If you're an amateur sleuth up against an assortment of murderers and other scoundrels, a wise choice for a sidekick would be a tenacious basset hound.

Just ask Elsie "Beanie" MacBean, a reporter for the Tahoe Tattler, and her loyal dog, Cruiser.

More realistically, ask their creator, Sue Owens Wright. She's a Sacramento native whose "Beanie and Cruiser" mystery trilogy stars the fictitious crime-fighting duo, who live in South Lake Tahoe.

The "Beanie" titles are "Howling Bloody Murder," "Sirius About Murder" and "Embarking on Murder" (Worldwide, $5.99 each). Two more are in the works.

Wright also wrote the nonfiction "150 Activities for Bored Dogs" and "What's Your Dog's IQ?" and has contributed to dog-centric anthologies. Her column "Pets & Their People" appears in area community newspapers published by Inside Publications.

Visit Wright and order her books at www. beanieandcruiser.com and www.sueowenswright.com.

What's behind your "canine cosys"?

I've always loved Lake Tahoe, dogs and mysteries, so I decided to create a series that features all those things. In my books, there's a lot of crime around the lake.

Any recurring characters?

Elsie helps (local sheriff) Skip Cassidy solve some of the crimes. And her grown daughter, Nona, takes part in some of the things that go on, and more or less gets into trouble. Elsie doesn't like her daughter's choices in men, always a contentious issue between them.

Elsie is a widow, age 50. Does she have a love interest?

She gets smitten with a paleontologist in "Embarking on Murder," but he turns out to be not such a nice guy. She gets led astray on occasion, like her daughter does. In matters of the heart, perhaps they're a little naive.

What about Cruiser's love life?

I introduce a second basset in "Embarking," a female named Calamity, who could eventually become Cruiser's girlfriend.

What's the dynamic between Beanie and Cruiser?

A basset hound is second only to a bloodhound in its ability to scent, so he works perfectly with Elsie in sniffing out the bad guys. Bassets are so simpatico that she knows what he's "thinking," so to speak. Their relationship is pretty much like mine with my dogs. I trust their judgment about people more than my own sometimes.

The books take readers to familiar landmarks such as the Dixie Queen, Cave Rock and the Tahoe Rim Trail, and touch on current issues like environmentalism and development along the lakeshore.

My concern is always with the changes I see every time I go to Lake Tahoe, and with Native Americans' rights to the land, which is always in question. I wanted to focus on that, so that's why Elsie is Washoe Indian. The Washoes were the indigenous tribe that was there for thousands of years before any white person set eyes on the Jewel of the Sierra. I've been going there since I was a child. To me, it's the most beautiful place on earth.

Why are you so connected to dogs?

When I was born, I already had a dog waiting for me. Dusty, my best friend for 17 years and my only sibling for 12 years. I've had eight bassets since the first one, my canine muse Bubba Gump, the model for Cruiser. Now we have two, Peaches and Beau. They've all been rescue dogs, except for Bubba Gump.

Why bassets?

When we were on our honeymoon in Carmel 38 years ago, we happened to see a beautiful male basset and were enamored. Their personalities are kind of like mine – they stick to one thing for a long time till they get there.

Who walks the dogs?

I do the morning walk and my husband, Keith, does the afternoon walk. Weekends we take them to McKinley Park or anywhere they want to go. We're very well trained.

Benefit Authors Day

Writers galore will be on hand at the Assistance League of Sacramento's inaugural Authors Day Event. It's a fundraiser for the ALS, a nonprofit group that aids children, adults and seniors.

Featured will be author presentations, interviews, question-answer sessions and book signings, along with a noon lunch and a 3:30 p.m. reception.

Among the nine authors will be Marjorie Hart ("Summer at Tiffany"), Eva Rutland and her daughter, Sacramento Bee editorial writer Ginger Rutland ("When We Were Colored"), Naida West ("Eye of the Bear"), Kathleen Coll ("Remaking Citizenship") and Kiyo Sato ("Kiyo's Story").

The event will begin at 9 a.m. May 14 at the Marriott hotel, 11211 Point East Drive, Rancho Cordova; (916) 638-1100. Tickets are $75.

Information: (916) 485-2307.

A candid collection

Kenneth E. Nelson is a remarkable man, as evidenced by his "Dear Mr. Nelson" (Xlibris, $19.99, 284 pages). Nelson, 90, is a volunteer speaker for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Destructive Decisions, and has logged more than 4,700 presentations to groups of high school students. His book is a selection from the 3,500 candid letters he has received from grateful youths.

He also wrote a novel, "Neighbors: A Summer-Winter Affair" (iUniverse, $18.95, 283 pages).

