The Long Thaw
(2026)(The sixth book in the K-9 Search & Rescue Mystery series)
A novel by Sophie Lyon
After everything they've survived, Gemma thought the hardest part was over. She was wrong.
Spring thaw has come to the Colorado mountains, and with it, a chance at something Gemma Hartley never expected: happiness. Marco has proposed. Warren Haskell is in prison. The ghosts that drove her to Elk Creek have finally been laid to rest.
But peace has a price.
When a social media influencer with two million followers disappears on the mountain trails, Gemma and her K-9 partner Kira are called to search. What looks like a straightforward missing persons case quickly becomes something darker—a web of obsession, followers who crossed the line from fan to stalker, and secrets hidden behind a carefully curated online life.
And through it all, Gemma must face the truth she's been avoiding: Kira is slowing down.
Eight years old. Six years of partnership. Hundreds of searches. The gray spreading through Kira's muzzle tells a story of a life well-lived—but it also tells a story that's approaching its final chapter.
As Gemma trains Scout, the young German Shepherd who will carry on the work, she must balance the urgency of the search with the reality of Kira's limitations. She must solve a case that leads from Instagram fame to deadly obsession. And she must find a way to say goodbye to the partner who saved her life in every way that matters.
The thaw reveals everything. Even the things we're not ready to see.
The Long Thaw is the emotional, triumphant conclusion to the K-9 Search and Rescue Mystery series—a story about endings that are also beginnings, goodbyes that are also gifts, and the love between a woman and her dog that changes everything. Perfect for readers who love:
Spring thaw has come to the Colorado mountains, and with it, a chance at something Gemma Hartley never expected: happiness. Marco has proposed. Warren Haskell is in prison. The ghosts that drove her to Elk Creek have finally been laid to rest.
But peace has a price.
When a social media influencer with two million followers disappears on the mountain trails, Gemma and her K-9 partner Kira are called to search. What looks like a straightforward missing persons case quickly becomes something darker—a web of obsession, followers who crossed the line from fan to stalker, and secrets hidden behind a carefully curated online life.
And through it all, Gemma must face the truth she's been avoiding: Kira is slowing down.
Eight years old. Six years of partnership. Hundreds of searches. The gray spreading through Kira's muzzle tells a story of a life well-lived—but it also tells a story that's approaching its final chapter.
As Gemma trains Scout, the young German Shepherd who will carry on the work, she must balance the urgency of the search with the reality of Kira's limitations. She must solve a case that leads from Instagram fame to deadly obsession. And she must find a way to say goodbye to the partner who saved her life in every way that matters.
The thaw reveals everything. Even the things we're not ready to see.
The Long Thaw is the emotional, triumphant conclusion to the K-9 Search and Rescue Mystery series—a story about endings that are also beginnings, goodbyes that are also gifts, and the love between a woman and her dog that changes everything. Perfect for readers who love:
- Satisfying series conclusions with emotional depth
Strong female protagonists finding their happily-ever-after
Aging K-9 partners who deserve the best endings
Mysteries that keep you guessing until the final page
Every search has an ending. This is theirs.
Genre: Mystery
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Used availability for Sophie Lyon's The Long Thaw