Here
Comes Santa Paws
by Laurien Berenson blends a cozy mystery with fantastic characters
along with tidbits about dogs. As the story progresses, readers
attempt to solve this “who done it” murder right
with the main character Melanie, ever the amateur sleuth.
“Melanie is like a good friend of mine who has a lot
to say. I am invested in these characters. Since I am also
a reader, I relish plots that are character based, and mine
is certainly that way. I enjoy writing a series because with
standalones, the characters are missed, and there is the feeling
that they are lost, similar to when a friend moves.”
The plot begins with Melanie’s Aunt Peg calling her
to announce someone left three Australian Shepherds puppies
in the Christmas stockings at the end of her driveway. While
visiting her Aunt and playing with the puppies, Melanie gets
a frantic call from her good friend Claire Travis, now married
to Melanie’s ex-husband. Taking on a personal shopper
gig in the affluent town of New Canaan, Claire gets more than
she bargained for when, after dropping off some gifts, she
stumbles over her newest customer’s dead body in a private
estate. The homicide victim Lila Moran has a secretive and
untraceable past that might be tied to a reclusive but well-known
socialite. Melanie must be very careful not to be seen as
a suspect by the police as she gathers disturbing clues.
“The main dogs in the story are poodles since I have
been a poodle person for over thirty years. They remain the
dog breed of the books. But my editor wants me to branch out
and be more dog oriented. Now the books have another breed
featured along with the poodles. I do feel an obligation to
show people how much fun the world of dogs is, and to educate
people about dog breeders, how they behave, and what they
do. I also want to show that dogs are a stress reliever when
things go wrong. They have a way of pulling people out of
themselves and making them feel better. They give unconditional
love.”
Anyone who has not read Berenson should venture into this
cute and humorous mystery. The reader will feel they are a
part of the story, whether investigating the murder, playing
with the darling puppies, or setting up holiday decorations.
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