Customer Reviews

Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund (Dixie Hemingway Mysteries, No. 2)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Well Dixie - you dun it again, pet sitter...BUT I have my reservations. Sure -- you found dead bodies, confronted crazed criminals, fought back in style, used your wits, put yourself in the middle of action and danger, death and duplicity, all the while taking care of those precious pets, consoling surviving widows and a fading lady, eating great meals at the diner and spending quality time with your brother and Paco while you continued to wrestle with your own demons.

And then again, your escapades were concluded in your usual inimitable high style.

But what about those abandoned kittens in the box? Why did you leave them, when you could have "put them in the Bronco, and hightailed it to Tom's condo, taking the steps two at a time, and running into his apartment carrying your precious live cargo (never leave pets unattended in a car!) saying `Tom, get out your laptop PDQ -- I have some babies here who NEED some TLC ASAP - where's the nearest Animal Rescue group around here?'" Why did you leave them on the sidewalk abandoned and needy and not give them another thought except to make a Cold-Hearted and Heartless comment about them later on in the day???? How sad that your readers, Blaize didn't get a chance to see what should be done in a situation like that -- in fact, a little lesson on the need for Spay Neuter would have been great there too. And I always wonder--why is it always kittens--why not puppies???

And what about the other kitten? And the monkey? This was grim.... Too grim. This book breaks my heart. I have a hard time seeing how any animal abuse can contribute to the literary merit of this Dixie Hemingway novel, when the other two Dixie Hemingway books did just fine - were stellar -- without it.

I think this new author is good.

However, most people who read mysteries with animals do not want to read about kittens whose legs have been purposely broken. I stopped there. Then I went back. Next thing I knew, I was reading about a MONKEY whose legs had been purposely broken.

What is this thing the author has about having animals tortured like this?

I can't read her, which is too bad, because, aside from these animal torture scenes, I think she is good.

I could deal with the death of the dying Dachshund (sort of), but most writers who feature animals realize they are writing for animal lovers.

We are not looking for horror, or even the sadness.

I am so sorry this author can't do without the cruelty to animals in her mysteries. I sat down thinking I was going to have an entertaining read, and ended up depressed.

Could you try again, and leave out the animal torture?

We know animals are mistreated, and most of us contribute to funds to make sure they are not. We don't want to read about it in what I supposed was sort of a "cozy" mystery.

I definitely DO NOT recommend this to any animal lover with a heart.

not only does the dog on the cover die but several other animals not to mention people abused and die. very depressing from beginning to end.

I was delighted to have found a new mystery series to enjoy. I really liked the first one, Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter (Dixie Hemingway Mysteries, No. 1). I was enjoying this one until it turned cruel with images I can't get out of my head. I'd like to know how it ends, but I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it. The descriptions of cruelty and the poor man whose last thoughts were of that cruelty are simply unnecessary. I read for pleasure and relaxation, not to be sickened and upset. I can think of several ways the author could have handled the scene in a way that advanced the plot. If it was meant to carry an anti-cruelty message, fine, but it didn't have to go that far.

In my humble opinion, a writer has something of an unwritten contract with readers. When I pick up a mystery of the cozy persuasion, I expect dead bodies. That's part of the deal. What I don't expect in a novel that relies so heavily on animals and people who love them is torture. It's as if you were sharing a storybook with a child and suddenly found yourself reading about a couple having kinky sex.

I hope future books in the series don't have such disturbing material. I'm not sure I'm going to read any to find out.

I wish I could have given this book a higher rating. 99% of it is highly enjoyable with excellent writing, well-drawn and interesting characters, and a beautifully depicted setting. But, unfortunately, this otherwise terrific writer chose to throw in some really nasty bits of animal cruelty that ended up staying with me longer than the positive qualities of the book. I usually enjoy passing books along to my mother and sisters, but I really couldn't do that in this case as I know that they would find certain elements of the book far too disturbing.

