I enjoyed reading this cozy mystery. I read book 2 first so I came back to read book 1. We are introduced to Belinda, a pet sitter, taking care of Rasputin, a python, in her new home, a carriage house in Greenwich. When she finds a body in her garden she sets out to solve the crime. Helping her is Stone, the son living in the main house and the local police. I liked the pet background, her relationship with her family and the mystery. The mystery was good with plenty of suspects and the solution made sense with a fun twist. I liked that she worked with local police, giving them all the evidence she uncovered. I will finish the series. It was a quick fun read. Enjoy

Allow most of a day for this compelling family-friendly cozy mystery about 26-year-old exotic pet sitter Belinda Blake. Do NOT start at bedtime (You will be up past midnight and still not be able to finish it.) Do NOT read in public. (Danger of chortles ensuing.) I had an ARC from NetGalley that was lost in my queue for an embarrassingly long time and this voluntary review is my own opinion.

I have read other works from this author and I am pleased to say Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass was a fun and entertaining read. A true cozy mystery I enjoyed the well-crafted characters and the overall storyline.

Synopsis:
When exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut, she’s hoping to find some new clients. Instead, she discovers a corpse in the garden—and a knack for solving murders . . .

Pet-sitter Belinda Blake doesn’t rattle easily, but move-in day has been eventful, to say the least. The python in her care tried to slither to freedom—just as she met Stone Carrington V, her landlords’ disarmingly handsome son. With the constrictor back in its cage, she heads out to the garden, only to discover a designer shoe poking out of the boxwood hedge—attached to a woman’s dead body.

The victim, Margo Fenton, was a Carrington family friend, and no one in their circle seems above suspicion. Between client trips to Manhattan and visits to her family in upstate New York, Belinda begins to put the pieces together. But though she’s falling for Stone’s numerous charms, Belinda wonders if she’s cozying up to a killer. And soon, daily contact with a deadly reptile might be the least dangerous part of her life . . .

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake has moved to Greenwich, Connecticut hoping to grow her business. She has rented a delightful little carriage house on the Carrington estate and has now moved in with her latest client’s pet in tow. A nice-sized python who she just happens to have out for a walk when her landlord’s hunky son, Stone comes to the door. After an interesting meeting and the snake back in its cage, Belinda decides to check out her backyard. While pulling a few weeds and admiring the flowers she makes a horrible discovery. A very pricy shoe still attached to a very dead lady.

Belinda learns that the woman was a friend of Stone’s and that should give her pause but then the man asks for her help to catch the killer and she just can’t say no. She is incredibly drawn to this man and until her family points out the obvious she never even seems to consider he may be the man responsible for his “friend’s” death. Now she suspects him and everyone else she meets and that could just end with her own demise.

I really enjoyed this story.

Belinda is a very interesting protagonist. Not only is she an exotic pet-sitter but she also reviews video games. She is an introvert, happy to spend time alone sometimes reading her fave Agatha Christie. A woman after my own heart. She is totally captivated by the handsome son of the landlord. He is quite charming but for me, she was just too trusting. These two main characters are surrounded by Stone’s family and their employees and their friends. It is quite an eclectic group. We also meet Belinda’s family. They are close-knit and each interesting in their own ways. All the characters have plenty of room for growth.

People that know me will be shocked to know that my favorite character followed closely by Belinda was the snake. His name is Rasputin and he almost stole the entire show. I am fine because he was in the book, had he been in my real life I probably wouldn’t even go in the room his cage was in.

The mystery was well-plotted and written with a nice amount of suspects and a vast number of twists and turns. The author did an excellent job of making so many people look guilty that my mini little investigation was going in circles. Then some sneaky little things start to fall into place but that final twist really surprised me. The ending was exciting and I was thrilled with how everything played out and who played a vital role.

I love that this story and the other two in the series are based on stories Ms. Gilbert’s father told her as a child. What a wonderful tribute to her father. Seems she has inherited a fantastic storyteller gene.

Readers are treated to a nice preview of the next book, Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, and had I not had other reading commitments I would have dove right into that one right away. That one and Belinda Blake and the Birds of a Feather are both cued up on my Kindle so I can squeeze them into my reading schedule soon.

Move in day has been a little stressful for petsitter Belinda Blake, She meets the handsome Stone, the snake she's sitting and finds a dead body. Belinda gets herself involved in trying to solve the case but who can she trust in the wealthy family? Fun read.

I think you need to really like snakes to feel totally comfortable reading this one. All of the details that Belinda goes into to take care of her pet sitting snakes was a bit much for me. It was a distraction and took the focus away from the murder mystery. If you have no aversion to snakes than you will most likely enjoy it.

