Dylan’s Villain (Dylan's Dog Squad #3) by Kathleen Troy

What worked:

This book is different from the first book in the series, Dylan’s Dilemma. Casey and Dylan, a cocker spaniel, now have a strong bond and trust, and they’re able to communicate in their own way. Dylan’s Dog Squad is comprised of Dylan, Casey, and Sumo but also includes anyone in the public following Dylan on social media. The book opens with the trio taking on their first case as a detective agency. They’re tasked with finding a missing chimpanzee named Bailey that has also been stealing mail and other items from the neighborhood. Bailey’s criminal activity is unknown to the public and his owner but a young girl named Holly wants to keep it that way. Bailey is famous and Holly’s mother is a national expert in working with primates. Holly is supposed to be watching Bailey so she’ll be “dead” if her mother finds out the truth.

Holly’s story is its own subplot in the book. Holly feels angry, sad, and excluded since Bailey gets all of her mother’s attention. Holly’s mother promotes Bailey in public and takes him all over the country for promotional appearances. Holly tags along but Bailey’s the one treated like a celebrity and is doted on wherever they go. Holly misses the loving affection of her mother and the dysfunctional family dynamic is an issue throughout the book. Sumo’s mother has remarried, again, so he has a similar problem although he doesn’t display his emotions about it. He doesn’t see any reason to remember his new stepfather’s name since his mom will probably get a divorce and remarry in the future. Sad.

The overall plot feels like a collection of short stories as separate incidents involving Dylan are woven together. The squad locates Bailey, they make an appearance at the zoo, and Dylan attends a K-9 academy to finish his last two tasks toward earning a good citizen certificate. A criminal enters the picture as the academy owners may lose their business. As with the first book, Casey’s plans sometimes approach or cross the line of being legal so the boys find themselves facing the police chief. Will community service get them out of trouble this time? The boys still find time to hang out with friends and eat pizza at Big Belly’s so they’re not always involved in questionable schemes. A common theme is how Dylan always comes to the rescue.

What didn’t work as well:

As mentioned, the plot is composed of various events in Dylan’s life so the overall story doesn’t have a well-defined direction. Readers go on a ride with the characters as they encounter different situations but it’s unclear where the plot is headed. A conflict arises about halfway into the book that gives Dylan’s Dog Squad a mission but it doesn’t become the main focus until the plot approaches its climax.

The Final Verdict:

Lovers of pets and everyday adventure will enjoy this book as Dylan’s Dog Squad finds itself in and out of iffy situations. Dylan has a huge presence on social media and the squad often calls for help and support from his admirers. Overall, this book is very entertaining with a happy mood and I recommend you give it a shot. You can’t go wrong with a cute cocker spaniel as the main character.