100 books like Cormac

By Sonny Brewer,

Here are 100 books that Cormac fans have personally recommended if you like Cormac. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Red Dog Rising

Kat Albrecht Author Of Pet Tracker: The Amazing Story of Rachel the K-9 Pet Detective

From my list on lost dog recovery.

Why am I passionate about this?

Kat Albrecht-Thiessen is a police detective-turned-pet detective and is the founder / director of the Missing Animal Response Network (MARN). Since 1997, Kat has worked search dogs trained to find lost pets. She is widely known as the leading authority on lost pet recovery training. Kat is a regular speaker at animal welfare conferences. She and her search dogs have appeared on Animal Planet and articles about her work have appeared in People, Reader’s Digest, Parade and many other publications. In 2005, Kat launched the first-ever pet detective academy and since that time has trained over 800 volunteer and professional pet detectives from across the world.

Kat's book list on lost dog recovery

Kat Albrecht Why did Kat love this book?

I love stories about dogs! I selected Red Dog Rising because the topic of training and using bloodhounds to track criminals and missing persons is near and dear to my heart. I actually know the author and helped him to train the bloodhound Ronin featured in the book. But the primary reason I suggest the book is that it is well written. You feel like you’re following the author, a police officer, and his bloodhound as they track dangerous criminals. Although the book isn’t about lost dog recovery, the method the author used to train his bloodhound Ronin is the same method I’ve used to train dogs to track lost pets. If you love dogs and have any interest in scent training, this book is for you!

By Jeff Schettler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Red Dog Rising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ronin was a modern police bloodhound who worked the streets of California hunting criminals and missing persons for 10 years. He was the first full-time municipal police bloodhound in the state of California. What can I write about my bloodhound, Ronin without giving away too much of the book? That is really a good question. I have to write just enough to get you interested, I suppose. So let’s see…hmmmm… Well, Ronin was a Bloodhound and uncommon one at that. His real AKC name was Bo’s Mongo Dog. I got him at about 11 weeks of age from Susanville, CA,…


Book cover of Poppy in the Wild: A Lost Dog, Fifteen Hundred Acres of Wilderness, and the Dogged Determination that Brought Her Home

Kat Albrecht Author Of Pet Tracker: The Amazing Story of Rachel the K-9 Pet Detective

From my list on lost dog recovery.

Why am I passionate about this?

Kat Albrecht-Thiessen is a police detective-turned-pet detective and is the founder / director of the Missing Animal Response Network (MARN). Since 1997, Kat has worked search dogs trained to find lost pets. She is widely known as the leading authority on lost pet recovery training. Kat is a regular speaker at animal welfare conferences. She and her search dogs have appeared on Animal Planet and articles about her work have appeared in People, Reader’s Digest, Parade and many other publications. In 2005, Kat launched the first-ever pet detective academy and since that time has trained over 800 volunteer and professional pet detectives from across the world.

Kat's book list on lost dog recovery

Kat Albrecht Why did Kat love this book?

This dog story is one that kept me on the edge of my seat! I recommend it because it is well written as well as educational. It shows just how stressful losing a beloved pet can be and the desperation by family members to find their lost dog. The book details how a skittish little Beagle named Poppy escaped from his home in Southern California and how his guardian, a volunteer rescuer, received help from other lost dog rescuers that ultimately helped her to capture the scared little dog.

By Teresa J. Rhyne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Poppy in the Wild as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the #1 New York TImes bestselling author of The Dog Lived (And So WIll I) comes a tale of love and devotion defying all the odds.

After losing her beloved beagle Daphne to lymphoma, author Teresa Rhyne launches herself into fostering other dogs in need, including Poppy, a small, frightened beagle rescued from the China dog meat trade. The elation of rescue quickly turns to hysteria when Poppy breaks free from a potential adopter during a torrential thunderstorm and disappears into a rugged, mountainous, 1,500 acre wilderness park, bordered by a busy road.

In the quest to find Poppy,…


Book cover of Bring Jade Home: The True Story of a Dog Lost in Yellowstone

Kat Albrecht Author Of Pet Tracker: The Amazing Story of Rachel the K-9 Pet Detective

From my list on lost dog recovery.

Why am I passionate about this?

