A Howl in the Night [Kindle Edition]

JK Brandon (Author)

Book Description

What if you only had days to solve a murder and catch the killer, or spend a lifetime in prison?  That's a hard enough task for any man, but even harder if you're a dog.

After a few tough years, Taser finally lands a safe home and a loving master in an upscale Scottsdale, Arizona neighborhood. When a woman is murdered on his street, this Black Labrador suddenly faces the loss of everything he's struggled a lifetime to gain. Taser must find the killer or return to the harsh world of the county dog pound. He's aided by his buddy, Meatloaf, and a colorful pack of neighborhood dogs. They struggle with their limited human vocabulary and a fractured knowledge of the world. Other obstacles include new alpha dog rivals, old deadly enemies, and a menacing coyote population from the adjacent Arizona desert. In the end, Taser must decide how much he can risk to save his world.

This is a fun and funny mystery, narrated from the dog's point of view, written for adults (PG-13) with a love of animals and their special quirks.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

This story is inspired by my two Labradors, Bungie and Zoe.  They like nothing better than roaming the neighborhood or playing with other dogs down at the park.  One day it hit me.  Zoe, the alpha dog, was the perfect protagonist in a murder mystery.  It's written in a noir private-eye, first-person style.  After the first page, the story (and the dogs) just took over.

From the Inside Flap

The Young Reader version of the same story is available as A Howl at Midnight

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 425 KB
• Print Length: 238 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1475149093
• Publisher: Self-Published (May 24, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0052OX5LA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,688 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #4 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Animal Care & Pets > Dogs > Breeds
  • #7 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Pets & Animal Care > Dogs > Breeds

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A regular Sherlock Bones! March 2, 2012

By IH8FMS

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is delightful fun for anyone who loves dogs and likes a crackling good murder mystery! The characterizations are right on: endearing without being smarmy-sweet. Not for children, but don't let this deter you... you'll be amazed how caught up you'll get in this dog story!

I am panting for a sequel. (Are you listening, Jerry Brandon?)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My owner and I both liked this May 1, 2012

By MishieGirl

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read it at night after my owner went to sleep (good thing she has the kindle book cover with the little light). I just have to say that it's about time we were recognized for our superior detective abilities. I loved this book and I hope there's a next one.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable mystery March 8, 2012

By MaryAnnReads

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an enjoyable mystery with quite a different narrator, a Black Lab named (for most of the book) Taser. He and his buddy Meatloaf are observant and well fleshed-out as characters. So are the other canine characters. The human characters are less so -- which makes sense because they are mostly peripheral to the action.

There are grammatical inconsistencies which bothered me. Taser sometimes uses better grammar than other times and spelling can sometimes be off. (Robert "peaked" into the oven when "peeked" is correct, for example.) Occasionally the tense shifts from past to present. The biggest problem is that the author uses comma splices on every page, he writes two sentences which should be separated and combines them into one with a comma. (I just did that with my comma splice comment, deliberately, to illustrate a comma splice.)

Because of the technical problems, I can't give this 5 stars. It's a delightful book with some dark moments (moments when our dogs lose their owners and friends through no fault of their own). It will make you think about the lives of dogs in ways you might not have before.

More About the Author

JK Brandon writes mysteries and thrillers with Arizona-based protagonists. He lives in Scottsdale with one very-tolerant wife and two ill-mannered Black Labradors. His Michael Cole thriller website is www.jkbrandon.com, his Taser/Meatloaf mystery website is www.ahowlinthenight.com