by Terell Byrd

Details on how to win a copy of Hounds Abound at the end of this review along with a video interview with Linda. Also check out Linda’s guest article here at KRL about an animal rescue fundraising project by Penguin Publishing.

The compassionate and lively Lauren Vancouver is back in this third volume of the Pet Rescue Series by Linda O. Johnston. Lauren is the director of HotRescues, a no kill pet shelter in Southern California. She and her crew do what they can to save as many animals as possible. Reality is that HotRescues has to select animals from the “death row” of the high kill shelters that have the best chance of being finding a forever home. That means healthy young dogs and cats.

In this volume Lauren checks out a new shelter that seems to be a dream come true. The story highlights the joys and troubles of Save Them All Sanctuary. Nicknamed Save ‘Em, the state of the art compound specializes in the care of senior and special needs pets.

Bella Frankovick, the head of Save ‘Em, is starting a new life. After the public and vitriolic collapse of her marriage to a well known plastic surgeon, she is following her heart’s desire by taking in animals that have a low adoption rate. Bella’s ex hates animals and would not allow her to have a pet. She now has her revenge on him by surrounding herself with animals and making the financing of the Sanctuary part of the divorce settlement.

But revenge is not always sweet. When Bella’s former husband is found murdered she becomes the prime suspect. It is up to Lauren Vancouver to find the real killer. While Lauren investigates a mysterious, but perhaps not accidental, epidemic breaks out at HotRescues. Will Lauren find the real murderer? Will HotRescue survive the smear campaign directed at Save ‘Em that may taint all no-kill shelters? Will the dogs live to see the end of the quarantine at HotRescues? You will have to read the book to find out!

This book can be read without having read the earlier books in the series. I had not read Beaglemania or The More The Terrier and had no problem following the storyline. The series has wonderful animal characters that will remind pet lovers of dogs they have known. The adoption of senior and special needs animals is a hot topic here in the Central Valley. There was some great local news coverage about a dog receiving a prosthetic leg in the last week. So, read, learn and enjoy!

To enter for a chance to win a copy of Hounds Abound simply email KRL at kingsriverlife[at]gmail[dot]com with the subject hounds–U.S. residents only. A winner will be chosen on May 12, 2012.

Terell Byrd is a native Fresnan, who was born, raised, & educated locally. In the course of a mad gypsy life, she has taken classes in Electrical Engineering, broken into bank vaults at night & worked as a Tax Examiner for the IRS. Recently, Terell became president of the San Joaquin Chapter of Sisters In Crime. She now lives quietly, with more cats.