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Sydney Rye Mysteries #1
Unleashed
Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.
One of Joy Humbolt's dog walking clients turns up dead and she begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity and then out of anger. As she digs deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, Joy gets too close to the killer with disastrous consequences.
One of Joy Humbolt's dog walking clients turns up dead and she begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity and then out of anger. As she digs deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, Joy gets too close to the killer with disastrous consequences.
Audible Audio
First published April 19, 2011
About the author
Emily Kimelman
49 books976 followersI write because I love to read, but I have specific tastes...
If I was offered a job as a professional reader with no strings attached, I would take it. Getting paid to sit around and read while drinking tea all day—I'm there. Since that’s not possible, I became an author.
I write the books I want to read—stories that give me the immersive reading experiences I crave. When a series grabs me, and it's all I can think about, I'm SO happy. When my inner dialogue starts sounding like the protagonist of my current read, I think, Oh yeah, this is IT. This is what I love.
When I finish a book, and I NEED to immediately grab the next one in the series, that’s the intensity I crave. When I binge read an entire series, I want to feel like my own reality changed—as if the stories I read affected the real world just a little. After a great series I'm a little wiser, a little more grateful for my everyday existence, and a little more aware that my personal perspective is not everyone's.
Personally, I like to spend time in fictional worlds where justice is exacted with a vengeance, even though good and bad are not always black and white. Give me raw stories with a main character who occasionally makes me laugh, is flawed like we all are, and feels like a friend by the end of the first few chapters. They don’t have to be a friend I always LIKE, per se, but a part of me has to root for them.
For me, the sentence structure is important. Too much passive voice, and I'm out. I do not mind four-letter words at all though. Sex in books can go either way—fade to black or show me the details, but either way there has to be a reason it’s in the story. I'm also into heroic pets, plots that seem totally unhinged but all come together in the end with a BANG, and long series so I always have more to look forward to.
Those are the types of stories I love reading, so that’s how I write. If you’re into some or all of the above then I think we are going to get along fantastically.
If I was offered a job as a professional reader with no strings attached, I would take it. Getting paid to sit around and read while drinking tea all day—I'm there. Since that’s not possible, I became an author.
I write the books I want to read—stories that give me the immersive reading experiences I crave. When a series grabs me, and it's all I can think about, I'm SO happy. When my inner dialogue starts sounding like the protagonist of my current read, I think, Oh yeah, this is IT. This is what I love.
When I finish a book, and I NEED to immediately grab the next one in the series, that’s the intensity I crave. When I binge read an entire series, I want to feel like my own reality changed—as if the stories I read affected the real world just a little. After a great series I'm a little wiser, a little more grateful for my everyday existence, and a little more aware that my personal perspective is not everyone's.
Personally, I like to spend time in fictional worlds where justice is exacted with a vengeance, even though good and bad are not always black and white. Give me raw stories with a main character who occasionally makes me laugh, is flawed like we all are, and feels like a friend by the end of the first few chapters. They don’t have to be a friend I always LIKE, per se, but a part of me has to root for them.
For me, the sentence structure is important. Too much passive voice, and I'm out. I do not mind four-letter words at all though. Sex in books can go either way—fade to black or show me the details, but either way there has to be a reason it’s in the story. I'm also into heroic pets, plots that seem totally unhinged but all come together in the end with a BANG, and long series so I always have more to look forward to.
Those are the types of stories I love reading, so that’s how I write. If you’re into some or all of the above then I think we are going to get along fantastically.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,000 reviews
April 25, 2020
An enjoyable mystery that sees Joy, down on her luck, take over a dog walking gig on New York. What she doesn't bargain for on her first day is for one of her charges to get away from her, running down an alley. As she catches the mischievous mutt, she discovers something gruesome, a dead body in the alleyway.
When it turns out the dead man was the owner of one of her dog clients, Joy takes it upon herself to find out who murdered him. However this is not a simple task, as the murder victim had secrets, and others will do anything to make sure they don't come to light. Including trying to kill Joy, her family, and her dog! Joy finds herself burnt and on the run, and out of the ashes...comes Sydney Rye...
I did enjoy this mystery, it has a feisty heroine, deplorable baddies, and lots of dogs! An entertaining read, I finished it in a day, and will happily look for other books in the series. Recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries...and dogs!
When it turns out the dead man was the owner of one of her dog clients, Joy takes it upon herself to find out who murdered him. However this is not a simple task, as the murder victim had secrets, and others will do anything to make sure they don't come to light. Including trying to kill Joy, her family, and her dog! Joy finds herself burnt and on the run, and out of the ashes...comes Sydney Rye...
I did enjoy this mystery, it has a feisty heroine, deplorable baddies, and lots of dogs! An entertaining read, I finished it in a day, and will happily look for other books in the series. Recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries...and dogs!
July 21, 2013
This book really surprised me! I guess I really didn't realize what kind of book this was until I started reading it. (That's what happens when you buy a book because a dog is on the cover!)
At first, I really thought this was a cozy mystery. It was funny and had interesting characters and - hey! dog! But, was I wrong and pleasantly so!
The mystery was very well crafted and I was really engaged in the characters. It made me laugh and - surprise! - it made me cry too! Though, I wouldn't call it noir, I would classify it as a harder mystery than a cozy.
I will DEFINITELY read Book #2 and I encourage anyone reading this review who likes mysteries to pick this book up!
At first, I really thought this was a cozy mystery. It was funny and had interesting characters and - hey! dog! But, was I wrong and pleasantly so!
The mystery was very well crafted and I was really engaged in the characters. It made me laugh and - surprise! - it made me cry too! Though, I wouldn't call it noir, I would classify it as a harder mystery than a cozy.
I will DEFINITELY read Book #2 and I encourage anyone reading this review who likes mysteries to pick this book up!
October 24, 2013
If I could give this less than one star, I would. It was free on iBooks, and I got what I paid for. The characters in this book seemed like they weren't well thought out, and I could never get involved in the book or the storyline. I'm surprised at how many positive ratings this book has, but to each his or her own! I shouldn't let the little things frustrate me, but in this book they really got to me.
Example #1 - if I read about a character biting their lip one more time, I'm going to bite mine off.
#2 - I understand people like to order Chinese food and drink, but I think this was the only thing the main character did the entire story.
#3 - character development. Declan Doyle, the typical police officer written in this story. Wealthy, sexy, and such a good guy - opens the door for Joy, pulls her chair out for her, does the things a good guy should. Then the next instant, he is kissing her out of nowhere on the first date, they sleep together that same night, and he turns out to be involved in some S&M ring in NYC. Wait, what?
I don't know what it was, but it felt like there were some personal elements of the author's life that got dragged into the story. I will not be reading any more of the books in this series, or any more books of Emily Kimelman. Just not an author that I could keep reading, I prefer a different style of writing.
Example #1 - if I read about a character biting their lip one more time, I'm going to bite mine off.
#2 - I understand people like to order Chinese food and drink, but I think this was the only thing the main character did the entire story.
#3 - character development. Declan Doyle, the typical police officer written in this story. Wealthy, sexy, and such a good guy - opens the door for Joy, pulls her chair out for her, does the things a good guy should. Then the next instant, he is kissing her out of nowhere on the first date, they sleep together that same night, and he turns out to be involved in some S&M ring in NYC. Wait, what?
I don't know what it was, but it felt like there were some personal elements of the author's life that got dragged into the story. I will not be reading any more of the books in this series, or any more books of Emily Kimelman. Just not an author that I could keep reading, I prefer a different style of writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2013
Life is too short to read a mystery surrounding dogs and the bad dog owner who sucks. This is unfinished.
March 29, 2014
This was another free book I received from www.bookbub.com. This is the first book that I have received from them in a while that I really didn't like. I almost stopped reading it in the first few pages, because Kimelman starts the book by telling you the main character's dog has died. Not today but when the series ends, it ends with her dog's death. Yes, the one on the cover. I hate books like this. That's really depressing and leaves nothing to look forward to in the series. On top of that you learn it's because she left a chocolate bar where her dog could get it, eat it and die. *sighs*
I'm a dog person so starting the book like this left a really sour taste in my mouth. It probably helped me see all of the horrible faults in the plot. Really stupid decisions made by the main character Joy Humbolt. Unbelievable situations that were poorly researched.
