THE CASE OF THE ILL-GOTTEN GOAT
The Casebook of Dr. McKenzie
Claudia Bishop
Berkley Prime Crime
June 2008
ISBN 978-0-425-22207-2
Mystery

Who killed state milk inspector Melvin Staples and tossed him into a 400 gallon vat of goat milk?

Dr. Austin McKenzie, part-time large animal veterinarian and part-time private investigator and owner of Cases Closed, Inc is on the case! Dr. McKenzie soon finds out that there's a whole herd of possible motives and suspects--the late Mr. Staples had been something of a lady's man...with a jealous wife and any number of jealous husbands...and then there's the matter of the Tre Sorelle Dairy where Staples continuously found a high white-cell count in the goat's milk despite a healthy stock and a clean, well-maintained dairy. The owner of Tre Sorelle, ninety-something Doucetta Capretti, made her hatred of Melvin Staples well-known since his reports threatened to close down her life's work...then there's her family with differing feelings towards the dairy...can Dr. McKenzie milk the investigation and catch a killer before it's too late?

THE CASE OF THE ILL-GOTTEN GOAT is the third enjoyable entry in the Dr. Austin McKenzie series. (Check out the first two books, THE CASE OF THE ROASTED ONION and THE CASE OF THE TOUGH-TALKING TURKEY) This informative, well-written series is perfect for readers who enjoy animals, small towns, and older protagonists in their cozy mysteries. If you're looking to learn a thing or two about goats and a working dairy, then THE CASE OF THE ILL-GOTTEN GOAT takes the cheese!

Reviewed by Debora Hosey
Rating: 4