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Unleashed #2
Case of the Hot Dog
Finnegan May has had an eventful time in Manhattan since she first moved to New York City. Her unique profession and quirky, bubbly personality endear her to everyone who meets her.
She again finds herself in another misadventure when she rescues a long haired Dachshund from a hot car on the streets of the city. How was she to know that her propensity for doing the right thing was going to throw her into peril.
It is up to Fin's roommate and love interest, Detective Jane McLeary to save Finnegan from herself.
She again finds herself in another misadventure when she rescues a long haired Dachshund from a hot car on the streets of the city. How was she to know that her propensity for doing the right thing was going to throw her into peril.
It is up to Fin's roommate and love interest, Detective Jane McLeary to save Finnegan from herself.
165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2018
18 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Erik Schubach
209 books440 followersInternational bestselling author of #lesfic f/f romance, scifi, urban fantasy, paranormal & more. Consummate geek & sarcasm connoisseur. Any pronouns are fine.
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Twitter: https://bit.ly/2GDN0is
Blog: https://bit.ly/2EZMIC7
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GooglePlay: http://tiny.cc/udycvz
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2Sw0Q9u
Bestsellers:
Fantasy:
Scifi/Paranormal:
Urban Fantasy:
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With over 100 titles to choose from from various series and genres, I'm sure I've written something for you. Check out the whole list here .
Amazon: https://amzn.to/30ACXSq
Audible: https://adbl.co/2SrFqu1
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2GDN0is
Blog: https://bit.ly/2EZMIC7
iTunes: https://apple.co/2Sx6FDI
GooglePlay: http://tiny.cc/udycvz
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2Sw0Q9u
Bestsellers:
Fantasy:
Scifi/Paranormal:
Urban Fantasy:
Romance/Romantic Comedy:
With over 100 titles to choose from from various series and genres, I'm sure I've written something for you. Check out the whole list here .
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 29, 2018
“Unleashed: Case of the Hot Dog” is book #2 in the Unleashed series, featuring dog walker extraordinaire Finnegan May and her roommate/something Detective Jane McLeary.
Once again, Finn finds herself the object of police suspicion after a dead body is discovered, and her efforts to help the deceased’s dog “Oscar” land her right in the middle of the murder. As with book #1, the story is very entertaining, and ditzy OCD Finn is hilarious as she talks directly to us.
Book two, though, delves more into the backstory for each MC, and we hear from each of their POVs their hopes and concerns for their developing relationship. Finn laments early on that there is no physicality with Jane, but Jane doesn’t want to be an experiment and won’t proceed further until Finn is sure of her changing sexuality.
Jane’s sexy ex-gf Jessie also has an enlarged role, and it’s fun watching her flirt with Finn, and watching both Finn and Jane react to the attention. Finn’s family too has a larger role, and Jane marvels that Mrs. May has her virtually married to Finn even before they’re come to terms with their relationship themselves.
Once again, narrator Claire Buchignani does a terrific job expressing Finn, and she also really brings the quiet but tough “jerk-cop” Jane to life in book #2. The flashbacks and backstories reduce the wackiness and humor, but the trade off is that the characters become more real as we learn of them, and the murder story becomes almost secondary. Erik Schubach often creates very real characters, and he’s done it again with this series. Once again, though, I lament that Schubach chooses to minimize descriptions of steam between his great lesbian characters, even while making it clear that chemistry exists.
4.5* for “Case of the Hot Dog”, and I really look forward to book #3 (“Case of the Golden Retriever”) being released as an audiobook!
Once again, Finn finds herself the object of police suspicion after a dead body is discovered, and her efforts to help the deceased’s dog “Oscar” land her right in the middle of the murder. As with book #1, the story is very entertaining, and ditzy OCD Finn is hilarious as she talks directly to us.
Book two, though, delves more into the backstory for each MC, and we hear from each of their POVs their hopes and concerns for their developing relationship. Finn laments early on that there is no physicality with Jane, but Jane doesn’t want to be an experiment and won’t proceed further until Finn is sure of her changing sexuality.
Jane’s sexy ex-gf Jessie also has an enlarged role, and it’s fun watching her flirt with Finn, and watching both Finn and Jane react to the attention. Finn’s family too has a larger role, and Jane marvels that Mrs. May has her virtually married to Finn even before they’re come to terms with their relationship themselves.
