Nate supports her with endless patience and kindness. Gradually she is dragged kicking and screaming into the investigation. As Scott, Nate and Jess get to know and trust each other they find that they are not so different after all. Each of them having suffered great loss in their own way. As the killer gets ever closer it will only be through joint effort that they will catch him before the next kill. Surprisingly I really enjoyed this sweet suspense although it is not my usual style. The characters were sympathetic and well thought out especially Nate who I fell in love with from nearly the start. If there is a moral to this story then it is to never judge a book by its cover and that love really is all anyone needs. Inspirational and thrilling this book is a great read.

This is a terrific book. A former police officer and her German Shepherdtrain for search and rescue. Finding the body of a murdered young woman forces her to examine olf wounds. One of the heads of the group and a determined FBI agent become her unlikely allies. But can they stoop a serial killer>

I loved this book. The mystery is good although I identified the murderer early on. The characters, including the dogs, are well portrayed. Refreshingly there is no sex or explicit violence. There is a strong message of hope and redemption. Although couched in Christain terms, it is universal and should resonate regardless of personal belief or lack thereof. Hands down, one of the best books I've read this year.

Such wonderful writing but blindsided by evangelical preaching

This writer is obviously very talented in both storytelling and in her writing ability. The plot was great, suspense high and the characters were inspirational. However, I wish it had stayed inspirational instead of evangelical or make it clear in the book description that the author is using the story to preach the gospel. That’s fine, but please let your readers know that this is very much a religious book and not simply motivational. I really felt blindsided. I would love to read more of this author’s work, but it clearly falls in the category of Christian fiction and not suspense/thriller and that turns me off. Otherwise, great writing.

I chose “All That I Dread” because of the rave reviews. I can’t imagine what these other readers loved. The book failed to build a climax. There was no suspense.

This book is a Christian version of a canine rescue story. The underlying theme of faith is strong, and it should be featured in the book’s description so readers don’t expect a page-turner.

The main character is a former police detective who is apparently far more insightful than the FBI and every other law enforcement official. Not believable.

Yet, when confronted by an FBI agent about her past, she literally runs away. And this is a woman who is described as having “grit”. Not buying it.

I can see an audience for this book, perhaps Charles Martin fans. Perhaps.

Action Packed Rescue

I really enjoyed this action packed book. The story centers around Jessica, who has suffered depression and panic attacks as a result of an incident where her police partner was killed. She felt the guilt of what she could have done differently. She is given her deceased partner’s dog, Luke. She trains him to be a rescue dog. Jessica has a very hard time coping but Luke is such a supportive dog. Then she meets a vet named Nate who tell her of God’s grace. The relationship they develop is truly special. The action is packed with police and FBI agents, crisis’ galore and hope.

Jessica and her dog Luke are in training to be SAR certified. (Search And Rescue) Nate Tanner isn't so sure that they are a good fit for the job. One day they go out on a mock search, Luke finds the 'person' and when that was over, he also found a dead body. Luke, much to Jessica's dismay, also seeks out HR. (Human Remains) This brings back bad memories for Jessica along with nightmares. As Jessica and Luke get more involved with SAR and Nate, secrets emerge and self-preservations and understanding take the secrets place. A very interesting story that I enjoyed very much. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

Highly recommend

Jessie, now a private investigator , left the police force with guilt and shame after losing her partner. Keeping her partner’s German Shepherd Luke when her former partner’s wife didn’t believe she could keep the dog, Jessie volunteers for SAR. Nate, a member of Sar and known as “dog man” befriends Jessie and becomes her mentor and close friend. The one issue Jessie has is that Nate is a Christian and brings his beliefs in God up in conversations as Jessie struggles with her own personal demons. The author wrote a book that included people who were fighting their demons and found the everlasting grace of God.

Five Stars***** K-9 Search & Rescue

Ms. Linda J., you created a fine story, awesome characters, spectacular dogs. Luke Dog almost has super powers!
It's also obvious that Ms. Linda J also did her research!
I'm not writing this review to fill it with spoilers. Honestly, some reviewers give away the book before I've downloaded a sample to preview.
What I am suggesting is to procure this book, grab a coffee, and read!
Im looking forward to following Ms. Linda J and reading more of her books!
I love that Jesus was also a character as well!
#OurGodIsAnAwesomeGod

Riveting!

Nate, Scott and Jess all had challenging pasts and continued moving forward although unresolved issues popped up making the forward movement piecemeal. The cases they worked together brought them together as truly caring friends. Had trouble putting the book down due the suspense, characters and their situations. Nate depended on God for his life and introduced Jess to Him. She was quite resistant. Well written with believable characters, the book is not preachy, nor does it pretend faith in God will give you a problem free life. A favorite new author for me! 🥰

K-9 Search &Rescue #1

This wonderful novel by Linda L. White is the beginning of an amazing series. The suspense drew me in from the start. I am hooked and looking forward to reading part 2. Not only does she involve the FBI when looking for the serial killer who preyed in short, blond college women, she brings in the never ending support from the local search and rescue group to work together. All That I Dread is absolutely an incredible read. It should not be passed up if you are a lover of K-9 books. Do Enjoy!

All That I Dread

This is my first time reading a book by Linda White and it won't be my last. I loved the action of the K-9 rescue team of Jess and her dog Luke and Nate and his dog Sprite. They not only worked well together but became close friends. Nate was the trainer and when he recruited Jess she was able to overcome guilt of things that happened in her past. I especially liked that the author let her belief in God show up in the story. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a Christian based story. This is my voluntary and honest review.

A riveting K-9 rescue story.

This book had me from the first page. You can't help but care about the main character. This book makes you want to keep reading to find out what is driving her fears. And the hero with his sweet southern drawl is the perfect gentleman. All people who love dogs will also be intrigued to read how a K9 rescue unit works. The ending to this book is going to blow you away.