Despite Melanie's domestic demands - a toddler and a house full of Standard Poodles - helping Edward March pen his life story is an opportunity she can't pass up. Of course Edward turns out to be a growly old man who wants his book - "Puppy Love"--To consist mainly of his amorous encounters with women from the dog show community. It's juicy gossip, but not dangerous ... until Andrew, Edward's son, pays Melanie an angry visit to stop her from working on the book. When Andrew suddenly turns up very dead, the victim of a seemingly intentional hit-and-run, the police are looking at Edward as Suspect No. 1. There was lots of bad blood between Andrew and his father, but Melanie is looking at the bigger picture. Would some of Edwards' ex-trysts have gone after Andrew to shut Edward up? How about all of those husbands and boyfriends with bones to pick? And who is that woman who everyone is avoiding at the funeral? Between getting caught up in the bafflingly dysfunctional March family, sorting out two generations of disgruntled ex lovers, and uncovering a shocking case of secret hoarding, Melanie's running into dead ends almost as fast as she's running out of time. The longer the killer stays unleashed, the sooner she may end up in the dog house for good.

Helping a legendary dog breeder pen his autobiography, Melanie is stunned when the man's son turns up dead and the breeder is the main suspect. Melanie resolves to investigate the death amidst ex-lovers, hoarding, and dead ends.