Very good writer style and interesting characters but the deliberate cruelty to animals is not necessary for the plot. Does Blaize Clement actually care about animals or is this a handy topic. As an animal lover I find this trait makes me want to quit reading her.

I have read two other Dixie Hemingway novels and fell in love with the characters, setting, and, of course all of the pets. I couldn't wait to begin "Dachshund".

Before I was halfway through the book I was becoming depressed. When I was two-thirds finished, I'd encountered a box of kittens left in the sun, a dead kitten and monkey, and a sad, pathetic little Dachshund whose owners left her alone (except for a pet-sitter's visits) even though the dog was near death.

I kept waiting for some plot twist which would explain or at least relieve the relentless misery in this book, but things just got worse. By the time Dixie took the little Dachshund to the vet to be put to sleep, I was seriously disturbed.

Although I'd originally planned to continue reading the series, I've changed my mind. I can't risk another nasty experience like that. If I want to know about animal abuse, all I have to do is turn on TV or pick up a paper. I read books to feel better and lose myself in a light-hearted world for a while.

All I can think is that the author was going through a dark spell in her life when she wrote this. However, it always annoys me when an author uses their work to exorcise personal demons. It's not fair to unsuspecting readers looking forward to a pleasant experience.

This book was a little bit sad for me. It was interesting and I wanted to read the ending but I won't be reading anymore. I like an escape with my cozy mysteries and although there was a little humor in it -overall it was too intense for me. The author also seems to like guns -which is also a bit of a turn off for me.

It saddens me to write this review. I am very impressed with this author's keen writing style, her ability to get into the psychological portrayals of her characters, her ability to create interesting characters that you care about....she has so much promise! But.....this book caught my eye because of the cute little dachshund on the cover and the rather "cutesy" title referring to dachshunds. I have a senior dachshund myself, and I really expected something more consistent with the tone implied by the title and the book jacket. Both are deceptive....
I won't be spoiling anything by noting here, as others already have noted it in their reviews, that the little dachshund doesn't make it...and it brought me to tears in view of my own situation. (I recently had to put my dachshund's sibling to sleep, and anyone who has had to do that knows how hard that is.) This book made me relive that pain. Not only that, but other animal cruelty came out in the book. My fellow reviewers have noted the problems with this, and I won't repeat their words.
The publisher should insist on titles and bookjackets that are in line with the content of its books, and the author should consider whether or not she should be writing about a pet-sitter and animals.
I truly wish I could give this book a better review. The author has talent, but I don't think I want to pick up another of her books given the sadness this book brought me. I truly hope she and her publishers look over these reviews. My heavens, a child could conceivably read this book with the thought that he or she is going to read a charming "cozy" involving a cute little dog who helps to solve a crime.
Buyers and readers, be forewarned.

I don't normally write reviews here of books I've read, mainly because I think reading is such a personal experience, and I think it's best for everyone to make up their own minds about any given book. But after reading some of the other reviews here I thought I would put in my two cents.

I understand completely some of the other readers here being upset by the animal cruelty that is (briefly and strikingly) depicted, but I don't understand why they then think it shouldn't be in the book. What sets this series aside from most of the other mystery series out there is that its heroine is unapologetically real, and lives in a real world, not a cute, make-believe world: a world where there is evil and sadness in equal measure with love and joy. And in our world, like it or not, animal cruelty is a very real, widespread problem. Anything that brings it to light is a good thing in my opinion, as it should be for any animal lover. I agree that the cover is completely wrong - it does suggest a very cartoonish read - but let's remember not to judge a book by its cover, especially when that book is part of such a ground-breaking and entertaining series.

I cringed too while reading parts of the book. I also laughed out loud and was even, at one point, brought to tears. This is what I want a book to do. I don't want it to dish out the same old hash I've read over and over again. I want it to challeng me, take me somewhere new. I want to be moved, thrilled, entertained, and yes, at times, educated. For all these reasons, I give this one five enthusiastic stars.