Dawn is my favourite time of day. I could say that it’s because of the beauty. The light seeping back into the world. The sawtooth top of the pine forest sharpening against the glow. The birdsong pushing the silence aside. All true, but not why it’s my favourite time of day. The reason is far more rational. It’s because nothing has happened yet. Ok, 98% of the time, nothing has happened yet. Consequently, the day holds possibility. There are many forking paths ahead. By careful consideration of the data and probabilities, I can choose each turn in a rational way. The day lays before me like a vast algorithm.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to just blunder into the day and hope for the best. I know I can’t control everything. The universe is too complex. Data is often too scant. But, sitting here with my tea (lapsang souchong, in case you’re curious – it is a cool fall morning after all), I can think, plan, and improve the odds. Improve the day.

Take today for instance. I know that my first appointment is to see one of Bill Chernov’s heifers with a persistent lameness. The veterinary portion of the algorithm is straight-forward. I won’t bore you with it. You didn’t come here for a lesson on bovine orthopedics. No, where the day becomes interesting is on the drive. I could take the direct route, down 304 running south of New Selfoss, or I could take a detour along the Lake Winnipeg shore.

I know what you’re thinking. I have presented myself as such a rational individual, so why would I take a detour? Sounds wasteful and inefficient. Two reasons. One is that I have the time. I’m up early and am not expected at Bill’s until 9:30, so it’s a good opportunity to take Pippin for a walk along the beach. He loves beach walks. You may not be aware, but he is a champion sniffer dog. The night’s wave action often brings the most interesting things onto the shore for him to explore with his nose. Thank goodness he’s not one of those dogs who likes to roll in dead fish!

But speaking of dead things, that brings me to the second reason. A hand washed up on shore a couple days ago. A human hand. According to Kevin (you know Kevin – my RCMP officer brother-in-law) it was gloved, which fortunately made it slightly less gross for the finder, poor Mrs. Sigurdson. But she was still highly disturbed. Anyway. For my part, I can’t contain my curiosity. Who knows what else Pippin might find? Kevin will be pleased if we find something. Or not. Sometimes he seems annoyed by my help.

The rest of my day looks less interesting. The usual dyspeptic dachshunds and truculent tabbies, and then a thimble of scotch by the fire with Laura, my wife. The algorithm tells me that this is most likely anyway. However, if Pippin and I find a foot, all bets are off. Low probability, but not zero.

Eleven Huskies, A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery Book #3
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: May 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Peter Bannerman, veterinarian and amateur detective, deserves a summer vacation. Peter and his family head to a remote fishing lodge in northern Manitoba for a canoeing trip with his champion sniffer dog, Pippin. But a series of incidents color their plans. The lodge’s sled team of huskies has been poisoned and, at the same time, a floatplane crashes into the lake, killing the pilot and both passengers. While Peter works to save the huskies, it is discovered that the plane crash wasn’t an accident. It was murder.

It’s been a hot and dry summer, and one morning the Bannerman family wakes up to find a forest fire spreading quickly. They manage to dodge the conflagration, making it back to the lodge before it becomes cut off from the outside world. Peter soon figures out that the murderer, who probably also poisoned the huskies, must be among the other guests or staff trapped with them at the lodge. The power fails. The now-enormous fire draws nearer. Can Peter discover the culprit in time?

Meet the author
Philipp Schott lives in Winnipeg where he practises veterinary medicine, writes, and shares a creaky old house on the river with his wife, two kids, and one nutty cat. His first book, The Accidental Veterinarian, was a best seller and was translated into five languages. Six other books have followed.