Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Books in Order
Part ofMargaret Mizushima Books in OrderSee the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery books in order by Margaret Mizushima, with short summaries, series background, and clear advice on where to start.
Last updated: July 3, 2026
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Timber Creek K-9 Mystery books in publication order
11 books
Killing Trail
by Margaret Mizushima
2015
When a young girl is found dead outside Timber Creek, officer Mattie Cobb and her new K-9 partner Robo are thrown into a murder case that hits close to home. A local veterinarian and his daughter may hold the clue that breaks it open.
Stalking Ground
by Margaret Mizushima
2016
Deputy Ken Brody's missing sweetheart is found dead just as a snowstorm traps Mattie Cobb and Robo in the mountains. The case turns into a cold, claustrophobic hunt for a killer who knows the terrain better than they do.
Hunting Hour
by Margaret Mizushima
2017
A murdered student is only the start when another girl disappears, this time one of Cole Walker's daughters. Mattie and Robo race the clock through forest and fear, chasing a kidnapping case that keeps shifting under their feet.
Burning Ridge
by Margaret Mizushima
2018
A charred body on Redstone Ridge pulls Mattie, Robo, and Cole Walker into a brutal investigation with personal stakes. As more remains surface and wildfire closes in, Mattie becomes part of the killer's plan.
Tracking Game
by Margaret Mizushima
2019
After an explosion at a community dance reveals murder, Mattie and Robo follow clues from a grieving family to poachers and danger in the mountains. A wounded man and a lurking predator turn the search into something even darker.
Hanging Falls
by Margaret Mizushima
2020
Flooded high country leads Mattie and Robo to a body in a lake and a strange suspect living off the grid. As the case widens, Mattie's long-buried family history starts surfacing alongside the murder investigation.
Striking Range
by Margaret Mizushima
2021
A dead inmate, a map to Redstone Ridge, and a missing newborn send Mattie and Robo into one of their toughest cases. The search soon ties into old killings from Mattie's past, with Cole Walker caught in the danger.
Standing Dead
by Margaret Mizushima
2023
A trip to Mexico to see Mattie's mother turns alarming when she disappears, and back in Timber Creek a note points toward a body in the high country. To save her mother, Mattie may have to go undercover with a killer watching.
Gathering Mist
by Margaret Mizushima
2024
Just before her wedding, Mattie and Robo are called to Washington's Olympic Peninsula to find a missing child. Rain-soaked woods, poisoned dogs, and hostile locals turn a search-and-rescue mission into a kidnapping case with deadly stakes.
Dying Cry
by Margaret Mizushima
2025
While snowshoeing with Cole's daughters, Mattie and Robo hear a scream and find a deadly fall that was no accident. The investigation leads to greed, grief, and a killer who threatens Mattie's newly built family.
Fighting Edge
by Margaret Mizushima
2026
A welfare check, a drug stop, and suspicious activity at local kennels seem unrelated until Mattie and Robo start pulling the threads together. What emerges is organized crime in rural Colorado, and the next target could be someone Mattie loves.
Timber Creek K-9 Mystery books in chronological order

Killing Trail
by Margaret Mizushima
2015Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 1
Stalking Ground
by Margaret Mizushima
2016Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 2
Hunting Hour
by Margaret Mizushima
2017Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 3
Burning Ridge
by Margaret Mizushima
2018Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 4
Tracking Game
by Margaret Mizushima
2019Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 5
Hanging Falls
by Margaret Mizushima
2020Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 6
Striking Range
by Margaret Mizushima
2021Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 7
Standing Dead
by Margaret Mizushima
2023Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 8
Gathering Mist
by Margaret Mizushima
2024Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 9
Dying Cry
by Margaret Mizushima
2025Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 10
Fighting Edge
by Margaret Mizushima
2026Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 11
Series background & context
At the center of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries is Deputy Mattie Cobb, a Colorado law officer who works with her German shepherd partner, Robo. The books are set in the fictional mountain town of Timber Creek, where deep snow, wildfire, rough trails, and isolated backcountry can be as dangerous as any suspect. From Killing Trail onward, the series mixes police work with the feel of western country life, so the setting never feels like wallpaper.
Robo is a real working partner, not just a lovable mascot.
Mattie handles the official investigations, but veterinarian Cole Walker becomes just as important to the series. He helps with animal cases, reads people well, and often gets drawn into emergencies because life in Timber Creek blurs the line between domestic life and criminal trouble. Their relationship grows slowly across the books, which gives the series a steady emotional thread without taking over the mysteries. Cole's daughters, Mattie's colleagues, and the wider town all add to that sense of an ongoing community.
The cases usually begin with a sharp hook, a body in the mountains, a missing girl, a flooded lake, a burned ridge, a desperate search in the forest. Then the books widen into something messier, with family secrets, old grudges, and the practical problems of working in remote country. In Stalking Ground and Hunting Hour, weather and terrain put pressure on every decision. In later books like Burning Ridge and Tracking Game, the wilderness becomes part of the threat itself.
These are police procedurals, but they have a strong family pulse.
One reason readers tend to move through the series in order is Mattie's personal story. She carries a hard childhood, trust issues, and missing pieces from her past, and those old wounds keep surfacing as the books go on. The emotional arc is not rushed. It unfolds beside the investigations, especially in books like Hanging Falls, Striking Range, and Standing Dead, where past and present start pressing against each other more directly.
The tone sits in a nice middle ground. These books are not cozy, and the crimes can be serious, but they are also grounded, readable, and full of care for animals, landscape, and ordinary people trying to do difficult jobs well. By the time you reach Gathering Mist or Dying Cry, you know the rhythm: a tough case, careful K-9 work, a vivid outdoor setting, and a team you want to spend more time with. That is the real pull of the series.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.















Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts