Bite Club by Laurien Berenson

Good Day!  I hope everyone is having a lovely day.  Left Fur Dead by J.M. Griffin, Down in Flames by Cheryl Hollon, Clause and Effect by Kaitlyn Dunnett come out on June 25.  A Ghostly Suspect by Tonya Kappes will be out on June 29.  Window on the Bay by Debbie Macomber releases on my mother's birthday which is July 16.  There are many wonderful new books coming out this summer.  

Bite Club by Laurien Berenson returns readers to Stamford, Connecticut.  Melanie Travis enjoy reading and particularly relishes a good mystery.  She contacted a few of her friends to see if they were interested in starting a book club.  The club caters to mysteries and Melanie came up with a quirky name Bite Club (books with bite).  She wants to keep the numbers low, so it is intimate to allow a lively discussion.  But Aunt Peg got wind of the club and invited her dog show pals doubling the number of attendees.  Alice Brickman brings along her new neighbor, Evan Major who needs assistance training his new Bulldog puppy, Bully.  Melanie, of course, offers to help Evan, but she soon comes to regret her generosity when a detective shows up her house.  Evan was found dead in his home and a neighbor saw Melanie peering in his windows the day before.  Melanie was there for a training session for which Evan did not show, and she found little Bully down the street.  With Melanie in the hot seat, she is quick to delve into the victim’s past and is shocked by what she uncovers.  Unassuming Evan had a big skeleton in his closet that lost him his wife and estranged him from his brother.  Melanie, with help from Aunt Peg (of course), chases down clues and alibis to narrow down her suspect list.  Now they just need a plan to catch the mangy mongrel. 

Bite Club is the twenty-third novel in A Melanie Travis Mystery series.  While the book can be read as a standalone, you will be missing out on a great series.  The author provides everything a reader needs to know about Melanie, her family, her dogs, and friends.  Bite Club is well-written and progresses at a steady trot.  Melanie Travis is married to Sam and has two kids:  Davey and Kevin.  Davey is thirteen and is acting as a handler for Aunt Peg’s latest poodle puppy, Coral.  Kevin is an inquisitive and active four year old boy.  Aunt Peg (she reminds me of one of my aunts) is an intimidating woman and dog show judge who frequently ropes Melanie into her schemes. When Evan Major is killed and Melanie is at the top of the suspect list, she sets out to learn more about the quiet man.  The mystery was well-plotted with unexpected disclosures and a jaw dropping reveal.  As an avid cozy mystery reader, I enjoy a complex whodunit.  I enjoy the family interactions and how Melanie talks to Faith, her oldest poodle (and looks for a response).  I like that it is not a picture perfect family.  Melanie’s household is always lively with four people and six dogs.  Dinner may not be served on time, groceries run low and there are messes from kids and animals, but the house is filled with love.  This is what adds to the appeal of this charming series.  The dog show information is told in a way for a layman to understand (which I appreciate).  I was unaware of the intricacies of dog shows and all that goes into maintaining a Standard Poodles fur for competition.   There is humor sprinkled throughout the story along with the antics of the adorable canines, the kids and Aunt Peg.  Bite Club is an engaging cozy mystery with a friendly sleuth, energetic book discussions, loving husband, sweet kids, endearing dogs, one dead guy with an unexpected past, and bossy Aunt Peg.

You can find a complete list of the books in A Melanie Travis Mystery series here on Amazon.  Bite Club comes out June 25 and is available for pre-order on Amazon and other major retailers.  Thank you for visiting today.  I will feature Amish Outsider by Marta Perry tomorrow.  You do not want to miss this suspenseful Amish novel.  I hope you have a phenomenal day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader