I have become a corgi fan through reading this series and this book made me grateful I only have one dog. After Paulie is injured in an attempted murder, Fred finds herself agreeing to care for his two corgis. Add her own Watson and trying to solve a murder and the woman is pretty busy. And while Watson is well-trained (although at times resistant to obeying – he is one stubborn dog), Flotsam and Jetsam are a bit on the crazy side. So…chaotic times all around.
The murder Fred has to solve happened at the same time as Paulie’s attempted murder so there’s the question of who was the intended target and who was collateral damage? Because what are the odds of two different perpetrators attacking two different people at the same time and place, right?
There is more of Branson the handsome detective in this book and his slow burn with Fred faces some serious challenges – especially when he orders her not to investigate. Hello, can we say red flag in front of a bull? Fred does, of course, investigate. And along the way we meet even more members of the Estes community. Her family and friends are there to support her, even throwing in a Fourth of July celebration. Watson is also at her heels, although I commiserated with him when he was put in costumes. I know my dog wouldn’t tolerate it, so good on Watson for persevering with the craziness.
Angie Hickman returned to narrate this book, the sixth in the series, and I was grateful. Her Fred is pitch-perfect and she always has great voices for the other characters. Her narration is always steady and leads to a good and solid performance. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.