Furbidden Fatality: A Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery (A Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery, #1)

by Deborah Blake

A lottery winner uses her good fortune to save a local pet sanctuary, but when a body is discovered on the property, she just might be in the doghouse in this first book in a new, charming cozy mystery series from author Deborah Blake.

Kari Stuart's life is going nowhere—until she unexpectedly wins the lottery. The twenty-nine-year-old instant multimillionaire is still mulling plans for her winnings when rescuing a bossy black kitten leads her to a semi-abandoned animal shelter. They need the cash—Kari needs a purpose.

But the dilapidated rescue is literally going to the dogs with a pending lawsuit, hard to adopt animals, and too much unwanted attention from the town's dog warden. When the warden turns up dead outside the shelter's dog kennels, Kari finds herself up a creek without a pooper-scooper.

With the help of some dedicated volunteers, a cute vet, and a kitten who mysteriously shows up just when she needs it, Kari must prove her innocence all while trying to save a dog on death row. Now she just needs to hope that her string of unexpected luck isn't about to run out.

• ISBN10: 0593201507
• ISBN13: 9780593201503
• Publish Date: 23 February 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 288
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593201503

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Furbidden Fatality is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Deborah Blake. Due out 23rd Feb 2021 from Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 288 pages (print edition) and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an engaging and undemanding read. The plucky protagonist is a waitress turned millionaire lottery winner who buys a dilapidated animal sanctuary threatened with closure. She finds herself unwillingly involved in a murder investigation when the local animal control officer is found strangled on her property after a public contretemps.

This is a promising start to a new cozy series by an established author, and it ticks a lot of boxes: funny and down to earth protagonist, lots of animals, twists and red herrings blended into the plot, decently written dialogue that isn't clunky, and a satisfying denouement and resolution. I enjoyed it as a fun and enjoyable clean cozy mystery. The language is "PG" rated, a few hells and damns but nothing worse. The crimes occur off-page and there's no graphic content. There is some mention of illicit drugs, but nothing egregious or triggering (in my opinion).

Four stars. It'll be fun to see how this one develops. (Especially recommended to fans of cozy mysteries featuring animals).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Mystereity Reviews]

After winning $5 million dollars in the lottery, Kari is still working her dead-end waitressing job and living in a crummy apartment while deciding the best way to use her winnings. When an opportunity to buy a struggling local animal sanctuary comes up, Kari knows this is what she’s meant to do. But Serenity Sanctuary comes with a fistful of problems; dilapidated buildings that need updating, an over-zealous dog warden who is inexplicably obsessed with shutting the sanctuary down and a dog who has been accused of attacking a man and his dog. As she begins to tackle everything on her to-do list, a bigger problem arises; the dog warden is found dead in the dog yard! Under suspicion, Kari and her group of sanctuary volunteers begin investigating, uncovering more than just a murderer.

As an animal lover, I can’t resist a good pet lover cozy, so when I saw this on Netgalley, I snapped it up quick. The first third of the book didn’t wow me, although I liked Kari, the “you found the body, you’re the main suspect” and the “leave the investigating to the police…” tropes really get under my skin. But I held on and, as the story unfolded, it turned into a smashing good read. Once the pace picked up and more and more leads were uncovered, it was impossible to put down. And I loved how Kari and her friends uncovered pieces of the puzzle and went to the sheriff with what they found, leading to several people headed off to jail. This little plot-within-a-plot elevated this to not-just-your-average cozy. Add in the heartwarming rejuvenation of the pet sanctuary, finishing this left a smile on my face and that warm, fuzzy feeling when all is put right.

One last note…seriously, NO ONE called out mouthy Bryn when she blames everything on Kari several times? No one, absolutely no one, told her to grow up and stop acting like a spoiled toddler? Not a fan of Bryn. She can go wash dogs somewhere else.

Heartwarming, satisfying and oh so cozy, Furbidden Fatality was a wonderful debut to a new series.