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Rachel Alexander & Dash #7
Fall Guy
Former detective turned noted author and dog trainer, Carol Lea Benjamin, returns with her celebrated dark and edgy suspense series featuring smart and compelling private investigator Rachel Alexander – a new addition to the Morrow/Avon list.
A New York City police officer nearing retirement dies "accidentally," while cleaning his service revolver in the bathroom of his Greenwich Village apartment. Private investigator, Rachel Alexander, is stunned to learn she's been named the executor to his will––after all, they'd only met when she was doing pet therapy with her pit bull, Dashiell. A member of Rachel's 9/11 survivors group, the officer never spoke at meetings––a really hard case. But then there was the one time he took Dash for a walk around the block. When Dash returned, the fur on his head was soaked with tears....
Was this death really a suicide? And why would the deceased have chosen a near stranger to perform such an intimate task––especially when he's survived by a brother and sister? As Rachel sets about her work, she soon discovers a mystery from the deceased's childhood that may have led to this terrible tragedy....
A New York City police officer nearing retirement dies "accidentally," while cleaning his service revolver in the bathroom of his Greenwich Village apartment. Private investigator, Rachel Alexander, is stunned to learn she's been named the executor to his will––after all, they'd only met when she was doing pet therapy with her pit bull, Dashiell. A member of Rachel's 9/11 survivors group, the officer never spoke at meetings––a really hard case. But then there was the one time he took Dash for a walk around the block. When Dash returned, the fur on his head was soaked with tears....
Was this death really a suicide? And why would the deceased have chosen a near stranger to perform such an intimate task––especially when he's survived by a brother and sister? As Rachel sets about her work, she soon discovers a mystery from the deceased's childhood that may have led to this terrible tragedy....
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
75 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Carol Lea Benjamin
38 books49 followersA noted dog trainer and former detective, Carol Lea Benjamin is the author of books on canine behavior and training as well as the Rachel Alexander and Dash mystery series. She has been honored by the International Association of Canine Professionals with her election to their Hall of Fame. Ms. Benjamin lives in Greenwich Village with her husband and their dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 2, 2025
Private detective and dog. Surprisingly not cute.
November 13, 2018
I read books by Carol Lea Benjamin back in (I think) the 90s. I enjoyed her books then, and thought I'd see if I still enjoyed them.
The answer is pretty much "yes."
This was the first one I found on Scribd. It's the 7th in the series. After I read this one, I read the first book in the Rachel Alexander and Dash series. It was instructive to see how much better Ms. Benjamin's writing had gotten.
The story is about a policeman who "accidentally" shoots himself while cleaning his gun. Rachel, who met the man once or twice at a survivor's meeting where she was doing pet therapy with her dog, finds herself named executrix of his estate. She barely knew the man, and in the course of handling his effects, discovers the story of his early life, his efforts to survive, and his final sad end.
It's a good book. I'm glad I started here.
It's a rather melancholy story
The answer is pretty much "yes."
This was the first one I found on Scribd. It's the 7th in the series. After I read this one, I read the first book in the Rachel Alexander and Dash series. It was instructive to see how much better Ms. Benjamin's writing had gotten.
The story is about a policeman who "accidentally" shoots himself while cleaning his gun. Rachel, who met the man once or twice at a survivor's meeting where she was doing pet therapy with her dog, finds herself named executrix of his estate. She barely knew the man, and in the course of handling his effects, discovers the story of his early life, his efforts to survive, and his final sad end.
It's a good book. I'm glad I started here.
It's a rather melancholy story
December 22, 2017
Nice twisty mystery
Enjoyable read. I recommend it. The dog Dash adds a good touch and doesn't take over the story line. I will add her to my list of excellent mystery story tellers.
Enjoyable read. I recommend it. The dog Dash adds a good touch and doesn't take over the story line. I will add her to my list of excellent mystery story tellers.
June 27, 2017
Well written with a profound tribute to the persons affected by 9-11! It kept me guessing to the end! I enjoy this series very much and look forward to reading more.
December 1, 2017
Family
Not predictable, lots of energy. Good dog advice and understanding. The main character is believable and interesting. Not a deep book but very entertaining.
Not predictable, lots of energy. Good dog advice and understanding. The main character is believable and interesting. Not a deep book but very entertaining.
December 30, 2018
i really enjoyed this book. Interesting characters, unusual concept. Had me guessing into the last chapter. I'll be looking for more in this series.
June 7, 2020
Marie Jones
This is a great mystery for those who love a dog as companion .
Plan on reading more of the series. Good read. Kept me guessing almost to the end.
This is a great mystery for those who love a dog as companion .
Plan on reading more of the series. Good read. Kept me guessing almost to the end.
December 13, 2020
I can't really talk about this one without the spoiler warning.
When Maggie O'Fallon says her family is tragic, just like the Kennedy's it seems overblown and somewhat telling. and it is.
I didn't much like the ending, mainly because I didn't believe the author's attempt to convince me the cousin was guilty but the sister was not. I'm left suspecting Maggie was likely in on it, or that Cousin Francis might have killed his own brother (Liam) and perhaps his uncle. But maybe that's just because this one made it so hard for me to differentiate the children from the adults. Was Tim O'Fallon defined by his worst, homophobic, toxic masculinity moments as a child? Was Francis? Was Maggie?
but then I remember that short story by James Thurber: the Macbeth Murder mysteries. Where a woman who reads only detective fiction reads Macbeth and says no, he's too obvious, it wasn't him who killed the King. Likely McDuff.
I kind of really like the image of Timothy O'Connel trying to atone for the harm to his brother by saving other men. [He ain't heavy: he's my brother]
I felt like Rachel Alexander (and Carol Lea Benjamin) really wanted to protect Maggie in this one, and as a reader, I'm still on the fence.
When Maggie O'Fallon says her family is tragic, just like the Kennedy's it seems overblown and somewhat telling. and it is.
I didn't much like the ending, mainly because I didn't believe the author's attempt to convince me the cousin was guilty but the sister was not. I'm left suspecting Maggie was likely in on it, or that Cousin Francis might have killed his own brother (Liam) and perhaps his uncle. But maybe that's just because this one made it so hard for me to differentiate the children from the adults. Was Tim O'Fallon defined by his worst, homophobic, toxic masculinity moments as a child? Was Francis? Was Maggie?
but then I remember that short story by James Thurber: the Macbeth Murder mysteries. Where a woman who reads only detective fiction reads Macbeth and says no, he's too obvious, it wasn't him who killed the King. Likely McDuff.
I kind of really like the image of Timothy O'Connel trying to atone for the harm to his brother by saving other men. [He ain't heavy: he's my brother]
I felt like Rachel Alexander (and Carol Lea Benjamin) really wanted to protect Maggie in this one, and as a reader, I'm still on the fence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2017
This is my second Alexander and Dash book and I have loved them both. Rachel Alexander is a private investigator and dog trainer now doing investigating with her pit bull Dashiell (Dash). She is independent, tough, soft hearted, and clever. A police detective she met once at an AA meeting dies and makes her his executrix. She has no idea why, but she is committed to finding out the answer to that question. As usual, she meets some very interesting characters and must sort them out into dangerous or just weird. Dash is always by her side as a therapy dog, and he reads people sometimes better than she does.
Ms. Benjamin writes well and thoroughly. She makes Dash a real character without anthropomorphizing him. I really enjoy this series and look forward to more.
Ms. Benjamin writes well and thoroughly. She makes Dash a real character without anthropomorphizing him. I really enjoy this series and look forward to more.
June 17, 2019
Excellent and thoughtful interesting story.
Rachel had no idea why an acquaintance of hers would elect her to be the executor of his estate. As she unraveled Tim's life she began to see and realize things that made his life an enigma. She questioned and sought answers that finally resolved the puzzle. A worthwhile read.
Rachel had no idea why an acquaintance of hers would elect her to be the executor of his estate. As she unraveled Tim's life she began to see and realize things that made his life an enigma. She questioned and sought answers that finally resolved the puzzle. A worthwhile read.
January 2, 2024
I enjoy this series
I’ve liked other books by his author better. This one the story was rather dark…and I couldn’t follow it at all. In the end the murder of one woman made no real sense. And the motive for the murders…very murky.
I’ve liked other books by his author better. This one the story was rather dark…and I couldn’t follow it at all. In the end the murder of one woman made no real sense. And the motive for the murders…very murky.
March 10, 2024
I really enjoy this book. It was an easy read. Plot was very good as well as the storyline. Characters were interesting. Some twists and turns. Not a lot of high suspense. Highly recommend.
July 19, 2024
A very good mystery. Well written, characters believable & there’s a therapy dog….what more than that! Love me a dog character!
May 11, 2025
steady suspense
Well written and keeps you in suspense throughout. Intelligent and insightful. Brilliant characters makes it compelling and thought provoking. I love the dog.
Well written and keeps you in suspense throughout. Intelligent and insightful. Brilliant characters makes it compelling and thought provoking. I love the dog.
April 25, 2025
My most persistent fantasy is the fantasy of having a beautifully trained dog. Thus, I can't resist a mystery with a woman and her faithful canine sidekick. This isn't the best of the genre, but it was done well enough that I enjoyed it. Recommended with 3 stars 🌟.
November 20, 2009
This is my first exposure to this author, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. When a New York City detective dies, he names pet therapist and private detective Rachel Alexander as his executor. Why? He has a brother and sister who survive him. As Rachel digs into the deceased man's life, she uncovers childhood mysteries that could explain why his death seems more like suicide than an accident. She uncovers truths that may also explain why she was chosen as the executor--an odd choice considering the cop had only met Rachel briefly when she and her well-trained Pit Bull Dashiell visit the support group to which the cop once belonged.
The author's writing style makes this a compelling read throughout. You won't be bored or grumble about a slow pace. It was a bit disappointing to me in that it became a little formulaic as Rachel collapses into the sack with a cop who is working the investigation into his colleague's death. Can't these female private detectives have relationships with people other than cops? Just once? Please?
That said, you'll quickly discover that Rachel's character is one you'll come to appreciate almost immediately. There's nothing not to like. She's someone you'll easily cheer for, and the end isn't one you'll necessarily see coming.
This is also relatively clean reading until near the end when Rachel and the cop take a concurrent glide on the matress. But even that scene is mercifully brief. The book is well structured, and the author clearly has a firm grasp on the craft of good writing. Will I read more books in this series? Absolutely. That said, Rhyss Bowen's Molly Murphy remains near the top of my personal list of favorite female PI's. Incidentally, you'll even like the pit bull a lot before this is done, notwithstanding the breed's reputation.
The author's writing style makes this a compelling read throughout. You won't be bored or grumble about a slow pace. It was a bit disappointing to me in that it became a little formulaic as Rachel collapses into the sack with a cop who is working the investigation into his colleague's death. Can't these female private detectives have relationships with people other than cops? Just once? Please?
That said, you'll quickly discover that Rachel's character is one you'll come to appreciate almost immediately. There's nothing not to like. She's someone you'll easily cheer for, and the end isn't one you'll necessarily see coming.
This is also relatively clean reading until near the end when Rachel and the cop take a concurrent glide on the matress. But even that scene is mercifully brief. The book is well structured, and the author clearly has a firm grasp on the craft of good writing. Will I read more books in this series? Absolutely. That said, Rhyss Bowen's Molly Murphy remains near the top of my personal list of favorite female PI's. Incidentally, you'll even like the pit bull a lot before this is done, notwithstanding the breed's reputation.
October 8, 2014
This is Benjamin's homage to the police and firefighters killed on September eleventh, channeled through the story of one man who survived but attended a therapy group afterwards, an NYPD detective who later had a fatal accident while cleaning his gun at home. Rachel Alexander, who barely knew him, is surprised to be nominated as his executor, but shoulders the responsibility.
As a PI she is naturally suspicious of anything that seems odd - the mendicant who found the deceased was stuffing a kit bag with small valuables and a winter coat; an elegant beaded purse had been tossed into the back of the single man's wardrobe. The other people in the apartment building all left their spare keys with the detective, yet none of them was nominated as executor in his recent will. But was there anything genuinely wrong about the scene, even if it was a suicide, and if not, what is it that keeps raising her hackles?
For once Benjamin gives us a client without a dog, so Dash, Rachel's pit bull, is the canine star, but even he has been pushed out of the way by the time a serious attempt is made on Rachel's life. For all that this is one of her finer books - the detailed drudgery of clearing a plain apartment shows us how little the police gain from their dedicated work and how unrewarding their lives can be if they have no close family, while the detectives in the station house across the road from Rachel reveal themselves to be the dead man's true family.
Rachel has by this point been divorced and fallen out of a relationship with a dog trainer, and she comes around to beginning another relationship in this book. I was really hoping it would last.
As a PI she is naturally suspicious of anything that seems odd - the mendicant who found the deceased was stuffing a kit bag with small valuables and a winter coat; an elegant beaded purse had been tossed into the back of the single man's wardrobe. The other people in the apartment building all left their spare keys with the detective, yet none of them was nominated as executor in his recent will. But was there anything genuinely wrong about the scene, even if it was a suicide, and if not, what is it that keeps raising her hackles?
For once Benjamin gives us a client without a dog, so Dash, Rachel's pit bull, is the canine star, but even he has been pushed out of the way by the time a serious attempt is made on Rachel's life. For all that this is one of her finer books - the detailed drudgery of clearing a plain apartment shows us how little the police gain from their dedicated work and how unrewarding their lives can be if they have no close family, while the detectives in the station house across the road from Rachel reveal themselves to be the dead man's true family.
Rachel has by this point been divorced and fallen out of a relationship with a dog trainer, and she comes around to beginning another relationship in this book. I was really hoping it would last.
August 27, 2007
FALL GUY (Amateur Sleuth-NYC-Cont) – G+
Benjamin, Carol Lea – 7th in series (MG)
PI and dog trainer Rachael Alexander is named executor for the will of a man who attended her post-9/11 therapy group but barely spoke a word. It's now up to Rachael to contact the relatives and clear out the apartment of Policeman Tim O'Connor, who committed suicide—or did he.
*** I found the first half of this book a bit slow but interesting. The interesting characters, particularly Brody, the investigating policeman, Irving, O'Connor's neighbor upstairs, and Dashiell, Rachael's dog, kept me going. The story picked up in the second half picked up considerably and it became an interesting story of family secrets and guilt. At the end, I did quite enjoy it, but more for the characters than the plot.
Benjamin, Carol Lea – 7th in series (MG)
PI and dog trainer Rachael Alexander is named executor for the will of a man who attended her post-9/11 therapy group but barely spoke a word. It's now up to Rachael to contact the relatives and clear out the apartment of Policeman Tim O'Connor, who committed suicide—or did he.
*** I found the first half of this book a bit slow but interesting. The interesting characters, particularly Brody, the investigating policeman, Irving, O'Connor's neighbor upstairs, and Dashiell, Rachael's dog, kept me going. The story picked up in the second half picked up considerably and it became an interesting story of family secrets and guilt. At the end, I did quite enjoy it, but more for the characters than the plot.
October 14, 2014
I decided to give this author a try and I really enjoyed the book. Too often, mysteries are poorly written or have absurd plots, and when you add a dog to the mix, it can become ridiculous. However, this book suffers from none of that - I enjoyed myself the whole way through. I will try more of this series for sure.
August 5, 2014
I purchased this book on sale at a bookstore that was closing. The cover attracted me. It say in my book shelf for a few years and I picked it up the other day to read it. It was an okay read. It was fun and kept a decent pace. It was a just an average mystery with an author who has a thing for dogs. The plot was nothing out of the ordinary.
September 19, 2009
I plan to read another "Rachel Alexander Mystery".
Rachel isn't up there with characters like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone, but she's fun, too.
Rachel isn't up there with characters like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone, but she's fun, too.
August 29, 2010
Female detective Rachel Alexander with sidekick pit bull Dashiell. Pretty good, not good enough to try another one, tho.
February 21, 2013
Had me guessing to the end. What a wild ride! Love this series. Writing style is excellent, story is complex and love Dash! My favorite so far.
September 3, 2013
Engaging story as the mystery unravels. I would read another in the series.
August 17, 2016
A really good book, couldn't put it down.
May 15, 2016
Book #7 in the Rachel/Dash series, this one is as good as its predecessors. I've enjoyed the series so far.
November 28, 2018
Love the name Dashiell for P. I. Rachel Alexander's rescue pit bull.
May 25, 2021
I liked this so much that I'm buying up her other books.
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June 23, 2013Library Book
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews