Scent of the Missing chronicles the partnership of Charleson and her golden retriever Puzzle as they become full-fledged members of a search and rescue team. The story unfolds across the forests, plains, and cityscapes of the Southwest, where Charleson and Puzzle find the lost and even search the remains of the shuttle Columbia. Along the way, the pair learns how to accomplish together the critical work neither could do alone, and to unravel the mystery of the human/canine bond.