Best Dana Mentink Books
Dana Mentink has carved out a distinct niche at the intersection of Christian inspirational fiction and high-stakes suspense, with working K-9 units at the center of nearly everything she writes. Her Security Hounds Investigations series — starting with Tracking the Truth — pairs tightly plotted mystery with faith-driven characters who feel grounded rather than preachy. The tension is real, the danger is credible, and the romance earns its place rather than overwhelming the plot. Mentink writes with propulsive, scene-driven momentum: her chapters end on hooks, her settings (Pacific Northwest wilderness, Yosemite backcountry) do genuine atmospheric work, and her K-9 partners are written with enough specificity to feel like characters in their own right. Readers who love clean suspense with heart — and who want their thriller to leave them feeling hopeful rather than hollowed out — will find Mentink consistently delivers.
Where to Start with Dana Mentink
- Best entry point → Security Hounds Investigations Books 1-3/Tracking The Truth/Fugitive Search/Hunted On The Trail
- Best standalone → Trapped in Yosemite
- Start the Security Hounds Investigations series → Tracking the Truth (Security Hounds Investigations Book 1)
- Quick read, big payoff → Scent of Sabotage
- Underrated but highly rated → Following the Clues: A NYT Bestseller K-9 Inspirational Suspense Romance (Security Hounds Investigations Book 4)
- What readers keep coming back to → Hunted on the Trail: A Love Inspired K-9 Christian Inspirational Suspense Romance (Security Hounds Investigations Book 3)
Best Dana Mentink Books
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Hunted on the Trail: A Love Inspired K-9 Christian Inspirational Suspense Romance (Security Hounds Investigations Book 3)
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 3
by Dana Mentink
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Former cop Stephanie Wolfe's bloodhound competition turns into a revenge plot orchestrated by an escaped convict. Mentink isolates her characters in hostile wilderness where faith becomes their primary weapon.
★ 4.59 Goodreads (334 ratings) - 2
Scent of Sabotage
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 6
by Dana Mentink
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Detective Beth Wolfe must protect journalist Jack St. James after an attack leaves him with amnesia, but his missing memories might hold the key to stopping their attacker. Mentink combines K-9 procedural with romantic suspense.
★ 4.67 Goodreads (208 ratings) - 3
Detecting Concealed Evidence: A K-9 Search and Rescue Inspirational Suspense Romance (Security Hounds Investigations Book 5)
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 5
by Dana Mentink
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A panicked call sends detective Chase and his search-and-rescue bloodhound Tank to save his neighbor from mysterious kidnappers. Christian romantic suspense that combines K-9 rescue operations with faith-based love story.
★ 4.60 Goodreads (232 ratings) - 4
Fugitive Search
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 2
by Dana Mentink
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Catherine Hart emerges from hiding when her father's murderer gets arrested, only to become his target after a prison escape. Mentink uses the kidnapping plot to explore trauma's long-term effects.
★ 4.52 Goodreads (328 ratings) - 5
Following the Clues: A NYT Bestseller K-9 Inspirational Suspense Romance (Security Hounds Investigations Book 4)
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 4
by Dana Mentink
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After witnessing Beau survive a targeted hit-and-run, K-9 handler Kara discovers his mother's missing—and his face-blindness complicates their dangerous investigation.
★ 4.52 Goodreads (162 ratings) - 6
Tracking the Truth (Security Hounds Investigations Book 1)
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 1
by Dana Mentink
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Surviving an icy lake dumping is just the beginning when Emery's search for truth about her father's confession puts her baby nephew in danger. Mentink blends K-9 investigation skills with family secrets in this series opener.
★ 4.40 Goodreads (496 ratings) - 7
Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit Books 7-9: Three Thrilling Suspense Novels – An Action-Packed Christian K-9 Romance
Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit • Book 7
by Maggie K. Black, Dana Mentink, Katy Lee, Sharee Stover
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Three K-9 crime-stopping adventures blend Christian romance with high-stakes mysteries involving stolen bloodhounds and Pacific Northwest dangers. Black, Mentink, Lee, and Stover create action-packed stories where faith and romance intersect with police work.
★ 4.33 Goodreads (24 ratings) - 8
Security Hounds Investigations Books 1-3/Tracking The Truth/Fugitive Search/Hunted On The Trail
Security Hounds Investigations • Book 1
by Dana Mentink
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Search-and-rescue dogs drive these romantic mysteries, tracking missing persons through wilderness settings. Mentink combines realistic canine training details with faith-based romantic suspense across three connected cases.
★ 5.00 Goodreads (2 ratings) - 9
Trapped in Yosemite
by Dana Mentink
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When a massive earthquake hits Yosemite, a K-9 handler and his ex-fiancée must survive both natural disaster and human threats. Solid survival thriller with park setting.
★ 3.95 Goodreads (534 ratings)