I had no idea when I started reading this book that it wasn't just a mystery series, but also a tacky attempt at sneaking in really poorly researched BDSM into the book, though not much erotica. For me this had the same bad writing and research of books like 50 Shades of Grey minus the detailed sex. I'm annoyed by writers that fantasize about the BDSM lifestyle, but really don't know anything about it. So they make up really stupid unrealistic situations that if people were to really to follow these ideas, would probably end up murdered and laying in a gutter somewhere.
The book starts off with Joy working in a coffee shop. She obviously hates her job and has no problems with making fun of her customers that aren't as coffee savvy as herself. So she ends up getting fired for basically telling a customer that she was stupid and because she ordered the wrong drink she should just deal with it. *sighs* So since her and her boyfriend have recently broken up, she decides to buy a dog for companionship. Though she doesn't have a problem having sex with her ex or guys she meets on the first date. Other pastimes of hers include drinking like a fish, ordering bad take out and ignoring her new dog.
While complaining to a friend about not having a job/boyfriend/etc she learns about a woman selling her dog walking business and ends up taking it over. When one of her clients is murdered, she takes it upon herself to play PI and try to solve the case on her own. Though as you read the book you will be able to solve the case half way through the book. Leaving the ending feeling flat and anticlimactic.
If she was half as smart as most of the books about ametuer detectives she probably wouldn't be getting those she cares about besides herself injured or killed. This author isn't afraid to kill likable main characters. What I found most unrealistic was all the secret passages throughout NYC. That there was treasure(gold and jewels) estimated in the billions in NYC and only a few people have tried to find it....*rolls eyes* There is a relationship in the book with a rich, gorgeous cop that seems to adore her and that some how gets forgotten and overlooked halfway through the book. Other than a brief mention of him at the end of the book he just disappears like the author forgot about him. She has problems with others murdering people, but it's ok for her to do it... Also characters that you don't really like end up being her best friends. O.o
As for the writing it's really redundant. Seriously how many times does Joy really need to bite her lip. You hear about the ship that sunk with the treasure so many times that you have to start skimming over the details. Also it seems like whenever there needs to be a transition from one seen to the next, the author just says hey lets have alcoholic Joy drink some more.
Save your time and read something else. Unless you're looking for a book about a selfish, airhead, alcoholic, ametuer private eye that takes risks so stupid she gets those she cares about killed.
I'm a dog person so starting the book like this left a really sour taste in my mouth. It probably helped me see all of the horrible faults in the plot. Really stupid decisions made by the main character Joy Humbolt. Unbelievable situations that were poorly researched.
I had no idea when I started reading this book that it wasn't just a mystery series, but also a tacky attempt at sneaking in really poorly researched BDSM into the book, though not much erotica. For me this had the same bad writing and research of books like 50 Shades of Grey minus the detailed sex. I'm annoyed by writers that fantasize about the BDSM lifestyle, but really don't know anything about it. So they make up really stupid unrealistic situations that if people were to really to follow these ideas, would probably end up murdered and laying in a gutter somewhere.
The book starts off with Joy working in a coffee shop. She obviously hates her job and has no problems with making fun of her customers that aren't as coffee savvy as herself. So she ends up getting fired for basically telling a customer that she was stupid and because she ordered the wrong drink she should just deal with it. *sighs* So since her and her boyfriend have recently broken up, she decides to buy a dog for companionship. Though she doesn't have a problem having sex with her ex or guys she meets on the first date. Other pastimes of hers include drinking like a fish, ordering bad take out and ignoring her new dog.
While complaining to a friend about not having a job/boyfriend/etc she learns about a woman selling her dog walking business and ends up taking it over. When one of her clients is murdered, she takes it upon herself to play PI and try to solve the case on her own. Though as you read the book you will be able to solve the case half way through the book. Leaving the ending feeling flat and anticlimactic.
If she was half as smart as most of the books about ametuer detectives she probably wouldn't be getting those she cares about besides herself injured or killed. This author isn't afraid to kill likable main characters. What I found most unrealistic was all the secret passages throughout NYC. That there was treasure(gold and jewels) estimated in the billions in NYC and only a few people have tried to find it....*rolls eyes* There is a relationship in the book with a rich, gorgeous cop that seems to adore her and that some how gets forgotten and overlooked halfway through the book. Other than a brief mention of him at the end of the book he just disappears like the author forgot about him. She has problems with others murdering people, but it's ok for her to do it... Also characters that you don't really like end up being her best friends. O.o
As for the writing it's really redundant. Seriously how many times does Joy really need to bite her lip. You hear about the ship that sunk with the treasure so many times that you have to start skimming over the details. Also it seems like whenever there needs to be a transition from one seen to the next, the author just says hey lets have alcoholic Joy drink some more.
Save your time and read something else. Unless you're looking for a book about a selfish, airhead, alcoholic, ametuer private eye that takes risks so stupid she gets those she cares about killed.
October 29, 2013
I gave this two stars because I did finish it, but that feels too generous to me. As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist drinks a lot. At first it didn't bother me since I suspect most women in their 20's have a period where they go out and drink too much. As the book went on it became more apparent that even with that taken into account she was bordering alcoholic. Another character even tells her she doesn't want to be an alcoholic. In the end the alcohol seemed to me like the author was trying to lend a more hard-boiled feel to the novel and failing.
The mystery itself is okay although be prepared to have your suspension of disbelief challenged because it's pretty far fetched. The characters are cliched but okay. One of my biggest problems with the story is with the dog. With the opening I hated Joy (our protagonist) because she admits that in the end she's a horrible dog owner and does something unforgivable in my eyes. The rest of the story is a flashback to how she becomes a private detective but I never was able to shake the knowledge ((mild spoiler warning)) that she's at fault for her dog dying.
Then there's Blue's behavior. He is described as barking, snapping and lunging at men but when they invade his space (her apartment) with Joy present he seems to docilely accept it. Nope. Not happening. Either a dog is aggressive toward men or he's not. At first I thought the author was going to make him aggressive only toward bad men, which would have been much more interesting, but it turned out it was any man. But only when they weren't in his apartment with his owner. Made NO sense whatsoever.
The mystery itself is okay although be prepared to have your suspension of disbelief challenged because it's pretty far fetched. The characters are cliched but okay. One of my biggest problems with the story is with the dog. With the opening I hated Joy (our protagonist) because she admits that in the end she's a horrible dog owner and does something unforgivable in my eyes. The rest of the story is a flashback to how she becomes a private detective but I never was able to shake the knowledge ((mild spoiler warning)) that she's at fault for her dog dying.
Then there's Blue's behavior. He is described as barking, snapping and lunging at men but when they invade his space (her apartment) with Joy present he seems to docilely accept it. Nope. Not happening. Either a dog is aggressive toward men or he's not. At first I thought the author was going to make him aggressive only toward bad men, which would have been much more interesting, but it turned out it was any man. But only when they weren't in his apartment with his owner. Made NO sense whatsoever.
April 19, 2021
Wow - this one really surprised me! I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much. It's quirky, a little irreverent, and definitely out of the box, but it kept me reading to find out what was going to happen next. And just to be clear since there are so many cozy mysteries out there about a girl and her dog - this is definitely NOT one of those. 4.5 stars for me - half a star off for the ending, which was a little hard to believe. I'm looking forward to checking out the next installment in the series!
August 28, 2020
I'm frustrated with this author. I debated between 2 and three stars. Most of the issues with the book are due to poor research. There are so many things that are just wrong in this book. Spoiler next. The dog gets shot in the shoulder. So the day he comes home from the vet, maybe less than 2 weeks after the shooting--she says he bounds over to her. He has a shattered shoulder...this will not heal this fast. The mother comes to say good-bye and Nona says she will walk the dog---he's would NOT be ready for this with a shattered shoulder--no matter how fast you healed. She can't just become a dog walker---an official dog walker (and at that price it'd better be official)--no insurance. You need to be bonded.
