The book had some interesting characters, some of the situations unbelievable. The writing could flow at times and be choppy at the same time. It's not a stand out book since there seems to be so many books in the genre already. We a cozy book club that seems to enjoy this series so we purchase it for them

Kathleen Delaney continues the Mary McGill and Millie series with Blood Red White and Blue. Mary McGill and Millie find the body of Mr Miller with his German Shepherd Ranger. Jewellery robberies and suspicious home town jewel designers along with suspicious police. Small town gossip and interesting characters make this small town police procedural a good read.

Nothing unusual about this cozy. Characters not relatable, humorous or interesting to me but it was fine

Blood Red, White and Blue
Mary McGill Canine Mystery #3
Kathleen Delaney
Severn House, July 2017
ISBN 978-0-7278-8689-7
Hardcover

From the publisher—

It’s the 4th July and the town celebrations have gone off without a hitch. Except for the body in the oak grove, shot in the back. The unfortunate victim was a visitor to the town. Mary McGill and her cocker spaniel Millie had seen him only that morning, staring in the window of Lowell’s Jewellery store, his German Shepherd, Ranger, at his side. Could the diamond and sapphire necklace which caught his attention have some connection with his untimely death? What brought him to Santa Louisa in the first place?

Having agreed to look after Ranger temporarily, Mary is unwillingly drawn into the murder investigation. She never dreamed that her enquiries would lead her into serious danger … and more murder.

Santa Louisa’s 4th of July celebrations are underway when Mary and Millie have a casual meeting with Ian Miller and his German Shepherd, Ranger, in front of the jewelry store. Everything is pleasant among humans and dogs and, certainly, Mary has no inkling that the next time she sees him, Mr. Miller will be dead. The only good thing about it is that the glorious fireworks show went off without a hitch but, of course, it’s probably those very fireworks that covered up the shot.

Mary and her “crew” are soon doing what they do so well, sniffing out clues and even being a fair amount of help to Mary’s nephew-in-law, Police Chief Dan Dunham. Dan is a police chief with sense, recognizing that there are some things civilians can do better than the police can while he’s also cognizant of the dangers inherent in murder investigations. Mary is the one who’s most likely to figure things out with the information that comes her way but she couldn’t do it without the help of her family and close friends.

Mary is such a delight, thoughtful and intelligent without being ridiculously nosy, and she never lets the routines of life get pushed aside by snooping. Instead, she does much of her thinking about a crime while having her morning coffee or taking Millie for a walk. This time, there are repercussions beyond the community because it turns out that Ian was with the California Bureau of Investigations and was in Santa Louisa following up on leads about a series of jewelry store robberies. His death naturally brings state investigators to town, some helpful, some not but, once Mary suddenly sees the truth, it’s Ranger who becomes so very important.

Spending a few hours with Mary McGill and her friends and family is always so nice and I have fun with these people while I appreciate the camaraderie and the feelings they all have for each other, canines as well as humans. Kathleen Delaney‘s series is one of my favorites and I really, really wish that I could have their next adventure right now 😉

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, July 2017.

Blood Red, White and Blue is an awesome fairly traditional cozy mystery. The plot is intricate and the good characters are great. Mary is a teacher on summer break and the central characters are close relatives or dear friends; I love the feeling of warmth and community and I adore the dogs!!! It is obvious that Kathleen Delaney is a dog person and has had at least one Cocker Spaniel. Millie and Morgan don't steal the show but they sure to bring something special to many moments. Ranger is totally impressive too. I won't say they are my favorite characters, but they are right up there with the people that I met in the novel.

Mary meets a man shortly before discovering his lifeless body and she feels compelled to help discover the murderer. I enjoyed the fact that the sheriff, a nephew by marriage, respects her ideas and that she shares information with him instead of holding it as happens in too many books. While most of the members law enforcement are great caring people, just like in real life there is one who becomes so obsessed with his ideas that he can not see beyond them. A second murder ups the ante for local and federal LEO's and ties the town to series of thefts covering several states. The bad guys are not obvious but make sense and Mary figures it out with information provided to the reader.

I requested an received an advanced readers' copy of this delightful book via NetGalley. The review is voluntary. I always review books at capture me.

Pleasant cozy mystery. Lots of characters. A little too much repetition. The dogs provide an added bonus.

I was impressed by Blood Red, White and Blue. It is a well plotted mystery with plenty of lovable dogs - perfect for mystery lovers and animal lovers alike. The series has definitely improved over time.


Once again, Mary McGill finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when she discovers a dead body at the Santa Louisa 4th of July celebration. Only hours earlier, she spoke with the man in front of Lowell’s Jewelry Store, as Millie, Mary’s cocker spaniel, wanted to greet Ranger, his German shepherd. That short exchange takes on a more ominous meaning when she discovers the victim was an agent with the California Bureau of Investigation tasked with looking into a series of jewel robberies across the state. Due to her family connections to the local police chief, her natural inquisitiveness and Santa Louisa’s small size, Mary becomes deeply involved with the investigation.


Kathleen Delaney leads readers on a merry chase, skillfully revealing clues at just the right pace - making it neither too easy nor too difficult to determine the murderer. Blood Red, White and Blue is an entertaining pet cozy that is a pleasure to read.


4 / 5


I received a copy of Blood Red, White and Blue from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


--Crittermom

Mary and her cocker, Millie, had met the man who was killed during the fireworks show. He had a German Shepard named Ranger and he was a nice man. But someone must have felt threatened by him...

Severn House and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published July 1st.

The more Mary learns about the man, the more puzzled she is. He was a cop who specialized in jewel robberies. She knows he was looking at a necklace in the local shop. Were the gems in it stolen? And why kill him? He hadn't caught them yet. He must have been getting too close. Who's going to take in Ranger?

There are police on the case but Mary is doing better at gathering facts than they are. After all, she's lived here a long time and knows a lot of people. She also knows how to ask the right questions. That's dangerous in this case...

When the jewelry store owner is killed in his office, it's apparent this is bigger than just a stalled investigation.

Mary keeps sticking puzzle pieces together and that leads her to the murderer. But can she confront them and come out alive?

Blood Red, White and Blue: A Canine Cozy Mystery
By Kathleen Delaney
Severn House
July 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

As the chairwoman for Santa Louisa, California’s Fourth of July celebration, Mary McGill had thought that her most challenging tasks would be judging the canine costume contest while also ensuring that her own beloved black cocker spaniel Millie was shielded from the loud fireworks event. That very same explosive display is used to cover the shooting of the town’s newest visitor Ian Miller, whom Mary had seen being very fascinated with a necklace displayed in Lowell’s Jewelry store. When Mary learns that Ian Miller was not a tourist, but an agent with the California Bureau of Investigations following a string of jewelry store robberies across several states, she can’t help but make the connection. While everyone in Santa Louisa optimistically believes that the murder must have been done by an outsider, Mary reluctantly suspects a connection Lowell’s and the adjacent We Buy Gold shop, both owned by the surly and anti-social Jerry Lowell. The recent arrival of his son Tommy further complicates the matter, as the talented jewelry artist has taken a shine to Ian Miller’s German shepherd Ranger, who seems to share the sentiment.

Having proven her skill at coaxing out information and connecting dots others seem to miss, Mary seamlessly falls into the investigation. While it helps that the chief of police is married to Mary’s niece, what doesn’t is Miller’s abrasive former partner. Special Agent Eric Wilson already has his suspect in sight, and with a score to settle he’s not about to consider any alternative. Mary finds newer agent Emma Baxter much more amenable, and together they begin to uncover connections between the robberies, Miller’s presence in town, and the inability of some to forgive or forget.

Although only the third in the series, the residents of Santa Louisa feel fully established and as relatable and real as any next-door neighbor. Mary realistically becomes involved in criminal investigations, as it is her friendships and history in town that make her essential to law enforcement. As before, canines provide not just happy companionship, but prove essential in tracking down and delivering proper justice. As Mary delves into the world of home computers, she also learns the nuances of the jewelry business and crime. This is a delightful cozy mystery with a very smart and engaging heroine, one whose senior years never inhibit her lifestyle or her investigations. Always accompanied by the adorable Millie, Mary heralds in another charming mystery sure to please those who love small-town intrigue, a dash of crime, and an ample share of doggy affection.

It took awhile for me to understand who all the characters were and attempt to gather some of their history as this was my first exposure to a Mary McGill mystery. It even took some time to figure out that Sam had been Mary's husband, and her revelation that she was unable to have children helped me gain perspective. That being said, this was an exceptional mystery. Every time I felt certain I had things solved I was taken in a whole new and justifiable direction. 'Blood Red, White and Blue' wasn't hurried, it unfolded to a sharp and satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend it!

Get ready to have another adventure with Mary McGill & Millie! There is a new man in the town of Santa Louisa, and when he becomes the victim of a deadly deed, Mary can't help but ask why.
Mary had seen him only that morning, staring in the window of Lowell’s Jewellery store. The stranger seemed captivated by the beautiful necklace in the store window.

Ranger, the victim's dog, is now in Mary's care and she is determined to find the truth to this mystery.

I enjoyed this story, however, I need to read the other books in the series to get to know the characters better.

I read an ARC of this book provided by Severn House and NetGalley.

Grab your copy on July 1, 2017

I liked Blood Red, White and Blue. This was the first Kathleen Delaney mystery I have read, but it wasn't difficult to jump into without reading her previous books.

It was definitely a very cozy mystery, set in small dog-centric town in central California. The story opens at a Fourth of July celebration with a dog parade and fireworks, and the heroine, Mary McGill, discovers a body after the fireworks after ended. The murdered man was investigating a series of jewelry thefts, and there are more murders to follow come as Mary gets involved with friends and family members (and their dogs) to solve the murder. She finds out a lot about the people in her town she never knew before. The dogs play a central part in this book, which I enjoyed.

I was a little frustrated with some of Mary's old-fashioned sensibilities, like her lack of computer skills and a few of her attitudes, but she is an older female sleuth which is unusual for the cozy mystery genre and I appreciated that.

The characters were interesting and well drawn, and the plot moved along well. It was an enjoyable read and I recommend it.

4 stars

Mary McGill and her cocker spaniel named Millie leave the annual 4th of July dog pageant. They run into Ian Miller and his German shepherd Ranger outside of a jewelry story admiring a necklace.

The next time she sees him he has been murdered – shot dead. She takes Ranger home with her. Against her will, Mary gets drawn into the investigation of Mr. Miller’s murder.

This is a very entertaining little cozy novel. It is both well written and plotted. It is my first Kathleen Delaney novel, but it won’t be my last. I truly enjoyed it.

I want to thank Netgalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book.