PUP FICTION by Laurien Berenson

This was my first time reading this long-running cozy mystery series and I wonder what took me so long? PUP FICTION by Laurien Berenson is a fun, fast-paced mystery that will appeal to dog lovers and mystery lovers alike. This is #27 in the Melanie Travis series and it is sure to delight fans and provide a fun escape to Connecticut and the dog show world.

Melanie’s sons are growing up fast. This year, fourteen-year-old Davey will be a counselor at Graceland Nursery School where his brother, five-year-old Kevin, will also be attending. Melanie is confident the boys will have a great summer, especially since the owner, Emily Grace, always does a spectacular job. Unfortunately, the camp gets off to a rocky start as Emily’s newly acquired Dalmatian puppies get loose on the first day. The rambunctious pups are a handful, but when other more sinister events start occurring, like a truck rolling down a hill and a fire starting in the kitchen, Melanie is intrigued and wonders who might want to sabotage Emily’s business. Things go from bad to worse when the dead body of Emily’s ex-husband is found in the woods behind the school. How did Will Grace get there and who killed him? Agreeing to help Emily prove her innocence, Melanie starts investigating. The clues lead her to several suspects including a ripped-off dog breeder, a disgruntled HOA president, an ex-wife of the victim, and a family wanting to run Emily’s business off their newly inherited land. With a wide array of suspects, Melanie has her work cut out for her. Can she find the murderer and help Emily clear her name and keep her school open?

PUP FICTION is a well-written cozy mystery. The plot flows effortlessly throwing out clues and introducing suspects to keep the momentum flowing right to the end. The characterization is good and Aunt Peg is one of the many strong characters that populate the story. Melanie is also a delightful protagonist who is smart and tenacious while also being level-headed. The clues are logical and the pacing is perfect. Furthermore, the dog show competitions are fascinating, opening up a whole new world for readers unfamiliar with these sporting events. There are so many great elements to this mystery including family, friendship, murder, undercover villains, and lots of dogs. This is a first-place entry for sure.

With a new litter of Standard Poodles on the way, it’s shaping up to be a vibrant July in Greenwich, Connecticut, for Melanie Travis. Too bad there’s a killer in town who would love to drain the life out of her summer . . .

While usually protective, Melanie feels comfortable sending her sons to the Graceland School’s summer camp for two reasons: The institution is well-regarded and proprietor Emily Grace is a trusted friend. But Emily has been acting strange since three rambunctious Dalmatian puppies suddenly appeared on her doorstep. The unusual arrival marks the first of several mysterious happenings at camp, each more intense than the last. Emily’s rough streak takes a frightening turn with a discovery in the nearby woods—the body of her estranged ex-husband.

As suspicions rush in, proving that Emily didn’t murder her biggest mistake will be about as easy as raising prize-winning show dogs. Realizing she’s the only one who can prove her friend’s innocence and keep the Graceland School from shutting down, Melanie dives into an investigation on the victim’s whereabouts leading up to his demise. With a few spotty clues and Aunt Peg’s growing curiosity about the Dalmatian pups’ origins, Melanie must name the culprit before good intentions come back to bite!