A New Leash On Death

Holly Winter takes her dog to obedience trials only to find a training session ends in murder.

"Wounded souls of all shapes and sizes, human and animal alike, tug at the heartstrings and evoke the right blend of tears as well as laughter."—RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 star, TOP PICK! First in a fresh contemporary romance series from award-winning debut author Debbie Burns. Every heart has a forever home. Megan Anderson loves the animals at her no-kill shelter. She'll do anything for them—even go toe-to-toe with a handsome man who's in way over his head. She'll help him sort out his troubles, but getting too close to an adorable puppy's human counterpart? Been there, done that, got burned. When Craig Williams arrived at the local shelter for help, he didn't expect a fiery young woman to blaze into his life. But the more time they spend together, the more he realizes it's not just animals Megan is adept at saving—she could be the one to rescue his heart. Soon, Craig and Megan find that the magic of unconditional love can do anything...even lead to their forever home.

Holly Winter, a writer and amateur sleuth, and her adopted Alaskan malamute, Rowdy, team up to track down a killer lurking at a dog show

From the author of the picture book phenomenon The Invisible String comes a moving companion title about coping with grief when a pet dies. "When our pets aren't with us anymore, an Invisible Leash connects our hearts to each other. Forever." That's what Zack's friend Emily tells him after his dog dies. Zack doesn't believe it. He only believes in what he can see. But on an enlightening journey through their neighborhood—and through his grief—he comes to feel the comforting tug of the Invisible Leash. And it feels like love. Accompanied by tender. uplifting art by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, bestselling author Patrice Karst's gentle story uses the same bonding technique from her classic book The Invisible String to help readers through the experience of the loss of a beloved animal.

Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.

Dog trainer Jane Connor has always preferred the company of canines, so when her kennel is destroyed in an Arizona wildfire, she finds her whole world in ashes. Jane managed to rescue all the animals, but her status as a local hero won’t pay the bills. Soon she’s reluctantly agreeing to work on a reality TV series about life on the dog show circuit–starring herself and her golden retriever, Shadow. Jane has complete confidence in Shadow’s star quality–until she sets eyes on their chief competitor:an irritatingly perfect little papillon! Worse, the dog is attached at the leash to hunky Cole Forrest. Jane can hardly hide her attraction off-camera, so how will she conceal it from a national audience? It’s exactly the kind of distraction she doesn’t need. But in a summer of surprises, Jane just might discover that an old dog learn new tricks–when love is the treat. From the Paperback edition.

Retired high school teacher Gwen Franklin has a new pet valet business with her BFF, and a whole new leash on life. But a killer is about to come sniffing around . . . Gwen Franklin is looking forward to spending her retirement drinking her favorite coffee and reading mystery novels. Those peaceful plans are brought to heel by her best friend, Nora. Sporting stiletto heels, leggings, and a “more is better” makeup routine, fifty-something Nora Goldstein has a penchant for marrying—and divorcing—rich men. Now that Gwen’s got free time, Nora figures they should start a dog-walking and pet-sitting service together. But it’s far from a walk in the park when the corpse of Linda Fletcher is found in Nora’s kitchen. Linda was Nora’s nemesis, and the large knife protruding from her chest points to murder. With no doubt that her bestie’s being framed, Gwen puts her sleuthing skills—acquired from reading every Agatha Christie mystery—to the test as she digs through suspects, including four disgruntled ex-husbands, ten greedy ex-stepchildren, not to mention all her exes’ exes. But with death threats and another body surfacing, can Gwen curb a killer before her own (dog) days come to an end?