Helpful Score: 2
As if raising her son Davey, training her rambunctious poodle Faith for the show ring, and grooming fellow handler Sam Driver for romance aren't enough, Melanie Travis' entree into the exclusive Belle Haven Kennel Club has been met with a grisly murder. Unfortunately, the only witnesses to the crive were the victim's startled pair of Beagles, and they aren't talking.
Melanie hadn't intended to do any serious snooping, what with coping with the unexpected arrival of an ex-husband out to get joint custody of the son he's never known. In need of some serious distraction, she's off to sniff out dangerous secrets only to discover that everyone at the Belle Haven club has something damning to hide . . . A delightful light mystery.
Melanie hadn't intended to do any serious snooping, what with coping with the unexpected arrival of an ex-husband out to get joint custody of the son he's never known. In need of some serious distraction, she's off to sniff out dangerous secrets only to discover that everyone at the Belle Haven club has something damning to hide . . . A delightful light mystery.
Helpful Score: 1
murder at a dog club meeting with the only witnesses two beagles
From Publishers Weekly: "In her third adventure (after Underdog) in the rarefied world of dog fanciers in Southern Connecticut, Melanie Travis copes with the unexpected reappearance of her ex-husband, Bob. After almost five years of deadbeat dadhood, Bob has decided to become a responsible parent, and if that's not enough, Melanie's unrelenting aunt Peg is nipping at her heels to join the Belle Haven Kennel Club. Still learning how to groom and show her new dog, a standard poodle named Faith, Melanie discovers that kennel club members anything but a well-bred lot. Plying her with pictures of their dogs, they quiz her on her own and align themselves into various camps. When the president announces that some cash and checks are missing, the meeting quickly degenerates into accusation and innuendo. A week later club member Monica Freedman is found murdered in a parking lot. Beginning to dig, Melanie soon unearths a few skeletons, which turn out to be the same ones Monica had uncovered and used to taunt her colleagues, including Aunt Peg. It seems the cream of Connecticut society has dabbled in fraud, animal abuse, alcoholism and deception in the ring. All of this is a romp among puppies compared to Melanie's problems with Bob, who wants to take their son, Davey, back to Texas, to live with him and his 20-year-old fiancee. Melanie's easygoing common sense helps her solve both problems in a story as calm and as controlled as a well-behaved dog on a lead." Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --
Great book. Should like and gives great insight to the dog show world
Good story, great dog information on shows, judging and Standard Poodles. Good mystery. For me too much personal drama in this one, but will try another.
Liked it!
The rating on the book would have been higher, because it was a good book. However, the climax of the book was missing (about 50 pages) which were replaced by same number of pages from another Berenson book - UPSIDE DOWN. So I will not repost the book.
Love books about dog shows & poodles, and Berenson has the gift to combine both in a good mystery
cute book I loved the whole series
