Ruff Justice
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4.7 • 12 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
A dog leash becomes a lethal weapon in this mystery from the Agatha Award finalist, “a rare breed of writer” (The Plain Dealer).
With the excitement of the spring dog show season sweeping Connecticut, prize-winning Poodle owner Melanie Travis is determined to help her son finally lead his Standard Poodle toward a championship title. But the competition is fierce.
Aunt Peg even skips the judging panel to exhibit a pup of her own, standing out from the pack with a handmade leash from elite artist Jasmine Crane. Jasmine’s handiwork is to die for—but Aunt Peg didn’t expect to find her strangled to death by one of her dazzling custom creations…
When Aunt Peg’s longtime dog sitter, a renter on Jasmine’s property, vanishes that same day, Melanie suspects a dangerous connection. Her hunch only grows as she discovers sketchy secrets about the late artist. Juggling a teaching job, the show ring, and a daunting suspect list, Melanie finds herself entangled in a mindboggling murder mystery—and hot on the trail of a desperate killer.
“For pet fans who thrive on dog-show lore, Berenson’s brand is always best in show.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Entertaining…[a] sweet series.”—Publishers Weekly
“A book everyone should collar.”—The Oklahoman
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Berenson's entertaining 22nd mystery featuring dog trainer Melanie Travis (after 2017's Wagging Through the Snow) finds Melanie's 13-year-old son, Davey, competing in a Connecticut dog show. Davey is trying to gain that important 11th point that will gain a champion designation for his Standard Poodle, Augie. During a break in the competition, Melanie's aunt, dog show maven Margaret "Peg" Turnbull, stumbles across the strangled body of artist Jasmine Crane, who painted canine portraits, in her vendor's booth. A call to 911 should be the end of Melanie's role in the investigation until Aunt Peg recruits her to help Abby Burke, Aunt Peg's dog sitter, find her missing twin sister, Amanda, whose landlady just happened to be the late Jasmine. The dog show world is a small one, so it doesn't take Melanie long to discover that Jasmine was a user and con artist with a long list of disgruntled victims. Cozy mysteries may have cats galore to charm their readers, but dog lovers are well served by Berenson's sweet series.
