A Ghostly Clue (Pet Momma Cozy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – The small town of Starport Cove and a suburb of the town called Bluffington Hills
Independently Published (December 15, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 151 pages

Synopsis

It’s the Christmas season in the charming small town of Starport Cove. But amid shopping for gifts, decorating, baking sugar cookies, and organizing the Christmas Bazaar, the discovery of a body is not the holiday event that anyone expected. When antique store owner Milton Cenford is found dead in a suit of armor, amateur sleuth Tarsey Quinston is determined to find the killer.

As quirky visitors arrive in town and create more questions than answers, Tarsey finds herself investigating rumors of a missing historic diary penned by a First Lady from Starport Cove and looking into paranormal activity.

Will the discovery of a mysterious hidden passageway and an encounter with a ghost lead Tarsey and her intuitive cat Silver down the path to danger? Or will they finally unveil the identity of the killer?

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About the Author

Maryann Shanesy is a native of Maryland who has always enjoyed writing. A lifelong lover of mysteries and anything gardening, she is a pet momma to a rescue dog and cat that brightens her life. She and her husband have two wonderful daughters and live in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She hopes you will enjoy the second cozy mystery in her series.

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PORTER & MIDGE:

PAWS AND PLAYTIME

by

Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada

Children’s Picture Book / Pet Care / Dog Training

Series: Porter and Midge series

Publisher: Raise the Woof Press LLC

Page Count: 32 pages

Publication date: December 12, 2023

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Discover the enchanting world of Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime – a rhyming children’s book that follows the heartwarming bond between two furry friends, Mastiff Porter and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Midge, and their devoted companions, CJ and Lora.

On a sunny day, CJ’s thoughtful idea sets the stage for a joyful exploration of new ways to make Porter and Midge’s days even brighter.

Through rhythmic verses, follow their journey as they uncover imaginative games, canine enrichment activities, and thrilling dog sports, all while strengthening their unbreakable connection.

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Giselle Nevada has owned several mastiffs, acquired both from reputable breeders and via rescue. Fostering rescued mastiffs and helping them work through their issues led to a keen interest in socialization as a means of preventing future issues. She loves working with her dogs and has dabbled in carting, conformation, agility, rally, trick dog, nose work, and many other canine sports. Her puppy Porter is a testament to early socialization – he has achieved many performance dog titles and has done commercial work. He also has a role in a movie called Match Me If You Can directed by Marian Yeager.

Jennie Chen is a homesick Austinite who founded Keep Austin Dog Friendly. Over the last 20 years, Jennie has owned Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and Lowchen. She has earned numerous titles in conformation, competitive obedience, rally, herding, animal assisted therapy, and more. She is passionate about the relationship people build with their beloved canines, and she has been an advocate for people living with disabilities who need a service dog to live independently. She is active in various dog clubs and can be seen on AKC.TV from time to time.

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Pawtographed hardcover copy of Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety

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Synopsis

Sometimes, the one you’re saving is really saving you.

Harley loses everything when his master dies — his home, his best friend, his reason for living. Day after day, he trudges the streets, trembling from the biting cold, whimpering from the gnawing hunger.

Across town, Rachel has an alimony hearing looming and a make-or-break deadline hurtling toward her, yet they aren’t her biggest worries — her autistic son has withdrawn so far into his own private world, he barely acknowledges she even exists.

Luckily, the magic of life is in the surprises no one ever sees coming…

If you crave a story of love and loss, of compassion and belonging, of friendship that knows no bounds, you need to read When the Skies Cry.

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Review

Have tissues on hand, this book has all the feels running through it.

This book (really the series) is a must read for all dog lovers. While this story is a stand alone, there are some bits and pieces from As The Stars Fall that you just might recognize while reading this book.

This book is told from two points of view – Harvey, a dog that is not sure what happened to his owner, and Rachel, a single mom with a special needs son that isn’t sure how she is going to handle everything. That is until Harvey shows up in their lives and she sees the impact that he makes on her son. Harvey is also looking for something to fill his life, he needs a job because he is a working dog. It is the little things that he does that makes an impact in Rachel and Wes’ life.

