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Paw Enforcement #1
Paw Enforcement
Introducing police officer Megan Luz and her loyal K-9 partner Brigit—two Fort Worth cops who are worth their weight in kibble.
SHE’S ON A SHORT LEASH.
Officer Luz is lucky she still has a job after tasering a male colleague where it counts the most. Sure, he had it coming—which is why the police chief is giving Megan a second chance. The catch? Her new partner can’t carry a gun, can’t drive a cruiser, and can’t recite the Miranda Rights. Because her new partner is a big furry police dog. So that’s what the chief meant when he called Megan’s partner a real b*tch…
WILL FATE THROW HER A BONE?
With Brigit out on the beat, Megan is writing up enough tickets to wallpaper the whole station. But when a bomb goes off at the mall’s food court, it’s up to Megan and Brigit to start digging—and sniffing—for clues. With the help of dead-sexy bomb-squad expert Seth Rutledge and his own canine partner named Blast, Megan finds herself in a desperate race to collar a killer. Will justice be served—or will she end up in the doghouse?
SHE’S ON A SHORT LEASH.
Officer Luz is lucky she still has a job after tasering a male colleague where it counts the most. Sure, he had it coming—which is why the police chief is giving Megan a second chance. The catch? Her new partner can’t carry a gun, can’t drive a cruiser, and can’t recite the Miranda Rights. Because her new partner is a big furry police dog. So that’s what the chief meant when he called Megan’s partner a real b*tch…
WILL FATE THROW HER A BONE?
With Brigit out on the beat, Megan is writing up enough tickets to wallpaper the whole station. But when a bomb goes off at the mall’s food court, it’s up to Megan and Brigit to start digging—and sniffing—for clues. With the help of dead-sexy bomb-squad expert Seth Rutledge and his own canine partner named Blast, Megan finds herself in a desperate race to collar a killer. Will justice be served—or will she end up in the doghouse?
388 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
About the author
Diane Kelly
70 books1,255 followersAward-winning author Diane Kelly writes romance and romantic mysteries featuring feisty heroines, quirky sidekicks, and sexy leading men, with humor that leaves readers laughing out loud.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
July 27, 2014
http://openbooksociety.com/article/pa...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer JoAnne
Megan Luz tasers her partner, Derek “Big Dick” Mackey in the place it will hurt the most. Why? Because he was making sexual remarks to her all day, and when she collared a woman for crystal meth, he suggested that the two of them basically give him a sex show using her digits, if you get my drift…this should have been my first clue, but I kept reading…
So, after she tases him, he runs to their chief; and when she tries to defend her actions, she’s partnered with a dog the chief calls a “b*tch.” Hmmm…Derek the cop is obviously sexist, and because he’s ‘brave,’ they keep him on in the department with no reprimand of any kind. Megan, however, feels she’s being ‘punished’ by becoming a K-9 officer…with no training…and no police car…(which she gets later on, but not the night she needs it either); she takes the dog home in her ‘smart car,’ in which he doesn’t really fit nor has any kind of restraint. Did I mention this is in Fort Worth, Texas? Where there’s a huge police force and I’m sure they can locate a police car for her somewhere?
On top of that, she takes the dog home to her ‘tiny apartment.’ I’m pretty sure no one with a small apartment would be assigned a 97 pound dog as a partner. They need room to run, and are usually kept in outdoor kennels. Not small cages, which is where she tries to make Brigit sleep, and what follows is a very unfunny (inane) scenario. As if that weren’t bad enough, she takes the dog out to the apartment pool and goes swimming with her. Didn’t anyone tell Megan that you can’t have dogs go swimming in apartment pools? There are laws. The hair could clog the equipment, and there are people who are allergic to dogs who might want to use that pool. I love dogs, but an apartment pool? Not likely, otherwise you’d have many dogs swimming in the pools all the time in complexes that allow pets.
