The characters of Sylvan Creek are at it again and I couldn't be more joyous! While getting ready for the annual holiday festivities, Daphne, Piper and Moxie look forward to an uneventful season, filled with friendship, hot chocolate and warm puppy company! Unfortunately, a quiet time just isn't in the cards for Daphne as she stumbles across another dead body at the local viewing of It's a Wonderful Life. Along with a dead body is a surprise dog, wearing a Christmas bah-humbug sweater, leaving the scene. We are quick to learn an old arch nemesis has arrived back in town and rumor has it, she's opening a rival pet store. Secrets of the past are quickly discovered and revealed, Moxie becomes a most wanted person, and Daphne feels the mysterious pug may be leading her in the right direction to help solve this case and is fascinated with finding out who the mysterious pug belongs to. A Midwinter's Tail keeps us on our own tails until the end with a fast paced, tightly woven, cozy mystery to keep us entertained in front of the fire this holiday season. So grab your slippers, your tea and a comfy chair because you won't be going anywhere until you reach the end! And don't let me forget, you don't want to miss out on Detective Black - he sure is showing a greater interest in Daphne this time around and you want a front row seat to the subtle romance between the two!

This series by Bethany Blake is one of my favorites, and A Midwinter Tail carries on the clean, joyful entertainment. From the quaint shops of Pennsylvania’s Sylvan Creek and its Pocono Mountain backdrop, to the appealing ensemble cast, this story has all the essential elements for the best of quality cozy reading. The well-written narrative is filled with the most delightful gentle humor, and I’m pretty sure I had a smile on my face the whole way through. Each story stands alone, but following the series gives a better understanding of the regular characters.

A series is only as good as its characters, and the whole cast shines here. Daphne Templeton, pet sitter and bakery owner, has a heart for animals, as well as friends and family. Detective Jonathan Black, who I hope ends up being her sole romantic interest, is definitely a favorite of mine. A “handsome, enigmatic former Navy SEAL,” he believed in helping former convicts transition back into society … “If you put people away, you probably have a responsibility to help them when they get out.”

I don’t know if it’s possible for a community like Sylvan Creek to actually exist, but I love to imagine walking down the streets of this quirky, pet-friendly town and shopping at leisure. In fact, it might be the most pet-friendly town ever, with the Bark the Halls Christmas ball being just one example. And second only to my attraction for the detective is that for Daphne’s basset hound, Socrates. I love how the author imbues him with human-like senses, and I often found myself waiting to see what his reaction might be.

The mystery theme itself is well crafted, with elements going back in time to the character’s senior year in high school. As much as I wanted to discover the solution, I hated to reach the conclusion. May this series continue with many more stories. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

4.5/5 stars

Do you want to live in a town obsessed with their pets, especially their dogs? If you do then the town of Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania is for you. I’ve always been partial to man’s best friend and found the dogs in this story to be the most delightful additions!

This is book four in the series and works well as a stand alone. I have not read any of the previous stories and felt keyed into the major happenings and quirks of the town and recurring characters.

The mystery is very well-plotted. There are several viable suspects. Most have believable motives and opportunity. The red herrings are therefore well-placed and keep the reader guessing. The pacing of the story and how the clues unfold were also well done and made for a very enjoyable read.

The romance: what’s a Cozy without a little romance? Not my kind of Cozy 😉. I love that this one has a sweet, broody, delicious detective to keep our heroine on her toes, in more ways than one. The dialogue between these two characters is fun and entertaining. There is no hurrying into the romance either. This is book 4 and things are only now getting more serious.

The doggies, of course, need a special mention. I can’t say who’s my favourite because they are all so lovable, from flamboyant Artie to sensible Socrates and not to leave out the pretentious Snowdrop and cute but naughty Tiny Tim, who inadvertently helps find clues. They provide comic relief with their realistic antics and clued in sensibilities.

Maybe one little improvement? Many sentences seem to start with the expression “All at once”. Doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the book but it is noticeable.

By the way, if you’d like to try your hand at homemade pet treats there are a few recipes at the end. They look pretty straightforward and I’m sure your fur-baby will love the Christmas treat.

Daphne and her menagerie wormed their way into my heart and I’ll be continuing with this series!

This was a delightful read chock full of doggie laughs, Christmas spirit and a mystery to keep you guessing.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinion expressed are my own.

I really enjoy the Lucky Paws Petsitting books and find the main characters all endearing, but Socrates the basset hound totally makes this series for me. It’s already cute and a little campy but his almost-human antics and personality takes it from almost-a-smidge-too-campy to just plain adorable instead. His sighs, his helpful (and timely) nudges and his meaningful looks… and the plot line in this book with the diva poodle … I am Socrates’ biggest fan, I think.

The mystery in A Midwinter’s Tail was very well played and, while I had an idea of the culprit pretty early into the investigation, I had no idea of the motive. This kept me fully engaged – along with the fact that I wasn’t entirely sure I was right about whodunit anyway. In addition to the mystery and the delightful small town dynamics, there are some relationship subthreads going on that add further dimension to the character and the story. As always, I am firmly in Detective Black’s corner when it comes to who I want Daphne to end up with, and I was pleased to see some progress in this department. Don’t worry, however, those of you who don’t want to be distracted by romance in your cozy mysteries – it’s a very mild thread, just enough to pacify someone like me who wants romance in everything.

Bottom Line: This series continues to be consistently cute and charming, with Socrates stealing every scene he’s in. Daphne is quirky and endearing and feels like a character you’d want as a best friend, especially in this latest book where we really get to see the ‘best friend’ side of her. A nicely plotted mystery, further character development, and intriguing subthreads make this another entertaining trip to Sylvan Creek!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)

I have read all the books in the Lucky Paws Pet-Sitting Mysteries and each one seems to be better than the one before. The village of Sylvan Creek is a quaint small town that adores its pets, and includes them in all parts of their lives. This time, the town is in the middle of their Christmas preparations which include a local take on The Christmas Carol, and a ball for pets, the Bark the Halls Ball. Daphne, our protagonist, meets up with the handsome Detective Jonathan Black at the local park where they unfortunately discover a dead body beneath a large pine tree. The victim just happens to be a former resident who has come back to Sylvan Creek to open a large pet retail store? Would this store put the local merchants out of business? There are plenty of suspects but first on the list just happens to be Daphne's best friend, Moxie, who had a negative encounter with her in the past.

I love so many of the characters from Sylvan Creek. Moxie is that quirky, unique character I love to see in cozies. She owns the salon that takes care of both people and pets. Daphne is a real animal lover who is always taking in stray dogs and cats. She owns the local pet bakery and runs a pet-sitting service. There are two male characters that Daphne is still trying to figure out her relationship with, but I am rooting for Detective Black. The pets are also main characters in this series. Moxie has a pet rat, Daphne has Socrates, her wise Bassett and her cat Tinkelstone while still pet sitting regularly for her favorite Detective's dogs, Axel and Artie. And this time around we get to meet Snowdrop - the spoiled poodle of the deceased whom Daphne ends up caring for. Finally we meet a sneaky little pug named Tiny Tim, who runs around town in a Bah Hum-Pug sweater sharing clues along the way.

The book is full of clues, hints, and a few red herrings. I kept changing my mind about who I thought the murderer was. The reveal of the culprit did make sense, although I wouldn't have minded a few more hints in that direction. This book has a lot of twists and turns, that kept me reading page after page. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and great pacing. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you like a good mystery, one that is hard to solve, wonderful pets, great characters and set in a quirky town, you can't go wrong with this series. I am anxiously waiting to see what the next book in this series brings to Sylvan Creek. The publisher, Kensington Publishing Corporation, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

It's Christmas time in beautiful Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania and pet sitter Daphne Templeton is gearing up for the yearly community event Bark the Halls Ball. She will be taking her basset hound Socrates and joined by BFF Moxie and possible romantic interest Detective Jonathan Black. It is a very pet-friendly town and she is a proud owner of storefront Lucky Paws Pet Sitting Service and Flour Power. She also has a surly black Persian named Tinkleston, whom she calls Tink.

At the annual showing of "It's a Wonderful Life," a successful local graduate, CeeCee French, comes back to town to make the announcement that she will open a large outlet of her pet supply franchise. The announcement is shocking and not met with a lot of excitement and she is later found murdered. As the owner of the Spa and Paw, it is Moxie who is the first person of interest followed by several others as the well-plotted and evenly paced story is laid out.

This is an amazingly well projected anthropomorphic narrative with Daphne frequently speaking to her animals and their obvious telegraphed responses. I enjoyed the well-developed characters and although this is apparently the fourth in the series had no problem following the protagonist or the support characters. Also noted were the many cliffhanging chapter endings and humor infusions. I did, however, have a small problem with Moxie and her white rat Sebastian. Additionally, I am not usually a fan of romantic tension in a well-executed mystery.

I received this ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review what appears to be a delightful cozy mystery series with some engaging characters. Recommended for the younger set who enjoy a cozy mystery they'll have to work hard to solve and then still may not guess correctly.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC in exchange for my honest review

A Midwinter’s Tail is a charming cozy and perfect for the holiday season. The main character, Daphne, is a fun and likable character. I’m a pet lover so I love the pet theme. The story is a fast read and keeps you guessing until the end. This a winner!

A Midwinter’s Tail
Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery, Book #4
Bethany Blake
5+ Stars


Synopsis:

To bark or not to bark . . .

Professional pet sitter Daphne Templeton loves the holidays in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. And nothing gets her into the spirit more than the town's annual Bark the Halls Ball. The whole community will be there to wag their tails, especially this year's special guest--Celeste "CeeCee" French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who's returning home to announce plans for a bright new flagship store.

But not everyone's celebrating CeeCee's homecoming. Daphne's friend Moxie Bloom, owner of Spa and Paw, a unique salon for people and their pets, has plenty to growl about. So when CeeCee is found face down under Sylvan Creek's town Christmas tree, stabbed with a distinctive pair of professional-grade pet shears, suspicion lands squarely on Moxie. Despite Daphne's promises to Detective Jonathan Black, she quickly reprises her role as amateur sleuth. Ably assisted by her basset hound sidekick, Socrates, she must hurry to prove her friend's innocence before a killer barks again . . .

Includes recipes for homemade pet treats!
"Doggone charming from start to finish!"
--Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author on Death by Chocolate Lab (Goodreads)

Review:

This is such a great book (and series). The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoy Moxie, she is quirky and adorable. I like the friendship that exists between her and Daphne. Her mother irritates me, she is not a very loving person, which I am sure was the author’s intention. Things are moving along well with Detective Black, they are getting much closer. They do not irritate each other as much, which I take as a good sign. The animals are so great in this book and add so much to the story. With their distinct personalities and their funny antics, they had me laughing out loud. And I love the way Daphne is always talking to them and asking their opinions.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. With the author’s descriptions, Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania, came to life in my mind and it is a place that I would like to visit. The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book and it was not easy to solve. There were enough red herrings thrown in, which made me second guess myself a few times before the killer reveal.

If I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars, I thought it was that good. I would highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Read the whole series, you will be happy that you did.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

In a nutshell: In this fourth installment of the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series our leading lady Daphne Templeton is settling into her new life as a petsitter for the townsfolk of Sylvian Creek. Since moving into her cute little cottage on her sister’s farm, she’s stumbled upon quite a few dead bodies, which makes me wonder if perhaps she, like J.B. Fletcher and all the other lovely amateur sleuths in these picturesque small towns, is indeed a harbinger of death! Either way, Daphne is a delightful animal-rescuing lady who I adore, so let’s just ignore the possibility that she’s a jinx and move on. In this mystery, she takes an unwanted trip down memory lane when CeeCee French–a former high school mean girl–is found dead under the town Christmas tree. Things get stickier than a melted candy cane when Daphne’s BFF becomes the prime suspect! Will she find the killer before another unwanted present ends up under the tree? Will Daphne’s crush finally get over his issues and smooch her under the mistletoe? Will Socrates find love amidst all the murder and mayhem? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

What I liked: What don’t I like about this series!? I read a lot of cozies, but this is one of my faves because Daphne is such an endearing, relatable character who revolves her life around animals. I love that her pups play big roles in the mysteries and that they tag along with her everywhere she goes.

What needs work: MORE TINKLESTON, PLEASE! Daphne needs to figure out a way to take her little black kitty along on her many adventures. Why not put him in a harness or tote him around in a kitty satchel? He would’ve looked so cute in a little bowtie at the Bark the Halls Ball…just saying.

Favorite character: In this particular book, I most enjoyed the clumsy little trouble-making pug donning a little red sweater emblazoned with the words “Bah Humpug.” He cracked me up every time he’d enter a scene like a miniature bull in a china shop. I hope this isn’t the last we see of him in the series, especially since he has a magical ability for finding clues while wrecking havoc along the way.

Least favorite character: Of course, the worst, most repugnant character of all is CeeCee French! What’s to like about a woman who never outgrew her high school “mean girl” persona? Even worse, she runs a company that makes toxic dog food!!! I was happy as a pug with a chew toy when her goose got cooked. Sorry not sorry!

