Jim Toombs

I write mysteries you’ll want to share with your friends and every member of your family. My readers range from their twenties to their nineties, and they all share one thing in common: they all enjoy a good, cozy mystery. These are mysteries that engage your imagination and your mind, with characters you enjoy taking to the beach, on vacation, or even to an intimate dinner for one. That goes for Gabe Chance, the reluctant detective and reluctant dog owner, as well as Tigger, a Jack Russell Terrier who’s just happy Gabe is the man he lives with.

And now, a true story about the REAL Tigger.

Our Jack Russell Terrier is also named Tigger (go figure) and we could never keep him in the backyard. He would get out and then someone three blocks over would call us to come and get him. Off we trotted, picked him up, and came home to find out how he had escaped. We fixed it, of course. Then, a few days later we got another phone call. "Do you have a little white dog named Tigger?" You know the drill.

One day the call came from our next door neighbor who had five (5) -- count them, 5 -- big, mean German shepherds. (I had almost been bitten on more than one occasion.) Tigger was in their backyard and Fang and Spike were about to have a Tigger burger. The neighbor was frantic. He didn't want Tigger's blood on his dogs' paws. We ran (no trotting this time) over and snatched him from certain death – from the neighbor’s arms. I didn’t want our blood on Fang and Spike’s paws, either. We took our intrepid explorer home, found his escape route, and blocked it off. Three times this happened. He was making everyone a nervous wreck.

Then, finally, it happened. The inevitable. (WARNING: Please read no further if you have a weak stomach. You have been warned.) The neighbor called, frantic as always. Tigger was in his back yard and this time Fang and Spike had reinforcements! The whole quintet was there with blood in their eyes. Unfortunately, they were trapped, helpless, in the corner of the yard. Every time one of them would try to escape, Tigger would growl ferociously, bark, and lunge at them. The neighbor demanded we come get our dog but we couldn't -- Mary was at work and I was across town.

Did I mention the neighbor was desperate? He called Animal Control who promptly sent one of their best people over to restrain our little dog and save him from the five savage beasts. It’s true he was surprised to see five big German shepherds corralled by one little, 15 pound Jack Russell Terrier, but he moved in like the true professional he was and snatched up the little dog. As he was leaving the neighbor's yard to bring Tigger home, one of the braver (and more ungrateful) of the shepherds managed to take a nip out of his posterior. I’m not certain but I don't believe Animal Control is answering any more calls from that number.

Every once in a while I'll update this section with more true stories about Tigger, the Wonder JRT, or some other deserving member of the breed. Or, you can slake your thirst with one of the other Gabe and Tigger Mysteries you haven't read, yet. You know you want to. They also make great gifts. Click here to learn how to give a Kindle book as a gift:

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