The Dog-Eared Diary

by Diane Wing

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I promised myself to read more cozy mysteries this year; however, I have not been able to keep up to that promise. Therefore, when the opportunity came for me to read and review The Dog-Eared Diary, I knew that this would be a small step in fulfilling that promise.

The synopsis for the book piqued my curiosity. I was keen to learn about Chrissy, the dog with the extraordinary gift and her mistress Autumn.

This was my first time reading the author’s work and she did not disappoint. Dog-Eared Diary is the first book in the series, but it can be easily read as a standalone. The author provided sufficient information, making it easy to follow the lives of the characters. After reading this installment, I am keen to read the first book to see the start of Autumn and Chrissy’s relationship.

Sibling rivalry, jealousy, greed, secrets, and of course murder were the themes of this cute, short and captivating story. The twist the author threw in during the first half of the story stirred things up and soon Autumn and Chrissy would find themselves in the middle of solving a mystery. In addition, Autumn would learn important information about her lineage. I like that the mystery kept me guessing for most of the story.

With a large suspect pool, figuring out the identity of the murderer(s) was not an easy task.

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters in this series. They were interesting and fun. Autumn suffered a devastating loss, which led to her having PTSD. Chrissy is her emotional support dog who helps her in those moments she would have a panic attack. They made a great team, and when it came to solving mysteries, Chrissy’s gift proved a big help. The secondary characters added to the atmosphere of the story. There was Ray, a detective and Autumn’s love interest and her best friend Stephanie, who was desperate to get a man. They both proved to be a great help to her.

Conclusion/ Recommendation
Overall an enjoyable read and one I would recommend to fans of cozy mysteries.