Publication Date: 09/02/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320
ISBN-10: 0451241126
ISBN-13: 978-0451241122
(Received for an honest review from Obsidian Mystery)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound
Annie Knox on the WEB: website, twitter, facebook, goodreads
Books in the series:
Pet Boutique Mystery
1. Paws for Murder
2. Groomed for Murder
Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from, Groomed for Murder, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
Izzy McHale wants her new Trendy Tails Pet Boutique in Merryville, Minnesota, to be the height of canine couture and feline fashions. But in a week of wedding bells, someone is about to hold their peace…
forever. Love is in the air, and Izzy is hard at work coordinating two special weddings at Trendy Tails. First, Izzy’s friend and mentor, Ingrid, will be tying the knot with her old flame. And a week later, Izzy will host “pupptials” for two lovable dogs.
But even with the hullabaloo, the Trendy Tails crew is intrigued by Daniel, an enigmatic writer boarding above the shop who’s caught the attention of Izzy’s zany aunt Dolly, who gossips like most people breathe.
Unfortunately, it’s Daniel who stops breathing when he drops dead at the altar on Ingrid’s wedding day. Then Dolly is found at the scene with the murder weapon, and it’s up to Izzy, her Trendy Tails pals, and her scrappy pets, Packer and Jinx, to find a killer before the two affianced doggies bark down the aisle….
Thoughts:
Pet lovers and mystery lovers alike will be drawn to the new book in the Pet Boutique Mystery series by Annie Knox. Groomed for Murder is all about wedded bliss. Not only will readers get to see a wedding of the two-legged variety, but also nuptials of the flour-legged kind, along with a little murder on the side. Knox has created a cast of characters both furry and fabulous. Readers who are looking for a good whodunit, with an emphasis on pets, will love this one. Having a wedding at a pet boutique might sound a little off the wall, but this series makes it all seem natural.
What I liked:
I will be the first to tell you that my little dog, Sundae is quite the diva. I always love a good series that appreciates the companionship of animals and how they can be a very rewarding part of life. Annie Knox seems to understand the place that pets have in our hearts. The pet boutique idea of a mystery series, gives the author a chance to have a great whodunit and show her love for animals. Pet lovers will fall in love with not only the human characters but the pet characters, as well.
Groomed for Murder is the second book in the series and Knox has decided to focus not only on murder but weddings. I loved the wedding angle and thought it played well into the theme of the mystery. There had to be a reason for everyone to be at Trendy Tails, why not a wedding? Ingrid is a feisty lady and she has turned into a bridezilla of sorts. But when the wedding is interrupted by a murder, everything goes topsy-turvy. Izzy, the main heroine of the series is out to prove that her Aunt Dolly didn't do the deed. Readers who love weddings will also enjoy that aspect of the story.
Izzy is a favorite of mine. She has a great love for animals and she has made it her life's work. But she also has a second passion, sleuthing. I liked the fact that the main suspect hit a little close to home. Aunt Dolly is a great character in her own right and I found myself really enjoying having this mystery surround her. When Daniel Colona ends up dead it's Aunt Dolly holding the actual and proverbial smoking gun. I thought the mystery aspects of the story were well told and gave the reader just enough crumbs to keep them on the trail of the killer. Knox is very good at clue based mysteries.
Izzy's love life is getting more interesting by the book. She has an old flame in Sean and a new man in Jack that has her interest. Who she will end up with is anyone's guess, but Knox showed some definite tension between these two men where Izzy was concerned and that added a whole new dimension to the story. I can't wait to see who she chooses and why.
What I didn't like:
There were times when I felt the transitions between one part of the story and next were a little rushed or not really present. I know that chapter breaks can be used to move to a different part of the story, but I still like for there to be some connection. Certainly, not a deal breaker, this is a very good book.
Bottom Line:
I you love mysteries and you love animals, this a great series for you! Knox shows her passion for animals and sleuthing in a believable and entertaining way. People often love their pets just as much as the humans in their lives and I think this series will really appeal to them. A great whodunit and a beautiful wedding or two make for a great book!
Groomed for Murder is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Groomed for Murder by Annie Knox.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, October 3rd.
1. Please leave a comment about experiences you've had with a pet boutique or a groomer.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
26 comments:
i have never had any negative incident with a groomer or boutique, luckily.
I stay with the dogs when I have them groomed. Not because I expect anything bad to happen, but they are precious to me and I worry.
Also I enjoy chatting with the groomer.
I've always handled the grooming of my pets myself.
My dog doesn't get groomed. The vet does his nails, ears and teeth and he is short haired so he really doesn't need much else.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I've always had good experiences with our groomers!
We had our puppy to his first groomer visit just a few weeks ago and it went very well - he came home smelling and looking so nice.
I had two schnauzers (Romeo and Tybalt) that were the runts of a show dog's litter. They were the most loving dogs until it was time for a bath. So I took them to a groomer. They fell in love with her! She could clip their nails or wash their ears with no growling back. She showed me how to calm a dog before bathing. So my experience was educational.
I always groom my pets myself so there is no trauma!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
My husband has always groomed our dogs..... But I think most groomers are pretty awesome....
I have cats so I have not had a negative result with a groomer.
I have never taken a pet to a groomer.
I've always had beagles and they are such clean dogs with short hair that not much grooming is needed----just nail clipping by the vet and an occasional bath.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
We have a nice groomer and she does a Great job on our Westie.
I'm not an animal person, so I wouldn't have any experiences with a groomer......
I have never been to a pet groomer or boutique.
lag110 at mchsi dot com
We don't need a groomer for our dog.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
haven't had any to share
I had a bad experience as my cat died after her visit to the groomer.
I used to have a huge Maine Coon who loved dogs and water when I lived in San Diego. In the summer he would start to matt so I would take him to a groomer to get bathed and shaved. He LOVED it! He loved the baths and the pups. Sometimes he'd get a Lion cut and when I'd take him to the park the Rugby and Soccer players would fall all over themselves to play with him. Other times I'd just have him trimmed to look like a DSH. My only bad experience was when they used perfume on him I was allergic to and I broke out in hives after carrying him to the car (he was a snuggler).
My dog Sundae, is not a people person, at least with people she doesn't know. We took her to the groomer when she was a puppy to have her nails trimmed and they cut her to the quick on one of her toes and she hates to have her toes messed with since then. So the vet has to put her to sleep to do it. But I still think groomers are great for dogs who can handle that kind of attention.
No negative experiences, knock on wood.
I have never been to a pet groomer or a pet boutique. Cats take care of their own grooming!
My beagle doesn't need much professional grooming, just some help with nail trimming once in a while. We've always had really good experiences.
I haven't had any experience with a pet boutique or a groomer, and I don't have any pets right now. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com
I have cats, not dogs, but if they get dirty they need to be cleaned up. In the summer my cat Muffin got a sticky fly trap stuck to his butt and we had to clean him up several times. We used Dawn. He was very sticky! I figured that if Dawn was good enough to clean up ducks caught in an oil spill it would work for my cat. We also had other cats in the past who got really dirty from going outside and we used a wet rag to clean them up.
I have cats, not dogs, but if they get dirty they need to be cleaned up. In the summer my cat Muffin got a sticky fly trap stuck to his butt and we had to clean him up several times. We used Dawn. He was very sticky! I figured that if Dawn was good enough to clean up ducks caught in an oil spill it would work for my cat. We also had other cats in the past who got really dirty from going outside and we used a wet rag to clean them up.
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