Eleven Huskies (A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery)

by Philipp Schott

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Eleven Huskies is the third Dr. Bannerman veterinary mystery by Dr. Philipp Schott. Released 14th May 2024 by ECW Press, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. 

This is a credible follow up to the first two books in the series, featuring an amateur sleuth who is also a veterinarian and somewhat neurodivergent (but high-functioning) protagonist alongside his trusty canine sidekick Pippin, a husky/lab/border collie mix with a gifted sense of smell and an unusually high degree of intelligence to go with it. Dr. Bannerman struck me as an odd guy, generally likeable but also stubborn and often pedantic. Readers who enjoy nerdy culture references with which the author liberally sprinkles around in the story will find a lot to enjoy here. Additionally, it's cool that Bannerman's wife is a nerdy fibre artist and knitting designer.

The book is well plotted and moves along at a good clip; definitely action driven and engaging. Un usually in this case, the characterizations are above average and believably rendered. There were a few places in the book where the dialogue didn't ring true at all, but all in all, well written and enjoyably readable. The overarching mystery is heavily foreshadowed and not a surprise, but there were motivations and hidden aspects which definitely are unexpected and twisty. The climax, denouement, and resolution had a bit too much deus-ex-machina to be entirely satisfying, but overall it's an enjoyable, readable mystery set in rural Canada.

It's not really a cozy mystery at all and shares more in common with modern medical thrillers than "James Herriot". The author is clearly familiar with rural Manitoba and he does a great job describing the weather, the area, and the history of the place. There is some on-page violence as well as some mildly graphic descriptions of blood, shooting, poisoning (including animals) and *long* and harrowing descriptions of forest fires and danger of immolation. Language and dialogue are mostly PG rated shading toward the R-rated end of the spectrum. Also, there's explicit violence toward animals and very sensitive readers might want to check the discussion threads (spoiler: the dog doesn't die).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 7 hours and 31 minutes and is capably narrated by series narrator Miles Meili. He has a rugged and rough-edged baritone which suits the dialogue very well. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. 

Four stars. Very enjoyable, looking forward to seeing what comes next for Peter, Laura, and Pippin (&co). The author/publisher have included a sneak peek at the fourth book in the series, Three Bengal Kittens at the back of the book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.