Lilly may be losing a husband but she's gaining a toy poodle. That could be seen as a win-win, since her new adopted pooch Aggie (named after Agatha Christie) is cute and adorable, and Lilly's dirty dog of a spouse is cheating on her with a blond bimbo except for one problem: Albert Echosby’s just been murdered, and Lilly is the number one suspect.

With the cops barking up the wrong tree, it's a good thing her best friend Scarlett "Dixie" Jefferson from Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided to take a break from the dog club circuit to pay a visit, along with her own prize pair of poodles. With help from Dixie, her defense attorney daughter, and a blue-eyed man in blue with a K-9 partner, Lilly is determined to collar the real killer. But when a second murder occurs, it's clear they're dealing with one sick puppy

The author gives us a well written mystery that has plenty of suspects, clues, red herrings, and twists that will have you guessing who the killer is. The author does a good job of giving us characters who are well developed, well written, interesting, and lifelike which makes them very believable whether they are the good guys or the bad guys. The author also does a good job with describing the characters and the settings you can picture what is happening in your head.

I enjoyed how Lilly uses her brain and intelligence to figure out what is going on with Albert's murder and what is going on with the car dealership. I also liked the fact that Lilly wasn't out to have a romantic relationship from the first chapter like in some cozy mystery series. I didn't like what Barbie did to Aggie but I was glad that she got her just desserts and that little Aggie wasn't terribly hurt.
I have enjoyed reading the author's Mystery Bookshop series and I enjoyed this book just as well, I look forward to reading all the books in both series.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley Kensington Books for my honest review.

Sweet cozy mystery with sweet dogs woven in. I think this will be a huge hit among the cozy genre and will keep people interested with quick story line.

I love the way that V.M. Burns crafts her stories. This is the first book that I have read in the Dog Club Mystery series and I can't wait to read the next one. I loved the characters, especially Lilly and her determination, and how her friend Dixie showed up even though they hadn't seen each other or talked in a while. I also loved how the dogs, Aggie, Leia and Chyna were so involved in the story. The mystery was only one aspect of this wonderful book, there was also embezzlement, suspected drug dealing, and so much more. There were many suspects that could have committed the crime and there was also a lot of comic relief with Dixie and the dogs. I really enjoyed this story and all of the other books that I have read by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Lyrical Underground through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Loved this book. The style of writing was so engaging. The characters were well written and thought out. The premise of the story was good and very engaging.
Will read more books in this series.
Really enjoy reading this author and would recommend.

This was a great start to a new series. The main characters are fantastic (smart and sassy) and the dogs, oh how I loved the dogs, especially, Aggie (short for Agatha Christie). As soon as I finished this one I started the second and new one. If you have not read this book, I recommend you grab it now and enjoy the first two in this series.

Lilly Echosby is being dumped. Her husband is divorcing her for a bimbo named Bambi that he met at a strip club. While trying to come up with a settlement, Albert is shot dead in a supposed robbery gone bad. Lilly, of course, is the prime suspect, isn't it always the spouse? Fortunately for Lilly, her BFF, Dixie has arrived with her RV and two standard poodles in tow. As well, she has a toy poodle that she has rescued from a puppy mill, who is absolutely adorable, yet needs a lot of training. Lilly names her Aggie and they fall in love. With her two grown kids in town for their dad's funeral (one a defense attorney, one an actor) along with Dixie they decide they need to investigate on their own if they are going to clear Lilly. When a second murder occurs, she is blamed for that as well and gets arrested. With the help of a handsome, blue-eyed, K-9 officer named Joe and his dog Turbo, they get into some funny scrapes, yet are able to solve the mystery.

This was a great story. There was so much happening with the divorce, murders, embezzlement, family drama, crazy animal action and some romance (not Lilly). Lilly was not someone who was going to back down, even when it came to a couple of physical altercations. As much as I loved Lilly, Dixie and Stephanie, I hated Bambi. She gives women a bad name. The male characters, who were somewhat secondary, were still a large part of the plot and story. The author does an amazing job of tying all these plot-lines together in a fantastic ending. There were enough clues dropped along the way that I did figure out what was going on and who the murder was, but how they solved the crime, and the tension packed showdown, kept me reading quickly until the end. Dixie is a fantastic sidekick, she is funny, yet smart and sassy. Lilly's kids, Stephanie and David were amazing. I loved the relationship they had with their mom and the way they jumped in to help find the murderer. The dogs were definitely stars. Poodles may not be attack dogs but, these dogs had one man shaking in his boots and were able to take down another, I loved them. There was just enough humour in this story to keep me smiling throughout. I will definitely look for me books by V.M. Burns. I definitely recommend this book and the next in this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

I had no expectations going into this book. I have read Ms. Burns's previous series and knew I enjoyed her writing, so I just went into the next series blind.

I adored this book. I love the Cozy Mystery genre and the easy to fall in love with protagonists. However, I hadn't realized I missing something more until I read this book. The protagonist is a middle aged woman dealing with real middle aged problems. It was really nice to truly relate on a deeper level.

Lily is a soon to be divorcee. Her husband of 25 years has left her for a woman younger than there children. She had not worked outside of the home for many years, at her husband's request. He has since cut her off financially and is trying get her out of their home as well. So naturally when he turns up dead in a supposed burglary, Lily is the prime suspect. With the support of her children and best friend, she is determined to prove her innocence. It's a very bumpy road but with love and support, anything can be possible.

I felt that this was almost a middle aged coming of age story. Lily finds herself, her determination, and the road to her happy place.

I read this in one sitting. I also had the audio downloaded with the digital copy. The narrator is great. I highly recommend this series. Thankfully, I was awarded an ARC of book 2, The Puppy Who Knew Too Much. I am already 1/3 of the way through and its just as good. This book releases on 2/12/2019.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

First, I couldn’t resist that cover. That face, that face, that puppy dog face. I just had to find out what the poodle was up to.

It turns out that poodle belongs to Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson from Chattanooga, Tennessee, best friend of our protagonist Lilly Echosby, and she owns not one but two show poodles. She also has a toy poodle with her that Lilly quickly adopts and names Aggie, a nod to Agatha Christie. Dixie has come to town, taking a break from the dog show circuit to be with Lilly as she deals with her pending divorce. Her husband has left her for a child, well a woman who could be his child. I would say Albert Echosby was a low down dirty dog but that would insult dogs more than him. He hasn’t told his family about the divorce and actually expects Lily to still host his grandmother’s birthday party. She agrees after some negotiations, but tempers run high at the party.

The next day Lilly continues to make plans for his life sans Albert. She is going to pack up and head to Tennessee with Dixie. Her plans come to a screeching halt when she learns Albert has been murdered and she is the prime suspect. That makes no doggone sense. She does have one member of the police force on her side because he has clearly fallen for Lilly’s defense attorney daughter. They both, along with Dixie and Lilly’s son are going to help Lilly do everything they can to put the real killer in a cage. When another murder occurs they must double their efforts but realize they could be putting themselves in the line of fire.

This series is off to an amazing start. I love Lilly, close to my age with two grown children, it was easy to identify with her. When she adopted Aggie so fast I loved her even more. I liked that the romantic entanglement had to do with her daughter as Lilly had enough on her plate with Albert and his bimbo, Bambi Love. Oh my starts, Bambi was truly a piece of work. The aspect of Dixie coming to Lighthouse Dunes after receiving an email from her friend was fantastic. Advice from a total stranger and Dixie helped Lilly make crucial decisions and also brought out her strength. The rest of the characters are also very well developed for a first book in a series and easy to envision. The dogs stole my heart and added so much to the story.

The plot flowed so well. Perfectly penned and full of humor, I loved every minute of it. The descriptive writing style took me right into the story and into these characters lives. It turned out there were plenty of suspects and a variety of clues to follow. An unexpected twist brings the story to a very entertaining conclusion.

Reading In the Dog House was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and I can’t wait to get my hands on The Puppy Who Knew Too Much. Lighthearted and Fun! This was a Perfect Escape!

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I am involved in the 'dog show world' and most authors don't seem to understand the ins and outs of a dog show. However, this book doesn't focus on the dog show as much as the well-written mystery.

The cast of characters is likable and seem very easy to relate with while reading.

I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series!

This is a good book one for the new series Dog Club Mystery. This book has a toy poodle, Aggie, as the featured dog whose owner, Lilly is accused of murdering her husband days before their divorce is final. Now with the help of Dixie, her college friend, her daughter Stephanie and their K-9 pals she must prove she didn't kill her husband. Good mystery and dog lovers will enjoy the info on shows and dog clubs. As Lilly investigates she also overcomes her bitterness and makes decisions on how to live her life going forward. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Last Friday night I finished In The Dog House by author V.M. Burns. This is a first in series that I truly enjoyed. Not your average cozy and was delightful in that it was not as predictable as some first in series can be. I loved the main character, her family and best friend. I like how the story was set up and how the setting, will change for the next book in the series. My favorite character though has a very small part and I can not give it away but I hope somehow she shows up in another book. She reminds me of a fairy godmother with a great attitude and I hope that she comes back in a future book. The main character and cozy animal have a great bond, love at first sight. I would really like to see how this series grows and I know dog and cozy lovers are going to so enjoy this book!

Lilly is having a bad week. Her husband Albert of 25 years is leaving her for a bimbo named, if you can believe it, Bambi (I doubted from the outset that was her real name—and it wasn’t). Lilly is upset, but decides to follow the advice of a wise, older woman she encounters on the train, and pushes on to find out just what she wants in life, now that everything she has is falling apart. She decides to re-connect with an old friend Scarlett "Dixie" Jefferson from Chattanooga, Tennessee, thinking she might want to relocate there. Then, her soon-to-be-divorced husband is murdered. Lilly’s two adult children, lawyer Stephanie and “wanna-be” actor David come rushing home to be with Lilly during this time of tragedy. In addition, her friend Dixie arrives at her door with two standard poodles she generally shows in the dog show circuit and one tiny toy poodle she is searching to place in a home. Soft-hearted Lilly immediately adopts the dog, who quickly captures her heart. To complicate matters, Lilly becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. Lilly now delves into the PI world to figure out, along with her children and Dizzy, what exactly Albert was up to and whether and how this led to his death.

This is a pretty good cozy. I was not sure, at the start, whether I would like it or not. I requested the book because of the cute dog on the cover (I love doggie stories), but initially, there did not seem to be dogs in the book—until Dizzy arrived with her two and the toy poodle. Then, the dogs became an integral part of things. The plot was not too exciting, but it did hold my interest. As the story progressed there were several characters who could have committed the crime, and I wanted to learn which one murdered Lilly’s husband. However, I am not really sure the murder was the only intent, on the part of the author. Lilly came across as strong, independent, smart and resilient, I think the author also wanted to paint a picture of Lilly as a wronged wife who got through a divorce, being the prime suspect in her soon-to-be ex’s murder and ultimately ending up a survivor. The other main characters were likewise well-developed and only added to the story. I immediately fell in love with the dogs, Dizzy’s two standard poodles, Lilly’s newly adopted toy poodle and the K-9 that the police officer, who helped them out, worked with, all of whom played major roles in the story, delighting me to no end. This is a good book for anyone who enjoys dogs and reading about them. In addition, it provides an okay mystery that needs to be solved. For me it was more than enough. I have not read the other book in the series but will soon. My only regret is that, while well done and interesting, the author never did really provide much about the small-town setting, which I would have liked. Still, I recommend it for cozy lovers and for people who enjoy reading about dogs. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

In the Dog House by V.M. Burns is the fabulous debut novel in A Dog Club Mystery series. I loved this book and look forward to the next in series. This is a smart fun well crafted cozy mystery.
Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my personal opinion.
Lily Echosby is a smart savvy protagonist just getting on her feet after getting a traumatic divorce . Her husband left her publicly for a young girl named "Bambi". They are quite the embarrassment as he owns a car dealership in town and is well known. In despair Lily reconnects with her old friend “Dixie” who is a good old Southern Gal with Southern comedic talent and a true friend. She arrives in her RV with her two Standard Poodles and an adorable toy poodle in need of a home. Dixie is the friend we all need and encourages Lily who adopts the puppy and calls her Aggie (short for Agatha Christie).
Her ex-husband expects her to throw his family party for a relatives Birthday as he has not told them of the divorce. Hilarious antics ensure much comedy until the end of the night when she and her ex get in a huge fight when Lily throws them out of her house. The next day with police landing on her doorstep advise her Albert was shot by and he did not survive. As Lily proceeds through his funeral plans and dealing with his ex girlfriend the humor grows and I enjoyed every scene with Lilly preserving through his family and his death, dealing with suspicious police and depending on her gal pal Dixie. Dixie is a breath of fresh air and I loved this character.
Since Lily’s been publicly seen and overheard threatening her ex, she is the number one suspect. Lily with the help of Dixie and Stephanie (her smart attorney daughter) set out to find Albert’s killer. When Lily’s next door neighbor is murdered, things go from bad to worse for Lily.
I loved the comedy of this book, the humor throughout and the well crafted sleuth. I loved the dogs and was happy that Lily adopted this adorable puppy who adds even more fun to the book and to future books. I look forward to the next in series and hope this will be a long standing cozy series. It was a enjoyable read that I found myself unable to part with until the end. The sleuth is interesting and full of twists and turns. Very well done to the author.

In the Dog House by V.M. Burns is the debut novel in A Dog Club Mystery series. Lily Echosby is getting a divorce after being married for twenty-five years. Her husband, Albert cheated on her with Bambi Love (I am betting that is not her real name). After a disastrous divorce meeting, Lily meets Miss Florrie on the train home who gives her some excellent advice. Lily reconnects with her old friend, Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Upon hearing what Lily has been going through, Dixie arrives the next morning in her RV with her two Standard Poodles and an adorable toy poodle in need of a home. Lily promptly adopts the endearing puppy and calls her Aggie (short for Agatha Christie). The morning after a disastrous party to celebrate Albert’s grandmothers ninety-fifth birthday, Lily is surprised to find police on her doorstep. Albert was shot by someone who broke into his residence during the night and he did not survive. Since Lily’s alibi will not hold up in court (Aggie), she is the number one suspect. Lily with the help of Dixie, Stephanie (her daughter), and David (her son) set out to find Albert’s killer. When Lily’s next door neighbor is murdered, it leads to her being collared. Can this foursome prove Lily’s innocence and keep her out of prison? Orange is not Lily’s best color.

In the Dog House is a light-hearted, humorous cozy mystery. I thought the story had a steady pace and I found it easy to read. I wish, though, that the author had taken the time to develop her characters. Since it is the first book in the series, I wanted more information on Lily (not just her immediate background). It also would have been nice to have details on the town where Lily lived (I missed the small town feel). A lot of time is spent on the day-to-day activities. I do not need to know every little detail about Lily’s life (cooking, laundry, getting dressed, doing dishes, walking dogs). The mystery is uncomplicated, and the solution was handed to readers on a silver platter. There are limited number of suspects and the pointed clues make solving the crime a cinch. There are cute dog antics and Aggie sounded adorable (I wanted her). I liked that Lily used creative curse words (instead of real ones that offend me), but the same could not be said for Bambi Love. There was a stakeout scene that included dogs that I found amusing. In the Dog House is for the cozy mystery reader who prefers a light mystery with comical antics.

I very much enjoyed this new series! Lilly is a strong lead character, supported by her older children Stephanie and David. But when Dixie shows up, she takes the cake and the case - everyone wants a Dixie in their corner - she's a great go-getter, friend to have on your side! When Albert, Lilly's soon to be ex-husband shows up with Bambi, it's time for Lilly to officially move on. But not before Albert talks her into one last family event hosted at the house with all of her "favorite" in-laws. Soon after the party is over, Albert is discovered to have been murdered and Lilly is the number one suspect. What comes next is a fun romp through town to discover what happened to Albert and why someone wanted him dead. Let's not forget one of the best aspects of this new series - the dogs! This particular book has a couple of fun loving poodles brought along by Dixie. They are loyal and fun and great companions to our characters. Unfortunately, the story seemed to end abruptly - I just wasn't ready for the end - it was well pieced together for a complete conclusion but I think I was geared up for some more twists and turns. I look forward to more books by this creative author. Thank you net galley for allowing me to read early in exchange for my honest opinion!

In the Dog House by V. M. Burns is the 1st book in the Dog Club Mystery, and a wonderful start. I have enjoyed the first two books of the author's Mystery Bookshop series, and was excited to read this series too. Lilly Echosby's husband left her after thirty six years of marriage, so she decides to move to Florida and get a puppy her husband would never let her have. Lilly's new toy poodle is named Agatha Christie and when Lilly's neighbor Bradly Hurston complains about the dog, she yells at him in public. When Bradly is murdered, Lilly becomes the prime suspect, and must find the real killer. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy and fun mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Paws down, this is a firm 5 star read. First, I must confess that I grew up with black Standard Poodles and I love them. So, when I saw the cover of In The Dog House, then read the blurb, I had to request it and I wasn't disappointed. The writing, the mystery and the characters were pitch perfect.
Lilly is a wife of 25 years, mother of two grown children - her daughter is a cracker jack lawyer and her son is a successful actor. Her husband owns an imported car dealership. While not a perfect marriage (can you say in-laws from a nightmare?) Lilly lives her life in a very average fashion until her no good weasel of a husband shows up with a bimbo named Bambi on his arm and says he wants a divorce. (Bambi is younger than Lilly's youngest child!) I had liked Lilly from the first page and I wanted to help her toss him, along with Bimbo Bambi, to the nearest curb, ready to have them picked up by the garbage truck., Into this new chapter of her life comes her college roommate, Dixie. We all should be so lucky to have a friend like Dixie, in her big, fancy RV with her champion poodles. With new found courage to ditch the weasel and her marriage, Lilly still isn't prepared for a killer to take care of her husband. Of course, as in all proper mysteries, the police focus on Lilly. Despite being prime suspect #!, and all that entails, the humor in Lilly's life flows effortlessly along with the right amount of tension.
Not only was the mystery well formed, it was refreshing to follow a main character who had a nice relationship with one of the cops (who has a great dog named Turbo) and didn't do much of the "I can do investigating better than they can" snooping. She and her "gang" - her children, Dixie, Joe, the cop and the dogs, all act as normal people would when put in the middle of a homicide. Or so I imagine they would.
The next book, The Puppy Who Knew Too Much, is due out 2/12/2019 and I will be counting down the days. Lilly and her sweet little poodle, Aggie (aka Agatha Chrisite, of course) will be on the road, creating a new chapter of her life and I can't wait to join them. My fingers are crossed that this becomes a very long running series.

I enjoyed this book so much I stayed up way too late to finish the book! Thankfully it was a Friday night.

I enjoy a good cozy and I think one of the things I liked best was that the character was around my age. Not that it is a requirement, but sometimes it is nice to see a slightly older protagonist. Plus it had dogs in it...that always hooks me into a story.

As is with most firsts in a cozy, the main character is a suspect to whoever was killed. In this case, it was Lilly's soon to be ex-husband. Typical mid-life crisis by leaving her for a younger woman! But we learn more about Bambi as the story progresses and I wondered about her motivation.

Then there is the soon to be ex's family - I don't know how Lilly put up with them all those years. What self-absorbed and selfish people! If I knew my spouse's family was like that I might not have married into that family especially if he made excuses for them. I think

Lilly's friend Dixie is a hoot! I loved that she came down to see her friend and was there to help her through this whole situation. She is spunky and not afraid to tell you what is on her mind.

I wasn't extremely surprised at the bad guy reveal. There are several clues that might lead you to this character, but the clues are not obvious. I figured out some of the mini mysteries going on in the town.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens in book 2 as there are some big changes ahead for Lilly!

Oh my goodness, this is such a great beginning for this new series! I absolutely loved this book. And those adorable dogs just added to how much I loved it, especially little Aggie! I hope there's another one coming up soon!

Lilly Echosby had just found out her husband wanted a divorce. He was leaving her for a dumb bimbo named Bambi. The next minute he was found shot, found by said bimbo. Lilly of course was the obvious suspect. With her two grown kids in town for their dad's funeral and her bestie Dixie by her side, they were determined they were going to find the real killer and clear Lilly's name. When a second body turned up and she was blamed for that, she only became more determined to tie those two killings together. With the help of a K-9 officer named Joe and his dog Turbo, they cracked the case open and even got the mastermind of it.

This was a really exciting mystery since there was more than the murder going on. Lilly being a CPA had discovered the car dealership her husband had owned had something hinky going on. Officer Joe said he'd help, which I thought was good because he did genuinely want to clear her name, but he could also keep the civilians somewhat safe. I loved reading about the SING self-defense method. I had only read one other book where it was used to take down a bad guy. It was pretty important in nailing someone in this story.

I haven't despised a character as much as I loathed Bambi in forever. There have only been a handful of characters throughout the books I've read that I have literally hated or was hoping they'd become the next victim. The author must have a special gift for being able to instill that, just as she has a gift for describing and telling about adorable dogs. In one scene, I literally had leaky eyes reading about something that happened to little Aggie, the toy poodle Lilly was adopting.

I liked Officer Joe an awful lot and almost hate to think about Lilly possibly leaving town. I hope that her pal Dixie stays in the story, she's such a hoot, I love her to pieces! Lilly's grown kids, Stephanie and David were amazing. They had a great relationship with their mom, but were able to show their dad the respect he needed when it was time for the funeral. I hope they make an appearance in future books too! The dogs were definitely stars as well. Poodles may not be attack dogs but just the scene of a grown man being scared when one had taken him down was so comical. What awesomely trained dogs!

If you couldn't already tell, I'm very anxious for the next book in the series! I volunteered to read this one early via NetGalley and the publisher. Release date is August 21.

I wanted to like this one but it was too slow moving for me. This is the second book I've read by V.M Burns and I don't think her writing style is for me. This cozy mystery seemed to put more emphasis on the dogs and the redundant every day behavior of the family than actually solving the mystery. The story became a chore to get through and I know longer cared who killed Lilly's husband. Although the answer was the most obvious. She's not a baker so I don't need to read about her casserole baking and breakfast making. And I know throwing in those replacement words for curse words was supposed to be cute but it wasn't. She's a grown woman with her own adult children. That part just came across as annoying and cartoonish to me. I would've rather the author just wrote that she let out a series of explicits. It especially was out of place in a story that had a character who was a stripper and did not hesitate to call a female dog the b word ; to hear a lady yell rassa-frazzin and other words.

What a great dubut for a newseries. It’s funny and moving at the same time, well written and really engaging.
The plot is interestin, no plot. hole, and keptme guessing till the end. I was hooked since the beginning and read it in one setting as wanted to know whar was going to happen.
I loved the cast of character both human and canine, especially Lily and Aggie.
I look forward to reading the next installment.
Many thanks to’ Kensington Books and Netgalley for this arc.