Ruffly Speaking: A Dog Lover's Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Susan Conant (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam Books (1996)
• ASIN: B000P9XAEO
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

More About the Author

I was born in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts. The best friends of my childhood were pointers named Stuffy and Nonny. I had imaginary companions as well: a cat named Thirsty Melirsty Medrinkable, a family of dogs, and parents called Mommy and Daddy Suh. Thirsty and the dog family slowly faded away. The Suhs, however, perished suddenly; they ate fish guts and died. My career as a mystery writer thus began in early childhood: I invented animals, and I killed off fictional human beings.

Now, many decades later, I live just outside Boston. My husband is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Cambridge. Our daughter, Jessica, who is also my coauthor, lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their young son. My husband and I have an Alaskan malamute, Django (pronounced 'Jango') and two Chartreux cats, Kansas City (K.C.) and Shadow Celeste. The malamutes in my Holly Winter books are composites, but the cats in Scratch the Surface, Edith and Brigitte, are portraits of my own Chartreux.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars at last a dog hero with a real job, April 8, 1998

By 

Sandra C. Shin "Sandy Shn" (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ruffly Speaking (Dog Lover's Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

A dog in the story is no longer a "gimmick". Conant has presented a dog serving a real purpose, and the usefullness of this task is an integral part of the story. I have passed on copies of this book it is so relevant, and a darned good read, too

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read!, April 21, 1998

By 

KitchenSharkMama "MicahBina" (NC,, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ruffly Speaking (Dog Lover's Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Ms. Conant once more brings a tale of suspense and murder. As well as bringing into play another purpose for dogs in Ruffly the hearing aide dog. Thouse of us who love dogs appreciate her efforts to help educate people who thing "Rover" is just a pet!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Roughly written., April 22, 2005

By 

Collene Irvin "bibliobetty" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ruffly Speaking (Dog Lover's Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Morris Lamb dies suddenly of what appears to be plant poisoning: his plants. When his house is sold to an Episcopalian priest and her deaf dog companion starts to have seizures, Holly Winter, dog writer and lover, starts to investigate.

I have enjoyed this series that takes place in Cambridge, Ma.
I'm definitely a dog person and these are definitely dog lovers books, filled with all kinds of tips and tidbits on dog companions.

I was extremely disappointed in this one, however. The writing is choppy. The characters that haven't already been introduced in previous books are underdeveloped. Conant often seems to babble. I didn't really understand how her opening statements about aliens and ufo's had anything to do with dogs.

The Dog Lover's Mysteries have been a favorite of mine so I'm going to give it another chance and read the next one, but I wish someone had told me earlier not to waste my time on this one.