Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Murders of a Feather is the 3rd cozy featuring veterinarian Dr. Kate written by Dr. Eileen Brady. Released 3rd Oct 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 384 pages and is available in mass market 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 had read the previous books in the series and had really enjoyed the gentle pace of these cozies along with the quirky secondary characters (and all their pets). It's also cool that that the author slips in the occasional good suggestion for responsible pet ownership without being strident or snarky.
The plot develops gradually, the dialogue is smooth and not clunky. The denouement was a bit over the top, but that's why most cozy fans are reading the amateur sleuth genre anyhow. It's refreshing that Dr. Kate can take care of herself and readers will be cheering and *high fiving* at the end. There's a strong romance subplot, but it doesn't take over the story (too much). It's a Valentine's day themed story, so there's a fair bit of holiday romance included, but nothing too spicy.
The language is clean and there is no graphic on-page violence. The author has 4 books in an earlier series with the same main character, but the continuity is a trifle iffy between the 7 books, so readers should treat them as 2 separate series and proceed accordingly.
Four stars. This book (and the series) are well written and comfortably fun cozy reads. It would make a good selection for public library acquisition, binge/buddy read, or for fans of animal cozies.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes