What if I died and came back to life as my own dog?
In Susan Conant's third dog lover's mystery, Dog's Life columnist Holly Winter is writing a story based on that improbable premise when she's interrupted by an urgent summons to rush to the aid of feminist psychotherapist Elaine Walsh, whose wild-acting Alaskan malamute, Kimi, has driven Elaine to take refuge on her kitchen table. Elaine inherited Kimi when a patient, Donna Zalewski, apparently committed suicide. Before long, Elaine, too, is found dead—of a fatal overdose of the same prescription drug that killed her patient.
Is a murderer targeting Kimi's owners? Or is Kimi the intended victim? Since the orphaned Kimi is Holly's dog now, Holly needs to find out who's next on the killer's hit list—and to protect herself and Kimi, she needs to find out fast!
While trying to convince her first malamute, Rowdy, to accept the tough, pushy Kimi and while persuading the uncivilized Kimi that Rowdy has rights, too, Holly now realizes that Kimi, her radical-feminist malamute, is the key witness to both murders, a canine witness whose testimony no one but Holly understands.
In pitting canine authenticity against human deceit, A Bite of Death offers a wry and hilarious take on men, women, dogs, and female empowerment.
This 2011 edition opens with a new preface by the author.
Praise for Susan Conant’s dog lover’s mysteries:
“Conant infuses her writing with a healthy dose of humor about Holly's Fido-loving friends and other Cambridge cliques; the target of her considerable wit clearly emerges as human nature.” Publishers Weekly on Gone to the Dogs
“Come. Sit. Stay.” Kirkus Reviews on Gone to the Dogs
“Even those not partial to canines will want to bark with pleasure at a good animal mystery in which the animals aren't portrayed as humans with fur.” Publishers Weekly on Creature Discomforts
“The author keeps readers entertained between major breakthroughs in the story by relating all sorts of pointers about dogs in general, and more specifically Holly's own malamutes, who play a role in solving the crime. Holly comes across as self-assured, independent, and knowledgeable, and all of the other characters are precisely drawn through subtle details and expertly manipulated facts.” School Library Journal on Animal Appetite
“A wonderful romp for canine lovers and others.” Library Journal on Ruffly Speaking
“Sheer bliss awaits the dedicated dog-lover.” Kirkus Reviews on The Wicked Flea
“There’s not a cat-writer around with Conant’s wit and breezy sophistication.” Kirkus Reviews on Bride and Groom