A Nose for Murder

If you enjoy mysteries and are a dog person, you will love the Jack and Jamie series. Very fast moving, entertaining, and sensitive enough to make the characters believeable. I read the first three novels in a week and plan on starting no. 4 ('To collar a killer') tonight. I enjoy the dog training tips too.

When I sat down to write A NOSE FOR MURDER one of my main goals was to make each chapter surprising in some way: not to the reader, necessarily, I didn't know if anyone but me would ever read it. I simply wanted to surprise myself. I figured if I could do that I could surprise the reader too. So, I'd sit down at the computer each day (I wrote on an old Mac Plus, believe it or not), with a general idea of what I wanted to accomplish in terms of the overall plot, but with the added directive to let something just pop out of left field, to let the characters create some little side action of their own that I wasn't expecting them to. Of course I wanted to make certain moments suspenseful, others mysterious, and still others as humorous as possible, but I didn't even know myself who the killer would turn out to be until almost halfway through the book! I just let things happen on their own. It turned out to be a pretty good strategy because after I finally finished it (it took me about nine months) I put it aside for a couple of weeks then read it again. When I did, I thought, "Hey, this is pretty good!" (Obviously the people at Morrow/Avon thought so too.) Another thing I tried to create was a very conversational tone to the narrator's voice, as though you felt like you were sitting around your living room with Jack Field, hearing him explain what happened when so-and-so got murdered (and her dog was orphaned), and how he and his girlfriend Jamie solved the case. I also wanted to create a character who was a little unlikable, a bit of an arrogant jerk (like me), but someone you'd come to like in the long run despite his "jerkitude". That's where the character of Jamie comes in. She gives Jack more depth and likeability. At least I HOPE she does. She also keeps him in line. But even without Jamie, I wanted the novel to have lots of dogs and dog training tips in it, too, which doesn't hurt. Anyway, you can read some of the other reviews here to get a better idea of the general story and as to whether or not this is a book you'd like to read. If you're interested in more info on the genesis of this book, and the series as a whole, you can also read an interview of me on the Harper Collins website. Enjoy!

This is a fun read. I really got a feel for the location (Camden, Maine) and all the while following the mystery I learned quite a bit about dog-training. Very likable (not in a saccharine way) lead character. I look forward to reading the next book.

Not only is this a great mystery, you get lots of great dog training tips as well. I found ex-cop Jack Field to be a very likeable guy. You can see with his relationship with the dogs as well as humans, that he is very caring, but he is also strong.Jack, his dog, Frankie, and his foster son, Duke, left New York City and started a canine kennel in Maine. Duke's family had been gunned down and rather than let the gang kill Duke, Jack brought him -- with his grandmother's consent. The New York District Attorney was a different story.Jamie Cutter is Jack's girlfriend. She's also a part-time medical examiner. She brings Jack along when Allison DeMarco is found dead in her home because Allison's dog, Ginger, had been barking and everyone was afraid to go near her. Jack knows Ginger because he helped train her. Jack has a run in with Sam Kirby, Rockland County Sheriff Deputy. Then he meets Sheriff Horace Flynn, uncle to Jamie's soon-to-be ex-husband Oren. Sheriff Flynn doesn't like Jack, especially after he determines the relationship between Jack and Jamie.Jack ends up bringing Ginger back to his kennel. The local police have decided Tim Berry killed Allison. Tim and Allison's daughter, Tara, take off in a flurry of bullets. After Jack gets shot, Mrs. Murtaugh, who helps run the kennel, has her granddaughter Audrey Stafford work at the kennels to help out. Audrey falls in love with Ginger and vice versa.Jack is positive Tim didn't kill Allison and begins investigating. Jamie assists him.Jack can't figure out why Sheriff Flynn is still involved in the case since Carl Staub of the Camden police is in charge of the investigation. And then there's Sam Kirby. Jack spies Kirby tailing him, among other things.I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next book!

This book is not only suspenseful, there are times it's downright hilarious. It's also well-written. The author is a great storyteller and has a unique style, with an almost poetic attention to detail. Plus, it's written in a breezy, easy to read manner. In fact, I read the whole thing in one sitting! If you're like me, you'll want to sit down with this book very early in the evening so you don't lose too much sleep. Oh, and another thing -- there's a romantic angle to the story that is utterly charming and true to life. And there are dog training tips and unique ideas about canine behavior artfully woven into the story. I for one hope there will be many more books to come from Lee Charles Kelley.