What do you think?
Rate this book
Targets of Affection: A Shelby James Mystery
Shelby James has a soft-spot for the underdog. Sick dogs, homeless cats, hurt birds, she goes to bat for them all as a veterinary nurse. So it's no surprise that Miranda Wall and her menagerie of needy animals appeal to her. But there's more to Miranda than meets the a silent daughter named Jessie, and a stalking husband, among other disasters. When Shelby she takes a closer look into Miranda's life, her search takes her into the sinister world of mental illness, child abuse, and domestic violence. Set against the harsh beauty of the Saskatchewan prairie, Targets of Affection explores the link between animal abuse and child abuse.
261 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2006
37 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 9, 2017
Excellent book! Great story, of personal relationships among couples, friends, and co-workers, and within the context of the storyteller being a veterinary assistant (as is the author), so the context of work within a veterinarian practice. I hadn't thought so much about the relationship component of vets and staff with pet owners and their families, and this part is well done. The mystery evolves around these relationships, particularly with one family situation involving frequently ill pets and a daughter who is often sick with allergies and asthma.
Any health care provider for people, as well as for animals, as well as any animal lovers, can both relate to the story and the situations. I had never thought about Munchausen-by-Proxy within the context of veterinary practice. I have run into only one paediatric situation in my career, many years ago. This book gave me a whole new context and appreciation of the broader implications, and also the role of veterinarians and their staff in protecting vulnerable beings.
I hope the author has written more Shelby James mysteries, although it seems she has veered more into the romance genre. This book was my first encounter with this author. I hope her soon to be published book "Sunset Bay Sanctuary" takes her back more into the more serious fiction vein.
Any health care provider for people, as well as for animals, as well as any animal lovers, can both relate to the story and the situations. I had never thought about Munchausen-by-Proxy within the context of veterinary practice. I have run into only one paediatric situation in my career, many years ago. This book gave me a whole new context and appreciation of the broader implications, and also the role of veterinarians and their staff in protecting vulnerable beings.
I hope the author has written more Shelby James mysteries, although it seems she has veered more into the romance genre. This book was my first encounter with this author. I hope her soon to be published book "Sunset Bay Sanctuary" takes her back more into the more serious fiction vein.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews