Melanie's husband left her when her son was 10 months old. She's been supporting herself and her son ever since. She's wary of men (her most recent lover just took off to Las Vegas and married a show girl), short on money, trying to be a good mom to her son, and doesn't get along with her relatives. In this book, her Uncle Max dies and his favorite stud dog is stolen. Melanie's forceful Aunt Peg convinces her to help her find the missing stud dog (actually, she wanted Melanie's feckless brother to do it but he declines). Along the way, Melanie learns about showing dogs, how her parents really died, and draws slightly closer to her remaining relatives. And her Aunt Peg fixes her up with a "stud"--a Mel Gibson look-alike.

Pros: Great dog mystery

Cons: none

In this first book, we are introduced to Melanie, a single mother strapped for cash who agrees to help her Aunt Peg find a missing champion poodle. Her uncle was found dead of an apparent heart attack and Beau was gone. Being suspicious, Melanie's aunt is convinced that someone took the dog to use as a stud dog. Melanie goes undercover at several dog shows to get information on the dog's whereabouts. This is a good first read to get you hooked on the series.

Pros: Cute series involving the show dog world

Cons: none