Best Supporting Animal!

Elaine S · Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 660 Location: Rural England

Many (if not most) of Barbara Metzger's books have delightful animal characters who add a great comic touch.

Carla Kelly · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 179

Without question for me: The Baluchistan Hound from Frederika, by Georgette Heyer.

C Kelly

Mark · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1242

Don’t foget Miss Piggy in the Emily Carmichael series (an ugly dog with a transmigrated human soul).
And Metzger’s A Loyal Companion is partially *narrated* by the dog.

MarianneM · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 374 Location: Houston, Texas

Aside from Hairy, the Chinese Crested in Take a Chance on Me, I think my favorite book animals are Rita Mae BRown's Mrs. Murphy series. In the books, Mrs. Murphy is a cat, belonging to Harry, the heroine of the mystery series by Rita and her own cat Sneaky Pie, whom she rescued from the pound.

This sounds rather 'twee' as the British cousins say, but the books are written well, and have the kind of leisurely pace that Robyn Carr's have. When I want to read something comfortable and well written, I choose a Mrs. Murphy.

MarianneM

Schola · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1867

I've just read My Sweet Folly by Laura Kinsale. It has some fabulous supporting animals! Very Happy

There's Folly the "homing elephant," Toot the ferret, and Skip and Skipper the dogs. Some of them don't even appear "on stage," as it were, but all of them have significant roles.

I see that none of them made either the Top 10 or the Top 20, but that pets from three other Kinsale novels did! If those books are as good as this one, then I have a great glom ahead of me.
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"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton)

LLB · Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 869 Location: Dallas, Texas

Sam's Breed, which I just read and reviewed, features a mongrel dog. He's not a scene stealer, but he plays an important part in the story, so I thought I'd mention him.
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Laurie Gold
http://laurie-gold.blogspot.com

Yulie · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1045 Location: Elsewhere

I just finished My Lord and Spymaster and thought Jess's ferret, Kedger, was very entertaining (though often absent). I really like this line: "Kedger started up a long, impassioned aria about the previous evening, full of squeaks and snarls and threats of ferret vendetta." That reads like very accurate pet behavior - I've heard similar monologues from my parents' cats. Very Happy

(If only Rex the hamster let Stephanie Plum feel his wrath on occasion, maybe she'd do something interesting for a change Cool

)

kazb0t · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

I have just finished Tribute, Nora Roberts newest, and I HAD to add Spock, the hero's weirdly big-headed adorable dog. He chases invisible cats in the yard AND has his own ratty old teddy bear he carts around!

LinnieGayl · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 752

Schola · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1867

A bit off on a tangent now . . .

I reread Lisa Kleypas' Scandal in Spring a few days ago. It's full of animals (I've counted a goose, a wild pig, a frog . . . and there's one more that I know I've forgotten), but I don't think there were deep and meaningful ties between the animals and the story. Confused

Oh, well . . . I still like the book! Very Happy

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"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton)

Suzanna · Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 209

I rather liked Coquette the Papillon dog in Jo Beverley's "A lady's secret".