I enjoyed watching the interaction between all of the characters, the fierceness of Rachel when protecting her son and eventually Harvey, and the touching moments throughout. Now, there are a few “mean” characters but thankfully they don’t get very far in this story. The ending had me in tears which is why you need some tissues handy. Actually, you need those tissues throughout the whole book, so many moments that will touch your heart and soul.

I also related to Rachel as a cancer survivor and what she had to endure.

Apparently, there are now two ending options available, but I only read the original and didn’t have the chance to check out the other ending. I think you probably can’t go wrong with either one as both will strike a chord with different people.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 58 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!

He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, and two black cats who graciously allow Steve and Ania to stay in their house.

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Synopsis

Bringing a new dog into the household should be one of life’s happiest events. The process always starts with excitement and high expectations. Too often, though, it ends in disappointment. The new puppy wakes everyone three times a night, gnaws on furniture, piddles everywhere, knocks the children down. The new adolescent dog is too wild. The new adult dog growls at your neighbors. And where did all this dog hair come from?

Most people spend hours researching a new mattress, days researching a new car, and weeks researching a new home or job. Yet for a new dog, a companion for the next 10-15 years, the most they do is visit the nearest shelter or pet shop and buy whatever looks cute and appealing. It’s no wonder they end up disappointed.

Whether you are looking for a purebred puppy or a charming mixed-breed, the type of dog you bring into your home matters. A quiet owner will struggle to keep up with a high-energy labrador mix, for instance, while an active outdoor family will be impatient with a snoozy bulldog. And finding the right kind of dog means becoming the right kind of owner—a task that takes some forethought and planning.

How To Find Your Dream Dog is here to fix the disconnect of dog ownership. It walks you step-by-step through the process of choosing the right type of dog for you—not only exploring the canine qualities that can determine your perfect puppy, adolescent, or adult dog, but also assessing your lifestyle to make sure you’re a good match for the dog, too. The book also looks at good (and bad) sources for finding healthy and sound pet dogs, gives guidelines for evaluating individual puppies, and warns of some red flags to watch out for during your dog search. With this guidebook in hand, you can be confident that the next puppy or dog you bring home will be the right companion and friend for you for the rest of its days.

​Dixie Tenny is a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior. During her 30+ years spent working with people and their pets, she has seen again and again how mismatches between dog and owner can create “behavior problems” that never would have happened if the right dog had been matched to the right owner in the first place. She wrote this book to help puppy buyers and dog adopters start out on the best possible foot with their new pet dogs, and stay on that path for years to come.

Guest Post

Two Great Ways to Keep Your Dog Busy Indoors
​by Dixie Tenny

When the weather outside is frightful, how do you keep your dog happy and entertained indoors?

Here are two ideas that will bring indoor fun to any dog, any type, any size, any age.

Find-it games
Every dog can learn to use its nose to find treats or toys, and the search can be as fun as the goodie at the end. Teach your pooch to play “find-it” like this:

First, while holding your pup in place, toss a treat so that it lands in plain sight. Say “find it!” and release your pup to run and eat the treat.

After a few repetitions, try tossing the treat so that it lands barely out of sight, behind furniture. Say “find it,” and release your pup. Most will seek out the goodie; if yours needs help, walk toward the treat yourself and be patient. She will get it after a few more repetitions.

Put your dog away and place a treat in plain sight. Bring your dog into the room, holding its collar, say “find it!” and release. Now the dog doesn’t have your throwing arm to watch, but by this time the cue “find it!” should let her know that there is a goodie in the room.

When she has mastered this, put a paper towel over the treat before bringing her out to “find it!” The paper towel is a new object in the room so she is very likely to go investigate it, smell the treat under it, and dig it out. This introduces the idea that the treat might actually be out of sight, so that she will start hunting for them with her nose. Next, put out two paper towels, one with a treat under it and one without.

Place a treat next to a piece of furniture for her to find. Then place it slightly under or behind the furniture…

Continue until she will hunt for a treat whenever you say “find it.” Eventually my Welsh terrier reached the point where he would hunt all over the house while I sat and read a book! The key is to progress in very slow, gradual steps, and always be willing to patiently repeat any step a few times until it’s clear that your dog is ready to move on.

Puzzle toys

Puzzle toys are one of the greatest inventions for dogs and their people ever. This is a wide range of toys that incorporate treats. With a simple puzzle toy, you just put treats, biscuit pieces, or other dog-friendly goodies into the toy and let your dog enjoy the process of working to get them out. The Kong is probably the most well-known simple puzzle toy. A Kong looks like an inverted triple-scoop ice cream with a hole in the bottom. Break up pieces of biscuits, use your dog’s own food, add a couple high-value treats like freeze-dried liver pieces; take a spoonful of cream cheese and mix it all together, then push the mixture into the hole in the Kong. You can give this to your dog as is, or freeze it for future use. Most dog trainers have several frozen Kongs in their freezers at all times!

You can also fill a Kong with canned dog food or any number of other fillings. Just be careful to avoid human foods that are dangerous to dogs such as chocolate, onion, raisins, and more.

If your dog doesn’t know what to do with this great-smelling but puzzling thing, start by filling it loosely enough that the goodies fall out when your dog rolls the toy around. Gradually make it harder for him to get the treats out as he becomes more experienced.

If your dog empties a Kong in record time, consider moving him up to the more challenging puzzle toys. There are dozens of these: my favorite include:
Toys that feed entire meals, such as the Kong Wobbler, the Tug-a-Jug, and the Tricky Treat Ball;
Toys that hold the treats inside so the dog must figure out how to remove them, such as the Busy Buddy Barnacle or Squirrel Dude, or the Bob-a-Lot Treat Dispenser.
For the maestro, try toys that require the dog to manipulate the puzzle by lifting latches, pushing little doors open, and more. These include the Dog Activity Flip Board, the Dog Twister, and the Mad Scientist Puzzle.

Consider trying some Find-it and picking up a few puzzle toys. Your dog will thank you for making her days indoors more interesting!

About the Author

Dixie Tenny has been helping people and their dogs find each other and form successful partnerships since the early 1980s. She founded two rescue organizations: Purebred Dog Rescue of Saint Louis in 1984, and Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue, Inc. in 1987. Dixie was the Director of Training for the Greater St. Louis Training Club, Inc., for five years, creating classes and overseeing the work of 40 head and assistant trainers. In 2003 she and another experienced trainer created Dogs Unleashed, LLC. They traveled to clients’ homes and worked with behavior and training issues.

Dixie’s professional credentials include trainer certifications from the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and the Association for Pet Dog Trainers. Dixie formed her own business, Human-Animal Learning Opportunities, LLC (HALO) in 2013. HALO hosts continuing education seminars for dog trainers.

Dixie has lived with a wide range of dogs over the years including mixed breeds, Australian Shepherds, Welsh and Cairn terriers, and more. While in Seattle, Dixie raised a labrador puppy for Canine Companions for Independence, Inc. (CCI). Currently Dixie lives with a Beauceron and an elderly Papillon, as well as four cats. When not doing things related to animals, she reads widely, enjoys the company of her three grown children, follows baseball and English Premier League football, and travels the world.

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Death by Chocolate Lab (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Kensington (February 28, 2017)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496707383
E-Book ASIN: B01GBAG2T0

Synopsis

Pet sitter Daphne Templeton has a soft spot for every stray and misfit who wanders into the quaint, lakeside village of Sylvan Creek. But even Daphne doesn’t like arrogant, womanizing Steve Beamus, the controversial owner of Blue Ribbon K-9 Academy. When Steve turns up dead during a dog agility trial, Daphne can think of a long list of people with motives for homicide, and so can the police. Unfortunately, at the top of the list is Daphne’s sister, Piper—Steve’s latest wronged girlfriend.

