In A Dog Among Diplomats (published by Bantam Dell, 2008, ISBN: 978-0-440-2436409), Randolph is forced to take a recess from his pleasant routine of eating, reading the classics (Randolph is partial to Dante.), sleeping, and enjoying sidewalk pate when the police find evidence implicating Randolph's beloved mistress, Imogen, at a murder scene. Worse, the victim was discovered in the room that Isabel was renting in a Manhattan Lower East Side boardinghouse, and even worse, Isobel has disappeared.
Randolph Goes to Work
Randolph and his master, Harry, learn more when Isobel's family attorney locates Harry, requests Harry's help, and tells Harry that Imogen has been framed for the murder by "players for nations and/or large multinationals" to prevent her from inheriting a strategic uranium mine. The attorney also knows that a United Nations diplomat living at the scene-of-the-crime boardinghouse is in need of a therapy dog--a perfect opportunity for Randolph to go undercover to prove Isobel's innocence by discovering the guilty party.
More Victims: The Plot Thickens
Randolph's first day at the boardinghouse is disrupted during afternoon tea when one of the residents takes a dive into the chocolate cake--the dive being precipitated by a sniper's bullet. When the police discover a hair with DNA matching Imogen's on the sniper's discarded rifle, Randolph wonders if things can get worse. Yes, they can and do when another boardinghouse resident is murdered in the hallway, and Randolph learns that the sniper's victim and the new victim were the sole witnesses to Isobel's (alleged) departure from the first boardinghouse murder.
The dauntless Randolph accompanies his diplomat to United Nations sessions in order to find information that will clear Imogen. Despite sleeping through many boring meetings, Randolph manages to prevent a bomb attack on the Secretary General, solve a decades-long border dispute, and outwit a chef who wants to add "canine" to the international menu.
Faced with the need to inform Harry about the clues he is sniffing out, Randolph learns to manipulate the mouse on the diplomat's laptop (while the diplomat is in the shower), and--after a wee side-trip to a bookseller's website, succeeds in e-mailing his discoveries to Harry.
Randolph Triumphs
Randolph, Harry, and their friend, NYPD Detective Davis eventually uncover the bad guys and prove Isobel's innocence. With great relief that Isobel is safe, Randolph is able to return to Harry's Upper West Side apartment and resume his preferred activities of eating, reading the new books obtained from the bookseller's website (Randolph knows Harry's credit card number from overhearing so many orders for take out food), sleeping, and exploring sidewalk pate.
Further Randolph adventures will, no doubt, be a treat worth begging for.
About J. F. Englert
J. F. Englert is the author of three mystery novels featuring Randolph plus nonfiction work. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, daughter, and Labrador Retriever. You can read more about Randolph at his website: www.adogabouttown.com
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