DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: My Dog Needs Surgery by Steve Hockensmith

Does your dog need surgery? Yes? Oh, wow — sorry to hear that. Because this book isn’t really for you…unless you’re looking for a way to escape from your (and your dog’s) sorrows for a few hours.

You see, Steve Hockensmith put together this collection of mystery short stories and humorous essays because HIS dog needs surgery. Her name’s Amy, and she has luxating patella. That’s trick knees to you and me. Poor little thing. She’s on the cover of the book, by the way. Just look into those eyes. Do you want that little cutie to develop arthritis? (That’s what can happen if the knee thing isn’t fixed.) You want her limping the rest of her life? Of course not! Because you’re a big, pet-loving softie, just like Steve.

So what do you get for your 99 cents, aside from the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve done a deserving dog a solid? Well, how about seven mystery short stories AND seven essays about the writing life AND an introduction AND a copyright page! (O.K., the copyright page probably isn’t much of a selling point. But this one’s really pretty entertaining, as copyright pages go.)

It all adds up to 48,596 words of entertainment, with a guaranteed chuckle at least once every 57.9 words. (Guarantee not valid or actionable in Hawaii, Alaska or the continental U.S.) So what are you waiting for? That dog needs surgery!