I received an email asking if I would mind reading this book and then give an honest review. I honestly am so glad that I did. This is the first in the series for me but at no time did I feel as though I needed more info that would have been provided by the other books. I found myself not putting this one down until I absolutely had to. I loved the fact that there were two different crimes going on and the author incorporated everything perfectly. Megan and her K-9 Bridgit have been called to the scene where there is blood everywhere. It looks as though a terrible murder had been committed yet there was no body. A husband is missing and so is a large amount of money that he was in possession of. Then, there are storms popping up all over doing damage to many houses in the area. A contractor decides to use that opportunity to scam homeowners and Megan finds out. Will Megan solve two cases in time? Was there really a murder? This is one of the best in this genre that I have read so far. I truly enjoyed becoming a part of this story as it brought you in from the start. I recommend this book.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

They say that there is no greater bond than a boy and his dog. I disagree, there is no greater bond than a lady cop and her run-you-down dog aka Officer Megan Luz and Sgt. Brigit. Valentines is when you paint the town red, not when you should be getting called to see a kitchen that has been spattered in red (blood) with no body to be found. This was a strange case and was definelty thinking outside of the dog bone box. Be prepared to not only know what Megan is thinking but also you get to read Brigit's thoughts and some criminal commentary as well. So this is a she said, she barked, they (nope not telling you if it was a man or woman) plotted story line. Pay attention because the clues are there scattered like so many Valentines day rose petals not to be confused with the petals from a bridal bouquet because newly engaged Megan needs to be thinking about that as well with her upcoming wedding. I was so close to figuring this one out and in fact I came up with part of the solution but I saw this going a different direction. Which means that this story drew me in completely. These stories give you not one crime but two as Megan and Brigit work to determine if there is a con man or a man who was conned while also working on the case to find a dead man and still make time for her man, Seth.

I love the Law Enforcement series! Reading about Officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner Brigit is always an enjoyable experience.. In Bending the Paw Megan and Brigit are helping Detective Jackson solve a missing person/possible homicide case. Shelby Olsen came home to discover her kitchen covered in an unbelievable amount of blood and her husband and his vehicle missing. Solving this one will require Megan to think like the detective she hopes to be one day. There is also news about Megan and boyfriend Seth's relationship.Lots to like in this delightful series. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone. I've had the pleasure of reading this series from the beginning. If you enjoy this offering, I recommend reading this series from the beginning.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#BendingthePaw #NetGalley

A Great Story about a Police Officer and her K9 dog. They have to solve two Cremes. Very entertaining.

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you, Net Galley.
Little did I realize when I requested this book that it was number 9 in the series. Still, I had littles problem with reading this book, which does well as a standalone. While I realize that it was an ARC and would have further work done on it, the amount of editing errors really bothered me, to the point where I almost quit reading it half way through.
The book is about an officer named Megan and her K-9 dog, Bridgit. I was disappointed in the fact that from the cover I thought it would be a book more about the dog. Instead, we follow along with Megan as she goes about
her normal day. She is investigating two cases in this book, a possible homicide and a scam artist complaint. The book is narrated from several points of view, including a page or two between chapters telling us what the dog thinks of what is going on. I did not care for the book much, I knew who and what happened in the homicide case from the first page, it was quite obvious. This is a series that I will not be reading more of.

BENDING THE PAW by Diane Kelly is the ninth book in the Paw Enforcement police procedural series. I have also seen it classified as a cozy animal mystery. Despite being ninth in the series, it worked fine as a standalone novel, but background information and experiences from books one through eight would likely add to a reader’s enjoyment of the book.
Fort Worth, Texas Patrol Officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner Brigit are called to assist at a crime scene. A woman had returned home to find blood all over her kitchen along with her husband’s phone and wallet, but no husband or body. In addition to helping Detective Jackson with the case, Megan has her usual patrol duties and cases that arise from that.

The unusual approach to this novel is that we get not only the point of view of Megan and the antagonist, but also Brigit’s take on each situation. Megan and Brigit are likeable characters with distinct voices and clear goals. Their motivations seem believable. The secondary characters were not quite as well developed, but they did enhance the story rather than overwhelm it. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and arose out of characterization and circumstance rather than feeling contrived or forced.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and entertaining police procedural with plenty of hard work, some action, a little humor and a bit of romance. If you are a fan of cozy animal mysteries or police procedural, then you may want to check this one out. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as reading the earlier books in the series.

St. Martin’s Press and Diane Kelly provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Bending The Paw by Diane Kelly is the 9th book in the Paw Enforcement series. Patrol Officer Megan Luz wants to become a detective with the Fort Worth Police Department. Even though she is celebrating her engagement on Valentine’s Day, she is thrilled when she gets a call from detective Audrey Jackson asking if Megan and her K-9 Brigit can assist at a crime scene.

A wife had returned home after dinner with her co-workers to find her kitchen splattered with her husband’s blood, along with three sets of footprints. The grisly scene is dubbed The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. The husband’s car is later found at a park near the Trinity River, but his body isn’t located. Since he is an assistant manager of a local movie theater, it is possible he was targeted since he made deposits at the local bank. As the novel progresses, the case seems to be going cold.

