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Melanie Travis #13
Chow Down
If Melanie Travis was planning on a quiet family summer with her standard poodle Faith, son Davey and new husband Sam, her plans are about to turn upside down. An unexpected competition, a trip to New York, and a murder later, Melanie finds herself in a choke collar of deceit and corruption.
295 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
186 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
About the author
Laurien Berenson
57 books843 followersLaurien Berenson is the award-winning author of the long running Melanie Travis canine mystery series and the new Senior Sleuths series starring Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan as a pair of seventyish sisters-in-law who are learning to put aside old grudges as they work together to solve mysteries. DIE ANOTHER DANE (#31 in the Melanie Travis series) is out now.
Laurien's work has appeared numerous magazines and the New York Times. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by horses and dogs.
Laurien's work has appeared numerous magazines and the New York Times. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by horses and dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 13, 2020
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book more than others in the series which was probably helped by the fact that it featured Faith prominently. I always like reading about her and Melanie because she was Melanie's first poodle.
The book itself was interesting because instead of centering on the dog show ring, it centered around a dog food competition where dogs were competing to be the one featured for the brand's adverts. It was interesting to read about the contest itself and to get to see how advertising can work. I enjoyed the cast of characters and dogs and liked learning more about different breeds.
Though the mystery itself wasn't earth-shattering I enjoyed it nonetheless. I found the dynamics behind the mystery to be super interesting as they involved dog politics and family drama. As usual, Melanie was right in the thick of it and it was fun to see how she unravelled this mystery.
I enjoyed this book more than others in the series which was probably helped by the fact that it featured Faith prominently. I always like reading about her and Melanie because she was Melanie's first poodle.
The book itself was interesting because instead of centering on the dog show ring, it centered around a dog food competition where dogs were competing to be the one featured for the brand's adverts. It was interesting to read about the contest itself and to get to see how advertising can work. I enjoyed the cast of characters and dogs and liked learning more about different breeds.
Though the mystery itself wasn't earth-shattering I enjoyed it nonetheless. I found the dynamics behind the mystery to be super interesting as they involved dog politics and family drama. As usual, Melanie was right in the thick of it and it was fun to see how she unravelled this mystery.
June 2, 2019
Unexpectedly Melanie and Faith find themselves finalists in a dog food company’s contest. Unfortunately the 100,000 prize money brings out the worst in some contestants. I love this series!!
February 21, 2020
This takes place in the summer in Connecticut and New York. The story involves dog shows, dog food, a contest, illness, and murder. There is a happy surprise at the end of the story, but I already knew it was coming, having read some of the later books. The mystery was okay, but I preferred the dog shows.
November 21, 2023
Melanie is entered into a dog food contest by her son. She tries to exit the contest but finds she can't so she and Faith, a standard poodle, go thru countless activities to decide the winner. After the first group meeting another of the contestants is killed and Melanie is asking questions. The book was an easy read.
December 10, 2018
Well, with this one, I can say that I no longer feel any need to put other books between the Melanie Travis books. Straight into the next one. Love them. Maybe an anthology is in order!!! AND I will be putting a dog show on the agenda for 2019. Thank you, Laurien Berenson! I love these. Is it weird, that I feel like Melanie and I would totally be friends if she knew me??? HA!
August 12, 2017
Things are panning out quite nicely for Melanie and family. Good mystery and nice happy ending.
August 26, 2023
I am really enjoying this series. The writing is getting better and better, it's well plotted and easy flowing, the story is engaging, and has an expected surprise ending. I like the quirky and colorful characters, although Aunt Peg was brash imperious, demanding, and annoying in this book. The author is thorough in her details about everything dog related. There is humor weaved throughout the book.
Melanie is on vacation from her job teaching at a private school in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is also experiencing a lot of "news" in her life - new husband, new house, new dog to train and show. One morning she is drinking her first cup of coffee while reading a strange letter she got in the mail. It's from Champions Dog Food Company and says that her Standard Poodle, Faith, has been selected as a finalist in their "All Dogs Are Champions" contest. The winner will be named the official spokesdog for their new dog food, Chow Down and win a prize of $100,000. What gives? - Melanie didn't enter any contest. As it turns out, Davey, her 8-year-old son, had entered the contest without telling her. Melanie tries to gracefully bow out of the contest, but she is told that she entered a binding contract by submitting the entry form and signing it. Davey had really signed her name electronically because he wasn't 18 years old.