Kat Albrecht-Thiessen is a police detective-turned-pet detective and is the founder / director of the Missing Animal Response Network (MARN). Since 1997, Kat has worked search dogs trained to find lost pets. She is widely known as the leading authority on lost pet recovery training. Kat is a regular speaker at animal welfare conferences. She and her search dogs have appeared on Animal Planet and articles about her work have appeared in People, Reader’s Digest, Parade and many other publications. In 2005, Kat launched the first-ever pet detective academy and since that time has trained over 800 volunteer and professional pet detectives from across the world.

Kat's book list on lost dog recovery

Kat Albrecht Why did Kat love this book?

This is a great book about a dog named Jade who was involved in a roll-over car crash in the wilderness near Yellowstone Park. It’s an emotional and very interesting read as you learn what this desperate family had to go through to recover their lost dog, a task made all the more difficult because they (husband and wife) were injured in the car crash and because Jade was skittish and ran from anyone who tried to help her. In spite of grizzly bears, other predators, frigid nights, and potential starvation, the family managed to recruit local volunteers who ultimately helped them capture their dog.

By Michelle Caffrey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bring Jade Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Imagine your dog, suddenly lost in the wilds of Yellowstone National Park. Alone. At night. Surrounded by wolves and grizzly bears. Day after day, week after week. How far would you go to find your dog? Time is running out. Predators. Frigid nights. A dangerous landscape. Starvation.

Bring Jade Home is the gripping true story of Jade, a young Australian shepherd, who disappears into Yellowstone's wilderness after a horrific car wreck. Despite their injuries and against doctor's orders, her owners David and Laura leave the Trauma Center to begin a desperate search - can they find Jade before it's too…


Book cover of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know

Michelle Waitzman Author Of Be as Happy as Your Dog: 16 Dog-Tested Ways to Be Happier Using Pawsitive Psychology

From my list on understanding what your dog is thinking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a lifelong dog lover and the author of four nonfiction books. I currently live with two rescue dogs, Marlowe and Nuka (the unofficial co-authors of my book). I decided to write a self-help book after noticing two trends during the recent pandemic: people were struggling to feel happy and optimistic, and people were adding a dog to their household, many for the first time. We all marvel at how our dogs find it so easy to enjoy life, and I was determined to find out what we could learn from them! During my research, I learned so much about how dogs think and feel, and I love sharing this information with other dog lovers.

Michelle's book list on understanding what your dog is thinking

Michelle Waitzman Why did Michelle love this book?

Alexandra Horowitz is a rare person: a leading expert in her field who writes in a friendly and fascinating way. Her books are a mixture of personal insights and solid research that explores dog behavior and biology to help us understand what our dogs are thinking, feeling, and wanting.

Inside of a Dog will give you a new perspective on your furry friends and improve your dog parenting skills. You’ll also get to know Horowitz’s dog Pumpernickel (who has since passed away) in short blurbs about his daily life and little quirks.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I learned so much about how dogs experience the world. It should be required reading for anyone welcoming a dog into their home.

By Alexandra Horowitz,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Inside of a Dog as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As an unabashed dog lover, Alexandra Horowitz is naturally curious about what her dog thinks and what she knows. As a cognitive scientist she is intent on understanding the minds of animals who cannot say what they know or feel.

This is a fresh look at the world of dogs -- from the dog's point of view. The book introduces the reader to the science of the dog -- their perceptual and cognitive abilities -- and uses that introduction to draw a picture of what it might be like to bea dog. It answers questions no other dog book can…


Book cover of Devoted

Heather Gudenkauf Author Of Not a Sound

From my list on thrillers and mysteries about dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Some of my fondest memories have been of curling up with the family dog and reading a good book. This started as a child with our golden retriever OJ, and continues today with Lolo, our sweet but spoiled German shorthaired pointer. Dogs are such wonderful companions, always up for anything: hiking, exploring, car rides, sitting on the couch, and lounging. It’s no surprise, then, that not only do I love reading books featuring dogs I’ve also included a canine sidekick in each of the nine thrillers that I’ve written. I hope you enjoy this dogged list of mysteries and thrillers as much as I have. 

Heather's book list on thrillers and mysteries about dogs

Heather Gudenkauf Why did Heather love this book?

My first experience with a Dean Koontz book was Intensity and wow, did that thriller live up to its title. The same goes for Koontz’s, suspense-packed Devoted – the perfect descriptor for Kipp, a loyal golden retriever who has that magical innate ability dogs seem to have of communicating wordlessly with their humans. At the beginning of the book, we meet Woody, an eleven-year-old non-verbal child with autism who is confident that his father’s untimely death was no accident, but an evil entity that is now after him and his mother. While Woody’s terror grows, Kipp begins his tireless search for Woody, knowing that he could be the only one who can deliver the boy to safety. 

Told with Koontz’s signature page-turning suspense, Devoted is a heart-tugging, immersive thrill-ride, best experienced with your canine best friend snuggled up right next to you. 

By Dean Koontz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Devoted as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One boy with the power to save the world. One man with the will to destroy it.

The chilling, unputdownable new standalone thriller from Dean Koontz, the master of suspense.

'The master of our darkest dreams' The Times

A mother, a boy, and a desperate battle against the night.

Woody Bookman hasn't spoken a word in his eleven years of life. Not when his father died in a freak accident. Not when his mother Megan tells him she loves him.

For Megan, keeping her boy safe and happy is what matters. But Woody believes a monstrous evil is behind his…


Book cover of Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

Samuel Sanders Author Of Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving

From my list on reshaping your perspective through nonfiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

The whole concept of Your Next Big Idea is to change your perspective on how people come up with ideas. It is easy to count yourself out as not creative, but creativity and the ability to generate ideas are something that can be taught. You just need to refresh your perspective on how to look at the topic. These books do the same things for other categories in nonfiction, rethinking kindness, working, play, and changing people’s minds. These are skills that anyone can apply to any field of work (like with Your Next Big Idea) and can change how we act for the better!

Samuel's book list on reshaping your perspective through nonfiction

Samuel Sanders Why did Samuel love this book?

This is a light read around the most recent research around play. It is so easy to drown in work as adults, but it is critical to make time to play! This book is a reminder of all the benefits we get by being free and playing. It is a fun, interesting read with great anecdotal stories.


By Stuart Brown, Christopher Vaughan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Play as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From a leading expert, a groundbreaking book on the science of play, and its essential role in fueling our happiness and intelligence throughout our lives

We've all seen the happiness on the face of a child while playing in the school yard. Or the blissful abandon of a golden retriever racing across a lawn. This is the joy of play. By definition, play is purposeless, all-consuming, and fun. But as Dr. Stuart Brown illustrates, play is anything but trivial. It is a biological drive as integral to our health as sleep or nutrition. We are designed by nature to flourish…


Book cover of Dog Years: A Memoir

Michael Konik Author Of Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventures

From my list on inspiring dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Michael Konik is the author of 13 books of fiction, poetry, and journalism, including Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventure, an LA Times best-seller and the inspiration for the Animal Planet series Ella & Me. Surrounded by dogs since toddler age, Konik is currently the owner of Benji, a Golden Doodle, and Billie, a magnificent mutt.

Michael's book list on inspiring dogs

Michael Konik Why did Michael love this book?

No matter how dark and hopeless we sometimes feel, dogs are always there to lick away our tears. This poignant memoir highlights the salutary power in a dog's unconditional love, offering heartfelt insights into why dogs, of all the animals, have so much to teach, and so much to give, even when all seems lost.

By Mark Doty,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dog Years as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Why do dogs speak so profoundly to our inner lives?

When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he finds himself bringing home Beau, a large golden retriever, malnourished and in need of loving care, to join Arden, the black retriever. As Beau bounds back to life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's companions, his solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days - their tenacity, loyalty and love inspiring him when all else fails.


Book cover of Watchers

Peggy Webb Author Of Black Crow Cabin

From my list on books about crime that transcend the genre.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on a small farm in Mississippi and discovered the wide world through a movable feast of books provided by the Bookmobile. The hayloft was my favorite reading spot. I could look across the lake to imagine myself in WWII Paris, the frozen tundras of Alaska, or anywhere beyond the pastures where Daddy’s cattle grazed. I fell in love with words when I was eight years old, a dreamer spinning stories inspired by the ones I read between the covers of my beloved books. I still love words and hear their music as they flow onto the pages of the thrillers I currently write.

Peggy's book list on books about crime that transcend the genre

Peggy Webb Why did Peggy love this book?

I confess: I love the book because of the dog, Einstein. But I also love it because Koontz shines a spotlight on the downside and potential harm of technology and spins a classic tale of good versus evil.

I have never forgotten this book, and I read it on publication in 1987. The story is fascinating and different. But it stayed with me because of the quality of the writing and the unexpected use of magical realism. A dog who understands language? Wonderful. And he was a major character, another surprising bonus for me.

I’m a fan of Dean Koontz because his suspense novels always deliver a great story and always rise above the genre. 

By Dean Koontz,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Watchers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The No.1 bestselling classic from Dean Koontz, the master of chilling suspense, that will thrill fans of Stephen King and the Odd Thomas series.