In addition to assisting Detective Jackson, Megan is also dealing with an unscrupulous roofing contractor who was going door-to-door after a major hail storm hit Fort Worth. Was he really a con-artist or an honest guy who can’t get the supplies he needs? Megan is determined to find out.

As in the other books in this series, chapters are told from the point of view of Officer Luz, K-9 Brigit, and “the bad guy”, who in this book is referred to as the slasher. The storyline moves along briskly as we hope that Megan and Brigit help bring in the crooks.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #St. Martin’s Press for my Advanced Reader Copy. 5-Stars. I recommend this series to anyone who loves cozy mysteries. The book will be released on October 27, 2020

I was anxiously awaiting this book and was very pleased to see it available for comment. I have read the entire series and was excited to know another one was coming out. As always', a good story well told. Highly recommend The Paw Enforcement series. I am glad I largely read them in order, though it is not necessary. The important ongoing details are summarized in each book. The stories have a good mystery at the base and the characters are well written. They are an easy reading and an engaging set of books. I especially like the format of the story told alternately from the point of view of the criminal, Officer Megan of the Fort Worth police force and Brigit her K-9 partner. Reading the scenes from the point of you of Brigit is a major plus. Gives on a very different view of things. Makes me think of how a dog's mind might work. Shows well the value that K-9's can have in law enforcement. I was almost sad to finish the book since it meant I would have to wait and hope another episode is in the works.

I was disappointed in how boring this one is. Nothing ever seemed to change or move forward in solving the crime
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Bending the Paw by Diane Kelly (Paw Enforcement #9) 5 stars (or 5 paws)

It is time again to visit with the team of Officer Megan Luz and Brigit. During the momentous final chapter of "Paw of the Jungle" we get the proposal readers have been waiting for and wedding bells are now ringing for Megan and Seth. But while wedding preparations are being made, Megan and Brigit are asked to assist at a crime scene that looks like a bloodbath, however, the victim Greg Olsen is not at the crime scene. We have a missing body and a couple of potential suspects. Megan is assisting Detective Jackson with this investigation. During this time, Fort Worth is hit with a huge hailstorm and roof repair contractors descend on the homeowners. Megan responds to a complaint of a scam artist who is taking orders but doesn't deliver the services.

The missing body case was interesting and it kept my attention. I didn't guess the culprit until 3/4 into the book. The con artist case illustrated the dogged determination for justice that Megan feels and her enthusiasm for the job. I love the chapters that are from Brigit's viewpoint, they are always a highlight of the Paw Enforcement series. Megan and Brigit get the bad guys and the readers have a wedding to look forward to. I can only hope that there will be a Tara Holloway cameo in the next book, after all Megan and Tara did meet in Death, Taxes and Mistletoe Mayhem.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for this ARC.

This is book 9 of the series and they just keep getting better. Brigit and her spots of POV just make these books even more brilliant. This book picks up right where book 8 left off with a huge cliffhanger. I won't spoil it for you. But in the midst Megan and her partner Brigit have not one but two mysteries to solve. The first is a murder with many twists and turns and a surprise ending. The second is a con man who almost gets away with it. You can not go wrong with the Paw Enforcement series. I highly recommend it.

law-enforcement, k-9, mystery, investigation, fraud

It was really interesting having both the K-9 and her handler's perspective on all the steps to solving both the bloody disappearance of a man from his home and the fraudster with a reroofing scheme.
Megan is a uniformed officer being mentored by a FWPD detective, recently engaged to a firefighter and his dog, and the handler of K-9 officer Brigit. The first crime appears in the blood soaked kitchen of an apparently devoted couple discovered when the wife came home with a female co-worker. The second series of possible crimes comes after a particularly nasty hailstorm has damaged countless roofs in the area. Both cases involve extensive due diligence, red herrings, and plot twists. An exciting read from an author new to me!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I enjoyed reading this book! A well thought out mystery, with the added bonus of 2 special dogs. I’m hoping this is a series because I would like to read more!

I really enjoyed this installment in the series featuring Megan and K-9 Bridgit
I have read them all and loved to see all the recurring characters. This book can be read as a standalone, but the others are so good you need to read them all.
This one had Megan assisting in a murder case. She also has a few other cases woven in. I love the writing and hearing from both Megan and Bridgit the dog. I really love the relationship between the two.
I figured out the case early on but that did not detract from my enjoyment, in fact, it made in better.
I was lucky to receive an advance copy from Net Galley for an honest review.

this was another entertaining K-9 book from Diane Kelly I am glad that she has allowed her main character to be smart; as often the female lead in cozy mysteries is just lucky. I enjoy the relationship between Megan and her dog Brigit. For those of us that are pet lovers, giving Brigit a voice seems normal. I have to say that I had a good suspicion early on about the who and why of the case and I was right, but it was still an enjoyable book.

Another winner! This might be the best "Paw" book yet. I love the characters and love Brigit's role and point of view - it adds a extra element to the story. I really like Megan's character and how she interacts with others and approaches solving crimes. While this is a light mystery, it has a depth that makes it feel real. I like how the characters have grown and developed over the series

If you enjoy the genre, you will love this book. While it is part of a series, this is a stand alone book, however, it's so good that you really owe it to yourself to read them all. The author is on my must read authors' list.