DOGHOUSE

This time out, Scottish dog-trainer-breeder John Cunningham (Whose Dog Are You?, 1991) becomes embroiled in a complex murder scheme when wildlife painter George Muir—an uncle of John's wife Beth—dies in a seemingly accidental explosion in his home studio. Visiting George's widow Hattie, John finds evidence that points to a deliberate killing, probably motivated by one of George's extramarital affairs. Red herrings abound as police Sergeant Gillian Bedale, Beth, John's partner Isobel Kitts, and Texan sportsman Ken Boyce hash over ways and means. All this takes place amid a welter of dog shows, shooting events, and training sessions, along with a flow of detailed information on hunting guns and their accoutrements. A far-fetched solution to the puzzle is hardly reward enough for the reader who persists to the end. Strictly for special interests.