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Pet Rescue Mystery #1
Beaglemania
Lauren Vancouver is the head of HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter north of Los Angeles, but it's often human nature that puts her in the path of danger. Just like when she helps rescue four adorable beagle puppies that were dumped down a drainpipe at a nasty puppy mill. One of the mill's employees has a history of dog abuse-and a bone to pick with Lauren. And when he's found dead at HotRescues after threatening her, Lauren will have to sniff out the real killer to keep herself out of a cage...
298 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
About the author
Linda O. Johnston
132 books464 followersLinda O. Johnston's first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year. Since then, Linda has had more short stories and novellas published, plus, by the end of 2018, she will have had fifty novels published, including mysteries and romance.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 5, 2016
I didn't care for this one too much. I didn't like the main character at all. She was cynical and paranoid and preachy all the way through the book and at times, she just was plain mean. It didn't help that I called out the bad guy at the very beginning and throughout the book kept pointing out the obvious clues, but Lauren never got them.
Also, for some reason, I found the name of the rescue organization stupid. HotRescues just sounds lame.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
Also, for some reason, I found the name of the rescue organization stupid. HotRescues just sounds lame.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
April 14, 2011
The Publisher’s Weekly review of Beaglemania says it all in a nutshell with its description: “less than engaging first in a new series.” The story is a fairly predictable cozy mystery set in an animal shelter with little focus on character development. Not terrible, just not terribly exciting.
I have not read the author’s Pet-Sitter series, from which Beaglemania is apparently a spinoff book. Beaglemania’s heroine, Lauren Vancouver, is the administrator at HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter and unwittingly becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her employee, Efram Kiley, an animal abuser employed at HotRescues as part of a legal settlement. Though it is clear the author’s knowledge of animals comes into play with the setting of the book in an animal shelter, the plot suffers from an overabundance of narration delivered by Lauren as opposed to dialogue and character interaction.
Predictably, and seemingly with total disregard for how her actions will be perceived by police, Lauren decides to do some amateur sleuthing to find the real killer and prove her innocence. In pursuit of this goal, she confronts family and friends of the deceased at their work place(s) and questions them, agrees to do a TV interview with NewsShakers, a tabloid television program who unsurprisingly misrepresents her on air—then grants a follow-up quote to the same reporter!—and calls Detective Garciana who is investigating her to ask his opinion on how best to conduct her own investigation of the case.
I was somewhat irritated by a few of the seemingly dumb decisions Lauren makes during the course of her investigation. A grown woman who has been divorced, raised two college-aged kids, and holds a position of administrator to a rescue shelter almost certainly has to be more intelligent than to exacerbate herself as a murder suspect by antagonizing the detective investigating her. Lauren’s actions did not create the impression she felt any real fear that she might end up in prison despite her innocence.
However, if you are a fan of “cozy mysteries” – gentle mysteries in which a likeable small-town heroine with a particular skill-set (in this case knowledge of animals) that will be utilized to further her amateur sleuthing – then you may enjoy this story. I would hope that future novels in this series focus more heavily on the characters and developing their relationships with each other. Most of the secondary characters in Beaglemania are non-entities, with only two real suspects provided for readers to guess whodunit. I was disappointed in the lack of attention devoted to the love interest—Capt. Matt Kingston of Animal Services, particularly when Lauren cites him as a suspect in the murder. I would have preferred to “see” Lauren’s relationship develop on the pages rather than read summaries of most of their conversations.
All in all, not a bad read if you are a fan of this genre, but if you prefer more exciting, thought-provoking mysteries, you may want to look elsewhere.
I have not read the author’s Pet-Sitter series, from which Beaglemania is apparently a spinoff book. Beaglemania’s heroine, Lauren Vancouver, is the administrator at HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter and unwittingly becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her employee, Efram Kiley, an animal abuser employed at HotRescues as part of a legal settlement. Though it is clear the author’s knowledge of animals comes into play with the setting of the book in an animal shelter, the plot suffers from an overabundance of narration delivered by Lauren as opposed to dialogue and character interaction.