Melanie doesn't really want to win but is obligated to stay in the contest. At a meet and greet, she meets the other four pedigreed finalists: a Brittany named Ginger (Allison and Bill Redding, a perky couple), a Yorkie named Yoda (Larry and Lisa Kim, a tough and submissive combination), a Scottish Terrier named MacDuff (Dorothy Foyle, an older woman), and a Boxer named Brando (Ben O'Donnell, an out-of-work actor). All these people who own the dogs are intent on winning at any cost. The judges include Doug Allen, Vice President of Marketing and contest chairman for Chow Down; Simone Dorsey, director of public relations; Chris Hovick, director of advertising; and Cindy Burrows, product manager for Chow Down. Leaving a reception to meet the other finalists, Melanie takes the fire stairs, because Faith is afraid of elevators, when she hears raised voices, a scream, and then Larry Kim comes tumbling down the stairs (or was he shoved?) She didn't see how it happened or who did it. The police rule it a death by accident. Melanie is pretty sure it wasn't, so she questions all the contestants and judges herself to find some answers. Was it a spontaneous deed or a crime of passion or just plain murder?
A surprising twist is that Lisa Kim plans to stay in the contest. But after a trip to Central Park in New York to show off the dogs to the public, Lisa disappears. At a press conference to announce the winner of the contest, Lisa finally shows up just in time. Where had she been?
As one can imagine, all the contestants and judges weave a tapestry of reasons for entering the contest, how most of them were chosen by ignoring the rules, and how intertwined both groups are and who seem to know each other; for example, Chris Hovick got his dog from Dorothy Foyle, there is a secret relationship between a judge and a finalist, one judge and a finalist were college roommates, etc. Oh, what a web can be weaved...
Subplots include:
- Eve, Melanie's newest Standard Poodle, finishes her championship during this book.
- Something is wrong with Crawford Langley. He has been working 1/2 days, only showing small and fewer dogs at the shows, has no time for socializing, has been sending clients to Bertie (unheard of), leaves dog shows early (he lives for dog shows), is grouchy, and his partner Terry won't tell anyone what's wrong.
- Friends and relatives are bugging Melanie and Sam to have a baby. They've only been married two months! The biggest pest is Aunt Peg. Melanie gets a new hair cut from Terry.
- Sam and Davey spend the book building a tree house in the backyard of their new house.
This book can be read as a standalone, but the ideal is to read the books in order for character development and story advancement. It was nice to have a change of pace and not focus the whole book on dog shows and murders therein. Highly recommended series.
Melanie is on vacation from her job teaching at a private school in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is also experiencing a lot of "news" in her life - new husband, new house, new dog to train and show. One morning she is drinking her first cup of coffee while reading a strange letter she got in the mail. It's from Champions Dog Food Company and says that her Standard Poodle, Faith, has been selected as a finalist in their "All Dogs Are Champions" contest. The winner will be named the official spokesdog for their new dog food, Chow Down and win a prize of $100,000. What gives? - Melanie didn't enter any contest. As it turns out, Davey, her 8-year-old son, had entered the contest without telling her. Melanie tries to gracefully bow out of the contest, but she is told that she entered a binding contract by submitting the entry form and signing it. Davey had really signed her name electronically because he wasn't 18 years old.
Melanie doesn't really want to win but is obligated to stay in the contest. At a meet and greet, she meets the other four pedigreed finalists: a Brittany named Ginger (Allison and Bill Redding, a perky couple), a Yorkie named Yoda (Larry and Lisa Kim, a tough and submissive combination), a Scottish Terrier named MacDuff (Dorothy Foyle, an older woman), and a Boxer named Brando (Ben O'Donnell, an out-of-work actor). All these people who own the dogs are intent on winning at any cost. The judges include Doug Allen, Vice President of Marketing and contest chairman for Chow Down; Simone Dorsey, director of public relations; Chris Hovick, director of advertising; and Cindy Burrows, product manager for Chow Down. Leaving a reception to meet the other finalists, Melanie takes the fire stairs, because Faith is afraid of elevators, when she hears raised voices, a scream, and then Larry Kim comes tumbling down the stairs (or was he shoved?) She didn't see how it happened or who did it. The police rule it a death by accident. Melanie is pretty sure it wasn't, so she questions all the contestants and judges herself to find some answers. Was it a spontaneous deed or a crime of passion or just plain murder?
A surprising twist is that Lisa Kim plans to stay in the contest. But after a trip to Central Park in New York to show off the dogs to the public, Lisa disappears. At a press conference to announce the winner of the contest, Lisa finally shows up just in time. Where had she been?
As one can imagine, all the contestants and judges weave a tapestry of reasons for entering the contest, how most of them were chosen by ignoring the rules, and how intertwined both groups are and who seem to know each other; for example, Chris Hovick got his dog from Dorothy Foyle, there is a secret relationship between a judge and a finalist, one judge and a finalist were college roommates, etc. Oh, what a web can be weaved...
Subplots include:
- Eve, Melanie's newest Standard Poodle, finishes her championship during this book.
