Author: Laura Scott
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781643858340
Crooked Lane Books
320 Pages
$12.99; $26.99
January 11, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thirty-something veterinarian Abby Winter has found a new "leash" on life since she moved back to her hometown of Willow Bluff, Wisconsin. But when she takes Domino, the black standard poodle she's boarding over the weekend, for a sunny September stroll along the shore of Lake Michigan, the diminutive dog dashes off, only to return with a single polka-dotted, high-heeled shoe. Retracing Domino's paw prints back to a weeping willow tree, they find the other shoe. It's still on the foot of 21-year-old Pricilla Green -- lying dead beneath the willow, with a silk scarf knotted tightly around her neck.
Willow Bluff's finest -- and handsomest -- detective, Noah Jorgenson, is soon on the tail of the killer. But he has another worry on his mind when Ally's grandfather, a lifelong true-crime buff, starts to suspect that the recent burglary of a local big-box store may have some connection to Pricilla's murder. Noah cautions Ally to keep Gramps well away from the homicide investigation, but the old dog is drawn to danger like a puppy is to a squeaky ball.
The fur flies as Ally, Noah, Gramps, and Domino race the clock to fetch the felon. It will take all of their canine canniness to comb out the twists and curls in this wild and woolly case. And if they fail, they won't live to go walkies again.
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Veterinarian Dr. Abby Winter has moved back to her hometown for two reasons: one, to be with her grandfather, who had a hip replacement, and two, because her no-good cheating ex-fiancé stole their joint savings and ran away with their vet tech, leaving her with all the bills. Salvaging just enough to purchase a practice from a retiring vet, she's barely managing to keep her head above water, and is doing everything she can to stay in business.
While visiting her grandfather, she hears an argument between one of the widows at his group home and an employee - a girl who was hired to clean once a week. Abby can't but help notice the girl is wearing polka-dot stilettoes, and finds it odd she would do so. Later on, while walking Domino -- the standard poodle she's boarding -- he gets loose and runs off. When he returns, he drops a shoe exactly like Pricilla's at Abby's feet. Retracing Domino's steps, she finds the other shoe -- still attached to the body of Pricilla. Calling the police, Detective Noah Jorgenson isn't surprised to find her there, but somehow Abby becomes one of the suspects in the murder.
When Gramps learns of this, he thinks there's nothing to but solve the murder himself, figuring Noah needs all the help he can get. Now Abby is stuck between trying to keep Gramps out of it (she can't) trying to keep Noah happy (she can't) and trying to keep Domino and her own Boxer, Roxy, out of destroying her clinic (can she?) That is, unless the killer discovers what Gramps and Abby are up to, then all bets are off...
This is the second book in the Furry Friends Mysteries, and I found it just as delightful as the first. Once again we have the irrepressible and true-crime obsessed Gramps deciding he can do just as good a job as the police, and all Abby can do is stay with him to try and keep him from getting in over his head. But Gramps has no problem walking up to people and asking them about the murder, and Abby is afraid someone is going to take notice -- Noah. Which he does. Repeatedly. Which makes him develop an eye twitch. So the game is on, and all Abby wants to do is take care of her animals.
Never fear, in between crime solving her Gramps allows her to tend to her place of business, which is struggling but managing to stay in the black. But when a couple of burglaries occur and things start escalating, Abby turns to Noah for help, and he does his best to do his job...
The mystery was done very well, and even though I knew who the murderer was some time during the middle of the book (but only because I read a lot of mysteries), it was still intriguing to see how the story played out. There were a couple of subplots that were rather fun, too; and pulled us from one scenario back to the next.
Gramps, of course, was his usual self, thinking he's now better than the police and because he's a vet that he can take care of himself. He has a good sense of humor, and the man is really a hoot, and I love listening to him especially because he has no filter and says exactly what he thinks. It's fun and sometimes embarrassing for Abby, but oh, well...
When we come to the end we have a bit of a gripping climax that was worth the wait, and one can never tell what is exactly in the mind of a murderer. Only that they are unhinged in the first place or they wouldn't be killing people, right? This book is a fun read, a cozy that can be read in one evening (as I did) and I eagerly await the next in the series. Recommended.
More on Laura Scott's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Scott/e/B003DAV6T8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
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