Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.
This is a fun little song that Washington Poe introduced me to while reading The Killer’s Mark.
The Shadow Carver
DETAILS: Series: DI Anjelica Henley, #4 Publisher: Hanover Square Press Publication Date: March 10, 2026 Format: Hardcover Length: 420 pg. Read Date: June 27-30, 2026
What’s The Shadow Carver About?
There seems to be a new serial killer active in London, with a particularly creepifying signature—they’re taking scalps as trophies. They’re also doing a pretty good job of making sure the public knows about the killings to a level the police might not be willing to provide (at least not as soon as the killer is). Oh, and the target? Criminals who seem to have gotten away with it due to court findings. There’s a certain amount of popular acclaim for the killings, because of that.
Still, even the worst of English society don’t deserve to be scalped. So DI Anjelica Henley and her team—plus a detective seconded to them—are on the hunt. One victim interacted with Henley just before dropping off the map, and she might be the last person to see them alive—which adds a level of pressure (and a conversation with other detectives about her possible connection to the case).
Throughout it all, Henley is preoccupied by another case. Despite the heinous crimes that she needs to stop, a good chunk of her mind is spinning on the death of her mentor, friend, boss, Harry Rhimes. Henley has questions about it—as does Harry’s wife, Eloise. Eloise is putting some pressure on Henley to get some answers for her—and Henley wants them for herself, too. But first, she does have to do her job.
The rest of the team is dealing with their own distractions as well—most of them are doing a better job of focusing on the work, however (which isn’t to say that Henley’s doing a bad job; she’s just not at her best). This feels like one of the truest depictions of police detectives in a procedural. Yes, they want to catch a killer—but they also want to care for their sick wives, adopt a child, hit on a colleague, or something else. It turns out, these detectives are people. Driven, but they do things other than work.
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
I picked this up because Nadine Matheson is one of those authors I want to stay up-to-date on, even if she steps away from this series (which I hope is a long time off). The way she gets into the mind of the criminals as well as the police is one of the things that sets her work apart from others, and I can’t get enough.
I kept at it because…well, for those reasons. Yes, I’m interested to an extent, in the case that’s distracting Henley (and will be more interested once it’s the primary focus). Yes, I’m interested in following the other team members (with an eye on Ramouter and his wife’s disease). But in this particular book it’s not just about the “whodunit?” but the “how are they going to figure it out?” This case seems twistier than normal for them on that front, and I just loved watching it.
What does this book tell us about humanity?
To be human is to seek justice. We all (or almost all), from toddlers on up, have some sort of idea of justice, rightness, fairness. And when we see it violated time and again by the processes we trust to protect it and execute justice, it makes us angry, it leads us to give up, it drives us to some sort of action.
Many times this ends in positive actions—like Henley and her team joining the police service and trying to enforce the laws. Other times it gets twisted and results in the kind of vigilantism we see here. And sometimes people who are upset and don’t know how to best react to injustice can get their minds and morality manipulated. We see examples of all three at work in this novel.
Honestly, there’s something appealing, or relatable, in each experience, and readers may be surprised at who they sympathize with at various points in the novel. (hopefully not by the end, but, you never know)
So, what did I think about The Shadow Carver?
I will admit I got a little frustrated at Henley spending as much energy (especially mental) on Rhimes, and dealing with personnel issues with a vigilante to find. And I wasn’t crazy about the way the new/temporary team member worked and interacted with the others. I think I was supposed to react that way for the latter, at least I hope so—Matheson seemed to point the reader that way.
But setting those reactions aside? This was gripping. Like I said before, the way that Matheson drives into the psychology of the characters—victims, police, perpetrators, and others—is the big draw for this series, and definitely is the case for this book.
Although, you sorta want to see what’s going on with the scalping, too.
As outlandish as much of the book seemed—it also felt incredibly grounded. These investigators come across as real people, with real concerns and motivations, and just getting to watch them is satisfying in a way that’s hard to articulate.
The Shadow Carver features a good, twisty plot, is populated with well-conceived and three-dimensional characters, and the resolution to the case is well-executed. Like always, Matheson delivers a good one.
