PAW AND ORDER – Diane Kelly
A Paw Enforcement Novel , Book 2
St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN: 978-1-250-04835-6
January 2015
Cozy Mystery

The Present in Fort Worth, Texas

On the first day of the new year, Officer Megan Luz was glad to still be alive and more than ready for a fresh start that might include resuming her tentative relationship with Fort Worth's fire department bomb squad expert, Seth Rutledge. (And won't Megan's furry K-9 partner, Brigit, be glad to see his bomb-sniffing Labrador, Blast, again!)

Megan and Brigit are soon assigned to patrol the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo where her boss hopes to keep them in the public eye after their recent capture of the Tunabomber. But will the result be the expected good press when a rash of mysterious thefts begins? And what affect will Megan's meeting Clint McCutcheon, popular local rodeo star and member of the county sheriff's mounted patrol, have on her fresh start with Seth?

Both Megan and Seth are likable and interesting characters who are strong yet vulnerable in their own ways. Megan comes from a large family and has a hot temper and a subtle sense of humor. Some of Seth's baggage is left over from his stint in the army. Clint is very tempting…

The villain in this piece is a young woman who considers herself a modern Robin Hood who feels she's owed a living—and luxuries—by those who have what she wants.

PAW AND ORDER is a fun book with a catchy style. The chapters alternate with Megan's first person narratives followed by peeks into Brigit's mind and habits (she loves chewing on Megan's shoes), and then we get accounts of Robin Hood's activities before the cycle starts all over again.

PAW AND ORDER (also available as an e-book) is the second in Ms. Kelly's new series that began last June with PAW ENFORCEMENT. It works well as a stand-alone, but would be even better with having read book one.

Jane Bowers