Paw And Order
Lilly’s best pal Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson, has done it again! She’s convinced eccentric pet poodle-loving billionaire Archibald Lowry to sponsor a grand fundraiser for the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue. Tragically, it’s too late to rescue Lowry, who is murdered at the event. His pet poodle is now orphaned, so Dixie begs Lilly to foster the adorable pup. Of course, she already has a poodle, her beloved Aggie, named after Agatha Christie. Fortunately, Aggie seems to like the new addition to the family, whom Lilly renames Rex, after her second favorite mystery author, Rex Stout.
But she’s barely welcomed Rex into her home when there’s an attempted poodle-nabbing, foiled with Aggie’s help. As desperate characters try to get their hands on the canine cutie, Lilly turns to Dixie’s dog training class to help her sort through a litter of suspects. Ultimately, she may have to unleash Rex as bait to collar the killer.
Series: A Dog Club Mystery – Book #4
Author: V.M. Burns
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Pet
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Page Count: 168
Rating: 
Lilly and Dixie are wonderfully creative loveable characters that readers enjoy more and more with every new book. Their pets hold your heart and keep things interesting, and now Lilly has added a new little four-footed bundle to the mix. Paw And Order delights and entertains.
When someone kills Archibald Lowry at a fundraiser that involves Lilly and Dixie, they can’t stop themselves from investigating. Suspects seem to come out of the woodwork, and even Dixie might be on the list. Lilly takes over the care of Archibald’s beloved pet. It looks like she may have taken on more than she could chew. After several attempts by someone to steal the small dog, Lilly realizes that she can’t let him go and has to find out who is trying to dognap her new fur baby.
There are plenty of red herrings in this animal/pet cozy story. Characters are likable and exciting, with enough quirks to make readers smile and laugh. The pets, mostly poodles, will have you wanting to cuddle with your adorable pup or kitten or wanting to get one of your own to love. The evidence leads straight to the murderer, but not everyone will guess precisely what happened, who did what, or why until the end.
Lilly has several suspects on the run and comes up with a plan to catch a killer. The plan doesn’t go quite the way she had hoped, but in the end, the killer is caught, and Lilly’s new pet, Rex, is safe and sound. The cast of returning characters and animals in this book brings interest, action, and moral support. The location is a setting built for mystery, murder, and dogs. Readers will be thrilled with the plot, the writing, and the ending. I am happy to recommend Paw And Order.
More fun pet-based cozies that readers may enjoy are Heather Day Gilbert’s unique “An Exotic Pet-Sitter Mystery” or Krista Davis’ fan-favorite “A Paws & Claws Mystery”.
About the Author:
Valerie Burns was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Urban Studies. Valerie later went on to get a Master of Science in Administration from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
By day Valerie is an Operations Manager at a call center for an appliance manufacturer. At night, Valerie writes cozy mysteries, children’s books, and screenplays. Valerie currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her two poodles.
Represented by: BookEnds Literary Agency.
Contact Valerie: author@vmburns.com
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