Predictably, and seemingly with total disregard for how her actions will be perceived by police, Lauren decides to do some amateur sleuthing to find the real killer and prove her innocence. In pursuit of this goal, she confronts family and friends of the deceased at their work place(s) and questions them, agrees to do a TV interview with NewsShakers, a tabloid television program who unsurprisingly misrepresents her on air—then grants a follow-up quote to the same reporter!—and calls Detective Garciana who is investigating her to ask his opinion on how best to conduct her own investigation of the case.
I was somewhat irritated by a few of the seemingly dumb decisions Lauren makes during the course of her investigation. A grown woman who has been divorced, raised two college-aged kids, and holds a position of administrator to a rescue shelter almost certainly has to be more intelligent than to exacerbate herself as a murder suspect by antagonizing the detective investigating her. Lauren’s actions did not create the impression she felt any real fear that she might end up in prison despite her innocence.
However, if you are a fan of “cozy mysteries” – gentle mysteries in which a likeable small-town heroine with a particular skill-set (in this case knowledge of animals) that will be utilized to further her amateur sleuthing – then you may enjoy this story. I would hope that future novels in this series focus more heavily on the characters and developing their relationships with each other. Most of the secondary characters in Beaglemania are non-entities, with only two real suspects provided for readers to guess whodunit. I was disappointed in the lack of attention devoted to the love interest—Capt. Matt Kingston of Animal Services, particularly when Lauren cites him as a suspect in the murder. I would have preferred to “see” Lauren’s relationship develop on the pages rather than read summaries of most of their conversations.
All in all, not a bad read if you are a fan of this genre, but if you prefer more exciting, thought-provoking mysteries, you may want to look elsewhere.
January 28, 2012
I was excited to stumble across this book at the library. A new cozy mystery series that features an animal shelter and that focuses on animal rescue sounded perfect! Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I had hoped. It's hard to enjoy a series when you aren't particularly fond of the main character and this was my main problem with this book. Lauren, the woman who runs the shelter is not an easy woman to like, despite the fact that she's an animal lover and works to save animals everyday. A lot of other minor gripes about the book, including the name of the shelter: HotRescues? Really? Overall, I love the idea behind the series and will probably check out the next one to see if it improves.
March 24, 2011
Friends of this author's Kendra Ballantyne series will be happy to see that Kendra makes a small appearance in this book. Kendra's boyfriend owns the animal shelter where the main character in this book works. This book was good and I liked how every single subplot in the book was resolved in the end.
January 4, 2017
Ugh! This is the second cozy mystery in a row in which the murder and plot frame are great and the writing is 1st-semester-writing-student-pre-editing bad. DNF. I couldn't suffer through another one. Here's hoping the next one I pick up is better.
September 17, 2020
A whole bunch of pups, a rescue and murder?
I picked this book up because it had beagle pups on the cover. I’ll admit it. The cover snagged me. Then I read the blurb. Sounded good. A woman who runs a rescue and saves critters and happens to be at the wrong time and wrong place when there’s a murder. It caught me. I’m glad I read this book. The dogs are a good backdrop to the story and it moves along quite well.
There were times when I wasn’t so enamored with the book. The story is told in first person, which isn’t bad, but the narrator insists on telling exactly what everyone is wearing and how expensive their item is. For example, she mentions she’s got a new television and how it’s fancy, flat screen and with all the bells and whistles because her son said to get that one. Seemed like a bit of info that stalled out the story. Lauren, the main character, can come off a bit snooty, too. She rescues pets so she feels she can get into jams and places she might not really belong because she’s helping. Sometimes it got frustrating because I wanted her to keep moving forward.
Still, this is a good book. It’s a quick read. There’s a thread of animal abuse in it and it’s not heavily described, which is good as it might be a trigger to some readers. I do have to say, though, there is a bit of a stigma against pit bulls mentioned and it might not be what some readers want to see.
It might seem like I wasn’t a fan of this book, but that’s not true! This author is a new to me author and I see she’s written more pet rescue and pet sitter mysteries. I’m game to read them because I did like the writing flow and the premise is interesting.
If you’re looking for a book about rescues, pups and mystery, then this might be the one for you.
