by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of the post on how to enter to win a signed copy of the book, and a link to order it from Amazon.

All it took was the impulsive – and desperate – purchase of a lottery ticket for waitress Kari Stuart to be able to turn her life around and find a new purpose. That came when she found a stray kitten, which in turn inspired Kari to purchase a run-down animal shelter and renovate it into a much-needed pet rescue shelter. That doesn’t mean that Serenity Sanctuary still doesn’t need financial support, though, which is why Kari let herself be talked into helping her friend Suz Holden at the Tri-County Kennel Dog show. It’s an opportunity for Kari to promote and fundraise for the Sanctuary, even though it also has her dealing with the demands of a very high-maintenance clientele. Roped in as a last-minute organizer herself, professional dog groomer Suz is quickly realizing why the previous kennel club member called out sick. Imperious competitor Olivia Weiner is a micromanaging nightmare, and rivaling Olivia in disrupting the dog show is SHAFFT, the Save Helpless Animal Friends From Tyranny animal rights organization. Mostly well-intentioned, their beliefs that the dogs are being exploited threatens the safety of both the animals and their companions. Further chaos stems from an unexpected source, when Saratoga Kennel Club member Miriam Rosenbaum accuses another member of lying about her identity and demands that Francine Carver be banned from the event.

Kari’s attempts to sift through the accusations and lies becomes dire when Francine is found stabbed to death with Suz’s customized grooming shears. Kari hopes that Sheriff Richardson won’t follow the easy trail of clues of an obvious frame-up job, and while Officer Clark and Officer Kent (yes, they’ve heard all of the jokes) may not understand why people would compete with dogs, they are at least fair in interrogating everyone. As Kari is frequently led to the interview station she will soon call the Picnic Table of Doom, she quickly discovers that dog shows are a deadly event with thousands of dollars at stake.

It’s impossible to resist such a dog-friendly series, with this second installment focusing on the highly competitive world of professional dog shows. While many may only experience this on the holidays when the Westminster Dog Show and AKC National Championships air on television, for the participants it can become an all-consuming obsession. It’s a vastly different world than Kari’s, where less-prestigious but just as beloved pups are treasured until they can find forever homes. Kari’s charming, but very busy, veterinarian Dr. Angus McCoy (not of the Enterprise) provides free vet service but unfortunately only a few dates, but hopefully their schedules will be freed up soon. As another murder occurs and the relationships between competitors overlap, a much darker side of the dog world emerges and exposes the lengths many will go to obtain their perfect pooch. This is still balanced out by the genuine appreciation of all of man’s best friends, who may vary in attractiveness but not in their ability to love. An animal-loving heroine, generous shelter volunteers, and Kari’s beloved feline Queenie all make for another satisfying mystery where a lottery-winner has definitely put a quirk of fate to good use.

To enter to win a copy of Doggone Deadly, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “doggone,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 22, 2022. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. BE AWARE THAT IT WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER THAN USUAL FOR WINNERS TO GET THEIR BOOKS DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS.

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.