Book Review--Raining Cats and Dogs

This is another series mystery that I have picked up on somewhere in the middle. I like this, because if I like the series, I have lots to read before the next one comes out. The title of this one caught my eye. It turns out that the protagonist is actually a dog lover. I have a very hard time understanding this, but I can understand devotion to one's pet. So I can relate to this character on that point.

At the beginning of this book, Melanie Travis has just gotten married. The tiny house she shared with her son and two Standard Poodles is now bursting at the seams, as her new husband brought his own three Standard Poodles with him (Standard Poodles are the big ones, by the way). Both Melanie and her husband's Poodles are very well-behaved, but their patience is tested by the seven cats who moved in next door. Their owner, who is way too gorgeous for Melanie's taste (and with a husband who is largely absent), doesn't seem too concerned. It's true that cats don't stay reigned in as well since they can climb, but if I were her, I'd have been very worried about the big dogs next door and kept a closer eye on the cats.

Anyway, Melanie is really into dog shows and all that, and she wants one of her Poodles, Faith, to get more obedience training. So she enrolls her in the South Avenue Obedience Club. They feel a little out of place (well, at least Melanie does; I'm not sure about the dog) because everyone knows everyone already and Faith hasn't had as much obedience training as most of them. The group has an unofficial program where they bring the dogs to visit a nursing home, and Melanie and Faith are invited to come along. The visits were initiated by Paul, a Club member whose Great Aunt Mary, a dog lover, lives there.

Faith and Melanie's first visit goes very well at first, but it ends in tragedy. Paul's Great-Aunt Mary is found suffocated in her bed. As the police investigate, club members learn of Melanie's amateur sleuthing and urge her to look into Mary's murder. There are plenty of suspects for Melanie to check out, from Mary's black-sheep son to some of the group members and nursing-home staff.

Anyway, if you like amateur-sleuth type books, you will like this one. If you also love dogs you'll like it even more, but I don't think that's necessarily required.