Karma’s a Killer: A Downward Dog Mystery

The murder of Raven, an out-of-control animal rights activist who tries to disrupt an animal shelter fund-raiser in Seattle’s Green Lake Park, propels Weber’s diverting third Downward Dog mystery (after 2015’s Killer Retreat). Yoga teacher Kate Davidson was helping out at the fund-raiser as a favor to her veterinarian boyfriend, Michael. To complicate matters, the suspected killer turns out to be none other than Dharma, Kate’s mother, whom she hasn’t seen in 30 years. Meanwhile, Kate is at odds with Michael over her secretiveness and his messiness. Plus, the rest of the activists have different agendas, and her best friend is pregnant—with twins. That’s a lot to pack into a cozy whose main focus is on yoga poses and dog antics. Readers won’t be surprised that a little pop psychology goes a long way toward resolving everyone’s troubles. Thus Kate realizes that her parents “were simply two deeply flawed individuals who had made terrible mistakes.” [em]Agent: Priya Doraswamy, Lotus Lane Literary Agency. (Jan.) [/em]