The Bark Before Christmas

Download or read book Jingle Bell Bark written by Laurien Berenson and published by Kensington Cozies. This book was released on 2015-10-01 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A sleuth rescues two orphaned Golden Retrievers—and tries to solve their master’s murder—in this “delightful” mystery from the Agatha Award finalist (Publishers Weekly). This year, all Melanie wants for Christmas is a dull moment. Between her teaching job, and showing her Standard Poodle puppy, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But when her son Davey’s usual bus driver, Henry Pruitt, disappears and is replaced by a surly, pierced twentysomething, Melanie is concerned. The elderly, amiable Henry was a friend to all in the neighborhood, so she decides to check on him…only to find that he died two days earlier, under suspicious circumstances. As if that weren’t bad enough, Henry’s two Golden Retrievers are now bereft of both master and home. Melanie can’t just abandon them, so she brings them to her Aunt Peg, the most stubborn woman on the planet, who’s now determined to find out the truth about Henry's death, no matter what it takes. Soon, the indomitable Aunt Peg has Melanie making a list of suspects and checking it twice. And unless she sniffs out this Scrooge of a killer fast, a lump of coal in her stocking may not be the worst thing Melanie gets this Christmas… “As ever, the author provides a captivating behind-the-scenes look at the world of show dogs.”—Publishers Weekly "Melanie Travis is a terrific character."--Romantic Times

Download or read book The Bark Before Christmas written by Laurien Berenson and published by Kensington Cozies. This book was released on 2015-09-29 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this “enjoyable” holiday mystery by an Agatha Award finalist, a sleuth looks into a posh private school, a prize show dog, and a slain Santa (Publishers Weekly). There’s nothing lovelier than Christmas in Connecticut, but Melanie Travis can scarcely find a moment to enjoy the festivities. With her youngest son approaching toddlerhood, she’s decided to return to her old job at Howard Academy, a posh private school attended by the children of Greenwich’s well-heeled gentry. Balancing work, motherhood, and the hectic dog show circuit takes some fancy footwork, especially when the headmaster taps her to be the chairman of the school’s Christmas Bazaar. The Christmas Bazaar is Howard Academy’s biggest and most important fundraiser, so Melanie feels the pressure to make it a huge success. But everything goes awry when a prize show dog goes missing and Santa turns up dead. The dog’s owner is one of the school’s most perfectly pedigreed alums, and she enlists Melanie to help find the purloined pooch. But just as Melanie starts pawing at the truth, she digs up a sleighful of sinister secrets that leaves everyone feeling less than merry… “Cozy mystery fans and dog lovers will lap this one up.”—Library Journal “Laurien Berenson is a rare breed of writer.”—The Plain Dealer

Download or read book Hot Dog written by Laurien Berenson and published by Kensington Books . This book was released on 2012-07-11 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A mystery from the Agatha Award finalist: “Melanie’s poodles are as lovable and real as the story’s human characters.”—Publishers Weekly In an effort to escape tail-chasing males—namely her ex-husband and her current boyfriend—Melanie Travis opts to track down the elusive owner of Dox, an adorable Dachshund who's about to be put on the block at a charity auction. But the more Melanie discovers about the pup’s background, the messier the case gets. It seems Dox is part of a divorced couple’s emotional tug of war. As if tiptoeing through the minefield of a broken marriage isn’t nerve-wracking enough, there’s also Melanie’s stalker—or stalkers—to deal with. The obvious pair is a pesky local TV crew who figure Melanie’s nose for trouble will lead them to the next big story. But what’s truly frightening is the presence of someone far more sinister. Someone who’s gotten into Melanie’s house at night, and stolen her wallet. Someone who’s dognapped Dox. With doggy abduction and her son’s safety on her mind, Melanie’s determination grows. Soon, it looks like her life may be the next thing up for auction… “A rare breed of writer.”—The Plain Dealer

Download or read book A Christmas Howl written by Laurien Berenson and published by Kensington Books. This book was released on 2015-11-01 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A special novella that looks back on Christmas past, as a young Melanie Travis teams up with her aunt to solve a family mystery… Ever wonder what Melanie and Aunt Peg were up to before solving murders? Let’s step back in time, when college-aged Melanie and her indomitable Aunt Peg were little more than strangers… It’s Christmas in Connecticut, and Peg Turnbull can’t wait to spend her favorite holiday cozying up to husband Max and their clan of pedigree Poodles in Greenwich. But Peg’s spirits drop when the family of Max’s estranged brother Michael invites the pair over for Christmas dinner. Could her in-laws want to settle the long-standing feud over Nana’s will? Peg isn’t expecting any miracles, but it’s been ages since Peg last saw her niece and nephew. Little Melanie must be out of pigtails by now… When they arrive at the Turnbulls’, Peg is not just surprised by how much Melanie has grown up. The family has spared no expense in preparing for the festivities—unusual, considering Michael blew his inheritance after years of financial troubles. Peg suspects there’s an awful secret tucked beneath her brother-in-law’s ostentatious good cheer, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it. Once she does, someone’s ending up in the doghouse… “If you like dogs, you'll love Laurien Berenson's Melanie Travis mysteries!”—Joanne Fluke, New York Times bestselling author

Download or read book Santa's Puppy written by Catherine Hapka and published by Clarion Books. This book was released on 2019 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When eight-year-old Chris discovers a fluffy, white puppy wedged inside his family's chimney on Christmas morning, he knows exactly how it got there because the dog tells him. It turns out Peppermint Bark stowed away in Santa's sleigh, go left behind accidentally, and he can talk! Now Chris must convince his too-cool big sister, Holly, and her best friend, Ivy, that this is Santa's puppy. Chris seems to be the only one who understands what the dog is saying, but Peppermint Bark needs all of their help. If they don't find a portal back to the North Pole before Christmas Day ends, the little dog will be stuck in Poinsettia until next year! Do the kids have enough Christmas spirit to work together and help the jolly little dog jingle all the way home?

Download or read book Native American Night Before Christmas written by Gary Robinson and published by 7th Generation. This book was released on 2020-08-19 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This innovative retelling of the classic Christmas tale takes a whimsical look at what Christmas Eve might be like for an American Indian family when Old Red Shirt (the Indian Santa Claus) comes a-calling. He brings with him his team of flying white buffalo to deliver fry bread, commodities, and other goodies. Renowned Cherokee artist Jesse Hummingbird’s inspired illustrations transform the author’s playful adaptation into a fresh, modern work of art. A delight for people of all ages and cultures. The title was the winner of the 2010 Moonbeam Award for Holiday Books. A glossary is included to explain terms commonly used in Native communities such as fry bread, commodities, and medicine bundles.

Download or read book The Bark of the Bog Owl written by Jonathan Rogers and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2004 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this fantasy/allegory, Rogers retells the life of biblical character King David.