A DOG AMONG DIPLOMATS by J. F. Englert (Dell)

Crime novels often require that the reader suspends disbelief for one reason or another. For instance, private investigators simply don't work on open murder investigations. Amateur sleuths rarely discover bodies. Animals don't talk.

Manhattan native Labrador Retriever Randolph doesn't talk. He communicates with his owner via Alpha-Bits cereal. He also reads and writes books, and he surfs the Web for clues to crime. In his second appearance, Randolph goes undercover at the U.N. as a therapy dog for a depressed diplomat. 

Beth says, "My dog is just as smart as Randolph, and I suspect that the cats alter the shopping lists. This is a fun read. I'm looking forward to another mystery with Randolph."