Brute Strength

A Dog Lover's Mystery #19

by Susan Conant

The new '-Holly Winter' dog mystery - When Dog's Life columnist Holly Winter rejects applicants who want to adopt homeless dogs, she makes a lot of enemies. In dogs Holly trusts, and the dogs she trusts most are her beloved malamutes, Rowdy, Kimi and Sammy. But right now she could use a human friend. Lately, it seems wherever she turns, things go wrong: an anonymous call turns vicious, her husband is keeping secrets, and acquaintances die under mysterious circumstances. Then Holly's own life is threatened. Can the brute strength of Rowdy, Kimi, and Sammy protect her?

Genres: Mystery, Dogs, Fiction, Animals, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Contemporary

216 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
(1)mysteries

Mother of author Jessica Park aka Jessica Conant-Park

The photo is of Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant, daughter and mother.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

working in pug rescue, i thoroughly enjoyed the parts of this book dealing with adoption applications, the stories that people spin in order to adopt and the reactions you get when turning someone down. As they say, "Been there, done that"'. The mystery party of the book was a bit predictable but still enjoyable for all that. , and these books make me want a malamute while making me realize that they are definitely not the breed for me. I'll just admire from afar.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read mystery novels because I enjoy the characters, development of the clues, and eventually the solving of the crime. In this case I read "Brute Strength" because of the quality of the storytelling. That it happens to be a murder mystery also just adds the extra to my enjoyment.

Holly Winters and family are Dog people. The same can be said of myself and family. Holly has a refreshing look at life and the world that seems to parallel my own. Holly's sense of humor, the way her family is constructed, even how Holly cares about her tenant/friend makes her a person I wish was not just a character in a book.

The story was compelling and even if there hadn't been a mystery in it, I would have lovingly followed this book to the end. The mystery was a good mystery and it held up to the solution strongly. I loved the tie in with great literature.

I hope to discover more books from Ms. Conant in the near future.

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was the best book in the series. There wasn't a lot of internal thought repeating things that Holly thought in other books. It cut to the chase and told the story that needed to be told. I figured out "who done it" pretty early on but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story and actually made it more fun to see how Conant brought Holly around to the solution.

[Dlora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy Conant's books about dogs but this one seemed to have a little too much dog worship. But by the same token, I wish there had been more details about training dogs, the psychology of dogs, showing dogs, and other dog raising details. Brute Strength was more focused on the murder mystery with dog life as background. Holly Winter has received a threatening phone call, seems to be being followed, and begins to suspect that an accidental death might more likely be murder. The characters are colorful and the murder mystery intriguing, although perhaps not completely believable, with a bang-up suspenseful ending, but this was not one of my favorite books in the series. Still, and especially for dog-lovers, it is an entertaining cozy mystery.

[Jackie Harrison-jewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've hung in there with Susan. I've read every Holly Winters book to come down the pike. I've heard as much dog proselytizing as I can stand and I'd like to think I have the right to say it. Enough already. I get it. I GET it. And now I'm done. Thanks Susan. It's been great but I'm going to have to get my cozy fix somewhere else from now on.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this series for the infrequent appearances of Willie the Scottie, and happily, he makes a special appearance in this entry. I like Holly, she's pedantic about dog breeding, but she's no more annoying than hard boiled cops on a mission. I also love the Cambridge setting and the little tidbits about dog breed history.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining but not really well written. There was nothing beautiful about the prose. It was predictable, and the main character mildly annoyed me. It was fine, but I won't reach for another of her books.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dog is our brother! I would never have revered dogs as much nor learned to research my breed, visit the breeder, avoid pet store puppies, how to feed my dog, train my dog, appreciate mysteries so much or appreciate Susan Conant as a person and writer if not for reading all her books. I felt we were so alike. I read her book on chronic fatigue, which I suffer from. Now, she has mentioned celiac disease. I haven't heard much about Boston other than about the Irish prior to reading her, but I soooo want to visit there. I hope Susan writes a few more dog mysteries. I read all five of her shared chef mysteries with her daughter, Jessica. I want to try Jessica Parker's other writing. This is one talented duo!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I liked this novel. The dog lore was interesting (I will never own a Malamute) and generally the characters were fun. However, the lead character, Holly, spent too much time in stream-of-consciousness conversations with herself. It slowed the pacing and, at times, made her appear incredibly naive/stupid. If people are dropping like flies around you, it's a safe bet that there is a killer in the vicinity. (After all, this is a murder mystery.) Even after the villain showed up, Holly remained in denial. I assume that was done so the dogs could come to her rescue but the same ending could have been achieved in a more believable way. I may try an earlier book in the series.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun mystery with intriguing characters, lots of dogs, solid factual dog info, and intelligent writing that exceeds that of most cozy mysteries.
For those reading Conant's wonderful series, this is one of her best. I highly recommend the series for any dog and mystery lovers.
I only wish there were many more books.

