‘The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead’ by Antony Johnston

Published by Allison & Busby, 
25 January 2024.
ISBN: 978-0-7490-3010-0 (HB)

This is a follow up novel to Johnston’s, The Dog Sitter Detective, which was the first in his series featuring Gwinny, a sixty something actress, who also works as a dog sitter to keep the wolf from the door.

In this story, Gwinny has just landed a role in a West-end show, making for a lot of amusement as things aren’t quite as she thought. She also agrees to dog-sit Ace, a clever Border Terrier, owned by Crash, a legendary rock star, who is off to Dublin for the weekend to play a gig.

Crash lives on a houseboat in the beautiful scenic, Little Venice, a few boats away from his ex-wife and her cat.

This particular weekend is the annual carnival at Little Venice, and preparations are in full swing with people milling everywhere. However, trouble is afoot when after many phone calls and various people turning up looking, Crash has seemingly disappeared as he did not make his flight, nor has he arrived in Dublin.

As the carnival begins Gwinny discovers his body floating on the river near his boat.

Thus begins Gwinny’s investigation, with the help of border terrier Ace, and Gwinny’s good friend and ex detective Birch, along with his dog. As they delve into Crash’s personal life, they start to uncover a lot of secrets that the band had never exposed. Many twists, and hit walls follow, as well as another death. I thought I’d solved it, only to find I hadn’t, which is always a sign of a well-written who-dunnit.

Johnstone is a great writer; he knows how to amuse, and he knows how to keep us page-turning. Not surprising then that the first book in this series, The Dog Detective, won him the Barker Fiction Award.

Again, I loved this second book, but I would have liked the body to have been found earlier. However, I can guarantee if you are cosy crime reader and fan, you will thoroughly enjoy this story, which is cleverly plotted, and will keep you on your toes, or should I say paws.
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Reviewer: Linda Regan
http://www.lindareganonline.co.uk

Antony Johnston is a New York Times bestselling graphic novelist, author, and games writer with more than fifty published titles. The Charlize Theron movie Atomic Blonde is based on his graphic novel The Coldest City. His epic series Wasteland is one of only a handful of such longform achievements in comics. His first video game, Dead Space, redefined a genre.  Antony’s other books and graphic novels include The Exphoria Code, The Fuse, Daredevil, Julius, the Alex Rider graphic novels, Dead Space transmedia comics, and the adaptation of Alan Moore's 'lost screenplay' Fashion Beast.  His video games include Shadow of Mordor, Blackwood Crossing, The Assembly, Dead Space Extraction, Zombiu, and more.  He lives and works in England.

Linda Regan is the author of nine crime novels. She is also an actor. She holds a Masters degree in critical writing and journalism, and writes a regular column, including book reviews, for three magazines. She also presents the book-club spot on BBC Radio Kent. She is an avid reader and welcomes the chance to read new writers. 

  To read a review of Linda's most recent book
 The Burning Question
click on the title. 

www.lindareganonline.co.uk