Then, the dog chases a squirrel. That’s right, folks; a trained police dog..chases..a..squirrel. This dog has no self-control – it is a police dog, right? It obviously has none of any kind, considering she puts her paws on the window of a pet store – and I’m pretty sure police dogs are trained better than that. Megan also decided to patrol the mall on her own and mentioned that “while on duty she window-shopped, looked for bargains on sale racks and sampled testers at Macy’s.” Another hmmm…is this what the taxpayer’s money is going for? Maybe the chief should have fired her when he had the chance. Plus, obviously she has no patrol route, because she decided on her own to patrol the mall, even though ‘they had their own security team.’ And she spends a lot of time at the mall. I live in a big city, and I’ve never seen a police officer patrolling any of the malls. She’s right; they do have their own security, and the cops are only called in an emergency.
She lets us know Brigit is misbehaved (chewing on Megan’s things when Brigit is angry), and that her days are spent patrolling the mall (which I’ve already covered). But the worst is when she starts picking on the Catholic religion. I am not Catholic, but I would never denigrate anyone’s religion or beliefs. I was completely offended by some of the things she said, especially comparing herself to the Son of God. (Yes, she did). AND she takes the dog to church with her! Who does that? Are you kidding me? Dogs in church? This isn’t a helper dog, it’s a POLICE DOG!!!
I gave this book two stars because the author is obviously trying, but for a first attempt in this series, it’s a pretty poor one. By the end of the book, I really didn’t care about the bomber or anything else. Too many unbelievable scenarios. One of the last scenes has a particularly distasteful exchange with Mackey; something I seriously hope will never happen on our police department – because if that’s how she proves she’s a good cop, then it’s a sad statement indeed. Hopefully the next in the series will improve, with Megan actually acting like a police officer and not some teenager hanging out at the mall.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer JoAnne
Megan Luz tasers her partner, Derek “Big Dick” Mackey in the place it will hurt the most. Why? Because he was making sexual remarks to her all day, and when she collared a woman for crystal meth, he suggested that the two of them basically give him a sex show using her digits, if you get my drift…this should have been my first clue, but I kept reading…
So, after she tases him, he runs to their chief; and when she tries to defend her actions, she’s partnered with a dog the chief calls a “b*tch.” Hmmm…Derek the cop is obviously sexist, and because he’s ‘brave,’ they keep him on in the department with no reprimand of any kind. Megan, however, feels she’s being ‘punished’ by becoming a K-9 officer…with no training…and no police car…(which she gets later on, but not the night she needs it either); she takes the dog home in her ‘smart car,’ in which he doesn’t really fit nor has any kind of restraint. Did I mention this is in Fort Worth, Texas? Where there’s a huge police force and I’m sure they can locate a police car for her somewhere?
On top of that, she takes the dog home to her ‘tiny apartment.’ I’m pretty sure no one with a small apartment would be assigned a 97 pound dog as a partner. They need room to run, and are usually kept in outdoor kennels. Not small cages, which is where she tries to make Brigit sleep, and what follows is a very unfunny (inane) scenario. As if that weren’t bad enough, she takes the dog out to the apartment pool and goes swimming with her. Didn’t anyone tell Megan that you can’t have dogs go swimming in apartment pools? There are laws. The hair could clog the equipment, and there are people who are allergic to dogs who might want to use that pool. I love dogs, but an apartment pool? Not likely, otherwise you’d have many dogs swimming in the pools all the time in complexes that allow pets.
Then, the dog chases a squirrel. That’s right, folks; a trained police dog..chases..a..squirrel. This dog has no self-control – it is a police dog, right? It obviously has none of any kind, considering she puts her paws on the window of a pet store – and I’m pretty sure police dogs are trained better than that. Megan also decided to patrol the mall on her own and mentioned that “while on duty she window-shopped, looked for bargains on sale racks and sampled testers at Macy’s.” Another hmmm…is this what the taxpayer’s money is going for? Maybe the chief should have fired her when he had the chance. Plus, obviously she has no patrol route, because she decided on her own to patrol the mall, even though ‘they had their own security team.’ And she spends a lot of time at the mall. I live in a big city, and I’ve never seen a police officer patrolling any of the malls. She’s right; they do have their own security, and the cops are only called in an emergency.
She lets us know Brigit is misbehaved (chewing on Megan’s things when Brigit is angry), and that her days are spent patrolling the mall (which I’ve already covered). But the worst is when she starts picking on the Catholic religion. I am not Catholic, but I would never denigrate anyone’s religion or beliefs. I was completely offended by some of the things she said, especially comparing herself to the Son of God. (Yes, she did). AND she takes the dog to church with her! Who does that? Are you kidding me? Dogs in church? This isn’t a helper dog, it’s a POLICE DOG!!!
