Chained: A Kate Turner, D.V.M., Mystery (Kate Turner, D.V.M. Mystery, #3)

by Eileen Brady

Everyone in the charming Hudson Valley town of Oak Falls expected Flynn Keegan, their handsome blond ''''''''Golden Boy'''''''' to make it big in Hollywood. So when veterinarian Kate Turner identifies a bone dug up by one of her dog patients as human, no one thinks back ten years to remember Flynn. Until DNA and a smashed skull prove he was murdered. With few clues available to the forensic team, the grieving family begs Kate to investigate. His four closest friends plead ignorance. Neighbors and teachers remember the charismatic young man but offer no real help. Meanwhile, Kate is juggling her eccentric house call clients, a silly pot-bellied pig wedding and the sudden re-appearance of an old college boyfriend. Anthropologist Jeremy Engels, who returns like Indiana Jones from an African dig, is eager to rekindle their romance and offer his help. Together, they plan to crash Flynn's high school reunion, a re-creation of his senior prom, and interview his fellow students. Time isn't of the essence with a ten-year-old cold case. Right? Her Gramps is convinced the killer is long gone, just like the illegally captured brown bear she helped save, now roaming free in the woods. But Kate soon discovers that chains of love can be as strong as those made of steel - and some deadly secrets have put her next on the kill list.

• ISBN13: 9781525265471
• Publish Date: 5 December 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: ReadHowYouWant
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 390
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Chained is the third entry in the Kate Turner, DVM mystery series by Eileen Brady. The protagonist is a practicing vet in a rural area of New York state. She's a temporary replacement for the clinic's owner, Doc Anderson. When one of her dog patients discovers a human arm bone, she gets involved in solving the cold case disappearance of the arm bone's original owner.

I enjoyed reading this book. Though I read it as a standalone, the necessary backstory is included in the story and it doesn't suffer for being read out of order. I really like Kate. She's no-nonsense and unpretentious and not superwoman. I also liked the interaction and small town feeling between the characters in the book and the good relationship she has with her coworkers. There's a lot of humor in the book and it's a fun and diverting read. (The scene with the hamster in the bottle made me giggle).

The plot resolution does depend on a deus ex machina, but it wasn't completely over the top. It's a cozy mystery and the book adheres to the 'rules' in every other way. The author is an experienced vet herself and it shows in the narrative. They say 'write what you know', and I've no doubt that some of the dialogue and situations in the book have their origins in the author's experiences.

It's a diverting read and at 269 pages, a good length for a cozy. It's well written and plotted and doesn't drag.

Released 5th Dec, 2017 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's available in hardcover, paperback and ebook formats.

Four stars, enjoyable, escapist, cozy fun.

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