Paw of the Jungle

by Diane Kelly

Overview

"Police officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner in crime, Brigit, are on all fours as they try to solve their latest Lone Star mystery. The weather is beautiful, work is slow, and her canine colleague could use a walk. What better day for Megan to take Brigit to the Fort Worth Zoo, where they can let loose and witness the law and order of nature unfold? But what begins as a fun field trip turns serious when a pair of rare hyacinth macaws named Fabiana and Fernando goes missing. Is the new custodian, a gentle soul who happens to be an ex-convict, to blame? Or is something far more sinister afoot? The birds are worth thousands of dollars, and the list of people on the premises who might have stolen them is long. Soon other animals start disappearing. . .and Megan and Brigit have their hands and paws full of suspects. But when a rare black rhino is taken from the zoo, presumably for its black-market-friendly horn, time is of the essence. Can Megan and Brigit find out who's behind the mystery--before they too become prey?"--

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250384669
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/26/2019
Series:	Paw Enforcement Series , #8
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.37(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.82(d)

About the Author

Diane Kelly is a former state assistant attorney general and tax advisor who spent much of her career fighting, or inadvertently working for, white-collar criminals. She is also a proud graduate of the Citizens Police Academy of Mansfield, Texas. Diane combines her fascination with crime and her love of animals in her stories, which include the Paw Enforcement series, the House-Flipper Mysteries, and the Mountain Lodge Mysteries. Diane now lives in North Carolina, where she spends her days catering to her demanding cats or walking her dogs in the region’s beautiful woods.

Editorial Reviews

A Kings River Life Magazine Favorite book of 2019!

"Police offer, K-9 partner, and poacher have complex inner worlds in this tale. Well, police officer and poacher do."—Kirkus

"A complete winner . . . While part of a series, this cozy can be read as a stand-alone and will be appreciated by animal lovers. Recommended for readers of Spencer Quinn's "Chet and Bernie" books."—Library Journal

"Irresistibly unput-downable with its trademark complex plots and crazy characters. Paw of the Jungle is simply the best, paws down!"—Romance Junkies

"[Paw of the Jungle has] the wry commentary sure to bring a smile to any dog owner's face. The extensive background of the zoo, the illicit trading of exotic animals, and the hunting ranches in Texas bring to mind Carl Hiaasen's novels based in the Everglades."—Booklist

From the Publisher

2019-09-02
When animals go missing from a Texas zoo, an officer and her K-9 colleague investigate as the poacher tries to stay under the radar.

Megan Luz lives her love for animals on the job every day as a K-9 officer with the Fort Worth Police. The dog she works with, Brigit, is Megan's partner, friend, and a voice in interspersed chapters throughout the series (The Long Paw of the Law, 2018, etc.). Further chapters this time are presented from the viewpoint of The Poacher, a man whose identity Megan must uncover. The poaching starts small, with the disappearance of Hyacinth macaws Fabian and Fernando from the zoo. New hire Danny Landis is dismissed over the crime, and though he asserts his innocence, he's the reader's most likely suspect, and Megan's too. Megan's love of animals spurs her determination to solve the crime as more, larger, and pricier animals go missing. The Poacher, meanwhile, is drawn in surprising detail and given complex motivations, like a family that inspires his criminal escalation, making him more nuanced than a cut-and-dried villain. Though she's not sure it will help, Megan, along with Brigit, gets an assist from her boyfriend, Seth, whose role as a firefighter and whose own K-9 colleague, Blast, just might give Megan the edge she needs to figure out who's behind the animal thefts. Crime-fighting aside, sharing insights from the case turns out to be a good way for Megan to connect with Seth, and Brigit with Blast—an ability that's especially valuable because Seth's newest paramedic colleague is a cute 20-something with her eye on Seth.

Police officer, K-9 partner, and poacher have complex inner worlds in this tale. Well, police officer and poacher do.

Kirkus Reviews