Customer Reviews

Ruff Way to Go

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Allie Babcock recently moved back to her hometown to live with her mother. Allie tries to establish a behavior therapist business that works with dogs in an effort to integrate the canine into a family and eliminate any behavioral problems. Allie meets her neighbor Cassandra Random, whose daughter shows off the puppies they are fostering.

She also meets another neighbor Edith, who is obtaining a divorce. Edith asks Allie to mediate custody of the family Silky Terrier Shogun, since both she and her estranged spouse want the dog. Allie goes to Edith's home to see whom Shotgun prefers as his human pet. However, as she steps onto the outside deck, she finds the murdered Cassandra. She also learns that Shotgun is missing. Allie begins to search for the lost canine and uncover the individual responsible, setting her up to take the fall in a neighborhood that seems to be in Eerie, Indiana.

The second Allie Babcock mystery is so good that it appears author Leslie O'Kane will gain awards for the series. The lead protagonist loves dogs so much that she knows their names but fails to recall the names of their owners, a quality that will endear her to animal lovers. RUFF WAY TO GO is an action-packed amateur sleuth novel that effortlessly moves from one character driven scene to another. Ms. O'Kane has another triumph with the lovable Ms. Babcock.

Harriet Klausner

There's never a dull moment in dog behaviorist Allida Babcock's neighborhood. First she's called on to help Cassandra and Paul with Suds, the Siberian husky they're fostering, and her pups. Then divorcing couple Edith and Trevor want her to mediate in a custody dispute over their silky terrier, Shogun. Allie subsequently finds Cassandra murdered in Edith's back yard, and Shogun is nowhere to be found. "Ruff Way to Go," like "Play Dead," its predecessor, is an entertaining cozy whodunit that dog lovers will enjoy. The series should appeal especially to those who like Susan Conant's mysteries: Allie's world-view is as dog-centered as Holly Winter's; humor, though more low-key, is much in evidence; and there's an abundance of canine lore, including lots of useful care and training tips.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a terrific whodunnit, it includes loads of information about dog psychology (presented in an easy-to-understand fashion that's relevant to the storyline), and it's set in the Boulder, Colorado area--one of the most beautiful locations in the country. Bravo, Leslie O'Kane!

There is lots of good dog talk here (in fact that's the only thing that got me to finish the book) and the plot is intricate enough, but the tone is just dull. I'm sorry, this writer did a really good job of crafting her story, but there is no joy, no sense of fun, very little suspense and most of the characters are just awful. The only likeable characters are the protagonist, her mother and her boyfriend. What dreary lives they lead, since there are no interesting, funny, fun, smart or charming people for them to have as friends. The book is so workmanlike it was a real chore to finish it. It's really not fair to compare this writer to Susan Conant and Carol Lea Benjamin, since her work is unique, but they each also have a series of novels with a single female canine-loving protagonist who solves murders. The difference is that they are fun. Both Conant's and Benjamin's characters are funny, fascinating, delightful people who get themselves into some difficult scrapes. O'Kane's characters are none of those things. Sorry, I wanted very much to like the book, and I love her dog theme and the constant dog talk.

What a relief to find a dog-lover's mystery without all the voluminous asides of Susan Conant or the occasionally too cutesy Laurien Berenson. (Not that I haven't read and enjoyed both those author's books). Enjoyable dog training information, and the mystery really moves along, with plenty of characters to keep one guessing, especially as negative information about each suspect keeps turning up. Nice characterizations; both the protagonist and her mother are appealing.

A fun book to read with lots of twists. If the author is half as good a dog trainer as she is a writer, I would hire her in an instant to train my dog.

I dearly love mysteries about dog owners, but this one was so boring and clunkily (don't think that's a word) written. What really bothered me is that iit was raining so hard when the heroine found the victim that blood and evidence was washed away and the heroine was soaked to the skin. A few minutes later, the husband of the victim returns after spending time with his young daughter and some pupies in the park, all perfectly dry and happy. Didn't it rain at the park, too?

A very intriguing mystery. Easy reading. Goes fast. Was unable to put book down. Am hoping that Author will continue to write more of the Allida Babcock mystries. Enjoyed both of the books.