Another issue--still with the dog. She brings home this large dog and she gets up in the morning, has coffee, shower, lays about--without taking the dog out to pee. She'd have a puddle up to her ass. She barely knows this dog and he's had to wait all night. Did the author never own a dog, specifically a shelter dog? Sigh.
She drinks too much. She sleeps around. She's nosy. She's a bad dog owner. She forgets about him. She only takes care of the dog when she 'remembers' him. He's a bad plot device.
I don't hate the book. I don't love the book. Mostly I'm just frustrated with it and I do like mysteries.
Another issue--still with the dog. She brings home this large dog and she gets up in the morning, has coffee, shower, lays about--without taking the dog out to pee. She'd have a puddle up to her ass. She barely knows this dog and he's had to wait all night. Did the author never own a dog, specifically a shelter dog? Sigh.
She drinks too much. She sleeps around. She's nosy. She's a bad dog owner. She forgets about him. She only takes care of the dog when she 'remembers' him. He's a bad plot device.
I don't hate the book. I don't love the book. Mostly I'm just frustrated with it and I do like mysteries.
April 4, 2025
What inspired me to pick up this book? Believe it or not, it was the author's video on Facebook. She described her books as “feminist action fiction" where “a woman and her dog fuck shit up.” Plus, she gave a political rant that impressed me with her unbridled anger. Female rage is something I get.
Now, I am not usually a thriller reader because I mostly find them to be ridiculous male fantasy, imagining themselves as the badass main character. But what, I thought to myself, if the main character was a woman badass? Would I like that? Turns out I do like it. Joy Humboldt is exactly what you need in a thriller—impulsive, stupidly brave, confident in her ability to do what needs to be done, sexually adventurous. This book is her origin story, as she starts by taking on a new dog walking business. Then her clients start turning up dead and Joy is understandably interested in who killed them and why. One thing leads to another and Joy decides that she will get to the bottom of things and seek her own kind of justice.
The plot is action packed and highly unlikely, but it was fun. It was fun to watch a woman beating the bad guys at their own game, wreaking her revenge and getting away with it. Not until the very last pages does she assume her new identity, Sydney Rye, to return to the Big Apple as a private investigator. I can hardly wait to read the next book!
Now, I am not usually a thriller reader because I mostly find them to be ridiculous male fantasy, imagining themselves as the badass main character. But what, I thought to myself, if the main character was a woman badass? Would I like that? Turns out I do like it. Joy Humboldt is exactly what you need in a thriller—impulsive, stupidly brave, confident in her ability to do what needs to be done, sexually adventurous. This book is her origin story, as she starts by taking on a new dog walking business. Then her clients start turning up dead and Joy is understandably interested in who killed them and why. One thing leads to another and Joy decides that she will get to the bottom of things and seek her own kind of justice.
The plot is action packed and highly unlikely, but it was fun. It was fun to watch a woman beating the bad guys at their own game, wreaking her revenge and getting away with it. Not until the very last pages does she assume her new identity, Sydney Rye, to return to the Big Apple as a private investigator. I can hardly wait to read the next book!
June 9, 2012
I won this on first-reads.
This book surprised me. I expected some Nancy Drew with a pinch of dog. Instead I got a novel that pushs boundaries, a heroine with a taste for breaking the law, and a whole lot of people who are not as they seem. Joy is not the girl next door, she has an ex-drunk uber religious mother,a gay brother, and a huge-ass dog. She goes to lesbian bars, doesn't do customer service, and is wild in bed(according to the men in the book). An interesting mix of personalities for a dog-walker, of all people, we see as she evolves froma rebel without a cause into a rebel WITH a cause. The only negative of this book is it is very evident where the author is dropping hints, and you solve the mystery long before the characters do which leaves you with no sense of anticipation for the end and the only thing that keeps you reading is the unrevealing of who Sydney Rye is. I would still reccommend this to fans of intense realistic mysteries that don't always have happy endings.
This book surprised me. I expected some Nancy Drew with a pinch of dog. Instead I got a novel that pushs boundaries, a heroine with a taste for breaking the law, and a whole lot of people who are not as they seem. Joy is not the girl next door, she has an ex-drunk uber religious mother,a gay brother, and a huge-ass dog. She goes to lesbian bars, doesn't do customer service, and is wild in bed(according to the men in the book). An interesting mix of personalities for a dog-walker, of all people, we see as she evolves froma rebel without a cause into a rebel WITH a cause. The only negative of this book is it is very evident where the author is dropping hints, and you solve the mystery long before the characters do which leaves you with no sense of anticipation for the end and the only thing that keeps you reading is the unrevealing of who Sydney Rye is. I would still reccommend this to fans of intense realistic mysteries that don't always have happy endings.
September 29, 2017
Sydney Rye is a tough as nails, strong female character that has a few flaws, yet her biggest strength when it comes to solving mysteries is no fear. She’s kind of a mess, impulsive. When she splits from her boyfriend, she immediately goes out and gets a dog…a big dog…and names him Blue. I love that her brother comes over to help her choose what to wear, do her makeup and clean the dog hair off her clothes for those all important moments.
She gets in deep water when she buys a dog walking business and one of her clients is found dead. But she can hold her own, with a quick wit and a sharp cutting tongue. And…all right…she had to do it. She had to go down there….alone.
The more I read, the suspense and the pacing picked up as the danger mounted. This is not a cozy.
See more at fundinmental
She gets in deep water when she buys a dog walking business and one of her clients is found dead. But she can hold her own, with a quick wit and a sharp cutting tongue. And…all right…she had to do it. She had to go down there….alone.
The more I read, the suspense and the pacing picked up as the danger mounted. This is not a cozy.
See more at fundinmental
December 24, 2025
Emily Kimelman is an angry woman. When she writes her novels, she is also an angry author.
By her own unabashed prideful acknowledgement in e-mail marketing sent to her fans and potential readers, her novels are “violent feminist vigilante thrillers that satisfy [her] feminine urge to kick the patriarchy right in its shriveled little nut sack.”
She has made it particularly clear in any number of ways that, while she is sick and tired of patriarchal government administrations, she has a special place of hatred and disgust in her heart for Trump, MAGA, today’s right-wing Republicans and their fascist tool ICE. I don’t mind saying that this puts her and her writing onto an especially warm, fond footing for this reader. And that becomes especially true when she demonstrates her extraordinary love of animals and dogs. Hey … my kind of person!
If you enjoyed Julia Roberts’ gutsy big screen portrayal of Erin Brockovich, then you’ll begin to see something of the soul (and outrageous humour) of Kimelman’s character Joy Humboldt, destined to flee undercover in the guise of angry female detective, Sydney Rye, as she solves a murder.
No doubt the murder, the murderer, and the scenario surrounding the case are all more than a little over-the-top and lacking in basic credibility but that really ignores the main point. And, as Kimelman makes obvious, the main point is the feminism. So sit back, put your feet up, enjoy the humour (notwithstanding its admittedly vulgar delivery), enjoy UNLEASHED and the development of Kimelman’s new character, Sydney Rye.
Paul Weiss
By her own unabashed prideful acknowledgement in e-mail marketing sent to her fans and potential readers, her novels are “violent feminist vigilante thrillers that satisfy [her] feminine urge to kick the patriarchy right in its shriveled little nut sack.”
She has made it particularly clear in any number of ways that, while she is sick and tired of patriarchal government administrations, she has a special place of hatred and disgust in her heart for Trump, MAGA, today’s right-wing Republicans and their fascist tool ICE. I don’t mind saying that this puts her and her writing onto an especially warm, fond footing for this reader. And that becomes especially true when she demonstrates her extraordinary love of animals and dogs. Hey … my kind of person!
If you enjoyed Julia Roberts’ gutsy big screen portrayal of Erin Brockovich, then you’ll begin to see something of the soul (and outrageous humour) of Kimelman’s character Joy Humboldt, destined to flee undercover in the guise of angry female detective, Sydney Rye, as she solves a murder.
No doubt the murder, the murderer, and the scenario surrounding the case are all more than a little over-the-top and lacking in basic credibility but that really ignores the main point. And, as Kimelman makes obvious, the main point is the feminism. So sit back, put your feet up, enjoy the humour (notwithstanding its admittedly vulgar delivery), enjoy UNLEASHED and the development of Kimelman’s new character, Sydney Rye.
