Lee Charles Kelley is a successful New York dog trainer whose critiques of the alpha theory and operant conditioning have made him a controversial figure in the dog world. The author of five previous novels featuring Jack Field— Dogged Pursuit , 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas , To Collar a Killer , Murder Unleashed , and A Nose for Murder —Mr. Kelley lives on the island of Manhattan with a Dalmatian named Fred.