Reviewed by annieb123 on
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.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 20 January, 2018: Finished reading
- 20 January, 2018: Reviewed