Gun Shy (Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries, Book 3) [Paperback]

Donna Ball (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2007

Michelle White may have committed suicide. For days, her body has lain in a cabin along with her terrified dog. So they call in Raine Stockton. Raine hardly has time for the poor dog she's named Hero. But as she falls for him, questions surface about his late owner-and Raine realizes that Hero may be the only witness to a murder.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Signet (August 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451221893
• ISBN-13: 978-0451221896
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donna Ball published her first book in 1982. Since that time she has written over eighty works of commercial fiction under pseudonyms that include Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle, Leigh Bristol, Taylor Brady, and Donna Boyd. She is known for her work in women's fiction and suspense, as well as supernatural fantasy and adventure. Her novels have been translated into well over a dozen languages and have been published in virtually every country in the world. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and has been featured in such publications as the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and even T.V. Guide. She is the holder of the Storytelling World award, 2001, the Georgia Author of the Year Award, 2000, Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards for consecutive years 1991-1996, the Georgia Romance Writer's Maggie Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, among others.

Donna lives in the Northeast Georgia Mountains in a restored Victorian barn which was the inspiration for A YEAR ON LADYBUG FARM and AT HOME ON LADYBUG FARM. She spends her spare time hiking, painting, and enjoying canine sports with her four dogs-- two golden retrievers, a rough collie, and a border collie.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story, March 22, 2008

By 

J. E. Stephens "Jeanne" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gun Shy (Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries, Book 3) (Paperback)

I have read the other two Donna Ball stories. This one was really good. I felt transported to my favorite mountains in the fall.

Sonny is an interesting character and I can never read enough about her psychic ability.

It was interesting reading about the "dancing dog." I would love to actually see a routine. I bet it is amazing. I emjoy reading about all the dogs that Raine has. I was so glad that Hero may be back in the next book which I anxiously await.

The scene at the very end cries for "more." I am intrigued by this new love interest for Raine.

You will love this addition to the series. Donna, your word processor is calling...don't you hear it?

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unlikely hero, August 13, 2007

By 

M. Hughes (Winnebago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gun Shy (Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries, Book 3) (Paperback)

A frantic and starving yellow lab guards the cabin where his mistress lays dead of an apparent self inflected gunshot wound. The sheriff places a call to his niece, Raine Stockton, the only professional dog handler in the area. Raine must remove the snarling dog to prevent the deputies from shooting it.

There is no identification at the scene of the suicide, not even a vehicle parked near the remote cabin. How did the woman and her dog get there? Where is her purse, ID, luggage, food? Was the scene staged to look like a suicide? Was it in fact a murder?

The first clues come from the traumatized dog. Then random events provide key information that unravels a tale of jealousy, greed, and revenge.

An enjoyable mystery for dog lovers. The author includes many of her favorite subjects; canine search and rescue, canine freestyle (a form of human/dog dancing), and canine agility. The only complaint I find with the book is not the fault of the author but rather the publisher. The book's cover illustration gives away information the reader shouldn't know until half way through the story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Dog Mystery, September 10, 2007

By 

Judy Brown Eyes (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gun Shy (Raine Stockton Dog Mysteries, Book 3) (Paperback)

This is the 3rd Raine Stockton Dog Mystery I've read and it was very enjoyable. In this book, Raine is asked to go to a cabin where a frantic and starving yellow lab is guarding his mistress who lays dead of an apparent suicide from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Raine's uncle, who is the sheriff, knows that she can remove the poor dog so the deputies don't have to shoot it.

There is no identification on the woman at the scene of the suicide, or even a vehicle parked near the remote cabin, so there are many questions about the dead woman that must be answered and the answers are not easy to find. The sheriff has doubts that the suicide is real and says that the suicide scene looks staged, to make it look like a murder.

The clues and the yellow lab provide key information that leads Raine, her uncle, the sherrif, and her on again off again husband, Buck, to unravel a twisted tale of jealousy, greed, and revenge.

Raine's personal life with Buck, also takes an interesting twist in this book, and the only complaint I have is that this plot twist was unexpected and somewhat rushed and forced. I hope we continue to see more of Buck in the forthcoming volumes, since the dynamics between him and Raine have provided tension and plot development in all three books

This is an enjoyable mystery series for dog lovers. The author, Donna Ball, according to her web site, has lots of experience with dogs, canine search and rescue, canine freestyle (a form of human/dog dancing), and canine agility and it shows in her writing.

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