Dr. Jessica Popper (yes, she's heard all of the Dr. Pepper
jokes) is on the case again in this latest Reigning Cats
and Dogs mystery. Called to the estate of Mac McKinnon to
check on an injured horse, Jess is present when a popular
polo player falls off his horse and is killed. What looks
to be an unfortunate accident is classified a murder when
it's discovered the rider has been poisoned.
There's no shortage of suspects in the murder, from the
four friends who stood to make millions off the victim's
image, to the teenaged daughter who had a crush on the man.
Jess is reluctantly drawn into the investigation, much to
the displeasure of homicide investigator Lieutenant
Falcone, and is soon on the receiving end of some
unpleasant threats. When an attempt is made on her life,
Jess is even more determined to discover the killer's
identity.
LEAD A HORSE TO MURDER is a well-written murder mystery.
While the medical info is perhaps a bit involved for the
casual reader, the storyline is nicely crafted and the
characters well-rounded. I enjoyed the glimpses into Jess'
personal life as she put the pieces together to solve the
murder. Ms. Baxter has created a tale that will delight her
fans.
WHEN IT COMES TO SLEUTHING, SHE’S NOT HORSING
AROUND...
When full-time vet and part-time sleuth Jessica Popper is
asked to treat a billionaire's ailing horse, she gets a
deadly glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and
felonious….
Murder gallops after Jessie when an emergency call sends the
traveling vet to a posh Long Island estate with her one-eyed
Dalmatian, Lou, and her tailless Westie, Max. A prized
Arabian steed needs minor medical care–but it’s the rider
who grabs Jess’s attention. The handsome young horseman
exudes plenty of animal magnetism as he canters across the
field…and then takes an inexplicable, fatal fall.
The dead man was one of the finest polo players in the
world, but it was no accident that killed him. The culprit
was poison. And as Jess soon discovers, a number of people
had the means, motive, and opportunity for foul play, from
the hostile barn manager to the businessman’s disgruntled
wife. But Jess will have to temper her feline instinct with
good old-fashioned horse sense if she’s going to stop a
killer from leading a certain sleuth to her death.