The Devil's Deal (A Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Book 13)

I’ve read all the books in the Raine Stockton series. I liked this one well enough. I have grown to like the Raine character more as the series has progressed. She seems to have matured and is not as impulsive and headstrong as she used to be. But I don’t like Miles. There have been enough reasons interspersed throughout the books since his character was introduced, to suspect Miles may not be what he seems. He is what people sometimes describe as too good to be true. Miles has a slickness about him — always says the right thing — but I don’t trust his character. Perhaps more to the point is that he and a Raine don’t seem very well matched. They have very little in common, share few interests and obviously come from and live in two very different worlds. I don’t think they share the same values. Their relationship is just not believable to me. I’m glad that Buck is again more prominent in the story line and oddly enough, find myself rooting for Buck and Raine to find their way back to each other even though he has a history as a philanderer and Raine says she’d never trust him again. People can change. Still, I enjoy the series, the focus on dogs, and the characters. Frankly, it’s a relief to find a book series that doesn’t resort to and depend on gruesome deaths, profanity and gratuitous sex to entertain. I look forward to the next installment.L Smith

Bongo is the world’s most valuable dog. Why? Ms. Ball takes readers on an intricately woven trail through corporate espionage, stolen intellectual capital, murder, kidnapping, assault, and so much more to answer that question. Raine is put in an untenable position choosing between two lives. She finds a workable solution—unknown to anyone else but Cisco and her and one trusted friend. A white-knuckle read for sure.

I have loved Donna Ball’s books since her Harlequin Rebecca Flanders days, largely due to her psychologically strong, career women. Originally, I felt Raine Stockton fell into that category. Not so much any more. This book is paced well, moves quickly. I have always struggled with the Raine-Myles romance’s believability. I have never believed a woman who loved her mountain so much would fall for the profiteer who destroyed it to build his home and development, no matter if ecologically sound. And she sees it daily, stepping out of her home! Now, this time, Raine is “adjusting” her moral compass because Myles,now her fiancee, is knowingly funding a dog scent research project with military implications. Moreover, when his employee accused of murder calls him in Europe on Raine’s phone, Myles’ only concern is she NOT lose the dog, not at all concerned for her safety. He ignores all of her calls and messages till he returns, leaving her vulnerable and in the dark. But Raine just accepts this as ok, when he apologizes later. How does she handle this cognitive and emotional dissonance? She justifies it, weakly to Buck and herself, and when Myles refuses to discuss Belgium (a trip linked to this profitable project), knowing she won’t like the answer, she ignores his non answer, so she can keep her fiancee and her new ring. Will Myles make a profit potentially harming Cisco in the next novel, just to have Raine invent another lame excuse to defend his questionable, profit motivated lack of conscious? She has become weak to me, adjusting her concept of morality to keep her man. Not a fan of her character arc in this series.

I have enjoyed all 13 books in this series. Donna Ball is a fine writer. If you haven't tried this series, please do.

I was expecting another great Search and Rescue with familiar characters and a good plot. Well, I got all of that but I also got intrigue, industrial espionage, and a lot of twists and turns. This was a page turner with a great surprise ending.My only reason for not giving it five stars is the story line concerning her romance with Miles. Raine has always been a strong, no nonsense, stand up for herself character, but she seems to forgive Miles a lot and it does not fit her character.

Oh, how I look forward to each new Raine Stockton Dog Mystery! Raine, her family, her friends, especially the four footed ones have come to feel like friends and in addition to the awesome mystery plot, each book offers me time with old friends. Donna Ball has built a constantly evolving life for Raine and while I don't love every change, I do love others and they all feel realistic but never mundane. I am glad that Buck is till part of the story and, although I do not feel that I know Miles well, I like him more and more every time I see him in action.

I have read and enjoyed previous books in this series. It took me awhile to buy this book because I prefer longer books.I was also hoping the price would go down since the book is so short.I did just buy and read it and thought it was great! Knowing the characters from reading previous books made it a great read.Also, I do love dogs!!!I look forward to the next in this series. And I see a new book coming out in the Flash series!!

A brilliant black lab, a beautiful child, and a murder create a tangle for Raine, Cisco, the Sheriff’s dept & the FBI. If things weren’t complicated enough, her ex husband Buck and fiancé Miles add another layer of tension. This is a well-crafted story that moves quickly. I read it in one sitting. I’m already looking forward to the next book.

I'm a big fan of The Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series and would have rated this a 5, but found it a little slow to take off until half way through. I also felt Cisco played a very small role in this story which was disappointing.Without going into the storyline I like Raine with Miles so I hope the author has no intention of bringing Buck back as a love interest for Raine. He doesn't deserve her, he had his chance not once but 3 times and ruined any chance he may have had.Looking forward to book 14 and please Donna make Cisco and the other dogs have more of a role in the next story.Cheers

I love this series, but I wasn't as enamoured with this book. Maybe it has gone on too long and is losing its magic. Really bored with the whole Miles/Raine love story that is on a dull road to nowhere. They are so unsuited that it just doesn't ring plausible for me. I get the feeling that the author is starting to develop some sort of subplot involving Miles, but frankly I don't find him and his kid interesting enough to care.

I love the this series of books and this one did not disappoint I would recommend this book as a good read