Twice Bitten

Three Oaks #9

by Gerald Hammond

John Cunningham, veteran gun-dog trainer, stumbles into a dog-switching scheme that ends up in blackmail and, eventually, murder. Mim, one of the litter of pups born at Three Oaks Kennels, is a throwback to Clunie, a champion with a strong and difficult temperament. John's kennel-maid Daffy tries to train the highly strung pup for gunwork, but when the task proves impossible, John agrees to sell Mim to local farmer and businessman Quentin Cove. So imagine John's surprise when a year later the supposedly gun-shy Mim begins winning at field trials. Perhaps, as Daffy believes, John wrote Mim off too soon? Or is there a more sinister reason for the bitch's sudden success? And what is it that Cove's farm manager, Dougal Webb, has learned about Three Oaks Kennels--information so damning he believes he can try a spot of blackmail? That is until he suddenly disappears...

Genres: Mystery

Paperback

Published November 30, 1999

About the author

Gerald Hammond, (Gerald Arthur Douglas Hammond) son of Frederick Arthur Lucas (a physician) and Maria Birnie (a nursing sister) Hammond; married Gilda Isobel Watt (a nurse), August 20, 1952; children: Peter, David, Steven. Education: Aberdeen School of Architecture, Dip. Arch., 1952. He served in the British Army, 1944-45. Although born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, he worked in and retired to the country he most loved, Scotland.

He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.

His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren]

As I have.noted previously, this series by Gerald Hammond is akin to Dick Frances with dogs instead of horses, field trials instead of races, and with recurring characters. Unfortunately, in this ninth volume, TWICE BITTEN, Mr. Hammond also made it clear that he was not a Christian. This is important to those of us who, if not insistent upon all of our literature being pro Christian, at least wish to avoid anti Christian propaganda in our fiction.

Here is one of the relevant passages from this book: "...she was aware of a growing view that, if the evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls was to be accepted, the traditional view of Christ was the imagining of Saul of Tarsus after he had suffered a stroke on the road to Damascus and that Jesus, rather than the son of the deity, had more probably been a political agitator." As much as I have enjoyed Mr. Hammond's mysteries, I am not going to recommend such nonsense.

[Bonnye Reed]

Endeavour Media

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent tale of rural skulduggery in the dog breeding world, with the Cunninghams wonderful kennel maids coming into their own in this story.

[Louise Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth and John save the day...again!

I have so enjoyed this series of Three Oaks. Highly recommend for any who dunnit and dog lovers. Looking forward to more.

[Kathryn Rasch · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was no audio edition of this book so I had to use a print copy. My audio book came from BARD. The narrator was very pedestrian.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Twice Bitten" - written by Gerald Hammond and published in 1999 by Minotaur Books. Heavy on hunting dogs, but not very entertaining.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one is hard to read. It involves a dog being euthanized, although that takes place off stage, as it were. Otherwise another fun read by Hammond.

[Evonne Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder most vile! But is it?
This well written mystery will engage you right to the end

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Scotland, dogs, and whiskey. Still pretty good.