Rating: 
Summary: A dog book for non-doggy readers . . .
Review: Sometimes, when a mystery or other novel contains an animal(s) as co-sleuth or even as companion, the author gets so carried away with how wonderful and splendid and grand the animal is, he or she tends to go overboard into the cutesy area. I admit that on occasion, I have not finished reading such books, because even though I generally do like animals, I prefer them to stay as an animal, and not assume human characteristics. Of course, should one such ever 'talk' to me (and make sense) I might change my mind.This book however, carefully walks that tight-rope and never goes too far astray from what is a really cracker-jack plot. Recent history can be as fascinating as the farther away variety, as this book readily illustrates. Eugenics, whether applied to humans or animals, can be a fascinating topic of discussion; whether it should be practiced or not is another matter entirely. Holly Winter, a writer and sometime dog-trainer, loves Alaskan Malamute Dogs. Of that there can be no question. When she lands an assignment to write the text for a photo book of a famous dog-lover, she has no idea where the tale will lead her. All the clues are nicely laid out, and the sprinkling of facts in with the fiction combine to educate as well as entertain the discerning reader. For instance, I have no idea if Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge ever really did exist, but I know that Isabella Stewart Gardner did--and left her home and immense fortune to founding the museum she named Fernway Court, and which was subsequently spectacularly robbed in 1990. If this is a new trend--combining recent history with current day people and happenings--albeit in a rather historic setting (in this case Cambridge Massachusetts) then I'm all for it. I found this to be engaging and informative novel, and recommend it to readers of mystery novels--whether animal lovers or no.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful writer gets even better
Review: Susan Conant has once again provided her fans with a wonderful book and has written a wonderful book that ought to gain her some new fans. Her characterizations of the humans are vivid and convey the kind of understanding of human nature most of us think but rarely give voice to (e.g., upon meeting the kennel keeper, Holly describes his expression as indicating that he'd never found much about people to like and that she shouldn't bother to try to change his beliefs). Ms. Conant's characterizations of the animals and the relationships between people and animals (what hooked me in the first place) continue to delight and strike familiar chords. The plot moves well and continues to show the greater complexity of her more recent books, although the title probably pretty well gives away the ending, especially if the reader has much knowledge of eugenics. My only complaint (and this reflects my pro-dog bias) is that I'd like more on Rowdy and Kimi (and Tracker, too). Ever since Holly took the bet from Rita about writing about humans rather than dogs, Ms. Conant seems to have gone in that direction, too. Altogether - Love it and can't wait 'til the next one. Isn't it about time for Buck to resume showing his Golden puppy, have a competitor (who has been a competitor to the family for a long time and maybe was close at one time to Holly's mom) get murdered and Buck be accused? Perhaps Rowdy should have his services sold only to have a battle erupt with the dam's owner over a possible genetic flaw in the puppies due to Rowdy (not that Holly would knowingly breed if there were such a flaw). The puppies are puppy-napped, the dam's owner winds up dead and Holly winds up accused.
Rating: 
Summary: Not pick of the litter
Review: Susan Conant's books are generally enjoyable, but something went wrong here. Is Holly taking herself way too seriously? Was the whole Geraldine Dodge theme a dull way to keep the plot connected? Why have Holly own a cat and continue to harp about how much she dislikes the ugly cat? (I don't even LIKE cats and this bugged me) This book should have been culled by the editors.
Rating:
Summary: Engrossing!
Review: The latest entry into Susan Conant's series of Dog Lover's Mysteries is an engrossing novel that sweeps the reader back in time to learn about the dog world during World War II, and to learn more about Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge. The book leads the reader in new directions. It's nice to see a writer who doesn't dwell on one note because that's the easy way out. Conant has the courage and talent to explore her protagonist's interests and take the reader on Holly Winter's journey through the dog world, wherever that road may lead.
Rating: 
Summary: Evil Breeding
Review: This is the only one of the series that I've read, and now I doubt I'll bother with the others. Conant has hung a bunch of red-herring plot twists and turns on a simplistic semi-mystery that in the end is nothing more than a guilty-family-secret story. Nazis, eugenics, dog shows in the thirties, a Rockefeller heiress, the Isabelle Stewart Gardner museum -- all turn out to be irrelevant to the story line....
Rating:
Summary: For Alaskan Malamute Lovers Only
Review: This is the only one of the series that I've read, and now I doubt I'll bother with the others. Conant has hung a bunch of red-herring plot twists and turns on a simplistic semi-mystery that in the end is nothing more than a guilty-family-secret story. Nazis, eugenics, dog shows in the thirties, a Rockefeller heiress, the Isabelle Stewart Gardner museum -- all turn out to be irrelevant to the story line....
Rating:
Summary: Hack, hack!!!
Review: This series is getting worse and worse! Holly is becoming so obsessive and one-dimensional... In Barker Street Regulars, she was absolutely so obsessed with Sherlock Holmes that, even though she professed to know little about him, she was spitting off quotes here, there, and everywhere. In this book, she rants and raves constantly about Geraldine Dodge this, Geraldine Dodge that. Conant needs to clean up Holly's character and make her a little more realistic and more... I don't even know how to say it. Plausible? The melodramatic spittle and long passages of babbling on and on are horrible. I couldn't even finish this book, and I have a Malamute and love mysteries!! Let's get this show on the road!!!! If you want to read a really good dog mystery, I suggest Carol Lea Benjamin's or Laurien Berenson's books, they're fascinating and readable.
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