Three Oaks Books
Captain John Cunningham, a Falklands war veteran, begins civilian life as a trainer and breeder of gun dogs, which proves to be a ruthlessly competitive business--especially when a rival breeder is murdered and Cunningham is framed for the crime
Dog trainer John Cunningham and his wife, together on a hunting trip, stumble upon a dead body, and a stray spaniel found nearby may be the clue they need to solve the murder
During a visit with his fiancee Beth's recently widowed aunt, John Cunningham becomes convinced that George Muir, Beth's uncle and a renowned wildlife artist, had been murdered while working in his studio
This latest of Gerald Hammond's carefully crafted mystery novels, set in the colorful Scottish Highlands, continues the adventures of amateur sleuth, war hero, and dog trainer Captain John Cunningham. When a wealthy businessman brings his wounded springer spaniel, Horace, to the Cunninghams' Three Oaks Kennel, it all seems to be part of a day's work for John and Beth Cunningham. But the spaniel has been wounded by two weights of buckshot, arousing suspicions of foul play. With the Cunninghams on the lookout for answers, events take a sinister turn when one of the judges at a weekend dog show accuses John of cruelty to his dogs. A surprised Cunningham learns that someone has anonymously sent the judge photographs purporting to show Cunningham beating his own spaniel, Stardust - and the implications for Three Oaks are grave. Beth manages to get her hands on one of the photographs, but while she's contemplating this clever bit of fakery, the Cunninghams are faced with an additional twist as they realize that Stardust has been stolen. In his place is another dog, nearly identical to the Cunningham canine, but oddly frightened of men... and cigars. With their beloved spaniel missing, and their professional reputations and livelihoods on the line, John and Beth must act quickly to uncover the motives behind these bizarre and disturbing events. And all signs keep pointing back to the need to find out who shot Horace - and why.
The Curse of the Cockers continues the sleuthing adventures of Captain John Cunningham, Falklands veteran and champion dog breeder. Gerald Hammond's Cunningham books, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a superior series," feature the hunting lore and local Scots color that have made this author such an enduring figure on the mystery scene. This time around, the Cunninghams' New Year's Eve (or Hogmanay, as the Scots call it) revelry is cut short by a hit-and-run accident that leaves a man dead and a terrified cocker spaniel on the side of the road. Then, as news of a particularly gruesome murder shakes his small town, Cunningham finds that one of his war buddies is the prime suspect in the hit-and-run. Soon, the dog, the "accident," and the murder come together in a nightmarish encounter with a ruthless psychopath.
The latest mystery in the John Cunningham series finds the amateur sleuth sniffing out trouble at the plush Three Oaks Kennel, where a cheerful springer spaniel is mysteriously wounded and an investigation uncovers fraud and murder.
John Cunningham becomes involved in a murder investigation when a mysterious American comes to retrieve his dog from the kennel where Cunningham works
After refusing to sign the necessary papers acknowledging the unwanted mating of his champion Scottish game-dog with corrupt official Ben Garnet's spaniel, John Cunningham becomes a prime suspect when Garnet is found half-dead
A tale of a gun-dog trainer who discovers a dog-switching plot that leads to a mysterious death includes many memorable and hilarious characters, as well as plenty of inside information for dog lovers and gun connoisseurs.
Henry Kitts was simply doing dog-breeder John Cunningham a favor, so how did he end up in the murder investigation of a wealthy Scottish landowner...? At John Cunningham's request, Henry Kitts agrees to take a spaniel to his new owner, Sir Peter Hay, to help him settle in. Sir Peter is an old friend so Henry looks forward to a stay at his host's stately home. However, while out training the spaniel, Sir Peter collapses and dies in sinister circumstances. The laird was much-loved locally, but Henry's investigations reveal a surprising number of enemies, a business scandal, and a strange romance...
Mrs Hill's house has burned down, her housekeeper has disappeared, and she asks John Cunningham to help bury her dead dog. The mystery begins when the dog's body is stolen, and a female corpse is found in Mrs Hill's charred house.
When Jasmine Horner is found drowned, no one is sorry to see the back of her. In fact, there are those who feel that after a lifetime of meddling in other people's business her comeuppance is long overdue. An innocent conversation in the local pub leads the police to Alistair Branch - much to the consternation of his friend, John Cunningham. And when Alistair is arrested, John enlists several of his young kennel hands to gather information. Gradually, a series of possible clues is uncovered, and matters finally reach a crescendo, when a chance discovery leads to a dramatic confrontation...
It could happen to anyone. An email arrives with an air of authority and a carefully-worded request for bank account information. One lapse of caution, and one click of the mouse. Suddenly, the recipient's entire bank account is emptied. This is precisely what happens to Elizabeth Ilwand, heir to the Agrotechnics fortune - a Scottish manufacturer of agricultural technology. A sum of £1.5 million disappears from her accounts when she unwittingly responds to a fraudulent email. Luckily, her trustee is Henry Kitts, friend and associate of the Three Oaks Kennel, board member of Agrotechnics, and sometime amateur sleuth. While Elizabeth searches for ways to recoup the gigantic loss, Henry investigates the email in the hope of tracking down the thief. But matters take a more chilling turn when Henry discovers the body of Maurice Cowieson, a local businessman indebted to Agrotechnics, who appears to have been killed in a car crash while on his way to discuss important matters with Elizabeth. Upon further examination, his injuries tell a much more insidious story.... Once again, using a backdrop of game hunting, malt whiskey, and sporting dogs in the Scottish countryside, Gerald Hammond evokes the witty and enchanting panache that has become his signature over the years.