Melanie' Travis's life is going to the dogs. With school out for the summer, a stint as a camp counselor falling through, and her sometime boyfriend dumping her for a Las Vegas chorus girl, the thirty-something Connecticut teacher and single mother figures that things can't get any worse.

She figures wrong...

Everyone knew that Melanie's Uncle Max had a weak heart. When Aunt Peg finds him dead on the cold floor of their championship kennel, surrounded by eleven whining, prize-winning Standard poodles, she isn't shocked...and doesn't panic. But Melanie is surprised when, three days after the funeral, Peg shows up seeking her help. One of her prize pooches is missing -- and it's beginning to look like Max's sudden demise is more a matter of... murder.

With her four-year-old son Davey happily ensconced in day camp, Melanie manages to maneuver herself into Connecticut's elite canine circles. Posing as a poodle breeder in search of the perfect stud, she mingles with sophisticated exhibitors and professional handlers...and soon starts feeling a little out of her clas. Until she meets Sam Driver. Although the irresistibly attractive breeder is soon wooing her with seductive candle lit dinners, Melanie resolves to be wary.

Then the killer strikes again, and Melanie realizes that she has been barking up the wrong tree. As events -- mysterious and romantic -- culminate in the celebrated Westminster Dog Show, she suddenly finds herself on a long leash of intrigue and greed...hot on the scent of a chilling secret to die for. ( )

Lots of info about dog shows almost more than was needed for the story. Only humor came from the interactions of her kindergarten son. There were not a lot of obvious clues for the mystery. Story slowed down with each dog show that Melanie attended. Actually grew to like Aunt Peg and her determination for finding her missing dog. Another breeder becomes a relationship interest but that is all. ( )

This book was recently available on Amazon as a free kindle download. I had read it before, but decided it would be fun to read it again. Plus you can't beat the price.

This book still holds up the second time around. For me, it is an interesting look into the dog show world. I have never been to a dog show, and enjoyed learning about them. Although dogs figure heavily in the plot, it is not like a dog is "helping" to solve the crime. It is just that most of the people in the book are dog enthusiasts.

I would really like to read the whole series. Unfortunately my local library does not carry them all, and I can't afford to purchase them all. But I will definitely keep my eye out for more. ( )

I read this book because it was the Big Library Read selection for 2014. It was an easy read, and I did enjoy it, but there was not much substance. I probably will not read the rest of the series, at least not right now, but for a summer read, it was okay. ( )

School's out for the summer, and single mother and teacher Melanie Travis is not enjoying the easy summer days.

Her boyfriend has dumped her for a chorus girl, her summer job as a camp counselor has fallen through, and her Uncle Max has died suddenly of a heart attack. All that would be bad enough.

But then her Aunt Peg, Max's wife, calls with the news that one of her and Max's prize poodles, Beau, has been stolen. She wants Melanie to help her convince her brother Frank to help track him down. This can only go one way, and it does: Frank is completely dismissive of the importance Peg places on this dog, believes she's making it up about the dog's dollar value, and refuses to become involved.

So Peg settles for Melanie instead, and Melanie can't say no. Suddenly she's embarked on a crash course in dogs, genetics, and the politics of dog shows. It's even kind of fun, until she discovers a dead body.

Melanie is thoroughly likable, and maddening as she can be, Peg grows on you, too. Melanie's four-year-old son, Davey, is a normal troublesome four-year-old, not an overdone joke or improbable angel.

And the portrayal of the dog show world is delightfully realistic--the obsessions, the love of dogs, the politics, the friendships, the common values grounded in what's good for the dogs even when people have not much else in common. It's all too common to simply ridicule the dog fancy and the people involved in it, but this is a realistic and loving look at the dog world.

Oh, and it's a good mystery, too. :)

Recommended.

I bought this book. ( )