I gave this book two stars because the author is obviously trying, but for a first attempt in this series, it’s a pretty poor one. By the end of the book, I really didn’t care about the bomber or anything else. Too many unbelievable scenarios. One of the last scenes has a particularly distasteful exchange with Mackey; something I seriously hope will never happen on our police department – because if that’s how she proves she’s a good cop, then it’s a sad statement indeed. Hopefully the next in the series will improve, with Megan actually acting like a police officer and not some teenager hanging out at the mall.
January 6, 2017
After reading Night by Elie Wiesel I just had to pick up something light hearted , cute, and all around enjoyable. I've been waiting for the perfect time to pick up
by
and it turned out to truly be the perfect time. This is the first in this series and it was truly enjoyable. Of course, I can be a bit bias on this for I love dogs and I am a huge fan of our men and women in law enforcement.
The lead character, Megan is a rookie police officer who after tasering her arrogant, sexist male partner in the privates was assigned a police dog named Brigit. And - so the story begins- I liked Megan from the get-go and how can you not love her dog Brigit.
And then there is this famous line : "You kick my dog again, you're losing a tooth or a nut. I'm not telling you which, so it'll be a surprise."
This is a cozy- and I have a hard time with so many cozies for either they are so over the top, eye rolling and just plain ridiculous and / or for whatever reason some/most of the cozies have an awful habit of just adding characters, after characters where you get so lost you have no idea who the hell these people are!
If you are looking for something cute, and fun- and if you love dogs - pick this up, relax, and enjoy the ride--- just remember , it is a cozy!
by
and it turned out to truly be the perfect time. This is the first in this series and it was truly enjoyable. Of course, I can be a bit bias on this for I love dogs and I am a huge fan of our men and women in law enforcement. The lead character, Megan is a rookie police officer who after tasering her arrogant, sexist male partner in the privates was assigned a police dog named Brigit. And - so the story begins- I liked Megan from the get-go and how can you not love her dog Brigit.
And then there is this famous line : "You kick my dog again, you're losing a tooth or a nut. I'm not telling you which, so it'll be a surprise."
This is a cozy- and I have a hard time with so many cozies for either they are so over the top, eye rolling and just plain ridiculous and / or for whatever reason some/most of the cozies have an awful habit of just adding characters, after characters where you get so lost you have no idea who the hell these people are!
If you are looking for something cute, and fun- and if you love dogs - pick this up, relax, and enjoy the ride--- just remember , it is a cozy!
January 13, 2015
A female cop? A K9 partner? Snark & danger? What's not to like???
Well, after 5 tries, I gave up on this book. I was so annoyed with the handling of a K9 partnership and how it was portrayed that I just kept getting stuck on it. I find it incredibly hard to believe there is zero training. They just hand you a dog and wish you luck. And, after reading her bio, I find it difficult to believe that Ms. Kelly believes that either.
Also, while I empathized with the heroine and her situation, she didn't do herself any likability favors either. I couldn't get myself to cheer for her even I was like "Yeah, that guy totally deserved that" -- also, across even the first parts there seemed to be too many inconsistency of character for me.
Well, after 5 tries, I gave up on this book. I was so annoyed with the handling of a K9 partnership and how it was portrayed that I just kept getting stuck on it. I find it incredibly hard to believe there is zero training. They just hand you a dog and wish you luck. And, after reading her bio, I find it difficult to believe that Ms. Kelly believes that either.
Also, while I empathized with the heroine and her situation, she didn't do herself any likability favors either. I couldn't get myself to cheer for her even I was like "Yeah, that guy totally deserved that" -- also, across even the first parts there seemed to be too many inconsistency of character for me.
August 15, 2017
During the first 1/3 of the book I was planning to give this 4 stars, but I ended up being very disappointed with the way the author handled the relationship between Megan and Seth. She's been at pains to paint Megan as strong, short-tempered and taking no shit from nobody. Then she gets into this relationship and becomes all passive and submissive within the context of that relationship. She passively accepts whatever he offers. She may fume about it being inadequate, but only to herself; she never challenges Seth. This is simply inconsistent with her portrayal in the rest of the book, but it is quite consistent with the unpleasant power dynamics underlying the depiction of of many male/female relationships in fiction, esp. romance fiction. And it all too often gets acted out in real life as well since that's what men & women both are taught to expect. Color me VERY disappointed.
Otherwise Megan is a very interesting figure and I enjoyed getting to know her and watching her relationship with Brigit, her K-9 partner, grow. With the caveat about the unpleasant romantic relationship, I'd recommend it, and I certainly plan to read the next of Megan and Brigit's adventures, due next Jan.
Otherwise Megan is a very interesting figure and I enjoyed getting to know her and watching her relationship with Brigit, her K-9 partner, grow. With the caveat about the unpleasant romantic relationship, I'd recommend it, and I certainly plan to read the next of Megan and Brigit's adventures, due next Jan.
December 4, 2019
Loved the concept - but the characters just didn’t come alive for me which kind of spoiled it for me.
September 8, 2020
Really fun fast read. Great for animal lovers who like a good mystery!
October 1, 2014
I stumbled across this book while trolling my library's website looking for audio books I could immediately download. It looked cute so I grabbed it.
It wasn't soon before I was turned off. For a supposed smart girl, Megan did stupid things. I actually thought her tasing a co-worker was warranted, but the way that her captain talked down to her made me want to scream. I wanted her to go to HR or IA and tell them, all she would have needed to say was sexual harassment and things would have gone differently. Instead her captain made it seem like she over reacted and her punishment was being teamed up with a dog.
I really thought things would pick up from here. Instead Megan looked at the dog like it was evil and a burden, which Brigit, the dog picked up on and started acted out. I liked that we got the dog's point of view, but she was petty and determined to show Megan who was boss.
It was at this point that I gave up. Neither Megan or Brigit were sympathic and made me want to keep reading about them. In the end this one just wasn't for me.
It wasn't soon before I was turned off. For a supposed smart girl, Megan did stupid things. I actually thought her tasing a co-worker was warranted, but the way that her captain talked down to her made me want to scream. I wanted her to go to HR or IA and tell them, all she would have needed to say was sexual harassment and things would have gone differently. Instead her captain made it seem like she over reacted and her punishment was being teamed up with a dog.
I really thought things would pick up from here. Instead Megan looked at the dog like it was evil and a burden, which Brigit, the dog picked up on and started acted out. I liked that we got the dog's point of view, but she was petty and determined to show Megan who was boss.
It was at this point that I gave up. Neither Megan or Brigit were sympathic and made me want to keep reading about them. In the end this one just wasn't for me.
February 22, 2024
Loved this audiobook. Set in my town of Fort Worth, I recognized many of the landmarks.
This is a good combo of humor and a little bit of mystery. Due to the language, I would not put it in the cozy category. But pretty close.
This is a good combo of humor and a little bit of mystery. Due to the language, I would not put it in the cozy category. But pretty close.
April 23, 2015
It was a struggle between 1 and 2 stars. I gave it 2 stars because I didn't absolutely hate it, but it was tedious to get through. The storyline had potential, a cop and her K-9 partner, I'm thinking action and fun. Not even close. What was supposed to be funny was just tactless idiocy. The main character has anger issues and has the mentality of a high school drama queen. The rest of the characters are her equal. The things that happened were unbelievable and I don't think she ever would have passed the police academy,
She has a fascination with testicles all through the story which starts out at the beginning with her tasering her partners balls. She should have been fired right then, even if he was a slime. This was a poorly written book
without any mature content. It felt like I was dealing with teenagers with their first crush instead of adults with important jobs. I will not be reading/listening to any more in this series.
She has a fascination with testicles all through the story which starts out at the beginning with her tasering her partners balls. She should have been fired right then, even if he was a slime. This was a poorly written book
without any mature content. It felt like I was dealing with teenagers with their first crush instead of adults with important jobs. I will not be reading/listening to any more in this series.
November 6, 2017
This is an enjoyable series. Unfortunately, I have been reading them out of order. I do recommend starting with the first book since this is where Megan and Bridget become partners.