- Something is wrong with Crawford Langley. He has been working 1/2 days, only showing small and fewer dogs at the shows, has no time for socializing, has been sending clients to Bertie (unheard of), leaves dog shows early (he lives for dog shows), is grouchy, and his partner Terry won't tell anyone what's wrong.
- Friends and relatives are bugging Melanie and Sam to have a baby. They've only been married two months! The biggest pest is Aunt Peg. Melanie gets a new hair cut from Terry.
- Sam and Davey spend the book building a tree house in the backyard of their new house.
This book can be read as a standalone, but the ideal is to read the books in order for character development and story advancement. It was nice to have a change of pace and not focus the whole book on dog shows and murders therein. Highly recommended series.
September 29, 2024
A dog food contest? What could possibly go wrong with that?
Flyers and pamphlets and online applications, Davey takes it upon himself to enter Faith, the poodle that he and his mom Melanie share, except he failed to inform Melanie about it and didn't see anything wrong with typing his mother's name in even though the rules stated he had to be 18 years ago age to enter.
So while Melanie had great plans for her summer, baby had pretty much circumvented her summer into traipsing all over with Faith, in a contest you didn't want to be in, but could not withdraw from. And lo and behold, there was another murder. Melanie was a lot closer to that event then before but once again she was not given enough information about what had happened.
The story of the clues waffle back and forth so much I got dizzy and had whiplash! Just when I thought I had it figured out another clue would come in and it wasn't what I thought. I made lots of notes. And it went back to one guess that I had at the very beginning, based more on gut feeling than on any words.
And the big event waiting to be unfurled and Melanie's life, was actually revealed by her ex-husband Bob! He lived it once before and he knew what he was talking about!
As to the mystery of who killed Larry Kim you have to read the book, sort through all of the clues, and make all of your own guesses, maybe wear a neck brace so you don't get whiplash haha. And read the book
Flyers and pamphlets and online applications, Davey takes it upon himself to enter Faith, the poodle that he and his mom Melanie share, except he failed to inform Melanie about it and didn't see anything wrong with typing his mother's name in even though the rules stated he had to be 18 years ago age to enter.
So while Melanie had great plans for her summer, baby had pretty much circumvented her summer into traipsing all over with Faith, in a contest you didn't want to be in, but could not withdraw from. And lo and behold, there was another murder. Melanie was a lot closer to that event then before but once again she was not given enough information about what had happened.
The story of the clues waffle back and forth so much I got dizzy and had whiplash! Just when I thought I had it figured out another clue would come in and it wasn't what I thought. I made lots of notes. And it went back to one guess that I had at the very beginning, based more on gut feeling than on any words.
And the big event waiting to be unfurled and Melanie's life, was actually revealed by her ex-husband Bob! He lived it once before and he knew what he was talking about!
As to the mystery of who killed Larry Kim you have to read the book, sort through all of the clues, and make all of your own guesses, maybe wear a neck brace so you don't get whiplash haha. And read the book
June 29, 2018
Centered around the dog show circuit in the northeast - lots of information about the planning and preparation for showing dogs at these events- including the owners, who are obsessive, possessive and excessive regarding their dogs.
There is a cozy mystery in this story. A dog food manufacturer wants to find a "spokesdog" for their new dog food and conducts a nation-wide search for the perfect dog. Five finalists are named, and they all turn out to be from near the offices of the manufacturer (just coincidence I guess) in Connecticut. When the owners and their dogs meet at the offices for introductions, one of the owners is murdered - he falls down a flight of stairs. Did he trip or was he pushed?
Melanie Travis and Faith the poodle solve the crime, but we have to go through a lot of dog show preparation and meet all the weird people in this crowd. For dog show lovers only.
There is a cozy mystery in this story. A dog food manufacturer wants to find a "spokesdog" for their new dog food and conducts a nation-wide search for the perfect dog. Five finalists are named, and they all turn out to be from near the offices of the manufacturer (just coincidence I guess) in Connecticut. When the owners and their dogs meet at the offices for introductions, one of the owners is murdered - he falls down a flight of stairs. Did he trip or was he pushed?
Melanie Travis and Faith the poodle solve the crime, but we have to go through a lot of dog show preparation and meet all the weird people in this crowd. For dog show lovers only.
May 12, 2020
Cat person here, but loving the series. And for a change I'm not reading them in order. Probably partially due to COVID-19 (stay home). I picked up a half dozen of this series at a library sometime last year as they looked good and were on the sale rack (and it was almost as good a sale as free). Read one, then skipped to another series / book I could get from the library. Then read another one (Christmas themed) for our December bookclub meeting. Enjoyed them both, but every time I check online to see about checking out the first book in the series it's not available. So now have read a couple more of the series that I have (along with a dozen other books, thank goodness for having plenty of books in my own personal library).
