Ruff Justice: A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery

Berenson’s entertaining 22nd mystery featuring dog trainer Melanie Travis (after 2017’s Wagging Through the Snow) finds Melanie’s 13-year-old son, Davey, competing in a Connecticut dog show. Davey is trying to gain that important 11th point that will gain a champion designation for his Standard Poodle, Augie. During a break in the competition, Melanie’s aunt, dog show maven Margaret “Peg” Turnbull, stumbles across the strangled body of artist Jasmine Crane, who painted canine portraits, in her vendor’s booth. A call to 911 should be the end of Melanie’s role in the investigation—until Aunt Peg recruits her to help Abby Burke, Aunt Peg’s dog sitter, find her missing twin sister, Amanda, whose landlady just happened to be the late Jasmine. The dog show world is a small one, so it doesn’t take Melanie long to discover that Jasmine was a user and con artist with a long list of disgruntled victims. Cozy mysteries may have cats galore to charm their readers, but dog lovers are well served by Berenson’s sweet series. [em]Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July) [/em]