A police officer and her handler defeat a nefarious cult, one liver treat at a time.

Spoiler-ific review

I was given this book for free for the purpose of review.

This was a fun crime-solving novel. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and not just because Brigit the dog was AMAZING. The author did a fine job of weaving together three realistic plotlines into a respectable story. I Recommend it to fans of the cozy mystery genre.

To start things off, I was impressed by the author’s research. She demonstrated a clear knowledge of Texas police law and it’s rather famous cult history. She brought this knowledge to life in her plot, a plot which featured a prominent cult element. Adjacent to this knowledge was her down-to-earth approach to actual policing- the main character and her dog actually went on patrol and were tasked with solving more than just the main crime. They did boring police stuff, like following up leads and confirming alibis- which I found fascinating to read because so often authors neglect it.

The characters were fun, particularly Brigit the dog. There were three viewpoint characters: Megan the detective, her partner Brigit and the antagonist Father. The author did a good job of making me the reader care about the fate of the characters, rooting for the good guys and against the bad guy. The heroine was a brave cop and her partner a trusty canine which was a good combo.

The plot wasn’t really a mystery. We knew from basically page one who the villain was because the villain was one of the POV characters, so there was nothing really mysterious about it. Instead this was a straight up crime-solving story, where the Megan and Brigit must unravel the clues they have and save the kidnapping victims.

The pacing was fast, but not too fast. The author included just enough slow drama-focused scenes to add depth to the characters and narrative. We get to experience Meg’s love life and watch her try to piece her boyfriend’s family back together again after a tragedy. This secondary plot arc tempered the speed of the intrigue innate to the cult plot.

Spoilers follow from here on!

I like to finish my book with constructive criticism. So here’s what I have to give: there was very little tension until the last few pages of the book when (Spoiler) Brigit is shot. Don’t worry, the dog lives. The author needed to increase the tension, perhaps by adding fangs to the lawyer’s threats or perhaps by having the Father actually threaten to kill the kidnapping victims. We needed consequences, either directly against Megan, Brigit or the kidnap victims.

Net total I Recommend this book. This was a fun, semi-cozy crime solving novel which I heartily enjoyed for it’s police procedural elements.

Forth Worth Police Officer Megan Lux and her K-9 Brigit are asked to report to the local fire station. Arriving at the station, Megan’s boyfriend Seth, a bomb squad tech with the fire department, hands her a wrapped blanket containing a newborn baby. The baby was turned in to the fire station as a “safe drop” by a man who said he was the baby’s father. Megan alerts dispatch to contact CPS and takes care of the baby until they arrive. As the CPS worker starts to leave with the baby, Megan notices something odd about the blanket. When she looks further, it appears that the word “HELP’ was stitched in to the blanket edge. Now they have more than an abandoned baby to investigate. Was the baby kidnapped? Where is the mother? Is the mother still alive and was that really the baby’s father? Megan and Brigit search for clues as to where the baby may have come from. As the investigation continues, Megan becomes suspicious of the religious sect located at the edge of town called the People of Peace. Another engaging mystery in the “Paw Enforcement” series by Ms. Kelly. Although this is book seven in the series, you can read this as a standalone and not feel lost. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

The Long Paw of the Law by Diane Kelly. - 5 stars or 5 paws!

I loved this book. Megan and Bridget are on the job and their first mystery involves an abandoned baby. A beautiful baby girl is surrendered at the fire station where Megan's boyfriend,, Seth works. After Social Services is getting ready to place the baby in foster care, Megan spots a clue in the baby's quilt. From that point forward,it is find the baby's mom. As a side mystery there are a series of burglaries to solve. Megan's "dogged " pursuit of the truth leads her to a cult-like compound. The investigation was satisfying and fun. I love the Bridget chapters, because she knows everything; if only a Megan could understand her. I was sad when the Tara Holloway series ended, but there is a cameo in the book. I can't wait for the next Megan and Bridget book, it can't come soon enough.

P.S Diane Kelly is starting a brand new series set in Nashville about House Flipping. I am looking forward to that series too.

Thank you Netgally and St, Martins for this ARC.

Loved this book!!! This is my favorite Megan and Brigit so far. Megan is a police K-9 officer with dreams of making detective. When a baby is abandoned at a fire station, things feel off to her, so she enlists the help of her mentor, an experienced detective, who helps her pull the threads to find the truth. Brigit is Megan's K-9 that assists her with her investigation, putting her heart (and paws) into stopping the bad guys.

This novel has a depth and complexity that surpasses the prior books in the series, making it my favorite thus far. Once I started reading, I literally could not put this book down. If you enjoy the genre, this one is a must read. The author is on my must read authors' list.