Book ~ "Murder Strikes a Pose" (2014) Tracy Weber

From Goodreads ~ Yoga instructor Kate Davidson tries to live up to yoga's Zen-like expectations, but it's not easy while struggling to keep her small business afloat or dodging her best friend's matchmaking efforts. 

When George, a homeless alcoholic, and his loud, horse-sized German shepherd, Bella, start hawking newspapers outside her studio, Kate attempts to convince them to leave. Instead, the three strike up an unlikely friendship. 

Then Kate finds George's dead body. The police dismiss it as a drug-related street crime, but Kate knows he was no drug dealer. Now she must solve George's murder and find someone willing to adopt his intimidating companion before Bella is sent to the big dog park in the sky. With the murderer on her trail, Kate has to work fast or her next Corpse Pose may be for real.

Kate has recently opened a yoga studio and is barely getting by.  It doesn't help when a homeless man and his large German Shepherd, which doesn't like other dogs, starts selling newspapers outside her door.  Instead of freaking out, Kate does the Zen thing and befriends George and Bella.

When George is killed, the police assume it was during a fight among the homeless and don't put a lot of effort into finding out who the killer is.  But Kate can't let it go and starts investigating on her own and comes up with a list of people who could have done it.  In the meantime, to save Bella from going to the pound (and probably put down), she takes her in until she can find her a home.  But who is going to want a large German Shepherd with behavior problems and health issues?

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it.   It's obvious the author wrote from experience ... she has a yoga studio and a German Shepherd named Tasha.  I liked the writing style.  It is written in first person perspective from Kate's point of view.

I liked Kate.  She's still struggling with the death of her father a couple years ago.  Despite the fact that she is a self-professed crazy cat lady, she takes Bella in and tries to find her a home ... with patience, she does eventually find Bella the best home.  Kate has a good heart ... though she only has $4,000 left to her name, she doesn't hesitate to juggle her needs with those of Bella so Bella can have the medicine, food, training, etc. she needs.  And I love a story that has a dog!  Bella sounds like a great dog!  Other supporting characters include her best friend, a new love interest (a pet store owner) and a slimy landlord.

This is the first of the series and I look forward to reading others.