Murder Monday – Louisa Bennet (aka L A Larkin)

L A Larkin has written six hard-bitten thrillers set in places as diverse as Antarctica, South Africa, and an island off the coast of Washington State (causing a lot of people a lot of sleepless nights!) but, under the name Louisa Bennet, she writes cosies featuring a dog detective. She talked about her dual career with Sisters in Crime member and author, Karina Kilmore, for February’s Murder Monday. (Click below to view.)

Louisa’s most recent book, The Bone Ranger, out late last year via Clan Destine Press, is the second to feature Monty, a food-obsessed, naughty, and totally loving Golden Retriever who will do anything for his owner, Detective Constable Rose Sidebottom.

In Monty & Me, the first in the series, Monty uses his formidable nose to track down the killer of his earlier master. He manages to find a home with Rose who’s investigating the case. Together, with the assistance of a network of unique animal informers, they solve the crime despite the opposition of her colleagues.

Primarily narrated in first-person-dog (!), The Bone Ranger begins with Rose at home on sick leave with PTSD. But Rose isn’t happy unless she’s investigating crimes and Monty is worried about her. Then a stranger begs for help to find a missing person…

The novel takes readers to a quaint English village where Monty communicates with other dogs by ‘wee-mail’ or by a ‘howlathon’ if messages need to travel over long distances.

The Monty books are aimed at adults though children can read them if they’re up to reading Harry Potter.  

BTW – you don’t have to be a dog lover to love these books. Cat devotees also apparently get into them.

Murder Monday interviews are available on Sisters in Crime’s YouTube channel at 6 pm once a month on a Monday.