Mutt Mysteries

My Mutt Mystery novellas have starred a Jack Russell Terrier, a Rotteweiler, and an English bulldog as sidekicks. All have been great companions and have helped solved a crime or two. Darby, the JRT, in “Diggin’ up Dirt” in To Fetch a Thief , is based on my Jack, Disney. She and her brother are from the same litter. They’re ten, and still full of energy as ever. When it’s quiet with two Jacks, something is definitely up. My two like to dig in the back yard, especially if they hear moles and voles. One afternoon, I watched them dig out a mole, and it gave me the idea for a murder mystery. Darby helps her person find something spooky in the backyard of their new house. Mr. Oliver, in “The Fast and the Furriest” in To Fetch a Scoundrel , is a full grown, male Rottweiler who lives and works with his person at the fictional Amelia Speedway. He’s in charge of security, and he’s a big pussycat when he’s not on duty. Oliver returns for more adventures in “Wags to Riches” in the To Fetch a ...

     A my Reynolds set the box of canned goods on the kitchen counter. She caught her breath and stared through the doorway into their empty dining room. Hundreds of boxes still needed unpacking. She brushed away loose strands of her auburn hair that had escaped from her ponytail. A dog barked in the distance, and her small Jack Russell terrier, Darby, raced through the downstairs and stood with her paws on the windowsill to survey her new territory and see what she was missing. Amy gently tapped on the window, sending Darby off to check the view from the living room. Something looked odd to Amy under the window. Leaning over, she ran her hand across the painted baseboard. One end jutted out too far from the wall. She sighed. Another thing in this house that would need to be fixed. Amy pushed the baseboard back in place, and the wood shifted. She tugged at the corner, and it separated easily from the wall. Flipping it over in her hand, she noticed there were no nai...

Tell us about the furry members of your family. I have a pair of Jack Russell Terriers from the same litter. The dynamic duo includes Disney, the brunette, and her brother Riley who looks a lot like Petey from the “Our Gang Comedies.” They are high energy, inquisitive little dogs. And they keep us on our toes. How did your dog pick you to be his fur-ever mom? We had two older dogs who passed within three months of each other. Our house was so lonely without them. We went looking one day at puppies. My husband picked up Disney, and I picked up Riley. We couldn’t decide, so both of them joined our family. They are sister and brother from the same litter. What is your dog’s favorite toy? These two are obsessed with sock monkey toys. We have about ten of them around the house. They are JRTs, so everything is a game to them. Is the dog in your story in To Fetch a Thief based at all on your dog? It is. It’s based on my little female JRT. She’s a bundle of energy, a gr...