I’m a sucker for a good doggie detective story. While these doggies don’t work with the detective, I still couldn’t pass it up. I also won’t read stories where I know there is animal abuse or where a beloved family pet is brutally killed. Can’t do it! As a long-time, devoted, dog mama, those are triggers for me. However, this one has the sick doggies getting good care and I can attest that none die. I know some readers will be pissed for that spoiler, but there will lots of others that will be glad for that spoiler. I also didn’t know it was actually the third installment in the series when I started, and I guess, it didn’t really matter either, but reading the previous installments would certainly provide more info that would give credibility to Pippin’s exceptional sniffing and detection skills and abilities.

The book summary lays out two of the storylines: Canadian Pet Vet, Peter, arrives at the Dragonfly, a Manitoba lodge, after receiving a call from the lodge owner, John, regarding his legendary Huskie mush team who have all fallen sick. Peter diagnoses them as being poisoned and sends the four sickest to his animal clinic for more intensive treatment and treats the others onsite. The other storyline is the crash of a plane in the river killing its three passengers, all local people with potential enemies that may have wanted to see them dead.

Most of the story revolves around Peter, who is later joined by his wife, Laura, and their dog Pippin, Laura’s brother Kevin (who is a BC Mountie) and Kevin’s husband, Steven. Peter and Pippin are on the hunt to find clues as to what happened to the dogs and if that is related to the plane crash. I love that Peter has long, in-depth conversations with Pippin. Lol😄 I do the same thing. Yes, I know it means absolutely nothing to my fur babies other than they may like the sound of my voice. However, they do possess a small vocabulary of words that they will recognize and respond to and/or react to. Anyway, I totally relate to folks who talk to their dogs. It’s an endearing quirk of us dog people. I also liked that Peter and Laura were Monty Python fans and had no problem breaking out in song and dance from some particular show or skit. Another endearing quirk, only this time, of Monty Python fans.

Well into the second half, the story becomes a closed-door mystery. I figured out the killer about the same time as Peter. I had figured out the other foe as soon as he was introduced. Such is the case for cozy mysteries. However, the end came to a satisfying conclusion. I’m having mixed feelings about the narrator, Miles Meili, though. From the get-go, his voice kind of bothered me; it had that kind of snide inflection and tone to it, and it kind of made Peter sound kind of pretentious, which I didn’t find Peter to be, just…quirky. I’m debating about whether or not I will continue with the series. I noticed that the earlier audiobooks are with the same narrator, so if I do continue with the series, I’ll just read the books instead of listening to the audiobook.

The narration aside for a moment, the storyline and pacing were ok and fine for a cozy mystery. While cozy mysteries aren’t my typical go-to genre, I do enjoy reading them periodically. They’re a nice break from all of the crazy murder and mayhem I typically read. They’re not as thrilling, but enjoyable just the same. However, for me, a narrator can make or break a story. A good one can also be the difference between a 3star rating and a 4star rating because the narration is a big part of the storytelling. I want to thank NetGalley and ECW Press Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #ECWPressAudio #ElevenHuskies

Fans of quirky amateur sleuths will love the Dr. Bannerman series. Peter Bannerman is a veterinarian, practicing in a small Manitoba town, close enough to Winnipeg for day trips. He has developed a reputation for being an amateur sleuth (see books 1 and 2 in this series). In Eleven Huskies, he is called to northern Manitoba to see about some very sick huskies. It seems they’ve been poisoned and no one can figure out why. At the same time, a small plane is shot down nearby on Dragonfly Lake. Again, no one can figure out why someone would do that. Coincidentally, the location is where Peter and his wife are scheduled for an upcoming canoe and camping vacation (Peter has friends in the area, and has enjoyed being there before.)

There are some very frightening scenes as Peter and his friends and family are caught in a wildfire while on their camping and canoe vacation, which elevates this story from a “typical” cozy mystery. (The author notes that this was written before the horrific wildfires of the summer of 2023.)

There are a wide variety of people in this story, including visitors from Iceland (Peter’s town has a solid Icelandic heritage), his Nigerian friend Stuart, some mushroom-hunting men from Belorus and First Nation people, including Peter’s friend Lawrence. Peter’s dog, Pippin, plays a large role in the story, with his excellent sense of smell and tracking capabilities.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. Miles Meili narrates the audiobook and does an excellent job with the many voices and accents.

Thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book and to ECW Press Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The title of this one was misleading to me. I loved that the novel started from the point of view of the dog, but that’s was the most interesting part of all of the dog story line. The dogs are not the focus of the novel, a huge fire and a dead pilot are. Dr Bannerman is called out to a lodge to look over an 11 huskies mush team that appears to have been poisoned. He doesn’t know by who, what the poison was, or why. A plane is shot down. Then he goes on an overnight canoe trip with a few people and gets stuck in a forest fire. They make it back to the lodge and have to figure out who the culprit is because they must be at the lodge. I didn’t care for the ending. I struggled listening to the narrator. I felt he spoke very slowly and inconsistently. I didn’t care for the accents he attempted for the Russian, Scandinavian, and Nigerian characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

Thank you to Netgalley & ECW Press Audio for the ARC of Philipp Schott’s latest Dr. Bannerman mystery. I’ve been following Peter's adventures from the start so was thrilled to get an early listen. I wasn’t disappointed although I didn't appreciate Eleven Huskies as much as I did the previous book, Six Ostriches. As a neurodivergent geek who worked in the veterinary field for close to 30 years, I enjoy the autistic Dr. Bannerman, the animals and veterinary references, the nods to geek culture.

Like the prior titles in the Dr. Bannerman series, the mystery begins with a veterinary call-out that embroils Peter in a human murder mystery. Peter flies to a lodge in northern Manitoba where the owner’s sled dog team of huskies have suddenly fallen ill. He arrives on the same flight as the team investigating a small plane crash in the nearby lake. Peter quickly realizes that the dogs have been poisoned, as it’s discovered that the plane's pilot was shot. Of course Peter can't believe the two events aren't related, and he begins considering suspects.

We see some old friends returning, as Peter's wife, Laura, brother-in-law Kevin, and Kevin's partner Stuart, along with Pippin the scent tracking dog head on a kayak trip based out of the same lodge. A rapidly spreading forest fire leads to a closed room mystery situation, Peter’s life is put in danger. Peter, Laura, and RCPM Kevin narrow down the suspects with Pippin's help. Just a typical vacation in the life of a northern Canadian veterinarian!

As always in a Dr. Bannerman mystery, the animals (especially Pippin) play a key role. Rest assured that we still get mentions of tea, the expected Lord of the Rings references, and neurodivergent Peter's personality shining through. Miles Mieli returns to narrate this third mystery. I appreciate his somewhat nasal delivery & by this point expect him to be Peter's voice. Although it's not necessary to read the prior books first, you'll definitely appreciate the recurring cast of characters more if you do.

I did find the mystery more involved in the previous book (Six Ostriches) and missed the Manitoba history & Nordic mythology that we received in this earlier book. The second half of Eleven Huskies, with the closed room situation, justifiably led to Agatha Christie references but didn't give Peter as much opportunity to sleuth. This was still a fun, engaging addition to the Dr. Bannerman series. A solid 4 star listen.

I've been noticing these books from the unique style and design for a year or so now and was so pleased to see one come through as an ARC. I enjoyed the humour and the story but the narrator has a very distinct voice that I found wore on me after a few chapters. I think it's a funny choice and elevated the humour but I just found it grating after a certain point. I think next time I'd reach for a copy of one of his books instead of opting for audiobook, that's just my preference in this case.

Peter Bannerman gets a call about sick sled dogs and thus begins the series of events in this book. A camping trip gone wrong, a mysterious plane crash, and a legit firestorm is unleashed on this Canadian vacation lodge and it seems that only Peter and his family can make sense of it all.

Book review - I can admit when something isn't my cup of tea (Peterism intended). I love a good mystery and add some dogs into the mix....sign me up. I also love books with neurodivergent main characters. It adds a level of interest that can be quite charming. However, this book misses the mark a bit. Peter's condition (which I think is autism/Asperger's but I can't be sure) overpowers the rest of the story. I truly understand what the author was trying to do. It just seems that he missed the mark a bit. I don't know if some of the Peterisms were supposed to be funny or obnoxious or endearing. It is obvious that people like Peter, but we are just in his head too much in this book (which is odd because it's written in 3rd person). In addition to my failure to connect with Peter (which may be the point), I felt like parts of the story dragged on forever but that the ending was rushed and confusing. I did not feel satisfied with the culprit, motive, method combo that was given.

