Title: REQUIEM FOR A RESCUE DOG QUEEN
Author: M.K. Scott
Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press
Pages: 240
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis

Pre-school teacher turned private eye Nala Bonne, and her opinionated dog, Max, have a nose for evil doings in Circle City. They’ve recently gone to the dogs, make that rescue dogs. Not everyone in Indianapolis has a soft spot for a homeless pup. Someone has it out for the dogs and the people who love them. A midnight call jolts Nala and Max into action as they rush to the aid of a local rescue dog queen, but it may already be too late.

Excerpt

Forget about it and enjoy the moment. Her hair streamed behind her as the boat picked up speed. Even though it had been a hot Indian Summer day, going this fast on the water chilled her. The windbreaker she brought just in case would solve the issue but would cover up the flirty top she’d donned for the date. Should she be comfortable or becoming?

A loud noise interrupted before she could decide. The lake remained empty and calm, except for the wake behind the boat. Using her flat hand as a sun shield for her eyes, she peered toward the shore to figure out who might be playing the same trio of notes repeatedly. No one on the shoreline, which only deepened the mystery. It sounded so familiar. In an aha moment, she realized it was her phone. Unfortunately, the realization forced her to open her eyes in her dark bedroom.

The red numerals on her clock indicated it was one-thirty in the morning. It was too late or too early for anyone to call. The sound stopped when she realized the tune had been the one she assigned to Karly, her best friend. Karly would only call her this late if it was an emergency. A cold canine nose touched her hand as she reached for her phone on the nightstand.

“Go back to sleep, Max. It doesn’t involve you.”

Even though it was dark and Max was a black German shepherd mix, she would have sworn the dog cocked his head and gave her an oh, really look. The damp nose disappeared with the sound of dog nails on the wood floor as Max settled on the floor. She could hear him mutter under his breath, “We’ll see.”

Yeah, dealing with a talking dog could be problematic at times. Her fingers found the phone which now had a glowing dot on the dashboard for notifications. Before she could call back, the phone rang again, vibrating in her hand. Karly again.

“Why in the world would you be calling me in the middle of the night?”

Her friend’s breathless voice gasped out. “We need your help!”

Review

I didn’t realize this was the 2nd book in a series when I picked it up to read. After finishing this book, I want to go back and read the first book because I like the premise – a talking dog and a teacher turned PI.

I found this book to be quite amusing at many turns and the mystery kept me guessing as to who was involved in the kidnapping of Fiona – the Rescue Dog Queen, since she won/inherited a lot of money and decided to build a dog compound outside the city and rescue dogs that were in danger of never finding a home. I was surprised at who was behind the crime and especially since there was no murder as there usually are in mystery novels.

Interesting relationships between Nala and Elvin, her parents, and Karly. But they all work! Oh and I love her cursing is naming cookies. Made me hungry

The only thing I didn’t like was that it took awhile to figure out why Max could speak (about 4 chapters) and I would have liked more background right off the bat so I could understand the history of Nala and Max.

We give it 4 paws up

About the Author

M. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries and The Talking Dog Detective Agency. Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities. The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands-on approach. Morgan’s daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple’s dog, Chance, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna’s dog. Overall, both are a fun series to create and read.

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