'Twas the Bite Before Christmas    by Lee Charles Kelley Order:  USA  Can Avon, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Ex-cop Jack Fields is trying to live a splendid life with his dog kennels and his ladylove Jamie Cutter, who is the Medical Examiner of a small town in Maine - don't you love her name? Unfortunately for them, when Jamie is called to the scene of a murder, Jack agrees to go with her. He is acting as an unpaid consultant to the police department. One thing leads to another and Jack falls head first into a murder investigation, which also involves the Russian mob, a bungling police chief, the deceased's employers who seem not to be what they claim to be, their disappearing son, the arrest of Jack's foster child, a magician who has pulled a vanishing act, and a young child who is dying for the lack of a kidney donor. Tangled? You bet. Lee Charles Kelley manages to tie all the dangling threads into a neat knot. Although the ending is a trifle contrived, 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas is an energetic tale of intrigue, deceit and danger. Added to a good read is some great advice about dog training that makes a lot of sense to me. The canines in this tale appear to be lovable critters when happy. Beware their bite, though. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews