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A Good Dog's Guide to Murder by Krista Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I finished A Good Dog's Guide to Murder by Krista Davis last night. It's the 8th book in her "Paws and Claws" mystery series, featuring inn owner Holly Miller.

As Thanksgiving draws near, visitors are flocking to Wagtail for the gingerbread competition featuring cat and dog houses. The competition is being held at the brand new convention center, which sits on ground donated to the town by Orly Biffle. The only stipulation from the gift was that the majestic oak tree near the lake must never be cut down. However, when the tree drops two large limbs, Holly's grandmother--the mayor of Wagtail--insists the tree come down before anyone is hurt. Cutting the tree reveals a corpse inside of it. Now Officer Dave has a cold case to solve. The investigation heats up when one of the visitors dies of poisoning, and it appears the poison had been meant for Holly. Rather than be afraid, Holly is even more determined to discover the identity of the original victim and who may have had a reason to kill him.

The cold case aspect was certainly a departure from most cozy mysteries, and I enjoyed it; it was refreshing. It was fun to learn more about the history of Wagtail, reconnect with old characters, and meet new ones, including Holly's mother. The book wasn't entirely devoted to the investigation. Holly was also busy running the inn, getting ready for the holidays, and spending time with friends and family.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Fur on the floor is but a small price to pay for the love they give us."
♦ Being in possession of Harry Potter indicated a fun person, didn't it?
♦ I didn't feel one bit guilty when I spread mayonnaise on my bread. Right now I needed comfort food. I was stress-mayoing. Was that even a thing? It was now!

Excellent story, fun and twisty. Five stars.

The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Krista Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Last night, right at bedtime (woo!) I finished reading The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Krista Davis. It's part of the author's "Paws and Claws" mystery series. Story is told in first person pov by the main character, Holly Miller--innkeeper and "mom" to Trixie the dog and Twinkletoes the cat.

Everyone in Wagtail is excited that Pippin, America's most beloved dog, is coming for a visit. Pippin will be starring in an upcoming show, and the producer wants the cast to spend some time together. It should be a fun time, but when Trixie and Pippin discover the body of a local woman, speculation runs wild that one of the actors killed her. As if that wasn't bad enough, some dogs in Wagtail have gone missing, fueling rumors of a dognapper. Holly encounters a sketchy man who claims that Trixie belongs to him. She is determined not to let him take Trixie. After another murder, Holly doesn't know whom she can trust. She's going to need more than just Trixie's help to set things to rights.

The story was exciting and enjoyable, but there is such a thing as too much going on. You have the dognappings, the man who is trying to lay claim to Trixie, two murders, people behaving strangely, porch pirates, and a mysterious recluse. On top of that, it seems that Holly once again has competition for Holmes' affection. Come on! We just got rid of his annoying fiancee, clearing the path for Holly, only to have another contender arrive on the scene? Do not want.

Favorite line: "If you're going to play the victim then you have to expect the consequences."

In spite of all the intersecting subplots going on, the narrative flowed smoothly enough. Characterizations were as wonderful as ever. Very good!

Mission Impawsible by Krista Davis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Last night, I completed the book Mission Impawsible by Krista Davis. It's part of the "Paws and Claws" mystery series, featuring innkeeper and pet mom, Holly Miller.

Holly and Oma, her grandmother, are hosting an event at Sugar Maple Inn, called Animal Attraction. It's meant to help pet owners meet romantic prospects. Unbeknownst to Holly, her Oma signs her up, and she ends up matched to a man named John. Holly's dog, Trixie, takes an instant liking to John's dog, Cooper, which seems to indicate they would make a good match.

Detracting from what is meant to be a good time is the appearance of a man who castigates Holly and Oma for hosting such a frivolous event. He derides the man who's in charge of matching up the pet owners, calling Macon Stotts a fraud. Later, Holly and John find the man's dead body, and no one seems to know who he is. In addition to having a murder on her hands, Holly must still run the inn, dodge the advances of her ex-boyfriend, Ben, put up with the antics of two women who are there simply to spy on their daughters and make sure they wind up with good matches, and help her friend, Zelda, dodge her own ex, the conniving Hank.

When another person is killed, Holly is implicated by someone who claims to have seen her in the vicinity at the approximate time of the murder. Now, Holly has to use all of her sleuthing skills to find out the real killer before she is arrested for the crime.

Needless to say, there was a lot going on in this book. However, in my opinion, there was simply TOO much going on. I understand the author was trying to throw some red herrings in there, but it was getting way too confusing, to the point that it detracted from the enjoyment of the story.

Favorite lines:
♦ "I think I'd like to go home and snuggle with my cats."
♦ Seven cats came running. I shut the door so they couldn't race outside.
Story of my life!

I was somewhat disappointed in this book. It certainly wasn't my favorite in this series. Giving it an average, 3-star review:

***

Earlier, I finished reading The Ghost and Mrs Mewer by Krista Davis. It's the second book in her "Paws & Claws" mystery series.

Holly has decided to return to Wagtail and help her Oma run the Sugar Maple Inn, and she couldn't be happier. The Inn is filled to capacity for the town's Howloween celebrations, and most of the guests are part of the television crew the Apparition Apprehenders. Everything is going well until Holly's dog Trixie discovers a woman floating facedown in shallow water. Although the death is initially ruled an accident, both Holly and police officer Dave feel that there was foul play involved.

It seems there is no shortage of suspects, either. The victim, Mallory, had managed to get on the wrong side of almost everyone on the television crew, as well as Wagtail resident (and Holly's friend) Clementine. The question is, who had motive, method, AND opportunity?

As if a potential murder isn't enough to deal with, Holly's ex-boyfriend Ben comes to Wagtail, thinking they can just pick up where they left off. And, the man whom Holly secretly adores, childhood friend Holmes, has a fiancee awaiting him back in Chicago.

I enjoyed the story, but I wasn't completely engrossed by it, which is why it took a week to read. I blame part of that on the NHL playoffs, however. Ha ha!

Favorite line: "We can't blame everything we don't understand on the paranormal. I get that, which is why I find it all so fascinating."

Very good, but perhaps not as enjoyable as the first book in the series. Four stars:

****