I picked this book up because it had beagle pups on the cover. I’ll admit it. The cover snagged me. Then I read the blurb. Sounded good. A woman who runs a rescue and saves critters and happens to be at the wrong time and wrong place when there’s a murder. It caught me. I’m glad I read this book. The dogs are a good backdrop to the story and it moves along quite well.
There were times when I wasn’t so enamored with the book. The story is told in first person, which isn’t bad, but the narrator insists on telling exactly what everyone is wearing and how expensive their item is. For example, she mentions she’s got a new television and how it’s fancy, flat screen and with all the bells and whistles because her son said to get that one. Seemed like a bit of info that stalled out the story. Lauren, the main character, can come off a bit snooty, too. She rescues pets so she feels she can get into jams and places she might not really belong because she’s helping. Sometimes it got frustrating because I wanted her to keep moving forward.
Still, this is a good book. It’s a quick read. There’s a thread of animal abuse in it and it’s not heavily described, which is good as it might be a trigger to some readers. I do have to say, though, there is a bit of a stigma against pit bulls mentioned and it might not be what some readers want to see.
It might seem like I wasn’t a fan of this book, but that’s not true! This author is a new to me author and I see she’s written more pet rescue and pet sitter mysteries. I’m game to read them because I did like the writing flow and the premise is interesting.
If you’re looking for a book about rescues, pups and mystery, then this might be the one for you.
March 9, 2011
I can't give this book an overall rating.
I'd give 4 stars to parts of the book, including Lauren (the main character), the animals, the details about animal rescue, the relationship that Lauren has with the animals.
I'd give a solid 3.5 stars to most of the supporting characters and their relationships with Lauren. I'd enjoy reading more about many of them, but this was a short book, and a lot of them were introduced. Not a problem, but I didn't have a chance to love them.
The overall writing was also in this area. It's pretty much solid, doing its job without distracting.
If this book could have been turned into another book-- say, chick lit, focusing on the lives of these characters and how the animals fit in, I'd give it 4 stars. I really enjoyed these aspects of this book.
Unfortunately, it was a mystery novel. This part of the plot would get a much lower rating. I know it was a cozy, and I haven't been reading cozies much recently. Did I forget my suspension of disbelief? I know that I always read them for the characters, not the details of the crimes.
Part of the problem was that I thought some interesting clues were set down early on, and these set me thinking about the possibilities. Unfortunately, these weren't used, weren't explained and the final answer didn't really work for me.
So, I enjoyed reading the book up until the end. I'll probably pick up the next book in the series. And I'm not even going to try for an overall rating.
I'd give 4 stars to parts of the book, including Lauren (the main character), the animals, the details about animal rescue, the relationship that Lauren has with the animals.
I'd give a solid 3.5 stars to most of the supporting characters and their relationships with Lauren. I'd enjoy reading more about many of them, but this was a short book, and a lot of them were introduced. Not a problem, but I didn't have a chance to love them.
The overall writing was also in this area. It's pretty much solid, doing its job without distracting.
If this book could have been turned into another book-- say, chick lit, focusing on the lives of these characters and how the animals fit in, I'd give it 4 stars. I really enjoyed these aspects of this book.
Unfortunately, it was a mystery novel. This part of the plot would get a much lower rating. I know it was a cozy, and I haven't been reading cozies much recently. Did I forget my suspension of disbelief? I know that I always read them for the characters, not the details of the crimes.
Part of the problem was that I thought some interesting clues were set down early on, and these set me thinking about the possibilities. Unfortunately, these weren't used, weren't explained and the final answer didn't really work for me.
So, I enjoyed reading the book up until the end. I'll probably pick up the next book in the series. And I'm not even going to try for an overall rating.
July 1, 2011
“Beaglemania” is the first in the new Pet Rescue Mystery Series from Linda O. Johnston, the well-known creator of the popular Pet-Setter Mysteries. It’s easy to tell the author has a soft spot for all sorts of animals, big and small, and even human, especially if they are extra kind to animals. Unfortunately, not all humans are, as Lauren Vancouver—head of HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter—discovers all too often.
