Wagging through the Snow

July 15, 2017
Connecticut dog breeder Melanie Travis (Murder at the Puppy Fest, 2017, etc.) finds a sleighful of trouble when her brother buys an abandoned Christmas tree farm.Haney's Holiday Home used to be one of Wilton's premier attractions. But once owner Abel Haney died, the cozy storefront fell into disrepair. Only the acres of evergreens surrounding the clapboard building remained in pristine condition, and it was these beautiful trees that tempted impulsive Frank Turnbull to bid on the property at auction. Next thing you know, Frank, who already has his hands full running The Bean Counter, the coffee shop he co-owns with Melanie's ex-husband, Bob, is scurrying to get the shop ready for the Christmas season. Melanie, whose five champion standard poodles are between shows, agrees to help. Making it a full-on family affair, her new husband, Sam, and her sons, Davey and Kevin, come along to help with the refurbishment. While Frank, Sam, and Mel clear branches and toss out dusty old ornaments, Davey and Frank go out into the woods and find something a little hard to discard. Nestled in the snow is the body of a vagrant, frozen to death after being knocked out by a blow to the head. Local police, who know the deceased only as Pete, tell Frank that Abel Haney allowed Pete to live in an abandoned shack on the Holiday Home property. Melanie had better find out quickly who Pete was and, more important, how he died, if Frank's going to open his Christmas Tree Farm before the Fourth of July. Melanie's adventure in winter wonderland provides a welcome break from her usual tales, which stick doggedly to show-pooch settings.

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August 28, 2017
At the start of Berenson’s agreeable 21st mystery featuring Stamford, Conn., dog lover Melanie Travis (after Murder at the Puppy Fest), Melanie’s brother, Frank, asks for her help in refurbishing a dilapidated Christmas tree farm he just bought in nearby Wilton. This isn’t the first harebrained thing he’s ever done, so assorted family and friends head out to Wilton to check it out. Within minutes of arriving, Melanie’s two young sons lead the rest of the group through the woods to a dead man, later identified as Pete Dempsey, a homeless drunk. The police believe an accident befell Pete, but Melanie and her dog-loving aunt, Peg Turnbull, aren’t so sure. When Pete’s sponsor says that Pete had not been drinking, Melanie and Aunt Peg look to Pete’s past for the truth, finding plenty of people with motive to kill. Melanie and Aunt Peg have little reason to get involved in the case, especially once the police know Pete was on the wagon, but series fans will enjoy spending time with these appealing folks and their dogs. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

October 15, 2017

Melanie Travis, a special-needs tutor and mom to two boys and six dogs, is back in her 21st adventure (after Murder at the Puppy Fest). When her brother Frank impulsively buys a Christmas tree farm in Connecticut, Melanie and her family are coaxed into checking it out. The purchase of the dilapidated farm looks even more ill-advised when Melanie encounters a dead body in the woods after following the sounds of a whimpering dog. What first appears to be a drunken fatal accident soon starts to look suspicious, and Melanie is compelled to uncover the truth. VERDICT Dog-loving mystery fans will welcome another Christmas caper featuring Melanie, Aunt Peg, and their poodles.

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