Hounding the Pavement

Hounding the Pavement by Judi McCoy is a Dog Walker Mystery which makes it a good fit for this challenge.  Dogs are on the cover and are a major part of the book.  Ellen Elizabeth Engleman better known as Ellie is newly divorced and goes to the ASPCA to celebrate.  She gets a psychic message from a dog saying it was the "her dead dog Rudy" and "it was time from them to get together again". Adopting the dog, led her to a job as a dog walker.

Ellie talks to the doorman at the Davenport where her clients lived and finds out everyone left but Professor Albright.  She picks up a new dog, Sweetie Pie, first and then two more dogs before stopping for Professor Albright's Bichon, Buddy.  Since, she was told the Prof had not left yet, she knocks on the door before using her key.  She tries to go in but the door is blocked.  She uses her body weight to push the door open more.  She squeezes in and finds the professor's body and finding no pulse or breath she calls the doorman and asks him to call 911.  She calls the dogs name and he does not come.  She has the doorman hold the dogs and looks for Buddy in the apartment.  She does not find the dog there and does not know what happened to him.  The police are more concerned about what happened to the professor than to worry about a lost dog.  A good looking policeman named Sam Ryder is sent to investigate.  Ellie is questioned and Detective Ryder does not think she could kill anyone.  Rudy does not like the detective.  Ellie, however, is determined to find Buddy.

I loved this book.  Though the connection between Ellie and the dogs seems strange, there are some people who seem to know what dogs want.  Ellie and Sam have mothers who want them to see them more often and who are concerned about them.  I feel that I would trust Ellie to walk my dog if I had one.  The human and animal characters are well described and I will look for Heir of the Dog which is the next book.