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No Kill Station: Murder at Rehoboth Beach
"If you are a pet lover as I am, or even if you just like animals, No Kill Station is a chilling look at just how far some people will sink for money" Linda Thompson, host of TheAuthorsShow.comA brutal murder ends Matt's quiet life as a small town police officer. After he discovers an organized crime ring that politicians ignore, his obsession with the case threatens not only his job but also his new romance with Clara, who is dearly loved by his son. This murder mystery thriller will grab you, especially if you love dogs and cats.Why was the murdered shelter director known as the Grim Reaper? Was he killed by a mobster in the organized crime ring?Was the murder committed by an animal advocate?Or was it a ghost who hated the victim?Who is the anonymous blogger pouring gasoline on the flames of community outrage? And why is Clara lying to Matt?"In No Kill Station, by Diane Meier, there is much more to this tale than meets the eye and Matt finds himself thrown into a maelstrom of conflict that includes dog-fighting, mobsters, bribery, corruption and a romance with the woman who will become the prime suspect in the murder of the SPCA director."~ Readers Favorite
- GenresMystery
247 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2017
39 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
About the author
Diane Meier
1 book37 followersI grew up in Washington D.C. where everyone lives and breathes politics and my career involved controversial government projects. When I started volunteering with rescue groups, I was astonished at the arguments over whether shelters can save homeless animals. I had no idea that almost 3 million dogs and cats are killed every year at shelters.
I enjoyed killing off the evil animal shelter director on page one of my first novel, which captures some of my experiences as an animal rescuer, advocate and blogger. My hope is that people will not only enjoy my murder mystery but also spread the word about saving more homeless dogs and cats. I am donating royalties to Home for Life sanctuary for dogs and cats in Minnesota.
From 2010 through 2014, I wrote a blog called No Kill Delaware that criticized the state for not enforcing its innovative animal shelter law, which was passed in 2010 and mandated measures for saving homeless animals. The blog and Facebook page provided a forum for animal advocates and rescuers to tell their experiences with the high-kill SPCA.
I threw myself into animal rescue while writing the blog. By the time I burned out, I had five dogs, including two Pit Bulls and two Beagles that had been on death row for being “unadoptable.” I also trapped, neutered and vaccinated the community cat colony living in the woods behind my house.
Animal politics truly shocked me. What amazed me is the vehemence of people who insist that it is necessary to kill animals at shelters. Many of them seem to have closed their minds to the idea that animals can be saved. I recommend Redemption by Nathan Winograd for anyone who wants to learn more about this issue.
I worked about the value of citizens in the political process when I worked as a city planner with citizens trying to save their neighborhoods from high-rise developers that were gobbling up land around Metro stations. Later I consulted with the federal government on policy and environmental impacts of radioactive waste disposal, cleanup of the nation’s nuclear bomb-making sites, dismantlement of nuclear weapons, and storage of highly enriched uranium and plutonium from dismantled weapons. When public hearings were held for those projects, I was awed by the study that citizens and groups made of the projects - and the difference they made. I saw projects cancelled because of citizen outrage. I believe that the backbone of democracy is an open public process and citizen participation in government - plus the free press and the vote, of course.
After retiring, we lived for five years in the Delaware beach area where we had vacationed with family for over 20 years. When a tree crushed our house during a storm, we moved to the Philadelphia suburbs where our grandkids are closer and where the trees seem friendly.
I enjoyed killing off the evil animal shelter director on page one of my first novel, which captures some of my experiences as an animal rescuer, advocate and blogger. My hope is that people will not only enjoy my murder mystery but also spread the word about saving more homeless dogs and cats. I am donating royalties to Home for Life sanctuary for dogs and cats in Minnesota.
From 2010 through 2014, I wrote a blog called No Kill Delaware that criticized the state for not enforcing its innovative animal shelter law, which was passed in 2010 and mandated measures for saving homeless animals. The blog and Facebook page provided a forum for animal advocates and rescuers to tell their experiences with the high-kill SPCA.
I threw myself into animal rescue while writing the blog. By the time I burned out, I had five dogs, including two Pit Bulls and two Beagles that had been on death row for being “unadoptable.” I also trapped, neutered and vaccinated the community cat colony living in the woods behind my house.
Animal politics truly shocked me. What amazed me is the vehemence of people who insist that it is necessary to kill animals at shelters. Many of them seem to have closed their minds to the idea that animals can be saved. I recommend Redemption by Nathan Winograd for anyone who wants to learn more about this issue.
