Watchdog

I loved the book. It's a great mystery, with colorful characters. I love the whole series. It's also a fun book, and it's not full of dark or gruesome scenes like some murder mysteries. I would recommend to anybody who likes mysteries.

Funny how we don't hear much from Melanie Travis's brother Frank in her previous mystery adventures. We know he exists, and we've seen him a few times during family get-togethers; all the same, I'm sure Melanie prefers not to have him around, for when he is he's either raiding her refrigerator or asking for money. In Watchdog, Frank is asking for much more: he wants his sister to help clear his name when a business associate is murdered.Frank's latest big venture in a string of failed jobs and prospects is a coffee bar in a nearby Connecticut township. Locals are protesting the business, and one would that was the worst of Frank's worries. Then his financial backer turns up dead on the construction site, and Melanie -- whose hands are full with dog shows, a new job, and a marriage proposal (finally!) from Sam -- must come to the rescue.Berenson is always a delight to read, with fun characters and lessons in dog grooming. Watchdog is no exception; watch out for this one and for Melanie's future exploits.

Combining great detail of the dog fancy with a mystery which keeps you turning the pages into the wee hours of the night, WATCHDOG again shows that Ms Berenson is the best in the class of dog-mystery writers.

What more can I say? If you are a fan of the series...this one keeps you guessing to the end. The new job...the relationship problems...the brother possibly going to jail...the scandals of the show dog world....Heck! It all takes place in my life! Alas, a page turner indeed...the only problem...waiting for the next instalment! Kudos abound for this book!

The aunt of Melanie Travis is internationally renowned for her breeding of purebred poodles. When her aunt gives Melanie a poodle to train and show, Melanie's initial reaction was unfavorable. However, she now considers her prize-winning canine Faith to be an intimate part of her family. Melanie feels the rush of displaying her baby at the various competitions.In the current show, Melanie becomes involved with a homicide investigation because the prime suspect is her immature brother. The crime appears to have its roots in real estate rather than with canine shows. Melanie ends up placing her budding relationship with a fellow dog show participant on the line when she begins sleuthing to prove her sibling's innocence. She quickly realizes that many people had motives to loathe the victim. Still, Melanie knows that she must ferret out the killer's identity or watch her brother take the fall.WATCHDOG is a first class piece of entertainment that stars a believable and likable amateur sleuth. The weird situations that seem to engulf Melanie adds a touch of realism to the well drawn mystery. The many suspects will receive reader sympathy, leading to the conclusion that even a good person may be pushed over the edge. The glimpse into the dog competition world adds some flavoring to Laurien Berenson's latest animal mystery, which ranks in the top of the sub-genre.Harriet Klausner