At a particularly nasty puppy mill, Lauren helps rescue four adorable beagle puppies that were dumped down a storm drain, and she’s pretty sure she knows whodunit. Lauren discovers Efram Kiley, one of HotRescue’s employees (he’s doing community service to atone for past instances of dog abuse), at the puppy mill and is convinced he’s responsible for this latest example of animal cruelty. Efram shows up at HotRescues and threatens her. When Efram is found dead at the shelter (guess who finds him!), Lauren becomes the prime suspect. In trying to clear her own name, Lauren discovers more suspects than she bargained for, including a member or two of her own staff.
A promising beginning to a cute series. But I couldn’t help but wonder…what happened to the beagles? Once they’re rescued from the storm drain, we don’t hear from them any more. I hope they found a good home.
Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder” for Suspense Magazine
At a particularly nasty puppy mill, Lauren helps rescue four adorable beagle puppies that were dumped down a storm drain, and she’s pretty sure she knows whodunit. Lauren discovers Efram Kiley, one of HotRescue’s employees (he’s doing community service to atone for past instances of dog abuse), at the puppy mill and is convinced he’s responsible for this latest example of animal cruelty. Efram shows up at HotRescues and threatens her. When Efram is found dead at the shelter (guess who finds him!), Lauren becomes the prime suspect. In trying to clear her own name, Lauren discovers more suspects than she bargained for, including a member or two of her own staff.
A promising beginning to a cute series. But I couldn’t help but wonder…what happened to the beagles? Once they’re rescued from the storm drain, we don’t hear from them any more. I hope they found a good home.
Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder” for Suspense Magazine
July 25, 2017
Did NOT like this protagonist. She (Lauren) admits that she is a micro-manager. I honestly feel as the reader I am being micro-managed & preached at. Lauren is deeply cynical and paranoid, which makes this reading tiring. The internal struggles she has would be fine if they were explained once and the reader was allowed to move on, but it doesn't happen this way. They are constantly rehashed and brought up some other way.
Some things just seem out of sorts as where like the editor said things needed to be added, so they were added but didn't seem necessary. Lots of dumb sentences, i.e. "Si is busted!"or telling us once again the girl behind the counter would be starting vet tech school shortly.
The story line itself it good, but the writing is not enjoyable and I do not plan on reading more of this series which is sad because I was excited to read about a pet rescue center.
Lastly, the name of the book is Beaglemania...I would expect MORE beagles besides the ones that were rescued from the puppy mill & the ONE female that was brought to HotRescues. I DID NOT like the usage of pit bulls in the story, as they felt more like harboring people's fear as it showed when Nina called them "nasty".
Some things just seem out of sorts as where like the editor said things needed to be added, so they were added but didn't seem necessary. Lots of dumb sentences, i.e. "Si is busted!"or telling us once again the girl behind the counter would be starting vet tech school shortly.
The story line itself it good, but the writing is not enjoyable and I do not plan on reading more of this series which is sad because I was excited to read about a pet rescue center.
Lastly, the name of the book is Beaglemania...I would expect MORE beagles besides the ones that were rescued from the puppy mill & the ONE female that was brought to HotRescues. I DID NOT like the usage of pit bulls in the story, as they felt more like harboring people's fear as it showed when Nina called them "nasty".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2016
3 1/2 stars! I've given this book 3 1/2 stars. The Pet Rescue Mystery series shows some promise, but I was a little disappointed with the writing. Even for a cozy series, I found the character development was lacking somewhat. I'm not sure I liked Lauren Vancouver. She is far too outspoken and rude for my taste, but I love the animal portrayals. Lauren manages a private animal rescue shelter. As we just recently adopted a shelter animal, the animals struck a chord with me. The mystery was fairly tricky, and some of the characters were quite well portrayed. The book opens with Lauren called in to observe when a notorious puppy mill is busted by animal control. She is appalled to see one of her own volunteer employees at the scene, and what's worse it appears that he's involved in it somehow. When her employee is found dead right in Lauren's shelter, she becomes the prime suspect in the murder. In order to remove herself from suspicion, she sets out on her own to unmask the killer. I will probably read another book in this series as I love the premise behind the adorable animals waiting to be adopted. That's enough to maintain my interest for now.
