I knew pretty early on who the stalker was but I was interested to know the how and why of it. This is the first in this series that I have read but I enjoyed it. I would read another and I would recommend the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Megan and Brigit are on the case of a gruesome murder and a con man fleecing people in a roofing scam all while celebrating a development that will change her (and Brigit's) life!

I love this series and stayed up very late to find out "whodunit". Megan is a wonderfully written, relatable character. She's kind, thoughtful and looks at all possibilities before jumping into danger. Her relationship with K-9 officer Brigit is so much fun and I enjoy the three "POV'S" from Megan, Brigit and the criminal. It brings so much more to the book. The murder is not graphic and it sets the stage for a mystery full of twists and turns!

You can read this as a standalone, but go back and catch up on their earlier cases...you'll love them!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Bending the Paw by Diane Kelly is the 9th book in the Paw Enforcement series, and another great addition. Texas police officer Megan Luz and her partner police dog, Brigit are called in by Detective Jackson to assist with a brutal murder, but no body is found. This is a great book with a wonderful story with well developed characters and plot. This book will keep you reading long into the night. I also love how Meg and her fiance get along. If you are looking for a good book/ series, I highly recommend this one. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Bending The Paw
Paw Enforcement, Book #9
Diane Kelly
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Make way for the long paw of the law as police officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner Brigit investigate a baffling new mystery in Bending the Paw, by Diane Kelly.


A MURDER WITHOUT A BODY IS LIKE A DOG WITHOUT A BONE

A bloodbath is a shocking new challenge for Megan and Brigit when Detective Audrey Jackson calls them to the scene of what could only be a brutal murder. But the one thing the nightmarish scene is missing is a victim. The frantic homeowner's husband is gone, seemingly without a trace--and so is the money he was holding. Has a vicious killer committed what might just be the perfect crime?

Meanwhile, it's hailing cats and dogs all over Fort Worth, and roofing contractors have descended on the city in droves. With plenty of damage and continuing storms, work delays are building up like so much runoff, but Megan is suspicious that one roofer may be a scam artist. Determined to leash every lawbreaker she and her K-9 partner find, Megan is building a case for prosecution, all while Brigit has her nose to the ground for a murderer...

"Be prepared for a laugh fest. Diane Kelly is first class."--Night Owl Romance (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Megan is a hard worker and loves to see justice overcome mayhem. When she gets called to a scene that is a bloodbath, it is obvious that someone was killed. But there is no body found, which makes it very difficult to solve the murder.She also has to find out if a roofing contractor is a crook or someone who is just having a run of bad luck. Oh yeah, she also has a wedding to plan. She has a lot on her plate. Brigit, Megan’s canine partner, just wants to chase the bad guys and have her snacks. The relationship between the two is heartfelt and heartwarming.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The book has three points of view--Megan’s, Brigit’s and the killer. Although I do not usually like that, in this case, it worked very effectively. I especially liked Brigit’s thoughts.

There were two mysteries to solve and I thought that they were both handled very well. The twist at the end of the book was really good and it took me completely by surprise.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystery. This series is really good and I cannot wait to read the next one.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I was given this novel by Netgalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Bending the Paw is the ninth book in the Paw Enforcement series by Diane Kelly, and I am happy to say that I have read the first two novels in this series, so I know that I love the characters. In the ninth installment, Officer Megan Luz and her K-9 Brigit are called by mentor Detective Jackson to a bloody crime scene. And that's all that it is. Blood with no body. When the spouse of the victim appears to have a air-tight alibi and no motive, the case begins to go cold.

In addition to assisting Detective Jackson, the duo must continue their usual patrol. During this time, a hailstorm has hit Fort Worth which means roof problems. When a neighbor makes a complaint against a roofing company, Megan must search through records, and use her own judgement to determine if the suspect is a crook or the real deal. Oh, and did we mention she just got engaged and has to plan her wedding?

I love this series so much. Its a cozy mystery about a female officer and her female K-9 companion. I enjoy the female empowerment with Megan, not just in her professional life, but her personal life as well. Megan is striving to become a detective, and she isn't letting anything stop her. She found another female detective who agrees to mentor her, but also gives her the reality of the situation.

Another aspect I enjoy is the layout of the story. There is a chapter from Megan's point of view, as well as from the culprit. However, there is a third point of view from Brigit the K-9 that I believe lends a line of originality and humor to the story. I, also, find those chapters to be very spot on coming from a dog's perspective, because I have 3 of my own and they act very similar to Brigit.

The crimes I have read about so far have been plausible with no hints of stretching the imagination. Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and cannot wait for book 10.

