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Title: Evil Breeding by Susan Conant ISBN: 0-553-58052-3 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.19 (16 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A dog book for non-doggy readers . . .
Comment: Sometimes, when a mystery or other novel contains an animal(s) as co-sleuth or even as companion, the author gets so carried away with how wonderful and splendid and grand the animal is, he or she tends to go overboard into the cutesy area. I admit that on occasion, I have not finished reading such books, because even though I generally do like animals, I prefer them to stay as an animal, and not assume human characteristics. Of course, should one such ever 'talk' to me (and make sense) I might change my mind.
This book however, carefully walks that tight-rope and never goes too far astray from what is a really cracker-jack plot. Recent history can be as fascinating as the farther away variety, as this book readily illustrates. Eugenics, whether applied to humans or animals, can be a fascinating topic of discussion; whether it should be practiced or not is another matter entirely.
Holly Winter, a writer and sometime dog-trainer, loves Alaskan Malamute Dogs. Of that there can be no question. When she lands an assignment to write the text for a photo book of a famous dog-lover, she has no idea where the tale will lead her. All the clues are nicely laid out, and the sprinkling of facts in with the fiction combine to educate as well as entertain the discerning reader. For instance, I have no idea if Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge ever really did exist, but I know that Isabella Stewart Gardner did--and left her home and immense fortune to founding the museum she named Fernway Court, and which was subsequently spectacularly robbed in 1990.
If this is a new trend--combining recent history with current day people and happenings--albeit in a rather historic setting (in this case Cambridge Massachusetts) then I'm all for it. I found this to be engaging and informative novel, and recommend it to readers of mystery novels--whether animal lovers or no.
Rating: 5
Summary: A wonderful writer gets even better
Comment: Susan Conant has once again provided her fans with a wonderful book and has written a wonderful book that ought to gain her some new fans. Her characterizations of the humans are vivid and convey the kind of understanding of human nature most of us think but rarely give voice to (e.g., upon meeting the kennel keeper, Holly describes his expression as indicating that he'd never found much about people to like and that she shouldn't bother to try to change his beliefs). Ms. Conant's characterizations of the animals and the relationships between people and animals (what hooked me in the first place) continue to delight and strike familiar chords. The plot moves well and continues to show the greater complexity of her more recent books, although the title probably pretty well gives away the ending, especially if the reader has much knowledge of eugenics. My only complaint (and this reflects my pro-dog bias) is that I'd like more on Rowdy and Kimi (and Tracker, too). Ever since Holly took the bet from Rita about writing about humans rather than dogs, Ms. Conant seems to have gone in that direction, too. Altogether - Love it and can't wait 'til the next one. Isn't it about time for Buck to resume showing his Golden puppy, have a competitor (who has been a competitor to the family for a long time and maybe was close at one time to Holly's mom) get murdered and Buck be accused? Perhaps Rowdy should have his services sold only to have a battle erupt with the dam's owner over a possible genetic flaw in the puppies due to Rowdy (not that Holly would knowingly breed if there were such a flaw). The puppies are puppy-napped, the dam's owner winds up dead and Holly winds up accused.
Rating: 1
Summary: Evil Breeding
Comment: Never have I disliked a main character as much as the woman in this book. The character was so self-centered, rude, arrogant and obsesssive about controlling her dogs that it interfered with the marginal plot.
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Title: The Barker Street Regulars by Susan Conant ISBN: 0553576550 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 05 January, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Wicked Flea: A Dog Lover's Mystery by Susan Conant ISBN: 042518885X Publisher: Prime Crime Pub. Date: 04 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Creature Discomforts by SUSAN CONANT ISBN: 0553580590 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 27 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Ruffly Speaking by Susan Conant ISBN: 0553294849 Publisher: Crime Line Pub. Date: 01 October, 1994 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Bloodlines by Susan Conant ISBN: 0553298860 Publisher: Crime Line Pub. Date: 01 December, 1993 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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