It starts with Andy giving a homeless man with a dog some cash and a gift card to a local pet store. Next thing he knows, the man is on the news because he fought back when attacked and his dog bit the attacker. By law, the dog is taken into custody (to be sure she doesn't have rabies). Then the homeless man is accused of murder. Andy takes his case, and the dog ... since he runs a local shelter, the authorities allow him to house the dog during her holding period ... which turns out to be a good thing. She is pregnant. As with his other Andy Carpenter Mystery books, author David Rosenfelt slowly adds details, and humor, to make his case in Deck the Hounds.

Here we go again ... another Markham Sisters mystery! I'll admit, since they are published in a collection of four, I find it hard not to just read one right after the other. Fortunately, it's easy enough to separate them in my posts! ;-) The Jackson Case is the tenth in this series by Diana Xarissa. This time, it's the money (and planners) from a recent charity auction that have vanished. A lot of locals put in a lot of hard work on this auction, it was supposed to raise money for cancer research. There were snafus and last minute changes, but it came off well, and a lot of money was raised. The next morning neither the planners nor the money could be found. Where (and who) are they? Was there a local connection? And if so, who?

I just couldn't resist, all it took was a turn of the page to move on to The Kingston Case. The sisters are back from a visit with Aunt Bessie (which is described in Aunt Bessie Observes, but I'll have to wait for the arrival of Canadian Reader to read that one). They are expecting a guest, a guest who turns out to be the ex-wife of one of the newer residents to Doveby Dale. Is she coming to try and reunite with her ex? (She's tried before). And who is sending William threatening letters? This is the eleventh in the Markham Sisters Mystery series by Diana Xarissa.

Reading Hermit With Dog