This novel (as the others) would serve as a good jumping-on point for the series, but will reward those coming back for more well.
Either way, it’s a good ‘un.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Long Live Dolly Parton, Giver of Books—There’ve been so many tributes to Parton this week, many talking about this aspect of her legacy and work, but this is one of the few that focus on it. (incidentally, I cannot tell you how bothered I am that it’s not available in Idaho)
The Most Famous “Odyssey” Translation Is Inaccurate: On the shortcomings of Emily Wilson’s translation—I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I thought this was interesting. Even if you don’t want to get into “things Wilson got wrong” of it all, the discussion of translation is well worth the read
Million selling Crime Author M. W. Craven on the Story Behind the First Official Poe & Tilly Merch—in case anyone was wanting to buy me a gift
Narratess Indie August Sale—Narratess’ back batch o’ temptation is back with a lot to browse. (it’s also a great reminder for me to look back on my past purchases from the sale next time I’m making a TBR)
A Local’s Guide to Gaining Five Pounds Eating and Drinking at Worldcon 2026—MD Presley’s piece is a fun read, even if you’re not heading to Worldcon or the Anaheim area. (it’d do some damage to my shirt size if I were)
Book’d Out is 16!—no small achievement.
Interviews as a Reader—from Armed with a Book
Interview with the Legendary Margaret Weis—over at the epicenter of Dragonlance fandom, Witty and Sarcastic Book Club.
Why I Re-Read Books—from Bookstooge’s Reviews on the Road
Monthly Manga Mania Featuring Firsty Duelist: Akira Failing in Love by Shinta Harekawa—Firsty wades into the world of Rom-Com!
A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
Christians Reading ClassicsCrossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, with Matt Stewart—If I keep hearing Stewart talk about Stegner, I just might read him one day. As Stewart’s an elder in my church, there’s a good chance I’ll get the opportunity. It should be an interesting conversation for people who don’t know him, too.
My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
If Cumbria was a week-old slice of bread, Carlisle would be the big green splat of mould in the middle. The kind that made you question the whole loaf. The antibiotic breakthrough waiting to happen. Surrounding the big green stinky splat would be the lesser moulds. The spores, the bluey-green spots with white edges. Some the size of pinheads, others the size of mouse turds. You wouldn’t throw away the loaf because of the mouse-turd spores, but you’d definitely pick them off. You might sniff the slice and say, ‘Maybe we should toast this?’
—The Killer’s Mark by M.W. Craven
To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
Trampling in the Land of Woe by William Galaini
Debt to Pay by Reed Farrel Coleman
An Obvious Fact by Craig Johnson
I mentioned the releases of The Barista’s Guide To Espionage by Dave Sinclair and Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron
This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Any More Questions for the Corpse? by Jack Unthank—”When a young necromancer investigates a string of deaths in the hidden magical capital of England, the dead come back to haunt him—in more ways than one.”
The Demon Overlord’s Retirement Plan by M.H. Foster—”The Demon Overlord retires to farm turnips in peace, only to find life in a small village far more chaotic than he ever could have anticipated in this laugh-out-loud debut cozy fantasy with teeth.”
source: Because All the Books
My Most Captivating Character of the Month for August comes from Shami Stovall’s The Last Rift Dragon. I was struggling to decide on a character this month until Tuesday night when I wrote up my post about the book and said, “I can’t say too much about him now, because I’m saving it for a post this Friday.” So apparently my subconscious made the decision and just waited to inform me.
Lex was a stable boy working for the parents of the book’s narrator/protagonist, Richter Whitlock. He was promoted to be Richter’s squire at the beginning of his training–then he was Richter’s support and companion during the days/weeks following the death of Richter’s parents. So, Richter gave him some property and claimed him as family, so Lex could qualify as nobility and train to be a knight by his side.
I’m talking a lot about Richter in a post about Lex–but that’s pretty much over now.
Lex loves Richter like a brother, and doesn’t really see him as a benefactor–at least not in any “I need to live up to something” or “I need to be expressing my gratitude toward him constantly” kind of thing. Their friendship/brotherhood doesn’t require that. The mutual affection and trust is real and they don’t have to play any games or anything. They’re family, and they act like it.
This is not to say that Lex is ungrateful or takes any of his life for granted. Stovall doesn’t come out and say this, but you just need to halfway pay attention to Lex and it comes through clearly. He’s an optimistic, cheerful, positive guy. Like I described him the other day, “This guy is Samwise Gamgee, but more positive. Samwise Gamgee as played by Leslie Knope, maybe.”
Lex sees every day as a gift–he has everything he could want, his best friend at his side and a dragon to care for. He knows full well that this wasn’t the life he was set for, but by just being himself–a caring guy–the direction of his life changed.
Sure, his dragon, Diamond, was hatched early and has some issues (you should read the book yourself for details). But all Lex sees is a dragon to take care of–which is what the plan was all along, Diamond just needs a little more care than others. That doesn’t matter–he thinks she’s wonderful (and he’s right).
I’m not saying he’s a Pollyanna or is wearing rose-colored glasses. He sees the rottenness of the world, but he chooses to focus on the good. He knows that his city is at war, and that the odds are stacked against them. But as Lloyd so famously said, “so you’re saying there’s a chance.” And that’s pretty much how Lex looks at it.
And that’s pretty captivating.
What character would you name for last month?
We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art, and we all do judge them that way). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I like to throw it up here (especially if I’m out of time to come up with a post that involves writing on my part).
from How to Be Good by Nick Hornby:
I am in a car park in Leeds when I tell my husband I don’t want to be married to him anymore. David isn’t even in the car park with me. He’s at home, looking after the kids, and I have only called him to remind him that he should write a note for Molly’s class teacher. The other bit just sort of . . . slips out. This is a mistake, obviously. Even though I am, apparently, and to my immense surprise, the kind of person who tells her husband that she doesn’t want to be married to him anymore, I really didn’t think that I was the kind of person to say so in a car park, on a mobile phone. That particular self-assessment will now have to be revised, clearly. I can describe myself as the kind of person who doesn’t forget names, for example, because I have remembered names thousands of times and forgotten them only once or twice. But for the majority of people, marriage-ending conversations happen only once, if at all. If you choose to conduct yours on a mobile phone, in a Leeds car park, then you cannot really claim that it is unrepresentative, in the same way that Lee Harvey Oswald couldn’t really claim that shooting presidents wasn’t like him at all. Sometimes we have to be judged by our one-offs.
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The Jigsaw Manby Nadine Matheson Hardcover, 388 pg. Read: May 17-20, 2021 |
“You never know though. This could still be a nice, straightforward investigation.”
Henley didn’t reply as she picked up her bag, because every nerve in her body told her Pellacia believed that even less than she did.
What’s The Jigsaw Man About?
Someone is killing people, dismembering them, and then scattering the parts of the bodies near the river (not necessarily in that order).
It’s DI Henley’s first day back in the field in months when these pieces are discovered. I think that qualifies as a blessing and a curse—it’s a blessing because these murders resemble the crimes of a serial killer she arrested years ago. The curse comes in because Henley is still haunted by this killer and what happened during his arrest. Stil, Peter Olivier, “the Jigsaw Killer,” is in prison—which is one of the more ironclad alibis around. The killers’ methods are so similar, there has to be a connection between the two. And there’s no one better suited to uncover that connection than Henley.
Olivier isn’t impressed with someone stealing his M.O., and he’s even less satisfied with Henley’s speed at apprehending the killer. So he decides to take care of things himself. Step one, get out of prison. Step two, find the killer—and unlike Henley, Olivier has a few suspects.
DI Anjelica Henley
The CSI team hadn’t arrived by the time Henley had left [spoiler]’s home. Anthony was en route to a shooting on the Kingsland Road, but had promised to dispatch two of his team with unrealistic promises of paid overtime. Henley could feel the anger overwhelming her as she walked back to her car. Someone had dropped the ball and no one was taking responsibility. She was doing everything that she was trained to do, to the best of her ability, but it didn’t feel as though it was enough. As if she wasn’t enough.
Henley is an all-too-familiar figure in Detective Fiction—smart, determined, driven. So much so that her husband wants her to get another job so she can spend more time with her family. But that’s not going to happen, she can’t do that. A couple of things that make her different from your typical driven, brilliant, cop that doesn’t always play well with others—Henley is a black woman DI. She has to be the best, she has to be driven and determined to survive in a position like hers. Almost everyone does a double-take as she identifies herself, someone who looks like she does is a DI?
She’s struggling with the trauma that came from the arrest of Olivier, and she appears to be losing that struggle, too. And that was before she had to deal with crimes that looked like his and interview Olivier on multiple occasions in order to try to understand the connection between Olivier and the new guy.
There’s something instantly appealing about Henlely—she’s a mess, but that doesn’t stop her. She has every reason in the world to leave the job, but she won’t for a few compelling reasons. Which actually makes her more vulnerable, watching her deal with her own issues in addition to the case makes for some really compelling reading.
The Rest of the Team
Stanford turned his back on the body. Henley knew how he was feeling. They thought they had seen it all, until life presented them with a fresh kind of hell.
As with most UK-based procedurals, there’s a great cast of characters around Hnely There are too many to really discuss the way I want to (and I don’t want to give short shrift to any). From the supervisor with complicated feelings toward her, a DS who might as well be a brother, a trainee who is in over his head (but finds a way to be valuable to the investigation), the best-friend of a medical examiner, to all those I can’t come up with a pithy phrase to describe, Matheson filled this novel with people, not two-dimensional (or one-dimensional) characters. You really can’t ask for more than that.
Peter Olivier
Unlike too many serial killers in fiction, Peter Olivier isn’t charming. He’s not some sort of misunderstood genius. The reader is never tempted to root for him as he goes up against the copy-cat or as he escapes. He’s a vile man, excellent at reading people either to attack or to convince them to become an ally.
I cannot stress enough that he’s the kind of serial killer I want to read about (and I really don’t want to read about too many of them anymore). I don’t want to sympathize with someone like that, I want it to be crystal clear that this guy is a monster, and deserves to be put away from society. Matheson gives us not just one, but two killers like that.
Questions to Wrestle With…
The best literature demands something of the reader. It often requires you to dig down deep inside and ask yourself some hard questions as you read.
The Jigsaw Man is one such book. As you read it, you have to ask yourself penetrating questions like:
What’s the absolute minimum amount of sleep I need to function?
Do I have to go back to work after lunch, or can I just keep reading?
Will my kids be upset if I miss their soccer game/little league game/dance recital if I read throughout?
Will my cats murder me in my sleep if their bowls are empty?
How angry will my wife be if I ignore her for a couple of hours? (especially during the last 100 or so pages) How long will it take her to get over it?
So, what did I think about The Jigsaw Man?
I absolutely loved this. This is a dark, unsettling read—there are two pages toward the end that may be the most disturbing pages I’ve ever read. And yet…there’s something very appealing about the novel—it’s gripping and compelling, it’s also entertaining.
Henley might be a tangle of problems and issues (in addition to the positive qualities she possesses), but they’re not just there as quirks or to ground the character. There’s a reason for each of them, a story behind them, making her absolutely believable. The same could be said for the rest of the characters, too. Matheson has a real eye for character and displayed that throughout.
The pacing is perfect, and you find yourself turning the pages as fast as you can for the last 40-60 pages, because you just have to know what happens. That part of the book reminded me of the first time I read Clarice Starling walk into Buffalo Bills’ house. You’re on the edge of your seat, tense, and any little noise can startle you. It’s not often I feel like that and I love it when I do.
I definitely recommend this one to you, folks—but I should warn you, when you do, you’ll be waiting with bated breath for the next book in the series.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.
I don’t have much to say, really. But it’s National Dog Day (as I posted about earlier), so why I don’t I share a picture of the girls that steal my spot on the bed, demand more than their share of my food, drive me nuts by barking at nothing, and generally make my life better every day.
This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:
What are you currently reading?
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| The Killer’s Mark by M.W. Craven |
Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong |
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett, read by Mark Bramhall |
There’s knowing before you start that you’re almost certainly going to love a new M.W. Craven book. Then there’s actdually getting to experience it. The latter is far, far better. I considered not going back to work tomorrow after starting The Killer’s Mark at lunch.
