The second novel in this new series by Rita Mae Brown again features Mags Rogers and her loyal canine buddy, Baxter, as they tangle with some unscrupulous folks who are taking advantage of people as the foreclosure crisis worsens.

Mags and her great-aunt, Jeep Reed, have been enlisted to help some squatters living under the radar in an area of abandoned houses where the electricity and water have been turned off. Going up against the coldhearted utility company, corrupt officials, and ruthless politicians is one thing, but then a merciless killer is also tossed into the equation.

When a former banker is discovered murdered in one of the empty residences the cliché “cutthroat business practices” takes on a whole new meaning. With the help of Baxter and his canine buddy, King, the two women sift through a number of clues to uncover blackmail, shady real estate deals, and even rumors of hidden treasure as they try to change the luck of the poor souls living on Yolanda Street in Reno, Nevada.

Letting the dogs out here is an excellent idea, although those who tangle with these intrepid canine sleuths and their human friends may not agree. Well known for her Mrs. Murphy series, Rita Mae Brown has found another way of showing us that out four-footed companions are much smarter than we realize.