The Nose Knows

Entree **** of ****
I'm an animal lover, so I am always a sucker for stories about the relationships between domesticated animals and us. The Nose Knows is a delightful story of a psychologist, Hannah Richards who is recovering from two traumas, an attack where she was held hostage and the later loss of her husband. Too frightened to practice her profession out of an office for fear of another attack,  Hannah cares for her patients through computer consultations while surrounding herself with the animal companionship of Spunky, 13 year old terrier mix, Fearless, a heavy breathing cat brutalized and left broken by an abuser, and feline brothers. Spunky narrates the tale of loss, another stalking of Hannah, new love and the deep and abiding relationships between humans and the loving animal companions. This is a charming story, well written and certain to delight anyone who understands how animals are loved by people and the many ways that our animals return that love with comfort, loyalty, and protection. I think that the author made have made a mistake in making Spunky so old because Spunky as the narrator is what really makes this book work!