Murder Strikes a Pose

October 28, 2013
Weber’s debut, which launches the Downward Dog series, should appeal to anyone who likes canines, yoga, and a determined sleuth. Seattle yoga teacher Kate Atkinson has her sense of calm disrupted when, one day, she discovers an intimidating German shepherd, Bella, outside of her studio. Also waiting at the front door is Bella’s owner, a homeless man named George, who works selling copies of a local newspaper on the street. Getting over her initial discomfort, Kate befriends George, who is subsequently found dead in her studio’s parking lot. When the police dismiss the crime as the result of a dispute between drug dealers, Kate is determined to find both George’s murderer and a home for his very large and not particularly sweet dog. Cozy fans will eagerly await the next installment. Agent: Margaret Bail, Andrea Hurst & Associates Literary Management.

December 15, 2013
A yoga teacher searches for the murderer of her homeless friend while dealing with the tribulations of the friend's dog. Her yogilike heart inspires Kate Davidson to get to know the homeless man peddling the local charity newspaper Dollars for Change outside her yoga studio, even as his monster of a dog scares away some of her customers. It turns out that George wasn't always on the street. He's actually a failed entrepreneur with an equally big heart, even if he's developed a weakness for a stiff drink. Before she knows it, Kate and George are sharing a kind of friendship. She even gets on the good side of Bella, his oversized dog. After George disappears for a few days with an enigmatic comment about coming into some money, Kate is worried when he doesn't reappear as soon as she had expected. When he finally does return, he brings bad news: Bella is sick and needs lifetime medicine that costs hundreds per month. Before Kate and George can figure out how to deal with this dilemma, Kate finds a set of shoes around the back of her studio attached to a very dead George. The police are certain the death is an accident and don't want to waste their time and resources on a homeless man anyway. But Kate feels that there's something more to it. Why else would George be so certain about a future cash influx? Along with her troublemaking friend Rene and her potential new boyfriend, Michael, Kate works to uncover the truth behind George's demise while also finding the perfect home for Bella, hopefully before the murderer returns for Kate. In spite of a few charmers, Weber's debut falls flat. The premise and the details are just too sad for chick-lit fare.

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