Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Beaglemania by Linda O. Johnston


First Line: I am not a killer. At least not a killer of animals.

Lauren Vancouver runs a no-kill animal shelter north of Los Angeles called HotRescues. When she is called in to help shut down a puppy mill, she believes that a man with a history of dog abuse is responsible for throwing some of the beagle pups down a storm drain. When that same man is found stabbed to death at HotRescues, guess who's Suspect #1? You got it-- Lauren-- and she knows she's going to have to sniff out the killer before she's the one being thrown in a cage.

Beaglemania is filled with useful information on shelters, puppy mills, and how to care for animals, and I enjoyed all of that very much. If only the rest of the book had been as interesting.

The mystery is fairly predictable, and I knew the identity of the killer in the first scene in which that person made an appearance. (I hate that when it happens.) Even then I would have liked the book if I'd liked the characters, but they seemed lackluster as well. The rest of the cast takes a backseat to Lauren Vancouver, who has an irritating tendency to fly off half-cocked. She's trying to find a killer, so she goes off to question the people on her suspect list by herself. She's lucky she didn't get stabbed and shoved down a storm drain. Then she agrees to an interview and expects the media not to do a slice-dice-and-spin-it-our-way on the tape. It's very difficult for me to like a character who repeatedly forgets to use her little grey cells.

I was expecting something a little bit different in this book because of the first two lines I quoted-- which I found very intriguing; however, those lines came to nothing, and I was left feeling as though Beaglemania was a sad-eyed dog that couldn't wag its tail.


Beaglemania by Linda O. Johnston
ISBN: 9780425261040
Berkley Prime Crime © 2012
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Pet Rescue mystery
Rating: C
Source: Paperback Swap


6 comments:

  1. Cathy - I've had that happen too, where a book just simply isn't 'there' for me if I can put it that way. Sorry to hear this was one of those books.

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    1. Every book we read can't be an "A+"-- and your description of a book not being 'there" is perfect!

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  2. Too bad about that. A good book promoting humane treatment of animals is a good thing, so it's a letdown this isn't it.

    IA neighbor moved in six months ago with a sweet dog who cried all day when she went to work. Solution: get a rescue due. She did that, but he barks a lot somewhat because he was mistreated during his earlier life and because of his breed and fear of noise in the hallway.

    The poor dog was used only for mating in a puppy mill, was only taken out of a cage for that purpose and then put back in it for four years. He has bonded with his pet parent and even pushes the other dog out of the way for her attention -- even mine, if he deigns to let me put him. Usually, he barks at me even two days after I've pet him.

    These poor dogs get very messed up from being abused. Even a loving home can't overcome all of it. Puppy mills should be illegal in every state and so should animal abandonment and abuse.

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    1. Unfortunately some of us treat animals just as badly as we do fellow humans. I never will understand why it seems it has to be this way.

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  3. I'm tired, but I meant "get a rescue dog." And "if he deigns to let me pet him."

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  4. Yes, unfortunately, some people are not taught the value of human life or living things in general.

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