Ten Little Bloodhounds

Bloodhound trainer Jo Beth Sidden is feisty, driven and relentlessly independent. Her fifth, spirited outing (after Blind Bloodhound Justice), set in southeast Georgia, shows that though these characteristics may cost Jo Beth some friends, they do solve mysteries. This time Jo Beth sets off at a dizzying pace to clear up the murder of a domineering billionaire, Alyce Cancannon, who once called Jo Beth in to locate her beloved cat. Suspects include 10 relatives and the family pilot. Jo Beth is aided by a pricey D.C. detective agency hired by the Cancannon lawyers, but before she can delve into the case she must, with the aid of her irrepressible, personable bloodhounds, find a missing plane, identify a stalker and search for drugs. She must also oversee her domain of 57 dogs, 17 puppies and a cat--all the while keeping an eye out for her ex-spouse, who has vowed to beat her to death. The deus-ex-machina finale is a disappointment, yet the novel is witty and brisk and so lovingly detailed with the fine qualities of bloodhounds that even the most avid dog-hater will be brought to heel. (July)