Audio review - I was not crazy about this narrator. I normally listen to audio books at 1.5x or 1.75x speed so that I can blast through them. So when this narrator (male) sounded like Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek, I figured that it was the speed that caused him to sound that way. I slowed the audio down to 1.0x and it got worse. So, I sped it back up and hoped that it would get better. It, in fact, did not get better.

Peter is a vet on holiday in northern Manitoba with his wife and dog. Should have been a restful canoeing trip until the lodge’s huskies are poisoned and a floatplane is downed. No Hope now of a peaceful break.

Enjoyed this well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Plenty of good and quirky characters who will try to solve the mysteries while avoiding being burnt to death from forest fires. Lots of action and twists in the storyline. Very enjoyable.

This was my first book by Philipp Schott and I enjoyed it immensely. Eleven Huskies is the third book in the Dr. Bannerman Vet mystery series. Peter Bannerman is a vet from Winnipeg, he has a mind for puzzles and has been caught up helping solve a couple of murders. When, he and his family travel up north for a wilderness vacation there is a float plane crash, that kills everyone aboard, plus eleven huskies are poisoned.

This was a wonderful cozy mystery. I loved the setting of the Canadian wilderness. The characters were wonderful, particularly Peter's family, his wife and his brother in-law who is an RCMP officer. The mysteries were intriguing, and listened to the whole book in a day.

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press Audio for the advanced listener copy. Miles Mieli was a wonderful narrator, and really nailed down those Canadian accents. I am so happy to have found this great series, I am going to go back and read the first two books. I highly recommend this book.

🎧2⭐️

A Dr Bannerman vet mystery

A new author for me. I was drawn by the premise of a vet detective. It sounded intriguing with a unique angle.

I had the audiobook read by Miles Meili. I thought that the narrator was awful. He was seriously off putting. I wasn’t sure that I would be able to manage the book. It was very hard going. I tried a variety of speeds.

My first book by this author, I didn’t realise that it’s several books into the series, but it’s ok as a standalone. The title is misleading as only a short section is about sick huskies, most of it surrounds a plane crash investigation and a forest fire.

The writing style feels stilted and dull, plus the pace was too slow for me. I quite liked the author included a little of the dog’s POV.

The content is on the cosy end of the scale, with only a little bad language towards the end.

I didn’t find Peter a likeable character, he’s got an annoying personality, some might describe as quirky. It might be coming into an established series that I just didn’t ‘get’ Peter’s character.

There’s good detail of the environment and nature incorporated into the story.

I found Peter’s explanation of the killers reasoning very convoluted.
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If you want a slow burn vet styled mystery I’d really opt for the book over the audiobook. There’s some action, and a feeling of jeopardy further in, but this wasn’t for me.

I don’t like leaving a 2⭐️review, it’s very rare for me. It’s a combination of the narration, the personality of the MC and the stilted writing style, which is a package that the author was probably aiming for to offer something different.

I suppose I understand the reason for naming the book Eleven Huskies - so as to fit in with other Bannerman mysteries - but what this book should really be called is A Very Big Fire That Takes Up Over A Third of the Novel plus some dogs.

This is the first Bannerman vet mystery I've listened to but I'm afraid it will be the last.

The story starts with the poisoning of some huskies. You'd sort of expect a self-styled detectective vet to be all over that but he has no idea who did it or what they used. So then we get to the "meat" of the storyline, which is the murder of three people in a plane. Turns out the killer had to be a crack shot who didn't mind collateral damage (ie killing others to claim the real target).

As he's pondering this mystery Dr B, his wife, brother in law and brother in law's partner go off on a canoeing trip into tinder dry countryside when they know there's a fire in the vicinity. What could possibly go wrong?

This is where the book lost me because we're then treated to a good third of the book being all about the fire whilst the murders are tacked on at the end in a ridiculous unbelievable rush - and the great amateur detective even fumbled that.

I thought the plot ludicrous, the solution even more ridiculous and felt the book was a very thinly veiled excuse to write about climate change.

Sorry. Not for me.

As a dog lover, the name of the book automatically caught my attention 😂. Also it’s a murder mystery book which was another plus! This book is part of a series, which I didn’t realize until after I requested it but I was able to listen to it as a standalone with no problem! I was entertained by all the banter between the characters as well as some of the story being told from the dogs POV 🥹💜. I can’t wait to read/listen to more of the books in this series, I really enjoyed this whole story!