Once again, narrator Claire Buchignani does a terrific job expressing Finn, and she also really brings the quiet but tough “jerk-cop” Jane to life in book #2. The flashbacks and backstories reduce the wackiness and humor, but the trade off is that the characters become more real as we learn of them, and the murder story becomes almost secondary. Erik Schubach often creates very real characters, and he’s done it again with this series. Once again, though, I lament that Schubach chooses to minimize descriptions of steam between his great lesbian characters, even while making it clear that chemistry exists.
4.5* for “Case of the Hot Dog”, and I really look forward to book #3 (“Case of the Golden Retriever”) being released as an audiobook!
March 1, 2020
For me it seems, Erik Schubach has found his magic touch again. A story full of quirky characters getting into mischievous. A classic Erik Schubach tale!
June 30, 2018
Heh, another entertain book frok this ‘Unleashed’ series. Fin, once again, found herself in trouble with the police and another murder case. And as usual, Jane came to her recue. Just like the first book, it is a fun read, little romance, entertain and adorable. And I really came to like Jess. Hopefully, there is a book about her. I don’t know though. I’ll go and find out. :)
April 30, 2018
Excellent narrator!! And a great sequel to the first book. Keep them coming Erik.
September 12, 2021
4.75 stars this is only the second short book I've read in this series but as of right now it's my favorite cozy series of all time. The reason for that is simple I'm in love with Finnegan May the main character. She is the quirkiest, brilliant, fearless in defense of animals, a force of nature. It's so easy to see why all the other characters in the book are in love with her as well. Thank the stars that there are ten more books in the series to read while I wait for the author to make the series a bakers dozen. Before these two books I never realized how just the word "Fine" could heat up the chemistry of two characters.
December 2, 2019
Honestly I finished listening to this a week ago and just didn't have time to write something about it and now its all kind of blurry. From the few notes I jotted down while listing to this (that were supposed to jog my memory) I like that Eric included Janes POV and we get to know how she ticks. I guess the only thing I would have liked is a bigger flashback to the first book from Jane instead of Finnigan.
Storie 4.5*
Audio 5*
Storie 4.5*
Audio 5*
June 17, 2020
It's the romance, the banter and the battalion of cast members who make these books so good - the crime, I can take or more readily, leave. I have another eight to go, I'm worried I won't make it.
September 2, 2020
Likable characters + cute dogs + cozy mystery = awesome. This series could use an editor for the grammar, but the issues aren’t anything major.
January 29, 2018
Loved it
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite Schubach book series. It's the perfect combination of cozy mystery and sweet romance. I absolutely love Fin's quirkiness. She's just too adorable. Plus the interactions between her and the jerk cop are really sweet. And Jessie has become quite the fun character as well. I look forward to the next installment !
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite Schubach book series. It's the perfect combination of cozy mystery and sweet romance. I absolutely love Fin's quirkiness. She's just too adorable. Plus the interactions between her and the jerk cop are really sweet. And Jessie has become quite the fun character as well. I look forward to the next installment !
February 6, 2018
Doggone fantastic
I absolutely adore the main characters in this series. Their dynamic with each other is just great. If you like comedy and romance this is a book you will enjoy. Plus puppies, hello.
Another great book by an amazing author. Kudos, Mr Author sir, on a job well done. 😊
I absolutely adore the main characters in this series. Their dynamic with each other is just great. If you like comedy and romance this is a book you will enjoy. Plus puppies, hello.
Another great book by an amazing author. Kudos, Mr Author sir, on a job well done. 😊
December 13, 2020
I didn’t think the story was as good as the previous book, there seemed to be I lot of reminiscing about Fin’s past and not a great deal of story. I also thought the cuteness and the ‘is it or isn’t it’ a romance got a bit wearing. However, it was still an easy fun read.
February 19, 2018
Excellent!
OK. I admit. What’s not to love. Beautiful, smart women. Cute dogs. And mean, stupid men criminals. Love this book and this series.
OK. I admit. What’s not to love. Beautiful, smart women. Cute dogs. And mean, stupid men criminals. Love this book and this series.
June 26, 2020
Glad I had a long day of waiting around in lobbies that allowed me to finish this 2nd book in the series. Glad the detective and Fin are finally starting something and glad Bek got to keep Oscar. As I make my way through this series, I find it funny at the inter-dialogue Fin has with her self at her own oddities, which make it and enjoyable read. Lets see what the next adventure/misfortune has in store for the dog walker extraordinaire!
