Reviews

The Money Bird by Sheila Webster Boneham

dollycas's review

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5.0

Janet MacPhail, is a photographer that sees much more through the lens than just her subjects. Trouble just seems to follow her. On a simple trip to Twisted Lake to take some pictures of Labrador Retriever Drake she is very surprised when he fetches a blood-soaked bag holding an exotic feather and a torn one-hundred-dollar bill instead of his usual decoy. Then one of her photography students is found dead after calling Janet about seeing a strange bird at the lake. Add to this a mysterious retreat center near the lake and Janet sure all these things are connected. She and her Australian Shepherd Jay along with Tom and his Labrador Retriever Drake are on the case. Hopefully they can figure everything out before the criminal flies the coop.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sheila Webster Boneham is quite a storyteller. She plots a wonderful mystery, fills it with fantastic characters – both 2 legged and 4 legged – adds a bunch of humor, a touch of romance and she teaches us too! In this story we learned about tropical birds and the lengths people with go to smuggle them into this country. We also learn how well our dogs can be trained and how they will do anything for the human family members.

I really like Janet. She is talented and uses her photography to get close to the suspects. It also puts her in some precarious places. Her assignment at a local veterinary clinic ends up costing her dearly. It also had me laughing out loud. She also has a lot going on in her life besides the current mystery. Her mother is in a nursing home suffering with Alzheimer’s and Janet seems to lose a bit more of the most important woman in her life everyday. Her neighbor is dealing with health issues too but is keeping everything a secret from Janet. Tom may want more out of their relationship than she is ready for but maybe it is time to move forward. The author keeps all the characters believable and real.

This is a very engaging story especially for animal lovers. It can be read as a stand alone but I suggest reading Drop Dead on Recall first. Both stories will leave you barking for more!!
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