It's hard to decide what I liked best!

I want to say I liked the he location best.
But.
I want to say I liked how the book was written from the perspective of several of the characters. My favorite being Brigit the K9 officer.

And I want to say I liked the characters the best.

Or maybe even the plot/storyline after I got past the gory beginning. Yes I was surprised but.
Even with the surprising beginning
I loved this book!
I could not put it down. I did love the location and author Diane Kelly knows Fort Worth!
I did love the characters. The main character Megan is a strong willed determined, smart and caring Beat Cop aspiring to be a detective. And she is good at following clues. Even her mentor Detective Jackson realizes Megan's skill.
Even though I love Megan's character I wonder if I can root for her to become detective because what would happen to Brigit?

Megan's family makes a cameo appearance bringing the reader up to speed since Bending The Paw is book in the series. This is first one I have read but I am certain each one in the series is a standalone.
Author Kelly gives the reader enough background and history to lure you to wanting to read read l series.
I am looking forward to visiting Fort Worth again and hopefully see some of my favorite places developed into the next story line!

I received a complimentary copy from Net Galley.
My review will appear on retail sites Good Reads.
Bending the Paw will be promoted on social media and featured in future posts her and on My Journey Back the Journey Back.

This crime was exceptionally well researched and thought out. A strong police procedural, Bridgit's point of view added humor and a cozy warmth. The main characters are strong females. The third viewpoint offered (Slasher) showed human weaknesses. You almost felt compassion.

As Megan and her K-9 partner are following the clues toward answers in their bloody kitchen case, another crime comes into play. An unhappy home owner claims she is being scammed and protests loudly that the police are not taking her seriously. She demands someone take action and keep her informed,

The descriptions are precise, the cases muddy enough to cause suspicion in many directions.
This crime novel will appeal to all ages and genders.

**I received 'Bending the Paw' through NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review**

I'm so happy that I received 'Bending the Paw'! I enjoy a cozy mystery, especially when it involves adorable animals. What I especially love about Bending the Paw is that it offers insights from both Megan and her K9 Brigit. as they're solving a murder mystery. It has plenty of possible outcomes and delightful turns!

Reading 'Bending the Paw' made me want to check out Diane Kelly's other works. I'm looking forward to reading more about Megan and Brigit's adventures!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Office Megan Luz and the best partner ever, K-9 Sergeant Brigit are among my favorite cozy mystery teams. Megan wants to be a detective when she has been with the Fort Worth PD long enough. She has been invaluable help to Detective Audrey Jackson on several cases and Jackson is an excellent mentor.

Megan is called out with Brigit, the best partner ever, to a murder scene where she is warned to expect a lot of blood. Shelby, the weepy wife of her missing husband, Greg, came home to find a blood-splattered kitchen, as if one were mimicking the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. Is it a coincidence that it is Valentine’s Day? There is more blood than it seems is in the human body, but…there is no body!

Brigit sniffed around the kitchen while Megan took in the crime scene. There seemed to be three sets of footprints, different sizes, different wear patterns. A knife from the block was missing, and there were drag marks going to the garage. Since Greg’s car was missing, it is assumed he was put into the trunk of his own car and the bad guys left in it.

Shelby had an alibi for the entire day. After work, she and some co-workers went to have drinks, as Greg, a manager at a local movie theater, was working that evening. The two of them had reservations to go away for the weekend, so Regina, one of her co-workers, followed her home to meet the dog she would care for the pet in their absence. Shelby held onto hope that Greg would walk in the door any time, despite the amount of blood lost in the kitchen. All the photos of the couple around the home showed a couple still very much in love.

It was a few days before Greg’s empty, blood-stained car was found on a trail overlooking a river where divers were sent to search for anything that might have been dumped. All the divers found was the key ring and a bag of bloody clothes, shoes, and a steak knife. No fingerprints, no clues, and Brigit lost the scent trail when going back to the parking area. The trail was as cold as could be.

Two days later, Megan responded to a possible fraud call while out on her beat. A hailstorm had occurred, and roofing companies were either trying to drum up business from hail damage or their crews were hard at work. A woman had been signed a contract with a professional-looking roofing company rep, gave him a deposit, sent him to a couple of the neighbors who needed work done, and never heard back from his company. The salesman, Tommy Perkins, did not return her phone calls. While it is more of a civil suit than police case, Megan promised to look into it, copied the contract, and planned to do her research on it.

Researching a murder and a disappearing roofer and spending time with Seth, her firefighting sweetheart, leaves little time for Megan and Brigit! They love what they do, and I have been so impressed to see how much Megan has grown over the course of the series. I remember with glee the events leading to Megan being assigned as a K-9 handler and the rocky start she and Brigit had. The characters are defined so well, with enough backstory that a new reader can easily pick up on them. I wouldn’t suggest missing out on the earlier novels, as the author shares laugh-out-loud humor that really helps make the series a favorite. Megan and Brigit are stars in my book!

There are several plot twists, and few clues for even some of the best detectives to get any leads from! Megan is more determined than most and has several lightbulb moments throughout. I delighted in watching her sift through possible clues and how her ideas paid off…even when it didn’t seem like it would. There are excellent surprises that wrap up both cases! I especially enjoyed what happened with the roofing salesman! I was totally satisfied with the resolutions and am looking forward to the next in series. I highly recommend Bending the Paw as well as the rest of the series!

Bending the Paw, the 9th in the Paw Enforcement series, by Diane Kelly begins with a bloody crime scene and a missing husband /body. This cozy mystery is mostly told from the viewpoint of Megan, a Fort Worth policewoman and aspiring detective. There are also short, interspersed chapters that share the viewpoints of the police canine and one of the criminals . This was definitely an intriguing mystery with an ending that totally floored me! Once I began reading I couldn't put this cozy mystery down and I am anxiously awaiting future installments. 5 stars!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.

Bending the Paw is the ninth installment in Diane Kelly's Paw Enforcement series. I enjoyed this book immensely. Our main character, Megan Luz, is a police officer with the Fort Worth Police Department. Megan is definitely a protagonist you can root for. She is warm, genuine, determined, and clearly passionate about her job. Her K-9 partner Brigit is just adorable and adds plenty of humor to the story. The relationship between the two is very heartwarming and they make a great team.

In this installment, Megan and Brigit are called in to help investigate the disappearance of a man named Greg Olsen. His wife Shelby came home to find blood everywhere but no sign of her husband. Along with Greg's disappearance, Megan is also investigating a home repair scam.
This was a gripping, lighthearted police procedural, with engaging characters and a well-plotted mystery that will keep you on your toes. I enjoyed getting to know Megan and following her perspective as she tries to piece together what happened to Greg Olsen. We also get the perspective of the culprit, which makes the story even more intriguing. There was never a dull moment in this book and I thought the twist was really clever.
All in all, an enjoyable read that works perfectly as a standalone. I will definitely be reading more from this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Luz is a police officer in Texas whose partner is Brigit, a K-9 officer. When called to a crime scene, they find a bloodbath in the kitchen and a missing husband. What makes this book different from a typical cozy, is the fact that the story is told via three viewpoints--Megan, Brigit and the perpetrator. The story moves quickly and draws you in from the beginning. The characters are engaging. All in all, fun and interesting book. I will have to go back and pick up earlier books in the series. Recommended!

I've really enjoyed this series, ever since I started it. I just love how we get a bad guy's perspective, Megan's, and then Brigit's. I love Megan and Brigit's relationship, and I love watching them solve crimes. It's a great cozy mystery read!

Once we have the prologue, which chapter 1 we dive right back where we ended with the previous book, which was really fantastic, I loved watching them tell her family their news! And watching the wedding planning in between solving crime was really great!

I had a suspicion about the main case. I just didn't want it to go one way, so I though of a possibility where it didn't. And when Megan thinks of it, well, I was pretty glad, because like I said, I didn't want it to go in that one direction!

The way that the smaller case was solved was pretty poetic, and I enjoyed how it, and the main mystery, were solved. Megan was smart and she was through, and I enjoyed seeing Megan get another win, to get more experience under her belt, to one day make her goal and dream of becoming a detective!

This was a really great, fun read, I really enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the next installment!

The ninth book in the Paw Enforcement series by Diane Kelly. Officer Megan and her K-9 partner Brigit investigate a possible murder. The crime scene contains more blood than a person could survive losing, but there is no body.

Told using multiple points of view, including Megan and Brigit. Megan is likable, hardworking, and quick witted. Brigit is a delightful dog with amusing viewpoints.

Bending the Paw is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. That said, I recommend reading the books in order to better understand the characters.

A fun mystery. An enjoyable addition to the series. Humorous, cozy, and entertaining.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a great cozy mystery series. I have read a couple in this series, and was looking forward to revisiting these characters. It was a great mystery. this can be read as a stand alone.

Bending the Paw by Diane Kelly
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Bending the Paw is the ninth book the Paw Enforcement series by Diane Kelly. I have not read the previous books in the series, but I fell in love with that gorgeous German Shephard on the cover and knew I just had to read this book! This book worked really well as a standalone novel and was easy to get drawn into.

This was a captivating police procedural/cozy mystery. I loved reading the storyline from law enforcement's perspective, as well as the criminal's. Also, there are some really cute chapters from Brigit's perspective (she is the true star, after all)!

I look forward to reading the previous books in the series, as well as the future books! I can't wait to find out what happens next!

I'm so grateful to Diane Kelly, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I've read in this long standing series (this is the ninth) but it was extremely easy to follow and could function as a standalone.

The book has an interesting format-chapters are told in the POV of the main character, police officer Megan and her canine partner Brigit as well as the main character involved in a grisly murder. Megan is a likeable character, she's recently became engaged to her firefighter boyfriend who also works with a canine, bomb sniffing partner. Megan and Brigit are called to assist on a bloody murder scene with no body. Megan is appreciative of the opportunity and the mentors she's had to date in her career (did I say likeable character) and she offers a fresh perspective as they try to discover what happened. There is also a secondary situation with a roofing salesman-is he genuine, or running a scam due to recent hail damage.

Both mysteries are wrapped up well, with plenty of leg work and deductive reasoning that we get to follow along with and even a stroke of dumb luck. I enjoyed the romantic element as well as Megan's relationship with her family and roommate.

I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to future installments as well as discovering the backlist.

I received an ARC via NetGalley but the opinions expressed are my own.

Diane Kelly has written a very interesting novel around the question of blood loss. Medical science explains that a person will expire with the loss of two quarts. Megan Luz and her K-9 partner are called to a grizzly scene where there is blood everywhere but no body! The K-9 partners’ name is Bridgit and together they begin to examine the scene to see if she can trace the victim’s whereabouts.

Diane Kelly has presented this tale from three and sometimes 4 POVs, the perpetrator, the detective, the dog and the aspiring detective, Megan Luz. The trail ends near the garage where the body was supposedly loaded into the back of a car for disposal.

Very little evidence is available as to what type of weapon was used to slash the victim. Meanwhile other crimes in the Fort Worth area are happening which keep our beat K-9 duo occupied. Weather related storm damage and the need for repair acts as a magnet for unscrupulous individuals to harvest money from other peoples misfortune.

Megan responds quickly to the needs of the lead detective, Ms. Jackson, whenever called. Many crimes can be solved with the assistance of a highly trained police dog. Diane Kelly writes from the perspective of the dog and at times it is very enlightening. Working on one case confuses the animal who recognizes a possible scent of the criminal in the other crime. Yes, the answer can be as plain as the nose on your face, particularly if you are a dog!

The conclusion is very entertaining and I did not expect it. Dogged police work (pun intended) helped to solve the case. I highly recommend this book to those who would like to learn some interesting police procedures while being totally entertained. 5 stars - CE Williams

Thank you Sara Beth Haring of St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this complimentary review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

Megan Luz is a police officer and Brigit her partner is a trusty canine, and they are on their way to try and solve a new mystery. When they arrive at the scene, it looks like a brutal murder has taken place but there is no body, just a lot of blood. Now they have a frantic wife and a missing husband who must be dead after all that blood left at the scene.

On the other side of town after a major hailstorm, it looks like a shady contractor Is up to no good and Megan and Brigit offer to help the people track him down. Megan just will not give up trying to figure out what this contractor is up to while still trying to solve the murder.

While this is the ninth book in the Paw Enforcement series by Diane Kelly, I did read it as a stand a lone novel. I would like to go back though and read the series from the beginning as I adored Diane Kelly’s writing style and the characters in the story. The story was also told by three different views, Megan’s, the antagonist, and Brigit. I enjoyed the unique twist and especially liked Brigit’s point of view. This series will be going to the top of my cozy mystery list and I would love to thank Diane Kelly, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

It's Release Day!!

I can't believe we're on book 9! This has been one of my favourite series for quite some time. Every book I find myself excited to be riding along with Officers Megan and Bridget again!

This book picks up immediately where the last one left off. Seth and Megan are a great couple and I have a feeling the next book will have something to do with their wedding and I am here for it!

As always, the chapters from Bridget's perspective had me laughing. Getting inside the mind of the canine main character is one of the things that sets this series apart and I always look forward to seeing Bridget's perspective on what is happening.

In terms of the mystery, I did enjoy it but it wasn't my favourite of the series. I did guess who The Slasher was before the end of the book however that did not mean I enjoyed it any less. It was not glaringly obvious from the beginning and I definitely enjoyed the unraveling of mystery.

I will definitely be picking up Book 10 when it releases (I can't wait to see what punny title it gets)!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an e-ARC of Bending The Paw in exchange for an honest review.