Synopsis

A killer wants Lilly Echosby to roll over and play dead . . .

Lilly may be losing a husband but she’s gaining a toy poodle. That could be seen as a win-win, since her new adopted pooch Aggie (named after Agatha Christie) is cute and adorable, and Lilly’s dirty dog of a spouse is cheating on her with a blond bimbo—except for one problem: Albert Echosby’s just been murdered, and Lilly is the number-one suspect.

With the cops barking up the wrong tree, it’s a good thing her best friend Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson from Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided to take a break from the dog club circuit to pay a visit, along with her own prize pair of poodles. With help from Dixie, her defense attorney daughter, and a blue-eyed man in blue with a K-9 partner, Lilly is determined to collar the real killer. But when a second murder occurs, it’s clear they’re dealing with one sick puppy . . .

Review

I enjoyed this book so much I stayed up way too late to finish the book! Thankfully it was a Friday night.

I enjoy a good cozy and I think one of the things I liked best was that the character was around my age. Not that it is a requirement, but sometimes it is nice to see a slightly older protagonist. Plus it had dogs in it…that always hooks me into a story.

As is with most firsts in a cozy, the main character is a suspect to whoever was killed. In this case, it was Lilly’s soon to be ex-husband. Typical mid-life crisis by leaving her for a younger woman! But we learn more about Bambi as the story progresses and I wondered about her motivation.

Then there is the soon to be ex’s family – I don’t know how Lilly put up with them all those years. What self-absorbed and selfish people! If I knew my spouse’s family was like that I might not have married into that family especially if he made excuses for them. I think

Lilly’s friend Dixie is a hoot! I loved that she came down to see her friend and was there to help her through this whole situation. She is spunky and not afraid to tell you what is on her mind.

I wasn’t extremely surprised at the bad guy reveal. There are several clues that might lead you to this character, but the clues are not obvious. I figured out some of the mini mysteries going on in the town.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what happens in book 2 as there are some big changes ahead for Lilly!

We give it 5 paws up

About the Author

V.M. Burns was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest, she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime.

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