Sparkle AbbeyBesprekingen
Auteur van Desperate Housedogs
Besprekingen
Desperate Housedogs (The Pampered Pets Series Book 1) door Sparkle Abbey
California glitz goes to the dogs. The first murder happened at a big money fundraiser for retired greyhounds, and Caro was really on the scene this time. She starts sleuthing the very next day to prove that the easy answer is not always the right one. If you enjoy fashion descriptions you'll love this book!
Evelyn Marcial does a great narration, perky without gushing. I normally listen at faster than standard speed, and lost nothing by doing so.
I entered a giveaway and won this audiobook from BelleBooks. I win!
In this first entry, it's Caro who has a murder mystery land in her lap. She's been getting a lot of calls from clients in an exclusive, gated-community section of Laguna Beach, where the dogs are suddenly all very nervous and watchful. Shortly after her visit to one of these clients, Kevin Blackstone, and his two German Shepherds, Kevin is murdered.
At first, based on timing, Caro looks like a really good suspect. Her situation is further complicated by the fact that her relationship with her cousin Mel is not currently a friendly one. They're disputing ownership of a brooch that their grandmother left to "my favorite granddaughter," and they've stolen it from each other several times recently. And when she's finally in the clear, it's because her friend and fellow fundraiser for the local animal shelter has been arrested for the crime. (She's a retired film star and is milking it for all it's worth, for publicity for the upcoming Fur Ball fundraiser for the shelter.)
Caro clashes with the police detective, Judd Malone, her cousin Mel, and and coaxes information from the dead man's neighbors, including a reclusive ex-rock star. She also finds herself juggling two handsome and interested men. Her own pets, her dog and two cats, as well as her clients' and friends' pets play an active role in her quest to find the real killer.
It's a fun book, with more fun to come.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley..
This is the second of the "Pampered Pets" mystery series from the "Sparkle Abbey" team of Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. This one features Caro Lamont's cousin, Mel Langston, as the pet-oriented businesswoman who gets caught up in a murder investigation.
Mel is the owner of Bow Wow Boutique, is clashing with one of her customers, Mona Michaels, owner of the canine daytime tv star, Fluffy. Despite their differences, Mona finds it convenient to use Mel's shop as the exchange point when her ex, Craig, has his visitation with Fluffy. So when Mona drops off Fluffy and leaves, Mel assumes that Craig will be along before closing time. He isn't, and when Mel finally closes up, she heads off to Mona's house to return her dog.
She finds the door unlocked, and Mona dead from a blow to the head--with Fluffy's daytime Emmy.
In no time at all, Mel is juggling Fluffy, her own bulldog, her on-again, off-again fiance, the same homicide detective who enlivened Caro's life in the previous book, the unexpected arrival of her brother, and the mystery of why Mona's will names her as Fluffy's guardian.
Oh, and the little detail of who killed Mona, and is now after Mel and other inconvenient people.
This is another light, funny mystery, great summer reading.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
It can be read as a stand-alone and I surely will go back and read the previous books.
Cannot wait to read the next instalment.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bell Bridge Books
I enjoyed the real life tags to mystery shows, and to other great little tidbits that kept me wishing this wasn't a book of a fictional camping area. Sparkle Abbey brings the reader into each new book and creates a fictional place that invites the reader to be apart of the story, not just a bystander.
I was kept guessing through this book and looking all directions to find out who done it. I look forward to my next great escape with the Pampered Pets.
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
Sparkle Abbey
Book Summary: Mel's enemy may be barking up the wrong tree . . . But someone is about to become a killer. Melinda Langston, amateur sleuth and Bow Wow Boutique owner, finds herself "Glamping Under the Stars" with a blackmailer, Orange County's hottest new gourmet pet chef, Addison Rae. But before Mel can put an end to Addison's strong-arming, the chef is found dead. Mel is just one of many suspects who had motive to snuff out the demanding chef. Was it Redmond, the angry sous chef who detested working for Addison? What about rival chef, Pepper Maddox? The glamping chef gig was hers until Addison blackmailed her way into the job. And then there's Asher, a charming fellow camper whose past relationship with Addison isn't the only secret he's guarding. Mel's not one to tuck tail and run, even when it looks like she may be the next victim.
