Delilah Doolittle and the Motley Mutts

Pet Detective #2

by Patricia Guiver

Surf City's citizens are fighting like cats and dogs.

The beef concerns the proposed commercial development of a wetlands habitat. And when people start dying, Delilah suspects greedy land developers...or maybe overzealous eco-warriors.

Especially when her beloved dog, Watson, digs up new clues...

Genres: Mystery

195 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Patricia Guiver was a noted animal welfare advocate and is the author of six books about pet detective Delilah Doolittle who together with her Dobermann Watson finds missing animals.

Reviews

[Lucy Takeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d actually rate this 3.5, because I knew who done it and why fairly early. I do enjoy any contact with Delilah’s friend, Tony. Delilah made numerous just stupid decisions in this one.
Delilah is trying to track down a Puli. Surf City is in a turmoil with developers trying to erect buildings, which involves closing beaches. Naturally, Delilah’s best friend’s husband is one of the developers. Also, someone is setting traps to capture feral animals, which usually ends up injuring them badly.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delilah Doolittle, Pet Detective, is on the trail of finding a missing Puli named Miranda. On the trail she finds the dead body of the husband of a close friend and neighbour; a feral cat named Hobo who is a friend of her sidekick Watson (a Doberman Pincer); the dead body of Mabel Redpath, a British ex-pat like Delilah, eco-warrior and animal defender and a skeleton. She also gets involved in the controversy over the saving the wildlife refuge from being taken over by a developer.

With a cast of other characters to add to the mix, this is a fun and fast read. Good for a beach read or just something light in between heavier tomes. Set in the California beach town of Surf City (a bit of Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach and Seal Beach rolled into one) (I live in HB and am very familiar with the other towns) it is a cozy that goes fast, and has some good clues to work with.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery although I can't for the life of me understand why Delilah puts up with her so-called friend Evie. The woman is rude and bossy and always manages to insult Delilah.

Another clue that Delilah seemed to not catch - I guessed who the killer was, because Delilah pretty much told "Bud" where Mabel was every night. And then the following night she was killed. Duh!

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a new book. This is a used book that I got because it looked like it might be fun. It was delightful. Delilah Doolittle's English humor and insight to what one might guess as the obvious was a blast & caused me to finish reading it in about a day. If you enjoy animals, fun and a crazy mystery this is a must light read.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy.
British woman retired in So Cal is a pet detective.
Runs into murder victims.
Nicely done.