April 27, 2014
I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't warm up to the main character, Lauren, the director of an animal rescue center. She was so controlling, justifying it by saying she had to be sure to find perfect homes for her charges. She spent an awful lot of time preaching about animal care and against animal cruelty to anyone who would listen...and to the reader. Although I'm certainly an advocate for animal rights, I found her attitude to be condescending. The mystery could have been interesting, but Lauren felt that the police and security company weren't doing their jobs, so she took it upon herself to investigate. Unfortunately her investigation simply involved finding people to accuse and hoping she could talk them into confessing. And I'm still not clear why it is called Beaglemania since there was no particular reference to that breed of dog. I won't be reading any more in this series.
June 10, 2015
I love dogs, I want them all to have homes. I love people who help animals, I want them all to be successful. I love mysteries, I want to thrill and chill as I ponder "who done it?".
So I'm primed to love this book, however, you don't always get what you want.
It was flat and I never really warmed up the main character. She's tough to like and a bit whiny about her situation in life, still when she's offered a hand she is (like some of her charges start out) more likely to bite it or run away to nurse her wounds and try to do it all herself.
The "who done it?" wasn't even fun, I figured it out the first time we met the character.
This is the first book I've read from this author. I picked it up because I wanted to read a later book in the series and figured I needed the back story. So she gets at least one more chance with me.
So I'm primed to love this book, however, you don't always get what you want.
It was flat and I never really warmed up the main character. She's tough to like and a bit whiny about her situation in life, still when she's offered a hand she is (like some of her charges start out) more likely to bite it or run away to nurse her wounds and try to do it all herself.
The "who done it?" wasn't even fun, I figured it out the first time we met the character.
This is the first book I've read from this author. I picked it up because I wanted to read a later book in the series and figured I needed the back story. So she gets at least one more chance with me.
October 19, 2014
Beaglemania is the first mystery I've read by Linda O. Johnston. I confess I picked up at a rummage sale, but that's a good way to try a new author. Or at the library. Anyway I love animals, especially dogs and cats so when I saw the cover with four adorable beagle puppies, I couldn't resist.
As an author myself, I know that the publisher not the author controls the title and cover for a book so I shouldn't have been surprised that the beagles were just mentioned in the beginning and never were a part of the story.
Someone in marketing said: "Cute beagles will sell, just think of Snoopy!" And that's how the title and cover probably came about.
Fortunately I didn't hold this against Linda O Johnston. I quite enjoyed her story and her main character and the way she handled the beginning romance.
So if you want a sweet cozy mystery with lots of pets, this is for you!
As an author myself, I know that the publisher not the author controls the title and cover for a book so I shouldn't have been surprised that the beagles were just mentioned in the beginning and never were a part of the story.
Someone in marketing said: "Cute beagles will sell, just think of Snoopy!" And that's how the title and cover probably came about.
Fortunately I didn't hold this against Linda O Johnston. I quite enjoyed her story and her main character and the way she handled the beginning romance.
So if you want a sweet cozy mystery with lots of pets, this is for you!
Read
August 14, 2016Enjoyable, pet rescue oriented mystery. A tad of suspense, some good bits of 'education' on this book's specific aspects of the rescue world - I hope we will learn something about the PENALTY the Puppy Mill people received.
I am glad the 'who' of this whodunnit ended up being.... (nuh-uh, I ain't gonna spoil it for you!)
I enjoyed the bit of time Lauren had with her college age kids, the contemplations on loss of loved ones whether human or beloved pet. Impacts of abuse, neglect and obsessive-compulsive behavior all play parts in this world. And it is not just the animals who get rescued...
Still a few not-quite accurate references, but rescue is a complex community and it is easy to miss some of the thngs I noticed. The IMPORTANT parts of rescue are pretty solid.
I am glad the 'who' of this whodunnit ended up being.... (nuh-uh, I ain't gonna spoil it for you!)
I enjoyed the bit of time Lauren had with her college age kids, the contemplations on loss of loved ones whether human or beloved pet. Impacts of abuse, neglect and obsessive-compulsive behavior all play parts in this world. And it is not just the animals who get rescued...
Still a few not-quite accurate references, but rescue is a complex community and it is easy to miss some of the thngs I noticed. The IMPORTANT parts of rescue are pretty solid.
