Live And Let Growl
A Melanie Travis Mystery, Book #19
Laurien Berenson
5 Stars
Synopsis:
“If you like dogs, you’ll love Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis mysteries!” –Joanne Fluke, New York Times bestselling author
When her Aunt Peg lands a gig as judge at a Kentucky dog show, Melanie Travis welcomes the opportunity for a road trip. Too bad a killer has planned a deadly detour . .
For a dog lover like Melanie, the opportunity to attend the Kentuckiana Dog Show Cluster is not to be missed. Fortunately, the timing coincides with her spring break from teaching, so she heads for central Kentucky with her sister-in-law Bertie and Aunt Peg, who’s accepted a week-long judging assignment. Once there, Aunt Peg reconnects with an old friend, Ellie Gates Wanamaker, a former Standard Poodle exhibitor and a member of a well-heeled Kentucky family. Miss Ellie has been out of the dog show world for more than a decade, but when Melanie invites her to spectate at the Louisville Kennel Club dog show, she’s eager to accompany her.
Miss Ellie’s presence at the expo center, however, provokes mixed reactions from exhibitors she hasn’t seen in years, including some outright animosity. The following day Melanie learns that Miss Ellie has suffered a fatal accident while exercising her dogs. Aunt Peg, however, suspects foul play. Wishing to avoid any scandal, Miss Ellie’s pedigreed family prefers to let sleeping dogs lie, but as Melanie begins to sniff around, she discovers Miss Ellie had many secrets, both in the dog show world and amongst her Kentucky kin . . .
Praise For Death Of A Dog Whisperer
“Melanie’s engaging narration, with its slightly sarcastic flair, makes her utterly relatable. Fans will roll over with joy, and new cozy readers will likely scoop up the rest of the series.” —Publishers Weekly
“Berenson cleverly weaves in interesting details about different breeds and showmanship. Fans of Miranda James’ Cat in the Stacks series may also enjoy Berenson.” —Booklist
Praise For Gone With The Woof
“Berenson, who has a nose for balancing fun and fright, devises another story that will appeal to dog aficionados and cozy lovers alike.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A wonderful novel. Even better if you read it with a dog on your lap.” —Suspense Magazine (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Melanie is a strong smart woman who loves animals as much as humans (my kind of woman). I enjoyed getting to spend time with her and some of her family (her crazy loving family).
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place around me. I felt like I was watching the dog show in person, which I really liked. I liked all of the information concerning dog shows and thoroughbred horses.
The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through that I was not able to figure out the killer until it was revealed at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. With great characters, thorough descriptions, humor and a top notch mystery, you do not want to miss reading this book. I have a lot of catching up to do, reading the entire series. This was one of my mom’s favorite series, and I can see why.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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