The Dog Who Knew Too Much: A Rachel Alexander and Dash Mystery (Walker Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: A Suave P.I.
Review: Ah Rachel, she's really cool. As star detective of this first point of view tale, she knows how to keep things interesting. I thought I would hate her and the pursuit of who-done-it would be drab, but the way she handled a situation and her easygoing attitude made me like her instantly. The whole basis of the plot - a woman with everything supposedly does suicide doesn't strike a chord with her parents. They fetch Rachel P.I. to handle the case of their believed daughter's murder. Rachel then steps into the dojo shoes of Lisa's before life ; Lisa was into Tai Chi and went to the dojo regularly where her life ended. The gradual process of investigation was fun and mysterious. The people Rachel met who knew Lisa all seemed like probable suspects. The ending should have been more clear and longer. It doesn't state exactly who was the murder or why the person did it, but you figure who it is.

Rating:
Summary: This book really kept you quessing.
Review: The narrator is a female dog-trainer turned private detective. The victim is her cousin, who apparently jumped out the window of the t'ai chi dojo where she was the favored apprentice, and an Akita is witness. Everyone has a motive and opportunity; who did it? The author manages a neat ending without turning the dojo into the center of an international conspiracy to smuggle nuclear weapons or whatever...

Rating:
Summary: Don't let this book be your introduction to Dash mysteries..
Review: This reviewer is grateful that this book was not her first Dash mystery, because it would have been her last. Ms. Benjamin is too talented a writer to be judged on the basis of what one can only hope is a major and temporary lapse in judgment. If you're looking to try her work, go straight to her first book. In this book, Rachel Alexander comes off as not very likeable: wearing the victim's clothes and jewelry, sleeping with the victim's boyfriend, trying to live the victim's life....all of this has Rachel coming across as a rather sick voyeuristic woman...In fact, her treatment of the victim's boyfriend makes her a rather cruel and callous one. This reviewer does not understand the purpose behind having the victim's dog witness the crime or how the dog even figures into the plot at all. And not enough Dash in this book! Dash is but a secondary decoration in this book...and Rachel even goes out into a dangerous situation in the dead of night, and leaves him behind!!! The only good things I can say about the book is the writing style is good and you will be kept guessing as to what happened in the victim's last moment until the book's end; the problem is that by that point, you'll not care if Rachel herself winds up sharing the victim's fate. Ms. Benjamin is a better writer than this; her character needs rehabilitation after this book.....The readership deserves more Dash and less trash.....This reviewer's advice: Only resort to this Dash mystery when you've read all of the others......

Rating:
Summary: Don't let this book be your introduction to Dash mysteries..
Review: This reviewer is grateful that this book was not her first Dash mystery, because it would have been her last. Ms. Benjamin is too talented a writer to be judged on the basis of what one can only hope is a major and temporary lapse in judgment. If you're looking to try her work, go straight to her first book. In this book, Rachel Alexander comes off as not very likeable: wearing the victim's clothes and jewelry, sleeping with the victim's boyfriend, trying to live the victim's life....all of this has Rachel coming across as a rather sick voyeuristic woman...In fact, her treatment of the victim's boyfriend makes her a rather cruel and callous one. This reviewer does not understand the purpose behind having the victim's dog witness the crime or how the dog even figures into the plot at all. And not enough Dash in this book! Dash is but a secondary decoration in this book...and Rachel even goes out into a dangerous situation in the dead of night, and leaves him behind!!! The only good things I can say about the book is the writing style is good and you will be kept guessing as to what happened in the victim's last moment until the book's end; the problem is that by that point, you'll not care if Rachel herself winds up sharing the victim's fate. Ms. Benjamin is a better writer than this; her character needs rehabilitation after this book.....The readership deserves more Dash and less trash.....This reviewer's advice: Only resort to this Dash mystery when you've read all of the others......

Rating:
Summary: A definite improvement.
Review: This second book of Ms. Benjamin's was a huge improvement over her first book. At least in this book, the main focus is Lisa's alleged suicide and not the actual dog component of the book. However, as with the first book, I like the fact that Rachel throws herself into the case with tenacity. However, I think Rachel's concept of 'walking in Lisa's shoes' by going so far as to stay at Lisa's apartment, wear Lisa's clothes and jewelry, and doing all the activities that Lisa did was a little over the top. There's a big leap from putting yourself in somebody's place to completely taking over their life. The people who were part of Lisa's life who are Rachel's prime suspects are all odd and quirky, but it leant more to the story when trying to figure out which one did it and why.

Rating:
Summary: A definite improvement.
Review: This second book of Ms. Benjamin's was a huge improvement over her first book. At least in this book, the main focus is Lisa's alleged suicide and not the actual dog component of the book. However, as with the first book, I like the fact that Rachel throws herself into the case with tenacity. However, I think Rachel's concept of 'walking in Lisa's shoes' by going so far as to stay at Lisa's apartment, wear Lisa's clothes and jewelry, and doing all the activities that Lisa did was a little over the top. There's a big leap from putting yourself in somebody's place to completely taking over their life. The people who were part of Lisa's life who are Rachel's prime suspects are all odd and quirky, but it leant more to the story when trying to figure out which one did it and why.