A Shot in the Bark

Stars: Overall 4 Narration 5 Story 3.5

Starting with a prologue that is told in a killer’s point of view, C.A. Newsome has added an interesting twist to the cozy mystery genre with the inset. While ostensibly the story is focused on a group of regulars at a dog park, the story works on several different levels that may be disconcerting for some readers.

Firstly, the dogs: I am a huge fan of do-related stories, and the particular insets of the many dogs and their associated personalities, as well as their relationships and correlations to their owners is cleverly done. There are several characters introduced in the story, and it does make it a bit more difficult to narrow down the more important players from the group. What is very well done is the cold, calculating and distinctly written and narrated point of view insets from the murderer him (or her) self. Kudos to the author for the stylistic switch: and to the narration by Jane Boyer in which she imbues a harder and more calculating quality to the voicing of those sections. It is a quality that is often overlooked in audiobook narration, particular intention behind a character’s narration and tone, and she excelled at this story.

But back to the story itself: I really did enjoy this, even with the lack of a comeuppance for the murderer, or even a sense that you are certain the murderer has been named. Possibly muddled by the many characters, there was a sense that the second book will not only provide the reason for this murder, and fully explain the intentions of the culprit. In this, the mystery portion of the story has the potential to disappoint some readers who want to have a final wrap up that is defined and obvious, but I particularly appreciated the openness and quality of the stylistic differences that made this story unlike any I have previously encountered.

I own this book in two forms, I purchased a Kindle copy, and I was fortunate to win the AudioBook version of the story. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

3 people found this helpful

Dog gone it

As a huge dog lover, I had high hopes for this series but I couldn't get past the first few chapters. Maybe if the dogs talked and the humans were quiet...

3 people found this helpful

A Fun Romp in the Park - WOOF Plus rating

If you could sum up A Shot in the Bark in three words, what would they be?

A Good Read!

What other book might you compare A Shot in the Bark to and why?

The sequel, Drool Baby, of course.

Which character – as performed by Jane Boyer – was your favorite?

Anna

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

An entertaining Sunday read and listen. I read the book but Jane Boyer's narration made it come alive. I had fun hearing about places in my hometown, The Queen City.

3 people found this helpful

Fun story with a twist.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommend this book! Realistic characters. A personable mystery that had me hooked from the beginning.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Shot in the Bark?

The plotting by the murderer.

What about Jane Boyer’s performance did you like?

Her variety of voices are good. Female voices are better than male. Can tell that she is acting and not just reading the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed at the doggy mischief.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

2 people found this helpful

Average

An OK little mystery. Nothing special but was a nice listen, worth a few hours. I like how the murderer was done, and how the book left off, chilling.

1 person found this helpful

Too much time inside the killer's mind

Would you try another book from C. A. Newsome and/or Jane Boyer?

Maybe.

Would you recommend A Shot in the Bark to your friends? Why or why not?

No. I have decided not to read books where I spend more than a minimal amount of time inside the killer's mind. I don't think that's healthy. I like mysteries because they present a puzzle to solve. I don't want to empathize or even listen to the thoughts of someone who could hurt another person purposefully. This is not up-building. It's troubling.

What three words best describe Jane Boyer’s performance?

Pleasing, smooth, scary.

Any additional comments?

I didn't find the voice of Peter very masculine.

1 person found this helpful

Great Mystery

Would you listen to A Shot in the Bark again? Why?

Yes. It was a great mystery full of suspense and even a little romance.

What other book might you compare A Shot in the Bark to and why?

I don't normally read in the mystery genre, so I don't have a comparison, but the author's writing style is great.

Have you listened to any of Jane Boyer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but she was very good, and each character was distinct.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't want to give any of the plot away, but I really enjoyed the romance part of the book between Lea and Peter.

1 person found this helpful

not great

the narrator was ok but not great. there was a lot of repetition in the story especially the questioning by the detective. I've of the main characters Leah, was annoying. always confused our feeling guilty. I don't know that I will read more despite the fact that the killer was not revealed.

good up until the end then it fell flat

I was looking forward to the Big Reveal of the serial killer whose monologue ran throughout the book. The ending was disappointing both in terms of the heroine's and Hero's relationship and the cliffhanger of not revealing the killer.

The Villain. never gets captured.

This Dog mystery reads more like a love story than a mystery story.
However I did enjoy the mystery parts of this story and I like dogs.
Again the villain was never captured for dective Peter pays all his attention to his new friend
not enough to solving this murder.