This book is best pared with: Frosted sugar cookies and a steamy mug of spiked cider! A purring lap-cat is an added bonus.

Overall: This is the perfect Christmas cozy for those of us who enjoy dog-themed mysteries with a dash of romance.

When the high school valedictorian/head cheerleader/mean girl returns to Sylvan Creek there are a whole lot of people that aren’t happy about her return. When she is found dead under the town Christmas tree, Daphne is given clues to follow the trail of the murderer, because she knows her BFF Moxie, while looking like the most likely suspect, wouldn’t hurt a fly.

With so many suspects, Daphne finds that she’s not the only one trying to keep Moxie out of the pokey. Detective Jonathan Black also believes Moxie is not capable of murder, but he must follow the clues where they lead…and Daphne understands. Just as she understand that her casual dating friend must also report the news, whether he believes Moxie is innocent or not. It’s a tough spot for a gal to be in, especially when she has a personal relationship with both men.

I have loved this series from the first one that I read. Bethany Blake makes each new book like a visit with good friends…and it is time well spent with the folks in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for Daphne, Moxie and the men in their life.

This is a fast paced cozy mystery. I like that it is holiday themed. It just helps get me into the spirit of the upcoming season. Stand alone – absolutely. This is the fourth in the series.

The setting is the friendly town of Sylvan Creek set in the Pocono Mountains. Daphne is our sleuth and professional pet sitter who can easily be written off as a ditz. She is a unique character. She has a bohemian exterior which hides her intelligence.

Daphne’s BFF Moxie is being set up as the patsy for the death of returning CeeCee French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises or is she?

There’s mystery, romance and fun in this installment. Socrates, Moxie and Daphne see a little romance in this story.

So grab a cup of whatever and settle down to be entertained by the novel.

Bonus: Includes recipes for homemade pet treats.

Looking forward to another installment.

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by Kensington and NetGalley.Kensington Books

A Midwinter's Tail is a cozy mystery set in a small town in Pennsylvania. Daphne Templeton has a pet sitting business and a reputation for solving mysteries. When one of her old high school classmates returns and ends up dead, Daphne becomes involved in solving the mystery.

This is my first read in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series. I have been missing a really fun series! I've put the other books on my reading list at Goodreads. After a chapter or so, I felt caught up with the characters and enjoyed this novel as a standalone read.

There was so much that I particularly enjoyed about A Midwinter's Tail:

The author, Bethany Blake, loves animals and does such a great job writing about them. A Midwinter's Tail features a basset hound, a spoiled poodle, a cat, a playful chihuahua, a lab, a naughty pug, and a pet rat. The animals in this book absolutely stole the show for me -- great fun!

There is a wonderful small town setting. Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania was depicted in detail and was such a cozy small town.

There was a fun romantic triangle. Daphne has two single men interested in her -- police detective Jonathan and small town newspaper writer Gabriel. I enjoyed seeing this triangle play out.

There is an emphasis on friends and even a flashback to their high school years. Since much of the storyline involves the murder of CeeCee, who returns to Sylvan Creek after many years away, part of Daphne's detection involves researching old high school yearbooks.

A Midwinter's Tail is such an enjoyable cozy holiday mystery. I recommend it highly to other cozy fans, and especially to anyone who loves pets.

You can read this wonderful mystery by itself but I strongly encourage you to invest yourself in the entire series. You will better appreciate how far relationships have come and the emotional struggles and personality quirks of the main characters. I believe you will love this series.

Getting ready for the most wonderful time of the year often includes visits from people from your past, people who you wouldn't care to ever see again. One such person is the popular mean girl from high school. It doesn't help that she has become wealthy and even more self centered.

She drops a bomb at the annual town gathering, announcing moving her company headquarters to town, potentially putting half the businesses out of business. Then she is found dead, and her prize poodle is dropped in Daphne's lap, much to Socrates delight. Add in her best friend being top suspect and an elusive pug who no one else happens to see and this book takes many twists and zags.
The only slow moving events are romances which seem to get thwarted at any forward motion. Something dramatic always sidetracks them.

Even when the murder is solved there is more mystery to unravel. A five star addition to an amazing series.

A Midwinter's Tail by Bethany Blake is the 4th book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series, and another great addition. Daphne Templeton keeps busy with her pet sitting business, Lucky Paws, and her pet bakery, Flour Power. The town is getting ready for the annual Bark the Halls Ball, with CeeCee French as the special guest. CeeCee is the founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who grew up in Sylan Creek, announces she is building a store there, which will hurt all the small business in town. When CeeCee is found dead, and Daphne is determined to get to the truth. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me reading page after page. I love the unique people and situations in this book. 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 mysteries, I strongly recommend this book/series.