I worked about the value of citizens in the political process when I worked as a city planner with citizens trying to save their neighborhoods from high-rise developers that were gobbling up land around Metro stations. Later I consulted with the federal government on policy and environmental impacts of radioactive waste disposal, cleanup of the nation’s nuclear bomb-making sites, dismantlement of nuclear weapons, and storage of highly enriched uranium and plutonium from dismantled weapons. When public hearings were held for those projects, I was awed by the study that citizens and groups made of the projects - and the difference they made. I saw projects cancelled because of citizen outrage. I believe that the backbone of democracy is an open public process and citizen participation in government - plus the free press and the vote, of course.
After retiring, we lived for five years in the Delaware beach area where we had vacationed with family for over 20 years. When a tree crushed our house during a storm, we moved to the Philadelphia suburbs where our grandkids are closer and where the trees seem friendly.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 16, 2017
First, my thoughts on reviews. When reviewing, I try to rate the book in terms of how well the author succeeded at the author’s goals. I do not measure books against some personal standard of what constitutes literary fiction. I do save fives for books that seem to me to be perfect in terms of the author’s intentions, while fours are for books that are successful and readable. To me, a three means “needs editing and rewriting”, two means “really needs editing and rewriting”, and one means “unreadable”.
The Killing Station is a police procedural with a fantasy element. The story concerns the murder of the manager of a high-kill animal shelter. The author’s intention was to provide a discussion of animal rescue issues within an entertaining context. There are dozens of animal rescue books on the market and most are well-intentioned but boring because they are all alike: animal in trouble, person who is unhappy, person rescues animal, happiness ensues. The author of The Killing Station deserves tons of credit for finding a unique and not-boring way to address animal rescue issues.
I don’t read police procedurals much so I can’t say how accurately that aspect of the story is presented, but it seemed credible. I loved the fantasy element; the ghosts were a charming surprise and added warmth to the story. The characters are believable. The writing is functional, lucid, and well-edited, though I did find one typo—which I think is pretty good! I’ve read books from mainline publishers with more typos than that.
People involved in animal rescue will relate both to the idea of murdering high-kill managers and to the discussions between the characters in the book about issues pertaining to animal rescue. I’ve been involved in dog rescue for about ten years and there were times while reading when I wanted to cheer out loud! There are some descriptions of harsh realities—small town shelters can be real hell-holes, and dog fighting is just plain evil—but the book is inspiring rather than depressing. While I think animal lovers are the primary audience, I also think any reader who is looking for entertainment with a serious theme will spend an enjoyable couple of hours with this book
The Killing Station is a police procedural with a fantasy element. The story concerns the murder of the manager of a high-kill animal shelter. The author’s intention was to provide a discussion of animal rescue issues within an entertaining context. There are dozens of animal rescue books on the market and most are well-intentioned but boring because they are all alike: animal in trouble, person who is unhappy, person rescues animal, happiness ensues. The author of The Killing Station deserves tons of credit for finding a unique and not-boring way to address animal rescue issues.
I don’t read police procedurals much so I can’t say how accurately that aspect of the story is presented, but it seemed credible. I loved the fantasy element; the ghosts were a charming surprise and added warmth to the story. The characters are believable. The writing is functional, lucid, and well-edited, though I did find one typo—which I think is pretty good! I’ve read books from mainline publishers with more typos than that.
People involved in animal rescue will relate both to the idea of murdering high-kill managers and to the discussions between the characters in the book about issues pertaining to animal rescue. I’ve been involved in dog rescue for about ten years and there were times while reading when I wanted to cheer out loud! There are some descriptions of harsh realities—small town shelters can be real hell-holes, and dog fighting is just plain evil—but the book is inspiring rather than depressing. While I think animal lovers are the primary audience, I also think any reader who is looking for entertainment with a serious theme will spend an enjoyable couple of hours with this book
September 10, 2017
Matt a police officer in Baltimore knew his life was always on the line. This was the driving force for his joining the local police force and making the move with his son to Rehoboth Beach. The laid-back small community nestled along the coast would distance him from the cruel realities of police work and from the ugliness of his former marriage. He was now responsible for his son and he didn’t intend to mess it up.
A murder occurred almost immediately upon his relocation to Rehoboth Beach. The investigation took him places he’d never imagined. The setting of the murder opened his eyes to laws that were being violated at no kill stations. Animal cruelty laws seemed to be more of a political statement than providing actual procedures for enforcement. Matt uncovered some bizarre activities at the shelter that lead to finding the true murderer of the director of the “No Kill Station.”
Matt had some decisions to make to be able to begin again in work and love. When would he say enough is enough?
This book was well written and the author had substantial knowledge about animal shelters. It was an easy read. It grabbed me from the first page and I didn’t put it down until the end.
A murder occurred almost immediately upon his relocation to Rehoboth Beach. The investigation took him places he’d never imagined. The setting of the murder opened his eyes to laws that were being violated at no kill stations. Animal cruelty laws seemed to be more of a political statement than providing actual procedures for enforcement. Matt uncovered some bizarre activities at the shelter that lead to finding the true murderer of the director of the “No Kill Station.”
Matt had some decisions to make to be able to begin again in work and love. When would he say enough is enough?
This book was well written and the author had substantial knowledge about animal shelters. It was an easy read. It grabbed me from the first page and I didn’t put it down until the end.
December 19, 2017
Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman
Matt had retired from the Baltimore Police, to move to Rehoboth, a small vacation town, with his son Henry, where he was serving on the local Rehoboth Police Force. When the Director of the Rehoboth SPCA is murdered, it is clear there are a lot of animal lovers in Delaware who are not happy with the SPCA's performance in getting stray cats and dogs adopted. It appears Rehoboth's SPCA is more concerned with killing as many animals as possible. The "No-Kill" people are the obvious suspects in the murder of Director Gary. In No Kill Station, by Diane Meier, there is much more to this tale than meets the eye and Matt finds himself thrown into a maelstrom of conflict that includes dog-fighting, mobsters, bribery, corruption and a romance with the woman who will become the prime suspect in the murder of the SPCA director. Throw in some supernatural happenings and you have all the makings of a cozy mystery/romance.
No Kill Station is a mystery that grows on you. I particularly liked author Diane Meier's drawing of the principal characters Matt, Clara and Sharon. Matt was an upstanding citizen trying to rebuild his life after a messy divorce and was always willing to put his principles first, especially when it came to protecting animals. His relationship with Clara and the unusual supernatural themes, just added to the excitement of the murder mystery. This is an incredibly relaxed and easy book to read and for lovers of clean, cozy mystery/romances, it would be perfect. The author uses the novel to impart important information about the way in which we, as a society, deal with stray animals. She uses the tale to push her own beliefs on the importance of the humane treatment of animals, as a reflection of a society's health. I particularly liked that aspect of the story. A very good first-up effort from Meier.
Matt had retired from the Baltimore Police, to move to Rehoboth, a small vacation town, with his son Henry, where he was serving on the local Rehoboth Police Force. When the Director of the Rehoboth SPCA is murdered, it is clear there are a lot of animal lovers in Delaware who are not happy with the SPCA's performance in getting stray cats and dogs adopted. It appears Rehoboth's SPCA is more concerned with killing as many animals as possible. The "No-Kill" people are the obvious suspects in the murder of Director Gary. In No Kill Station, by Diane Meier, there is much more to this tale than meets the eye and Matt finds himself thrown into a maelstrom of conflict that includes dog-fighting, mobsters, bribery, corruption and a romance with the woman who will become the prime suspect in the murder of the SPCA director. Throw in some supernatural happenings and you have all the makings of a cozy mystery/romance.
No Kill Station is a mystery that grows on you. I particularly liked author Diane Meier's drawing of the principal characters Matt, Clara and Sharon. Matt was an upstanding citizen trying to rebuild his life after a messy divorce and was always willing to put his principles first, especially when it came to protecting animals. His relationship with Clara and the unusual supernatural themes, just added to the excitement of the murder mystery. This is an incredibly relaxed and easy book to read and for lovers of clean, cozy mystery/romances, it would be perfect. The author uses the novel to impart important information about the way in which we, as a society, deal with stray animals. She uses the tale to push her own beliefs on the importance of the humane treatment of animals, as a reflection of a society's health. I particularly liked that aspect of the story. A very good first-up effort from Meier.
