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No Man's Land

(FBI K-9 #4)

Sara Driscoll (Goodreads Author)

4.39 · Rating details · 95 ratings · 38 reviews

Special Agent Meg Jennings and her search-and-rescue dog are on the trail of a killer hiding where others fear to tread...

For Meg Jennings and her K-9 companion, Hawk, exploring the ruins of a deserted building is an exciting way to sharpen their skills without the life-or-death stakes they face as part of the FBI's Human Scent Evidence Team. But deep in the echoing rooms ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published November 26th 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

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Average rating 4.39 ·

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· 95 ratings · 38 reviews

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Nov 18, 2019 Gloria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense-mystery, read-arc, netgalley-2019, rated, reviewed

No Man's Land is the fourth of the FBI K-9 series and the second that I have read. This is a murder mystery with an interesting premise. Urbex or urban exploration is a new concept to me but basically is an activity that people do to observe condemned sites that are left to deteriorate on their own. Explorers are going on these sites periodically to see how much they have changed, not to damage but observe. Meg Jennings and her search and rescue dog, Hawk, of the FBI K-9 unit, Meg's boyfriend ...more

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Oct 25, 2019 Jacqui rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In Sara Driscoll's fourth book in her FBI K-9 series, No Man's Land, Meg Jennings and her search and rescue dog Hawk, part of the FBI's Human Scent Evidence Team, become involved in a particularly heinous murder case where elderly people as old as their '80s are being left to die in abandoned urban locations, to live out their last moments alone and maybe in pain. Meg gets the case when Hawk finds the first body, entirely by chance, while he and Meg are on a non-work related exploration of a ...more

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Nov 28, 2019 Kathy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, series, crime-thriller, great-titles, mystery, favorite-authors, highly-recommend, animals, aging-dementia, washington-d-c

No Man’s Land by Sara Driscoll is the 4th book in the F.B.I. K-9 series, and once again the subject matter covered is a step into unchartered territory for me. I love how this series expands my knowledge. In the first book, Lone Wolf, the theme addresses bombings, a homegrown terrorist, and how rescue with dogs works in a bombed building or site. In the second book, Before It’s Too Late, there was the cryptanalysis and Civil War sites. In the third book, Storm Rising, readers saw what went on No Man’s Land by Sara Driscoll is the 4th book in the F.B.I. K-9 series, and once again the subject matter covered is a step into unchartered territory for me. I love how this series expands my knowledge. In the first book, Lone Wolf, the theme addresses bombings, a homegrown terrorist, and how rescue with dogs works in a bombed building or site. In the second book, Before It’s Too Late, there was the cryptanalysis and Civil War sites. In the third book, Storm Rising, readers saw what went on during search and rescue efforts after a hurricane and the horrific issue of human trafficking. And, now, in book #4, readers learn about the world of exploring abandoned, dilapidated buildings to observe their rate of decay, an activity called urbexing. As with each of the books, there is a term defined at the beginning of each chapter helping to explain the subject matter, just a short sentence that aids in understanding the jargon used by those involved. At the heart of all these books is the theme of rescue, both physical and mental. The pairing of the main character Meg and her dog Hawk came about as a rescue of one another, she from a job where she had lost a beloved dog and Hawk from being homeless. Their rescue of one another makes for a firm bond that helps them succeed in the F.B.I.'s Human Scent Evidence Team and is a part of the appeal of this series.

No Man’s Land starts out with a day trip to an abandoned psychiatric hospital for Meg, her dog Hawk, Meg’s firefighter and paramedic boyfriend Todd Webb, and Todd’s firefighter friend and urbexer Chuck Smaill. It’s a chance for Hawk to get in some training and exercising, and it’s an interesting forage for the humans into some amazing old architecture and a world long forgotten. But, Hawk seems to be on alert from the beginning, indicating that perhaps other humans have tread the grounds and buildings recently. Meg finally realizes that Hawk might be onto something and takes him off leash to do his thing. The result is the discovery of a body, an elderly woman who has been dead for at least several days. Whether she was dead before ending up at this site or died on site is uncertain, but one thing is for certain and that is she couldn’t have gotten to the area she was found by herself. Foul play was at some point involved. A tragedy, but one for local authorities to deal with, until in talking about their day at the home of Meg and her sister Cara, Cara’s journalist boyfriend Clay McCord mentions a similar case six months earlier where an elderly person was found dead at an urbex site. Meg doesn’t like the coincidence and brings the matter up to her boss Craig at the F.B.I.’s Human Scent Evidence Team, who discovers more deaths of the elderly at abandoned urban sites. When another senior goes missing in the area, the team starts an active investigation into trying to find the victims before they die and trying to find a murderer who is preying on those too old and infirm to defend themselves. The rescue efforts take the team into places that are dangerously unstable structures, and the murderer seems to pick some of the most precarious perches in the buildings to leave the helpless, dying elders. It is as time sensitive as rescues can get, and Meg must deal with her aversion to heights in situations where the highest point is a favorite disposal location for the murderer being chased. With the crimes being particularly cruel in the fear factor to the elderly victims, first kidnapped and then left to die alone in a decaying and scary structure, the team and their outlying sources of Todd Webb, Clay McCord, and Chuck Smaill are on a 24-7 schedule to stop the madness.

