Howl Deadly

Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mystery #8

by Linda O. Johnston

Kendra?s weekend getaway with gorgeous millionaire Dante DeFrancisco turns chilling when a mother she-wold goes missing from Dante?s pet sanctuary. Now Kendra must find her?along with a killer hiding right before her eyes.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Animals

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 28, 2009

About the author

Linda O. Johnston's first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year. Since then, Linda has had more short stories and novellas published, plus, by the end of 2018, she will have had fifty novels published, including mysteries and romance.

Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.

Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.

Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this one a while ago but I remember I felt an intense dislike for the main character. If this were a real person I would run as far and as fast as I could in the other direction.

Kendra is, at best, a complete narcissist though her actions suggest she might even be a sociopath. This character is completely wrapped up in herself and herself alone. The way she treats the people around her is despicable. She regularly fluffs off her (professional) pet sitting duties, cancelling, uncancelling, and recancelling on a whim, taking advantage not just of her clients' trust but of those who must pick-up her slack. She also plays her old boyfriend (and admits to doing so) -e.g. taking him to romantic restaurants, etc. in order to keep him interested in her, and hopeful about getting back together, just so that she can use him for his PI skills and information. She then claims 'I don't know why he thinks there is hope for us, just because we went out (on this date-like evening) that does not mean he should think I care for him in that way'. She adds to her horrible treatment of others by also using the ex-boyfriend's office assistant to get what she wants. Finally, she is using her current boyfriend, including playing a nasty trick that could have gotten him in a great deal of trouble just because she felt entitled to have whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it. Oh, and when talking about the current boyfriend she only ever mentions (and every time the boyfriend is mentioned she always mentions) his good looks and his wealth - apparently both are useful to her and characteristics such as compatibility, intelligence, sense of humour, common interests, etc. mean nothing to Kendra.

I have to admit, I also wondered about the author, Linda O. Johnston. I have seen other over the top, narcissistic, or similar characters in novels. However, in these other cases, the authors seem fully aware of their characters' personality flaws. These are written in for dramatic effect, to aid the plot, etc. Johnston, however, writes this horrific character as if using and taking advantage of everyone that a person meets is an entirely normal and acceptable form of behaviour. I am just glad that I am never have to interact with either of them again.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, the story itself was good, but I agree with some other reviewers: Kendra was kind of irritating. Keeping her old boyfriend on the string, going out with him and kissing him, then wondering why he expected to get back together. And going places alone with Dante, even though she suspects he might be a murderer, for the second time. And expecting her coworkers at the office and her employees at her pet-sitting business to drop everything at the drop of a hat to cover for her while she goes out investigating. I’ve got another book by this author so I’ll read it but won’t get any more.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just OK for this series. The culprit was a little easy to figure out.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really a 2 1/2 star book for me. I love the writer's style and find her so easy to read. The story just did not seem to hang together for me and I found myself disliking Kendra alot.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kendra Ballantyne, pet-sitter and lawyer extraordinaire, is officially "seeing" enigmatic pet store mogul Dante DeFrancisco. On a trip to see the wildlife sanctuary he is a major donor for, Kendra gets to meet a mama wolf and her pups. She also gets to meet many of the staff and caretakers, including a man named the ridiculously common Jon Doe, a couple of volunteers Krissy and Anthony, and even the director Megan. Then the mama wolf goes missing and Kendra and Dante join the people trying to find her and caring for her pups. Not long after the caretaker Jon Doe is killed and it looks like the local authorities are zeroing in on Dante. Now Kendra has two mysteries as well as her usual pet-sitting duties and lawyerly ADR to juggle. But she is certain Dante didn't murder Jon Doe...she thinks. Worried for the pups and mama, the direction the cops are headed, and who might be threatening her, she devises a clever plan to force the killer's and kidnapper's hands.

[Nd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a silly and sometimes funny murder mystery surrounding protagonist, "murder magnet," and in most aspects of her life super woman Kendra Ballantyne. She's an attorney who owns and runs Critter TLC and does much of the critter sitting herself when she is not following her infatuation with wealthy boyfriend Dante DeFrancisco whose entrepreneurship also is heavily involved with pets and wildlife. She and Dante left L.A. to visit Hot Wildlife and see the newly-found mother wolf and her three pups. Shortly thereafter the mother disappeared. While searching for the stolen mother Kendra became immersed in hand-feeding and helping to sustain the pups; and thus, was the one to find one of the rather odd employees killed inside their enclosure.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, in the last book, we see Kendra start to date Dante, even though she suspects him of murder. In this book, we see that she's fairly heavily involved with him (though there's no commitment) and she suspects him in ANOTHER murder. Really? Is that really how you'd handle that? Keep sleeping with him and going out alone with him all while you suspect that he KILLED someone? I don't know. I think there's only one more in this series and I already own it, so I'll read it. Otherwise, I think I might just bail. The MC is awful and I dislike her greatly. And enough with the "Escape!" Gah! It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny the 100th time either.

[Whi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kendra, who dropped Jeff because he suspected her, is in 2nd book and still suspecting Dante. Hypocritical much? And sleeping with him anyway? Really?

Still quite the good read with nice little substories going on and good plot twists. Although the Killer is the girl with the crush on Dante - and the wolf she hid on her cousin's farm is returned.

[Denise Kulesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is amazing and I could not put it down.

Kendra is in the thick of things when a mother wolf goes missing. She suspects her boyfriend Dante and his friend Brody are involved. They were also trying to find out who murdered someone working at the wild animal sanctuary where the wolf was taken.

The murderer was not who I expected !

[Linda Allan]

Kendra Ballantyne and King Charles Spaniel are lawyer and pet sitter. A mother wolf is left at pet sanctuary and has pups.. She is taken and a caretaker is murderfed. Kendra is smitten by Dante, a rich handsome benefactor of sanctuary.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reviews are not professional but rather, indicate my feelings about the plot, characters, and situations. In this book, as with the prior two I've read of Ms. Johnston's...I'm hooked.

I love the main character, her careers, attitudes, ordeals, and triumphs.
Her friends/associates are believable and multi-dimensional. The progression of the series is realistic and interesting rather than predictable.

Bravo, Ms. Johnston. I am a loyal follower.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great addition to the pet-sitter series. I enjoyed the setting in this book. It was nice to be out of L.A. for change and learn more about Dante's wild animal sanctuary - HotWildLife. The mystery was good even though I pegged the suspect early on. I'm happy that Kendra has finally decided between Dante and Jeff.

[Latricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was cute. especially for animal lovers. The writting style was a bit simple for me....it seemed like each time something was mentioned like bff, the meaning had to be spelled out. It got kinda old by 1/2 way through. But I did like the characters and the animals so good for poolside reading on vacation.

[Merceda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Not that great a read. I found difficulty in reading the sentences. Not that well thought-out.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all in the series, light reading. Pets, mystery and not too sappy romance which makes good bed time reading.

[Anne-Kathrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book in the series too :)