BLAME THE DOGS: Part One In The Dog Trilogy

by Laura Martin

BENEFIT FROM LAUNCH WEEK PROMO PRICE FOR THIS SENSATIONAL DEBUT!

"Fight Club meets Harley Quinn in this psychological drama filled with betrayal, revenge, and vigilante justice." WHY does Herbert, a successful entrepreneur, never leave his house?
WHO is the mysterious redheaded woman who leads rebel group Les Chiennes?
And WHY is reporter Amelia losing herself in a corporate scandal?

Three lives collide in a high-stakes game of power and survival, where every twist of fate reveals new layers of deception and deceit.

With sharp dialogue and a relentless pace, Blame The Dogs keeps you tearing through its pages, each chapter more suspenseful and gripping than the last. It delves into the complexities of the justice system, identity, and redemption.

At its heart, Blame The Dogs is an edgy, psychological thriller shining a new perspective on problems in our society, asking questions about #metoo, fraud, corruption, and the many ways narcissism impacts our daily lives—as well as our hearts.

"Blame The Dogs weaves together themes of isolation, redemption, and the complex nature of relationships. Two stories intertwine—Amelia’s quest for truth and justice and Herbert’s journey from a reclusive businessman to a man confronted with his past—creating a poignant and compelling read. This novel is not merely a tale of revenge and confrontation; it ultimately explores healing, connection, and the nuanced relationships we maintain."
Val M. Mathews, Editor, Editorial Consultant and Developmental Editing Instructor for the University of California Berkeley Extension, Queen's University in Ontario and the Editorial Freelancers Association in New York City.


Comparable novels to Blame The "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
"Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn
"Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk
"The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides
"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn
"Before I Go to Sleep" by S.J. Watson
"We Need to Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver
"The Reversal" by Michael Connelly
"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith


About the AuthorBorn in the Netherlands and having since lived in many countries, author Laura Martin wrote her first short story at the age of ten. She was a ferocious reader and writer in her teens and twenties while building her career in copywriting and marketing, followed several writer's courses in her thirties, and wrote earlier versions of Blame The Dogs over the course of a decade. Now living in Houston, Texas with her husband from New Zealand and two world-wise kids, she has finally leaped into her indie publishing career.


You will find her—and the Blame The Dogs book trailer—at www.lauramartin.co

290 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2025

About the author

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.

For the Sci-Fi author, see Laura Martin ^^
For the comic book colorist, see Laura Martin ^^^
For the 1990s Harlequin author, see Laura Martin ^^^^
For the current Harlequin author, see Laura Martin ^^^^^^

Reviews

[Hot Mess Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Blame the Dogs" is a compelling suspense thriller. Martin skillfully layers the plot to gradually reveal shocking turns, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover more. Its unique premise sets it apart, and the primary characters are well-developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and am already looking forward to the second book. The story is intriguing, suspenseful, and distinctive. It was a bit complex at times, prompting me to revisit certain chapters to better understand the characters' connections. Overall, I enjoyed the ride.

[Lisa Allard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Martin’s debut novel is thrilling, mysterious and will have you constantly on your toes!

A group of women, known as Les Chiennes, work undercover to publicly embarrass men who have sexually assaulted women. They wear dog masks and throw eggs at them, for example. At the helm of the operation is our protagonist, Amelia. Her mom was a victim of sexual assault, so the cause is very personal to her as she seeks to find justice for women in similar situations. When she begins to fear for the safety of her operation members, and begins dating a police officer, she has to decide how far it is she can go… and at what cost?

Amelia’s storyline intertwines with that of Herbert, an elder gentleman who owns a lucrative business but no longer finds purpose from it. Instead of going into the office, he stays at home in his big mansion all day and every day. There is something really sad and Mr. Gatsbyesque about him that isn’t revealed til later in the novel, but it definitely added a lot of depth to the story.

The premise of this novel is unique and compelling. Something about a group of badass women coming together just gets me every time! The characters in the novel are flawed, layered, and propel the story forward. I did have some questions about the ending, and a certain character who was briefly introduced, so I’ll be looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy.

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Read.

BLAME THE DOGS - I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. I like the writing style, which was not wordy, but got the points across. I like the characters, the normal and the dysfunctional. I like the story lines. Plenty of emotions, hope, hopelessness, sadness, and joy. Source: StoryOrigin. 5*

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! the characters were all well written, and I love it when characters intertwine in a surprising way!