Hounding the Pavement (Ellie Engleman, Dog Walker Mysteries, No. 1) By Judi McCoy April 4
Hounding the Pavement (Ellie Engleman, Dog Walker Mysteries, No. 1) By Judi McCoy
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Cozy fans will savor this charming paranormal mystery series opener from romance author McCoy (Wanted: One Perfect Man). Recently divorced Ellie Engleman, ready for a fresh start, adopts a Yorkie and discovers she can telepathically communicate with dogs. Naturally, she launches a dog-walking business on Manhattan’s posh Upper East Side. On the way to walk prize-winning Bichon Buddy, Ellie discovers the body of his owner, Professor Albright, murdered in his entryway. Buddy is missing and no one, save Ellie, is concerned. Sexy, annoying NYPD Det. Sam Ryder considers Ellie a prime suspect, but that doesn’t stop her from searching for Buddy, hoping that finding the dog will lead her to the killer. Somehow managing to avoid every talking animal mystery cliché, McCoy fills this delightful story with humor, quirky characters and delicious hints of romance. (Mar.)
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Review
“Four paws up.”
—LAURIEN BERENSON, author of Dogie day care murder
Product Description
Meet Ellie Engleman, psychic dog-walker
The newest dog-walker on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has a talent—she can hear what her canine clientele is thinking. So when a dog’s owner turns up dead, Ellie must bone up on her sleuthing—and perk up her ears to find a killer.
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So I was talking to Judi on the phone yesterday, catching up on personal news and drama, and she told me that the dog that inspired this series had died. Judi is a dog person. She always has three ankle biters under foot at all times and we have had many conversations where she interrupts frequently to encourage some fur ridden hell hound to “do your business - we are not out here to play” … and then she ends up playing with the dog. At Judi’s house, there’s always one dog in it’s twilight nears. one is middle aged and then there is a baby. The oldest eventually, sadly, dies, baby moves up to middle, new baby is adopted. I asked her if the oldest dog ever caught on to this harbinger of death cycle. Judi didn’t think so. I’m pretty sure the dogs figure it out.
She’s had dogs pass away before, but this death really hit her hard – much harder than others. So many vet visits, a clean bill of health after a near miss, and then a quiet passing while she was away working. Most people don’t understand those of us who are emotionally attached to our pets and I’m not going to stretch credulity and say it’s on par with the love we have for our human family, but it’s damned close. I should send flowers … or interesting spices. Judi loves spices. They jazz up her no-salt diet life.
Back before the first book was even finished I remember Judi saying she wanted some thing special for this series. She was going to donate the proceeds to a dog charity.
“The most important thing you need to know about this first book is that ALL royalties I earn will be donated to Best Friends, the largest no-kill animal shelter in the US. Located in Kanab, Utah, Best Friends also has a television show. Dogtown can be viewed on the National Geographic channel, usually right after the Dog Whisperer on Friday nights. This organization takes in dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, even goats, and no animal will ever be ‘put down’ when in their care unless there is a medical need. They even accepted 22 of Michael Vicks pit bulls for rehabilitation and adoption. These folks are the ‘real deal’ when it comes to assisting our four-legged or feathered friends.”
I have never seen anybody more exited about working like a dog for virtually no kibbles. She felt THAT passionately about this series of books. There’s a spark, sometimes, when you’re writing where it really doesn’t matter if the work ever sells — where you step outside you safe formula zone and a book just writes its self. During a lot of our Wednesday morning talks I could tell Judi was experienceing that spark. If you read it, you’ll see it.