Before I listened to the audiobook of “Eleven Huskies” I hadn’t come across the Dr Bannerman vet mystery series. Although this one is not the first in the series, in no way did I feel that I had missed out on the backstory. That said, however, a few comments about the vet‘s previous cases might have given me hints to previous books, but I won’t let that stop me from reading them. This story had plenty of incidents, interesting characters, great description of the landscape of the Canadian wilderness, and two intriguing mysteries to be solved. A very enjoyable mystery.

The world of fiction is full of amateur sleuths from every profession and walk of life, but Peter Bannerman is the only crime solving vet that I'm aware of - certainly the only one doing it in the setting of rural Canada. Philipp Schott serves up another slice of 'cosy crime' in the forests and lakes of Manitoba, this time starting with the poisoning of a team of sled-dogs. Bannerman arrives at the isolated setting of Dragonfly Lake to treat the animals on the same day that a small plane crashes into the lane, killing all three on board. The incident is soon found to be murder, leaving the local police busy and Bannerman free to do his usual amateur sleuthing on the case of the dogs. But perhaps the two crimes are linked,,, Once again our veterinary hero might have unwittingly got involved in something much more dangerous than it initially seemed.

This is the third in the series of Bannerman mysteries and I would say it's the best - and I did like its predecessors. It's very gripping with an extended period of 'peril' that lasts for most of the entire second half of the book, thanks to the characters getting caught up in a wildfire. The sections describing the fire are frightening and feel very realistic and make you realise just how dangerous and unpredictable these fires are. With more and more such fires occurring all over the world - including in Canada - it is very topical. I think for people who haven't experienced such a thing first hand, it's quite hard to comprehend the scale and nature of these fires - how fast they move, how they can 'jump' and change direction. Certainly I feel like I have a better understanding now of why these fires are so dangerous and hard to manage.

The book balances the 'mystery' and 'action' elements well, with the mystery working quite nicely and I wasn't able to guess 'whodunnit' until it was revealed. There is an element of the 'country house' murder mystery setting towards the end, when the suspects and sleuths are all trapped together in a lodge surrounded by the fire. It's fast paced but still manages to retain the twistiness of plot needed for a story of this nature and despite the drama, it felt less far fetched than the average 'cosy-crime' (of course, all such stories have an element of unreality about them, which is part of their appeal). I like the characters, including the wonderful Pippin the dog, and it's nice to 'catch up' with them again.

The story can be followed easily as an audiobook as it has a linear narrative. I took a long time to get used to the narrator, which is odd as I listened to the first book as an audiobook too with the same narrator and don't remember having the same problem. I felt he emphasised words rather oddly this time and the pacing was a bit off. Also his attempt at a Nigerian accent really didn't work.

Fans of the cosy crime genre should definitely get into this series - it isn't essential to read them all in order, but it would be better to do so if you can. Often with series of this kind I start to feel by the third book that they're running out of steam, but in this case it feels like it's just getting into its stride. I'm looking forwards to the fourth already.

Pro
* The animals 💜💜💜
* Tolkien and No 1 detective agency reference
* Classic locked-room mystery, complete with Agatha Christie reference
* Love Peter with his big heart and all his quirks
* Love the setting
* Very good pacing
* The series is really hitting its stride

Con
* Really dislike the audiobook narrator. He has a nasal tone and an odd inflection that fails to follow the storyline. Terrible accents.
* Very similar to Christi Lefteri’s Book of Fire. Coincidental.

Thank you to Philipp Schott, Miles Meili, ECW Press, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had the pleasure of both reading and listening to the audio of Philipp Schott's latest addition to his veterinarian Dr Peter Bannerman, an on the spectrum amateur sleuth series set in Manitoba in Canada. The audio is once again ably narrated by Miles Meili, with clarity, with the ability to keep me immersed in the gripping mystery from beginning to end, it is approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes long, and includes the start of the next in the series at the end. Peter finds himself called to a remote fishing lodge in the beautiful Canadian wilderness, where John, the owner, has had his 11 husky sled team poisoned, with the leader of the pack suffering the most, with serious liver damage. As it happens, a seaplane has come down, with the pilot and his 2 passengers killed.

