Melanie Travis has her hands full these days, what with
adding a husband and three more dogs to her already
cramped home. The advanced obedience training for her dog
Faith is a welcome respite from the stresses of house
huntingβuntil murder forces Melanie to the head of the
classβ¦
Even amidst the chaos, Melanie somehow manages to eke out
a bit of time to get Faith enrolled in βschool.β The South
Avenue Obedience Club looks like fun, even if there are
enough sexual and political undercurrents in the group to
power a small generator. Melanie is especially eager to
bring Faith to the program at the Winston Pumpernill
Nursing Home. Club member Paul Lennox initiated the
outings to please his Great Aunt Mary, and since many of
the other residents are also dog lovers, the trips are now
a treasured tradition.
Melanie and Faith are warmly welcomed at the home, but
their very first visit ends in tragedy when Aunt Mary is
found suffocated in her bed. Thereβs no shortage of
suspectsβfrom the wealthy victimβs neβer-do-well son to
the staff to the secret-laden club members themselves,
thereβs motive and opportunity aplenty. All Melanie has to
do is follow the trailβand watch her backβ¦