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No Substitute for Mistakes
When substitute teacher Barbara Reed agrees to fill in for an instructor at a juvenile detention facility, she fears it’s a huge mistake. The job is stressful and confining. But Barb needs a paycheck, and a looming teachers’ walkout could eliminate regular subbing opportunities in Reckless River, Washington.
On her first day “behind bars,” Barb recognizes one young offender. When he claims he’s innocent, she sets out to investigate his crime—stealing a pedigreed cat. Her drug cop boyfriend urges caution, but Barb once had a run-in with the cat’s wealthy owner and thinks the kid was set up.
Meanwhile, someone is ghostwriting a cat-bashing blog for Barb’s entitled dog Cheese Puff. Several cat lovers aren’t amused. They post comments vowing to track down the little mutt and make sure Cheese Puff never blogs, barks, or breathes again. While members of the Cheese Puff Care and Comfort Committee scramble to uncover the blogger, a duck with attitude makes fur and feathers fly.
Then things get worse. Disgruntled teachers hire Barb’s bombastic sister to lead their protest. Barb’s friend Paulette discovers her interior decorating assignment pays in drug money. And Barb learns the hard way that snooping can be hazardous to her health.
On her first day “behind bars,” Barb recognizes one young offender. When he claims he’s innocent, she sets out to investigate his crime—stealing a pedigreed cat. Her drug cop boyfriend urges caution, but Barb once had a run-in with the cat’s wealthy owner and thinks the kid was set up.
Meanwhile, someone is ghostwriting a cat-bashing blog for Barb’s entitled dog Cheese Puff. Several cat lovers aren’t amused. They post comments vowing to track down the little mutt and make sure Cheese Puff never blogs, barks, or breathes again. While members of the Cheese Puff Care and Comfort Committee scramble to uncover the blogger, a duck with attitude makes fur and feathers fly.
Then things get worse. Disgruntled teachers hire Barb’s bombastic sister to lead their protest. Barb’s friend Paulette discovers her interior decorating assignment pays in drug money. And Barb learns the hard way that snooping can be hazardous to her health.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2015
10 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn J. Rose
41 books203 followersCarolyn J. Rose grew up in New York's Catskill Mountains, graduated from the University of Arizona, logged two years in Arkansas with Volunteers in Service to America, and spent 25 years as a television news researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. She lives in Vancouver, Washington, and her interests are reading, gardening, swimming, and NOT cooking.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 3, 2017
I enjoy this series primarily for the recurring characters, including a naughty but beloved pooch. The main character Barbara is a substitute teacher who gets herself involved in murder and mayhem and fumbles her way through. Very funny, a quick read and a series I hope continues.
July 1, 2018
Can life get any more complicated?
Awesome! A juvenile centre, a wrongful conviction, a duck, a kitten and a dog bashing blogger. These are all the ingredients in this romp of a cozy. A delight to read and highly recommended.
Awesome! A juvenile centre, a wrongful conviction, a duck, a kitten and a dog bashing blogger. These are all the ingredients in this romp of a cozy. A delight to read and highly recommended.
November 21, 2015
This series is so fun! I really enjoy each of these books as soon as they come out! Of course, some of that has to do with the years I spend as a substitute teacher... This is all soooooo familiar...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews