About this item
From Dust Jacket: Maine kennel owner and ex-cop Jack Field was hoping to spend a quiet evening in front of the fire with his canine pals and his smart and sexy ladylove, state medical examiner Dr. Jamie Cutter. But his plans go up in smoke when a young housemaid is found murdered in the Bright mansion a few nights before Santas big day. Jack quickly determines that there are three main suspects-a convicted killer, a chauffeur with a shady past, and a mysterious con-man professor. Add to the poisonous eggnog Daisy, a kidnapped Dalmatian puppy; Max and Fritz, two superbly trained Doberman pinschers; and a vengeful Russian mob boss, and its no Christmas miracle that Jack, Jamie, and their canine cronies are sniffing around something that could very well come back to bite them or, even worse, take them on a doggone Christmas slay ride!
About the Author
I'm a songwriter, a dog trainer, and a mystery novelist. I live in New York City with a Dalmatian named Fred. My novels are best described as a combination murder mystery, romantic comedy, and dog training manual. The titles include A NOSE FOR MURDER, MURDER UNLEASHED, TO COLLAR A KILLER, and 'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, which was a Featured Alternate Selection for The Mystery Guild. DOG WORLD MAGAZINE said of me, "Both Lee Charles Kelley and his fictional detective are dog trainers, and it's obvious they know their stuff."
My short story, "The French Poodle Connection" is featured in the dog mystery anthology, BARK M FOR MURDER, along with stories by fan favorite Virginia Lanier, prize-winning novelist Chassie West, and New York Times bestselling author, J.A. Jance. My next novel, titled DOGGED PURSUIT, will be out in July of 2006.
I'm a member of ASCAP. I wrote the book and lyrics for the musical comedy IT'S ONLY MONEY, with partner David Forrest. I've written the theme songs for two independent motion pictures that you've probably never heard of. Other tunes have been praised by Carly Simon, Charles Strouse, Ric Derringer, Tierney Sutton, and others.
The dog training techniques I use are based on NATURAL DOG TRAINING by Kevin Behan. They're unique in that they don't rely on dominance or food rewards but utilize the dog's prey drive to stimulate obedience and solve behavioral problems naturally.
I'm in my mid-50s. Fred died peacefully in his sleep of congestive heart failure on June 28th, 2007. He was 15 years old.
