No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done

Let’s start by acknowledging that this book has been panned elsewhere—but that’s because it must be approached from the right angle. Readers expecting a straight murder mystery, à la Hannah’s Agatha Christie novels, won’t find that here (although Christie’s work does play a role). What to expect is a zany cozy-like caper that shines a light on feuding women in an upscale English village. Swaffham Tilney is the kind of place where book club disagreements and a feud between neighbors over a pet dog solve the too-much-time-on-their-hands problem. Sally Lambert is the owner of the dog in question, Champ (full name Champ Cuthbert Lambert), a pet that she considers her child and obsesses over more than even the worst helicopter parent. She’s horrified when Champ is accused of biting a neighbor’s daughter, Tess, culminating in the Lambert clan, furry and human, going on the run lest Champ is put on doggy death row. The instigator on the other side is Lesley Gavey, Tess’s mother, who’s hysterical over the bite and wants justice. Since there are teens in both families, social media plays a role in the chaos and soon #InnocentChamp fervor swamps the internet. In the end, the story returns to a more sensible world, but the wild ride that is Lambert vs. Gavey is wacky fun while it lasts. After enjoying this yourself, give it to your friends who call themselves “dog moms” and don’t look back.