Doggie Day Care Murder

Melanie Travis #15

by Laurien Berenson

Melanie Travis thought her sleuthing days were behind her. She has a new baby to take care of--not to mention five Standard Poodles. These days, the closest Melanie gets to detective work is scoping out the scene at the local doggie day center for her friend Alice Brickman.

As Melanie learns, it's a dog's life at the Pine Ridge Canine Care Center--and life is good. Everyone seems blissfully happy. Everyone canine, that is, as Melanie soon discovers there are some simmering resentments among the Pine Ridge staff. And when Steve Pine, the center's charming, good-looking co-owner, is found shot to death on the floor of his office, there's no shortage of suspects.

With the police at a loss for leads, it's now up to Melanie to go undercover and sniff out a killer whose secrets lie buried in a dog's paradise that's proving to be anything but. . .

"Warm and fuzzy. . .another cute tail-wagging puzzler."--Publishers Weekly

"A top-notch mystery. . .Newcomers to the series will be hooked, and returning readers will continue to enjoy Melanie's relatable nature and charm."--Romantic Times

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

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Laurien Berenson is the award-winning author of the long running Melanie Travis canine mystery series and the new Senior Sleuths series starring Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan as a pair of seventyish sisters-in-law who are learning to put aside old grudges as they work together to solve mysteries. DIE ANOTHER DANE (#31 in the Melanie Travis series) is out now.

Laurien's work has appeared numerous magazines and the New York Times. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by horses and dogs.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Melanie Travis story and it was delightful!! I loved all the animals, I loved Melanie and her family. There is a lot of humor. The plot was great, and thoroughly entertaining! Dog lovers will enjoy this story, for sure! I want to read ALL the books in this series now!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good characterizations, good story.
Solid plot. c2008 [15th in series]
Setting: Stamford, CT
Sleuth: Melanie Travis: wife, mother of two boys, pet owner of Faith and four other Standard Poodles.
Aunt Peg is a dog trainer and dog show judge and a “force to be reckoned with” !

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Melanie Travis mystery, although I have seen them before. I always hesitate over mystery books; I have one series I beyond adore (The Cat Who) but I've never found another series to honestly compare. I was in the mood for something similar, and this book definitely didn't disappoint!

I know it's a bit strange to start a series with number fifteen, but this book drew me in effortlessly and kept my interest throughout. I found out previous things that had happened in this series, and got hints for the future. Both made me want to read previous books and future ones as well. I'll definitely see if my library has more of the series, and keep my eye out for them second hand now as well. Always awesome to find a fun new series!

I do love any story about animals, fiction or otherwise. Dogs and cats are always a favorite too. If you like your crime with a helping of canine, then this series might be for you!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Melanie Travis mysteries are some of my favorites. I am so glad to find a new one - so far it does not disappoint.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
This book was pretty interesting though definitely not my favorite. I liked seeing Melanie as the mom of a baby and reading about the different things that entails. Kevin is quite the interesting child and I found him extremely cute in this book. I would have wanted to see more of Davie in junior handling as dogs and showing them have been central to the series. Nonetheless, I did enjoy seeing Davie grow into his own person and liked reading the small bits of puberty he's going through slowly.
I enjoyed that this book had more scenes between Melanie and Alice as I was worried that Alice would not be featured since she isn't as close to Melanie anymore. The scenes between them are what I hope to have when I become a mom--a friend who will be there you and whom you can also be there for.
Sam and Melanie's relationship is also one I hope to come close to in the future. I feel that they do a good job about handling the duties of parenting and navigating busy schedules together. I love the support they give one another and love how mutual the marriage decisions and duties are. It's clear that they both love each other and they are perfect for one another.
The mystery itself was pretty interesting, though it's not the best out of them all. Certainly after the last mystery it was lacking in intrigue and action.

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

picked this up from a Free Little Library on a whim and finally gave it a read, it was cute and the story was well paced! really enjoyed it as a chill, non-serious read, that still had a good plot

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifteenth in the Melanie Travis mystery series revolving around Melanie Travis, a former dog handler and now a second-time mom, in Stamford, Connecticut.

The Story
Married a year now, Melanie and Sam are the proud parents of three-month-old Kevin and nine-year-old Davey is thrilled to have a new brother. Enjoying her role as a stay-at-home mom, Melanie's best friend, Alice, flatters her into checking out the Pine Ridge Canine Care Center. Seems Alice is all too ready to give up the stay-at-home routine and go back to work as a paralegal at her husband, Joe's, law firm. But Alice needs daycare for Brinkley, their 18-month-old golden retriever, and wants Melanie, with her dog expertise, to check the place out.