Paul Weiss
May 19, 2020
I found this author a few years ago during one of those multi-author free promos that have become so popular. I acquired several books in this series as freebies and figured it was time I started reading them.
This is Sydney Rye's origin story. In a matter of a few pages and about two days, Sydney, who is Joy Humbolt when the book starts, dumps her boyfriend, quits/gets fired from her job, adopts a rescue dog, and buys a dog walking business. Things really pick up when one of her dog walking clients is killed on her first day and she finds the body. Sydney gets drawn into the case, as a witness and as a potential suspect. The more she digs, the more complicated and crazier things gets.
The story definitely stretched plausibility, though it seems as if Kimelman did some interesting research on the history of New York City. But some of the events and actions required a strong suspension of belief. Sydney/Joy is drifting when the story starts and initially she's reactive, not proactive. That changes during the story as she discovers what matters to her. Family for one, even though her mother and stepfather are deeply flawed. Both had the potential to be cliches but Kimelman took them further and gave them depth, especially the mother. Most of the characters are well developed even the minor ones.
My fave character was not Sydney, though I liked her well enough. No, my fave was her brother, James, and also his boyfriend, Hugh. I hope they make appearances in the later books. The plot, as I mentioned, went a little nuts. There were multiple murders, kidnapping, an S&M party, blackmail, adultery, treasure, theft, and I'm probably forgetting something. It was a wild ride, and there were a few plot holes, but overall I enjoyed it and I'll be reading more of the books in the series.
And if you are wondering about the MCs name change? Dear reader, you must read. :) Oh, and though the dog, Blue, is injured, he survives. :)
This is Sydney Rye's origin story. In a matter of a few pages and about two days, Sydney, who is Joy Humbolt when the book starts, dumps her boyfriend, quits/gets fired from her job, adopts a rescue dog, and buys a dog walking business. Things really pick up when one of her dog walking clients is killed on her first day and she finds the body. Sydney gets drawn into the case, as a witness and as a potential suspect. The more she digs, the more complicated and crazier things gets.
The story definitely stretched plausibility, though it seems as if Kimelman did some interesting research on the history of New York City. But some of the events and actions required a strong suspension of belief. Sydney/Joy is drifting when the story starts and initially she's reactive, not proactive. That changes during the story as she discovers what matters to her. Family for one, even though her mother and stepfather are deeply flawed. Both had the potential to be cliches but Kimelman took them further and gave them depth, especially the mother. Most of the characters are well developed even the minor ones.
My fave character was not Sydney, though I liked her well enough. No, my fave was her brother, James, and also his boyfriend, Hugh. I hope they make appearances in the later books. The plot, as I mentioned, went a little nuts. There were multiple murders, kidnapping, an S&M party, blackmail, adultery, treasure, theft, and I'm probably forgetting something. It was a wild ride, and there were a few plot holes, but overall I enjoyed it and I'll be reading more of the books in the series.
And if you are wondering about the MCs name change? Dear reader, you must read. :) Oh, and though the dog, Blue, is injured, he survives. :)
January 25, 2023
Unleashed is book one in the Sydney Rye Mysteries series by Emily Kimelman.
I acquired this and a few others in the series as freebies and figured it was time to give it a try.
This is Sydney Rye’s origin story. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story or characters. Joy’s adopted dog was the only thing I liked in the 8% that I read.
I had no connection to Joy and found her story boring. I couldn’t believe she wouldn’t have stoped to think, why is this lady selling her dog walking business, when she said that she had to interview other potential buyers, but within 5min of leaving; the lady is calling Joy to sell. I question this.
I really wanted to like this. It sounded good and who doesn’t like leads men or women who have cool dogs as partners, but Unleashed was not the book for me. If the blurb intrigues you, I urge you to give it a shot. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you.
DNF’d 8%
I acquired this and a few others in the series as freebies and figured it was time to give it a try.
This is Sydney Rye’s origin story. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the story or characters. Joy’s adopted dog was the only thing I liked in the 8% that I read.
I had no connection to Joy and found her story boring. I couldn’t believe she wouldn’t have stoped to think, why is this lady selling her dog walking business, when she said that she had to interview other potential buyers, but within 5min of leaving; the lady is calling Joy to sell. I question this.
I really wanted to like this. It sounded good and who doesn’t like leads men or women who have cool dogs as partners, but Unleashed was not the book for me. If the blurb intrigues you, I urge you to give it a shot. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you.
DNF’d 8%
February 16, 2015
Unleashed by Emily Kimelman was not the book I expected, a soft cozy type mystery with a main character who is also a dog lover. What I found was Joy, a strong young woman who is a bit of a square peg but doesn't want or worry about trying to fit into the round hole. Not afraid to explore life, she enjoys her liquor (at times) and knows what she does and doesn't like.
After finding a dead body, Joy is not able to forget and let go of the traumatic event. As a dog walker Joy keeps finding curious circumstances that just don't make sense to her. Her innate ability to put two and two together eventually has Joy following her nose finding clues. Taking us from uptown New York to the actual dirty underbelly, from laughing to crying; Joy's life will never be the same.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery. The blurb actually says this book is Hard Boiled. I liked Unleashed enough that after reading it, I went to Amazon's website and purchased the next five books that are available in the series.
After finding a dead body, Joy is not able to forget and let go of the traumatic event. As a dog walker Joy keeps finding curious circumstances that just don't make sense to her. Her innate ability to put two and two together eventually has Joy following her nose finding clues. Taking us from uptown New York to the actual dirty underbelly, from laughing to crying; Joy's life will never be the same.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery. The blurb actually says this book is Hard Boiled. I liked Unleashed enough that after reading it, I went to Amazon's website and purchased the next five books that are available in the series.
July 31, 2017
This book had a really neat premise but somehow it managed to take that premise and, through a sea of unlikable characters and glacial pacing, make it boring. You know how when you're in a situation where you can't argue back for whatever reason and you imagine all of the "clever" things you could have said in response even though you never could? That is how the protagonist talks all the time. She's constantly rude to everyone, but not clever enough to be funny.
There is a very silly scene that takes place at a BDSM club about halfway through for no real reason. The character and her brother go to lesbian bars on multiple occasions despite neither of them being a lesbian (this descriptor of the bar is mentioned every time it is described). Every character the protagonist doesn't like (nearly every character in the book) is described via their fatness as if it's a moral failing.
There is a very silly scene that takes place at a BDSM club about halfway through for no real reason. The character and her brother go to lesbian bars on multiple occasions despite neither of them being a lesbian (this descriptor of the bar is mentioned every time it is described). Every character the protagonist doesn't like (nearly every character in the book) is described via their fatness as if it's a moral failing.
January 22, 2021
I wish I could find the original blurb which caught my attention. Something like: "I never expected this giant wolf-dog to take a bullet for me..."
This is a fairly convoluted murder mystery, with a few too many moving parts, some of which don't get resolved. However, the amateur investigation leads to deliberate adventures. Some aspects are silly/lame like the Evanovich series - if you like Stephanie Plum, you'll like Joy. However, by then end of this story, Joy has grown up and become a bit more hardened.
There were some minor quibbles in the pacing and some descriptions - while others were quite vivid. I will read the next one expecting a bit more polish.
If you like mysteries with dogs, this might be a good fit. As noted in the blurb, the dog doesn't die.
This is a fairly convoluted murder mystery, with a few too many moving parts, some of which don't get resolved. However, the amateur investigation leads to deliberate adventures. Some aspects are silly/lame like the Evanovich series - if you like Stephanie Plum, you'll like Joy. However, by then end of this story, Joy has grown up and become a bit more hardened.
There were some minor quibbles in the pacing and some descriptions - while others were quite vivid. I will read the next one expecting a bit more polish.
If you like mysteries with dogs, this might be a good fit. As noted in the blurb, the dog doesn't die.
March 15, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
I’m still trying to figure this one out. That’s not a bad thing--I pretty much read it in one sitting. The story does take the reader on a very crazy trip through both the upside and the downside of New York City--but it never lets go once it has you in its grip. Or Blue’s grip, as the case might be.
