PARKER FLEMING MYSTERY (The Case of the Barking Dog)

When the local ghostwriter finds a corpse, she becomes involved in a murder mystery that she must solve to save her daughter.

Synopsis: Parker Fleming wears a lot of hats. She is a ghostwriter of newspaper articles, scripts, and mysteries. In her small town, she has a reputation for solving mysteries. When she discovers a murdered woman, Parker becomes involved in the case. The chief of police welcomes her expertise, but it comes with a cost. Parker must keep the dead woman’s dog until the murder is cleared up. Harris, Parker’s 12-year-old daughter, is delighted to have a dog. Parker can do without. The suspects pile up as Parker goes about helping the police. They all seem to have the means, motive, and opportunity to commit murder. But who did it? She pursues several paths that involve a long-lost sister, a divorced husband, a winery owner in need of money, and a jealous lover. Yet, none fit the murder perfectly. It is only after Parker figures out why the dog barks only at certain times that she solves the riddle. By then, her daughter has been kidnapped. Parker must free her daughter and save herself, even as the killer pursues her.