Suzy and Josie are featured speakers at the Animal Entrepreneurs Expo in Ottawa and having to deal with Joshua Middleton, the CEO of the largest pet store franchise corporation in North America. He’s also someone Josie went to vet school with, and their shared history is anything but good. And when Middleton is found poisoned in a storage room during a cocktail reception attended by several hundred people, the list of suspects quickly begins to grow. As Suzy attempts to work her way through a complicated web of motives and suspects, she and Josie meet the Jack Russell terrier Middleton has been using as his company’s mascot and brand representative. And as soon as they learn that the dog isn’t being treated well and his spirit is broken, they do everything in their power to figure out a way to take possession of the dog then do everything they can to make sure they don’t have to give him back. But when they learn that the head chef at the hotel they’re staying at is one of Chef Claire’s ex-boyfriends, things take a bizarre turn when it becomes apparent that he is still having a hard time letting her go and just might pose a threat. Further complicating Suzy’s ability to focus on who killed Middleton is a dog toy business opportunity that has the potential to be the biggest thing since Beanie Babies. Along the way, they’re forced to deal with an odd mix of people including Roxanne, Middleton’s gold-digger fiancee who Josie previously stabbed in the hand over dinner one night, the obnoxious and hard-drinking COO of Middleton’s company who is suspect #1, and a banker who’s been playing a little fast and loose with a lot of the rules. Working with a pair of lovebird Canadian cops, Suzy’s neurons are pushed to the limit before this immensely satisfying installment of this increasingly popular series wraps up. The Thousand Islands Doggy Inn Mysteries features two of the smartest and funniest lead female protagonists to hit the cozy mystery scene in a very long time, and Suzy and Josie’s affection for food and their boundless love and devotion to their dogs puts this series in the don’t miss category. The Case of the Jaded Jack Russell is the latest installment in this fast-paced and funny series that affectionately focuses on dogs, food, and the natural beauty of the Thousand Islands region.