Anyway, a very good book. It reinforced my reason for not having any children of my own too! :)
Anyway, a very good book. It reinforced my reason for not having any children of my own too! :)
January 28, 2018
This was a new series for me, and it's always hard to read one in the middle. I didn't know the characters or much about the theme (dog shows), but it was still fun to read. Melanie's show poodle Faith has been entered in a contest by her son. The Champion dog food company is looking for a spokes-dog for its new line of dog food, and Faith makes it in as a finalist. The fact that the food has licorice in it and Faith does not like it does not get Melanie out of competing, since her son signed her name to a clause that does not allow her to quit. When one of the owners falls to his death, Melanie suspects it is connected to the contest and not an accident.
I would like to read more of this series and get to know the characters.
I would like to read more of this series and get to know the characters.
January 29, 2018
Melanie Travis is a Newlywed with a young son. She shows poodles and is a teacher in Greenwich Ct. She is looking forward to spending the summer with her husband and son when she receives a letter from a dog food company that her dog is a finalist. Her son Davy had unbeknownst to her has entered their poodle. Not wanting to disappoint her son she becomes involved in this competition. One of the contestants is murdered and Melanie becomes involved in finding out why and what is going on. Great story and i love her characters. This is the 13th in the series and I would suggest starting with number 1 but I really enjoyed reading this book.
April 4, 2025
Melanie and Faith have quite an adventure this time. Davey enters Faith into a contest at a dog food company. The "spokesdog" will win a one hundred thousand dollar contract to represent a new brand of dog food, Chow Down. All the dog owners have a compelling reason for wanting to win,but things take a tragic turn when one of the owners is murdered.
Melanie is trying hard to find answers and when she does, everyone is shocked.
As if that's not exciting enough, looks like things are going to get more exciting for the family. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Melanie is trying hard to find answers and when she does, everyone is shocked.
As if that's not exciting enough, looks like things are going to get more exciting for the family. Can't wait to see what happens next.
December 14, 2021
The aunt is seriously annoying in this one. Cute story, but the narration is not to my liking. The over the top imperious tone that always sounds like she is screaming and like she pretty much eschews every living being she comes into contact with is more than I can listen to anymore. Too bad as it’s a nice easy listen/read. I’ve listened to 4 of them and am now done. Maybe I’ll read any more, but can’t listen to another one.
June 17, 2021
I thought this entry was pretty good. It centers around a competition to become the spokes-dog for a dog food company. Lots of shady shenanigans and backstabbing abound. However, my favorite part of this series continues to be the scenes between Melanie and her family/friends. Happy news for them in this one.
Read
June 15, 2020Good series, especially for dog lovers. The heroine is interesting, writing is solid, and plots have an interesting variety. The baby worship is a bit tiresome, but the little boy, Davey, is genuine. I plan to read the entire series!
March 10, 2024
Dog mystery- dog food contest turns mystery when one of the contestants’ husband is killed.
Fun series- this Melanie Travis & Faith her poodle series is the most likely set of books to come back with dog chewed corners
Fun series- this Melanie Travis & Faith her poodle series is the most likely set of books to come back with dog chewed corners
February 7, 2019
Faith! Terry! Crawford!
February 27, 2019
3 - Good
March 8, 2019
Not bad. Murder mystery.
But too much immersion in the dog showing business.
Tedious.
But too much immersion in the dog showing business.
Tedious.
July 3, 2019
A fun, pretty quick read about show dogs and their families. It was a nice relaxing read in spite of the murder!
April 30, 2020
Great quarantine distraction but after reading so many of these books I want a standard poodle. At the very least I will take them into consideration when the time comes.
July 10, 2020
This is tooooo funny!!!!!
January 17, 2021
It's always great fun to read about Melanie Travis and what is going on in her life!! Thank you Laurien Berenson for writing such a delightful cozy mystery!
September 27, 2021
These are just plain old good books. I've really been enjoying the series after discovering the first one I got was #18. It's on hold until I catch up.
October 21, 2022
Better than I thought it would be.
March 12, 2023
Still loving this series!!!! I read these so quickly. I love getting to know the whole family dynamics. Wish I had an Aunt Peg!!!!
July 4, 2023
Sometimes I wonder why I continue to read her.
March 11, 2024
This book was very slow to get to the plot. Last few chapters were pretty good.
January 13, 2025
Fun but crazy
I reall
y enjoyed the storyline. Melanie has a typical nosy family. I enjoyed how the story flowed. I am interested in Sam's other dogs.
I reall
y enjoyed the storyline. Melanie has a typical nosy family. I enjoyed how the story flowed. I am interested in Sam's other dogs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews