This is much more a cozy mystery than a thriller. With the exception of the ending, nothing very exciting happens. There is far too much time spent on the main character's wardrobe and her romantic difficulties. ( )

dogs, first-in-series, stabbing, oxford-england, survivor-s-guilt, thriller, murder, murder-investigation, secrets, law-enforcement, family, famous-author, friendship, romantic, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, unputdownable

A brutal murder brought three strangers with dogs together. Three differently damaged women have questions. Was the woman they all briefly knew murdered as part of a serial killer's plan or was it a one-off using the serial aspect to hide guilt. The next death is related, but the question in this case is was it really suicide by a terminally ill man or was it murder. The plot is tight and realistic complete with some surprising red herrings and twists, the characters are so very well done and engaging. I really liked it and will hunt down the next! ( )

The White Shepherd has an evocative Oxford setting and an extremely strong cast of characters. Anna is very self-contained and has purposely shut herself off from forming relationships due to severe trauma in her childhood. She realizes that she needs to make friends, but it certainly doesn't come naturally to her, as readers see through her attempts with fellow dog walkers Isadora and Tansy (who are every bit as interesting as Anna).

Anna has developed a good rapport with her white shepherd, Bonnie, who also has an unusual history, and there's even a budding romance or two for her. See what happens when she decides to come out of her shell?

The White Shepherd is a case of a vivid setting and a wonderful cast of characters being let down by a weak story. Read The White Shepherd to acquaint yourself with the characters because the story is much too predictable. I'm hoping that the second book in the series, Written in Red, will be different. ( )

The kind of book I always look for: smart, well-written, gripping, emotionally sophisticated, believable and with a dog in it. The characters are compelling and the portrayal of a PTSD sufferer is realistic and the mitigation is healthy. The Oxford backdrop was fascinating, with mentions of Tolkien and Narnia. I didn't want the book to end and I can't wait for the next ones! ( )

Award-winning author Annie Dalton is best known for her popular children’s and YA novels that include the very popular Agent Angel a.k.a. Angel Academy YA series. Luckily for us she’s decided to branch out into adult fiction with a new mystery series based on a dog walker in Oxford, Anna Hopkins. The White Shepherd is Book #1 in that series and, if it’s any example of what’s to come, I think she’s got a winner on her hands. Now I must admit that I’ve loved dogs (and pretty much all animals) since I was a toddler so I may be just a tad biased when it comes to novels that feature dog characters. But even without the dog, I’d like this mystery and its realistic main character. See what you think at http://popcornreads.com/?p=8774 ( )