I have been a fan of the Series from the start and when I was able to get a copy of the book through NetGalley I jumped at the chance, but I have to say with a heavy heart that I did not like this book as much as the previous ones. Having been on this journey with Stan, I would recommend you read the books in order, and she finally fulfills her dream of opening her shop, she does very little to make it a success, if it was not for her trusted helper Brenna, she would not even be open, somehow I did not like that aspect of the book. She was so busy running around, unnecessarily, that I felt like I cared more about her shop than she did. Also there was not a lot of mystery this time around and what puzzled me that nobody was more concerned about the missing men? It just all seemed so convoluted and the ending felt rushed. I missed the animal interactions in this book and if I left my dog alone at home that long I would find some very unpleasant surprises. On a brighter note I did like the pet recipes in the back of the book and I will be happy to try them out on my dog ASAP. I am not giving up on the series yet, but this one did not do it for me.

I love this series, ! It has fun characters, unique funny pets, a well crafted mystery, sweet romance and recipes,! I love cozy mysteries that have recipes and these are healthy recipes that you can make for your pets treats which is so fun. . Add in the Christmas theme and it is the purrfect holiday mystery including a dead Santa . The cover is gorgeous for this festive story with perfectly placed clues. I didn't know the "who-done-it" and I was pleasingly surprised at the end. I read it cover to cover and enjoyed the entire story I highly recommend this entire series and this new release is as delightful as the entire series.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review. I look forward to the next in series.

Kristan (AKA "Stan") owns a pet pastry cafe in a small town. Her boyfriend Jake runs the local Irish pub. And, there is a cast of thousands that do various things, all in the first 2 chapters of the book. My head was spinning, trying to keep everyone straight. Eventually that becomes easier as the book moves on, but it might cause some folks to drop the book before they get out of that first section.
Christmas is approaching and Santa's due to arrive in the town square to light the Christmas tree. But, Santa doesn't make it. He's DOA. That sets the scene for a mystery that Stan attempts to solve, while getting into lots of trouble in the process. I'd say this is a typical cozy mystery in that regard. At times, I feel like the hints dropped are a bit too obvious, making it too easy to solve the mystery. And, my biggest complaint is that the cover and title make it seem as if cats will play a big role in the book. Nope. It's dogs. Yes, Stan has a couple of cats at home, but they are barely mentioned. This is false advertising! I'm disappointed!

Purring Around the Christmas Tree by Liz Mugavero is the sixth installment in A Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. Stan Connor is watching the annual Christmas parade in Frog Ledge, Connecticut. Just before the tree lighting, Santa pulls up in his sleigh and then quickly takes off again. When Stan goes to investigate, she discovers that the Santa has done his last ho-ho-ho. People are shocked when they pull off Santa’s beard and it is not Seamus McGee (who always plays Santa). The victim is Harold Dewey, a drunk who spent his winters in Frog Ledge working at a local Christmas tree farm. Who was the intended victim—Harold or Seamus? Matters are further complicated when Seamus and Ray Mackey cannot be located or reached (Char takes to her bed). The McGee family figures that Seamus is involved in another scheme and he dragged Ray into it with him. Stan works to identify Harold’s killer and locate Seamus and Ray. Will Stan succeed in time for everyone to have a merry Christmas?

Purring Around the Christmas Tree is easy to read and has engaging characters. The mystery has several aspects to it, but the murderer is easily identified early in the story (insert disappointed sigh). Most of the investigation consists of Stan running around town asking questions (I just want something more). It is a good thing that Stan has good help (Brenna) or her business would have tanked opening night (since she failed to show up to open the bakery). The cozy aspects are entertaining. Stan is opening Pawsitively Organic Pet Patisserie, picking out and decorating Stan’s Christmas tree, Jake’s extended family is visiting for Christmas, Patricia and Tony are planning their wedding, Caitlyn is adjusting to life in Frog Ledge, and so much more. My rating for Purring Around the Christmas Tree is 3.5 out of 5 stars (I just wish the mystery had been more complex). Jake got on my nerves in Purring Around the Christmas Tree. He became defensive and rude to Stan regarding his uncle, Seamus (Jake does not want to face facts). The zany factor seemed to be amplified in this A Pawsitively Organic Mystery novel. There is always some whacky antics, but the author really turned up the volume on it this time. Purring Around the Christmas Tree (I inserted the title into Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and now the song is stuck in my head) is not a standalone novel. You do need to read the previous books in order to understand the town and the relationships (or you will be lost). Purring Around the Christmas Tree is an entertaining cozy mystery that will leave you singing Christmas carols and wanting to put up your tree early!

Let me start of by saying, I love this series, it truly has it all - wonderfully written, well-developed characters, fun and spunky pets, a masterfully spun mystery, sweet romance, tension throughout the story and recipes, oh the recipes! I love cozy mysteries that have recipes included in them, and these are fun because I get to use them for my pets. I was excited to jump into this book because I love Christmas time, even in September! The cover is beautifully crafted and sets the tone for this festive story. I was surprised that I didn't nail down the "who-done-it", as I can usually pinpoint it from the start.This made this read very enjoyable for me, as I was continually guessing at character's motives and their actions! I loved seeing the relationship building that went on between Stan and her mother. I have wondered when these two would start to appreciate each other and it was nice to see it happening in this book. And of course, I can't get enough of Stan and Jake, they are just too cute - even if they had a rocky patch in this book. But what "real" relationship doesn't? Watch out for the whammy of a cliffhanger on the last page - I can't wait for the next book in this series to be released!

I struggled through this one. I found it to be a bit long and repetitious. I did like the focus on the animals, the recipes at the end and the cover.

When it comes to cozy mysteries, I do love holidays, pets and food so this book checked a lot of the boxes for me. I'm going to start out with my failing on this - when I requested it, I didn't realize it wasn't first in a series. Because the synopsis mentioned a new shop, I assumed it was first in the series and requested it. This does give me the ability to comment on whether or not this is a series you can start in the middle or if you should read it in order. For that, I would strongly suggest reading in order as this book had many characters "introduced" in a single scene and it is extremely hard keeping up with who everyone is and how they're related. By the end of the book, I think I straightened out most of it, but if I read it a second time, I'm pretty sure I'd find characters I didn't know existed.

Additionally, our main character, Stan, has an unusual nickname for a woman named Kristan and I can only assume that this is explained in an earlier book. I really need to know why a woman chooses to use a nickname that sounds like a man. I just do.

And the other issue I had with Stan was the one scene where she gets angry at the police detective (and her boyfriend's sister) because obviously Jessie "wants to be the hero" which is why she isn't listening to Stan's opinions on the case. Let's be honest here, Jessie wants to do her job. Jessie isn't telling Stan how to bake cookies for pets. She doesn't want to be the hero, she wants to arrest the right person for the crime give the evidence she has that Stan does not have. This attitude in a cozy mystery is a problem for me.

Besides, that, I found the plot to be believable, although the reader is not give a lot of information about certain elements when an "impossible" crime is committed. But that is a minor issue as that impossible crime is only remotely connected to the story at hand.

For the most part, I found the characters engaging and would like to know more about them. I liked the small town setting and the Christmas season made me kind of wish it were winter with Christmas around the corner. At one point, I considered dragging my Christmas tree out and starting to decorate even though it's only September.

Overall, I feel like this series is worth a chance. If you haven't been reading it, go and give the first in the series a shot. If you are reading the series and enjoy it, this book should be another win for you.

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to join your fellow townsfolk of Frog Ledge, CT (I love that name) to light the town's Christmas tree and welcome a visit from Santa? Everybody is ready but Santa is not.....he's dead! Add to that somebody turns out to be missing and Stan knows that the two suspects couldn't have done the dastardly deed. So of course she engages in her own investigation, uncovering buried secrets and other typical mystery ingredients. I enjoy the characters, the setting and, as always, the animals in this series and the satisfying puzzle. Now to wait for the next in the series.

Well that started fast. There was a lot going on, which made it a little hard to follow towards the end. But it was fast paced and fun to read. I really enjoyed Frog Ledge at Christmastime, and I loved seeing Stan achieving her dreams.

Liz Mugavero has done it again! Purring Around the Christmas Tree is the fabulous 6th in the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. It surpasses expectations and can be read as a standalone. Scruffy, Stan’s Schnoodle, and Nutty, her Maine Coon cat, both inspired by the author’s own pets, and her additional rescued pups provide impetus for the grand opening of her Pet Patisserie. Treats she custom designed for them and has been selling from her home are wildly successful, so a shop is born.

The shop will unofficially open the night of the Christmas tree lighting and Santa’s arrival. It is a night of big festivities, and little can stop it. Until this year. Thankfully, they could hide the terrible news from most that a dead Santa arrived on his sleigh. Whoa. Santa Claus was to be played by Seamus, the Irish uncle of Jake, Stan’s boyfriend. Seamus’ sons were in town for the festival, and his on and off lady friend of 40 plus years is there. How could Stan tell Miss Viv?

They learn it is not Uncle Seamus in the Santa suit. Harold, a man who had fallen on hard times, was in the red suit. Seamus is missing, as is Ray, who with his wife Char manage Char’s B & B. Ray and Seamus went out for their annual poker game, due back before the festival. Harold was poisoned, the poison being in the apple cider made specifically for Santa in his own special pot. Cider and treats were provided by Izzy, a close friend of Stan, but Izzy couldn’t provide an explanation for why she was not serving beverages and cookies for Santa and his elves. She is the main suspect despite having no reason to kill either man and there being several better suspects.

Ray and Seamus are still missing after several days. Miss Viv said that Seamus is out on a special business venture for which he would have a financial windfall and they were moving to an island. While they are missing, rumors arise about the two men, Stan’s new shop is vandalized, and the priceless Book of Kells, in Dublin, Ireland, has been stolen and still missing from one of the most secure places in the world.

I love how the characters are defined so well; they are like old friends! There are quirky, harmless, and genuinely caring folks. Stan loves living here, and is stunned when her very proper mother (who will marry the mayor on Christmas Eve) and sister Caitlyn (engaged to a man opening a vegetarian restaurant) recently chose to move to Frog Ledge. I like Stan, her assistant and friend Brenna, Izzy, and Caitlyn.

This is an impressively well-planned and executed novel! It is challenging to see whether there is one huge crime with numerous tiers, or several unrelated ones, or who the poison was meant for. No way could I figure out who the bad guy(s)/ gal(s) were, although I finally had a couple small suspicions. I am impressed that Stan was not ready to blindly go along with state police assessments but instead go with her gut or her logic. The author has outdone herself with the tangled webs of deception, intrigue, and threat to many of the townspeople. The plot twists and turns are steered with finesse, serving to enlighten – or challenge – the reader’s ideas. The conclusion is more than satisfactory. I highly recommend this exciting new cozy mystery in which this reader could almost see the silhouette of Stan and Scruffy walking through Frog Ledge. Pawsitively Pawesome!

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Purring Around the Christmas Tree by Liz Mugavero is the sixth book in this series and was a delight to read from beginning to end. I do love this series and was glad to be back in Frog Ledge with Stan, Jake, Breanna and the other characters. This time the mystery is more centered around Jake's family and I found this fascinating. As much as I like Stan and Jake, I've always wondered about Jake's other family members. This story highlighted new to me family members as well as the family members that lived locally. There is a fast paced plot with plenty of red herrings that often led me astray as I read. Ms. Mugavero's descriptive writing let me feel like I was part of the action as I read and the character's are now fully developed but growing within each new story. And the ending was so sweet. I'm already excited to read the next one in the series.

If you're like me, you read a lot of cozys- and this time of year an equal number of Christmas themed books (I really should save these for days when the temperature is under 85 degrees!). This is a good example of the genre and if you haven't read the series before (I hadn't) you'll be fine. Mugavero has created a classic in Stan, who owns an organic pet food shop and who seems to bump into murders at every turn in her small town of Frog's Ledge, although really- at the Christmas tree lighting! Her concern the her boyfriend Jake's uncle Seamus is in the cross hairs leads her to investigate alongside (well, not really) Jake's sister, who is a state trooper. Things go a little sideways periodically but this is a nice, not too complex mystery with a good spirit and fun characters. AND, there are pet recipes! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The first 50% or so of this one was really good. Then certain characters started to grate on my last nerve. Jake became a huge jerk. Jessie became an even BIGGER b!tch, and Stan turned into a self-righteous know it all. How this woman even ran a business is beyond me since she basically would only spend like five minutes at a time there before she was off sticking her nose into someone else's business again.

On the positive side of things, I thought the book was well written and paced. The mystery kept me turning the pages and guessing right up until the end. I loved the festive small town feel (finally a Christmas themed mystery that is actually Christmassy.) There were a lot of interesting secondary characters. So many in fact that I felt a bit lost at times about who was connected to who. But that is probably more because I haven't read any of the other books in this series.

So ya, a little bit of a mixed bag with this one. But overall it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

It's Christmas, and the residents of Frog Ledge are busy planning for their Christmas celebrations. Stan (Kristan) Connor is even busier as she is preparing for the grand opening of her pet patisserie. However, the celebrations grind to a halt when Santa is found dead in his sleigh at the annual holiday lighting festival. To add to the mystery, Santa is not who he is supposed to be. We are quickly introduced to a host of characters, some shady and some endearing, an international mystery, family drama, and a whirlwind of a grand opening of the patisserie.

This is my first book that I have read in this series - the description, title and cover drew me to it. I found the number of characters and their intermingling relationships challenging to follow. I really could have used a character guide at the beginning or some backstory in one of the initial chapters. The mystery is well plotted and well paced, but is quite far fetched and somewhat underdeveloped, I think due to the scope of a cozy mystery.

Overall, it is an enjoyable holiday read and I will certainly go back to the beginning of the series and make my way through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for an ARC of this novel.

Liz Mugavero's Purring Around the Christmas Tree is the sixth book in the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. Stan (Kristan) is preparing for the grand opening of her pet bakery which coincides with the town's Christmas tree lighting. The festivities take a somber turn when Santa is dead in the sleigh. The mystery become complicated when the man in the Santa suit is not who everyone expects. The setting and characters in this series are outstanding, and this book did not disappoint me. I enjoyed both the mystery and the holiday theme. My only critique is that Stan spends precious little time actually running her bakery. I suppose that is solved by her wonderful employee, but I hope some adjustments are made for future books. That aside Purring Around the Christmas Tree is a solid addition to the series.

Enjoyable as ever. A little far fetched, even for a cozy, but still an entertaining read. Stan is finally going to open her Pet Bakery Shop. It's the Christmas season and Jake's family is all in town. All of a sudden, Jakes Uncle Seamus disappears with Char's husband Ray and a murder happens. So fun. Stan has even more pets at her house. As ever, I like the characters, and the story is grabs my attention. I would recommend this book to all cozy lovers and pet lovers.

What could be more festive than waiting for the Christmas tree in the town green to light up?
Stan Connor is anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival and when she sees his sleigh approach, she can't help but feel at home in her cozy little town of Frog's Ledge, CT.
Something is incredibly wrong when the sleigh doesn't stop and the tree doesn't get lit. A fear washes over Stan, her heart beating and her brain repeating "not again."
For all fans of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series by Liz Mugavero, we know Stan has a habit of finding dead bodies. Her heart racing, she tries to find out what happened, only to have her fear become reality, Santa is dead.
The shocking death unravels hidden secrets, prejudices and thievery.
Purring Around the Christmas Tree is action packed and will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

An intriguing and charming addition to the series. More references to dogs than cats, so purring around the Christmas tree is somewhat misleading. More Irish family shenanigans than anything else. Nice getting to know some of the characters better. A few surprises along the way.. Eager to read #7.

I love the Pawstively Organic Mystery series, and this book is another winner. It brings backs Kristan (Stan) Connor, owner of the Pawsitively Organic Pet Patisserie and Bakery in Frog Ledge, CT, and her boyfriend, Jake McGee, who owns the local bar.

This time, Seamus, Jakes's uncle, has come to visit again from Ireland. He loves to play Santa for the annual holiday lighting festival, and he promised Stan he'd come to the grand opening of her shop for pictures. Unfortunately, when Santa's sleigh pulls up, Santa is slumped over dead inside. The man in the costume isn't Seamus, however. He's disappeared along with the husband of one of Stan's closest friends, and they're nowhere to be found. Stan wants the murder solved, Seamus found, and her store to open, and she wants to have a joyful holiday season at the same time.

The characters in this book are so fun. Many of them are related, and their interactions with each other are so well-written. The plot is engaging and the ending was unpredictable. The book is very readable and it's a great way to spend an afternoon!

I highly recommend both this book and the entire series.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun book that was hard to put down once I started reading. I really enjoyed the complex mysteries in the storyline. I laughed out loud at some of the characters and inwardly cringed at others. This book was highly entertaining! Totally recommend!