Unleashed is “the making of the heroine” story for Sydney Rye, who does not start out the story being named Sydney Rye. Unleashed is how she gets her life messed up and becomes the person she was meant to be.
It starts when she gets fired and breaks up with her boyfriend, and neither of those events is much of a loss, except for the income. Her boyfriend doesn’t really seem into her, and she’s not into her job.
A barista who mostly hates people and can’t manage to hide it is in for a very short career. Joy Humbolt, and that’s Sydney’s real name, Joy Humbolt, isn’t very joyful. She does have a knack for getting herself in trouble, starting with screaming at her last customer and her boss at the coffee place.
She may not like people, but she needs to work. And since she’s just adopted a HUGE dog, a friend suggests she go into the dog walking business. Said friend also has a friend who needs to sell her dog walking business in a very big hurry at a rock-bottom price.
And we’re off to the races.
Despite what TV may show, not many dog walkers find dead bodies on their rounds. And in real life, those who do probably try to forget as fast as possible.
Joy, on the other hand, can’t resist getting involved, especially when she realizes that she’s seen the dead man before. She hasn’t met him, but she has seen his photo in the house of one of her dogs. He’s one of her employers, a coincidence that the police can’t manage to let go.
And neither can Joy, especially as she turns from possible suspect to confidante of the widow. As the bizarre coincidences pile up, Joy pokes her nose into the business of everyone who might have a piece of the puzzle. She shouldn’t, and she knows she shouldn’t, but she can’t stop herself from getting in deeper and deeper, not just into the plot but also into the tunnels under New York City.
She thought that finding a dead body was trauma enough, but she doesn’t know how crazy, how deep, or how tragic things can get before she’s had enough. But by then it’s far too late for her to get out of the mess.
Escape Rating B-:Joy is nosier than one of the dogs she walks. She also seems to have a keen disregard for most of the social rules (and some of the legal ones) that govern most people’s behavior. It’s not just that she’s quirky, Joy really doesn’t like people much, except for a chosen very few.
She also a conspiracy theorist’s dream--in Joy’s life, it turns out that everything really is connected, even if it doesn’t start out that way. Even more interesting, the cop who starts out investigating her ends up as an ally of sorts, or at least their dislike of most humans and their equally suspicious natures form a weird kind of bond.
Neither of them can resist pursuing a case, no matter how dangerous or how often they are told to get out.
The fun in the story was Joy’s discovery of the tunnels under the city, and the way that fit into both the murder and the conspiracy she eventually uncovers. (There are tunnels under Chicago, why not New York?)
I did find the identity of the ultimate conspirator slightly over the top. It added to the crazysauce fun of the story, but spilled the plot just one tick over from mystery to fantasy.
However, I absolutely adored Joy’s dog Blue. He turns out to be the perfect friend and protector, just when she needs him most.
I’m still trying to figure this one out. That’s not a bad thing--I pretty much read it in one sitting. The story does take the reader on a very crazy trip through both the upside and the downside of New York City--but it never lets go once it has you in its grip. Or Blue’s grip, as the case might be.
Unleashed is “the making of the heroine” story for Sydney Rye, who does not start out the story being named Sydney Rye. Unleashed is how she gets her life messed up and becomes the person she was meant to be.
It starts when she gets fired and breaks up with her boyfriend, and neither of those events is much of a loss, except for the income. Her boyfriend doesn’t really seem into her, and she’s not into her job.
A barista who mostly hates people and can’t manage to hide it is in for a very short career. Joy Humbolt, and that’s Sydney’s real name, Joy Humbolt, isn’t very joyful. She does have a knack for getting herself in trouble, starting with screaming at her last customer and her boss at the coffee place.
She may not like people, but she needs to work. And since she’s just adopted a HUGE dog, a friend suggests she go into the dog walking business. Said friend also has a friend who needs to sell her dog walking business in a very big hurry at a rock-bottom price.
And we’re off to the races.
Despite what TV may show, not many dog walkers find dead bodies on their rounds. And in real life, those who do probably try to forget as fast as possible.
Joy, on the other hand, can’t resist getting involved, especially when she realizes that she’s seen the dead man before. She hasn’t met him, but she has seen his photo in the house of one of her dogs. He’s one of her employers, a coincidence that the police can’t manage to let go.
And neither can Joy, especially as she turns from possible suspect to confidante of the widow. As the bizarre coincidences pile up, Joy pokes her nose into the business of everyone who might have a piece of the puzzle. She shouldn’t, and she knows she shouldn’t, but she can’t stop herself from getting in deeper and deeper, not just into the plot but also into the tunnels under New York City.
She thought that finding a dead body was trauma enough, but she doesn’t know how crazy, how deep, or how tragic things can get before she’s had enough. But by then it’s far too late for her to get out of the mess.
Escape Rating B-:Joy is nosier than one of the dogs she walks. She also seems to have a keen disregard for most of the social rules (and some of the legal ones) that govern most people’s behavior. It’s not just that she’s quirky, Joy really doesn’t like people much, except for a chosen very few.
She also a conspiracy theorist’s dream--in Joy’s life, it turns out that everything really is connected, even if it doesn’t start out that way. Even more interesting, the cop who starts out investigating her ends up as an ally of sorts, or at least their dislike of most humans and their equally suspicious natures form a weird kind of bond.
Neither of them can resist pursuing a case, no matter how dangerous or how often they are told to get out.
The fun in the story was Joy’s discovery of the tunnels under the city, and the way that fit into both the murder and the conspiracy she eventually uncovers. (There are tunnels under Chicago, why not New York?)
I did find the identity of the ultimate conspirator slightly over the top. It added to the crazysauce fun of the story, but spilled the plot just one tick over from mystery to fantasy.
However, I absolutely adored Joy’s dog Blue. He turns out to be the perfect friend and protector, just when she needs him most.
June 23, 2022
I got this book for free and boy am I happy that I didn’t pay for it. I was introduced to Sydney Rye in a book by Dustin Stevens. In the author’s afterward note he says that she is a character in a series by another author. I was curious and decided to check it out. The main character in this book, who ultimately becomes Sydney (Joy), is definitely not yet Sydney here. And I can’t imagine how many books it takes to turn her into the Sydney I read about.
For the first 60% or so of this book I was alternately bored and appalled. Joy is a completely unsympathetic character. There is virtually no character development and she is just an idiotic waste of a human being. No functioning human being in society today could be this stupid. Then at about 70% there’s a big crisis point. Again, complete TSTL moment, this time with tragic consequences. I thought, aha, now we get Sydney. But no, more intense stupidity. And drunkenness. Which enhances the stupidity. Yeah, a killer is following you and you come up with a half assed plan for revenge but you’re drunk off your ass all the time or hungover. Just infuriatingly dumb.
There are holes in the plot you could drive a truck through. The ending is completely anti-climactic and there is no sense of resolution or closure. The lame attempt at a wrap up does nothing, doesn’t even provide any answers, and makes no sense. There is no explanation for how Joy and Mulberry got from point A to point C. Did Mulberry just abandon his job and disappear? If Joy is a fugitive wouldn’t they try to track her through Mulberry? How is Declan, an officer on horse patrol now the detective speaking about the case? How does the author not provide a definitive explanation of what went down after Joy and Mulberry made their escape? It’s a complete let down.
The writing is amateurish and the book definitely needs a good editor. The whole thing with the mother is unnecessary and serves no purpose. The BDSM club scene is pointless and goes nowhere. The first half of the book is bogged down with boring and meaningless information.
I still don’t know where the Sydney I read about came from and given what I read in the preview of book two it doesn’t look like we’re finding out any time soon. I won’t be finding out at all as there’s no way I can read another of this author’s books. Had I not read the Stevens book that got me intrigued with Sydney I would have dumped this book by the 20% point. I kind of wish I had.
For the first 60% or so of this book I was alternately bored and appalled. Joy is a completely unsympathetic character. There is virtually no character development and she is just an idiotic waste of a human being. No functioning human being in society today could be this stupid. Then at about 70% there’s a big crisis point. Again, complete TSTL moment, this time with tragic consequences. I thought, aha, now we get Sydney. But no, more intense stupidity. And drunkenness. Which enhances the stupidity. Yeah, a killer is following you and you come up with a half assed plan for revenge but you’re drunk off your ass all the time or hungover. Just infuriatingly dumb.
There are holes in the plot you could drive a truck through. The ending is completely anti-climactic and there is no sense of resolution or closure. The lame attempt at a wrap up does nothing, doesn’t even provide any answers, and makes no sense. There is no explanation for how Joy and Mulberry got from point A to point C. Did Mulberry just abandon his job and disappear? If Joy is a fugitive wouldn’t they try to track her through Mulberry? How is Declan, an officer on horse patrol now the detective speaking about the case? How does the author not provide a definitive explanation of what went down after Joy and Mulberry made their escape? It’s a complete let down.
The writing is amateurish and the book definitely needs a good editor. The whole thing with the mother is unnecessary and serves no purpose. The BDSM club scene is pointless and goes nowhere. The first half of the book is bogged down with boring and meaningless information.
I still don’t know where the Sydney I read about came from and given what I read in the preview of book two it doesn’t look like we’re finding out any time soon. I won’t be finding out at all as there’s no way I can read another of this author’s books. Had I not read the Stevens book that got me intrigued with Sydney I would have dumped this book by the 20% point. I kind of wish I had.
January 10, 2015
In this first installment of the Sydney Rye mysteries, we learn how a murder leads dog-walker Joy into becoming private investigator Sydney. It's not an easy tale because Joy is not an easy person. Her life is pretty much a mess and she has no motivation to fix it. She's easily overcome by things and depends heavily on the emotional support of her brother James and his partner Hugh. She's impulsive, which leads her to make one of the best decisions of her life, replacing her boyfriend with a dog named Blue.
Although Blue is very much a part of this book, this is not a story about a girl and her dog. Blue is not unexpectedly intelligent, nor does he possess uncommon insight into the hearts and minds of men. He is just as likely to bark at a good guy as at a bad guy, but he is protective of Joy and eventually risks his life to save hers.
And Joy needs saving. In the process of changing from feckless dog-walker to persistent sleuth, she faints, gets beaten-up, and almost killed several times. In between, she refuses to come clean to the cops - even while dating one - and drinks copious amounts of alcohol. It seems a rare weekend that ends with her not having a hangover.
There's a least one sniff of a red-herring in the story, but it's only a tangential red-herring as it does bear somewhat on how the killer met and fell in with his partners and victims-to-be.
The ends are all dealt with by the time the story is done, though some of the ties seem a little loose and Joy, now Sydney, has begun to come to terms with how her life has changed because she has left reactive Joy behind and become proactive Sydney. Since Sydney is a new person, Joy is not comfortable in her skin, but her new business partner believes in her and so does Blue.
From the several books that follow this one, it seems clear that Sydney makes a go of her new life, though I did not find her or most of the other characters interesting and at least one - her mother - was patently there just to be stood up to. Most of the characters seemed like Joy herself; aimless, confused, frustrated, and passive, and I doubt I will be reading or reviewing further books in the series.
Although Blue is very much a part of this book, this is not a story about a girl and her dog. Blue is not unexpectedly intelligent, nor does he possess uncommon insight into the hearts and minds of men. He is just as likely to bark at a good guy as at a bad guy, but he is protective of Joy and eventually risks his life to save hers.
And Joy needs saving. In the process of changing from feckless dog-walker to persistent sleuth, she faints, gets beaten-up, and almost killed several times. In between, she refuses to come clean to the cops - even while dating one - and drinks copious amounts of alcohol. It seems a rare weekend that ends with her not having a hangover.
There's a least one sniff of a red-herring in the story, but it's only a tangential red-herring as it does bear somewhat on how the killer met and fell in with his partners and victims-to-be.
The ends are all dealt with by the time the story is done, though some of the ties seem a little loose and Joy, now Sydney, has begun to come to terms with how her life has changed because she has left reactive Joy behind and become proactive Sydney. Since Sydney is a new person, Joy is not comfortable in her skin, but her new business partner believes in her and so does Blue.
From the several books that follow this one, it seems clear that Sydney makes a go of her new life, though I did not find her or most of the other characters interesting and at least one - her mother - was patently there just to be stood up to. Most of the characters seemed like Joy herself; aimless, confused, frustrated, and passive, and I doubt I will be reading or reviewing further books in the series.
July 14, 2016
"He was tall and very skinny. I could see his ribs under his thick fur coat. With the snout of a collie, the markings of a Siberian Husky, and the body of a wolf, with one blue eye and one brown, he was a very unique mutt. It occurred to me that I knew nothing about this dog, Our history barely 12 hours old. I'd basically moved a large, hairy stranger into my house.".........
This hard boiled vigilante series features tough girl Sydney Rye, and her rescue dog, Blue. Taking place in NYC, this is the first in this series. Starting with a dog walking business and ending with a name change. We see how Joy/Sydney developed into this character.
When one of her clients dies it draws Joy in. Mostly because she's so close to the situation, and then later because she develops a genuine interest in solving it. She finds an ally in Detective Mulberry, and separately they take to investigating while sharing information. When Joy gets a little too close to the truth, the only option may be to leave her life behind as Joy and become Sydney.
I found the story line interesting right from the start. How Sydney came to be, her life circumstances, and the love she has for her rescue dog and her brother will draw you to this character. Great sense of humor. When Joy loses her current job, you can't help but love her and cheer her on.
Can Joy and Mulberry find out who killed Joseph and left him in the alley? Was it a scorned wife? A secret girlfriend? Fast paced and a fun read. Tough characters, some surprises, more blood shed, and a nice steady pace.
I love knowing there are at least six more books to this series! Great read. Action, danger, a tough girl, and a great dog will definitely hook you into this series. The ending is just the beginning.
Thank you Emily Kimelman.
This hard boiled vigilante series features tough girl Sydney Rye, and her rescue dog, Blue. Taking place in NYC, this is the first in this series. Starting with a dog walking business and ending with a name change. We see how Joy/Sydney developed into this character.
When one of her clients dies it draws Joy in. Mostly because she's so close to the situation, and then later because she develops a genuine interest in solving it. She finds an ally in Detective Mulberry, and separately they take to investigating while sharing information. When Joy gets a little too close to the truth, the only option may be to leave her life behind as Joy and become Sydney.
I found the story line interesting right from the start. How Sydney came to be, her life circumstances, and the love she has for her rescue dog and her brother will draw you to this character. Great sense of humor. When Joy loses her current job, you can't help but love her and cheer her on.
Can Joy and Mulberry find out who killed Joseph and left him in the alley? Was it a scorned wife? A secret girlfriend? Fast paced and a fun read. Tough characters, some surprises, more blood shed, and a nice steady pace.
I love knowing there are at least six more books to this series! Great read. Action, danger, a tough girl, and a great dog will definitely hook you into this series. The ending is just the beginning.
Thank you Emily Kimelman.
May 4, 2011
Summary: 4.5 stars, a great read!
I had some feedback from my sister about how all the books I read have the same covers. I am blessed with siblings, a sister and brother, who are both smart and are not afraid to speak the truth. I think it comes from being raised upon a farm. Farmers and their families tend to be a bullshit free zone because you see life all around you. We all still laugh when we hear someone talk about how they became vegetarian when they realised that animals were made out of food: naive much?
Hopefully my sister will see this book cover and see something different, mainly because while this book sat safely in my favourite categories of reading, it also was something outside the box. I mean, look at the cover: no guns, no macabre hints, no violently stylized text. Read the blurb: how can a dog walker be the hero in a mystery thriller? Which is exactly why you should read Unleashed and enjoy.
I wasn't surprised to learn that Emily, the author, was a dog walker when she was studying English at university. Dog owners will understand what I mean when they read this book. All of those little things that all dogs do, like proudly displaying the couch they have just chewed to pieces - Iz dones good, huh! - when you come home. For readers who like well written and well constructed novels, Emily's degree clearly didn't go to waste, including the ending that caught me off-guard (something that rarely happens).