Review: I once again enjoyed this series. I was glued to the book from the start. I will admit that I have missed some of the book since Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, and I was sad that Mel and Grey broke up. I now have to read all the books just to get caught up. I find the stories to have enough suspense to go along with the interactions of Mel and Betty. I always enjoy how the story flows and is easy to read. The characters are well developed and well written. I find that the story line is not gory and there is little cursing. I love how the characters interact and the writing is smooth. Each time I read one of the books the more I like the series. I also believe, since I have done it, that you can jump into the middle of the series without missing a beat.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bell Bridge Books for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Silly, fun cozy mystery about folks waaay above my pay grade living in Laguna Beach, California! Start with a snoopy divorced Texas heiress who has a zany family, and is on her second career in psychology--this time for PETS! Add in a murdered client, a dishy police detective, and a crazy cast of very many, and you have the perfect read for a day when you are trying to leave the pity party for a fun place.
The story is twisty, the narrator captures the snark, and the Texas drawl is clear enough for non-Texans to comprehend. Fran Fuller doesn't fall all over herself trying to emulate all the male voices, yet the listener has no trouble keeping track.
Sparkle Abbey
Book Summary: Caro Lamont—pet therapist—and her cousin Melinda Langston—owner of The Bow Wow Boutique—pamper the kitties and pooches of Laguna Beach’s elites. Unfortunately, their human clients keep turning up dead.
"We were at an art exhibition at The Montage," I told the detective, "and Kitty asked me to take her cats home because something had come up. Something urgent. It seemed strange, but then the whole evening was strange with dogs and cats. Ones that paint, I mean. And Kitty would never leave her cats, but she did, so it must have been really urgent . . ."
Detective Judd Malone looked past me. "Are those the cats?"
I nodded.
"What kind are they? They’re huge."
"They’re Bengal cats. Bengals are a hybrid. A cross between a domestic cat and an Asian Leopard Cat. It’s a relatively new breed. Most have . . ." Malone’s face said TMI. Fair enough, more info than he’d been looking for.
"I imagine you know I’m here about Ms. Bardot?" Malone was suddenly all business.
"Yes." I held my breath and hoped for good news.
"Caro." He paused. "She didn’t make it."
"She—" I felt my throat close, and I swallowed hard trying to get control of my emotions. "Too many injuries?" I finally asked. Whatever her emergency had been, it had seemed to upset her. She’d been shaken, and Kitty was never shaken. I remembered her voice as she’d asked me to take care of Tobey and Minou and get them home. The cats. What would happen to the cats now? "Was she driving too fast?"
"Not exactly." Malone’s voice was serious and grim. "We won’t know until we have a lot more information from the crime lab. It’s too soon to tell, but it may have been a case of road rage. Kitty Bardot was shot."
Review: I do not know why I like these books so much. Although they are great mysteries and I love the characters. I thought that Kitty’s daughter was the best, April May call me June was a blast to sit back and watch her go. Between Caro torn between liking June (April May call me June) and wanted to be as far away from her as possible. That character had me laughing out loud. It put the mystery on the back burner and I did not mind it a bit. While June was being herself, the mystery was rolling along and Caro was finding clues. It just seemed so simple and seamless yet putting all that together takes talent. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Sparkle Abbey
Book Summary: In DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS, pet therapist Caro finds her client (the human one) dead. What did his two German Shepherds witness and how can Caro track down the killer? In GET FLUFFY, Caro's cousin, Melinda, the owner of a fancy pet boutique and spa, feuds with one of the snarkiest divas in town: Mona, whose pampered pup lives the life of a canine princess. When Mona is found dead, Mel is a prime suspect. Can she clear her name or will her career go to the dogs? Book 3: Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. "A mystery worth barking about." - Linda O. Johnson, author of THE MORE THE TERRIER, Berkley Prime Crime Yes, Melinda was feuding with the queen of Laguna Beach dog-loving divas, Mona. But Mel never expected Mona to end up dead. I stumbled through the doorway into a mini-palace fit for a movie star. Fluffy's palace. A white sheepskin rug in front of her personal fireplace, a king-sized sleigh bed and a dressing screen (why a dog needed a dressing screen was beyond me). Fresh, filtered water dripped into her Wedgewood doggie bowl. It was also a disaster. Fluffy's wardrobe was strewn throughout the room, draped precariously on the bed, and hanging out of open drawers. While Mona had an obscene amount of photos, Fluffy had her own slew of trophies and ribbons. All of them haphazardly tossed about. The room looked like it had been ransacked.Fluffy disappeared behind the disheveled bed. Her tail stopped wagging and she whined softly. Mona was sprawled on the floor as if posing for a men's magazine. It was almost picture-perfect, except for the blood matting her five-hundred-dollar haircut and the gold statue stuck in her head. I hesitantly moved closer. Fluffy nuzzled Mona's cheek. When she didn't move, Fluffy pawed her shoulder, still whining. "I don't think she's getting up, girl," I said softly. Mona was deader than a stuffed poodle.
Review: When I first started reading this book (these books) I struggled to get into them. Than like a lighting bolt I was into it. I had the same thing happen during the second book. Now I NEED TO READ all of the them!!!! The language is salty at times. They are rather tame in comparison to most mainstream mysteries and the stories are just fantastic!! The Laguna Beach lifestyle is not for me, however it is fun to read about the people. The pampered pet & dog children is a bit over the top and yet it is funny. I love my pets but do not take them everywhere. The characters are rich in personality and the authors show repeatedly not to judge a book by it’s cover when it comes to preconceived ideas about who people are. The background on the characters is the best. I love that now (not when I started mind you) that the stories go from Caro to Mel and back again. That keeps things fresh and fun. Especially Grandma’s broach. All around the mystery is not the only exciting thing in these books.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bell Bridge Books or allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
Sparkle Abbey
Book Summary: In DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS, pet therapist Caro finds her client (the human one) dead. What did his two German Shepherds witness and how can Caro track down the killer? In GET FLUFFY, Caro's cousin, Melinda, the owner of a fancy pet boutique and spa, feuds with one of the snarkiest divas in town: Mona, whose pampered pup lives the life of a canine princess. When Mona is found dead, Mel is a prime suspect. Can she clear her name or will her career go to the dogs? Book 3: Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. "A mystery worth barking about." - Linda O. Johnson, author of THE MORE THE TERRIER, Berkley Prime Crime Yes, Melinda was feuding with the queen of Laguna Beach dog-loving divas, Mona. But Mel never expected Mona to end up dead. I stumbled through the doorway into a mini-palace fit for a movie star. Fluffy's palace. A white sheepskin rug in front of her personal fireplace, a king-sized sleigh bed and a dressing screen (why a dog needed a dressing screen was beyond me). Fresh, filtered water dripped into her Wedgewood doggie bowl. It was also a disaster. Fluffy's wardrobe was strewn throughout the room, draped precariously on the bed, and hanging out of open drawers. While Mona had an obscene amount of photos, Fluffy had her own slew of trophies and ribbons. All of them haphazardly tossed about. The room looked like it had been ransacked.Fluffy disappeared behind the disheveled bed. Her tail stopped wagging and she whined softly. Mona was sprawled on the floor as if posing for a men's magazine. It was almost picture-perfect, except for the blood matting her five-hundred-dollar haircut and the gold statue stuck in her head. I hesitantly moved closer. Fluffy nuzzled Mona's cheek. When she didn't move, Fluffy pawed her shoulder, still whining. "I don't think she's getting up, girl," I said softly. Mona was deader than a stuffed poodle.
Review: When I first started reading this book (these books) I struggled to get into them. Than like a lighting bolt I was into it. I had the same thing happen during the second book. Now I NEED TO READ all of the them!!!! The language is salty at times. They are rather tame in comparison to most mainstream mysteries and the stories are just fantastic!! The Laguna Beach lifestyle is not for me, however it is fun to read about the people. The pampered pet & dog children is a bit over the top and yet it is funny. I love my pets but do not take them everywhere. The characters are rich in personality and the authors show repeatedly not to judge a book by it’s cover when it comes to preconceived ideas about who people are. The background on the characters is the best. I love that now (not when I started mind you) that the stories go from Caro to Mel and back again. That keeps things fresh and fun. Especially Grandma’s broach. All around the mystery is not the only exciting thing in these books.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bell Bridge Books or allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
There is a lot going on in this book. Cash and Jake are techies that own a technology company which developed the Woofwalker app for healthy dogs, one is dead the other has disappeared, Caro is trying unsuccessfully to dodge her ex-husband and a noisy reporter, she is being followed by a black SUV, she is still fighting with her cousin over Grannies broach, and Sam her new interest is being lovable and calm during all the action.
Ms. Abbey created this story with all the needed ingredients for a good cozy mystery including touches of humor; she then brought all the pieces together to form a cohesive wonderful story that I enjoyed. She paced the story well as it never lagged; it kept my interest throughout the story. I found the book an easy read that was delightful. I loved the information on the Scottish Fold Cats as well as all the information on several breeds of dogs and the recipes at the end of the book were a bonus.
I recommend this book to anyone that likes cozy mysteries. It is well written and entertaining.
I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Fast moving, but not so much as to be confusing, DOWNTON TABBY was as tight as a newly would ball of yarn and just as fun to unravel. With each turn of the page the questions kept coming, making this mystery even more intriguing, right until the surprising reveal.
This was such an addicting read, I couldn’t stop reading it! Now I know how cats must feel about catnip! Cat lovers and mystery fans will be in their glory with this excellent read. DOWNTON TABBY will leave you purring in delight.
And make sure to check out the two great cat treat recipes at the back of the book!
Graham Cash (goes by Cash) and his partner, Jake Wylie shares an office with Caro (along with a psychic). They run a business called 2Gyz and developed an app called WoofWalker. Cash asks Caro to watch his cat, Toria for him. He was only supposed to be gone 20 to 30 minutes. When he does not show up, Caro tries to reach him without success. Caro heads over to their house to drop off the cat with Jake. The door is unlocked. Caro finds Jake face down in the pool. Cash’ car is out front, but he is not answering his phone. Caro sets out to find out who killed Jake and what happened to Cash.
Caro also has to meet with her clients and help their pets, deal with her annoying ex-husband, and Betty Foxx, an elderly woman who wears pj’s and pearls (everywhere) along with some strange red eyebrows. Betty keeps inserting herself into Caro’s investigation (and Detective Malone’s). There is also a pesky reporter. Caro has someone following her which has her scared. She gets to seek comfort in the arms of her hunky Greek boyfriend, Sam Gallanos. I found Downton Tabby an adorable cozy mystery. It was a very fun book to read. I give Downton Tabby 4 out of 5 stars. The murderer is very obvious. I loved the descriptions of the dogs and cats along with their troubles. My favorite was Betty’s new dog, Raider. He is a St. Bernard with a lot of energy! I have a dog, Doozy, who is half English Pointer and half St. Bernard. It is very hard to walk a dog that big!
I received a complimentary copy of Downton Tabby from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When a murder happens in front of a high-end doggy boutique, the proprietor decides she has to get involved. This is an enjoyable little cozy mystery, but I found the entire side-story about the broach kind of inane and petty, which I guess is the point but it kind of made me less than thrilled about a few of the characters, so that was a shame. I don't think I'll bother picking up the previous books to hear the back story on that thread.
We get to know Caro quite well, since this is written in first person. The other characters aren't well developed. We mostly get to now them through Caro, which is often the case with first-person narration. Some of them feel overly stereotyped. Despite this, the cast of characters are an enjoyable bunch.
The plot takes us through a whodunit, as Caro tries to solve a murder. At times this stretches credibility. Some of the things she does likely would have landed her in jail for obstruction of justice. So you might need to suspend belief a little as Caro takes you along on her journey.
Most of the downfalls for me are minor issues that should have been handled during editing. For instance, Caro claims to come from landlocked Texas. A portion of this state is on the Gulf of Mexico, which makes that an odd statement. Also, she is constantly dropping designer names with clothing, shoes, etc. That all got a bit tiresome.
The issue that bothered me most of all was that Caro rarely followed through on the pet therapy she was supposed to be doing. She'd go to a house, spend two or three minutes talking to the client about the dog, then leave. Or she'd start talking about the murder and what that client might know. Given that she is supposed to be a prominent pet therapist, I found it strange that she rarely did anything remotely like work. I would have liked to "see" her at work.
Aside from the small problem areas, I enjoyed the story. I love dogs and mysteries, so this was a great distraction from life.
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