This is a great cozy mystery.

I wish it were possible to give this book a rating of 4 1/2 stars. I had a lot of trouble getting into the book. My only problem was with how much of the early part of the book was talking about clothing and style simply by what seemed to me to be designer names. Since I don’t know what any of them are I was lost.

Once we had reached a point that Belinda had been thoroughly introduced this way and the mystery took over I quickly became caught up in the story. The mystery was very intricately woven and definitely kept my attention.

Belinda is a very different character. Both of her jobs are very unusual. I was equal parts fascinated and grossed out by all of the descriptions of how a ball python is cared for.

There are a lot of very strange characters in this story. Many of them had me guessing as to whether they could have been the killer.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

In the first of a new series, exotic pet-sitter extraordinaire Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in Greenwich, Connecticut, meets the owners’ charming son, and discovers a body in the garden. As she wrangles the python in her care, she cannot resist involving herself in the murder investigation, with revolving suspects and potential danger everywhere. Gilbert imbues humor throughout the tale as Belinda alternately falls for and suspects the charming son, cares for pets the way she takes care of herself—sufficiently to survive, with mishaps, and keeps falling into the middle of the police investigation. This looks like a fun series to begin! I was fortunate to receive this lovely story from Lyrical Underground through NetGalley.

I absolutely adore Belinda Blake and her pet sitting skills and issues. I look forward to reading the next book in the series "
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
by Heather Day Gilbert
and any other book in this series to follow.
Heather Day Gilbert is a fantastic author who develops characters and storylines in such a wonderfully fantastic way that you cannot resist the urge to read anything and everything that has her name on it.

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass by Heather Day Gilbert is a crazy, fun adventure. Belinda is such a unique character— I think you’ll absolutely adore who quirky ways. And what is not to love about an exotic pet sitter? This cozy mystery is an absolute delight. It made me think back fondly to my favorite cozy mysteries, particularly to Agatha Christie novels. I think readers that love cozy mysteries will not be disappointed by this novel. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I have just discovered a new must read series and it is this one! I am so excited about this series and the main character, Belinda Blake! Belinda is starting to grow her pet sitting business. The thing is that she watches exotic pets that other people normally wouldn’t. This particular book she is petsitting a python named Rasputin.

Belinda has just started renting a carriage house when a body is found in her garden. Shortly after a second body is found. Belinda and her new landlords very attractive son, Stone the 5th, set out to find the killer. Should Belinda be paying more attention to Stone as a suspect and less as a romantic interest? Or should she be looking at any of the other staff members as suspects?

The writing in the book is great, I love the storyline and I hope we get to see a lot of these characters in the future. I absolutely can’t wait to read more!!

I hoped the title was a metaphor, but that hope was dashed with the very first line …

"The first time I saw Stone Carrington the fifth, I had a snake wrapped around my neck."

Yes, the snake is a major feature. But he (I assume it was a he) is also a great character who sets the tone of the novel and provides some much-needed comic relief.

Belinda Blake is an exotic pet sitter and videogame reviewer who’s just moved into the carriage house on the Carrington estate. She’s settling in well … until she finds a dead woman in the garden. As she says:

"I didn't know the ... protocol ... for finding a dead body outside my rental house."

Well, who does? Belinda starts investigating but soon finds that someone or someones don’t want her sticking her nose in. That—and encouragement from Stone Carrington the fifth—only strengthens her desire to find out what happened and why. And before something happens to her …

This is Heather Day Gilbert’s first Belinda Blake novel, and her first novel for the general market.
I’ve previously read her historical fiction and contemporary Christian mysteries, but I think this is her best yet. The plot is tight, the characters are well portrayed, and the writing is top notch. Most of all, Belinda Blake is a clever and witty heroine (albeit one with strange taste in pets). She’s everything I look for in a contemporary mystery heroine.

Recommended for fans of mystery and romantic comedy who like strong heroines and novels written in first person point of view.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

What a fun cozy read with a new twist! This is the first in a new series by Heather Day Gilbert. Belinda is an exotic pet sitter and this book involves a snake, a rich boy and a body (or bodies). The story was well told and I couldn't figure out the 'who dun it'! If the clues were there, they were so well hidden I missed them.
Can't wait to see what the next book brings! Will it be another snake? A lemur? A tarantula? What'll it be?!?!?!

I received this ARC via Netgalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This is the first book in a new series and well worth the read for cosy mystery fans. Belinda Blake is an exotic pet-sitter, which is a fun and different job for the series protagonist. She moves into a carriage house in upscale Greenwich, CT, hoping to build her business among the rich families in the area. As it is, she's house-sitting an exotic snake for a NYC client. When the snake gets loose, she both meets the handsome son of her new landlords and she's astounded to discover a body in her garden! Great opening book and well-written story. I recommend this one highly and look forward to more from this author.

Cozy Mystery in Greenwich
This is a great mystery that I hated to put down. Our heroine is pet sitting a ball python while getting moved into a carriage house in Greenwich. The plot is great and very well done. There are lots of good suspects, none with very good motives. It is fun to look into the lives of the very wealthy. I am looking forward to reading this entire series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Heather Day Gilbert is an author that I trust without reservation. I’m not a big reader of cozy mysteries by any stretch. Would I ever think, hey, let me look for a book that has an exotic pet sitter as the protagonist, no, but Belinda is one, and I am here for it as long as Gilbert keeps adding to the series. I’m not sure if excellent character development is a typical feature of cozy mysteries, but it is of a Gilbert novel. Belinda Blake is such a charming character; I’d love to be her friend in real life. I appreciate that Belinda is smart – not that she’s a genius sleuth or anything, but she doesn’t go barging into situations with little thought to her safety. She’s savvy, and bit quirky but still very genuine. I think what sealed the deal for me was when she referred to herself as “gloriously introverted,” because, bingo, that is totally me.

In addition to meeting this endearing new character, and various others along the way, the plot kept my interest the whole time. I am usually pretty good at sniffing out a mystery well before the big reveal, but I admit I went back and forth several times in who all was involved, who was the mastermind, etc. I feel that things are revealed in a timely way, but not so prolonged that it feels unnecessarily drawn out. The bits of romance are a great addition without taking over as are the bits about Belinda’s family, especially her sister who “could go from zero to Scales of Justice vengeance machine in about three seconds flat.” That really cracked me up, and it was sweet how despite their differences, Belinda and Kat are close. Also, I am no fan of snakes, but the one in this story warmed me up just a bit.

This first book in the Belinda Blake series is whimsical, fun, and altogether entertaining, and I look forward to seeing what mysteries she solves next.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley; this review is my honest opinion.

Belinda just wanted to write video game review articles and enjoy time with pets through her exotic pet sitting business. The last thing she expected was to be running all over town trying to solve a murder.

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass was a cute, cozy mystery with an assortment of lovable characters. What I enjoyed in this book was that it stepped away from the typical cozy mystery. Instead of the police being incompetent and the entire resolution being dependent on Belinda, the two worked together in a manner that was realistic and gave proper kudos to police.

There were enough plot twists and zany characters to keep you guessing on the whodunit until the very end. I appreciated the differences in all the characters. No two were the same and the family and personal problems depicted showed a great deal of thought.

Belinda taking care of Rasputin brought a little fun and lightheartedness to the novel. Heather Day Gilbert payed attention to details most wouldn't think to include and Belinda's reactions to the snake added some humor at just the right moments.

I'm excited to see where the series continues from here.

I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is such a fun book! I loved it so much and am so sorry that the next book is not out already. I literally ran to Amazon to see if I could buy it already but it's not out until October. And there's another coming after that that I'm sure I'll have to read too!

Fun. Quitty. Mysterious. And snakes. Okay so maybe the two murders should worry me more than the snakes but oh my goodness I can not imagine how Belinda felt when that snake wrapped around her. I would have died. Not a snake fan here. Nope. Her exotic pets would have stopped right there for me.

But pet sitting isn't all that Belinda Blake is good at. She's a mystery-solving pro. She has to be when two young women looking shockingly similar to her are murdered right outside the cottage she's renting. There is no turning back. She likes the location and must stop the death toll before she is added to their numbers.

Who can she trust? Who is really the killer?

I love a good mystery and this was top notch. Definitely, a new author for me that I'm going to be stalking for more works out soon.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from JustRead Publicity Tour. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an enjoyable cozy mystery that moves quickly and is fun to read. Belinda is a super quirky character that is an exotic pet sitter. When she moves into the carriage house of a mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, she discovers a dead body in her flower bed, so she turns sleuth and runs all over trying to find out who the murderer is. Her quirky job, fashion style, and behavior add to the story, along with her newfound friendship with the young man of the house, Stone Carrington the V. I really enjoyed the fast pace of solving the mystery and learning more about Belinda from her own perspective. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Gilbert has next for us in the Exotic Pet-Sitter's mystery series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oh, my. What a fun cozy mystery to curl up with. Lighthearted and interesting. Belinda Blake is a very unique character with some unusual jobs - exotic pet-sitter, video game reviewer, and amateur sleuth. It is one of the best cozy mysteries that I have read in awhile. And I'm looking forward to the next Exotic Pet-Sitter mystery.