Desperate Housedogs: Pampered Pets Mystery Series, Book 1

I'm a sucker for dog stories and this one is quite good. I had my doubts about an author named Sparkle Abbey. I discovered this is the nom de plume ( hope I spelled that right) of two authors neither of whom are name Sparkle or Abbey. Anyway, on to the review.Carolina Lamont is a Texas transplant who came to live in Laguna Beach CA when she divorced. I'm not going to tell why. You'll find out when you read the book. She is a dog therapist who has become popular in a gated community in Laguna. One of her clients (the owner not the dogs) is murdered shortly after her visit. Caro, as she likes to be called, can't believe she is a possible suspect. There is much more to the story but I'm not going to spoil the read by telling you anything else.There is an interesting murder with several clues and suspects, not to mention a hunky detective. I liked the characters many of whom had something to hide. The authors are knowledgeable about dogs and how to correct problem behaviors. They were also able to showcase the need to spay/neuter dogs as well as the importance of financially supporting your local animal shelter. I liked everything about this story and rated it five stars.

Desperate HousedogsPampered Pets Mystery, Book #1Sparkle Abbey5 StarsSynopsis:In posh Laguna Beach, murder has gone to the dogs.When Caro Lamont, former psychologist turned pet therapist makes a house call to help Kevin Blackstone with his two misbehaving German Shepherd dogs, she expects frantic dogs, she expects a frantic dog owner, she even expects frantic neighbors. What she doesn’t expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets - Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.) Visit the authors at [...] (Goodreads)Review:Caro Lamont finds her pet therapy business thriving and growing, especially within the neighborhood of Ruby Point. In the affluent neighborhood, many of the dogs are displaying behavior problemsthat are not becoming of a rich animal. Is it something sinister in the air or the water that is causing problems in the neighborhood? With the death of one her clients, Caro knows she needs to get to the bottom of things before someone innocent is charged with murder.The characters are well developed and well rounded. I enjoyed reading about the feud between Caro and her cousin and could picture in my mind their plotting and scheming to take possession of Grandma’s brooch. I also enjoyed the bickering between Caro and Detective Malone. One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book was Caro’s occupation. I found the information on different dog breeds and training techniques fascinating and very informative.The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in descriptive writing, whether it be concerning the setting, the animals or the relationships between characters. I was able to sit down and start reading and was transported into the world created by the author and it was a place I wanted to stay in. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book, and with so many suspects and twists and turns, it was near impossible to figure out the culprit.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you enjoy animal cozies, you will love this book. I am looking forward to reading all the books in this series. Check them out and I am sure you will feel the same way.

This is the first in a new series, focusing on pets. It seems that the books will alternate between 2 different narrators, Caro, the narrator of this one, and Melinda, her cousin. The two of them are embroiled in an on-going feud regarding a brooch left to one of them in their grandmother's will. The wording of the will makes it difficult to figure out which one of them she left it to, so they end up stealing it from each other in creative ways. While this wasn't the main plot of the book, it was an entertaining sub-plot.Caro is a pet therapist in upscale Laguna Beach. One of her clients is murdered, and she takes it upon herself to investigate the crime. This is an inherent problem I have with cozies - the heroine of the book, who has no law enforcement training or background at all, just deciding she can do better than the cops - but you go in to them knowing that's what you're getting, so you roll with it.The book was a fun, light read. There wasn't anything genre-breaking here, and at times I thought the cast of minor characters a bit too large. There are a lot of dogs and owners mentioned only briefly a few times and I had trouble keeping them all straight. The supporting cast, however, was well crafted. I'm looking forward to seeing how some of the relationships go, although I guess I'll have to wait a while since the next book will be from Melinda's POV, so Caro will just be a supporting character.Definitely a fun new series - I'm looking forward to Get Fluffy, the next book.

'Desperate Housedogs' is the first book in a new themed cosy mystery series based around pets. This book is great fun and makes for light reading. The characters are well developed and the main character Caro came across as a real person. I thought the book was well written with the story flowing along nicely; there is a good mix of clues introduced and it allows you to get to know all the characters. I also enjoyed the information about the different breeds of dogs and pet care, which was scattered throughout but without slowing the pace.Also running through the story is a fun sub-plot about a feud between the main character Caro and her cousin Melinda. I thought this added to the overall feel of the book and will no doubt continue through other books in the series. It sounds like this series will be different from other cosy-themed mysteries in that it is going to alternate between the two cousins Caro and Melinda and is being written by two different authors. This book features Caro, and the next titled 'Fluffy' will be written from Melinda's point of view; I look forward to reading this next book in the series.

Brilliant! A really terrific read. Humour, mystery and a hint of romance mixed into a really enjoyable experience. She is a psychologist dealing with pets and their owners. Not quite the brightest as she misses some really obvious clues but a really likeable character. Why did one of her clients die? Why are all the dogs suddenly having behavioural problems? A great romp filled with dogs and multiple motives. Recommended. Great characters and settings.

I loved this book !! I'm a real doggy person anyway and love books about all murder and mayhem and this book has it all !! It features a girl called Caro who's a pet therapist. It's even got great dogcare tips in the tale and describes each breed she meets very well too.One of her clients is murdered and Caro was the last person believed to have seen him alive and this follows her as she attempts to figure out the true protagonist herself.She also has an ongoing battle going on with her cousin Mel which, although nothing much to do with the actual story, is very funny to read about.Great characters and although a Kindle freebie the day I downloaded it, wasn't full of grammatical and spelling errors.I'll be looking forward to the new book in the series !

I enjoyed this story, which was more than just a straightforward romantic plot and had just a touch of humour. However, at just over £8 I think this kindle edition is definitely overpriced as there are many others equally good that are cheaper and I won't be getting the next one unless the price drops.

I enjoyed it. But books with pets in the story I always enjoy as long as it has a good story line.

Good book, like able main character. Will definitely read more in this series. Good for a rainy afternoon read. Not as fast paced as I would have liked but still an enjoyable read.

A fun new series of mysteries, with a pet theme. I like the central character and found the other people believable. The plot was plausible also and the descriptions of the California town were accurate. I was annoyed by small spelling and grammatical errors though.

This book is just ok. If you like dogs, you can enjoy it more than me.