April 9, 2011
I like that the author brings the problem of puppy mills and pet rescue efforts to light through this novel, the first in the new pet rescue mystery series. The plot so far is good, but I keep comparing pet rescuer Lauren Vancouver to Kendra Ballantyne, the petsitter in Linda O. Johnston's other mystery series, and Lauren is not as well developed a character as yet. Still a mystery worth reading.
May 30, 2011
It was OK, not my favorite in the genre. The whodunit was fairly simple to figure out. And I didn't like Lauren's attitude toward cats. For a PET Rescue series, this was very much focused on dogs, and cats were always described as haughty, aloof, etc. That's one aspect of felinity, but when I visit a cat shelter, I end up being swarmed by cats craving affection. It seems strange to me that a shelter manager would still buy into the "cats are aloof" view.
April 6, 2013
A cute, benign little who-done-it. Great for those of us who like light reading but if you're looking for something more challenging (Agatha Christie -like) it might not suit.
January 22, 2017
Enjoyable read. I don't usually read very quickly. This was an easy, quick, enjoyable first book to kick off my year. I look forward to reading others by Linda O. Johnston.
February 21, 2021
1 star
So...I ended up reading Beaglemania (Pet Rescue Mystery, #1) by Linda O. Johnston for a challenge and would not recommend it. The main character is so annoying that there’s no connecting with her. After a murder occurs and Lauren Vancouver finds herself a possible suspect, she sets out to find the real killer and clear her name (*because, of course, only she is capable of doing so as the police are (according to Lauren) incompetent and going to hang the murder on her as it’s the easiest way to close the case*). As we continue through the book, Lauren begins to create reasons why almost everyone she speaks with could be a suspect and why they could be out to frame/harm her. She’s got such a “worst-case scenario” view of everything that it gets old fast.
Another reason that I really disliked the character (potential for disagreement here...) is the way that she runs the privately-funded animal rescue that she manages. While I admire the work that the rescue organizations do and believe strongly that they should be supported and recognized for their good works, I disagree with some of the qualifications/restrictions/requirements that they put on potential adopters. Lauren’s rescue incorporates some of the more over-the-top qualification procedures such as 1) no adopting on the first visit, 2) photos of home/yard, etc AND/OR personal home visit by rescue representative (and after adoption site inspections), 3) referrals and 4) a meeting with the part-time, volunteer shrink to access the suitability of the potential adopter and the fit with the selected adoptee. All of these are on top of fees, multiple visits and volumes of paperwork. A potential adopter does not have to be “perfect” - they just have to have the room in their heart and home to be the best pet parent they can be. Just be happy that they are willing to go to a rescue or humane society to save a life (Ok, rant over ;) )
So...I ended up reading Beaglemania (Pet Rescue Mystery, #1) by Linda O. Johnston for a challenge and would not recommend it. The main character is so annoying that there’s no connecting with her. After a murder occurs and Lauren Vancouver finds herself a possible suspect, she sets out to find the real killer and clear her name (*because, of course, only she is capable of doing so as the police are (according to Lauren) incompetent and going to hang the murder on her as it’s the easiest way to close the case*). As we continue through the book, Lauren begins to create reasons why almost everyone she speaks with could be a suspect and why they could be out to frame/harm her. She’s got such a “worst-case scenario” view of everything that it gets old fast.
Another reason that I really disliked the character (potential for disagreement here...) is the way that she runs the privately-funded animal rescue that she manages. While I admire the work that the rescue organizations do and believe strongly that they should be supported and recognized for their good works, I disagree with some of the qualifications/restrictions/requirements that they put on potential adopters. Lauren’s rescue incorporates some of the more over-the-top qualification procedures such as 1) no adopting on the first visit, 2) photos of home/yard, etc AND/OR personal home visit by rescue representative (and after adoption site inspections), 3) referrals and 4) a meeting with the part-time, volunteer shrink to access the suitability of the potential adopter and the fit with the selected adoptee. All of these are on top of fees, multiple visits and volumes of paperwork. A potential adopter does not have to be “perfect” - they just have to have the room in their heart and home to be the best pet parent they can be. Just be happy that they are willing to go to a rescue or humane society to save a life (Ok, rant over ;) )
July 24, 2020
I loved the whole idea of pet rescue and how cool that the private shelter is funded by a benefactor like Dante. I probably need to read some of the Kendra Ballantyne books to get to know him a bit better, since he seems established even though this is the first book. I did get really annoyed at Lauren sometimes for refusing to accept any help with the case even from her best friend. And I was also annoyed at the detective for pressing her so much an pretty much stating that she did it before she was even up for trial.
