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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.087208
EAN num: 9780060815370
ISBN number: 006081537X
Label: Avon
Manufacturer: Avon
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: March 01, 2006
Publishing house: Avon
Release Date: February 28, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 41067
Studio: Avon
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Product Description:
Who let the dogs out?
Evildoers beware! Four of mystery fiction's top storytellers are setting the hounds on your trail -- in an incomparable quartet of crime stories with a canine edge. Man's (and woman's) best friends take the lead in this phenomenal collection of tales tense and surprising, humorous and thrilling: New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance's spellbinding saga of a scam-busting septuagenarian and her two golden retrievers; Anthony Award winner Virginia Lanier's pureblood thriller featuring bloodhounds and bloody murder; Chassie West's suspenseful stunner about a life-saving German shepherd and a ghastly forgotten crime; rising star Lee Charles Kelley's edge-of-your-seat yarn that pits an ex-cop/kennel owner and a yappy toy poodle against a craven killer.
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Rated by buyers -
I enjoy reading a book that has mulitple short stories in it & J.A. Jance is top notch.
Rated by buyers -
Anthologies are always a mixed bag. Which is probably why they're so appealing. They're great for when you're not up to concentrating on a full-length story, or only have little bits of reading time available, for whatever reason. Generally speaking, they almost always introduce you to a new author or two. It's hardly surprising then, that they get such mixed reviews. Hardly anyone ever likes every single story equally. As it happens, I've read two anthologies in a row, and while they're vastly different from each other (the other one has three stories by a single author) there are still some similarities between them.
The theme here is dogs in various capacities--working dogs or just pets. I'm not sure I've previously read anything by Virginia Lanier or Chassie West. However, nothing in either story would keep me from reading them in the future. Lanier certainly knew her beans when it came to bloodhounds and their unique capabilities, which she displays to good effect in "Red Shirt and Black Jacket". Jo Beth Sidden is one tough and very enjoyable lady, as she finds the bad guy with the help of her super canine snoop.
Chassie West's "Nightmare in Nowhere" was a bit out there, and I found it hard to follow at times. Duke is a good ol' boy in the form of a German shepherd who isn't yet ready to retire as a rescue dog, in spite of what his humans seem to think. A.J.'s amnesia is presented in a very factual way, as is the recovery of her memory in little bits and pieces. Sure seemed realistic to me!
I have read most of Lee Charles Kelley's books, but this cleverly titled short story "The French Poodle Connection" didn't really do it for me. The dog--a yappy toy poodle--was certainly portrayed accurately. Trouble is, this story didn't need a dog. It would have been a perfectly fine story even without the poodle. But, of course, that wouldn't work because he writes dog books. The story certainly had enough twists and turns to satisfy anyone wanting to know whodunnit or why.
My absolute favorite of the batch was "The Case of the London Cabbie" by J.A. Jance. The fact that the heroine is a lady of a certain age didn't hurt! 70-something Maddy Watkins and her two golden retrievers use their combined brains to win the battle against the brawn on the bad guys, in this engaging tale of sisters who need each other more than they thought they did. I'd love to read a full-length book about Maddy and her `girls'. I can't help but think others would too!
Rated by buyers 
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With four experienced writers contributing stories to this book, I expected better. The very first two stories are readable, the last two are a waste of time. Sometimes combining authors is not a 'good thing'.
Rated by buyers -
It is rare to have a collection of stories all about canines. This book has four of them. I enjoyed all four fairly well, but I did have my favorites that I cheered for as the stories progressed.
"Red Shirt and Black Jacket" follows two bloodhounds as they search for a murderer through the backwoods of Georgia. The dogs and their handlers are not afraid of the culprits but the criminals in hiding were sore afraid of them.
"Nightmare to Nowhere" tells of a woman that had an accident, or so she thinks, whom a German Shepherd leads from the scene of that accident into a mystery life. The Shepherd knew where he was going but how far dare this woman trust him?
"The French Poodle Connection" was perhaps my least favorite. This could be because I have never really adored Poodles. The story is interesting and canine lovers will find it interesting as the story traverses through a mystery.
"The Case of the London Cabbie" is very good. J.A. Nance keeps the story moving and interesting. Two Golden Retrievers share a story of "who is what they say they are" and "who do we believe?" You will find this mystery fast moving and intriguing as you watch the characters weave their way to deception.
All in all, if you like dogs and mysteries, you will not want to put this book down.
Rated by buyers 
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This collection of 4 short stories is a pleasant read but not exceptional. Virginia Lanier's story is the strongest and the others are good but lack "heft".
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