Reviews

I went into this one a little bit wary. Certain things about the title and blurb made me think cozy mystery and others made me think not so cozy mystery. I do occasionally read cozy mysteries, but I prefer a little more grit in my suspense, so I wasn't sure how this one was gonna go. And in the end, I feel like it's somewhere in the middle. It's not quite as Hallmark-like as most cozies but it's not completely gritty either. Whatever the label, I enjoyed meeting Molly and company, including the dogs, and the mystery was entertaining and intriguing. This is the first in a new series, so we get some intro here to both the characters and the setting. With that, it takes a little bit for the mystery to take off, but I enjoyed the setting and introductions almost as much as the suspense. So, we get a new character to follow in what promises to be an engaging series. Based on what I've found in A Deadly Bone to Pick, I'll be interested to see what happens next in Molly Madison's world of sun, dogs, and murder.

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Solid start to the series. Molly Madison and her dog Harlow move cross country to the small beach town of Pier Point, California after the death of her husband. On her first day in her new home, she meets Noodle, a giant Saint Berdoodle. Noodle has a bit of a reputation on the street. He escapes his yard every day (because he's super clever) and he drools a lot (and that's not his fault). He also finds a severed hand on the beach and that starts Molly, a former cop and private investigator, on the mystery. The mystery part was pretty good. The pacing was a little off, but I attribute that to this being the first book and laying down a background and history for the characters takes some time. My favorites, not surprisingly, are Harlow and Noodle. I loved how integral they are to pushing the narrative along. I'm looking forward to their next adventure with Molly.

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