Laurien Berenson

"It's autumn in Connecticut and there's a chill in the air, the fall leaves are a riot of color, and pumpkin spice is the flavor of the season. Melanie Travis is perennially busy, of course but when the owner of a local pet supply shop is found murdered, sleuthing tops her To Do list. Between taking care of her family and assorted Standard Poodles, Melanie is also working as a special needs tutor for Howard Academy, a private school in Greenwich,...

With a demanding teaching job at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy and five poodles scampering around the house, Melanie barely has energy for the upcoming Christmas rush. But she unwraps an unexpected challenge when her brother and ex-husband, elated by the recent success of their country café, make a spontaneous bid on a dilapidated pine tree farm. Although the ten-acre lot had been a popular seasonal destination while the original owner was still...

"From the moment Peg arrives in Kentucky, dragging level-headed Rose along for the week-long excursion proves a smart move. Because after she brings her canine expertise to prestigious conformation shows, next on the agenda is selling her Thoroughbred broodmare's offspring at a high-stakes yearling sale. And when the ladies arrive to meet the young horse at Six Oaks Farm, something seems off about the place -- especially Jim Grable, the yearling manager...

"Frolicking with dogs is Melanie Travis's idea of heaven. So when she's invited to be a "puppy wrangler" at a benefit for a local dog rescue, the last thing she expects is to be chasing after a tricky killer"-- Provided by publisher.

A dog handler's death unleashes a mystery: "Laurien Berenson just keeps getting better and better."—Harlan Coben
When Melanie Travis's education in breed-handling at Connecticut's classiest obedience school is cut short by sudden death, she smells a murder. So, with her rambunctious poodle puppy, five-year-old son, and sexy fellow breeder Sam Driver in tow, she hits the championship circuit. In this dog-eat-dog world where winning...

As Melanie attempts to deck the halls in a house overrun by pampered poodles, her event planner friend, Claire, is busy playing Santa—beard and belly not included—for the wealthiest clientèle on Connecticut's Gold Coast. A personal shopper gig in the affluent town of New Canaan seems like business as usual. Except Claire's stylish stint comes at a higher price than she bargains for when she stumbles over her newest customer's dead body on the...

Thanks to Aunt Peg and her enthusiastic pedigree dog show pals, Melanie's aptly named Bite Club reading group has book lovers all over town burying their noses in thrilling murder mysteries. But another pet project surfaces when Melanie reluctantly agrees to train a bulldog puppy for elusive member Evan Major. Between the unusual bruise on his face and a bizarre run-in with an unknown dog show attendee, introverted Evan can't dodge trouble. It even...

After seeing a Great Dane at a dog show, Melanie’s younger son Kevin has become obsessed with the giant breed. Some kids get into dinosaurs--for Kevin it’s Great Danes. Aunt Peg introduces Melanie and her son to Audrey Kane, a charming older woman who breeds and shows the big dogs. Aware of Melanie’s talent for sleuthing, Audrey asks for her help in finding a missing brooch. She suspects her stepsister Lara. Sam and Melanie are showing their...

"Melanie Travis is gifted at raising prize-winning Standard Poodles, not standing in as the Easter Bunny. But when March in Connecticut brings daffodils and dead bodies, she'll need to hop into action - and fast . . . Aunt Rose already has a strike against her for not being too fond of dogs - or Aunt Peg. But Melanie still agrees to organize Easter festivities at Gallagher House, the new women's shelter opened by the stern former nun, even if it takes...

Competition at an elite Connecticut kennel club has a sharp and deadly bite in this "masterful" mystery (The Plain Dealer).
As if raising her son Davey, training her rambunctious Poodle for the show ring, and grooming fellow handler Sam Driver for romance aren't enough, Melanie Travis's entrée into the exclusive Belle Haven Kennel Club has been met with a grisly murder. Unfortunately, the only witnesses to the crime were...