Double Dog Dare - E. J. Cochrane

In the brief time since surviving her first foray into murder investigations, dog walker Matilda Smithwick has lost a girlfriend, inherited a spare house, taken on more business than she can reasonably handle in her current location, and sworn off any and all detective work. When her old friend and client Leigh Matthews begs Maddie to prove she's innocent of the murder she seems to be the prime suspect for, Maddie has no choice but to return to amateur sleuthing.

Along the way to finding the real killer, Maddie comes up against Leigh's hazy, alcohol-infused memory of events, the surly and unpleasant Detective Fitzwilliam and a list of potential suspects longer than most epic poems. Meanwhile, her best friend Dottie seems to be avoiding her (in favor of her irritatingly efficient new assistant), and an ex-lover returns to complicate Maddie's life and her investigation.

Can Maddie stay focused long enough to clear Leigh's name and stay out of danger?

Double Dog Dare is the second book in the Matilda Smithwick Mystery Series.

In addition to teaching college English, E.J. Cochrane has had just about every job imaginable, including running her own dog walking company. When she's not writing, teaching, walking dogs or distracting herself with yet another employment adventure, she's one of those awful people who enjoys running (and somewhere in her closet has the dusty collection of marathon finisher medals to prove it). She and her partner live in Chicago with their three cats and their dog.