Review: Best in Show
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 3, 2013
I really enjoyed the storytelling vibe of the latest mystery featuring Los Angeles PI Roger Bowman and his cast of interesting characters--brainy wife Suzanne, gay former Seal and current nanny/chef/jack-of-all-trades Bruce, and junior detective/former spook Vincent. In this novel in the series Bowman is hired by the AKC board of directors to investigate funny business with regard to dog shows in the western US and Roger will tell us how the case goes every step of the way.As a narrator, Roger leans heavily on description, with much of the dialogue following that formula for consistency, and some of his wry observations are true gems. In particular, don't miss the descriptions of the different board members of the AKC, which are very clever with several laugh-out-loud bits.Mystery lovers will appreciate the homage paid to Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, with Bowman talking to a woman who wants to hire him but can't give specifics a la the opening of many Spenser novels, and the Pearl the Wonder Dog breed selected to be the canine star of the book.Dog lovers, especially those who know anything about show dogs, and those who like their mysteries more cerebral than noir--although be ready for a surprising bit of raw action towards the end--will enjoy this book.