The Fright of the Iguana

Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mystery #5

by Linda O. Johnston

The petnapping of a puppy and an iguana leads Kendra Ballantyne to her Southern California pet-sitting club, where she learns of other foul play. Then a fellow pet-sitter turns up bludgeoned to death. Kendra has her suspicions, but it soon appears she's barking up the wrong tree.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Animals

245 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 2, 2007

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

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is evil afoot. Someone is pet-napping pets from various members of the pet-sitting club Kendra Ballentine belongs to, which she discovers when someone steals two pets she's watching for a wealthy client. Worried sick she's determined to get them back safe and sound--hers and the others' charges. Then the club's vice-president is killed at another club member's client's house, making that club member a prime suspect. She asks for Kendra's help. Simultaneously, Kendra is working on a custody dispute for a weimaraner at her legal practice. Facing a Solomon-type situation she wants to work an ADR that benefits all parties including her law practice. Then, her pet-sitting protege is accused of theft and banned from her newly found favorite way to give back-bringing her Irish Setter to an elder care facility for visits. With some clever thinking, determined research, a trap or two laid, and the help of former clients and her PI pal Kendra manages to ferret out a killer, a pet-napper, a thief, and a solution to the custody issue.

[Harvee Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dogs and cats and an iguana have disappeared while under the care of members of the Petsitters Club of Southern California. Two of Kendra's charges, a 3-foot iguana and a Sharpei pup, have disappeared from the property of their owner, a high profile Hollywood film producer. Kendra is frantic to find the pets and soon discovers that other petsitters have had similar experiences - disappearing animals under their care. When one of the petsitters is found killed in one of the homes, things begin to get very serious.

The plot of the novel is clever and the sub plots are entertaining as well as informative. Conflict resolution in the legal world, the business of petsitting and pet daycare, and interesting characters made this an enjoyable cozy.

[Whi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's boyfirend

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ends on quite a cliff-hanger. Enjoy.

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to four stars here because, finally, in The Fright of the Iguana newly-elected Treasurer of the Pet-Sitting Club of Southern California (PSCSC) Kendra finally ceases leaving her awesome King Charles Spaniel, Lexie, in her car while she runs errands, shops, and/or tends to other people's pets' needs. Why is this the case? Because several PSCSC members have had their animal charges pet-napped between pet-sitting visits to their homes while their human companions are out of town. In addition to the thefts, with nary a ransom demand until well into the book, one of the Club's members is found bludgeoned in a client's home. This development allows for character development among the assorted members of the Club while simultanesouly affording Johnston the opportunity to highlight Kendra's big heart if imperfect detective skills in defending others (e.g., Tracy and Rachel) who, like her, are framed for actions they didn't commit.

Thus, despite the fact that I'd figured out the "whodunnit" piece, this was a more satisfying entry in the Kendra Ballantyne pet-sitting myster series than its predecessors in so far as providing fuller character development and world-building. As just two examples, the friendship between Kendra and Alethea (PI Jeff Hubbard's head computer researcher) becomes more nuanced and reporter Corina Carey is allowed to be something more than only a gossip-mongering Hollywood newshound. This go-round, Corina's literally a life-saver! With luck, her role in future books will be more of an ally than a foil for Kendra.

In my estimation, there were some disturbing parallels between Jeff's protective obsession with Kendra and other stalkerish behaviors seen in this and previous books in the series. It was likewise decidedly curious that the issue of computer chips in the thoroughbred abductees wasn't raised until almost the close of the book. All told, however, this was growth in the right (as in more sophisticated and complex storytelling) direction. Onward to Double Dog Dare!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me guessing until the very end. The story was good. I love seeing how Kendra not only solves the mystery, but how she clears up her legal cases with a resolution the benefits both parties. The love triangle between Kendra, Jeff and Tom is still present. However, a decision was made by the end of the book. Book 6 was perfectly set up on the last few pages leaving me curious enough to continue the series.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know, guys. This series is okay, but it seems to be bogged down with a whole lot of repetition. We get things explained over and over again. And we get lots of day described with the exact same things happening over and over again, with no real progress made in the mystery. It's tedious. Plus, the culprit in this one was SO transparent, it was laughable. I'll probably still read more if I find them at the used book store, but I'm not going out of my way to get them.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just had a hard time finishing this book. I needed just one afternoon to probably fly through it but being busier now, I just didn't have the time to enjoy it. It was good. On par with the others but I couldn't stay focused. Only gets 3 stars because I couldn't keep my mind on it. Off to the last Sookie book now!

[Sfdreams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a word of warning....be sure you have the next book in the series handy, as this one ends rather abruptly, leaving you dying to know what happens!!

I can't imagine how I would have felt if I read this when she originally wrote it---it would've KILLED me to wait a year or more to find out what happens!!

[Anne-Kathrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book in the series. Nice seeing development of secondary characters. Kendra is developping a good network. Murder and petnappings. Love triangle resolved to the guy she is actually interested it. With a cliffhanger. Beau has dissappeared!!! Looking forward to reading the next book in the series :)

[Jennye · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the first Kendra Ballantyne novel to be OK But nothing particularly special. This sequel seems to magnify the negative traits of the protagonist to the point where they are barely able to be tolerated at times. And the plot and action is not strong enough in this sequel to drive past the annoyances.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

5th installment of the petsitter mysteries. I enjoyed this book as much as the others and while I had my suspicions on who the killer was I didn't quite figure it out. And what a cliff hanger....now we have to have another book to figure out what happens next!

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, decent read. The writing is fine, but the plot is not interesting. Not much mystery, not too much pet stuff, and the romance is "in-between". the book feels like a filler between books where action actually takes place. I read the first of these and it was more interesting.

[colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 12.16.07

[Anne-Kathrine]

Check edition: kindle?

[Sarah Murphy]

cute series for pet lovers and mystery buffs. quick read.