Talisman (Temptation)

Laurien Berenson

Romance

Harlequin, Mills & Boon

Winner Take All

Contemporary

HARLEQUIN)

Lucky In Love (Harlequin Temptation, No. 255)

Paranormal

Four-time Winner of the Maxwell Award for Fiction from the Dog Writers Association of America Melanie Travis tracks down the owners of a Dachsund puppy that's being auctioned for charity.

Hot Dog: A Melanie Travis Mystery

Literature & Fiction

United States

Thorndike Press

Murder's on the ticket when intrepid poodle breeder Melanie Travis travels to Maryland for a world-famous dog show where the competition isn't the only thing that's cutthroat.…There are dog shows. And then there's The Poodle Club of America National Specialty Dog Show. For poodle purists, it's the pinnacle of the season, drawing competitors and spectators from all over the world.Once in Maryland, Melanie is put to work selling raffle tickets by the co-chairs of the raffle committee, Betty Jean and Edith Jean Boone. Sixty-ish steel magnolias from the South, the reclusive sisters make few appearances. But this year, they have a silver Toy puppy that has already caused quite a buzz on the show circuit.While the poodles remain well behaved, it's their owners and handlers who start acting up. And when Betty Jean is found dead at the host hotel, murder takes center stage. But this is the PCA―and the show must go on. As Edith Jean staunchly resumes her duties, Melanie starts searching for clues, and comes up with a compelling cast of suspects whose actions prove that in the dog-eat-dog world of showing, a life can be as easily lost as a blue ribbon. And that unlike cats, dogs―and their owners―have only one to risk.…

Best in Show (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 10)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Mystery

Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio

With her former fiancé off finding himself, Melanie Travis figures the only ring she'll be seeing in the near future is one where she's showing her prized poodles. But love is still in the air for her brother Frank, who is about to tie the knot with his sweetheart, Bertie Kennedy. With scant knowledge of tulle, favors, or cocktail hors d'oeuvres, Melanie happily leaves the nuptial arrangements to Sara Bentley, a fellow dog handler moonlighting as a wedding coordinator. But when Sara suddenly vanishes, a panicked Bertie gives Melanie a choice: either pinch-hit for Sara—or find out where she is. Opting for the latter, Melanie begins sniffing around into Sara's past—and unearths big trouble when Sara's cottage burns to the ground and a woman's body is found in the rubble.There are plenty of people with grudges against Sara—from Maris Kincaid, a disgruntled dog groomer; to Debra Silver, a competitor whose dog had been poisoned a decade ago; to Josh Bennett, her embittered ex-boyfriend. Even Sara's own family seems oddly unconcerned about her disappearance…but are the blue-blooded Bentleys cold-blooded enough to kill one of their own? Melanie soon realizes that despite the best-laid plans, anything can happen. And when it comes to Sara Bentley, nothing is certain—except that it's up to Melanie to stop a murderer in his—or her—tracks.…

Once Bitten (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 8)

Between her boisterous sons and a house full of Poodles, there's never a dull moment for Melanie Travis. But no matter how hectic life gets, she can always pick up the scent of a howling good mystery—and she'll stop at nothing to dig up the truth.It's summer in Connecticut, and Melanie's life has become an endless string of dog shows, soccer camp, and the antics of her energetic toddler. She hardly has time to pay much attention to her Aunt Peg's new protégé, Nick Walden, a self-proclaimed "dog whisperer" with an uncanny gift for decoding dog-speak. The well-heeled dog owners of Fairfield County are lapping up his alleged talents, anxious to discover exactly what their pampered pets are thinking—that is until the pooches start spilling their secrets.When Nick is discovered dead in his home, his sister Claire enlists Melanie to help track down the killer. Now, as she juggles the demands of marriage and motherhood—not to mention her six beloved Poodles—Melanie can scarcely even begin to nose through the growing list of suspects. But just when she thinks she's barking up the wrong tree, she'll find herself face to face with a purebred murderer.

Death of a Dog Whisperer (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 17)

Win, place, or die. The apparent heart attack that killed kennel owner Max Turnbull has left seven pups in mourning, and his wife Peg suspecting foul play. But the only evidence is their missing prize pooch—a pedigreed poodle named Beau. Enter Melanie Travis. With her young son happily ensconced in day damp, the 30-something teacher and single mother is talked into investigating her uncle's death—unofficially, of course. Posing as a poodle breeder in search of the perfect stud, Melanie hounds Connecticut's elite canine competitions and finds an ally in fellow breeder Sam Driver. But her affection cools when she's put on the scent of Sam's questionable past…and hot on the trail of a poodle-hating neighbor and one elusive murderer who isn't ready to come to heel. For as Melanie soon discovers, in a championship dog-eat-dog world the instinct for survival, and winning, can prove fatal.

Pedigree to Die For, A (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 1)

Literary

The dog days of summer have just begun, and Melanie Travis is looking forward to savoring each lazy afternoon. And where better to enjoy herself than at her Aunt Peg's Fourth of July barbeque? It sounds ideal, until an uninvited guest proves that even the laziest dog day of the year can suddenly turn vicious.Melanie knew someone should have kept Barry Turk on a short leash. The star Poodle handler and lady killer had a habit of chicanery that bred contempt in the dog show circuit. But when Barry is shot dead in his own driveway, even Melanie is stunned at how unsporting the competition can get. Now, as Melanie digs for clues deep under Connecticut's well-groomed surface, she finds herself sniffing around in the killer's own backyard, and counts herself lucky to have the animal instincts to keep herself alive.

Hair of the Dog (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 4)

Humor & Satire

It's autumn in Connecticut. Melanie Travis has just started a new job, and with the added excitement of showing her Standard Poodle, Faith, in the fall shows, the last thing she wants is to become embroiled in yet another of her brother Frank's moneymaking schemes. His current brainstorm—remaking an old store in stylish suburban Fairfield County into a trendy coffee bar—already has the neighbors snarling. Worse, wealthy Marcus Rattigan, who's bankrolling the project, is found murdered on the premises, and the police think Frank did it. Always the family watchdog, and faced with Frank's imminent arrest, Melanie has no choice but to take on the investigation. Drawing on her connections in the dog world, Melanie is soon successfully unmuzzling the dead man's nearest and dearest, including a bitter ex-wife, a spurned mistress, and an ambitious second in command. But Melanie is about to learn that being a watchdog can sometimes be dangerous—especially when every clue she uncovers leads her one step closer to a murderer who is desperate enough to kill again.…

Watchdog (A Melanie Travis Mystery, 5)

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Books by Laurien Berenson