January 10, 2022
I love cozies by Diane Kelly, so I was excited for the opportunity to branch out and try this series. The sexual innuendos were a little much for my personal taste, BUT the story was great and I loved getting to know Megan and Brigit. I also really enjoyed how we got to peek inside the thoughts of Brigit & the Rattler (the criminal). I can see myself continuing this series and following Megan & Brigit through another case.
July 12, 2015
Paw Enforcement is the first book that I have read by Kelly, but it definitely won't be the last. I have to admit that I am a cat lover so I wasn't expecting to enjoy a dog featuring book so much but Brigit completely won over this cat lover. I absolutely love how Kelly had so much humor in the book especially when Megan and Brigit were both trying to show the other who was the boss in their relationship. I also enjoyed how Kelly brought in Seth and Blast as well making a great crime solving foursome. Megan is well developed in the book, and I enjoyed seeing seeing her try to prove herself by solving the mall bombing crime. Paw Enforcement is a great mystery and a great start to this new series. If you are looking for an enjoyable read full of humor, mystery, and even a hint of romance, then Paw Enforcement is for you. I am definitely looking forward to reading more by this author.
Received a copy of Paw Enforcement through Goodreads.
Received a copy of Paw Enforcement through Goodreads.
September 2, 2015
Read by Coleen Marlo and just over ten hours of listening. Audible.com audiobook.
Gave this story a good try, listened for three hours. There are a number of reasons I’m done. One, the dog does not behave like a police dog. Eating evidence at a crime scene? Ignoring commands? Humping another dog during training class? Really? Are you serious? Two, the attempt by the author at humor is just that, an attempt. Granted, some of the commentary is funny, but little comes across naturally, it is all very forced and unreal. Three, the snarky attitude of the lead character isn’t realistic and her short fuse is phony and put on, as is her immediately turning into a weak-kneed-valley-girl-moron when ever a good-looking man appears. Eyes rolling until facing the back of my head.
The narrator is okay, just dealing as best she can with the material. There are a bunch of nice reviews … so, you may see something of value in this story, beats me.
Gave this story a good try, listened for three hours. There are a number of reasons I’m done. One, the dog does not behave like a police dog. Eating evidence at a crime scene? Ignoring commands? Humping another dog during training class? Really? Are you serious? Two, the attempt by the author at humor is just that, an attempt. Granted, some of the commentary is funny, but little comes across naturally, it is all very forced and unreal. Three, the snarky attitude of the lead character isn’t realistic and her short fuse is phony and put on, as is her immediately turning into a weak-kneed-valley-girl-moron when ever a good-looking man appears. Eyes rolling until facing the back of my head.
The narrator is okay, just dealing as best she can with the material. There are a bunch of nice reviews … so, you may see something of value in this story, beats me.
January 23, 2015
I had serious reservations about this book in spite of loving the Tara Holloway series. Alternating povs with a dog? It started out rough too: I didn't warm to this book at first. But once the first bomb exploded the writing smoothed out and I was hooked. I'm eager to learn more about Seth, too!
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/109346...
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/109346...
May 8, 2015
Decent read. I am not a fan of multiple narrators in books - especially when one is the bad guy and the other is a dog so I never fell in love with this one. I also listened to this one on audio book and was not totally enamored with the narrator so maybe that was part of the problem. Either way it was a just ok for me.
June 10, 2017
Well that was definitely a unique way to start a book. I do have to say that I think there was a little too much swearing and that it was a little too crude to be considered a true cozy, but that didn't stop it from being an entertaining book. It was interesting having the chapters alternate between three characters. I really loved the dog chapters - they really reminded me of my own dogs (I'm also now referring to Luna as Sergeant Fluffybutt). The mystery was great, with a few shocks scattered throughout. The ability to see inside the bomber's head makes the reveal even more shocking.
March 31, 2022
4 stelle scarse
Avevo comprato questo libro anni fa, ma poi non avevo mai avuto modo di leggerlo. La storia non è male, ho solo avuto problemi a farmi piacere le due protagoniste (umana e canina); alla fine, dopo un po' sono riuscita a sopportarle. Sinceramente sono più incuriosita da Seth, che non riesco a inquadrare del tutto. Ho comprato un altro paio di libri di questa serie quando erano in offerta e penso che prima o poi li leggerò anche se mi mancano alcuni nel mezzo.
Avevo comprato questo libro anni fa, ma poi non avevo mai avuto modo di leggerlo. La storia non è male, ho solo avuto problemi a farmi piacere le due protagoniste (umana e canina); alla fine, dopo un po' sono riuscita a sopportarle. Sinceramente sono più incuriosita da Seth, che non riesco a inquadrare del tutto. Ho comprato un altro paio di libri di questa serie quando erano in offerta e penso che prima o poi li leggerò anche se mi mancano alcuni nel mezzo.
June 7, 2016
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
Diane Kelly’s Paw Enforcement series came on my radar because of something I read on a blog. Said blog mentioned the fourth book in the series. Me being me, I couldn’t simply start with book four, no, a true dedicated readers starts with the first book in the series, always.
Paw Enforcement introduces readers to Megan Luz, a rookie cop with anger issues working in the Fort Worth area of Texas. Megan’s got herself into a spot of trouble after tasering her offensive partner. As a result Megan finds herself with a new partner…of the canine persuasion. Brigit is a big dog and Megan drives a smart cart and lives in a tiny apartment. How this partnership is going to flourish is anyone’s guess; yet, Brigit’s skill in taking down criminals does seem to impress Megan.
During the course of her patrols, Brigit alerts on a trashcan at the local mall. Megan, after investigating, discovers a bomb timed to blow. After evacuating the populated food court, both Megan and Brigit receive minor injuries in the course of doing their duty; however, their close brush with death motivates Megan to take part in the investigation and bring that bomber to justice (never mind that Megan is so new, she doesn’t qualify to even apply for detective for another four years). With the personal connection, Megan refuses to back out of the investigation and ends up working unpaid overtime to help the lead detective.
Paw Enforcement is not at all my usual type of read. Yes, I read mysteries, but this is, like, a pet mystery, and therefore I assumed that it would be a cheesy read. Paw Enforcement is probably the coziest mystery that I have ever read. So while this one is an oddball choice for me, I did rather enjoy listening to the book, enough that I’ll continue reading the series. The highlight for me was the character of Megan. I really liked that Megan was someone that was struggling with her entry into the workforce. So sue me, the whole self-discovery character development plot device is totally my catnip. Megan doesn’t have it all together. She lives in a crappy apartment, works terrible hours, and is paying off student loans. This is not a character that I would normally expect to be the lead in a mystery series. I love the fact that Megan is, well, normal. Megan is sarcastic and funny and when her temper comes out, well, she doesn’t always make the best decisions. Again, I love the fact that we have this perfectly imperfect character.
Of course, I also appreciated the romance thread in Paw Enforcement. After the first explosion at the mall, Megan finds herself entangled with the hot bomb squad officer, Seth. Like Megan, Seth also has a canine partner, and after a few dates the two humans form a connection (just as their dogs do). The romance wasn’t a big part of the plot, but it adds a nice layer to the story and the ending leaves things up in the air between Megan and Seth.
Paw Enforcement is not a procedural-heavy mystery read. Instead, Paw Enforcement focuses on its lead character Megan and her canine companion. While the details of their patrol at times slow the pace of the mystery, it makes for a nice read for fans who are looking for a cozier mystery read, low on the blood and guts as well as intricate crimes. I’d say this is a perfect beach read for the upcoming summer.
Diane Kelly’s Paw Enforcement series came on my radar because of something I read on a blog. Said blog mentioned the fourth book in the series. Me being me, I couldn’t simply start with book four, no, a true dedicated readers starts with the first book in the series, always.
Paw Enforcement introduces readers to Megan Luz, a rookie cop with anger issues working in the Fort Worth area of Texas. Megan’s got herself into a spot of trouble after tasering her offensive partner. As a result Megan finds herself with a new partner…of the canine persuasion. Brigit is a big dog and Megan drives a smart cart and lives in a tiny apartment. How this partnership is going to flourish is anyone’s guess; yet, Brigit’s skill in taking down criminals does seem to impress Megan.
During the course of her patrols, Brigit alerts on a trashcan at the local mall. Megan, after investigating, discovers a bomb timed to blow. After evacuating the populated food court, both Megan and Brigit receive minor injuries in the course of doing their duty; however, their close brush with death motivates Megan to take part in the investigation and bring that bomber to justice (never mind that Megan is so new, she doesn’t qualify to even apply for detective for another four years). With the personal connection, Megan refuses to back out of the investigation and ends up working unpaid overtime to help the lead detective.
Paw Enforcement is not at all my usual type of read. Yes, I read mysteries, but this is, like, a pet mystery, and therefore I assumed that it would be a cheesy read. Paw Enforcement is probably the coziest mystery that I have ever read. So while this one is an oddball choice for me, I did rather enjoy listening to the book, enough that I’ll continue reading the series. The highlight for me was the character of Megan. I really liked that Megan was someone that was struggling with her entry into the workforce. So sue me, the whole self-discovery character development plot device is totally my catnip. Megan doesn’t have it all together. She lives in a crappy apartment, works terrible hours, and is paying off student loans. This is not a character that I would normally expect to be the lead in a mystery series. I love the fact that Megan is, well, normal. Megan is sarcastic and funny and when her temper comes out, well, she doesn’t always make the best decisions. Again, I love the fact that we have this perfectly imperfect character.
Of course, I also appreciated the romance thread in Paw Enforcement. After the first explosion at the mall, Megan finds herself entangled with the hot bomb squad officer, Seth. Like Megan, Seth also has a canine partner, and after a few dates the two humans form a connection (just as their dogs do). The romance wasn’t a big part of the plot, but it adds a nice layer to the story and the ending leaves things up in the air between Megan and Seth.
Paw Enforcement is not a procedural-heavy mystery read. Instead, Paw Enforcement focuses on its lead character Megan and her canine companion. While the details of their patrol at times slow the pace of the mystery, it makes for a nice read for fans who are looking for a cozier mystery read, low on the blood and guts as well as intricate crimes. I’d say this is a perfect beach read for the upcoming summer.
April 17, 2018
First book in the Paw Enforcement series introduces us to police officer Megan, and her K-9 Brigit. Megan is a young police officer in Texas that is assigned a K-9 as “punishment” for getting into a dispute with her former partner.
There are some scenes in the book that are cringe worthy but overall I enjoyed this light mystery.
There are some scenes in the book that are cringe worthy but overall I enjoyed this light mystery.
January 2, 2015
As much as I wanted to really like this novel, I just couldn't quite bring myself to do it. This is the second book by Diane Kelly that I've read and it's the second book by her that I didn't enjoy. The main character started to get on my nerves almost immediately. I could've cared less about her stutter it was her reasoning behind wanting to be a police officer that annoyed me. Brigit was cute and I enjoyed reading the story from her point of view, but that was probably one of the only things I enjoyed reading about in this novel. I felt like it kept dragging on forever instead of leaping into the real meat/action of the story. After reading about 200 pages I skipped to the end to find out who the bomber was. And of course, it turned out to be exactly who I thought it was. A little disappointing to say the least. But then again this whole novel was a little disappointing. Sorry Diane Kelly but I won't be picking up your novels from now on.
March 10, 2019
This book would have made more sense if it was set in a little town, rather than Fort Worth, TX. Major police departments just don't take officers and make them K9's. The dog's behavior at the beginning is not how a well-trained police dog would act. (The dog does get better as the book goes on.) The main character's relationship with Seth seems very forced - both in how it started and how it (temporarily) ended. How the police and fire department know to go to the specific location at the end of the book is never explained. Literally, one just shows up and everything goes from there. I did not like how the author keeps the bomber's identity from the reader for half of the book, then just reveals it.
There were things about this book that were good. I like the idea, just not the presentation.
There were things about this book that were good. I like the idea, just not the presentation.
May 12, 2014
Megan Luz is a police officer with the Fort Worth police department. She is a rookie with a short temper. When a incident with her taser and her partners family jewels lands her a new K-9 partner named Brigit the real fun begins. Soon bombs are going off and its up to Megan and Brigit to sniff out the culprit. If that wasn’t enough for Megan to handle throw in a sexy and sometimes moody Seth and his dog Blast.
Diane Kelly knocked this book out of the park! I LOVED IT!!! I could not put it down. It has a combination of wit, sass, and humor that will have you begging for more. If you love Janet Evanovich than you will absolutely love this book. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Megan and Brigit.
Diane Kelly knocked this book out of the park! I LOVED IT!!! I could not put it down. It has a combination of wit, sass, and humor that will have you begging for more. If you love Janet Evanovich than you will absolutely love this book. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Megan and Brigit.
January 20, 2015
2.5 Stars could have been more like 3.5 if the main character didn't come across as so angry. I wanted to like this book more than I did. I really like the setting - I grew up in the D/FW area of Texas, after all - and I like the idea of following a K9 team through the stories that unfold in this series. I didn't even mind the switching of POV between Megan, Brigit and the Rattler from one chapter to the next. But so much of the book seemed devoted to Megan being angry about something (justly, in many cases... but still) that I didn't enjoy the reading as much as I might have.
I'm willing to take a chance on book two, in hopes that having settled into a routine with Brigit will have mellowed Megan's boiling point a little.
I'm willing to take a chance on book two, in hopes that having settled into a routine with Brigit will have mellowed Megan's boiling point a little.
March 14, 2026
DNF (and that's saying something because I almost never not finish a book). One, there was too much profanity and adult content. Two, it was super unrealistic. Three, a terrible look for the Fort Worth Police Department (IMO, Officer Luz and Mackey should both be fired because they are both awful cops). Four, having a police K9 is a special position. They aren't going to use it as punishment, not going to put someone in that position that doesn't want it, not going to put someone in that position without extensive training first. Five, I couldn't stand how Officer Luz was treating her police K9.
It's such a shame because I was excited to read a book about the Fort Worth Police Department and the K9.
It's such a shame because I was excited to read a book about the Fort Worth Police Department and the K9.
March 24, 2020
2 1/2 stars
I liked the scenes from the dog’s point of view.
However- it isn’t exactly realistic in the least, especially the K9 stuff. She is given the job as a punishment - which no people generally compete for that job, and it’s punishment for not putting up with sexual harassment by a coworker on her and a suspect, which oh the lawsuits. The dog is from a shelter which no, bites people on the back, no, there’s just a lot that is not technically correct at all.
I liked the scenes from the dog’s point of view.
However- it isn’t exactly realistic in the least, especially the K9 stuff. She is given the job as a punishment - which no people generally compete for that job, and it’s punishment for not putting up with sexual harassment by a coworker on her and a suspect, which oh the lawsuits. The dog is from a shelter which no, bites people on the back, no, there’s just a lot that is not technically correct at all.
September 29, 2020
I read this for a book group with Team RWB. One of our members is a former police officer. Look forward to hearing what she has to say about it. It was an okay mystery but thought the story was too much about how often she and fellow police officer could shout obscenities about each other and her sex life. I was more interested in seeing how she learned to become a police officer with a K9 partner.
April 15, 2025
DNF’d quickly and mostly writing this review to remind myself I already tried this series. I love Diane Kelly but this book was not it for me. Too much copaganda (the MC’s attitude of “I’m angry and don’t like people and that’s why I became a cop” is waaaay too real, like seriously?) and too caustic (super weird to have the MC be a dog hater in the beginning, when obviously every reader of this book is an animal lover). Anyway not for me.
May 16, 2021
Wow, this was... bad. I made all of 60 pages and called it quits. Everything about this was poorly done. From our unbelievably bad police department all on fronts, including our MC, to our police dog who was also a terrible terrible police dog.
Yea, not into this one bit. There are much better cozy mysteries out there.
Yea, not into this one bit. There are much better cozy mysteries out there.
May 29, 2025
It took me a bit to get into this book. Megan's character is a bit rough around the edges than other main characters in her other series. The final twist was a bit of a surprise. Unfortunately, I didn't love this like Kelly's other series
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August 20, 2025Rare DNF for me. While I enjoy the author’s humor, I felt that the situation was disrespectful to actual canine officers, who are most certainly trained before they get their police dog. I stopped at page 72, I did try to like it.
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