This F.B.I. K-9 series checks so many boxes for me. As a fan of the television show Criminal Minds (an F.B.I. team unit show), as a dog lover, as a puzzle enthusiast, I get lots of interests addressed. The dogs and their handlers are always racing against the clock, building suspense on every page. These stories are just plain exciting. It’s truly like Criminal Minds with dogs. This series, like all series, builds on each book, especially in the character and relationship areas, but what is rather unique about this series is that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this last book or any of them as a stand-alone read. Of course, I have wanted to and have read them all and consider each book an amazing story, but if someone were particularly interested in one of the subjects addressed, like urbexing in No Man’s Land, I would green light it as a single read. However, that brings us to the character development that Sara Driscoll (Jen J. Danna and Ann Vanderlaan) is so adept at. Each book brings more insight into these strong, confident characters that work together so well on unmasking danger and murder. Meg and Hawk, while the stars of the show, benefit and need the help of her boyfriend Todd Webb, who is a D.C. firefighter and paramedic, her sister Cara, who is a dog trainer and yoga instructor, and Cara’s boyfriend Clay McCord, who is a journalist with connections and super human research skills. Then there are the rest of the dogs—Blink, Saki, Coy, and Lacey. All the dogs, those that are rescue and those not, will help readers see dogs as important anchors in life. The rescue dogs, Hawk and Lacey, are fascinating in their abilities as part of the F.B.I.’s Human Scent Evidence Team. And, the storylines and subject matter are endlessly captivating, a constant source of learning for me.

I highly recommend No Man’s Land and the entire F.B.I. K-9 series. It’s an adventure you don’t want to miss. I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher, and the thoughts and opinions above are absolutely my own assessment. ...more

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Oct 09, 2019 Maranda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2019-netgalley, kensington-books

Love reading the stories about service dogs especially those who are part of the Human Scent Evidence Team. Agent Meg Jennings and her pooch Hawk are FBI. When they are not actively on a case or a rescue they work to make their skills even better. No Man's Land is the fourth in this FBI K-9 series by Driscoll but they all stand alone story wise. The characters just keep getting more and more vital to this reader. Never heard of Urbexing before which is exploring the dilapidated and dangerous ...more

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Nov 15, 2019 Monica Mac rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have read all of the books in the series so far and this book is a little different to the others. It reads well as a standalone, but the others are terrific books so why not read them too?

It has to be said that I prefer the format of the previous books a little more than this one e.g. Meg and Hawk are involved in searching for people after a natural disaster usually, whereas this one is about abducted people they are trying to find. Nevertheless, it is a well-written book and I thoroughly ...more

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Oct 26, 2019 Darcy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley-books, e-book, law-enforcement, 2019, mystery

This one was interesting, starting out with Meg on her day off, checking out a potential new hobby, or at least a new way to train Hawk. I find Urban Exploring to be a bit odd. I can see the appeal of those wanting to see the crumbling places, but there is no way I'd go in there, would be too afraid for my own safety. Meg, unfortunately found a different bad aspect to urban exploring when she found a dead body and Meg being who she is couldn't let it go and found out more. The more seemed to ...more

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Nov 03, 2019 Sue Plant rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sara-driscoll

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

hawk a k9 search and rescue dog and handler meg are out exploring a new site that will give hawk some new challenges

but hawks scents something and after a while they find the body of an oap in a position where she wouldnt have gotten in herself or out...why an abandoned building

as more oaps are being found alone in abandoned buildings a pattern is realised but what is the motive...

hawk and meg and her band of k9 ...more

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Oct 29, 2019 Debbie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: suspense, mystery

"No Man's Land" is a suspense/mystery. This book is the fourth in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This novel did spoil a previous mystery's whodunit, though.

The characters were engaging, interesting, and reacted realistically to events. Meg and her K9 partner mainly focused their efforts on racing to save the next victim from within ruined buildings. The danger to everyone from the buildings and from the killer kept the suspense high. Her team ...more

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Oct 28, 2019 JoAnn rated it it was amazing

No Man’s Land is a very good suspense. I enjoyed the well written plot and the characters. I have read other books in the series and enjoyed them as well. I definitely will be reading future books in the series. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review review.

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Sep 25, 2019 Jane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It's all about the details, and Sara Driscoll is a master at drawing you in with the details. Meg Jennings, Hawk and the rest of her 'family' are back at it, only this time it involves a previously unknown (to me) past time called Urbexing. This is basically the exploration of abandoned and/or nearly inaccessible structures, for fun! Only now someone is using these locations to play out their own adventures and it comes at the expense of the elderly. Meg and Hawk, along with Clay McCord and Todd ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Jeanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: author-provided, obs

I loved this fabulous novel! This one-of-a-kind mystery is challenging, finely plotted and executed with excellence. It is like visiting with old friends to spend time with the characters again, both Meg and her closest search and rescue buddy at the FBI, her sister and the guys they are dating. This story has exclusive victims and a setting that I have not seen before.

The setting the murders are woven into is that of going into urban exploration sites, buildings or building complexes that are I loved this fabulous novel! This one-of-a-kind mystery is challenging, finely plotted and executed with excellence. It is like visiting with old friends to spend time with the characters again, both Meg and her closest search and rescue buddy at the FBI, her sister and the guys they are dating. This story has exclusive victims and a setting that I have not seen before.

The setting the murders are woven into is that of going into urban exploration sites, buildings or building complexes that are long abandoned and disintegrating. It is a first-time venture into an urbex site that brings a death to the attention of Meg and her team. Meg and Hawk, her search-and-rescue partner/ black lab, are out with boyfriend Webb and his firefighting co-worker Chuck, are out to get a new training experience. Not only are the sites dangerous, but they would not have scents of living people as Hawk is trained for. Hawke has a surprise for them when he alerts and leads them to the roof. Deep inside the coal bin lies the remains of an older woman who died within the last couple days. There is no possible way she could have gone to the roof and into the coal bin on her own.

McCord, who Meg met several months earlier at a rescue site, is an investigative reporter for the Washington Post. He provides priceless research for FBI cases in exchange for an exclusive story when the case is resolved. McCord is now dating Meg’s sister Cara. He recalls a story about a man who died in an abandoned building earlier that year in a nearby state, and there is a possibility that it could open a case for the FBI.

When her boss at the FBI canine unit finds at least two possibly related deaths, they are alerted whenever an elderly person goes missing. It takes McCord to find a potential, outlandish link between the victims, leading the special agent brought onto the case to the real link between them. As additional seniors are taken, Chuck and McCord help them find the best urbex sites to search, which brings results to tie the urban exploration community with the murders.

This novel is fraught with incredible tension that took away my breath and kept my heart pounding through several outstanding scenes! This armchair sleuth felt as if I were there at the sites, especially the one on which Meg and Hawk go with only McCord giving her information by phone. I cannot imagine what first responders such as Webb and Chuck go through as firefighters, and first responders in general when trying to rescue people from disasters of any kind! The mystery is very well designed and completed, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written mysteries with K-9 teams, one-of-a-kind motives and settings, with intense, stunning scenes and resolutions. Another not to be missed in this series!

From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel; a review was not required.
...more

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Dec 09, 2019 Stanley McShane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, alphabet-soup-challenge

A new author and series for me, Book 4 won't be the last. Love it when I can learn something new and No Man's Land teaches while it winds a heart-racing mystery around a service animal, search and rescue mystery. Hawk is a black lab and Meg Jennings, part of the FBI's Human Scent Evidence Team.

Meg is off on a weekend, looking to expand Hawk's skills in a new and exciting stage, exploring the ruins of abandoned buildings, long since deserted, left to decay and crumble into life-threatening ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Katherine Holom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

No Man’s Land begins with Meg and her FBI K-9 dog Hawk spending their day off urbexing (urban exploring) with friends in an abandoned psychiatric hospital. The plan is to get some interesting search and rescue practice but things get real fast when Hawk leads them to a recently deceased elderly woman. As the woman is found inside a coal bin that she almost certainly would not have been able to enter on her own there is immediate concern that she was murdered. After Meg’s investigative reporter ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Lisa Henderson-Farr rated it it was amazing

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book of this series that I have read. I haven't read the first or third book of the series but believe me I am going to find the time to rectify that because this is one very intense series that will appeal to a lot of readers. A group of FBI agents with lovable furry partners, because how can you not love a series that includes man's best friend, that place themselves ...more

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Aug 22, 2019 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I am a huge fan of all the Jen J. Danna books, and I really enjoy the Sara Driscoll series. This book took Meg and Hawk into decaying buildings used for Urbexing. I had never heard of people exploring buildings the way some explore the out-of -doors and so was led into new vocabulary and new locations. In the beginning Hawk finds an elderly woman injured and trapped in an impossible place in an abandoned mental hospital. But nothing is as it seems, except locations. The bodies start to ...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Mendenbar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sara Driscoll's latest foray into the world of Search and Rescue with Meg and Hawk is an amazing look into the mind of a serial killer. One expects excellent writing, meticulous research and close plotting in these books and this one is up to the usual standard and beyond. I was totally surprised by the whodunnit part though (I thought I was good at figuring these out before the reveal but this one took me by surprise!) The story starts with a sad beginning (as is not unusual for SAR work) and ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Ilona rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Love reading suspense mysteries and I love reading history, and this series combines the 2 into a great page turner.
“No Man’s Land” introduced me to Urbexing, and new terms that I had never heard before. The combination of figuring out why elderly people are left to die in abandoned buildings, description of the buildings and their history, and how Meg and Hawk, her team of co workers and friends plus some new faces, work together work in solving the crime, left me on the edge of my seat and ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Tara Stapledon rated it it was amazing

Review: No Man's Land by Sara Driscoll

FBI Agent Meg Jennings and her K9 partner Hawk are exploring an old abandoned building (a hobby called urban exploring) on their day off as a fun way to keep their skills sharp when Hawk finds a body. This leads them on the hunt through more dangerous buildings searching for victims and trying to catch a serial killer.
This engaging mystery shows the bond between dog and handler and the attention to detail makes you feel like you're there climbing rotten ...more

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Aug 21, 2019 Jen Poffenberger rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I just finished this book. I have followed the series since the first book. It follows FBI Agent Meg Jennings, her K9 Hawk and her fellow cohorts. In this book they are after a killer that is targeting older people and leaving them in Urbex exploration buildings. Driscoll described the places in great detail. I felt like I could see what Meg was seeing. I love that the core characters are working together again, but also expanding the group in this book. I look forward to book #5. If you like ...more

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Nov 27, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

High tension situations, interesting facts of industrial production.

Urban exploration , or Urbex, involves trespassing onto abandoned buildings to explore inside often dangerous conditions.

K-9 search and rescue teams include Meg Cabot and her dog Hawk. This time they are in a race to find abducted seniors left to die alone in URBEX sites. Finding a connection between victims leads to a killer whose exploits put Meg in a life threatening situation which trigger her deepest fears.

I volunteered ...more

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Oct 15, 2019 Judi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another great book in the K9 FBI series! It hooked me from the start and kept me up late reading to finish!

Meg and her search and rescue canine Hawk are on the case of seemingly random senior citizen kidnappings. A race is on to find the next victim before it's too late. Assisted as usual by investigative reporter Clay McCord, firefighter EMT Todd Webb, and Meg's sister Cara, Meg must battle her own phobia in order to find the seniors in the abandoned buildings they are being left in.

Another ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Kathy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Unique murder settings opens up the whole reality of urbexing. Meg Jennings and her dog Hawk try to reach new targets before it's too late, as they try to link a series of cruel murders of elderly victims. Great premise, nice international twist. Unfortunately, for me it began to feel like the adventures of the cool kids. Meg and her friends are all smart, physically fit, they have all the assorted special skills needed to solve the crime, they can face down their fears and take risks and no one ...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Dawn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really liked this book and I hope there are many more to come. I adore reading anything with service animals or German Shepherds most especially though, I love them in K9 and SAR positions. That said, the book also needs to gather my attention in other ways and the group of friends and co-workers is pretty fantastic.

This group of characters is entertaining and encouraging, it kept me motivated and while this is the very first I've read of this series it will not be my last. I cannot wait to ...more

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Oct 18, 2019 Ellen White rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Love stories with the FBI and special service dogs. This deals with a killer hurting the elderly, abandoned building leaving them there and the killer been at it too long. Meg wants to stop him, and with her team, they have to find a connection to this madman.
Good series, and the plot, catches you from the beginning.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by Net Galley
and Kensington.

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Nov 12, 2019 Annarella rated it it was amazing

A well plotted and entertaining suspense, with a great cast of characters and a solid mystery.
I liked the characters and the mystery kept me guessing till the end.
Even if it's not the first in a series it can be read as a stand alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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Nov 25, 2019 Leah Hines rated it it was amazing

This latest edition to the series is full of tension! I often found myself holding my breath. Meg and Hawk along with Webb stumble into a case that is twisted and horrible. The rest of the cast of characters are back along with some new. I hope we get to see more of them in future books. This book is full of mystery, suspense, action, and intrigue.

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Dec 07, 2019 Diane Griffin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sara Driscoll

This was an extremely exciting adventure! I love these stories with the search and rescue teams. I really like the characters and the dogs in these stories. Excellent job. I highly recommend!

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Dec 08, 2019 Pam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Great Read!

I love this author’s work. Her story, characters, background, and information gleaned from the story are amazing. I always enjoy the dogs dynamic as well. Great job at storytelling!

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Dec 10, 2019 Illustrious Illusions rated it really liked it

What a different K9 team! I loved the action and excitement of this one. Urban settings with lots of new terms and excitement. A well written story with great characters and it didn't feel like a lot of other books on the market! I look forward to reading more from Sara Driscoll!

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