Melanie Travis mysteries
Author
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
A mom goes undercover to locate a purloined poodle—and a killer—in this series debut with "a solution that packs a surprising amount of surprise" (Kirkus Reviews).
The apparent heart attack that killed kennel owner Max Turnbull has left seven pups in mourning, and his wife Peg suspecting foul play. But the only evidence is their missing prize pooch—a pedigreed poodle named Beau.
Enter Melanie Travis....
The apparent heart attack that killed kennel owner Max Turnbull has left seven pups in mourning, and his wife Peg suspecting foul play. But the only evidence is their missing prize pooch—a pedigreed poodle named Beau.
Enter Melanie Travis....
2) Underdog
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
A dog handler's death unleashes a mystery: "Laurien Berenson just keeps getting better and better."—Harlan Coben
When Melanie Travis's education in breed-handling at Connecticut's classiest obedience school is cut short by sudden death, she smells a murder. So, with her rambunctious poodle puppy, five-year-old son, and sexy fellow breeder Sam Driver in tow, she hits the championship circuit. In this dog-eat-dog world where winning...
When Melanie Travis's education in breed-handling at Connecticut's classiest obedience school is cut short by sudden death, she smells a murder. So, with her rambunctious poodle puppy, five-year-old son, and sexy fellow breeder Sam Driver in tow, she hits the championship circuit. In this dog-eat-dog world where winning...
3) Dog Eat Dog
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
Competition at an elite Connecticut kennel club has a sharp and deadly bite in this "masterful" mystery (The Plain Dealer).
As if raising her son Davey, training her rambunctious Poodle for the show ring, and grooming fellow handler Sam Driver for romance aren't enough, Melanie Travis's entrée into the exclusive Belle Haven Kennel Club has been met with a grisly murder. Unfortunately, the only witnesses to the crime were...
As if raising her son Davey, training her rambunctious Poodle for the show ring, and grooming fellow handler Sam Driver for romance aren't enough, Melanie Travis's entrée into the exclusive Belle Haven Kennel Club has been met with a grisly murder. Unfortunately, the only witnesses to the crime were...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
Did pawing at too many women get a dog handler shot dead? A twist-filled mystery that "will charm dog fanciers and cozy fans."—Publishers Weekly
The dog days of summer have just begun, and Melanie Travis is looking forward to savoring them. And where better to enjoy herself than at her Aunt Peg's Fourth of July barbecue? It sounds ideal, until an uninvited guest proves that even the laziest dog day of the year can...
The dog days of summer have just begun, and Melanie Travis is looking forward to savoring them. And where better to enjoy herself than at her Aunt Peg's Fourth of July barbecue? It sounds ideal, until an uninvited guest proves that even the laziest dog day of the year can...
5) Watchdog
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Fresh, lively writing, a tough mystery, light humor, and insight into the peculiarities of human and canine behavior."
—Booklist
It's autumn in Connecticut. Melanie Travis has just started a new job, and with the added excitement of showing her Standard Poodle, Faith, in the fall shows, the last thing she wants is to become embroiled in yet another of her brother Frank's moneymaking schemes. His current brainstorm—remaking...
—Booklist
It's autumn in Connecticut. Melanie Travis has just started a new job, and with the added excitement of showing her Standard Poodle, Faith, in the fall shows, the last thing she wants is to become embroiled in yet another of her brother Frank's moneymaking schemes. His current brainstorm—remaking...
6) Hush Puppy
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Description
There's a corpse on campus in this mystery from an Agatha Award finalist who's "a rare breed of writer" (The Plain Dealer).
Melanie Travis loves her teaching job at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy, where plans are underway for a Spring Pageant to honor the school's fiftieth anniversary. Immersed in the preparations, Melanie is hurrying to retrieve a painting of one of the illustrious co-founders when she comes upon a...
Melanie Travis loves her teaching job at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy, where plans are underway for a Spring Pageant to honor the school's fiftieth anniversary. Immersed in the preparations, Melanie is hurrying to retrieve a painting of one of the illustrious co-founders when she comes upon a...
7) Unleashed
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Formats
Description
Someone's dishing the dirt on the dog-show world, until she's muzzled for good: "[A] winning cozy...the ending is a surprise."—Publishers Weekly
Summer means two things to Melanie Travis: a break from her teaching duties at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy and a chance to plan the perfect wedding to her fiancé, Sam. She certainly doesn't need the unwelcome arrival of a dinner invitation "peace offering" from Sam's...
Summer means two things to Melanie Travis: a break from her teaching duties at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy and a chance to plan the perfect wedding to her fiancé, Sam. She certainly doesn't need the unwelcome arrival of a dinner invitation "peace offering" from Sam's...
8) Once Bitten
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
A dog handler disappears in this "entertaining mystery" by the Agatha and Macavity Award finalist (Publishers Weekly).
With her former fiancé off finding himself, Melanie Travis figures the only ring she'll be seeing in the near future is one where she's showing her prized poodles. But love is still in the air for her brother Frank, who is about to tie the knot with his sweetheart, Bertie Kennedy. With scant knowledge...
With her former fiancé off finding himself, Melanie Travis figures the only ring she'll be seeing in the near future is one where she's showing her prized poodles. But love is still in the air for her brother Frank, who is about to tie the knot with his sweetheart, Bertie Kennedy. With scant knowledge...
9) Hot Dog
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
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...
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...
10) Best In Show
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Formats
Description
A sleuth must find a killer amid a plethora of poodles in this "charming" cozy mystery by an Agatha Award finalist (Publishers Weekly).
There are dog shows. And then there's The Poodle Club of America National Specialty Dog Show. For poodle purists, it's the pinnacle of the season, drawing competitors and spectators from all over the world.
Once in Maryland, Melanie Travis is put to work selling raffle tickets...
There are dog shows. And then there's The Poodle Club of America National Specialty Dog Show. For poodle purists, it's the pinnacle of the season, drawing competitors and spectators from all over the world.
Once in Maryland, Melanie Travis is put to work selling raffle tickets...
11) Jingle Bell Bark
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2015
Language
English
Formats
Description
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...
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...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Language
English
Formats
Description
With her trusty poodle at her side, a sleuth tries to bring a killer to heel in this mystery by the Agatha Award finalist.
Melanie Travis has added a husband and three more dogs to her already cramped home. At least she's getting a welcome respite from the stress of house-hunting by taking her dog Faith for advanced training at The South Avenue Obedience Club.
There are enough sexual and political undercurrents in the group...
Melanie Travis has added a husband and three more dogs to her already cramped home. At least she's getting a welcome respite from the stress of house-hunting by taking her dog Faith for advanced training at The South Avenue Obedience Club.
There are enough sexual and political undercurrents in the group...
13) Chow Down
Author
Series
Language
English
Formats
Description
A canine competition in New York turns criminal: "Enjoyable...plenty of twists and turns... a tight suspenseful package."—Publishers Weekly
If Melanie Travis was planning on a quiet family summer with her Standard Poodle Faith, son Davey, and new husband Sam, her plans are about to turn upside down. When she receives a letter from the Champions Dog Food Company informing her that Faith has been selected as a...
If Melanie Travis was planning on a quiet family summer with her Standard Poodle Faith, son Davey, and new husband Sam, her plans are about to turn upside down. When she receives a letter from the Champions Dog Food Company informing her that Faith has been selected as a...
14) Hounded To Death
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2015
Language
English
Formats
Description
A prominent dog-show judge falls victim to a hot-tub homicide in a mystery "absorbing enough to delight even cat lovers" (Publishers Weekly).
As the dog days of summer turn to the playful nip of autumn's chill, Melanie Travis is ready for a little relaxation. Her Aunt Peg has the perfect solution: a five-day symposium for dog show judges in Pennsylvania's idyllic Pocono Mountains. While Peg and Melanie's sister-in-law...
As the dog days of summer turn to the playful nip of autumn's chill, Melanie Travis is ready for a little relaxation. Her Aunt Peg has the perfect solution: a five-day symposium for dog show judges in Pennsylvania's idyllic Pocono Mountains. While Peg and Melanie's sister-in-law...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2012
Language
English
Formats
Description
"A pleasant mystery and a loving tribute to poodles. Fetching in every way."—Booklist
Melanie Travis thought her sleuthing days were behind her. She has a new baby to take care of—not to mention five Standard Poodles. These days, the closest Melanie gets to detective work is scoping out the scene at the local doggie day care center for her friend Alice Brickman.
As Melanie learns, it's a dog's life at the...
Melanie Travis thought her sleuthing days were behind her. She has a new baby to take care of—not to mention five Standard Poodles. These days, the closest Melanie gets to detective work is scoping out the scene at the local doggie day care center for her friend Alice Brickman.
As Melanie learns, it's a dog's life at the...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Formats
Description
A "wonderful" murder mystery that's "even better if you read it with a dog on your lap" (Suspense Magazine).