Am enjoying Armstrong’s look at Parks and Recreation, and the antepenultimate chapter (that I read last night) is better than the previous chapters combined.
Oh, I’m liking Hartnett’s latest far more than I expected to. I’m not that far off from the landing, and she seems to be sticking it. Bramhall’s narration is top-notch, too.
What did you recently finish reading?
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| Wool by Hugh Howey |
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto, read by Eunice Wong |
Wool was everything you want in a dystopian novel. I’m not sure I was in the right mood for a dystopian novel, however.
Sutanto’s latest has all the heart and verve you expect. Some good laughs, too.
What do you think you’ll read next?
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| Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler |
The Politician by Tim Sullivan, read by Finlay Robertson |
I’ll be closing out my 20 Books of Summer and the Dark Lord Davi duology with my next read. Looking forward to both.
It’s time for the next DS Cross novel, and I’m eager for that, too.
We’re in the last stretch of August. How’s your month’s reading been?
(Updated and Revised 8/26/26)
It’s National Dog Day, the annual celebration of “all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledge family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” So it seemed like a good day to post another version of this. And yes, I rushed to post a couple of things yesterday so I’d have them for this 🙂
This was a hard post to come up with a name for‡. Essentially, this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!
I plan on updating this regularly at least annually, perhaps more often. So by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t encountered yet!
Non-Fiction
Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier—accompanied by photos of this very good boy, Titan teaches some life lessons. He teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing. (my post about it)
The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter—Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe. by Jeff Lazarus—Humans are so obsessed with their dogs, we’ve devoted so much time, energy, and work into them that it’s become a religion, with humans essentially worshiping their pets. This book is a look at that devotion and the rituals and beliefs that accompany it. It’s technically humor, but a lot of it seems pretty on-target. (my post about it)
What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)
Fiction
All the Best Dogs by Emily Jenkins—A great MG novel about a bunch of kids and their dogs who interact at a dog park. (my post about it and its opening paragraphs)
Fancy Dogs by Tini Malina, Tammi Reichel (Translator)—a Picture Book gives a peek behind the curtain of the lives of a “fancy dog”? And are they just as silly and mischief-bound as their lower-class cousins? (short answer: yes) (my posts about it)
Frida, The Good Dog by Daniel J Breen, Jeff Ross (Illustrator)—this is a cute picture book about a very good dog named Frida (that was self-evident, I guess). It’s a quick and adorable read.
Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler and his dogs get involved in serial killer cases. Warning: Like many heroes in action novels, most of Mace’s dogs get beat up/injured. Some pretty badly. (my posts about it)
Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—A series of comic investigations about an Ex-MP and her K-9 partner in Ohio. Both are pretty skilled and are walking disasters at the same time. (my posts about them)
Pug Actually by Matt Dunn—Doug, a loyal pug, plays cupid for his owner. This is a cute rom-com with a charming canine narrator. (my post about it)
Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
Milton Makes a Move by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—an adorable Picture Book following Milton as he travels to a new country to start a life with his new person and gets up to all sorts of adventures. (my post about it)
Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book is about Noodle’s search for a place to spend the day where he can have all his needs met: to be able to smell nice smells, see his Jonathan, watch for a snacking opportunity (or several), and—most importantly—feel comfy. Impossible to not like. (my post about it)
Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book relates the origin of the Internet Craze and the wonderful, photogenic pug behind it. (my post about it)
Kay-9: The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—maybe doesn’t belong on this list (see: “Robot”), but it’s too cute to leave off on a technicality. What’s an inventive boy to do when his very supportive mother won’t let him get a dog because she’s horribly allergic? Why, build one with an incredibly lifelike AI. Obviously. (my posts about it)
Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about it)
Double Dog Dare by Dave Kellett—a wonderful collection of comic strips from the long-running webcomic Sheldon (www.SheldonComics.com) focused on dog humor. Most of them focus on Sheldon’s Dog, Oso the Pug and his friend Digby the Dachshund. (my post about it)
Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about it)
Pupposites Attract 1 by Hono Natsuna, Matt Trayvaud (translator)—This manga is the story about the beginning of a relationship—two really. Boy walking dog meets girl walking dog. The dogs (one very small, one very large) become good friends and their humans? Well, something starts between them, too. It’s as cute as you can imagine. (my post about it)
I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too much fun to miss. (my posts about it)
The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
A Tail of Mystery by Paul Regnier—this is the first novel in a series about a journalist who moves back to his small hometown, develops the ability to communicate with his dog, and starts solving cozy murders. No, really. It’s a great time, I can’t wait to read more in this series. (my post about it)
Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too—and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about it)
The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, comes along, too. Simon Garfunkel doesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about it)
Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)
Supportive Roles
These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.
Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about it)
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about it)
Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about it)
Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about it)
Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. (my post about it)
Back After This by Linda Holmes (my posts about it)
Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide. (my posts about it)
Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson (my posts about it)
Purvis (and Beau) from The Good Kill by John McMahon (my post about it)
Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin (my post about it)
Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie (my post about it)
The World Entire by Jo Perry
Cherry Baby (my post about it)
Herbert and Daisy from Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (my post about it)
Books with paws on both sides of the line
Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
The Best Dog in the World edited by Alice Hoffman —A collection of essays by novelists about dogs in their life. The book’s subtitle, “Essays on Love,” tells you all you need to know about them. (my post about it)
Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
This Dog Will Change Your Life by Elias Weiss Friedman with Ben Greenman—Friedman is probably better known as The Dogist on various social media programs where he features pictures of dogs he meets around whatever city he happens to be in at the time (typically NYC). This book talks about some of the dogs he’s met, some dog charities and organizations he’s encountered, the way some dogs have changed the lives of people he’s known, and some general thoughts on dog-kind in general.
Max Boucher Mysteries by Troy Lambert—Max used to be with the Seattle Police, but became a P.I. after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Because of the events of the first novel, Max gains a reputation as an animal detective. Particularly specializing in missing/kidnapped dogs. Most of the dogs in the series get out okay, but some are injured or worse. (my posts about it)
Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—this is an action novel featuring heroics from several dogs working alongside a special ops soldier to try to stop a white supremacist group from launching a terrorist action. Some dogs are hurt, and a few die along the way. (my post about it)
Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about it)
Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt—For various and sundry reasons, the Rosenfelts decide to move their home and dog shelter from California to Maine. As anyone who’s had to get a dog (or a toddler) into their vehicle for a drive across town can imagine—getting 25 dogs moved across the country is a logistical nightmare. In Rosenfelt’s capable hands, if “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” “nightmarish logistics plus time” does, too. The shelter specializes in senior dogs, so not every dog mentioned or featured lives, but that’s not the focus of the book. (my post about it)
E. B. White on Dogs—if this isn’t every short piece or letter White wrote mentioning dogs, it’s so close as not to matter. Some are witty, some are touching, some are somewhere in between. There are even a few written from the point of view of his dog! Sadly, this does include a eulogy for one dog, a few other mentions of canine mortality, so it can’t make the main list. (my post about it)
Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—a sort-of-sequel to the above. Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelts now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. It’s one some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)
‡ I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and I enjoy sharing some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enjoy their creativity:
These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
The Best Bois
Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s now-husband suggested this as a joke, for his sake, I’m assuming it was
Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke
(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay)
The Last Rift Dragon
DETAILS:
Publication Date: July 17, 2026
Format: e-Book
Length: 340 pg.
Read Date: August 18-19, 2026
What’s The Last Rift Dragon About?
We meet Richter Whitlock on the final day of his training to be a Knight of the White Fog—the force that are bonded to dragons to defend the city of Bridgehaven in the ongoing war against the city of Whettin. Richter’s parents had been killed in this war while serving as Knights and he’s eager to join the ranks and take up their battle.
The first step is passing the final tests and then getting to select a dragon egg, so that he can care for it during the final weeks before the dragon hatches and he can bond with it. bond with it when the dragon hatches. He and most of his cohort pass their exams and get their eggs. After their bonding, these Knights will have their own magic enhanced by their dragons.
Tragedy—along with human depravity and duplicity—strikes, and before he really understands what’s happening, the stakes get higher for Richter and the others. (I knew something was coming, but I was about as prepared for it as Richter is).
