The Barnes & Noble Review
This 15th outing for Boston dog trainer Holly Winter is no walk in the park -- but it's a real romp for any well-schooled mystery fan. Like most dog enthusiasts, when Holly thought of "connections" she meant canine bloodlines, not crime bosses...at least until the dog-loving local godfather made her an offer she couldn't refuse. Now, like it or not, Holly is dog trainer to the Mob, and desperately trying to limit herself to that perfectly innocent, totally legal role in the life of the notorious mobster. Despite the advantages of training the don's delightful elkhound puppy, she'd like nothing better than to see her all-too-connected human client back in a cage. Thanks to him, a hit man has disrupted her training sessions, some shady feds have come around making threats, and her car has been blown to smithereens. And, worst of all, some well-intentioned meddling by the mobster's eager-to-please associates is likely to get Holly and her wonderful malamutes tossed off the dog show circuit for influence peddling. Lately, it seems like only the dogs are listening to Holly...and the results could be deadly. Susan Conant once again unleashes her lively writing style and her witty sense of humor in this top-notch mystery. Sue Stone