Despite a toddler and a house full of Standard Poodles, Melanie Travis can't pass up an opportunity to help legendary dog breeder Edward March pen his life story. But her enthusiasm flags when the breeder's angry son, Andrew, demands she stop working on the book. The question of why becomes imperative once Andrew...
Despite a toddler and a house full of Standard Poodles, Melanie Travis can't pass up an opportunity to help legendary dog breeder Edward March pen his life story. But her enthusiasm flags when the breeder's angry son, Andrew, demands she stop working on the book. The question of why becomes imperative once Andrew...
Author
Series
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Formats
Description
Returning to her old job at a posh private school, Melanie Travis is determined to make the Christmas Bazaar a huge success, but when a prize show dog goes missing and Santa turns up dead, she unearths some sinister secrets that leave everyone feeling less than merry.
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Formats
Description
A road trip to a Kentucky dog show leads to a race to find a killer, in this mystery by an Agatha Award finalist: "A likable heroine."—Publishers Weekly
For a dog lover like Melanie Travis, the opportunity to attend the Kentuckiana Dog Show Cluster is not to be missed. Fortunately, the timing coincides with her spring break from teaching, so she heads for central Kentucky with her sister-in-law and Aunt Peg, who's accepted...
For a dog lover like Melanie Travis, the opportunity to attend the Kentuckiana Dog Show Cluster is not to be missed. Fortunately, the timing coincides with her spring break from teaching, so she heads for central Kentucky with her sister-in-law and Aunt Peg, who's accepted...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2017
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Melanie Travis needs a little peace from her busy life this Christmas. But the usual holiday hubbub is a joy compared to the killer surprise she finds tucked underneath the tree when her brother and her ex-husband purchase a dilapidated pine tree farm in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and discover a dead body"--
22) Ruff justice
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Formats
Description
"As owner of prize-winning Poodles, Melanie Travis knows how to handle fierce competition. But when a conformation show turns deadly, it'll take every trick in the book to outsmart a murderer who refuses to lose"--
23) Bite Club
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2019
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Melanie Travis's new book club caters to readers craving fiction--with bite! But when a real-life murder case bares its fangs, she'll need to swap dog-eared novels for a lengthy suspect list to prove her own innocence"--
Thanks to Aunt Peg and her enthusiastic pedigree dog show pals, Melanie's aptly named Bite Club reading group has book lovers all over town burying their noses in thrilling murder mysteries. But another pet project surfaces when...
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2019
Language
English
Formats
Description
""It's the most wonderful time of the year in Connecticut, but mystery-solving Poodle parent Melanie Travis finds surviving this December may take a real Christmas miracle when a yuletide murderer comes to town"--Provided by publisher"--
Author
Series
Melanie Travis mysteries volume 25
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2020
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Standard Poodle owner Melanie Travis is an excellent judge of dogs-and people. But what happens when an unnamed killer emerges at one of the fiercest all-breed competitions ever? As Greenwich, Connecticut, slows down during a bitterly cold February, Melanie and her spunky Aunt Peg head to the city that never sleeps for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. Aunt Peg can't wait to demonstrate her judging chops on national...
26) Howloween Murder
Author
Series
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2020
Language
English
Description
As the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, counts down to a spooky celebration on October 31st, a horrifying murder leaves Melanie Travis pawing for clues in a hair-raising game of trick-or-treat ...
With just a few days left before Halloween, everyone at Howard Academy is anticipating the guaranteed sugar high they'll experience from gorging on Harriet Bloom's famous marshmallow puffs. The private school's annual costume party revolves around the headmaster's...
27) Pup Fiction
Author
Series
Melanie Travis mysteries volume 27
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2021
Language
English
Formats
Description
Agatha and Macavity nominee Laurien Berenson's latest escapade in her long-running Melanie Travis Canine Mystery series finds a killer showing up in summer camp.
With a new litter of Standard Poodles on the way, it's shaping up to be a vibrant July in Greenwich, Connecticut, for Melanie Travis. Too bad there's a killer in town who would love to drain the life out of her summer . . .
While usually protective, Melanie feels...
With a new litter of Standard Poodles on the way, it's shaping up to be a vibrant July in Greenwich, Connecticut, for Melanie Travis. Too bad there's a killer in town who would love to drain the life out of her summer . . .
While usually protective, Melanie feels...
Author
Series
Melanie Travis mysteries volume 28
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2022
Language
English
Formats
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...
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...
29) Killer Cupid
Author
Series
Melanie Travis mysteries volume 29
Publisher
Kensington Books
Pub. Date
2022
Language
English
Formats
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...
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...