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Holly Winter is a dog trainer in Cambridge, Massachusetts who is asked to work with Dolfo, an out of control dog, for Ted and Eumie Green, a psychological therapist couple who think of their pet as a human in fur. Because the couple's personalities and theories about people and dogs are so outrageous, Holly sees that it is the humans' fault that their dog is out of control. They permit the dog to do as he pleases, and that include soiling the house and urinating on their bed. The couple admit they are only looking for a trainer because no maid will stay with them. Holly isn't thrilled to work for them, but she sees that Dolfo needs her help – and she will do anything to help dogs. When Holly shows up for a training session and the husband Ted asks her to get Eumie out of bed, Holly is angry and annoyed. She doesn't like that the couple cares so little for her real service as a dog trainer, but she sees that the humans need her help in order to train the dog, so she agrees to wake Eumie. When she enters the bedroom, she sees the woman is dead. The room becomes a madhouse when the woman's daughter Caprice walks in and screams when she sees her mother's condition. Then the husband just walks past the body to go to the bathroom to take pills. When Ted's teenage son walks in, he insults the screaming daughter and calls the dead woman names. Holly is horrified but she still manages to call the cops. Luckily the detective on the case is her friend and next-door neighbor. With all the pills around, the police think that suicide, intentional or accidental, is the reason for the death. Holly is permitted to take Caprice, who is a friend of Holly's daughter, home with her when it's seen that no one is helping the young woman cope with the tragedy. Caprice is certain that her mother didn't take an overdose and that she was murdered. I didn't enjoy this book. Holly speaks directly to the readers in an overly wordy way that sometimes has to be read a few times to decipher. She also is extremely wrapped up in her doggy world and sees everything from mental health to spiritualism in dog terms. Holly seems to know that her dog-centric point of view is over the top, but she thinks she is cute and witty so she basks in it. I have read other books by dog lovers and enjoyed them, but this book missed the mark. Holly is also completely sure of herself and her opinions and that hers is the right way and therefore the only way. Unfortunately, I didn't agree with her way of seeing the world and that made Holly less than appealing to me. Her thoughts on psychology and weight control made me want to smack her, but all I could do was close the book and try to make myself pick it up again at a later date. The mystery side of the story is just a throwaway idea. The supposedly wacky happenings at the final get-together don't strike me as at all funny, And Holly's accusation towards the guilty party makes no sense and when you think about it, doesn't really solve the case. If you are a fan of this series, I am sure you will enjoy it. This is the first I've read of Holly and her dog world and it will be the last.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, November 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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