This was a well paced and involving novel. I literally read it in one sitting today (well if you ignore the break to make lunch), so if it wasn't an e-book you would call it "a real page turner". Plus the book has a dog on the cover. A dog!
I had some feedback from my sister about how all the books I read have the same covers. I am blessed with siblings, a sister and brother, who are both smart and are not afraid to speak the truth. I think it comes from being raised upon a farm. Farmers and their families tend to be a bullshit free zone because you see life all around you. We all still laugh when we hear someone talk about how they became vegetarian when they realised that animals were made out of food: naive much?
Hopefully my sister will see this book cover and see something different, mainly because while this book sat safely in my favourite categories of reading, it also was something outside the box. I mean, look at the cover: no guns, no macabre hints, no violently stylized text. Read the blurb: how can a dog walker be the hero in a mystery thriller? Which is exactly why you should read Unleashed and enjoy.
I wasn't surprised to learn that Emily, the author, was a dog walker when she was studying English at university. Dog owners will understand what I mean when they read this book. All of those little things that all dogs do, like proudly displaying the couch they have just chewed to pieces - Iz dones good, huh! - when you come home. For readers who like well written and well constructed novels, Emily's degree clearly didn't go to waste, including the ending that caught me off-guard (something that rarely happens).
This was a well paced and involving novel. I literally read it in one sitting today (well if you ignore the break to make lunch), so if it wasn't an e-book you would call it "a real page turner". Plus the book has a dog on the cover. A dog!
August 27, 2016
The story started quite well but it didn’t take long before I began to lose interest. First of all the heroine of the story, Joy just didn’t ‘grab me’ in fact the more we found out about her the less I liked her.
Then there was the story, which really didn’t flow well, it was more a collection of random characters and incidents loosely mixed together.
I stopped reading the book several times but in the end skip read my way to the end. I must admit the story did improve but by then I just didn't care.
Given the way this story ends I may consider reading the next book in the series.
Then there was the story, which really didn’t flow well, it was more a collection of random characters and incidents loosely mixed together.
I stopped reading the book several times but in the end skip read my way to the end. I must admit the story did improve but by then I just didn't care.
Given the way this story ends I may consider reading the next book in the series.
March 30, 2026
This was an unusual reading experience for me. Earlier today, two-thirds of the way through the story, I decided to set this book aside because I felt the pace had flagged and the story wasn’t holding my attention. Then, during the course of the day, I found myself thinking, “I wonder how Joy Humbolt became Sydney Rye? I read more than half of the book, and I still don’t know the answer to that question.” It bugged me. I had a free afternoon. The sun was shining. So I dropped back into the book again.
I’m glad I did because, in the last third of the book, the story took off like a rocket. It wasn’t just that Emily Kimelman finally pressed the thriller button and got me turning the pages. It wasn’t even that suddenly, there was violence on the page, and people were dying. It was that all the time I’d spent getting to know Joy, understanding her relationships and her attitudes, gave the action scenes an emotional impact that was far bigger than I’d expected.
For the first half of the book, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was reading. The writing worked. I could see Joy and believe in her and the world she lived in. The dialogue between Joy and the other women, especially the other dog walkers, felt real. The strength of the relationship between Joy and her older brother was clear. The two of them sounded like people who’ve grown up together and depended on each other. The problem was with the nature of the story. It felt neither a mystery that I could get wrapped up in solving nor an I-have-to-turn-the-next-page thriller.
By the middle of the book, I was getting restless. The pace had started to feel too slow. I had very little insight into Joy’s inner life. I didn’t know what drove her to get more deeply involved in the mystery, even when she was given opportunities to extricate herself. I had no idea what her hopes and fears were. I realise now that this was partly because Joy didn’t know what she wanted and didn’t fully understand her own behaviour. When the plot took at turn that made it feel like I was reading ’Nancy Drew and the Secrets of the BDSM Club’, I began to lose interest.
So I set the book aside… just before the traumatic events that reshaped Joy Humbolt into a vengeance-seeking vigilante who would eventually (and for the remainder of the series) become known as Sydney Rye.
What I liked most about the final third of the book was how well Emily Kimelman managed to combine intense action scenes with scenes that showed the physical and emotional consequences of the action, giving them meaning. I enjoyed the scenes between Joy and her used-to-be-a-drunk-but-now-I’ve-accepted-Jesus-as-my-saviour mother as much as the semi-heist action scenes that rounded off the story.
Now I know who Sydney Rye is and what her origin story is, I’ll be back to find out what she does next in ‘Death In The Dark’.
I’m glad I did because, in the last third of the book, the story took off like a rocket. It wasn’t just that Emily Kimelman finally pressed the thriller button and got me turning the pages. It wasn’t even that suddenly, there was violence on the page, and people were dying. It was that all the time I’d spent getting to know Joy, understanding her relationships and her attitudes, gave the action scenes an emotional impact that was far bigger than I’d expected.
For the first half of the book, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was reading. The writing worked. I could see Joy and believe in her and the world she lived in. The dialogue between Joy and the other women, especially the other dog walkers, felt real. The strength of the relationship between Joy and her older brother was clear. The two of them sounded like people who’ve grown up together and depended on each other. The problem was with the nature of the story. It felt neither a mystery that I could get wrapped up in solving nor an I-have-to-turn-the-next-page thriller.
By the middle of the book, I was getting restless. The pace had started to feel too slow. I had very little insight into Joy’s inner life. I didn’t know what drove her to get more deeply involved in the mystery, even when she was given opportunities to extricate herself. I had no idea what her hopes and fears were. I realise now that this was partly because Joy didn’t know what she wanted and didn’t fully understand her own behaviour. When the plot took at turn that made it feel like I was reading ’Nancy Drew and the Secrets of the BDSM Club’, I began to lose interest.
So I set the book aside… just before the traumatic events that reshaped Joy Humbolt into a vengeance-seeking vigilante who would eventually (and for the remainder of the series) become known as Sydney Rye.
What I liked most about the final third of the book was how well Emily Kimelman managed to combine intense action scenes with scenes that showed the physical and emotional consequences of the action, giving them meaning. I enjoyed the scenes between Joy and her used-to-be-a-drunk-but-now-I’ve-accepted-Jesus-as-my-saviour mother as much as the semi-heist action scenes that rounded off the story.
Now I know who Sydney Rye is and what her origin story is, I’ll be back to find out what she does next in ‘Death In The Dark’.
January 2, 2026
I picked this up after seeing an author video post on social media. It sounded just my thing and I wasn't too disappointed.
I kinda liked the lead character, Joy, (later to become Sydney Rye for reasons that become obvious later on). The story flowed quite well although it did seem at times that things just happened to occur at just the right time and some of the things asked of Joy felt quite a bit out of line.
BUT!!! . . .
This is a work of fiction and in fiction things have to happen at the perceived 'right time' and ridiculous things have to be asked of our leads.
So, anyway, short version - enjoyable story that kept me hooked, characters I enjoyed spending time with, first in a series (of 19 at the minute I think).
Will I go back for more? My friends, books two and three are on my kindle ready to go 😀🐕
I chose to give this 3/5 stars as I believe the series will get better as it goes along and need space to raise my ratings to show improvement where deserved.
I kinda liked the lead character, Joy, (later to become Sydney Rye for reasons that become obvious later on). The story flowed quite well although it did seem at times that things just happened to occur at just the right time and some of the things asked of Joy felt quite a bit out of line.
BUT!!! . . .
This is a work of fiction and in fiction things have to happen at the perceived 'right time' and ridiculous things have to be asked of our leads.
So, anyway, short version - enjoyable story that kept me hooked, characters I enjoyed spending time with, first in a series (of 19 at the minute I think).
Will I go back for more? My friends, books two and three are on my kindle ready to go 😀🐕
I chose to give this 3/5 stars as I believe the series will get better as it goes along and need space to raise my ratings to show improvement where deserved.
May 5, 2011
I really loved this book! I have read many mysteries (it's my favorite genre), so I have a lot to compare it to. The story is interesting and unique. The mystery really hooks you and the main character is well developed - you can envision her as a real person walking around the streets of New York. She is funny and human and is definitely someone I hope to see again in future stories.
May 21, 2023
I purchased this item on April 4, 2022, from Amazon for free. A well-told mystery murder story with a dog sidekick and a less-than-perfect heroin.
May 25, 2025
Unleashed is the first book in the Sydney Rye mystery series, about a feisty private investigator and her canine sidekick. These books are frequently available for free through various Amazon promotions and so I’ve acquired quite a few of them, but it was seeing an ad on facebook where the author’s description of her heroine as someone who exacts “justice with a vengeance - the dog doesn’t die but the bad guys do” that prompted me to finally read the first one. While officially book one, and first published in 2011, it reads more like a prequel, about how dissolute 20-something barista turned dog walker Joy Humbolt becomes a kick-arse female vigilante.
After breaking up with her narcissistic boyfriend, and acquiring a giant Great Dane mix puppy from the pound, Joy quits her job (recognising quite astutely that customer service is not her forte) and takes a job as a dog walker to wealthy New York patrons who don’t have the time or inclination to exercise their spoiled pedigree hounds themselves. Unfortunately on her first shift she finds a dead body - who happens to be one of her new clients, propelling her into an investigation of corruption at the top levels of Manhattan society.
While I was warned that there would be spice, strong language and violence here, I still felt a bit wrong-footed because this starts out like, and has so many tropes in common with many cosy mysteries. Yes Joy drinks a lot more than your average cosy heroine, is liberal with her affections, and stroppily impatient with idiots - or anyone who disagrees with her, but I still wasn’t prepared for the dark turn this took midway through. The plot is quite complicated and implausible, and the writing very average with too much repetition - and not all plot threads are resolved by the end of the book. I didn’t particularly like Joy, even though I had sympathy for her situation. Even the dog, Blue, plays much less of a role than you would expect. This series now spans 18 books so I’m guessing they improve and am willing to give Sydney another chance, as the general premise does appeal and I think she may grow on me. 3.5 rounded down for killing off an innocent cat, even if “off-camera” - not cool to stress that the dog survives then casually murder another character’s pet for no good reason.
After breaking up with her narcissistic boyfriend, and acquiring a giant Great Dane mix puppy from the pound, Joy quits her job (recognising quite astutely that customer service is not her forte) and takes a job as a dog walker to wealthy New York patrons who don’t have the time or inclination to exercise their spoiled pedigree hounds themselves. Unfortunately on her first shift she finds a dead body - who happens to be one of her new clients, propelling her into an investigation of corruption at the top levels of Manhattan society.
While I was warned that there would be spice, strong language and violence here, I still felt a bit wrong-footed because this starts out like, and has so many tropes in common with many cosy mysteries. Yes Joy drinks a lot more than your average cosy heroine, is liberal with her affections, and stroppily impatient with idiots - or anyone who disagrees with her, but I still wasn’t prepared for the dark turn this took midway through. The plot is quite complicated and implausible, and the writing very average with too much repetition - and not all plot threads are resolved by the end of the book. I didn’t particularly like Joy, even though I had sympathy for her situation. Even the dog, Blue, plays much less of a role than you would expect. This series now spans 18 books so I’m guessing they improve and am willing to give Sydney another chance, as the general premise does appeal and I think she may grow on me. 3.5 rounded down for killing off an innocent cat, even if “off-camera” - not cool to stress that the dog survives then casually murder another character’s pet for no good reason.
June 1, 2011
After mouthing off to a customer and then compounding the error by making a rude comment to her smarmy boss Joy Humbolt is fired. It’s been a tumultuous few days for Joy who had just broken up with her loser boyfriend the night before, then decided to buy companionship in the form of an enormous dog named Blue. When an opportunity is presented to take over a dog-walking business for upper-crust clients, it seems too good to be true. Turns out it really is. Joy gets caught up in a murder investigation that will literally change her life. But when the chips are down, Joy digs in. Someone wants Joy out of the picture, but she and Blue are not going down without a fight.
This story was flawlessly constructed; new little snippets of information coming to light as Joy struggled to understand what she had innocently stepped into. I loved Joy. Her quirky, irreverent humor and cheeky sass was refreshing. Yet, for me, she never crossed that line from uniquely personable to obnoxiously unlikeable. The story flowed so smoothly and unfolded at a near perfect pace throughout – there were just a couple of places that I felt an unwelcome slowdown that in my opinion failed to propel the story forward quite quickly enough. Still, I was kept engrossed in the action, and kept guessing about what would happen next. Always, Joy is resourceful, with often brilliant perceptive skills. I also particularly enjoyed the relationship between Joy and her brother, James. The affection the siblings shared was heart-warming. A magnificent mystery that just would not let me out of its grip until the very end; there are plenty of twists, and enough appealing secondary characters to appease even the most discriminating armchair sleuth. Highly entertaining!
Reviewed by Laurie-J
This story was flawlessly constructed; new little snippets of information coming to light as Joy struggled to understand what she had innocently stepped into. I loved Joy. Her quirky, irreverent humor and cheeky sass was refreshing. Yet, for me, she never crossed that line from uniquely personable to obnoxiously unlikeable. The story flowed so smoothly and unfolded at a near perfect pace throughout – there were just a couple of places that I felt an unwelcome slowdown that in my opinion failed to propel the story forward quite quickly enough. Still, I was kept engrossed in the action, and kept guessing about what would happen next. Always, Joy is resourceful, with often brilliant perceptive skills. I also particularly enjoyed the relationship between Joy and her brother, James. The affection the siblings shared was heart-warming. A magnificent mystery that just would not let me out of its grip until the very end; there are plenty of twists, and enough appealing secondary characters to appease even the most discriminating armchair sleuth. Highly entertaining!
Reviewed by Laurie-J
February 7, 2016
Joy Humboldt is going through rather a challenging patch in life. She's finally broken up with her manipulative jerk of a boyfriend. The next morning, she heads off to the pound to adopt a dog--a huge mixed breed she names Blue--but later that day, at her job at a barista at a coffee shop that's not Starbucks, she mouths off to a customer she thinks is being unreasonable. It's really quite reasonable, given her behavior, when her boss fires her on the spot.
But then a neighbor connects her with a friend of a friend, and she buys a dog walking business. Things are looking up, right?
Then she finds one of her new clients dead. The woman who sold her the business has disappeared. And the police seem strangely interested in only certain aspects of the crime.
Sgt. Declan Doyle is very handsome, very kind and gentlemanly, and very interested. He also warns her about the questionable record of the officer who will be heading up the investigation--Detective Mulberry. Mulberry, it seems, isn't too particular about the rules or due process. At least, according to Doyle, who used to be his partner.
Don't let the dog on the cover lure you into thinking this is a cozy. It's much more toward the hard-boiled end of the mystery spectrum. None of the characters, except possibly Joy's brother James and his lover Hugh, are unambiguously people. I liked quite a number of them, though.
No dogs die in the story, though that's possibly a very minor spoiler for one scene. On the other hand, there is mention and some description of S&M sex, though not anything very explicit.
It was an entertaining read, though not more than that, and as mentioned there may be content issues for some readers.
I bought this book.
But then a neighbor connects her with a friend of a friend, and she buys a dog walking business. Things are looking up, right?
Then she finds one of her new clients dead. The woman who sold her the business has disappeared. And the police seem strangely interested in only certain aspects of the crime.
Sgt. Declan Doyle is very handsome, very kind and gentlemanly, and very interested. He also warns her about the questionable record of the officer who will be heading up the investigation--Detective Mulberry. Mulberry, it seems, isn't too particular about the rules or due process. At least, according to Doyle, who used to be his partner.
Don't let the dog on the cover lure you into thinking this is a cozy. It's much more toward the hard-boiled end of the mystery spectrum. None of the characters, except possibly Joy's brother James and his lover Hugh, are unambiguously people. I liked quite a number of them, though.
No dogs die in the story, though that's possibly a very minor spoiler for one scene. On the other hand, there is mention and some description of S&M sex, though not anything very explicit.
It was an entertaining read, though not more than that, and as mentioned there may be content issues for some readers.
I bought this book.
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