Lily Echosby is enjoying her move to Chattanooga, TN and her job as temporary accountant at the Museum of Art. When said job requires she travel out of town overnight, Lilly boards her precious toy poodle, Aggie, at the posh doggie day care center, Pet Haven Pet Resort, owned by Keri Lynn and Dallas Simpson. One special amenity offered by Pet Haven is online access to a videocam by which Lilly can personally check on live views of Aggie. She never expects to witness a murder then have no one believe her because of lack of evidence.

Author V.M. Burns sizzles with her latest foray in the popular Dog Club Mysteries. The killer is cagey and able to hide for a while. I paid close attention and caught on to many of the clues, yet the complete reveal of the master plan was very satisfying. I enjoy the cast of recurring characters; especially Dixie. I highly recommend this novel and the previous 2 stories in this cozy series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.

I am in love with this series by V.M. Burns! Her setting is always wonderful, the characters likeable (except the killer and the unsuspecting victim). The plot is always exciting and has me glued to my seating waiting to ses what will happen next. The killer (or in this case, killers) were something I didn't easily figure out but when explained at the end made complete sense. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

This is the third book in this series about Lilly and her move to Chattanooga and the adventures she gets into related to her involvement with her dog obedience class. Overall it was a decent book. I found the idea of "was there a crime or not?" to be a good idea to try in this series, but not necessarily well executed. I felt the ending was rushed, after reading all that led up to it and then in the last few pages it was solved in a rather short space and somewhat coincidentally convenient manner. Some of the facts presented in the book also need to be researched better. I was very confused when Lilly kept saying that the poodle, Aggie, had her claws latched onto her sweater and she had to wait until she retracted them. I thought I was reading a book about dogs. Dogs don't have retractable claws. Mistakes like this detract from the book.

This was a fun and informative book. I learned a lot about dog shows that I didn't know and I loved the characters in the book. In this book it touches on dogs, romance and murder. It is action packed from the beginning and keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole book.

It is centered around a place called Pet Haven where you can take your dogs for a mani/pedicure, a massage and board them while you are away on business. They also have a web cam that you can see your dogs and what they are doing while they are out of your sight. Seems like an awesome place to leave your pet but it has an awesome price tag as well.

A really nice book to curl up on the couch with, keeps you entertained and you feel like part of the gang. Helping to solve the murder.

V M Burns.
Bark if it’s murder.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first.
Loved the storyline, characters especially The romance between Lily and Red who are still getting to know each other.
Plenty of humour and entertainment. Also it’s about dogs which I love.
Can’t wait for the next book.
Many thanks to Lyrical underground also NetGalley for advance copy for a honest review.

5 stars
Bark If Its Murder is the newest book in the Dog Club mystery series by V.M. Burns. I was drawn in from the very first page. Burns knows how to write stories and characters that are easy to fall in love with, root for or hate! I was thoroughly amused by the antics of those trying to figure out who was murdered and who did it. I was so sure I had figured it all out and I was so wrong. I love it when an author writes a mystery that keeps me guessing until the very end.
I so highly recommend this book and I truly hope there will be more in this series. This is an exceptionally clean and cozy murder that can be read in order or as a stand-alone without missing back story.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own. #BarkIfItsMurder #NetGalley

Can this be considered as a cozy mystery? If yes then I really like it more than I thought I would. A likeable heroine who is sassy and witty.

If you like dogs and mysteries, this is a fun, easy read for a summer afternoon. Lilly Ann Echosby is looking for a new house. She has almost exhausted the list of possibilities when she sees a for sale sign next door to a house her realtor is showing her. It's perfect for Lilly and her newly acquired six pound poodle Aggie.

The mystery surrounds the upscale Pet Haven and Doggie Day Care. People are raving about how much their dogs love going to day care and they come home exhausted after playing with the other dogs. As Lilly Ann is viewing the facility through cameras that allow people to see what their dogs are doing, she sees a man grab a woman and strangle her. When the police arrive they find no evidence of the crime. Lilly Ann knows what she saw and sets out to prove it.

The characters are well thought out I always enjoy a good dog story. This one is a short simple tale and perfect if you like this sort of cozy mystery..

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#BarkIfIt'sMurder #NetGalley

Terrific read with a twisty plot and logical but surprise ending. Love Aggie and all the other K9 characters as well as the various people working together to get to the truth.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc.

Good Basic Plot, But…

I was expecting more after seeing all of the 5 star reviews of the author’s other books. Ms. Burns came up with a great idea for a murder mystery, but it is poorly done. I found the overly sweet dual names for many of the female characters a bit too much. Monica Jill, Bobbie Jean (B.J.), Kerri Lynn, Linda Kay, the names were written so many times my head was spinning. And the lead character, Lilly, kept being surprised by all the things she remembered, even though she remembered them before. There are also a bunch of continuity errors which should have been caught by the proofreaders.

Other reviewers have covered the high points of the plot, so I won’t go into it here, suffice to say I will not be reading any more books in this series.

Thank you, NetGalley, for offering me a free advance copy of this novel for my honest review.

This was a fun book. I loved the whole dog training club getting in on putting the pieces together. Didn't see the ending coming. Love the blossoming relationship between Red and Lilly. Hoping to see more of David and Stephanie in future books. Love the strong sense of family that Lilly has. Fun read!

Bark If It's Murder by V.M. Burns was a great addition to this cozy series. I confess I love this series and never miss a chance to read Ms. Burns' books.

Lilly is adjusting to her new home in Tennessee and loves her temporary accounting position, being close to her best friend, Dixie, and her poodle Aggie. In this book we get to know her son, David, better as he comes to visit while on a forced hiatus from his acting role due to plumbing issues in the theater. Ms. Burns is a master at developing her characters and I find each one of them to be likable and real and would love to meet them, especially Dixie. A plot that twisted and turned with a limited cast of suspects and very few clues kept me turning the pages.

Lilly Echo by has moved out of the home she was renting and is currently residing in a hotel with her miniature poodle, Aggie (named for her favorite author Agatha Christie}. Dixie, Lilly’s best friend, has persuaded her dog obedience class to help at a dog show where she is judging the Poodle category. Lilly and her classmates are dismayed when they find out they are on the “clean-up” team. Thankfully they get breaks where they can wander around the event. While doing so, she and Monica Jill come across the Pet Haven Resort and Spa tent. Since Monica Jill takes her dog Jac to the resort, she introduces Lilly to the owner, who explains how the posh resort caters to an elite cliental. When Lilly gets a phone call the next morning from her boss asking her to take a last-minute trip to an art auction, she is ecstatic! Reality sets in when she realizes she has no one to care for Aggie while she is gone. After talking Dixie to assist her in speaking with the owners of Pet Haven, she decides to place Aggie at the high-tech resort.

The next day as Lilly drops Aggie off, she is given a complete tour along with the information to their website. Lilly can check on Aggie twenty-four hours a day to see what she is up to. Feeling relieved, off she goes for her trip. Later that night as Lilly checks on Aggie, who is happily asleep in her private kennel, there is a computer glitch during a storm and the camera changes from Aggie to a worker hosing out the dog runs. As she is watching, the woman is suddenly grabbed from behind and murdered!

How is Lilly going to convince the others what she saw really happened? Once again, Lilly is caught up in a murder mystery. With the help of her friends, and her son David who comes to visit, will she be able to catch the killer before she ends up like the chopped liver used in training!

Once again, this enjoyable story does not disappoint! The characters are delightful, and their determination to help find the killer impressive. I found it very easy to relate to Lilly and her adjustment to her new state of Tennessee. Ms. Burns weaves humor, twists and turns throughout the story to keep you guessing until the killer is revealed. Just the right combination for a cozy mystery! Thank you to #NetGalley and #Kensington for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Another fantastic book in the Dog Club series! Lily is on the trail of a murderer but first, she has to find the body!

When Lily boards Aggie in a posh pet care facility, she never dreams she'll be on the trail of a murderer. A doggie cam let's nervous owners see their pets, in the luxury surroundings and while Lily's watching the lovable Aggie, the camera switches to a terrifying sight - a murder in progress. When Lily sounds the alarm and Red investigates, there's no body, no clues and no murder. Lily is determined to prove she isn't mistaken.

I enjoyed the mystery (I guessed wrong on "whodunit"), the developing relationship with Red, the growing friendship of Lily and her boss and co-worker and the discussions on art. David (Lily's son) is visiting and helps her as well as Joe (daughter Stephanie's boyfriend) and his canine law enforcement partner, Turbo. Of course, the Aggie "action" was adorable and the Dog Club members are back, lending a hand in the investigation.

V.M. Burns has a writing style that makes the characters "come to life" and her rich descriptions of the setting in Tennessee make you feel like you're right there solving the mystery with Lily!

I'm looking forward to the next book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review of this book.

New to me series, but didn't disappoint and makes me what to check out the others. Great writing and characters and kept in interesting.

When Lilly heads out of town to attend an art auction with her boss she boards Aggie at the posh Pet Haven in town. Since it’s the first time she is away from Aggie, she takes advantage of the pet cam to check in on Aggie before turning in for the night. But the connection is acting up and the camera switches to an outside area in the resort and Lilly sees a woman murdered. She calls her boyfriend Red, who is in law enforcement, and the police find nothing. But Lilly is certain she saw a murder and can’t be persuaded otherwise.

Another fun entry in this series. Who doesn’t love all the pups and good friends that Lilly brings along? A fun cozy series with a solid whodunit.

Bark If It's Murder is a fantastic mystery and I loved the characters. Great writing and storyline. I will go back and read the others in this series.

I received a free copy of BARK IF IT’S MURDER (Book 3 of the Dog Club Mysteries) by V.M. Burns in exchange for an honest review. Lilly Echosby is an accountant who has recently realized her dream of owning a dog. Devoted to the little creature, Lilly participates in a dog-training group and even volunteers, on behalf of the local dog shelter, for poop scooping duties at a locally-held dog show. At the dog show, Lilly makes some new connections that come in handy when she gets a last-minute chance to attend an art auction in Atlanta. Lilly leaves little Aggie in the care of a posh doggie spa for the weekend with the reassurance that she can watch her sweet puppy on live video the entire time she’s away. When checking in on Aggie, Lilly sees a murder, or does she? Lilly insists she saw the husband-owner of the doggie spa kill his wife. The man, however, insists that his wife is still alive and that she’s simply away on business. With no body found and photographic evidence the man’s wife is still alive, the police eventually stop investigating. Lilly knows what she saw and is determined to prove it.

I liked this book. Though I haven’t read either of the previous books in this series, I had no problem connecting with the characters or following the storyline. I recommend this book to fans of V.M. Burns, to fans of cozy mysteries with dog themes, and to fans of cozy mysteries, in general.

#BarkIfItsMurder #NetGalley

This is a cute addition to the series.
I enjoyed the characters and the story was interesting and well written.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read an advanced copy of the book.