A white Miniature poodle named Sheba is the star of a new film, and she is played by several look-alike poodles. Lauren Vancouver, who runs an animal rescue, is on the set to watch over them. Then the director is killed in a suspicious hit-and-run, and her friend becomes the main suspect. Berkley Prime Crime published Oodles of Poodles in February 2013 as the fourth of the Pet Rescue Mysteries.
What Happens on the Set of Sheba’s Story
The film is called Sheba’s Story, a movie about a dog saved from the pound, cast with dogs who were saved too. An American Humane Association safety representative named Grant is on location to make sure the “No Animals Were Harmed” credit is earned. The director has argued with several people about animal safety, most loudly with Dr. Carlie Stellan, a veterinarian with her own TV show and one of Lauren’s closest friends.
When he dies, the police look hard at Carlie. Lauren knows the dogs, the trainers and half the crew. She starts asking questions while still running a place full of animals waiting for homes. We won’t say who did it.
Lauren Vancouver and HotRescues in the San Fernando Valley
Lauren is the chief administrator of HotRescues, a no-kill shelter in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. Its benefactor, Dante DeFrancisco, is also a co-producer of the film, which is how she ends up on set. The romantic side is light: Matt, a captain at Animal Services, is her sort-of boyfriend, and Grant from American Humane clearly likes her too.
The author got the idea close to home. American Humane opened an office on Ventura Boulevard near her house in the Hollywood Hills. She went in and asked how its people work on film and TV sets with animals.
Our Review: Good on Animal Welfare, Busy With Suspects
The best part of the book is that the animal welfare questions drive the plot. Who checks that a dog on a film set is safe? What happens when a director cuts corners? Those questions lead to murder. Readers learn how a film shoot with animals actually runs, and the scenes at HotRescues keep the story grounded.
The weaker part is the size of the cast. Producers, trainers, crew and actors all have a reason to dislike the director, and keeping them apart takes some effort. If you prefer a short list of suspects, this may feel crowded. Tess Tipton of Cozy Mystery Book Review wrote that she was kept guessing until the end. Kings River Life noted the serious issues raised alongside the sleuthing.
Pet Rescue Mysteries in Order: Beaglemania to Teacup Turbulence
The series has five novels and two ebook novellas. It grew out of the earlier Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries, where Lauren first appeared. Reading in order helps, because the friendships and Lauren’s love life carry over, though each book has its own case.
- Beaglemania (2011)
- The More the Terrier (2011)
- Hounds Abound (2012)
- Oodles of Poodles (2013)
- Nonstop Spaniels (2013, ebook novella)
- Teacup Turbulence (2014)
- Chihuahua Chaos (2014, ebook novella, shared with the pet-sitter series)
Nothing new has been announced since 2014.
Who Is Linda O. Johnston? A Former Lawyer Who Writes Full-Time
Linda O. Johnston was born in Pittsburgh and studied journalism at Penn State before earning a law degree. She practised as a lawyer and is now a full-time writer. Her first published story, in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first mystery short story. She lives in Hollywood with her husband and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and nearly everything she writes has a dog in it.
Her Cozy Mystery Series
Besides her two pet-sitter and pet rescuer series, she wrote two series for Midnight Ink. The Superstition Mysteries follow Rory Chasen and her dog Pluckie in a town called Destiny, from Lost Under a Ladder (2014) to Unlucky Charms (2016). The Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries star vet tech Carrie Kennersly and her dog treat shop, from Bite the Biscuit (2015) to For a Good Paws (2019). As Lark O. Jensen she writes the Alaska Untamed Mysteries, Bear Witness (2022) and Cry Wolf (2023).
Romance for Harlequin
Her other career is romance. She writes Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including the Shelter of Secrets series and books such as Covert Alliance (2016). For Harlequin Nocturne she wrote the Alpha Force paranormal romances about a military unit of shapeshifters, starting with Alpha Wolf in 2009.
Paperback and Ebook, No Audiobook
The book came out as a mass market paperback and an ebook. New print copies are scarce, but used ones are easy to find, and many libraries hold it. Only the first three books of the series have audio editions.
Quick Facts
| Title | Oodles of Poodles |
|---|---|
| Author | Linda O. Johnston |
| Series | Pet Rescue Mysteries, book 4 |
| First published | February 2013, Berkley Prime Crime |
| Setting | A film set in the San Fernando Valley |
| Sleuth | Lauren, head of HotRescues |
| Animals | Several Miniature poodles playing one film dog |
| Audiobook | No audiobook edition found (books 1–3 are narrated by Teri Clark Linden) |
| Next book | Nonstop Spaniels (novella, 2013), then Teacup Turbulence (2014) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start the series with this book?
You can follow the case, but the relationships make more sense if you start with Beaglemania.
Is it a clean cozy?
Yes. The death happens off the page and there is no sex.
What should I read next?
For another dog-loving sleuth, try Murder She Barked by Krista Davis, or browse our dog mystery books.