The ladies of the Wagtail Animal Guardians, WAG for short, are in town for a pet adoption charity ball, and Holly is making sure to roll out the red carpet for her special guests. She and her furry best friend Trixie are busy keeping the WAG ladies happy and preparing for the ball when they learn that a retired judge has lost his prized pup.
The venerable citizen has hired a pet detective who has some personal ties to Holly’s new guests. His presence ruffles some feathers, and when the PI is found DOA not long before the ball, Holly wonders if one of the WAG ladies had a motive for murder. To make matters worse, some pet-loving guests of the ball nearly suffer the same deadly fate. Holly and Trixie will have to sniff out the clues and leash a callous killer before they strike again....
Like most dog and cat owners, I am under constant surveillance. Wait, she’s near the door! Prepare to go outside. Hurry! She’s not allowed to go without us. And when I actually leave the house without them, there’s a different kind of panic. My dogs wait at the window where they can see the driveway. When I drive in, their tails are wagging and there’s joy in the house once again.
My cats are calmer about my absences. After all, that’s a great time for a nap. Unless I miss the designated hour to serve them food. I have one talky cat who tells me over and over that she desires food right now. My other cat doesn’t say much but she lifts her empty bowl with a forepaw and lets it slam on the counter. Needless to say, I come running when that happens! She’s quite pleased with herself.
My dogs know exactly where the dog cookie jar is located. They sit near it and make sad puppy eyes. You know what I’m talking about. And they know which cabinets have the best treats and cookies stored in them. They actually tell me which ones they want by staring at the cabinets!
You’re thinking that I watch my dogs and cats. Hah! Our little spies don’t stop at food. They know when we came home, if we weren’t on time, and a sniff tells them who we were with. They know our secrets!
In Big Little Spies, a German Shepherd has gone missing and a pet detective is called in to find him. It’s the weekend of a huge charity ball for homeless animals. But just as things get underway, the detective is discovered dead, with the missing German Shepherd by his side. Happily, the German Shepherd had nothing to do with the pet detective’s death. However, five women friends who came to town to arrange the charity ball quickly become suspect. Each of them has a secret and they’re not talking. But each of them brought a cat or a dog along and they just might spill their moms’ secrets! ~Krista Davis
Being
the mother of a canine fur baby, another fun visit to Wagtail, courtesy of
author Krista Davis, was just what I needed.
How
an author can continue to make fresh, new books in a series already on its
seventh title, is beyond me. Yet, author Krista Davis does just that. She has
once again added even more depth to this, her seventh Paws and Claws Mysteries.
Brava!
While
there are times I can become exhausted chasing around with a protagonist who
has her teeth into something and just won’t let it go, BIG LITTLE SPIES was not
one of those cases. I was happy, eager even, to follow along with Holly in an
attempt to catch a killer. When every lead that came up turned into a tangled
leash, I found myself totally clueless. I wasn’t even close to having it
figured out.
A
brilliant mystery, fabulous charters old and new, animals, murder, and so very much
more. The perfect addition to the Paws and Claws Mysteries, BIG LITTLE SPIES was
an all-around satisfying treat. A real read-in-one-sitting tale, this story has
it all. You just can’t go wrong with
this book!
Oh,
and there are treats by way of recipes included in the book!
I feel as though this review is not up to my usual standards. My concentration was scattered while writing this one. Please don’t let that stop you from picking up a copy of BIG LITTLE SPIES for yourself. You’re going to love it!
New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis grew up devouring Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie and still loves a good mystery. Krista writes three mystery series.
The Domestic Diva Mysteries are set in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia. Sophie Winston loves to entertain but she keeps things simple. When it comes to murder, though, this domestic diva knows how to dig up dirt. Recipes and entertaining tips included!
The Paws & Claws Mysteries take place on Wagtail Mountain, Virginia, the premier vacation destination for people who want to travel with their pets. Holly Miller and her German Oma run the family inn in Wagtail, which caters to dogs and cats. Holly's Jack Russell Terrier, Trixie, and her long-haired calico kitty, Twinkletoes, use their superior noses to sniff out trouble.
In the Pen & Ink series, protagonist Florrie Fox runs a bookstore in Georgetown, Washington, DC by day and is an adult coloring book artist by night. The front and back covers of the Pen & Ink books can be colored!
Like her domestic diva, Sophie Winston, Krista enjoys cooking (okay, eating!) and entertaining, but she'd just as soon leave the cleaning to someone else. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her cats and dogs.
In other news . . .
Just added to
Goodreads Giveaways!
Thanks, Lisa. I’ve enjoyed this series, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday!
Pat T
Thank you for your review on "BIG LITTLE SPIES" by Krista Davis. It just makes me want to read this book on my TBR all the more. Sounds like a fabulous book underneath that amazingly cute cover.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net