They escape from a secret government project: two mutant creatures, both changed utterly from the animals they once were. And no one who encounters them will ever be the same again.

A lonely widower, a ruthless assassin, a beautiful woman, a government agent.

Drawn together in a deadly hunt, all four are inexorably propelled towards a confrontation with an evil beyond human imagining.


Book cover of A Matter of Breeding: A Biting History of Pedigree Dogs and How the Quest for Status Has Harmed Man's Best Friend

Michael Worboys Author Of Doggy People: The Victorians Who Made the Modern Dog

From my list on the history of modern dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a historian of biology and biomedicine who has always been an outsider. Most of my colleagues have worked on ‘Darwin to DNA’ – evolution, physiology, genetics, and molecular biology. My interests have been in applied biology – parasites, insects, fungi, bacteria, biomedicine, animal diseases, and latterly dogs. It was a book on rabies, that I wrote with Neil Pemberton, that got me into dogs. In our research and writing we explored the wider social history of dog ownership and then, encouraged by the new interest in Animal History, researched how, and by whom, dogs’ bodies and behaviour had been shaped and reshaped, beginning in the Victorian period. 

Michael's book list on the history of modern dogs

Michael Worboys Why did Michael love this book?

Michael Brandow has an agenda. He wants to change radically how pedigree dogs are bred and valued.

He argues that the preference for standardized fancy forms and coiffured coats should be replaced with a priority for dogs’ health and well-being. Dogs should be valued as companions, not commodities.

Brandow develops his argument historically, starting with the Victorian invention of multiple breeds and the very idea of Dogdom as composed of discrete, standardized, physically uniform breeds.

Not everyone will agree with Brandow, but his strength of feeling and the thoroughness of research makes for an engaging, often witty, and thought-provoking read. The narrative combines social and animal history, psychology and ethics, and stories, most entertaining but some shocking.

By Michael Brandow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Matter of Breeding as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A provocative look at the ‘cult of pedigree’ and an entertaining social history of purebred dogs—“a must-read for all dog lovers” (Booklist).
 
So-called “purebreds” are the mainstay of the dog industry. Expert Michael Brandow argues these aren’t time-honored traditions—but rather commercial inventions of the 19th century that were marketed as status symbols to a growing middle class.
 
Combining social history and consumer studies with sharp commentary, this reveals the sordid history of the dog industry and shows how our brand-name pets pay the price with devastatingly poor health. It includes chapters devoted to popular breeds such as:
 
• Golden Retrievers…


Book cover of Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me from Myself

Meredith May Author Of Loving Edie: How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Me to Be Brave

From my list on dogs who make us better humans.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve spent the last 21 years in the company of a golden retriever, all through my career as a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer – and ever since I left the paper in 2015 to write memoirs. I wrote a memoir for an Iranian child soldier, a memoir about my childhood beekeeping with my grandfather in Big Sur, and it was only a matter of time before I turned to my dog for inspiration. After two perfectly happy golden retrievers, Edie’s extreme anxiety baffled me: I hired trainers, behaviorists, specialist veterinarians, read everything I could on the canine brain, tried CBD oil, and even a pet psychic to understand her emotions.  

Meredith's book list on dogs who make us better humans

Meredith May Why did Meredith love this book?

Put a golden retriever on a book cover and I’m sold. From the opening scene, when Julie has a panic attack in her New York kitchen, I was pulled into this heart-cracking memoir about a young woman haunted by unresolved childhood trauma. She tries all the usual methods to combat depression, from therapy to Zoloft, yet the magic pill is found in the love of a golden retriever named Bunker. Having something else to take care of helped Julie get outside her own head. I felt a kinship with Julie; that sometimes the way a dog looks at you with such love in their eyes is the only thing that can make up for the ways we weren’t seen as kids.

By Julie Barton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dog Medicine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An honest and deeply moving debut memoir about a young woman's battle with depression and how her dog saved her life

A New York Times Bestseller

"Dog Medicine simply has to be your next must-read." -Cheryl Strayed

At twenty-two, Julie Barton collapsed on her kitchen floor in Manhattan. She was one year out of college and severely depressed. Summoned by Julie's incoherent phone call, her mother raced from Ohio to New York and took her home.

Haunted by troubling childhood memories, Julie continued to sink into suicidal depression. Psychiatrists, therapists, and family tried to intervene, but nothing reached her until…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in golden retrievers, dogs, and Connecticut?

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