Without Missing A Bark

Dog-nappings are an owner's worst nightmare. When three rare, expensive, and sought after puppies go missing within a few days of each other, Olivia doesn’t even need to be asked to take the case. Her clients are like family and she can’t stand to see a family grieve over their missing canine member. But when the investigation leads her to a local jeweler’s Olivia reveals to her best friend that she’s ready to make things official with Andrew. In her shock, Jackie lets it slip that Andrew was thinking the same thing (and has a new ring to prove it!). Olivia decides to beat Andrew to the punch. How better to show her stellar level of commitment than proposing first. But the best blabbermouth seems to have tipped off Andrew too. Now, they’re playing a game of keep your friends close and your soon-to-be-spouse closer, which Andrew cements by asking to come along on this case. But when the missing puppies lead to the murder of a well-known (and well hated) romance advice columnist, Olivia and Andrew’s feelings will be tested. Not just in the battle for the bridal win, but in sifting through suspects who wanted to kill the author for ruining their love lives. Olivia and Andrew are in a rush to find who done it, before the investigation does away with their engagement.

Olivia Rickard has turned over a new leaf. She’s done with outside investigations. Olivia has decided that, to be a better girlfriend, she’s going to turn a blind eye to the mysteries in town. Besides, her sister Janelle is acting fishy enough lately. For Olivia, that mystery is more important to solve than finding out where Andrew’s missing report is. However, Andrew isn’t letting this particular bone go. He’s worried about his coworker, and scared that something might be very, very wrong. Olivia tries to track down Hattie and her missing data so Andrew can present the report to his fullest potential. But when Olivia finds more than one suspect sneaking around Hattie’s house, her gut begins to ping and Olivia’s sheepdog, Goodwin agrees. Sure enough, Hattie Dominick is nowhere to be found, and there’s ice cream melting on her porch. Now time is ticking away faster than the Rocky Road. The Police Chief’s hands are tied and it seems like Olivia is the only person searching for this lost soul. Olivia will need to accept that she’s born for this sleuthing thing, because giving up on the hunt could mean giving up on ever finding Hattie.

Series statement from publisher's website.

A warm, uplifting story about a boy, his dog, and the healing power of music marks a first-time collaboration between two former Irish Children’s Laureates, Eoin Colfer and P.J. Lynch. Patrick has been desperate for a dog of his own for as long as he can remember, and this summer, with his father away, he longs for a canine friend more than ever. Meanwhile, in his short doggy life, Oz has suffered at the hands of bad people. Somewhere out there, he believes, is an awesome boy — his boy. And maybe, when they find each other, Oz will learn to bark again. Illustrated in light charcoal by two-time Kate Greenaway Medalist P.J. Lynch, this heartwarming story by Eoin Colfer, internationally best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl series, is certain to enchant.

Gabriel Lees world comes crashing down on a sunny summer day in Southern California. His fathers untimely death forces the Lee family to abandon life as they knew it in Westminster and return to their ancestral roots in rural Michigan. Gabriels emotional wound is quickly shadowed by the cultural shock of trying to adapt to new surroundings. Generational family secrets soon reveal why his parents made their western migration. He learns that he is not the only one suffering, that there is no opportunity to practice courage without experiencing fear, and that our pain is a necessary aspect of emotional growth.

A “superb blend of personal essays and journalistic articles” on everything from fatherhood to writing workshops to jazz musicians (Chicago Sun-Times). “At once subtle and dazzling,” these pieces—collected from such publications as Esquire, Harper’s Magazine, and GQ—serve as both a wide-ranging journey through topics like art and music and an autobiographical look into the life of one of our most acclaimed literary figures, the author of such books as Stop-Time and Body & Soul and a director of the renowned Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa (Publishers Weekly). “[An] interesting and well-done anthology. Conroy takes on such topics as learning to play pool, fatherhood, the value of now-disappearing small towns in instilling family values, the enthusiasms of jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, and, of course, the Writers’ Workshop.” —Library Journal “Highly enjoyable and illuminating . . . Dogs Bark is simply one of the best books published in a long, long time.” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Mel's enemy may be barking up the wrong tree . . . But someone is about to become a killer. Melinda Langston, amateur sleuth and Bow Wow Boutique owner, finds herself "Glamping Under the Stars" with a blackmailer, Orange County's hottest new gourmet pet chef, Addison Rae. But before Mel can put an end to Addison's strong-arming, the chef is found dead. Mel is just one of many suspects who had motive to snuff out the demanding chef. Was it Redmond, the angry sous chef who detested working for Addison? What about rival chef, Pepper Maddox? The glamping chef gig was hers until Addison blackmailed her way into the job. And then there's Asher, a charming fellow camper whose past relationship with Addison isn't the only secret he's guarding. Mel's not one to tuck tail and run, even when it looks like she may be the next victim. Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets--Sparkle (Mary Lee's cat) and Abbey (Anita's dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and, depending on the time of day, with either an iced tea or a margarita. Visit them at sparkleabbey.com.