The Long Paw of the Law

by Diane Kelly

Overview

Texas police officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner Brigit have come a long way, baby.

A BUNDLE OF JOY. A DOG-EAT-DOG WORLD. . .

One night, while on duty with her four-legged crime-fighting companion, Meg gets an urgent call from her boyfriend Seth, who works for the Fort Worth fire department. A baby girl has turned up at the station with only two clues to her identity: One is a peace-sign symbol stitched into her blanket. The other is a word, written in string: help.

Megan follows every loose thread and, along with Brigit, ends up on a twisted path that leads to the People of Peace compound, the site of a religious sect on the outskirts of the city. Its leader, Father Emmanuel, keeps his followers on a short leash—and his enemies even closer. Could this be the abandoned baby’s original home? And if so, why was she cast out? Now that Megan and Brigit are on the case, the secrets of this reclusive cult are bound to be dug up. . .

Diane Kelly is back with The Long Paw of the Law, the seventh installment in her drool-worthy Paw Enforcement series.

“Four Paws Up! This is a fabulous series that is sure to win the hearts of mystery fans and dog lovers alike!” —Books and Trouble

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250390196
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/30/2018
Series:	Paw Enforcement Series , #7
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	387,671
Product dimensions:	4.12(w) x 6.75(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

2018-08-21

A message sewn in an abandoned newborn's blanket appears to be a cry for help, but a local police officer determined to investigate isn't sure where to start.

Fort Worth Police Officer Megan Luz wonders at first why her boyfriend, Seth, has called her down to the fire station where he works. It turns out that Seth has something of interest to Megan both personally and professionally: a baby someone dropped off at the station in accordance with the Texas Safe Haven Statute, which promises that parents can drop off newborns without legal sanctions. Megan isn't so sure that the man who dropped off the newborn is the father, especially when she finds the small word "help" stitched into the baby's blanket. Though Megan, who aspires to be a detective, wants to investigate, she's not sure what she's looking for. Luckily, the blanket holds another clue in the form of a mysterious symbol that connects the newborn to the local community People of Peace, and Megan and Detective Audrey Jackson start their inquiries by asking questions there. Though the People of Peace may claim to be peaceful, they certainly aren't interested in answering questions, especially not when Megan and her K-9 partner, Brigit, seek to gain access to the compound. As Megan's story unfolds, her chapters are interspersed with those focused on Juliette, a cult member forced to give up her baby and told by the leaders that the child has died. While Juliette struggles to escape, Megan works to stay strong and trust her gut even when the evidence isn't in her favor. With Brigit's help, Seth's support, and her own ingenuity, Megan is determined to save the day.

Kelly's series style (Enforcing the Paw, 2017, etc.) of presenting chapters in alternating voices gives readers a chance to experience the icky cult setting, the heroine's warm albeit square side, and the full-on silliness of Brigit's canine voice.

Kirkus Reviews