Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, are out on their usual hike in the remote Lye Brook Wilderness when Elvis sniffs out a very unusual finding. A baby abandoned near a shallow grave filled with human bones. U.S. Game Warden Troy Warner and his search-and-rescue dog Susie Bear responds to Mercy's 911 call. Who left the baby there, and who's in the shallow grave?

A BORROWING OF BONES is the first book in the Mercy & Elvis Mysteries series. And I'm a big fan of books, especially mystery books, with animals in them. Elvis is a bomb- sniffing dog who has retired together with Mercy Carr who is an ex-MP. The discovery of the baby in the woods introduces her to Troy Warner, and their dogs take an instant shine to each other. The owners also feel a deep connection. However, Mercy carries a lot of baggage with her since her great love, a fellow soldier, was killed not long ago.

As a mystery, A BORROWING OF BONES did not totally win me over; I had some problems with the pacing of the story and I often felt like the side stories (saving a lot of neglected kittens, for instance) were more interesting than the main story. I did like the characters, especially the dogs! I will read the next book in this new mystery series - I want to read more about Mercy, Elvis, Troy, and Susie Bear! I just hope the story in the next book will engross me more.