Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble


Book Description

From the award-winning author of the Melanie Travis Canine Mysteries, senior sisters-in-law Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan get along about as well as stray cats and pedigree pooches. But aside from being Melanie Travis’s beloved aunts, outspoken Peg and even-keeled Rose do have something in common—a knack for solving murders . . . When Peg attempts online dating at Rose’s strong urging, the experience plays out like an embarrassing mistake. At least, until she matches with Nolan Abercrombie—intelligent, attractive, and a self-proclaimed dog lover. The two share an instant connection that has Peg cautiously excited to finally bring someone special into her busy world of Standard Poodles and conformation shows. But before Peg can admit that Rose was right, a terrible accident claims Nolan’s life. As details about his background and tragic death come to light, Peg has a serious hunch that someone successfully plotted to kill her first real date in decades . . . With suspects galore and a slew of puzzling clues to peel through, Peg and Rose team up to solve a dangerous mystery unfolding before their eyes. The question is: Can the unlikely duo turn their radically different personalities into an advantage as they scramble to ID the culprit—or will they manage to work against each other and find themselves precisely where a meticulous murderer wants them to be?




Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble


Book Description

Murder, She Wrote meets The Odd Couple in award-winning author Laurien Berenson’s brand-new mystery series, spun off from her much-loved Melanie Travis Canine series and featuring Melanie’s elderly aunts—tough-as-nails Peg and soft-spoken Rose—who’ll put their differences aside to stop a killer, if they don’t throttle each other first. The latest installment will tickle all cozy lovers, especially fans of “senior” sleuths in the tradition of Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher. When a typically closed-off Peg attempts online dating at Rose’s strong urging, the experience plays out like an embarrassing mistake. At least, until she matches with Nolan Abercrombie—intelligent, attractive, and a self-proclaimed dog lover. The two share an instant connection that has Peg cautiously excited to finally bring someone special into her busy world of Standard Poodles and conformation shows. Before Peg can admit that Rose was right and let down her walls for the budding romance, a terrible accident claims Nolan’s life. As details about his background and tragic death come to light, Peg has a serious hunch that someone successfully plotted to kill her first real date in decades . . . With suspects galore and a slew of puzzling clues to peel through, Peg and Rose team up to solve a dangerous mystery unfolding before their eyes. The question is: Can the unlikely duo turn their radically different personalities into an advantage as they scramble to ID the guilty culprit—or will they manage to work against each other and find themselves precisely where a meticulous murderer wants them to be?




Peg and Rose Solve a Murder


Book Description

Murder, She Wrote meets The Golden Girls in the award-winning author’s brand-new series! Two cantankerous septuagenarians, opposites in every way, put aside their differences to stop a killer… if they don’t throttle each other first! Rose Donovan looks for the good in everyone. With her sister-in-law, Peg, that sometimes requires a lot of searching. Even a sixty-something former nun like Rose has her limits, and gruff Peg Turnbull sure knows how to push them. But after forty years of bickering, they’re attempting to start over, partnering up to join the local bridge club. Peg and Rose barely have a chance to celebrate their first win before one of the club’s most accomplished players is killed in his home. As the newest members, the sisters-in-law come under scrutiny and decide to start some digging of their own. Bridge is typically seen as a wholesome pastime, yet this group of senior citizens harbors a wealth of vices, including gambling, cheating, and adultery . . . By comparison, Peg and Rose’s fractious relationship is starting to feel almost functional. But as their suspect list narrows, they’re unaware that their logic has a dangerous flaw. And they’ll have to hope that their teamwork holds steady when they’re confronted by a killer who’s through with playing games . . . “Engaging…[Peg and Rose] stand on their own as capable, witty women who are more than up to the task of crime-solving.” –Bookpage




Peg and Rose Play the Ponies


Book Description

Murder, She Wrote meets The Odd Couple in award-winning author Laurien Berenson’s brand-new mystery series, spun off from her much-loved Melanie Travis Canine series and featuring Melanie’s elderly aunts—tough-as-nails Peg and soft-spoken Rose—who’ll put their differences aside to stop a killer, if they don’t throttle each other first. The latest installment will tickle all cozy lovers, especially fans of “senior” sleuths in the tradition of Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher. From the moment Peg arrives in Kentucky, dragging level-headed Rose along for the week-long excursion proves a smart move. Because after she brings her canine expertise to prestigious conformation shows, next on the agenda is selling her Thoroughbred broodmare's offspring at a high-stakes yearling sale. And when the ladies arrive to meet the young horse at Six Oaks farm, something seems off about the place—especially Jim Grable, the yearling manager with serious anger issues . . . While Peg feels comfortable again judging pedigree pups over Labor Day Weekend, Rose judges a shocking new turn of events. Jim has been found dead on the farm and a young employee needs help convincing police she didn’t kill him. As disjointed clues lead to a list of misdeeds swirling around Six Oaks, everyone connected to Jim agrees on one thing—he had it coming . . . It isn’t until Peg guides her colt’s journey to the auction ring that she grasps how much Jim had been manipulating the process behind the scenes. Now, unable to rely on her instincts alone, Peg must also trust in Rose’s talents to expose the real culprit. But the two need to have each other’s backs before tangling with a killer—a deadly criminal set on halting their dog and pony show for good!




Hush Puppy


Book Description

When the caretaker at Howard Academy turns up dead after being spotted arguing with a girl young enough to be his daughter, teacher Melanie Travis is on the case, but her romantic rival complicates matters as she tries to solve the mystery.




Here Comes Santa Paws


Book Description

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Connecticut, but Melanie Travis finds surviving this December may take a real Christmas miracle when a yuletide murderer comes to town . . . As Melanie attempts to deck the halls in a house overrun by pampered Poodles, her event planner friend, Claire, is busy playing Santa for the wealthiest clientele on Connecticut’s Gold Coast. A personal shopper gig in the affluent town of New Canaan seems like business as usual. Except Claire’s stylish stint comes at a higher price than she bargains for when she stumbles over her newest customer’s dead body. Named a prime suspect for murder, she begs for Melanie’s help, then vanishes like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve . . . Determined to track down Claire, Melanie and her nosy Aunt Peg dash into a dizzying investigation. But with a grinchy New Canaan detective on their case and disturbing clues piling up like presents beneath the tree, the crime-solving duo must hurry to rein in a sinister Kris Kringle before they’re the next ones on someone’s deadly wish list . . .




Killer Cupid


Book Description

Melanie Travis is taking a much-needed break from the dog show circuit for a romantic Valentine's trip with her husband Sam, but when someone at their cozy Berkshires inn has an unexpected date with death, Melanie must slip into something sleuthier for the weekend . . . Melanie is delighted at the prospect of three uninterrupted days alone with Sam (and, of course, her prize-winning Standard Poodle, Faith). They're booked at the White Birch Inn, a picturesque New England resort nestled at the foot of a snow-covered mountain. The inn has a full slate of couples activities planned for the busy Valentine's weekend, but the first night of festivities feature an event that isn't on the program: murder. As a person of interest in the case, Melanie tries to sneak a little detective work into her romantic getaway. But with the resort nearly sold out for the holiday weekend, there's no shortage of suspects, and Melanie's secret sleuthing is already attracting the wrong kind of attention. Her Valentine's trip is heating up faster than the chocolate fondue . . . just not in the way Melanie hoped. But if she doesn't catch the cold-hearted killer soon, another innocent victim will get the kiss of death . . .




Show Me the Bunny


Book Description

Agatha and Macavity nominee Laurien Berenson’s latest escapade in her long-running Melanie Travis Canine Mystery series finds a killer at large this Easter season in Greenwich, Connecticut. Aunt Rose already has a strike against her for not being too fond of dogs—or Aunt Peg. But Melanie still agrees to organize Easter festivities at Gallagher House, the new women’s shelter opened by the stern former nun, even if it takes all the jellybeans in Greenwich to sweeten the arrangement. No sooner does Melanie arrive to dye multicolor eggs and stuff baskets, than she learns devasting news about Beatrice Gallagher, the respected benefactor of the estate. Beatrice has fallen to her death, and the circumstances are shocking . . . No one can say why or how the charitable Beatrice got pushed into an early grave. Facing an uncertain future as danger lurks around Gallagher House, Melanie and Aunt Rose must tolerate each other’s company long enough to discover the truth about Beatrice’s true nature and identify a vengeful killer—before another person’s idyllic spring break becomes a serious nightmare . . .




Pumpkin Spice Puppy


Book Description

It’s autumn in Connecticut and there’s a chill in the air, the fall leaves are a riot of color, and pumpkin spice is the flavor of the season. Melanie Travis is perennially busy, of course—but when the owner of a local pet supply shop is found murdered, sleuthing tops her To Do list . . . Between taking care of her family and assorted Standard Poodles, Melanie is also working as a special needs tutor for Howard Academy, a private school in Greenwich, where her younger son attends kindergarten. This year, the headmaster has come up with an idea for a school fundraiser. All students will participate in a town-wide treasure hunt, with grades competing against each other. Tokens shaped like pumpkin spice muffins have been hidden in downtown stores. Students will scramble to collect as many as they can in exchange for prizes. At first all goes smoothly, and the uptick in foot traffic to the stores is a win-win. . . . . Until the pet supply shop owner lodges a complaint. When Melanie stops by to smooth things over, she instead finds the man dead, a knife in his back, and his loyal, ever-vigilant Chow Chow locked in the storeroom. Over the headmaster's objections, Melanie is once again drawn into an investigation. It doesn't take her long to gather a list of suspects, from neighbors balking about the number of rescue Chows the man was fostering in his home, to the landlord who’d filed an eviction notice against him, to the bitter ex-wife who is happy he's gone. With the fundraiser soon drawing to a close and celebrations imminent, Melanie will have to follow every clue—before the biggest prize is staying alive . . .




Murder at the Puppy Fest


Book Description

A mystery from the Agatha Award finalist: “[An] appealing picture of the dog-show world… Cozy fans who love dogs are in for a treat.”—Publishers Weekly Busy mom and pedigree Standard Poodle owner, Melanie Travis doesn’t mind helping out at Puppy Fest, an annual fundraiser to benefit a local dog rescue. Considering the venue—Belle Haven mansion, owned by wealthy philanthropist Leo Brody—it’s shaping up to be the can’t-miss charity event of the summer. Unfortunately, when Melanie’s breeding background lands her in the doghouse with Jane, Leo’s snappy daughter who runs the rescue, Melanie finds herself simultaneously managing Puppy Fest and the millionaire’s hopelessly fractious family. But once Puppy Fest kicks off, Leo is nowhere to be found—until Melanie discovers his current mistress crouching over his dead body. According to police, the father’s severe nut allergy went into overdrive after he accidentally consumed a contaminated cookie. However, Libby, one of Leo’s children and a friend of Melanie’s Aunt Peg, believes someone deliberately put him down for good… From a four-time winner of the Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America, this witty novel is an entertaining read for fans of canines and cozy mysteries. “It’s mutts vs. purebreds as Melanie Travis investigates the death of a dog-loving philanthropist…Worth the price of admission.”—Kirkus Reviews “If you like dogs, you’ll love Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis mysteries!”—Joanne Fluke, New York Times-bestselling author of the Hannah Swensen series