Certain that Piper is innocent, in spite of mounting evidence to the contrary, Daphne sets out to clear her sister’s name—and find Axis, Steve’s prize-winning chocolate Labrador, who went missing the night of Steve’s death. Aided by Socrates, her taciturn basset hound, and a hyperactive one-eared Chihuahua named Artie, Daphne quickly runs afoul of Detective Jonathan Black, a handsome and enigmatic newcomer to town, who has no appreciation for Daphne’s unorthodox sleuthing.

Can a free-spirited pet sitter, armed only with a Ph.D. in Philosophy and her two incompatible dogs, find the real killer before she becomes the next victim?

Includes recipes for homemade dog treats!

Review

I thought this was a great start to a new series…it contained one of my favorite things, dogs! There is a basset hound named Socrates and a chihuahua named Artie that is so ugly he is cute. There are a few other dogs including 3 rottweilers named after Shakespearean characters and a retriever named Axis.

The murder doesn’t happen right off the bat, but I will say I guessed who was killed before it was revealed. Now I’m sure you are thinking – but the synopsis says who was killed. Ok this is true, but I didn’t read that before I started reading this book. So I still give myself lots of credit for guessing that part!

Daphne is a free spirit. I love that she drives an old VW bus – perfect for hauling dogs around, as long as she remembers to fill up the gas tank. It was a shock to realize she had a PhD (in Philosophy) so she had to have had some sort of drive to accomplish that degree; however, her actions lead you to think otherwise. I think she is still lost in what she wants to do with her life. Her sister, Piper, is the opposite. Piper is very down to earth and organized, probably why she makes a great vet.

The mystery of who killed Steve was well written and I suspected a few other people but was totally shocked when the killer was revealed. Looking back there might have been one or two subtle clues but otherwise I really had no idea.

Of course you can’t have a mystery without a little potential romance. Detective Jon Black keep showing up trying to help solve the crime. I think he fancies Daphne and she might like him a little too despite dating Dylan, another free spirit. Although I don’t think she likes him quite that way.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Bethany Blake lives in a small, quaint town in Pennsylvania with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing or riding horses, she’s wrangling a menagerie of furry family members that includes a nervous pit bull, a fearsome feline, a blind goldfish, and an attack cardinal named Robert. Like Daphne Templeton, the heroine of her Lucky Paws Mysteries, Bethany holds a Ph.D. and operates a pet sitting business called Barkley’s Premium Pet Care.

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March 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

March 6 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST

March 7 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW

March 7 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

March 7 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW

March 8 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

March 8 – Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting – REVIEW

March 9 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

March 9 – Texas Book-aholic – SPOTLIGHT

March 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW

March 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

March 10 – The Book’s the Thing – SPOTLIGHT

March 10 – Bookworm Mom – REVIEW

March 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

March 11 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

March 11 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT

March 12 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

March 12 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 13 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

March 13 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – INTERVIEW

March 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 14 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

March 15 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW

March 15 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

March 16 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW

March 16 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

March 17 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW

March 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Synopsis

Praise for the book

Review

Dog spirit guides can take many forms and in this book it is a 5 lbs Yorkie named Prozac.  He took this assignment not knowing what the TBD could possibly entail just so he could play Sandy in a revival of Annie sometime in the future.  He definitely was not expecting Meredith – a woman that lost her fiance 3 years ago and was still grieving.

This story goes back in forth primarily from Prozac and Meredith’s point of view.  I think there might be a few chapters from Helen or someone else’s POV, but not many.  It took me a couple of chapters to understand the flow, but once I did, I enjoyed the back and forth and especially when it was Prozac’s chapter because I found him to be a bit arrogant, but considering his history that he lays out for you in an early chapter, it isn’t too surprising.  Despite the arrogance, I think he learns something from Meredith’s pain and current situation, that perhaps there is more to the human emotions than he has experienced throughout time.

