Helen Hawthorne, in her attempt to avoid paying alimony to her ex-husband, has been taking "dead end jobs" to make ends
meet. Her newest job is working at the upscale pet shop, Barker Brothers Pampered Pet Boutique, in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida.
When she delivers a dog to the home of a client who their pet groomer has insulted, she finds the wife with a pair
of grooming scissors in her chest. She flees the scene after erasing any fingerprints she may have left. Later the
same day, Barclay, an adorable labradoodle puppy, is kidnapped. Barclay, the most valuable puppy in Fort Lauderdale,
is the object of a bitter custody battle between Willoughby Barclay and his wife.
To complicate matters, there is a hurricane expected to make landfall. Helen sets out to find the murderer and the
kidnapper.
The reader is given a bird's eye (canine?) picture of the elite canine
world with its special cuisine and grooming. The author explores
the trend of fashion conscious pet owners using their pets as accessories.
The light hearted story is full of twists and turns which makes
it suspenseful. Helen is a welcome addition to the female amateur
sleuths. She is intelligent, witty, ingenious, and resourceful with
an excellent sense of humor. The Florida setting is described beautifully,
especially its hurricane drama. We are left hoping to learn what
Helen's next "dead end" job will be...
Other
Reviews in this series
Just Murdered, No 4 [review]
Murder Unleashed, No. 5 [review]
Murder with Reservations, No. 6 [review]
Clubbed to Death, No 7 [review]
Pumped for Murder, No 10 [review
1] [review
2]