Men and Dogs    by Katie Crouch Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2010 (2010) Hardcover, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Joan Burton Eleven year old Hannah Legare was heartbroken when her father Buzz disappeared. He went fishing in the Charleston Harbor and was never seen again. His boat, fishing gear, and the family dog, were found drifting out into deeper waters. Though the authorities never found his body, they felt he was swept out to sea by the tides. Buzz was a well respected Charleston physician. Laid back, and carefree, he was liked by all. Hannah refused to accept that he died that day and was steadfast in believing he would one day return. Now, more than twenty years later, Hannah is paying for her state of denial. Her life is in a shambles and she cannot accept love from anyone. She lives in San Francisco far from her family, and her husband has left her. Jon is a patient man, but could only take so much. Her drinking habits and bouts of infidelity left him no choice. After Hannah's calls to Jon go unanswered, she decides to break into his apartment, only to end up falling off the roof. Now Jon decides to send Hannah home to Charleston for a much needed rest. Back in Charleston, Hannah is haunted once again by her father's absence, so decides to do some investigating. Her older brother Palmer tries to discourage her, but he has his own problems to deal with. His life partner Tom wants to adopt a baby and Palmer has serious commitment issues to face. Hannah finds boxes of old photos in the attic. There are pictures of her father with a woman, Virginia, the mother of Hannah's old boyfriend Warren. Now she seeks out Warren, wondering about the possibility of an affair between their parents. Hannah is on a dangerous quest to find the truth - only to discover that she knew it all along. Men and Dogs is about family and the ties that bind. It is told with wit and humour, leaning into the dark side. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews