The Dog Who Saved Me: A Novel

Superlative storyteller Susan Wilson tells a compelling, poignant, and ultimately uplifting tale in "The Dog Who Saved Me". While the story does not flinch away from abuse, hardships, and tragedy, it also celebrates survivorship and the triumph of the spirit, both human and animal. At the heart of it all is an extremely well-written, well-paced police story. Cooper Harrison thought he had left his troubled youth behind when he moved from small-town Harmony Farms to become an officer in a Boston K-9 unit. Unable to overcome his grief when beloved canine partner Argos is killed in a bombing incident, Cooper tries to drink away his sorrow and come to grips with the physical limitations of his own injuries. When his marriage and career come show more to an end, a call from an old friend, now the police chief of Harmony Farms, offers Cooper a chance to start over. He never imagined he would end up as the Animal Control Officer back in his home town, but that's just where he lands. Now he has to face his father, Bull, known as the town drunk, and his older brother, Jimmy, fresh out of prison after serving time on drug charges. Cooper's work as an animal control officer is vastly different from his duties as K-9 unit officer. He's now a lawman, a handyman, a counselor, a psychologist--both for humans and animals, and he's a tracker, a super-sleuth, and much, much more. Along the way he begins a romance with lovely woman, Natalie, who rescues and rehabs horses and has her own set of emotional issues. Linking all of these people together, in ways never anticipated, is a yellow dog. Not just any dog, but a purebred yellow Lab, a victim of abuse, and a survivor of severe hardship. It will take all of Cooper's skill, intelligence, and innate compassion to capture and revitalize this dog, but eventually dog and man will offer to each other the gift of hope. The characters are beautifully-layered and shaded--definitely beyond stereotypes--and you may find yourself rethinking some of your own relationships with others. The storyline is so involving that it will keep you intrigued until the last page is turned, and you will be thinking about all you've read far beyond "The End". With "The Dog Who Saved Me" author Susan Wilson reminds us that while some people are habitually rotten, beneath the crust of the crustiest humans there beats a heart, and above that heart is brain with a surprising variety and depth of thoughts. A highly recommended read from a very gifted author.

Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine show less

Cooper Harrison was a member of Boston’s elite K-9 unit, until his canine partner, Argos, was killed in a bomb blast. Now Coop has returned to his small home town of Harmony Farms as the animal control officer (i.e. dog catcher). He suffers from PTSD and mostly keeps to himself. When he spots an obviously wounded and emaciated yellow dog, he decides to try to capture it. He gets help and advice from Max, the local veterinarian, as well as from Natalie, the owner of a horse rescue farm.

Though I am not really an animal lover or a “dog person,” I have read a few of Wilson’s books and found them interesting and engaging. This is somewhat formulaic, but the lead characters are likeable and their back stories interesting enough to show more hold my attention. Coop’s situation is complicated by a troubled family background; his father is an alcoholic and his older brother a recently released ex-con drug dealer. Wilson uses flashback technique to give the reader insight into Coop’s childhood and the events that led to his Argo’s death. It’s a fast, quick read, that satisfied several challenges. show less

from James:

A sentimental book, but not overly wrought. If you've read other books by Wilson, you know what to expect. This one almost reads like a mystery and seems a little like a set-up for a series. That's not a bad thing.

I found the passages in italics distracting. The information relayed therein was often pertinent to the story, but the italics were unneeded and didn't suggest a particular narrator, but back story. I also wished there was more from the dog's point of view, more like Wilson's One Good Dog; but I'm a sucker for that sorta thing.

That said, I enjoyed book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a character-driven story with a little bit of meat on the bone about loss and family and finding your way home.

Cooper has a great K-9 partner. They trust each other and have each other's backs. One day during a bust everything seems to go wrong. Cooper is distraught over what happened that day and makes a change in his life. He goes back to his hometown to be a dog catcher. Doesn't sound like a fun job, but maybe it will give him time to heal.

The saying goes , "You can never go home again " may hold true for Cooper. He has a lot of past hurts that need to be healed and a relationship that is long overdue for repairing. Can Cooper find peace back in his hometown? Will he let his heart heal?

The author has written a very emotional story that delivers a beautiful bond between man and dog. It is sad in some parts but overall a great story that show more gives you a sense of hope and love. Is dog man's best friend? I encourage readers to take time to read this riveting story of a broken and hurting man and how a stray dog brings him hope and happiness.

I received a copy of this book from The GoodReads Free Giveaway for an honest review. show less

I really really liked the book and give it 5 1/2 stars. I like the way the author Susan Wilson writes, and in this and other books of hers I have read. Her characters are believable and interesting. She really gets into the head of her characters and drips out the backstory of everybody in a way that keeps you going. The characters in her books have that feeling of developing into your friends and when the book ends you wish you could still keep the relationship going. I would really recommend this and Susan Wilson's other books.

For those of you sensitive to it, Kleenex is not needed at the end but is needed toward start. If you are one who doesn't like sad things that have to be overcome, because you don't like to read sad things with show more a dog, than maybe it is not for you, but that is what makes a story good. Even Disney stories usually start with something traumatic before they get to the happy ending. But I won't spoil the ending for you and tell you what happens. show less

I really really liked the book and give it 5 1/2 stars. I like the way the author Susan Wilson writes, and in this and other books of hers I have read. Her characters are believable and interesting. She really gets into the head of her characters and drips out the backstory of everybody in a way that keeps you going. The characters in her books have that feeling of developing into your friends and when the book ends you wish you could still keep the relationship going. I would really recommend this and Susan Wilson's other books.

For those of you sensitive to it, Kleenex is not needed at the end but is needed toward start. If you are one who doesn't like sad things that have to be overcome, because you don't like to read sad things with show more a dog, than maybe it is not for you, but that is what makes a story good. Even Disney stories usually start with something traumatic before they get to the happy ending. But I won't spoil the ending for you and tell you what happens. show less

I have loved every single book I have read by Susan Wilson....but.....the ending....yes, it was "okay" but somehow, I wanted just a little more personal compassion from the main character---Cooper, for this wonderful dog---along the way in the book so that the ending of "misty-eyed" would have happened for the DOG much earlier. Couldn't the dog ultimately love two people??