[Debi Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!!

[Rosanne Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Love dogs. Me Conant is very knowledgeable. Could not figure out who did the crime. Well done. Waiting for more

[Patty Coggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it a lot. Plan to read more by Susan Conant.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was occasionally annoyed by the numerous asides and TMI regarding dog training, I enjoyed Brute Strengthy I would read another book in this series.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A library find.
March 2026.
If you love dogs, you will love this one.
Informational as well as entertaining.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my all time favorite dogs-and-murder series. It has been a long time since we saw a new installment and it was worth waiting for. It has all the major characters we love to see: Holly Winter, the protagonist dog trainer and columnist for Dog's Life; her barely civilized father Buck; her gracious and tactful step-mother Gabrielle; her calm and wise veterinarian husband Steve; cameo appearances by protege trainer Leah and police detective Lieutenant Kevin Denehey and his strict mother; upstairs neighbor psychiatrist Iris and her horrible little dog Willie; some odd neighbors and dog training associates; a shady breeder; some suspect applicants for rescued malamutes; and of course, all their dogs: Holly's three malamutes, Steve's German Shepherd and shy pointer, Gabrielle's Yorkie, various other dogs belonging to other characters -- the only one missing seems to be Buck's wolf dog, which is probably just as well.

Plot is always good in a Conant book, coupled with a little humor -- sometimes a lot of humor-- but her especial gift is characterization. Now any good writer can make a lot people seem real, but Ms. Conant even gives each dog a distinct and believable personality, well described by Holly's wry comments about the strengths and shortcomings of her own and other characters' dogs.

Oh, I hope there will be more of these books soon!

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

After four years without a new Dog Lover's Mystery, I enjoyed reading this one so much that I didn't want it to end!

As usual, Susan Conant has come up with a fascinating cast of characters, both familiar and new, canine and human, an intriguing, complex mystery plot plus subplots, and, best of all, dog writer Holly Winter's dog-centric worldview with plenty of her trademark doggy humor. And an amazing assortment of dogs, mostly Alaskan malamutes, but also a puli, a Scottish terrier, and a bichon frise.

A major theme in this mystery involves some of the problems dog rescuers face. For example, Holly must deal with angry applicants for malamute adoption who have been rejected for good reason and react viciously with threatening letters, obscene phone calls and the like. There's also a Jane Austen theme running through the story. But most important of all are the dogs, dog people, dog lore and dog humor. A fun read, especially for dog lovers.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a breath of fresh air for me. It's been awhile since M. Conant has written a Holly Winter mystery, and I have missed Holly, Steve, Rowdy, Kimi and Sammy. Not to mention all the other wonderful characters, both human and canine in this series. This book is an excellent return after a few years hiatus. The story is great, the people and dogs are wonderful, and the mystery interesting enough to keep you reading. I love this series because it is a series that is custom-written for dog-lovers like me. I love Holly's take on life and on people's foibles. She compares everything to dogs and living and training dogs, and that's not such a bad thing. I personally think that canines and their way of thinking and interacting with each other is not a bad way to be at all. At least you always know where you are with a dog. They don't play mind games, or plot murder of their own species. What a lot of fun this series is, and I really do enjoy it.

[Deon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brute Strength by Susan Conant is the latest in her highly entertaining mystery series set in Boston. The sleuth is Holly Winter, a writer for a dog magazine, a woman passionate about all things canine. Holly trains and shows her gorgeous Malamutes. Fair warning, you have to seriously love dogs to appreciate this series. But if you love dogs, this series is a hoot! Holly portrays the sport of dog showing spot on. Brute Strength finds Holly busy with Malamute Rescue, one of the less pleasant tasks of the volunteers is turning down applicants who are not a good fit for this large, beautiful, but not always easy, breed. Someone is making obscene phone calls to the volunteers. A dinner guest has a fatal accident soon after leaving Holly’s home. And her step-mother is acting mysterious. Holly will have to sort it all out. If you like dogs, this is a winner. I always read and enjoy this series.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly Winter, Dog's Life Columnist and malamute owner, is helping with the Malamute Rescue list of potential adopters and not making many friends. Holly trusts dogs, particularly Rowdy, Kimi, and Sammi, her malamutes and her husband's dogs Lady and India. However, it seems that she could use a human friend. Rita, her friend and tenant, had a fight with her boyfriend and went out of town. Kevin, who used to live next door, now lives with his girlfriend. So when she meets another malamute owner, Vanessa, she thinks that she has a new friend. However, things are still going wrong, there's a snippy breeder, an young girl dies in a car crash, an elderly member of her dog-training club dies, and there is intrigue involving her father, Buck, and her beloved stepmother Gabrielle. I really like this series, Holly is someone I'd love to have lunch with and get malamute hair all over me.

[Randi Wininger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't even force myself past 20 pages. It was a little torturous actually. I wasn't being captured by the story or creating any kind of attachment. It didn't make me want to keep reading and the writing itself seemed over done. Like they were trying to hard. Which is very hard for me considering I am a crazy dog lover of northern breeds and was highly looking forward to this book and all other books written by her. I even skipped through to other parts of the story to see if it picked up or I can make an attachment any where else, to make me want to keep reading. That was unsuccessful so I have had to accept I just can't get into it. Very unfortunate and now I am very hesitant to consider any of her other books.

[Grey853 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to believe there have been 19 of the Dog Lover's Mystery books so far. These are books one doesn't really read for the mystery, but for the characters including the dogs. Conant does an amazing job of educating people about different breeds and dog behavior in general without making the story read like a textbook.

The main character Holly has strong opinions about not only her dogs but about life in general, but she's still very likable as are many of the regulars that show up in her books. I enjoyed this one even though the actual mystery was not only rather thin, but completely secondary to telling the story of how these people and dogs all live together.

[Probibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not one of her very best but still very good. The mystery part was hard to follow but it had lots of things Conant's readers love: Holly as a dog show/obedience show veteran, her cousin Leah, the Harvard pre veterinary student, who has grown even more voluptous; Rita the wonderful friend and neighbor and her boyfriend Quinn with the Dylan fixation; Holly's stepmother and moose-like father; and her nearly perfect husband, Steve Delaney, the vet. As usual the action takes place in Cambridge Massachusetts which is well portrayed.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Dog's Life columnist Holly Winter rejects applicants who want to adopt homeless dogs, she makes a lot of enemies. In dogs Holly trusts, and the dogs she trusts most are her beloved malamutes, Rowdy, Kimi and Sammy. But right now she could use a human friend. Lately, it seems wherever she turns, things go wrong: an anonymous call turns vicious, her husband is keeping secrets, and acquaintances die under mysterious circumstances. Then Holly's own life is threatened. Can the brute strength of Rowdy, Kimi, and Sammy protect her?

[Willow Brook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading Holly Winter mysteries since the first one came out in 1990 and they are like comfort food to me. Holly is both endearing and irritating in her love of all things dogs and her at times canine viewpoint of humans. This installment is a leisurely mystery with a far-fetched (sorry. -- couldn't resist the pun) motive for the murder. Still, I enjoyed spending some time with Holly, her family, friends and dogs. At just over 200 pages, this is a quick, uncomplicated read.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it. Classic Susan Conant. The "English" editing style was a little off-putting (I don't like no period after Mrs. and the single quote), but easily overlooked. The love of dogs is what really drove the book (as usual), but I ate it up. Ha ha. The plot is typically far-fetched, but dogs, dogs, and more dogs!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been so long since Susan Conant came out with a new Dog Lover's mystery that I had forgotten how engaging her writing is. There were some laugh out loud moments and anyone with a dog can relate to the antics of Rowdy, Kimmy, Sammy, Lady and India. The back story with Buck and Gabrielle provided some comic relief as well. I just hope that it isn't as long until her next book.

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. It makes me feel like I am not alone in the category of crazy animal person - even if Holly, Steve, their five dogs and one cat are fictional characters.

Kudos to Susan Conant for mentioning pit bulls as certified therapy dogs. This was a refreshing departure from recent books that I read portraying pit bulls as vicious attack dogs.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about Susan Conant and her books starring Rowdy, Kimi, Sammy and of course Holly Winter? (Holly would always put her dogs first!) Ms. Conant is one of the best writers of "doggie mysteries" writing today and this book doesn't fail us. Not only is the mystery well-written but of course her information on dogs, rescue groups, and showing dogs is interesting and insightful.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the series about dog trainer/writer Holly Winter, owner of Malamutes. Murder always seems to be a part of Holly's life and so it is of course in this story. Quick one day read. I like the characters in her stories..Holly, husband/vet Steve, neighbor Rita, niece Leah, dad Buck, neighbor Kevin and stepmother Gabrielle. And of course the dogs Rowdy, Kimi, Sammy, Lady and India.