Tag: dog shows

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!

I am happy to share my thoughts today about
Die Another Dane by Laurien Berenson!

Die Another Dane (A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
31st in Series
Setting – Connecticut
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 28, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496746651
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496746658
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496746672
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DX52K95H

It’s June in Connecticut and Melanie Travis has her hands full with her family and her Standard Poodles, but when a breeder and exhibitor of Great Danes dies under suspicious circumstances, she also has a big mystery to solve . . .

After seeing a Great Dane at a dog show, Melanie’s younger son Kevin has become obsessed with the giant breed. Some kids get into dinosaurs—for Kevin it’s Great Danes. Aunt Peg introduces Melanie and her son to Audrey Kane, a charming older woman who breeds and shows the big dogs.

Aware of Melanie’s talent for sleuthing, Audrey asks for her help in finding a missing brooch. She suspects her stepsister Lara. Sam and Melanie are showing their Standard Poodle puppy, Plum, at a dog show where Lara will also be exhibiting her Great Dane. Melanie makes contact with Lara but gets no answers.

When Audrey is found dead in her home, Aunt Peg enlists the help of the local Great Dane Club to foster Audrey’s 10 dogs, one of whom Melanie takes on. To her surprise, Lara comes to her and asks her to solve her stepsister’s murder. From the president of the Great Dane Club to Audrey’s dependable dog-sitter—and not ruling out Lara herself—Melanie soon has more suspects than Audrey had Great Danes. With Aunt Peg’s assistance, she doggedly pursues the killer . . .

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Melanie Travis gets an interesting request from her youngest son, Kevin, he wants another dog, and not a poodle. He wants a Great Dane, like he saw at a recent dog show. Melanie asks Aunt Peg to set her up with a breeder to hopefully convince Kevin that a Great Dane is more than he can handle. They are soon off to meet Audrey Kane, a friendly woman who shows the giant dogs.

Kevin is excited, but Melanie is surprised when the woman, who has apparently heard about sleuthing sidelines and hopes she can help her find who took a precious brooch. She suspects her sister, who also shows Great Danes. Melanie finds the sister at the next show, but was unable to pin the woman down about the brooch.

But now she has a bigger case to solve when Audrey Kane is killed in her home. Aunt Peg and Melanie work with the Great Dane Club to be sure Audrey’s 10 dogs are taken care of. Peg and Melanie each take 1 home, much to the delight of Kevin. Peg and Melanie soon focus on a group of suspects, including the victim’s sister, as they strive to determine who killed the popular breeder and why.

The latest Melanie Travis Canine Mystery features Great Danes, including a special one named Daisy, who stole my heart. My brother-in-law and his wife have a Great Dane, and I am amazed at how lovable and gentle these big dogs can be. They are truly a special breed.

I always enjoy catching up with Melanie and her family. They are always on the go. Her husband, Sam, is the one showing their new poodle puppy, Plum, and their son, Davey, is working this summer for Aunt Peg, much to Melanie’s surprise. I was disappointed but not surprised when Peg crossed what I felt was a huge red line. I was impressed by how Melanie and Sam handled it.

Solving a murder was not part of the family’s summer plans, but soon Melanie and Aunt Peg are following clues and questioning suspects. Ms. Berenson seamlessly blends the Travis family’s busy lives with another puzzling murder mystery. With Peg’s vast knowledge of people on the dog show circuit, no matter the breed, she is able to send Melanie off to speak to those in the victim’s sphere. Her neighbors, her sister, her assistant/dog sitter, and other Great Dane owners are all viable suspects. One of them could also be responsible for the missing brooch, too. I was very entertained following along as Melanie worked to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. When she and Peg find themselves facing off with the killer, the tension was high, and they have to do some quick talking to keep themselves safe, but they also receive some strength from a surprising source.

This series continues to be strong and fresh with some of the most genuine characters in cozy mysteries. Die Another Dane is a great addition to the series. The gentle giant on the cover catches your interest before you even start reading. Then the author’s writing takes over with an intriguing mystery. I wonder which breed will grace the cover of book 32, and what Ms. Berenson has planned for her characters next? I can’t wait to find out!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About This Author

Laurien Berenson is the bestselling author of the Melanie Travis Canine Mysteries and the Senior Sleuths Mystery Series. An Agatha and Macavity finalist, she’s a four-time winner of the Maxwell Award, presented by the Dog Writers Association of America. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky surrounded by dogs and horses.

Find out more about her and her books on her webpage here. Find her on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

Also by Laurien Berenson

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