The beagles on the cover are so adorable! I did enjoy their little story line, and the author did such a good job of making readers like me as well as people in the town despise Efram, wow he was scum! The showdown was great because for once, Lauren had it well-planned and wasn't trying to go it alone. I was kind of surprised at the killer, because I guess I wanted it to be someone else. Hopefully Lauren will change a little as the series goes on. I really like her a lot as far as her love for dogs and cats goes and how dedicated she is. At least she's a good mom too and made sure that her college-age kids were always in the loop. I'll be continuing the series.
The beagles on the cover are so adorable! I did enjoy their little story line, and the author did such a good job of making readers like me as well as people in the town despise Efram, wow he was scum! The showdown was great because for once, Lauren had it well-planned and wasn't trying to go it alone. I was kind of surprised at the killer, because I guess I wanted it to be someone else. Hopefully Lauren will change a little as the series goes on. I really like her a lot as far as her love for dogs and cats goes and how dedicated she is. At least she's a good mom too and made sure that her college-age kids were always in the loop. I'll be continuing the series.
February 9, 2018
Eh. I really wanted to like this. It has an adorable cover and a cool theme with dog rescue. But I didn't really like any of the characters (except the dogs). Lauren is preachy and I have no idea why a bunch of guys suddenly want her. And if I had to read her thoughts about dating one more time. Plus she is super micro manager - she won't let any animal in her shelter be adopted without meeting the people (why bother having employees then?).
The victim was about as low of a human being as you could get. The cop was stuck on his first impression. And the villain was just ridiculous
The victim was about as low of a human being as you could get. The cop was stuck on his first impression. And the villain was just ridiculous
February 10, 2022
This will be a no for me wanting to read more in this series. People who love any cosy-mystery may lap this up, just for being a cosy. I thought the idea intriguing, which is why I grabbed it to read.
For a first novel in a series, it didn't sell me on the characters. I thought it odd that the main protagonist, who is trying to prove her innocence, quizzes the lead detective on how to read suspects, goes on a tabloid TV show and is surprised at the negative outcome, and even goes to talk with people that she is on the opposite side of pending legal action. All of these scenarios don't make sense - and really didn't add anything to the story.
I even found the way they ran the shelter strange, especially the level of red tape for adopting an animal. I've adopted from no kill shelters and never had to go to the lengths outlined in this story.
For a first novel in a series, it didn't sell me on the characters. I thought it odd that the main protagonist, who is trying to prove her innocence, quizzes the lead detective on how to read suspects, goes on a tabloid TV show and is surprised at the negative outcome, and even goes to talk with people that she is on the opposite side of pending legal action. All of these scenarios don't make sense - and really didn't add anything to the story.
I even found the way they ran the shelter strange, especially the level of red tape for adopting an animal. I've adopted from no kill shelters and never had to go to the lengths outlined in this story.
November 22, 2023
Love the premise of the series -- a pet rescue, and there's lots about the critters and the organization. This is a spin-off from a previous series and I did feel like I'd been dropped in the middle, like I should already know the heroine and her uber wealthy boss and just lots of background stuff. It even felt like the eventual victim's backstory should have been know to me so it took me awhile to settle into the story because of that.
I had a kind of love/hate relationship with Lauren. She obviously has a heart for animals but she can come off as quite abrasive. And the story is full of her internal musings on replay -- so lots of repetition which bogged the story down. She also pulls some TSTL stunts that are a pet peeve of mine when it comes to cozies. Yes, we readers need to suspend belief to some extent but...
Of note: some mild language throughout.
I had a kind of love/hate relationship with Lauren. She obviously has a heart for animals but she can come off as quite abrasive. And the story is full of her internal musings on replay -- so lots of repetition which bogged the story down. She also pulls some TSTL stunts that are a pet peeve of mine when it comes to cozies. Yes, we readers need to suspend belief to some extent but...
Of note: some mild language throughout.
August 1, 2018
#1 in the Pet Rescue series.
HotRescues is a no kill shelter run by Lauren Vancouver. A volunteer at the shelter, who is also an abuser of his dog, apparently also was involved in a puppy mill, and threw some puppies down a storm drain. After Lauren had harsh words with him, he winds up dead at HotRescues, and Lauren is the number one suspect.
This book was just ok. It took me a while to get through it, not because it was overly complex but because I just could not get into the main character Lauren and her attitude. I did figure out who the real murderer was, and despite how the author set it up, it felt fairly anti-climactic. I won't be going for any others in the series (assuming that she continued the series).
HotRescues is a no kill shelter run by Lauren Vancouver. A volunteer at the shelter, who is also an abuser of his dog, apparently also was involved in a puppy mill, and threw some puppies down a storm drain. After Lauren had harsh words with him, he winds up dead at HotRescues, and Lauren is the number one suspect.
This book was just ok. It took me a while to get through it, not because it was overly complex but because I just could not get into the main character Lauren and her attitude. I did figure out who the real murderer was, and despite how the author set it up, it felt fairly anti-climactic. I won't be going for any others in the series (assuming that she continued the series).
June 3, 2023
"Beaglemania" is Linda O. Johnston's first book in the "Pet Rescue Mystery" series. It is a fairly quick read but very entertaining. I did pretty much have the mystery figured out right away. There were a couple moments when I wavered a little on what I thought was going on. In the end I was right.
If you love pet cozy mysteries you like this one. The setting is primarily a no-kill private animal shelter. I bet most shelters would wish they have the funding this one has. At least they aren't being extravagant and using the funds well. Also, it doesn't go too into what can be a fairly graphic/saddening details of pet rescue but does present the problems that pet rescue experience.
If you love pet cozy mysteries you like this one. The setting is primarily a no-kill private animal shelter. I bet most shelters would wish they have the funding this one has. At least they aren't being extravagant and using the funds well. Also, it doesn't go too into what can be a fairly graphic/saddening details of pet rescue but does present the problems that pet rescue experience.
April 26, 2024
I listened to this on Chirp and hoped, based on the ratings, that it would be more than just a gimmick. I got the distinct impression that the author got a list of dog breeds so she could sprinkle them throughout for no particular reason but really had no idea what she was talking about. Not even her editors caught using "neuter" rather than "spay" when referring to a female dog, aka bitch. Additionally, the story lacked...well everything. I finished the book because it was short, and even though I have three more, having bought them as a set, I have already archived the lot. There are much better offerings on which to spend time and money.
March 2, 2019
Selected by my f2f cozy mystery group. One of those frequent cozy tropes where the lead character is the primary suspect in a murder and must figure out who dunnit before she ends up in jail. Lots of potential suspects for the reader, if not the single minded cops, and no really obvious motives so you're kept second guessing your conclusions but I did manage to figure out the real perp before the end. Some dated elements of technology & social media. Not great but in the end relatively clever. Good animal welfare vibe throughout.
January 13, 2024
I'm actually giving this a 2.5. It would have been higher, but I really couldn't stand the main character. I found her to be very unlikable. She was judgemental and unwilling to listen to anyone. She'd have no problem making up rules and expecting others to follow them, but she could break them. She'd lie to get what she wants, even if it were a white lie. She was just plain controlling and would admit to it. But there was no character growth on her part. I liked the side characters more. I won't be reading the rest of this series.
March 17, 2019
Fun cozy mystery based around a private pet rescue shelter. Interesting characters - especially Dante the millionaire owner of the shelter.
It was fun to read about places near where I live and I could see the events happening.
The writing was a little too explanatory in places which put me off but I do hope it improves in future novels.
It was fun to read about places near where I live and I could see the events happening.
The writing was a little too explanatory in places which put me off but I do hope it improves in future novels.
July 1, 2017
I love books about pet rescue. I volunteer in rescue and the cause is near to my heart. I liked the book, but the rescue aspect was hard to swallow because of the hurdles the fictional rescue made adopters go over.
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