Heck, I'm impressed—a Taj Mahal of daycare for doggies! Lots of pasture and toys for dogs outside. Inside there are couches and chairs set up in individual rooms each with its own televisions and an in-floor remote so the dogs can turn it on/off or change the channel. No doors allows the dogs the freedom to move around and choose their friends.

Then Aunt Peg comes up with questions Melanie hadn't thought to ask and when Melanie and Alice return to Pine Ridge, it's to find Steve Pine murdered. Between Alice and the desolation on Candy's face, Melanie agrees to investigate.

All this and then Melanie finds out that Aunt Peg and Davey have cooked up their own surprise for Davey carrying on the family tradition.

The Characters
Melanie Travis has a bit of a reputation with friends, family….and the police for investigating. But with her marriage to game developer, Sam Driver, and the kids—9-year-old Davey from her marriage to Bob and 3-month-old Kevin, Mel is done. Really. No more.

It took Sam Driver four years to talk Melanie into marrying him and when they did finally do the deed, they ended up with a family of five black Standard Poodles: Faith, Eve, Raven, Casey, and Tar—seems Sam used to show dogs as well. Oh yeah, and Davey.

Alice is Melanie's best friend. New moms together who bonded over all the mommy activities some nine years ago. Married to Joe Brickman, they have two kids: nine-year-old Joey (yeah Davey and Joey are friends) and seven-year-old Carly along with the introduction to the murder scene, Brinkley.

Aunt Peg is Melanie's aunt by marriage and she and her husband, Max, had raised a nationally known line of Standard Poodles, the Cedar Crest line. With Max's death, Margaret scaled operations back and now judges dog shows contenting herself with just six Standard Poodles. A gift of a Standard Poodle puppy five years ago along with Aunt Peg's relentlessness saw Melanie doing quite well as a dog handler.

Bob, Melanie's ex-husband, is an accountant as well as partners with Melanie's younger brother, Frank, in a very popular coffee house, the Bean Counter. Mel, Sam, and Bob have a very cordial relationship.

Steve and Candy Pine are brother and sister who have opened the Pine Ridge Canine Care Center —the ideal doggie daycare. Theirs is an ideal partnership with Steve handling the accounts and other paperwork as well as the ladies while Candy handles operations. Bailey is their fabulous dog groomer and Jason is a summer employee working towards an MBA in Business. Jason has lots of ideas for improving PRCCC but he's a very low man on the totem pole.

Roger Cavanaugh is a silent partner in PRCCC as well as a client with his dog, Logan.

My Take
This was a cute, homey mystery. Light and fluffy. It's ideal if you love dogs—Standard Poodles in particular with a peek-in behind-the-scenes of dog handlers getting ready for a dog show.

The odd notes are Melanie's not-so-happy relationship with Aunt Peg. Berenson needs to work up a bit more tension between the two. She writes the tension but I'm just not feeling it.

I do like the better light that now shines between Melanie and Detective Minton. It'll be curious to see where this goes.

The Cover
Oh, too cute!! Three corgis, a spaniel, and a terrier happily playing on a doggie obstacle course. The title is not particularly imaginative but it certainly is appropriate as it is all about a Doggie Day Care Murder.

[Lori Whitwam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Berenson's dog mystery series is always good. Some are better than others, and this one was about average. Perhaps I was less-enamored because in this one, for a dog-lover like me, only distracts me from the dogs.

Melanie is asked to check out a doggie day care center for a friend. Skeptical at first, she finds it's a well-run, hospitable place for the dogs of the terminally busy. The brother/sister owners seem to love the place, and the brother is very handsome and charming. The next day he is found shot to death in his office. The sister, Candy, asks for Melanie's help in uncovering her brother's killer.

Is it the neighbor who fought the day care business in a previously residential neighborhood? One of the (many) clients and employees who had had flings with the dead man? Someone who felt cheated or mistreated? The angry client whose unspayed shih tzu was bred while there for grooming?

Meanwhile, Melanie's maiden aunt, a big name in the show dog world (Standard Poodles, same as Melanie), decides to start training Melanie's son in junior showmanship. Sadly, this is the most dog-stuff I got in this book. The dogs are more background characters than usual, so only three stars.

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book from the series. A different theme- I don't know anything about dog shows and poodles, so it was interesting to learn about. This being book #15 I probably would have benefited from reading an earlier installment, but it doesn't get in the way of the story and the mystery that much. There was one aspect of the mystery that I thought would go farther than it did. Overall, not bad.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story starts after the birth of the son of Sam and Melanie when Melanie is dealing with a lack of sleep and purpose. Her good friend, Alice, asks her to check out a new upscale doggie day care. On her second visit a body is discovered. It is one of the owners of the place and his sister, a co-owner, asks Melanie to solve the murder. An easy to read book featuring characters who are like friends this far into the series.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one takes place in Connecticut. Melanie had her second child in between this book and the previous one. The rest of the story is about a dog spa/kennel, a missing person, missing money, and a murder. I liked the mysteries but thought more would happen with the missing person.

[Nikolas Toner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the dogs were written well but honestly I just couldn’t stand the main character.

[Beverly Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first person narrative and the protagonist, for which I give the two star rating. Otherwise, I had too many technical issues and plot or structural annoyances keeping me from enjoying the book. For example, the story really begins on page 90. Up to page 90 is back story and not terribly interesting. Although it is peppered with witty internal monologue. Another example is, (spoiler) the protagonist is an idiot not to know she was in danger working alone at night at the doggie daycare, but conveniently, this stupidity brought along the climax of the story. Mostly, I found it irritating. Therefore, I will not be reading any more of this Author's books.

[Jayme(theghostreader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifteenth book in the series. The book jumps ahead three months from the last book. The main character Melanie is married and has a three month old son. Her older son is going into the fourth grade. It is the start of summer. Her best friend Alice asks Melanie to check out a local dog daycare because she is going back to work and doesn't want to leave the family pet all alone. Melanie agrees to check it out. On the surface, it seems like a great place and the dogs are happy. However something doesn't add up when one of the owners is found murdered. On a small side note, Melanie's son Davey tries his hand at being a junior handler in his dog show debut

[Carol Wagers · Rating 1 out of 5]

A quick, light read. It is better than her earlier books (which I added to my "avoid" list), the information on dogs is good: obviously written by somebody very knowledgeable about the dog show circuit.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a good mystery, and this was grossly lacking. Our protagonist is an idiot with way too much time on her hands, a perfect family & no common sense. I knew who the murderer was as soon as the character appeared in the book.On a brighter note, the author does seem to know her dogs.

[Fran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah. What was I thinking? LOL It was a quick, mindless read, though.

[Jane Night · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: Melanie visits a doggy daycare at the request of a friend to decide if it is a good place for the friends dog. While she is there, one of the owners is murdered and Melanie must figure out who killed them by going undercover as a staff member at the center.

My Rating:

4/5


This book can be read without reading the other books in the series. It was my first read and I had no trouble following what was happening. That is something I really value in a cozy mystery. I like being able to pick up any book that sparks my interest.

This story was fast paced and engaging.

I found it refreshing to have a cozy mystery that follows a woman around age. So many I read are about women in their 20s who are just falling in love and starting their life. Melanie isn't. She has a son from a previous marriage. I thought her and her ex husbands relationship was well portrayed. They are both devoted to doing what is best for their son and that isn't always a dynamic you see in divorced couples. Melanie also has a new baby and I really enjoyed watching her do the mommy thing throughout this book. I found it was easier to relate to her as I am also a mom. She also formerly showed dogs and has extensive dog knowledge. I just really enjoyed her as a character.

The mystery was fine. I didn't guess who the killer was but when it was revealed it made sense and I was fine with it.

I loved the setting of the doggy daycare.

Overall, this book was just a fun read. I would say if you love dogs and cozy mysteries there is a good chance you will really enjoy this book.

[Phyllis Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here we are again with Melanie and crew, but with a couple of changes. There's a new little brother in the house, and this time it's Davey in the show ring instead of Melanie. Aunt Peg has decided to coach Davey for Junior Showmanship classes, much to Davey's delight.
And lest you think that having a new baby keeps Melanie out of the solving a murder game, guess again. Melanie's best friend Alice has decided to return to work and needs care for her Golden Retriever, so she asks Melanie to check out a dog day care facility for her. Melanie agrees and likes what she sees, so she and Alice decide to go together the next day to ask more questions and let Alice see things for herself. They see things all right, Steve Pine the owner dead in his office. As they get ready to leave Alice volunteers Melanie's services as investigator.
Suspects are everywhere because it seems like Steve wasn't as well liked as everyone thought he was. Interesting story and the murderer wasn't who I thought it was.
Can't wait for the next installment.

[ReadaBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoy this series. A nice combination of cozy mystery, humor, nicely developed (& developing, & likable) characters, and - of course - dogs. The murder in this particular book almost is incidental, although it is the reason Melanie hangs out at a doggie day care business.
I like the quiet dog care teaching that goes on in this series - alert readers can learn about dog care while enjoying the series. However, there are two references to dog grooming and the use of dryers in crates for groomed dogs that made me cringe - such drying styles have the potential to be deadly, so it is something I wish Laurie Berenson had left out of the book, or dropped a comment about how her main characters do not ever dry their dogs coats this way.
As usual, looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Catlib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I have put up with this author's ignorance of English grammar for several books now, but this book is just one error too money.
Dear Ms. Berenson: "Laid" is not the past tense of "lie." "Spit" is not the past tense of "spit."
Although you are not alone in thinking "Whoopee Ti Yi" is about doggies. Although I shudder to think of any reason why any American would think cowboys herd dogs. The word for the CATTLE in the song is "dogies." I learned that about the age of four. And I was not born or raised on a cattle ranch.
Please, Ms. Berenson, tell us your readers whatever became of Bosco and Willow. Melanie and her family are so concerned that the dogs who lose humans in these stories are rescued and taken to caring homes. But no further mention is ever made of Willow when she lost her person or Bosco after Davey took him in.
So what did happen to Bosco and Willow? I know they're not dogs, but their lives matter.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little romp, especially for dog lovers. Melanie Travis is in a happy 2nd marriage with a new baby, a 9-year old, and 5 standard poodles. When her friend goes back to work, she asks Melanie to check out a doggie day care to see if it looks like a good place for her dog while she's at work. Days after Melanie's visit to the facility, one of the owners is murdered, found shot in his office. Melanie has a history with solving murders before the police or helping them solve murders, so the surviving owner asks Melanie for help.

Between family activities and dog shows, Melanie has a chance to pick up a lot of information that finally leads her to the right track for the murderer to show him/herself.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melanie is now the mother of 3 month old Kevin and trying to get a decent night's sleep. With summer school break extending her maternity leave she finds out her old neighbor and friend Alice is going back to work full time. Alice needs to put their family's rambunctious golden retriever into a doggy day care and asks Melanie to check it out.

Melanie goes to check out the doggy day care - an initial visit and a second to confirm and gather more info (which vet they have on call, what food do they use, etc.). On the second visit she learns that one of the owners, Steve Pine, has been murdered. Both Alice and Steve's sister (and co-owner) Candy ask Melanie to investigate.

Note: A nice glance into a doggy day care facility.
Warning: Ending is more violent than prior novels.

[Amanda Gilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in looking to broaden my reads in the mystery genre....and in having a shitzu-poodle I thought this would be a great read. I was a bit unsure since it is #15 in the series but like other readers had said it was easy to get into and my understanding was not altered by not reading the previous books in the series. Overall the book was not bad-it has several drops of humor sprinkled throughout however the mystery itself moves slower than I expected with the murder early on but solving the case takes pages. There is also a heavy focus on the process and facts of showing poodles-not that interesting to me.

[Emma E Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly thin plot. I missed a few books in between as the library doesn't have them, but really think she needs to come up with better plots than this one. And then to have to be saved by her man at the end was very disappointing. I really don't like when women are strong and confident and self reliant at the start of the series, catch a man, and then need his help to get their poor helpless selves out of the situations they get themselves in. I will try another in the series, and if it doesn't improve it will be the last I read of hers. Which is a shame, because I enjoyed the first 8 that I read.

[Emily Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melanie's best friend asks her to check out a doggie day care for her pet. The place looks amazing but the dog owner is killed and there's no shortage of suspects. Steve's sister is suspect #1 and she asks Melanie to help find her brother's real killer. Melanie's very busy these days with an infant, an older son and five poodles but she agrees to look into things. I love the Melanie Travis cozy mystery series. A great heroine, good stories and I like how Melanie and her family grow up and change in every book you read.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series.

I love the Melanie Travis' books. Sorenson has created such interesting characters that add such depth to every story. In this book Melanie agrees to check on the areas only doggie day care center for her best friend Alice. As always Melanie stumbles upon the murder of one of the co-owners. She then promises his sister to try and find out who did it. With new baby Kevin in toe Melanie does just that while helping to build the back stories of our main characters. I really enjoyed the book and can't wait for the next.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like dogs but am not a canine fanatic so only the fact that a friend is a dog walker made me pick this up. It was an enjoyable and undemanding read. All character types were included, right down to the irritating aunt. I'd like to try more in this series but am hoping Aunt Peg can be avoided. Also, as is common with amateur sleuths, they do something stupid to put themselves in harm's way to heighten suspense. Melanie Travis is no exception. And that, for me, lessened suspense because what would happen next was pretty obvious. Nevertheless, I plan to try another in the series.

[Terri Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read in a series I'd forgotten about. Melanie Travis is now married and has a second son. Still eager to ferret out the truth in murders, she investigates the death of the owner at a doggie daycare facility Melanie had checked out for a friend. There's less of Sam in this book than I remember from previous titles in the series and seemingly less of the indomitable Peg, as well. But reading this was like catching up with an old friend.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another. fun addition to the series-- I love Melanie and her family.

Coincidently, I was listening to this on the way to NYC, on the Merritt Parkway. As Melanie whipped onto the parkway to go from Stamford to Greenwich, while I sat in barely moving traffic, I began to wonder how she ever got anything done. I mean, I always get stuck on that road, and she just goes back and forth like it's nothing. Yep, definitely fiction!