I was scrolling through suggested titles on Kindle Unlimited on Easter Monday and on the cover peeking over the kitchen table is the cutest looking black-and-white bunny that looked quite excited about the garden salad on the table until he or she perhaps noted the blood oozing out from under a tomato slice. I peeked up at the title, "Left Fur Dead" and had to know more about this book. I didn't recognize the author's name and as I've challenged myself to read more novels by authors "new-to-me" it seemed an adorable springtime choice.

As I began reading Chapter 1, I learned it’s March in New Hampshire, and it sounded like the cold, snowy, windy March we just experienced this winter in Pennsylvania. I was hoping for a springtime setting but as I had to know more about the bunny I continued reading. The bunny named ”Bun” lives with Juliette Bridge (known as Jules to family, friends, and locals) on Fur Bridge Farm. As I read that Jules and Bun are able to communicate through mental telepathy I instantly felt I was in for quite a reading adventure.

Jules had a very traumatic experience and in helping her heal she now rescues domestic rabbits that have been abused and has created a sanctuary at the farm. Due to Bun's unique qualities he lives in the farmhouse with Jules. The cozy is absolutely charming with unusual twists as the suspect list seems to grow rather than shorten. I loved the character of Jules for the strength of her character, her dedication to building her business, her kindness as an employer, her thoughtfulness as a friend, her interest in her community, her willingness to help another young woman bring her dreams to reality and especially her love and care of the rabbits on the farm. And that cute bunny on the cover? I could empty a thesaurus to describe Bun. All of his communications to Jules are in italicized font throughout the novel and he is a little gem. But fair warning: It's hard to contain one's laughter when Bun shares his thoughts when Jules jogs and his expressions when he's hungry.

So even though it's the end of winter in New Hampshire, if your spirits need a lift this spring, I highly recommend a visit to Fur Bridge Farm to meet Jules and Bun. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series. ( )

I talk to my pets. While they listen in their own way, they don't really answer back except in meows and barks. Juliette Bridge talks to her pet as well. The difference is that her pet bunny can answer back....telepathically.

Left Fur Dead is the first book in a new cozy series, the Jules & Bun Mysteries. The title alone was enough to make me want to read the book. The fact her bunny can "talk'' (even if Juliette only hears Bun in her head) made me smile before I even read the first chapter. This book is a cute, fun, totally entertaining light mystery. There are many, many pet/small animal themed cozies....but usually the pets are cats and dogs. This is the first cozy I've read where the pet is a bunny. Not just any old lop eared, nose-twitching bunny....but a telepathic, sleuthing sidekick bunny!

The basics: Juliette and Bun are on their morning walk, just a short hop from Fur Bridge Farm. Bun spots something in the lake, so they investigate. Unfortunately, it's a body. A local performer...a mime...is floating dead in the lake. But who would want to kill Arty the Mime? Bun and Jules are on the case!

The mystery progresses at a nice pace. There are plenty of suspects and twists. Juliette and Bun are an entertaining pair of amateur sleuths. I enjoyed the background theme of a bunny rescue. The side characters are all quirky and fun. The story is a nice mix of mystery, humor and cute bunnies. All in all, a very entertaining cozy mystery. I will definitely be reading more! Can't wait for the next book!

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

Jules Bridge loves her rabbits, especially her talking bunny, Bun. When her friend Arty is killed and attacks start on her farm she has to look into it. The answer lies in secrets from her family's past. Good start but a lot formulaic. ( )

My first mystery book with animal sidekick read......I loved it!

This was such a fun entertaining read. I loved the characters, the yarn shop, the bunny rescue, and of course the bunnies!

JM does a wonderful job getting the characteristics of bunnies right, they are amazing loving little balls of fur....with quirks! I sure wish mine could have used mental telepathy, what a joy that would have been. I just love Jule's & Bun's conversations.

Nothing like taking a nice stroll with your bunny....than coming across a dead body! ( )

Jules Bridge and her pet rabbit Bun are taking a walk one cold morning when the rabbit - whom can communicate with Jules through mental telepathy - spots a body. When they call the police, Jules insists she doesn't know the man. But almost minutes later her friend tells her it was Arty Freeman, and then she tells the police that she did, indeed, know Arty since they used to perform together. But since she had a vocal argument with him, and he once tried to free her rescued rabbit from the heated barn where she keeps them, she thinks that she just might be a suspect. When someone is still trying to free her rabbits, she wants to find out who - and why Arty was murdered...

I really wanted to like this book since it has a different premise, but I just couldn't get into it. They find the body immediately, so we have no background at all on the man and therefore couldn't feel anything for him - not anger, not sadness, etc. Then, I began to wonder why she could only communicate with one rabbit instead of them all. Wouldn't that have made for a better book? It was also odd that the rabbit's name was Bun - as in Bunny - which is pretty much akin to naming a dog Dog. Plus, the rabbits were supposedly terrorized and abused by previous owners, yet she brings them to kids' parties where they can be mobbed by screaming children? Who does this? I've never known anyone who would bring rabbits to their kid's party. Children get loud. Probably not what these rabbits need. Nope, not buying it.

Also, the officer intimated that she'd been involved in investigations before, but we're given no background on this, so how do we know? Was she involved in previous investigations? When and where? Bun, for his part, is pretty self-centered and makes remarks that are snarky to Jules. It's not the least endearing at all. I also thought it was odd that he had his own room (when I first started dating my boyfriend he had a rabbit who wasn't caged and the rabbit ate the baseboards and anything else it could. Rabbits eat wood, so it's probably not a good idea to allow them to roam around houses).

I also found it strange that there was no potential love interest. Let's face it, cozies are known for certain things, and having a potential love interest is probably one of the things that makes them so fun to read. But not in this book. Not even an eligible male in sight. I'm sorry, but reading about a woman and her rabbits just isn't interesting. (FYI, the author writes romances, so you'd think she would have at least realized that there was something missing in this book).

When the ending comes and we're given the identity of the killer, I didn't even care anymore. I also didn't think it was enough worth killing for. I will say that this series has potential, but a few things need to change, and hopefully the author will do so, but I won't be reading any more in this series. Sorry. ( )