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

I adore this series and was thrilled to receive this Christmas Themed next in series for review. My opinions are my own. As a long time fan of this series I recommend the entire series to new readers and for all animal lovers that enjoy cozy mysteries featuring pets !
A Midwinter's Tale is the fourth book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series by Bethany Blake. The cover drew me in immediately and has the perfect Christmas time theme. This next in series does feature a festive atmosphere and Christmas themed foods and fun.
Our protagonist petsitter and pet bakery owner, Daphne Templeton is busy preparing for the holidays with Christmas theme pet treats in her bakery and has more petsitting clients as people leave for the holidays.. Just as she is enjoying the holiday and her busy schedule her best friend Moxie is accused of murder. She feels it’s up to her to prove Moxie’s innocence. She has proven to be a very adept investigator in the past and knows she can solve this mystery and free her friend from suspicion. The suspects abound and soon she is on the right track of the suspect. This sleuth had so many twist and turns I was unable to figure out the ending which is always enjoyable for this avid reader !
The animals here are delightful and integral to the story as the people. The author knows animals and has beautifully described each pet in such a endearing way that captures the heart of her readers. The Basset hound Socrates and Chihuahua Artie are important parts of this series and I love reading about them in each book.

The town of Sylvan Creek is a wonderful part of this series with the pet-themed store names and events that the author creates, such as the Bark the Halls Ball. Ms. Blake has a fantastic popular series here and I look forward to the next in series and returning to Sylan Creek.. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review this wonderful next in series with a delightful Christmas theme. I loved it.

A Midwinter's Tail is the fourth book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series! We meet up again with Daphne Templeton during the holiday season. Daphne and Moxie’s high school nemesis is back in town and wants to open a large-chain pet-store in town, which rubs many people the wrong way. When their nemesis is murdered, Moxie is the prime suspect. So, once again, Daphne and Socrates must catch the real killer and prove Moxie’s innocence.

I LOVE this series! Like I LOVE IT!! This series has made it onto my top-ten favorite cozy’s list. I look forward to every new installment, and this one didn’t disappoint! It was wonderfully awesome/amazing!

I’m so invested in these characters, from Daphne to her best friend’s pet mouse, Sebastian. I’ve really connected with every recurring character. And I just love how well-rounded and interesting everyone is, and how they feel like everyday people. And the more I read this series, the closer I get to them. They feel like real friends.

The mystery itself was SO good! Just like the previous books in the series, it was very well-plotted and organized. Very suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end.

Overall, I loved this book. It was captivating, delightful and simply cozy. It’s literally the perfect cozy mystery. I cannot wait until I can get my hands on that next installment.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I love this cozy mystery series and this book again reminded me why this is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. A Midwinter's Tail was again a great read, with lots of story, a touch of romance, a great mystery and an awesome cats of both human and animal characters. I really had a great time reading this book and had fun trying to solve the mystery alongside Daphne and spend some time in Sylvan Creek again around Christmas time.

The mystery in this one was a great one. It kept me guessing for a long time. Around the halfway mark I took a moment to guess who I thought was the murderer and for a long time I thought I might be right. But eventually it turned out I was wrong, but another character I suspected was the murderer. The book is full with clues and hints, but it takes a while for everything to fall on it's place and make sense. The actual murderer did make sense, although I wouldn't have minded a few more hints in that direction as my guess for that person was mostly based on a short sentence that stuck with me somehow.

I really enjoy following Daphne, Socrates and her friends as she solves another mystery. This book introduces two new animal side characters that are an important part of the story, Tiny Tim and Snowdrop. And a whole bunch of new side characters, most of which are potential suspects. I like Daphne's character and the way she gets involved in these mysteries and helps to solve them. I like how her snooping is well done and not too forced or awkward. She's fun to read about.

There is also a great cast of side characters among which Moxie, Piper, Daphne's mom and Jonathan Black. I also love how the animals play a role in the story and how each animal has their own personality as much as the human characters. There's also an interesting development with a character who returns to Sylvan Creek and who was Moxie's boyfriend in high school.

The romance also continues a bit in this book and I was quite excited to see how it developed. Daphne is still meeting with Gabriel, but I never had the feeling it was very serious. Nevertheless that part of the plot was handled well. I really liked her scenes with Jonathan Black and I am quite excited to see how the next book will continue that plot line with what happened in this book.

To summarize: I was delighted to return to Sylvan Creek during Christmas time and follow Daphne as she solves another mystery. I really enjoy this awesome cozy mystery series and it's one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I love how the animal characters have as much personality as the human ones and even with a big cast of characters I hardly ever have trouble remembering who is who. This book is full of recurring characters and a whole bunch of new ones too. The mystery was a great one, with lots of clues and hints, but it took some time for it all to fall on it's place. I guessed the murderer wrong, but I did suspect the actual murderer too. And it only all falls om it's place toward the end, which was great, although I wouldn't have minded a few more hints in that direction. I also liked seeing how the romance developed in this book. All in all another great read and I can't wait for the next book.

A cozy winter themed story with quirky characters and a clumsy, kind-hearted and intelligent protagonist. An animal menagerie including dogs, a cat and a rat add a special touch too. I love this series and am anxiously awaiting book #5 in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series.. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book. I loved, loved, loved it! Bethany Blake's Lucky Paws Petsitting series is charming, funny, clever, and very cozy indeed. In A Midwinter's Tail, the fourth book in the series, pet sitter/pet bakery owner Daphne Templeton strives to discover who killed her former classmate at Sylvan Creek's annual Bark the Halls Ball. When her best friend, Moxie, is suspected of the dastardly deed, Daphne, along with her faithful sidekick, Socrates, is determined to use her sleuthing skills to discover the real culprit before the holiday! Out of 5 stars, I'm giving A Midwinter's Tail a 10 - did I mention that I loved this book?

Holiday Cheer, Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem
A Midwinter's Tail is the fourth book in Bethany Blake’s Lucky Paws Pet Sitting Mystery series. The storyline is well plotted, and the characters are well developed. This book held my attention from beginning to the end and has plenty of twists and turns, and red herrings that keep the reader guessing. This steadily paced book is an enjoyable, clean read, with an interesting mystery and touches of humor and romance. Ms. Blake provides sufficient background information that this book can easily be read as a standalone. I’m looking forward to seeing what future adventures are in store for Daphne and her friends.

Daphne Templeton is the owner of Lucky Paws Pet Sitting in the quaint, pet-friendly village of Sylvan Creek, and because she loves baking healthy treats for cats and dogs, she recently opened Flour Power, a bakery for pets. She has a Basset Hound named Socrates, who is her loyal companion, and a black Persian cat named Tinkleston. She lives in Plum Cottage on her sister, Piper’s, farm, Winding Hill. Piper is a veterinarian, and her relationship with Professor Roger Berendt is getting serious. Daphne has been casually dating Gabriel Graham, the local newspaper owner and reporter, but building a relationship with Detective Jonathan Black is beginning to look possible. Jonathan has a well-behaved Chocolate Labrador named Axis and an energetic one-eared, crooked toothed, drooling Chihuahua named Artie. Moxie Bloom is her best friend, has a white rat named Sebastian, and owns Spa and Paw, a salon for humans and pets. Daphne’s mother, Maeve Templeton, is the owner of Maeve Templeton Realty.

Sylvan Creek residents are looking forward to the town's annual Bark the Halls Ball for people and pets. On the night of the town’s showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Bijoux theater, former resident and founder of French’s Poodles & More, a large pet care chain, Celeste “CeeCee” French, announces she’s bringing her flagship store to Sylvan Creek. The opening of this store will adversely affect all the pet businesses in the area. While talking with Jonathan in Pettigrew Park, Daphne’s attention is drawn to the town Christmas tree by a little pug wearing a red sweater and sees a body, which turns out to be CeeCee, under the tree. Moxie’s on the suspect list and while Jonathan thinks it’s almost impossible to believe she committed homicide, he and his partner, Detective Fred Doebler, can’t rule out the possibility, not only because of her potential loss of income but also because of her history with CeeCee. In high school, CeeCee, who was the head cheerleader, future valedictorian, and frequent bully, stole Moxie’s boyfriend, Mike Cavanaugh, at the Sylvan Creek High Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree formal, and she’d never recovered from her broken heart. After her death, CeeCee’s assistant, Jeff Updegrove, dumps CeeCee’s spoiled French poodle, Snowdrop, in Daphne’s lap. Daphne is determined to prove her friend’s innocence, and, with the help of a mischievous pug, sets out to track down the killer.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.