He and the others have to bond with their dragons—and take some major risks along the way—to try to stop the latest incursion to save their city. But will it be enough?
Lex
Second only to a couple of the dragons (including his), my favorite character in this book has to be Valex Thorn—better known as Lex, Richter’s brother in all but name and genetics. This guy is Samwise Gamgee, but more positive. Samwise Gamgee as played by Leslie Knope, maybe.
I liked him from the get-go, and it didn’t take long for me to care more about what happened to him and his dragon than Richter and his (although, given the first person narrator of it all, I’m not that worried about him).
I can’t say too much about him now, because I’m saving it for a post this Friday—but come back for it, will you? Let me just say for now that Lex is fun, he is the beating heart of the story, and my budding Stovall fandom will come to an abrupt termination if anything bad happens to him.
The Magical Creatures
So the primary magical creature this book focuses on are dragons. I don’t need to explain why this is a good thing to have as a focus. Actually, I don’t know if I can—but since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I’ve just known that dragons are cool in the same way that I know that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches should not be underestimated by anyone. And here we have several types of dragon—and once the rift dragon shows up, what Richter, the Knights, and the Church know about dragons expands.
On the other side we have vessrik.
…giant magical centipedes with ebony exoskeletons as dark as a starless night. They had massive pincers and hundreds of skittering legs that came straight from a feverish nightmare.
We get some more description elsewhere, but that’s enough to put the idea in your mind (and, yes, there’s an illustration a little bit after that—just in case the description didn’t make you feel like something was crawling up your back).
Richter also tells us,
Vessrik didn’t have red blood— their insides were a mix of dark blue and green. Their bleeding always looked nightmarish to me, but then again, everything about vessrik made me queasy.
You and me both, buddy.
These vessrik are ridden by the opponents of Bridgehaven, and not only are they creepy in concept—they’re deadly when deployed. If the Knights of the White Fog and the church in Bridgehaven are correct, dragons are sent by the Heavens, and I’m sure that vessrik are from the Bad Place.
But wait, there’s more! Not only do we have these cool critters—we get some great fight scenes between them. Dragon v. dragon (feral dragon vs. sentient dragon) and dragon vs. vessirk. Those scenes are some truly “nature, red in tooth and claw” kind of thing. These are powerful creatures doing great violence toward each other and Stovall depicts it so well—you just never know how those scenes are going to play out. Except that they’ll be worth your time.
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
I picked this up because The Write Reads asked for tour volunteers—and I’ve been wanting to read more Stovall, so it seemed like a good opportunity.
I kept reading because it’s one of the fastest reads I’ve had this year. Not fast as in “time spent reading”—that’s not really a compliment, and because I’ve read plenty of novellas, so it wouldn’t be accurate. Fast as in smooth, Stovall just sweeps you along with her storytelling and the pages melt away. I was consistently about 20% further along than my mental tracker had me. If not for work and sleep, I’d have done this in one sitting comfortably. You just get into the story, and everything else is gone. This came up in a conversation, and another blogger said much the same thing—so I feel safe in advertising this as a feature.
But also—fighting dragons. Come on, who isn’t going to keep reading?
The Driving Force
In comparison to some of the other characters we meet, the Knights of the White Fog show the appeal and power of a sense of duty. A sense of responsibility. They believe in their duty enough that they’re eager to live by it—sure, they sometimes get distracted from that. But a good reminder gets them back on track—because they don’t see their duty as an obligation, but an opportunity to serve their city and its citizens. And by doing so, they serve the Heavens.
They don’t hold everyone to their standards—not everyone can be a Knight. Some are called to bake, to serve the church, to buttle, and so on. The duty of the Knights is to make sure they can do so in safety.
Some novels would take the opportunity to show some Knights chafing at their duties, finding ways around them or to fulfill the spirit rather than the letter of the law. And I can and do enjoy those. Here, however, we see what it’s like for diverse group of people commit to a common set of principles and respect each other (while not really appreciating their background or personality).
Call me a sap if you will, but I love it.
So, what did I think about The Last Rift Dragon?
This book left out all the bits of fantasy novels that slow things down—yes, I wouldn’t have minded a bit more detail here and there—but Stovall has no time for that kind of thing. We get the essentials, the headline-making moments, and we just glaze over the day-to-day life kind of bits. Not that the text is neglecting anything; it’s just prioritizing things. I recently finished Howey’s Wool (as an example), and I kept thinking, “Stovall wouldn’t have given us this chapter.” Neither is a better approach; they’re just very different. Stovall is assuming a lot for her readers—we understand the idea of dragons bonding with a human (she does add her particular tweaks), that we have a mental image of a typical Fantasy world (again, she has her own spin), and so on, whereas Howey had to invent an entire world from the ground up.
It’s an efficient approach to story-telling that works well here. While reading, I was reminded of the conceit of The Princess Bride novel, that it was “the good parts” from the original S. Morgenstern text. Well, Stovall just gave us “the good parts.”
Would I have liked to see a bit more about the motivation for a couple of characters? Yes. Would I have liked a bit more about the religious/political war between the two cities? Oh, yeah. Do I need them to enjoy this novel and for it all to work? Nope. Not at all.
I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get more from the adult knights, but it’s a YA novel; it makes sense that we focus on the young adult characters. I enjoyed them all, and am more annoyed with Stovall for a couple of deaths than I should be for the time I spent with the characters because they had so much promise. Sure, that was intentional—she needs you to be riled up by the deaths, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
There’s a lot that can be done with this series in terms of character, world-building, and action. Even if the war between the cities is resolved in a book or two—the series could really keep going with what has been set up. That’s vague, but I don’t want to give too much away. I don’t know that there’s a Shannara-length saga here, but we could easily be in Dragonlance territory. *
The action scenes are top-notch. They’re fast-moving and furious—whether we’re talking about characters racing away from feral dragons, dragon v. dragon conflict, human v. human conflict, or human and magical creature(s) versus human and magical creature(s) conflict, Stovall nails each of the scenes both in terms of the actual action and the emotional impact on reader/character.
Lastly—and this is the big selling point for many—the dragons themselves. Whether we’re talking about their particular abilities, their appearance, or their personalities, they’re just great. Not a one of these is a cookie-cutter, they’re all distinct from each other, and I want novellas starring them individually. I’m going to call out Lex’s dragon, Diamond, here specifically. I want to adopt her. I think she’d like my dogs, and they’d probably like her. Not only is she great, but the relationship she and Lex have is adorable, and not what I’m used to seeing in dragon-human bonds.
In a nutshell, The Last Rift Dragon is a fast-moving, rich Fantasy novel featuring compelling characters, fantastic action, and some of the best Dragon characters I’ve read in a while. Stop reading me (just for a while, mind you—I need the views) and go read the novel.
* I should fact-check myself there, but I’m not going to. It feels right. Especially if you only focus on the Weiss/Hickman Dragonlance books.
note
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided, including the novel.
This morning, I’m very pleased to welcome The Write Reads Ultimate Tour for Shami Stovall’s Time-Marked Warlock. In addition to this Spotlight, my post about the book will be coming along a little later. Be sure check out https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours over the next week and change to see other people saying (probably) great things about the book.
Book Details:
Title: The Last Rift Dragon by Shami Stovall
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Young Adult
Release date: July 20, 2026
Length: 340 pages
About the Book:
The City of Bridgehaven is under attack.
The nation to the west intends to murder Bridgehaven’s last three remaining dragons, rendering them extinct. They’ll stop at nothing to crush the eggs, flay the dragons, and burn Bridgehaven to the ground.
But Richter Whitlock is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen. He joins the Knights of the Silver Fog—individuals dedicated to protecting Bridgehaven, and the dragons, at all costs—in the hopes of caring for a fragile dragon egg, so that one day he may bond and fight back.
But there are traitors in Bridgehaven, and enemies are circling close.
If Richter hopes to save his home, and his egg, he’ll have to master his magic, learn to craft magitech, and become one of the greatest Knights anyone has ever seen…
Book Links:
Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph
About the Author:
Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction, best known for her Frith Chronicles and Chronos Chronicles series. Before she was author, Stovall taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second.
When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators, or hanging with John 3 and John 4.
Author Links:
My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.