With “vivid prose, breakneck plotting,” this mystery about a PI and canine partner tracking a murderous dog cloning operation is “a crackling good story” (Publishers Weekly).
Sophie Gordon has forged a strong bond with her service dog, Blanche, who helps Sophie live a full life, despite her epilepsy. So when a veterinarian’s office offers to clone Blanche so that Sophie will never be without a canine companion who can sense a seizure coming and act as a medical alert, Sophie doesn’t hesitate. But when the puppy she receives has none of the remarkable qualities of her beloved support dog, Sophie returns to the vet for answers, only to find the office has disappeared without a trace.
Enter private investigator Rachel Alexander and her trusty canine partner, Dashiell. But just as Rachel and Dash begin investigating the fraudulent cloning operation, Sophie is found dead, apparently of a seizure. With his keen nose for trouble, Dash knows better, sending Rachel on the dangerous trail of a killer. . . .
“One of the series’ best. Benjamin's human and canine characters are vivid; the story’s pace is as quick and sure as a sled drawn by Samoyeds; and the mystery itself is edgy and difficult to solve.” —Booklist
Praise for the Rachel Alexander and Dash Mysteries
“One of the best private eye series around.” —Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Fool Me Once
“Rachel Alexander is someone who holds your interest and makes you keep turning the pages.” —Nevada Barr, New York Times–bestselling author of Flashback
“Benjamin’s work [is] first rate.” —The Plain Dealer
Carol Lea Benjamin is the author of the Rachel Alexander and Dash mystery novels, which feature a Greenwich Village–based private investigator and her pit bull sidekick. This Dog for Hire, the first book in the series, won the Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel. Benjamin has also been a teacher, worked as a private investigator, trained dogs, and written dog-training manuals such as Mother Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog. She lives in New York City with her husband and two dogs.