Meredith is another story, she is a mess!  Yes her fiance was killed in a brutal manner, but life goes on and one can still grieve and miss a loved one and continue with life.  However, it takes her petsitting Prozac and meeting a few other people to turn that life around.

There are some witty characters, along with some that learn lessons along the way.  I think this book touches many emotions and creates many learning moments for many of the characters.

We give this 4 paws up!

About the Author

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It’s RELEASE DAY for LOVE PAWS!

Help us celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and go download this amazing anthology NOW. Only 99 cents for seven wonderful, sexy romances . . . you can’t beat that deal.

Of course, what could make six contemporary romance shorts plus one story with a paranormal twist by award-winning and best-selling authors even better? Add seven sweet, scene-stealing pets . . . and then make the whole project a benefit for animal rescue charities!

That’s just what we’ve done. LOVE PAWS features short stories with a little bit of steam, a little of sweet and happy endings all around. Each story also includes a pet, just to give the romance a bit of a boost.

Each author is donating her portion of the net proceeds to a specific animal charity. Check out which charities will benefit below! And don’t forget to enter the giveaway-scroll down.

Get your copy now! Amazon/iBooks/Nook/Google/Kobo

~~~***~~~

Montana Heat (Chefs of the West, Book One) by Becca Boyd (Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter)

One protective smokejumper, one reluctant landowner, one big fire… Randa Sadler has turned away the sheriff, the Forest service, and all her neighbors. She knows the fire is coming, and she’s not leaving her home. When Tyson Herrick is sent to talk her down off the mountain, he finds the secret that’s keeping her there… but can he save her from the oncoming fire without losing his heart in the process?

By Chance (A Playing Games Spin-off Novella) Rene Folsom (K9s for Warriors)

While burying herself into her editing job, Samantha Cline struggles to come to terms with the fact that her love life is dormant… and has been for quite some time. Every sickly sweet love story she has to edit continuously reminds her of how impractical romance is. Aside from her loyal group of friends who have their own relationship drama, she settles for companionship of the canine variety with her best bud, Chance. In truth, there’s only one man who has ever turned Sam’s head, though she’d never admit it aloud. She remembers watching him train horses on her dad’s farm as a teenager, and no other man has ever measured up. Now that he’s been living next door to her for a few years, she can’t help but wish he’d glance her way and show some sort of recognition. Sam is finally pushed over the edge when her dog runs off, forcing her to reassess her lot in life and what it would take to heal her heart in his absence. Then, one stormy night, her very sexy neighbor shows up on her doorstep, stealing her breath away with his presence. After a rather awkward encounter, Sam can’t help but wonder if she’ll lose her chance for good.

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Title: The Truth About Dog and Cat Treatments and Anomalies

Genre: Pet Reference

Author: Robert L. Ridgway, DVM

Publisher: iUniverse

Pages: 366

Language: English

ISBN – 978-1-47599-673-9

You don’t have to be a veterinarian to prevent and treat many of the problems that might afflict your four-legged friend. Robert L. Ridgway, a doctor of veterinary medicine, helps you identify conditions and use home remedies and treatments to treat dogs and cats.

Written in everyday language, this guide can help you

• spot and treat skin infections in minimally invasive ways;

• help your pet battle and beat heartworms and other parasites;

• encourage good nutrition and address eating problems; and

• help your pet overcome stomach problems, gas, and other ailments.

While the guide focuses on tackling health problems, it can also help you improve your pet’s behavior, avoid common household substances that can harm your pet, and weigh complicated issues involved with end-of-life care and decision making. This handbook covers more than 150 different subjects and includes dosage instructions based on a pet’s weight so you can act with confidence. While veterinarians serve an important role, you can fix many problems on your own when you know The Truth about Dog and Cat Treatments and Anomalies.: noun, Tradescantia. The people’s radiation monitor; fifty times more sensitive than a dosimeter.

ABOUT ROBERT RIDGWAY, DVM

Robert L. Ridgway, DVM, graduated from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed a residency at the University of California–Davis and is boarded in the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine and the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. He lives in Florida.

