The Iris Code: A Tracker Novel
by Anita Dickason
About The Iris Code
The Iris Code: A Tracker Novel
Crime Thriller
Series: A Stand-Alone Story – Part of the FBI Tracker novels
Setting – Fredericksburg, Texas
Publisher : Mystic Circle Books (June 20, 2024)
Hardcover : 318 pages
ISBN-10 : 1958464066
ISBN-13 : 978-1958464069
Paperback: 318 pages
ISBN-10 : 1958464058
ISBN-13 : 978-1958464052
Digital ASIN : B0CW13NLFS
Local reporter and photographer Riley Phillips stumbles upon the unthinkable during a routine Human Remains Detection canine training session at an abandoned farm near Fredericksburg, Texas. When her cadaver dog, Milo, unexpectedly alerts, she makes a chilling discovery—a corpse with a bullet hole in the skull.
Riley’s nose for news is already twitching, but when the unidentified body is stolen, her journalistic instincts ignite. Who is determined to keep the victim’s identity a secret—and why?
Could her crime scene photos hold the key? What her camera captured propels the elite FBI Tracker Unit into action and places her squarely in the crosshairs of a killer. Learning the identity of the mystery man takes on an ominous urgency.
Can Riley and FBI Tracker Cody Lightfoot uncover the truth before a deadly plot unfolds—or will they become the next targets?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Riley Phillips is a local reporter and photographer who is training her dog, Milo, in Human Remains Detection. She is doing her training on an abandoned farm, but suddenly Milo is alerting away from where she had left a small cadaver scented decoy. When she goes to investigate his find, she is surprised. Milo has found the body of a dead man with a bullet hole in his head. She quickly takes pictures to document the scene and dials 911.
She noticed a key piece of evidence that should help to identify the man, but Sheriff Otto Rutherford fails to follow protocol for handling the corpse, and Riley learns the next morning that the body had been stolen. And the sheriff rapidly closes the case. This sends Riley’s news senses into overdrive.
After someone breaks into her house, she calls her brother Ted. He calls a woman he met on an earlier case. Nicki’s with a new FBI Unit, the Trackers. Using Riley’s photos, she starts to do her magic to try to identify the corpse. She is confused when her new software is unable to make the identification, but that gets her boss very interested in the case, which launches the Tracker Unit into high gear. That brings FBI Tracker Cody Lightfoot to Fredericksburg, where he and Nicki team up to try to uncover who the dead man is, what brought him to the area, why he was killed, and who did it.
Will Riley and Cody uncover what is happening in Fredericksburg? Will they live to see justice prevail?
Ms. Dickson has created very interesting characters for this story. Riley Phillips is a very smart woman with great instincts, ready to delve into this case to get to the truth. She trusts her boss, Susan, the owner/editor of the local paper, and a strong, smart woman in her own right. Soon, Tracker Cody Lightfoot, a Native American of Apache heritage with a photographic memory, comes to town. His original plan is to work undercover, but that changes as the investigation proceeds. Nicki is a computer genius working for the Trackers unit. She reminds me of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds. This story would make a fantastic episode for that series. Sheriff Rutherford is a good ole boy who gave me Bruford T. Justice vibes from Smokey and the Bandit, a lot of bluster with very little knowledge. Milo is a special animal. Smart and empathic, who doesn’t like to leave Riley’s side. He adds so much to this story beyond his detection work.
The mystery the author has penned is based on fascinating technology that I had heard of but didn’t know much about. I never thought about how it could be used in a criminal way. Ms. Dickason took the bit of technology and crafted a complex mystery that pulled me into the story deeper and deeper as the plot developed and clues were uncovered. She sets a quick pace, making the book almost impossible to put down. I was truly on the edge of my seat as plans were devised and played out for a terrifying ending. I was completely taken aback by the identities of all of the players.
It is apparent that Ms. Dickason did her research. She was able to weave and explain everything in ways for her readers to easily comprehend, which is not an easy task. I always appreciate learning something new when diving into a story. She even includes a “The Story Behind the Fiction” at the end of the book, which goes into more depth. I also appreciate that romance is not the main focus of the book, but there was no denying the chemistry between Riley and Cody. The epilogue made me smile.
The Iris Code is a compelling read with a captivating cast. This may be my first Tracker mystery, but I hope it won’t be my last. With each book being a stand-alone, I will be adding the earlier books to my wish list and anxiously awaiting the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
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About Anita Dickason
Award-winning author Anita Dickason writes about what she knows, cops and crime. After twenty-two years with the Dallas Police Department, Anita has an unending source of inspiration for her plots. Many incidents and characters are based on her experiences. During her tenure, she served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer and the first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.
Links: Website – Facebook – YouTube Author’s World – YouTube – Book Cinema
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
Thank you so very much for hosting my book and this awesome review of my latest FBI Tracker thriller. I love it. This book was a challenge to write because of all the twists and turns. Anita Dickason