October 26, 2017
As No Kill Station by Diane Meier opens, we see a woman approach Gary Randolph, the director of the SPCA in Rehoboth, Delaware and bash him in the head, killing him. As the local police arrive, Matt, a former Baltimore officer relocated to Rehoboth for his 12-year-old son, takes charge of the scene and gets himself assigned as local liaison to the state troopers. Discovering that the local community has divided into two rabid parties: pro-SPCA and anti-SPCA. It takes investigators time to locate the group fighting against the animal control agency because the leaders of the SPCA were known to make up excuses to impound the pets of those who criticized the group. But when they do, the concerns become really scary. The SPCA has been killing animals as quickly as it can despite laws specifying a time to hold animals in order for owners to claim them and not putting photographs of the animals online as ordered by the law. Further, the group has been directly killing all animals of mixed breeds and breeds known to potentially cause harm, such as pit bulls.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
September 24, 2017
I enjoyed reading this one and discovering a couple of surprises I hadn’t been expecting. It’s an interesting story—with just a dash of supernatural elements weaved in—about a corrupt SPCA shelter director’s crimes and indiscretions being uncovered as his murder is investigated.
Officer Matt Thomas uncovers more than he sought out to and becomes emotionally involved as he digs deeper into the murder victim’s long list of enemies.
No Kill Shelter takes you to a place where the ones intrusted to pick up the escapee pets found on the loose, and contact the registered owners so they can be reunited and returned to their families, as well as, to rescue and care for the stray dogs and cats until they can be adopted, are not to be trusted.
It’s an interesting story that I would recommend to anyone who likes stories about helping and saving animals.
December 31, 2017
This is a cosy mystery that animal lovers will definitely enjoy. As well as an entertaining murder story, it covers issues of pet overpopulation, kill vs no kill centres, greed and animal cruelty politics in the US. It also has an enjoyable bit of romance and a splash of supernatural too. The narrator fit the story well, he easily pulled you into the story and his pace was just right. All in all, it’s an easy listening entertaining audiobook.
November 3, 2017
A fast-paced and enjoyable police procedural murder mystery in which the author’s passion for animal welfare issues shines through. It also has a slight supernatural slant.
The book is well edited, but has some redundant descriptions of what characters are feeling, rather than letting readers infer these from their words, deeds or body language.
Overall though, the story flows well and the characters (both human and animal) and plot are entertaining and engaging. The author deserves a lot of credit for making us want to keep reading, despite some harrowing details about cruelty to animals. An emotional roller coaster ride for animal and crime story lovers with a satisfying resolution.
The book is well edited, but has some redundant descriptions of what characters are feeling, rather than letting readers infer these from their words, deeds or body language.
Overall though, the story flows well and the characters (both human and animal) and plot are entertaining and engaging. The author deserves a lot of credit for making us want to keep reading, despite some harrowing details about cruelty to animals. An emotional roller coaster ride for animal and crime story lovers with a satisfying resolution.
September 28, 2017
Great Read – This One Has It All
Animal lovers will love this book - a greedy animal shelter Director gets murdered but was it an animal rights activist? All signs are pointing in that direction but Matt, a local police officer with a soft heart for animals, isn’t convinced. As he digs into the evidence, questions likely suspects, and learns more the truth starts unfolding. And he’s not alone, a ghostly friend helps out. And why shouldn’t there be a bit of romance in the mix too? A great read and entertainingly informs the reader of animal rights, new laws and how they’re being enforced. A highly enjoyable ride!
Animal lovers will love this book - a greedy animal shelter Director gets murdered but was it an animal rights activist? All signs are pointing in that direction but Matt, a local police officer with a soft heart for animals, isn’t convinced. As he digs into the evidence, questions likely suspects, and learns more the truth starts unfolding. And he’s not alone, a ghostly friend helps out. And why shouldn’t there be a bit of romance in the mix too? A great read and entertainingly informs the reader of animal rights, new laws and how they’re being enforced. A highly enjoyable ride!
July 4, 2020
While I applaud the pro-animal message, the story and writing are simplistic. An executive at a state-funded shelter is murdered. Matt, a former Baltimore cop, takes a job with the small-town police department in an effort to provide his son with a stable and safe environment. Matt is burned out with the big city violence and emotionally exhausted after his divorce and subsequent imprisonment of his former wife. Matt joins the state police in an investigation. He learns that the management of the SPCA is shockingly poor and a bone of contention between animal activists and the shelter staff. In the meantime, he embarks on a budding romance with his deceased landlady's daughter. The landlady, a former SPCA board member, blogger and animal lover makes a few ghostly appearances.
I did like the message about no-kill shelters, cruelty and fighting. It gets preachy and heavy handed. There is plenty of pit bull propaganda. Not saying they can't make great pets with training and socialization but they are animal aggressive. There are breed characteristics and that is not something to deny or be ashamed of. it is something to consider when adopting any animal, along with energy levels, activity and apace requirements, grooming needs etc. The metaphysical aspects were just silly and the mystery is more cozy than I prefer. Since I agree with much of the author's message I wish I could say I loved it. But the story was weak and a bit silly. Not bad; just not especially suspenseful.
I did like the message about no-kill shelters, cruelty and fighting. It gets preachy and heavy handed. There is plenty of pit bull propaganda. Not saying they can't make great pets with training and socialization but they are animal aggressive. There are breed characteristics and that is not something to deny or be ashamed of. it is something to consider when adopting any animal, along with energy levels, activity and apace requirements, grooming needs etc. The metaphysical aspects were just silly and the mystery is more cozy than I prefer. Since I agree with much of the author's message I wish I could say I loved it. But the story was weak and a bit silly. Not bad; just not especially suspenseful.
October 6, 2017
If you are a pet lover as I am, or even if you just like animals in general, No Kill Station is a chilling look at just how far some people will sink for money. In Diane Meier’s first novel, she weaves a very interesting murder mystery sparked with a bit of romance and even a ghost. But she brings to light a lot of issues the world has with the overpopulation of dogs and cats. I cried when I read some of her narrative because I just can’t imagine such blatant cruelty and the lack of concern by some of the residents of Rehoboth Beach. I will be watching this author for her next novel as I feel she has some very interesting stories to tell.
~ Linda Thompson, host of TheAuthorsShow.com
~ Linda Thompson, host of TheAuthorsShow.com
June 10, 2024
Opened my eyes
Im an animal lover and i enjoyèd the story which explained the different arguments well meaning people have. Different but understandable. My 7 yeàr old cat had been removed from her sibling and her home and spent 9 months in à no kill shelter. Thank God because she is the most funny, friendly, sweetest girl and our lives would be meaningless without her. While this story mentioned violence, it wasnt shown in graphic ways and allowed me to read without cringìng. Even the 2 deaths ended up in a lightheartèd fashion. A good read.
Im an animal lover and i enjoyèd the story which explained the different arguments well meaning people have. Different but understandable. My 7 yeàr old cat had been removed from her sibling and her home and spent 9 months in à no kill shelter. Thank God because she is the most funny, friendly, sweetest girl and our lives would be meaningless without her. While this story mentioned violence, it wasnt shown in graphic ways and allowed me to read without cringìng. Even the 2 deaths ended up in a lightheartèd fashion. A good read.
October 3, 2017
This is really a book from the heart. The whole story shows such passion for inhumanity and an urge to fix it. As a big animal lover myself, with plenty of dogs and cats over the years this was sometimes a hard read, but it did it's job for sure, as I decided to research kill and no kill centers in the UK so I can be better informed! Wonderful message and story.
November 13, 2017
I found this book preachy and right wing pander.The SPCA is the big bad guy in Delaware,evidently.When the director is found murdered everyone is a suspect,even the cat ladies.There is a weird touch of the supernatural tossed in.Kevin Iggens is a good narrator.“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
July 23, 2017
Heartfelt story
This book was read in one day, I could not put it down. The author had a fan for life. The book was so inspiring and as a pit bull mother I am my fur babies voice to educate others on pit bulls.
This book was read in one day, I could not put it down. The author had a fan for life. The book was so inspiring and as a pit bull mother I am my fur babies voice to educate others on pit bulls.
August 4, 2017
Wanted to keep reading
From the beginning of only knowing a woman did it. To actually finding out who the woman was. And for Matt, Clara, and Sharon fighting to save helpless dogs and cats. I can't wait to narrate this into an audio book!
From the beginning of only knowing a woman did it. To actually finding out who the woman was. And for Matt, Clara, and Sharon fighting to save helpless dogs and cats. I can't wait to narrate this into an audio book!
Read
January 27, 2018I was struggling with the writing in this as well as the rather ponderous dialogue and I checked out other reviews to see if it was just me or not. Seems that this novel has a rather 'preachy' agenda about the need to look after unwanted dogs rather than a crime novel. As a result I am dnf'ing.
August 31, 2020
More sorry for animals than murder victim...
No Kill Station: Murder at Rehoboth Beach by Diane Meier solves a brutal murder while revealing animal shelter atrocities of which many readers were not aware. I’m not sure what it says about me that I was more sorry for the animals than the murder victim...
No Kill Station: Murder at Rehoboth Beach by Diane Meier solves a brutal murder while revealing animal shelter atrocities of which many readers were not aware. I’m not sure what it says about me that I was more sorry for the animals than the murder victim...
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews