In Bending the Paw, Fort Worth Police Officer Megan and her K-9 partner, Brigit, are helping Detective Audrey Jackson investigate a missing person, Greg Olsen. Judging by the amount of blood left in his kitchen, it is a probably a murder rather than a kidnapping case. The obvious suspect, Greg’s wife Shelby, has an unshakeable alibi. Since the couple only recently moved to Texas, who could have committed the crime? Someone who had seen Greg depositing large amounts of cash from his work into a nearby bank? One of his co-workers? Or was Greg simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
The book alternates point of view between Megan, The Slasher, and Brigit the dog. There are also a few secondary plots. There is an unscrupulous roofer scamming locals hit by a recent hailstorm. Megan becomes engaged to long-time boyfriend Zach. There is even some comic relief with the travails of Megan’s ex-partner, Derek.
If you want to read a somewhat gory K-9 police procedural with the characterizations of a cozy mystery, Bending the Paw is a good choice. 3 stars.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.