It turns out it is a case of murder, Peter is planning to come back here for a break, first returning home to his wife, Laura, and, along with RMCP police officer and brother-in-law, Kevin, and his Nigerian partner, Stuart, pack for a kayaking and hiking holiday, staying at the Lodge, accompanied by beloved smart, well known sniffer dog, Pippin, Peter, being the curious soul and lover of puzzles that he is, cannot help but investigate, thinking the poisonings and the seaplane murders are probably connected. While the landscape is breathtaking, the group unfortunately find themselves caught in the terrifying firestorms, so intense and harrowing that even the lodge comes under threat, a dangerous lodge that harbours a killer amongst its guests and staff. Matters worsen with the increasing chaos as the fire storms come closer, and with the lack of power and no communications. Will Peter be able to sift through the host of suspects to arrive at the truth?

For me, it is Peter's quirky obsessive personality that often struggles to understand other humans, along with the animals that come with his profession that make this such a delightfully engaging crime series. The sense of location here is marvellous, and we get an all too real feel for the horrors of the damage and fear that fire storms bring to the local area and its population. This is a wonderfully entertaining and compelling mystery series with an appealing protagonist and I recommend both the book and the audio to readers and listeners interested in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC and ALC.

This was so cute! The title is what grabbed me at first because I love huskies and I love a good murder mystery! I didn't realize that this was part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I loved the witty banter with all the characters and I loved the chapters from the dogs point of view. I listened to the audio version of this and the narrator did a fantastic job! I'll definitely be looking for the other books in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for my ARC!

I thought it was a fun story and I liked the characters. Different from a lot of other mysteries in tone, but I appreciated the autistic character representation and the unusual context of the story.

I didn't realize this was part of a series when I started it, but it was fine reading as a standalone. Other mysteries from previous books were mentioned, but it didn't affect the current mystery in any way. It was fairly short and easy to read, making it a good palate cleanser between heavier books. This was overall pretty clean, but there were a janfful of s and f words at the end of the book spoken by one particular character. That did catch me off guard as the first 85% had no language. I thought the narration was okay and fit the book, but it wasn't my favorite. Thank you, NetGalley, and ECW Press Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

This drew me in with a Vet Detective at its centre! I’d listened to another in this series by this author (The Fifty Four Pigs) but I had actually forgot I had read that book before! I thought this one was the first by this author I’d read but apparently not- I seem to have erased it from my memory banks.

I loved the idea of a vet detective but as with the first, I still couldn’t warm up to the main characters. I didn’t feel as invested as I could have been and it was a little slow moving for me on this one and by the time it picked up speed I just wasn’t invested. It could have been an audiobook issue as the narrator didn’t quite meld with me.

He read a little like a newsreader with a cadence that took me some getting used to but once I got my ear in, it wasn’t too bad. (Also to note, I do listen to my audiobooks sped up as normal talking speed always feels too slow for me so take what I have to say with a pinch of salt!)

It’s an intriguing murder mystery with an unconventional detective, it’ll give you the quick hit of novel mystery you need!

Eleven Huskies by Philipp Schott is a A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery set in Manitoba and the audiobook is narrated by the highly accomplished Miles Meili. A very talented Actor and voice actor who gives a unique cadence to this story.

I have not previoulsy read any of the Dr Banerman Vet Mysteries and as such I was intrigued to try a contemporary cozy mystery in a different geograohy and more animal than human focussed. Full disclosure, I usually avoid mysteries with animals who are the victims and not the sleuths, daft I know, but it's just my taste) However, in this case, I was happily surprised

Philipp Schott has a very engaging writing style, perfectly suited to this type of mystery. I am sure he is Canadian and must surely be frrom the area or at least familiar with it as there is a clear awe in his writing, a passion for the place if you will. This empathy for the area gives a feeling of home and the natural world

The book takes the reader on an adventure into the depths of Canadian culture through Dr Bannermans POV, from the ride in a sea plane, to the primary focus of the mystery, the mushing team of sled dogs,. The descriptions of the area are magical and the characters are engaging, The dichotomoy between Peter and his wife is delightful

I am intrigued by this story and I look forward to reading more of this series

Thank you to Netgalley, ECW Press audio, the author Philipp Schott and narrator Miles Meili for this veryengaging ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own