Candy Canes, Canines & Crime, by Kathy Manos Penn

 A Dickens & Christie Mystery #8 

I had to go cuddle with my Daisy dog a few extra times as I read this one. There’s no murder in this mystery but a beloved pet going missing is every pet owner's nightmare. And, of course, there’s far more to this than simply a missing pets story. 

I should note upfront that Leta and her pets talk, not only talk but understand each other. It all seems quite normal. I mean, while I'm sure there are many times I'd just as rather not know exactly what Daisy is thinking, I find myself talking aloud to her, telling her that I wish I could understand what she's saying as I read. She just gives me "that look". Leta does hear and understand her pets, Dickens the dog and Christie the cat, but they are typical pets, full of love, fun and mischief. Nothing magical. In fact, it's Dickens' caring heart that leads him astray as he attempts to protect and help Buttercup, a fellow canine. You've gotta love that dog.

From there the story evolves into not just main character Leta's search for her missing canine friend but a tale of community wide dog napping. As Leta searches, she's also preparing for the arrival of boyfriend Dave, who had to return to New York to prepare for his move to England. She's surrounded by her friends, too, who want to help, particularly the LOL (Little Old Ladies) detective group. They definitely up their game in the quest to return not just Dickens to the safely of his home but other missing pets. All this, mind you, when a storm is kicking in, sending them driving in circles at times, not to mention sliding.

In other words, as noted, it's a character driven story, with both the human and critters playing important roles, and, wow, Ellie! Nope, not telling any more. You won't regret picking up this one to read. It has become a favorite and much anticipated read for me, one for which I set aside whatever else I'm reading to read. Give it a read! Heck, spoil yourself and get the entire series. It's that good.