Someone recommended a series of mystery books by an author who raised dogs and wrote about dogs. I found myself without a book to read and near Borders, so went through their mystery section, starting at "Z," trying to find the name of the author. When I came to the section that started with "A" I began going through and came across these books by Laurien Berenson, who apparently raises standard poodles. I bought one of her Melanie Travis mysteries to see what it was like. It turned out to be kind of the dog equivalent of the "Cat Who..." books, with more emphasis on the social world than on the actual crime until quite a ways into the book. I rolled my eyes a bit at this early paragraph, for example: Tall and curvy, Bertie was dressed in a clinging blue silk jumpsuit whose low v-neck accentuated two of her best features. Her shoulder length auburn hair was layered becomingly around a face that Botticelli could have painted--porcelain skin, full red lips, and luminous green eyes. God had given this woman a plenitude of assets and when she pressed herself against Louis's arm as she leaned across him to take her wrap from the coat check, I realized she wasn't wasting any of them.That said, while I would have wished for a bit more sleuthing and a bit less rubbing elbows with the local elite, the book eventually grabbed me and held my attention to the end.(I later heard from the person who had recommended the dog books to me and the author she was recommending was actually Susan Conant, who raises Malamutes!)
Welcome back to the "dog eat dog" world of dog breeding and shows, where Melanie Travis and her Aunt Peg are once again embroiled in a mystery. This time, in Dog Eat Dog, a member of Peg's kennel club is murdered shortly after a meeting, and Melanie is compelled to find the killer despite the fact that she is not a member of the club herself. This, however, is not the only thing "eating" at Melanie: the ex-husband is back in town and anxious to take up where he left off with Melanie's son, five-year-old Davey, even though the two haven't seen each other in four years and two months. Needless to say, the reunion does very little for Melanie's escalating relationship with Poodle breeder Sam Driver, particularly when the former hubby drops hints of taking Davey back to Texas.Discoveries of gossip and blackmail are the focus of Dog Eat Dog, which is a good followup story to Underdog. A light, sometimes humorous read, this is a recommended "cozy".
What do You think about Dog Eat Dog (2006)?
Melanie Travis is at it again in the 3rd book of the series. One of the Kennel Club's members, Monica, is murdered and once again, Melanie (with her Aunt Peg's subtle persuasion), puts her sloothness to use. Life interrupts this new investigation though, in the form of her ex-husband whom thinks he is ready to be a father to Davey.What I love about this series, other than the fact it is a quick and easy read, is that I feel like I could have started the series with this book and not have wondere
—Stephanie
I love this series of Melanie Travis mystery books as much for the background of dog shows and the (Standard) Poodle breed as for the mystery. And while the people relationships are here too, it's the ones between family members that stand out for me (I think everyone has at least one bossy family member who knows best about everything, even those things they've never experienced, right?) Berenson also does a creditable job of depicting a single mom who tries to balance everything and ends up with almost everything slightly out of kilter but still workable. Just like real life....As for this book, I was totally at a loss who the murderer was. Like Melanie, I was finding clues everywhere that led to dead ends so it kept me intrigued to the end. Add that to the fact that I'm really beginning to like Poodles because of several who have come to live in our town, and it made the book a hit!
—Carol
So Melanie likes to sleuth around... I was aghast at her open questioning of people, I kept wondering if this would trigger a murderous attack. Otherwise, this was a good yarn wrapped around the folks who like to breed and show dogs, featuring especially her Aunt Peg and the Standard Poodles. Good sub-theme about Melanie as a single mother raising a young boy, the man in her life, her brother and her aunts. I wonder where the author got her subject material...I like the way the author was able to describe the ex- Bob, his extended visit, and the resulting growth when Melanie realizes he had his side of the story and she was never aware of it. She becomes wiser about people and life.It's the little things that set the tone. Like the various descriptions of the housing neighborhoods within driving distance - the ultra-wealthy spreads versus the plain working ones. The way she describes the elderly struggling Volvo; having sandwiches and meals at home; and the sweet ways that puppy Faith expresses her loyalty and support at the right time!
—Saadia