June 19, 2020
Second verse, same as the first. Unfortunately.
The second book in the series finds Fin May caught up in another murder. As it happens, this murder is similar to the murder in the first book in that 1. the victim was a rich and famous woman, 2. the victim was a dog owner, 3. the victim was killed for her jewels, 4. the victim was killed when she came home unexpectedly during a burglary. Oh, did I say similar? Maybe I meant identical. Even the very nice touch at the end of the first book—the method by which the killers were caught—was the same.
Fin’s voice—which began to grate on me during the first book, becomes almost a blackboard scratcher in this one. Likewise her persona. She (and the rest of the cast) is continually grinning (this time the author uses a variation of this word 63 times), chuckling (32 times), smirking (28 times), cocking an eyebrow (24), blushing, sticking out her tongue at people, and flipping people off. In her first-person point of view, Fin is continually complaining about Jane being “infuriating,” aggravating, or calling her names like “Jerky McJerkface.” But, in fact, Jane is none of these things. She is mostly tender and solicitous. Even Fin's exclamations get a little tiring, although I kind of like “By the seven canine lords of Nebula B.”
In other words, what may work—and even seem cute—in one short novel sometimes becomes very old, very quickly in a sequel.
And how is Fin’s relationship with Jane coming along? Well, they manage “a steamy make out session” late in the book, although it is off-camera. And although Fin wonders if they will ever get past second base (as do we all), we don’t even see her get to second base. Both are described highly sexed women, but they manage to sleep in the same bed for months without having sex. I don’t believe it. I do believe, though, that the author might just keep this sexless thing going for the entire series—although, looking at blurbs from books later in the series, they do end up getting married. I just don’t think I can make it through another volume, though. Hey, if they do have sex and it’s juicy, let me know.
If this book is the first one in the series that you read, you may want to give it a higher rating than if you read the first one first, simply because of the repetition. And as a one-off it is worth taking to the beach. Maybe. And even if you don’t read the books, take a look at the covers. The model is a darling.
Final Rating: 3
Note: I read an ebook version of this book as purchased from Amazon in January, 2020.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
The second book in the series finds Fin May caught up in another murder. As it happens, this murder is similar to the murder in the first book in that 1. the victim was a rich and famous woman, 2. the victim was a dog owner, 3. the victim was killed for her jewels, 4. the victim was killed when she came home unexpectedly during a burglary. Oh, did I say similar? Maybe I meant identical. Even the very nice touch at the end of the first book—the method by which the killers were caught—was the same.
Fin’s voice—which began to grate on me during the first book, becomes almost a blackboard scratcher in this one. Likewise her persona. She (and the rest of the cast) is continually grinning (this time the author uses a variation of this word 63 times), chuckling (32 times), smirking (28 times), cocking an eyebrow (24), blushing, sticking out her tongue at people, and flipping people off. In her first-person point of view, Fin is continually complaining about Jane being “infuriating,” aggravating, or calling her names like “Jerky McJerkface.” But, in fact, Jane is none of these things. She is mostly tender and solicitous. Even Fin's exclamations get a little tiring, although I kind of like “By the seven canine lords of Nebula B.”
In other words, what may work—and even seem cute—in one short novel sometimes becomes very old, very quickly in a sequel.
And how is Fin’s relationship with Jane coming along? Well, they manage “a steamy make out session” late in the book, although it is off-camera. And although Fin wonders if they will ever get past second base (as do we all), we don’t even see her get to second base. Both are described highly sexed women, but they manage to sleep in the same bed for months without having sex. I don’t believe it. I do believe, though, that the author might just keep this sexless thing going for the entire series—although, looking at blurbs from books later in the series, they do end up getting married. I just don’t think I can make it through another volume, though. Hey, if they do have sex and it’s juicy, let me know.
If this book is the first one in the series that you read, you may want to give it a higher rating than if you read the first one first, simply because of the repetition. And as a one-off it is worth taking to the beach. Maybe. And even if you don’t read the books, take a look at the covers. The model is a darling.
Final Rating: 3
Note: I read an ebook version of this book as purchased from Amazon in January, 2020.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
October 12, 2019
Finn gets into a lot of mess again, and although everything is innocent at first, things quickly escalate to dangerous. I love the awkward and upbeat way of presenting criminal cases through Finn's perspective and I love all dog stories.
