Kate and Bella, accompanied by Kate's new boyfriend Michael who runs a Seattle pet store, are heading off for A KILLER RETREAT on Orcas Island where a retreat centre has asked Kate to teach yoga for a week. The autumn weather is good on Puget Sound, she's brought Bella's specialist diet and a wedding will be celebrated during the week. What could go wrong?

A thunderstorm terrifies poor Bella, who next day takes it out on a terrier whose haughty female owner refuses to keep him on a leash. Michael gets covered in mud saving the pup's life. The wedding party is composed of as many tensions as people, and while Kate's delighted with the vegan restaurant, others throw tantrums over the lack of meat. Someone else has clearly had enough aggravation from one of the guests, because after teaching her class, Kate stumbles upon the scene of a murder.

I like the gentle yoga teachings, such as; speak less, speak the truth, and rather than cause harm, say nothing. Kate keeps trying to live up to her own ideals but like the rest of us she's not perfect, and sometimes angry words slip out which she instantly regrets. We can all learn from her experience on Orcas Island. The local police are more used to straying goats than criminals, but that doesn't mean they are slow. Kate is potentially in a lot of trouble. If she can't prove her innocence, her days of running a yoga studio may be at an end.

With plenty of detail about renovating a health resort (including bamboo towels) and yoga classes, the account feels busy and personal relationships provide a further dimension. Tracy Weber has compressed a lot of life experience into this tale of a week at A KILLER RETREAT. The dog lovers among us will be constantly amused while fans of amateur sleuth stories could hardly do better. Tracy Weber has really got into her stride so I can recommend this instalment in the Downward Dog Mystery series wholeheartedly.

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