A neat story with an interesting twist.
Holly Winter the malamute trainer knows she's not the only Holly Winter living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but it would be so much nicer if Holly number two weren't a dog-hating academic... and if a third woman calling herself Holly Winter didn't happen to be dead. Holly number one can attest to this unfortunate fact, having discovered the gunned-down body while searching for a missing Siberian husky.

Another missing dog-this time a blue malamute- is somehow tied into this tangled web. With her husband Steve away on a camping trip and her other human housemates otherwise occupied, Holly and her prize-winning pups will have to bring the case to heel on their own-before a killer sniffs them out. Dog Lover's Mystery ( )

I haven't the vaguest idea where this one came from... it must have been a pass-me-down because I am not a dog person and would not have given a "Dog Lover's Mystery" the time of day. And I didn't choose to read this on purpose. I needed something to take with me to a doctor's appointment and I just swiped my hand through a shelf. I didn't even look to see what I had until I pulled it from my tote. And my heart sank. Dogs. Why'd it have to be dogs? But I was stuck in the doctor's waiting room, so I opened it.

And I have to admit that I was very pleasantly surprised. Holly Winter, dog trainer and Malamute rescuer, is asked to help find a lost Siberian Husky. On the way, she stumbles upon a murder victim, whose name is, coincidentally, Holly Winter, and then comes face to face with a sour dog-hating woman whose name also... is Holly Winter. Hmmm. The body of the dead Holly Winter is found in a house next door to where the lost dog was staying... and then there's a photo of a rare blue Malamute near the body. What is the first Holly Winter going to do to find the missing dog? And what does the third Holly Winter want?

The story was richer and more complex than I would have expected from a cozy mystery. The characters were endearing and *I can't believe I'm saying this* I even fell in love with the dogs. Coming from someone who is afraid of dogs, that's saying something! As lagniappe, the book was chock full of interesting information about dog shows, training protocol and various breeds and their characteristics, which I found fascinating.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Good for anyone who loves, trains and/or shows dogs. ( )

There is too much detail about dog stuff for a non-dog owner, and there was not as much character interaction as usual in this one. I've enjoyed earlier books more. ( )

This latest book in her Holly Winter dog trainer mysteries was lots of fun and the mystery was intriguing. Susan Conant's love of malamutes shines through as usual. ( )

This is the latest in a long series of mysteries about Holly Winter, a dog lover who writes about dogs for a living. I've only read a few of the books in the series, and not in order. This one was good, though it did strain credulity a bit with a plot involving three women all named Holly Winter. ( )