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Teacup Turbulence (A Pet Rescue Mystery)
5th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (January 7, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-0425259979

Synopsis

Los Angeles animal shelter manager Lauren Vancouver has a soft spot for animals in need—and a keen eye for crime. . .

Thanks to a savvy ad campaign featuring teacup pups sporting HotPets Bling—a new line of faux jewelry dog collars—small dog adoptions have skyrocketed across the city. So when Lauren discovers a shelter in the Midwest with more toy dogs than it can handle, she arranges a private plane to swoop in and fly the pups back to LA.

But Lauren didn’t count on rescue worker Teresa Kantrim coming along for the ride. Teresa has cared for the dogs since they were found and doesn’t trust anyone from La-La Land to take over the job. Her biting comments clearly haven’t earned Teresa any new friends, but when she turns up murdered, it’s time for Lauren to dig into Teresa’s past and find out who wanted her put down.

Review

I love books about animals, especially dogs, and I am definitely no stranger to Linda’s books!  I first got hooked on the pet sitter series (and I guess that series is dead since the last book was in 2010 and Kendra makes appearances in this series) and so I had high hopes for the Pet Rescue series.  Linda has not disappointed me yet!  This book has two mysteries that have to be solved…hope I’m not giving anything away there.  They tie together in the end.

I don’t know if I have read so many mysteries or if I just had a gut instinct on the last few mysteries I have read, but I have been able to come up with a good idea of “whodoneit” but not necessarily know how or why.  It does not detract from my enjoyment of the book because I am never 100% sure I am right until I get to the end.

We give this book 4 paws and if you haven’t read this series, definitely pick it up and give it a whirl.

About This Author

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 35 romance and mystery novels, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne.

Linda’s Pet Rescue Mysteries, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, feature Lauren Vancouver, a determined pet rescuer who runs a no-kill shelter. In this cozy series, “no-kill” refers to pets, not people!

[Note that, at the time this is being submitted, I’ve had 33 books published but will have a Harlequin Romantic Suspense published in December, and my upcoming Pet Rescue Mystery TEACUP TURBULENCE will be a January 2014 release.]

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Tour Participants

January 2 – StoreyBook Reviews  – Review
January 3 – Chloe Gets A Clue – Interview
January 4 – Books-n-Kisses – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 5 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review
January 6 – readalot blog – Review
January 7 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway
January 8 – Brooke Blogs – Review
January 9 –  off
January 10 – Reviews By Karen – Guest Post, Giveaway
January 11 –off
January 12- Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Interview
January 13 – My Devotional Thoughts – Review, Guest Post
January 14 – StephTheBookworm – Review
January 14 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Review
January 15 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Giveaway
January 15 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Guest Post
January 15 – Dru’s Book Musings –  Guest Post

Today’s installment of Mystery Monday is the first in the Pampered Pets Mystery series by Sparkle Abbey.  There are four books in total for this series: Get Fluffy, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang and Yip/Tuck.

Synopsis

When Caro Lamont, former psychologist turned pet therapist makes a house call to help Kevin Blackstone with his two misbehaving German Shepherd dogs, she expects frantic dogs, she expects a frantic dog owner, she even expects frantic neighbors. What she doesn’t expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.

Review

I really enjoyed this book!  The main character, and her cousin, are former beauty queens from Texas so they have the attitude to match.  There is a little tussle between the Caro and Melinda (her cousin) over a brooch left to one of them from their grandmother the problem is that they don’t know who since the will just said “to my favorite granddaughter”.  I was amazed at the number of people that ended up getting killed just to find out who killed Kevin Blackstone!  I thought the storyline flowed well and I’m anxious to read the second (and third and fourth) book in this series.

We give it 4 paws and suggest picking it up next time you are looking for a fun cozy read.  I have had this on my Kindle since 2011 (yes I have that many books to read!) and can’t believe I waited so long to read it!

About the Author

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets – Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.)

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