The Murder Walk (A Beth Haldane Mystery Book 5), by Alice Castle

I adore this series. Beth is a unique, sometimes frustrating character, but she is, oh, so real and likable. Author Alice Castle does a wonderful job letting us get to know Beth and those about her. This installment lets us spend time in her head as she indulges in thoughts ranging from her determination to give her son Jake an element of freedom.....all while tailing him on his walk to school, mind you .... to imagining what she could do should a bundle of money just drop into her hands. She hadn't calculated on a tall tree, let's just say. 

She's also competitive enough to feel smug that she might have gotten one up on detective boyfriend Harry at one point by finding an important bit of info first....or, hmm, did she find it first? She also ponders if dogs mourn losses. Yes, Beth, they do. 

And, oh, yes, the murder. But, first, let me back up a few steps. Beth's best friend, Katie, has adopted a puppy. Puppy Teddy seems to be a wild child, driven by natural hormones. I must admit that I wanted to give Katie's husband a stern talking to with his male disdain for the common sense approach of neutering and even basic training. Anyway, Teddy gets loose.... who are we kidding, Katie makes the mistake of letting him off-leash.... and ultimately leads Beth, hot in pursuit of the wayward pup, to a body. Beside it is a sad older dog, Colin, who Harry somehow gets Beth to agree to take home with her. Magpie the cat isn't a happy kitty. Will Teddy ever learn some manners? Has he learned his lesson after eating that valuable memory stick? Uh, he's a puppy. What do you think? You'll both chuckle and feel sympathy for the usually put together Katie as she deals with the puppy in some unusual ways, all while embracing playing sleuth as a distraction from puppy worries. Katie does prove helpful, however, even if Beth ignores her words of caution  

So, who did it? Who'd hate graffiti artist Mark Smeaton enough to kill him? How does Beth's Bridge playing mother prove helpful? Will Beth drive Harry crazy with worry? Why is she calling her photographer brother? Why is Beth worrying so much about Jake? Will she leave him alone at an interview for a spot at a prestige school to go chase a clue? What lengths will a mother go to to protect her child? 

And, oh, so much more. You'll spend quite a bit of time hanging out in Beth's head, worrying not just about the murder but her private life, and most likely get a chuckle out of her flights of fancy even when facing death. And, you'll like her, even if, like me, you wish you could reach through the virtual pages and shake some sense into her occasionally. 

Thanks #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to spend some more time with Beth. As a dog person, I'm psyched at her realization of how well Colin the senior Lab fits into her life. Now, if only Magpie the cat will agree...