What mother doesnāt love summer camp? The thought of all those wet bathing suits, melted popsicles, skinned knees and sticky fingers taking place somewhere other than my house is enough to make me smile.
My two sons, Davey and Kevin, are fourteen and five respectively. This summer, Davey will have his first real job as a counselor at Graceland Nursery School camp. His brother will be a camper there. Weāre all looking forward to that.
The camp is owned by a friend of mine named Emily Grace. Weāve known each other forever. Years ago, when Davey was little and I was recently divorced, I worked as a part-time counselor at the camp myself. So I know how everything is supposed to run. But this summerās opening session is plagued by one problem after another. The three Dalmatian puppies that show up unexpectedly on Emilyās doorstep are just the first of several mysterious occurrences.
For some reason, Emily keeps brushing off my concerns. Then the body of her ex-husband is found on the state land that adjoins the camp property. Will was shot to death, and thereās no way Emily can put a good spin on that. Even so, she continues to insist that the two of them are estranged and that she hadnāt seen her ex in a long time.
Iām not sure I believe that. The police clearly do not.
Emily has asked for my help and sheās one of my oldest friends. I feel obliged to do what I canāeven if the trouble she finds herself in may be at least partially of her own making. Before I can get to work on that, however, my Aunt Peg announces that she has an important project for me to undertake.
Because of course she does.
Iām a school teacher so summer is supposed to be my time off. But somehow things never seem to turn out that way. Now it doesnāt look as though this year will be any different.
If thereās one word to describe my days, it would be hectic. With a family, six dogs, not to mention my interfering Aunt Peg, Iām always juggling something. Thankfully, I wouldnāt have it any other way.
Pup Fiction, A Melanie Travis Mystery #27
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 2021
Purchase Link
With a new litter of Standard Poodles on the way and her sons enrolled at the Graceland School’s summer camp, it’s shaping up to be a vibrant July in Greenwich, Connecticut for dog show champ and amateur sleuth Melanie Travis. But Melanie’s busy life shows no signs of slowing down for the dog days of summer – especially when the arrival of three rambunctious Dalmatian puppies sets off a series of mysterious events. . .
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!
About the author
Laurien Berenson is the author of the Melanie Travis mystery series, set in the dog show world. There are 27 titles including the latest, Pup Fiction. The series has won the Maxwell Award for Fiction and the Romantic Times Reviewerās Choice Award, and been nominated for Agatha and Macavity awards. Laurien and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by dogs and horses.
*****
Laurien has generously offered to give away one print copy of Pup Fiction. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends July 3, 2021. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
Thank you Laurien and Melanie for dropping by the blog.
Iām slowly reading through the series and enjoying it! Looking forward to reading Pup Fiction too!
Wow, #27 already! I remember when when this series was new. It would be great to catch up!
The first book in the series, A PEDIGREE TO DIE FOR, came out in 1995 which seems amazing to me. I’m delighted the series has gone on this long.
Dru, thank you for having me! It’s always a pleasure to be part of your blog.
Wonderful series. Thanks for this lovely feature and giveaway.
April, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the series.
Yes please and thank you! On my summer must read list once I have procured a copy to read!
Virginia, thanks for commenting and I hope you get a chance to read the book.
I love this series. Great review, thanks for the giveaway.
Dru Ann, does a wonderful job of promoting mysteries and authors. We are all indebted to her for the time and care she devotes to the genre.
Thank you Laurien!
Wow, 27! I can’t believe it’s that many already!
Alicia, I know just how you feel. And it makes me realize how old I am, LOL.
This is my favorite series. Visiting with Melanie and her family is always a treat. Thanks for another book!
Violet, I’m happy you like my characters. They are clearly the driving force behind the longevity of the series.
This sounds wonderful, thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
This sounds like darling fun book ,3 Dalmatians.in Connecticut. A great trip to take any time. Since I am I in the South I’ll enjoy Connecticut with Dalmatians for this Read. You can miss with Lauren writing. Thanks for a fantastic review giving us insight to this book.
A give-a-way chance. Thanks too
Happy 4th to all
Gkathgoldin@yahoo.com
I have been reading this series for a long time, so I am not surprised that you have 27 books to your credit. It is always fun to read about Melanie and her family especially Aunt Peg and the dogs are some of my favorite characters, too. Hope the series keeps going for a long time to come.
Thank you, Wendy!
Judy, I hope so too! Aunt Peg has become so popular that she is getting her own spin-off book. It will come out next spring and I’m really excited about it.
I started this series a couple of months ago and am reading Murder at the Puppy Fest, book 20 currently. I started with book #1 and have been going in order. Love to read how the character’s lives develop over time. I will miss them when I’m up to the end of the series! I highly recommend this fun mystery series.
Susan, thank you so much! I can’t believe you’ve read the first 20 books in the series in only a few months. I wish I could write as quickly as you read, lol. Hopefully it will be a while before the series comes to an end.
Does Aunt Peg’s book have a title?
Mary, I’m pretty sure it does, but I don’t want to share it until I’m absolutely sure. I hope you understand.
Love your books! They all have such awesome covers. Looking forward to reading “Pup Fiction”.
Dianne, I agree. The art director at Kensington does a wonderful job with my covers.
Congrats on the release, count me in!
Thank you, Teresa!
Thanks for the info and thanks for the chance to win!
Good luck to you Linda and to everyone else!
What an adorable cover on this book š! This sounds like a really exciting read! Thank you so much dear Dru Ann and dear Laurien for the chance to win! Love the awesome review! šššš
Beverly, I’m glad you like the cover and the synopsis and I hope you have a chance to give the book a try!
Sounds great! Hard to believe you are up to #27. That’s a wow!
**** WINNER ****
Pup Fiction is Virginia Tata-Phillips
Congratulations!
I see I missed the contest, but I still wanted to congratulate Laurien on her latest release! I’ve been a fan for years and years. I’m so happy we still have this series! I’m always thankful when publishers leave things well enough alone! Congrats!!