UNDER THE DOG STAR (Sandra Parshall)

A large number of missing pet dogs, a mysterious feral pack of canines attacking livestock during the night, and one prominent physician with his throat ripped open wouldn’t ordinarily add up to a compelling, can’t-put-it-down reading experience for me, but this time they did!  I am generally more of a cozy, crafty mystery reader.  Give me an amateur sleuth with an English accent or someone who bakes or knits in a sweet small town and solves crimes on the side and I’m good to go.  Sandra Parshall, however, is a genre unto herself, and she knows how to write a mystery!  From the Appalachian setting, to the developing relationship between Sheriff’s investigator Tom Bridger and veterinarian Rachel Goddard, to the intricately laid out web of clues, suspects, and sub-plots, Parshall’s Rachel Goddard series is wonderful and, I think, worthy of notice from the most discerning mystery fans.  This is the fourth Rachel Goddard mystery and number 5 is waiting for me in my living room.  I usually need to take a break between different novels in a series and this time is no exception, but I have a feeling that I won’t be able to resist reading her next, Bleeding Through, for long.  If you haven’t discovered Sandra Parshall yet you have a treat in store!  Start with Heat of the Moon.  You won't be sorry!