Books and Amazon

Amazon.com, the diverse online merchandiser, seemingly has a presence everywhere, including in the world of all-things-books.

Its latest venture is the Author Interviews@ Amazon program (www. amazon.com/ thebackstory), a compilation of video interviews with authors (many from archives, including Stephen King), along with book reviews, essays and other features.

The launch includes Q&A sessions with chef- restaurateur Tom Douglas ("Seattle Kitchen"), debut author Joshua Foer ("Moonwalking With Einstein"), young-adult author Holly Black (co-author of "The Spiderwick Chronicles"), YA author Cassandra Clare ("Mortal Instruments" series) and children's book author John Stephens ("The Emerald Atlas").

L.A. Review online

On the subject of debuts, the highly regarded Los Angeles Review of Books has a new site, www.lareviewofbooks.org. Readers will find book reviews, essays and interviews by and with the "extensive roster of writers, critics, artists, filmmakers and scholars who currently make up our prestigious contributors."

"Contrary to the notion that the literary arts are dying off, we believe a reading renaissance is under way," said LARB founding editor Tom Lutz. "We will play a central role in it."

Books about Liz

Whenever a celebrity passes, it seems that several biographies suddenly appears. So it is with Elizabeth Taylor.

Among the new releases are "Furious Love" by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger (itbooks, $16.99, 500 pages). It's the paperback version of last summer's hit tell-all about Taylor and husband Richard Burton. Publishers Weekly magazine wrote, "From the binges and bling emerges a revealing portrait of the magnetic qualities that glued the couple together."

"Liz" by C. David Heymann (Atria, $16, 544 pages) has some moss on it, though it has been "updated" with a posthumous chapter. The Taylor biography was published in 1995 and was the source of an Emmy-nominated NBC miniseries.

Parker's series go on

This just in, for fans of late author Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" and "Jesse Stone" series: The Parker estate has made a deal with Penguin-Putnam to continue both series.

The "Spenser" author will be veteran novelist Ace Atkins (the Nick Travers series), while the Stone books will be written by producer-screenwriter Michael Brandman.

Author appearances

WEDNESDAY

• The Center for Sacramento History, in association with the Sacramento History Foundation, holds a panel discussion with the authors of "Remaking California: Reclaiming the Public Good," (Heyday, $16.95, 240 pages). 6:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St., Sacramento. (916) 808-7072.

FRIDAY

• Margie Yee Webb, "Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings: Insight and Inspiration for a Wonderful Life," (Laughing Cat Press, $14.95, 96 pages). 5-8 p.m. The Fountains, Roseville Parkway and Galleria Blvd., Roseville. (916) 434-6022.

SATURDAY

• Sister Souljah, "Midnight and the Meaning of Love," (Atria, $26.99, 624 pages). 2-4 p.m. Underground Books, 35th Street and Broadway, Oak Park, Sacramento. (916) 737-3333.

• Rosalia Zizzo, "Nice Girls, Naughty Sex," (Seal Press, $16.95, 280 pages). 1-4 p.m. Borders 2030 Douglas Blvd., Suite 9, Roseville. (916) 784-1088.

• Traci Foust, "Nowhere Near Normal," (Gallery, $24, 384 pages). 2 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 1725 Arden Way, Sacramento. (916) 565-0644.

Book sales

TODAY-FRIDAY

• Scholastic Book Fair and Carnival at Shalom School. 2320 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento. (916) 485-4151.

TODAY-SATURDAY

• Book sale benefiting Mira Loma High School's Susan G. Komen Club. Arden Fair Barnes and Noble, 1725 Arden Way, Sacramento. (916) 565-0644.

TODAY-May 30

• Book sale honoring military families. Arden Fair Barnes and Noble, 1725 Arden Way, Sacramento. (916) 565-0644.

SATURDAY

• Friends of the Nevada County Libraries book sale. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Doris Foley Historical Library, 211 N. Pine St., Nevada City. (530) 265-1407.

Special events

WEDNESDAY

• Rocklin Library Book Club will discuss Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." 1-2:30 p.m. 4890 Granite Drive, Rocklin. Free. (916) 624-3133.

THURSDAY

• Poetry Unplugged Open Mic. 8 p.m. Free. Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sacramento. (916) 441-3931.

FRIDAY

• The California Writer's Club, Sacramento Branch's monthly Writer's Network's breakfast meeting will feature Vina Parmar. The subject is: creativity and writing. 9-11 a.m. International House of Pancakes, 2216 Sunrise Blvd., Rancho Cordova. (916) 712-4573.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.