August 20, 2021
Erik Schubach does it again! He thrills and enchants readers with Unleashed: Case of the Hot Dog Book 2. Beautifully narrated by the simply incredible Claire Buchignani, the story is a wonderful auditory treat that gives us an opportunity to revisit Finnegan, dog walker extraordinaire, in New York City. When we encounter her, she is busting out a car window to rescue and long-haired Dachshund trapped inside. Unfortunately for her, the body of the murdered owner is locked in the trunk of the car, and Finn is off to be booked at the police station. It's a good thing her roommate, Detective Jane McLeary is on the force and is able to ensure that her treatment by the cops isn't as unpleasant as it can become. Jane reluctantly shares information with Finn about the person found dead in the car trunk.
Finn discovers that the Dachshund she rescued is unregistered and manages to find that Oscar is the result of a puppy mill run by people who are even more unscrupulous than she at first supposed. The leader was working with another in hopes of getting a diamond-studded collar Oscar's owner purchased for him. Finnigan is caged and drugged with the hope of getting her to reveal the location of the man they are certain she's working with--the man who has laid hands on the collar but refusing to adhere to the original agreement. In an effort to get released, Finn convinces the man she knows more than she does and creates enough confusion to bring the cops and Detective Jane McLeary right to her rescue!
I simply can NOT tell you how enjoyable this story is! It fulfills the promise made by the very first book of the series. Erik Schubach grows the characters in the book as individuals and as a couple who are circling each other with romantic intent. The narrative is classy as well as fun and the world-building is colorfully creative within the backdrop of New York City. As seem to be a hallmark of his work, Erik's story is plausible as he gives readers elements that are believable. In addition, the conflict in the book results in an exciting, delightful resolution! I just want to dive into these books and live!
Finn discovers that the Dachshund she rescued is unregistered and manages to find that Oscar is the result of a puppy mill run by people who are even more unscrupulous than she at first supposed. The leader was working with another in hopes of getting a diamond-studded collar Oscar's owner purchased for him. Finnigan is caged and drugged with the hope of getting her to reveal the location of the man they are certain she's working with--the man who has laid hands on the collar but refusing to adhere to the original agreement. In an effort to get released, Finn convinces the man she knows more than she does and creates enough confusion to bring the cops and Detective Jane McLeary right to her rescue!
I simply can NOT tell you how enjoyable this story is! It fulfills the promise made by the very first book of the series. Erik Schubach grows the characters in the book as individuals and as a couple who are circling each other with romantic intent. The narrative is classy as well as fun and the world-building is colorfully creative within the backdrop of New York City. As seem to be a hallmark of his work, Erik's story is plausible as he gives readers elements that are believable. In addition, the conflict in the book results in an exciting, delightful resolution! I just want to dive into these books and live!
June 1, 2020
I usually avoid cozy mystery type books but this series has a unique approach that I find quite refreshing. The main character has the same quirky energy of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde...except she has OCD(which she emphatically denies!), she works with dogs and she's discovering her newfound bisexuality. The odd thing with this series is that the MC will occasionally break that 4th wall and do meta narration. The overall effect is actually quite funny. The series also gets points for fast pacing and strong secondary characters. The only negative are the occasional typos.
I thought this 2nd book was even better than the first. There's a dramatic kidnapping, more Finn backstory and time spent with secondary characters. There's a narration switch late in the book that felt jarring but I understood the necessity of it. I just wished that there was a chapter heading to indicate the POV change. It's a fun series that I will continue reading.
I thought this 2nd book was even better than the first. There's a dramatic kidnapping, more Finn backstory and time spent with secondary characters. There's a narration switch late in the book that felt jarring but I understood the necessity of it. I just wished that there was a chapter heading to indicate the POV change. It's a fun series that I will continue reading.
August 23, 2023
4 stars. This was better than book one. Such a fun and light series despite the mysteries it has a very cozy feeling to it so far. Finnegan keeps getting into trouble but she’s adorable and I like this little not relationship but a relationship thing she has with Jane. They’re cute together. Fun read and I’m excited to continue on.
June 13, 2022
Wonderful quick little read. More adventures of Finnagan May.
October 14, 2021
I know I have reviewed this story before. Wonderfully cute. The second book is just as good as the first. Even though they are short books, it is fun watching the characters grow.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews