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Three Oaks #3
Dog House
During a visit with his fiancee Beth's recently widowed aunt, John Cunningham becomes convinced that George Muir, Beth's uncle and a renowned wildlife artist, had been murdered while working in his studio. By the author of In Camera.
- GenresMystery
Audio Cassette
First published August 1, 1992
30 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Hammond
101 books20 followersGerald Hammond, (Gerald Arthur Douglas Hammond) son of Frederick Arthur Lucas (a physician) and Maria Birnie (a nursing sister) Hammond; married Gilda Isobel Watt (a nurse), August 20, 1952; children: Peter, David, Steven. Education: Aberdeen School of Architecture, Dip. Arch., 1952. He served in the British Army, 1944-45. Although born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, he worked in and retired to the country he most loved, Scotland.
He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.
His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.
He also writes under the names of Arthur Douglas and Dalby Holden. He was an architect for thirty years before retiring to write novels full-time in 1982. He has written over 50 novels since the late 1960s.
His novels center around guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, and dog training.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 3, 2023
November 22, 2022.
A sort of Dick Frances with dogs instead of horses. Great character development of both people and dogs.
A sort of Dick Frances with dogs instead of horses. Great character development of both people and dogs.
February 13, 2026
I'm reading the omnibus version and this is correctly the 2nd and not the 3rd book in the series but never mind. I won't explain the characters or the setting since this series should be read from the start. Spoilers ahead.
Beth's uncle George Muir (a noted painted) has died and has left her his puppy Lab and the choice of one of his paintings in his will. She drives over there with John to pick both up. When they get there, Hattie (the widow) explains that George died of an accident, his powder pot exploded when he was reloading his own shotgun cartridges. But when John looked at the scene of the crime he knew that wasn't the case. He felt that George had been murdered and went to the local police station to let them know that he didn't feel it was an accident.
There's a few small subplots that don't have anything to do with the main plot 1) Beth's cousin tries to trick Beth into taking another lab, one which didn't have the pedigree of the one she was willed. 2) Hattie's neighbor (Young) tried to trick her by offering absurdly low prices for George's Dickson shotgun and even her own house.
The mystery plotline is non-linear and a bit rambling until Beth solves it at the end. I felt it was like the last book where the author got fed up with the plot and just had Beth solve it through mental gymnastics.
Spoiled here, really don't read the next part if you don't want to know why. In the midst of all the investigations, the police found a series of sketches that George had drawn and it appeared George was a hound dog who slept with married women. One of the women was recognized as a customer's wife. And the customer was an engineer who engineered the death of his wife a short time back and now George and made them both look like accidents, the end.
I like this series for the characters, the setting and the dogs. The mystery part is just a bit meh but it won't stop me from continuing the series.
Beth's uncle George Muir (a noted painted) has died and has left her his puppy Lab and the choice of one of his paintings in his will. She drives over there with John to pick both up. When they get there, Hattie (the widow) explains that George died of an accident, his powder pot exploded when he was reloading his own shotgun cartridges. But when John looked at the scene of the crime he knew that wasn't the case. He felt that George had been murdered and went to the local police station to let them know that he didn't feel it was an accident.
There's a few small subplots that don't have anything to do with the main plot 1) Beth's cousin tries to trick Beth into taking another lab, one which didn't have the pedigree of the one she was willed. 2) Hattie's neighbor (Young) tried to trick her by offering absurdly low prices for George's Dickson shotgun and even her own house.
The mystery plotline is non-linear and a bit rambling until Beth solves it at the end. I felt it was like the last book where the author got fed up with the plot and just had Beth solve it through mental gymnastics.
Spoiled here, really don't read the next part if you don't want to know why. In the midst of all the investigations, the police found a series of sketches that George had drawn and it appeared George was a hound dog who slept with married women. One of the women was recognized as a customer's wife. And the customer was an engineer who engineered the death of his wife a short time back and now George and made them both look like accidents, the end.
I like this series for the characters, the setting and the dogs. The mystery part is just a bit meh but it won't stop me from continuing the series.
September 3, 2020
This is really Book 2
This is a clever series, even though, as a dedicated anti-gun person, I have trouble following some of the technical aspects. Also, in this book he is engaged and he and Beth acquire Jason, while in the book labeled 2, Whose Dog are You, he and Beth are married with Jason firmly entrenched. In either order, they are both clever plots
This is a clever series, even though, as a dedicated anti-gun person, I have trouble following some of the technical aspects. Also, in this book he is engaged and he and Beth acquire Jason, while in the book labeled 2, Whose Dog are You, he and Beth are married with Jason firmly entrenched. In either order, they are both clever plots
October 23, 2020
In this second (not third, as stated) installment of the series, John and Beth are engaged and investigate the suspicious death of her Uncle George, well-known nature artist and ladies man. They also acquire Jason the dog along the way. Full of dog and nature knowledge, gun information and loveable characters, this is thoroughly enjoyable.
August 30, 2020
Read the Dog Seried
It is too much effort to stop and review when one is in a read ing marathon. But it would be a disservice to a master plotter and writer. Just as Duck Francis wore horse stories, Mr. Hammond writes dog stories. Excellent work.
It is too much effort to stop and review when one is in a read ing marathon. But it would be a disservice to a master plotter and writer. Just as Duck Francis wore horse stories, Mr. Hammond writes dog stories. Excellent work.
July 5, 2021
Love these books
If you like Murder She Wrote you will love these stories. Found them by chance and I couldn’t be happier. Dogs, murder, humor and great friends. WhT could be better.
If you like Murder She Wrote you will love these stories. Found them by chance and I couldn’t be happier. Dogs, murder, humor and great friends. WhT could be better.
August 29, 2020
Good Mystery
Good combination of mystery and dog training. Some unusual twists and turns but it all works out in the end.
Good combination of mystery and dog training. Some unusual twists and turns but it all works out in the end.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews