This first book in the 2 Sisters Pet Valet mystery series had a few cozy elements that I enjoyed but I didn't get the feeling the two MCs, Gwen and Nora, were really too enthusiastic about their new venture. I did not guess the ending so kudos to the author for creating a twisty tale!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Gwen Franklin has retired from teaching and is looking forward to sleeping in and relaxing with some good mystery books and her favorite cup of coffee. But her best friend Nora Goldstein has other ideas. She calls and wakes Gwen up early with another harebrained scheme. She has summoned Gwen to The Friendly Bean to tell her all about it.

Nora has decided Gwen now has plenty of time on her hands so it is the perfect time for the two women to go into business together and her big idea is a pet-setting service that includes dog walking. She is excited about all the money they will be raking in even though Nora already has her own fortune collected from the several exes she has left behind. Gwen has to be careful, she can only earn so much money before it affects her pension and she is severely allergic to animals including dogs. But Nora doesn’t seem to care, they head back to Nora’s condo to firm up the details to promote the new business over a cup of tea.

But their plans are going to have to wait. The dead body of Nora’s neighbor and arch enemy Linda Fletcher is lying in a pool of blood on Nora’s kitchen floor with a knife protruding from her chest. Gwen knows her friend is pushy and can be overbearing but she wouldn’t kill someone, especially in her immaculate kitchen. Also, her reaction is not an act, her face goes pale and she is trembling like a leaf. That means someone is trying to frame her for the crime.

Nora’s extended family starts dropping in thinking Nora was the one killed and being sadly disappointed. Some are quickly dealt with but most want to know what they will inherit when Nora does kick the bucket and if there was any way they could get their inheritance now.

Gwen knows her retirement is going to include some amateur sleuthing to clear her friend. Sleuthing that could make her the killer’s next victim.

I really didn’t like Nora. A best friend would have allowed her friend to at least enjoy being retired for a few days. Plus she comes across as a very entitled woman with more money than sense. She is rude to everyone including Gwen. She has been married and divorced several times and comes out richer after each relationship. She also dresses like a 20-year old on high stiletto heels and wears make-up applied with a trowel instead of a gentle hand. But Gwen has known her since childhood and has stood by her and has let her bowl over her for years. I would expect a retired school teacher who has dealt with a room full of children would have more backbone.

We also meet Brent, a former student of Gwen’s who was a crazy uber driver. They hire him to do most of the work for Nora’s new business scheme. The ladies try to do some pet sitting themselves but it doesn’t go well. It is kinda comical though.

The mystery does have several suspects but it is overshadowed by the craziness of the pet sitting business and all the stepchildren coming to call. The clues to the mystery are dropped haphazardly through the story until the big reveal of the killer. I am happy to say I did have the culprit as number one on my suspect list but I need more of the motive explained which happened at the end.

I did enjoy the ending very much with the two main characters in a happy place in very different ways. Gwen had some redeeming qualities that won me over but the verdict is still out on Nora.

Doggone Dead is an interesting start for this series. There are some very quirky characters and some endearing pets. There was a lot of madcap comedy which I really enjoyed. I would have liked a stronger mystery but for the first book in a series, the author did a great job of introducing the characters. I am looking forward to seeing what hijinks they get up to next.

Doggone Dead by Dane McCaslin is the first book in the cozy The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries series. This series as with most other cozies has a seperate mystery to be fully solved within each book so a reader can read the books as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There is however some character development that carries over from book to book for those that choose to read the entire series in order.

Doggone Dead introduces readers to Gwen Franklin who has just retired from her career as a high school teacher and has plans to just relax and enjoy this new chapter in her life. Gwen’s best friend Nora however has other plans for Gwen now that she’s retired, Nora has the idea that she and Gwen can go into business together. Nora’s chosen plan is for the pair to open a pet-sitting service which Gwen isn’t too sure about.

Gwen eventually caves into Nora’s plans and the pair find themselves taking on all kinds of pets to get their business going. However, things take a surprising turn for the new entrepreneurs when Nora’s nemesis is found in Nora’s kitchen the victim of a rather large knife. Gwen is sure her bestie is being framed so she is determined to find the real killer no matter what it takes.

There’s nothing I like more than stumbling upon a series with an older protagonist, and I’m using older because with the laughs that come along in this series I’m not so sure mature is correct. I’m also a fan of a humorous cozy and The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries series certainly was that, I couldn’t stop laughing with the bird sitting. With a great start to this series I’m definitely going to come back for book two after liking the characters so far.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Synopsis:

Retired high school teacher Gwen Franklin has a new pet valet business with her BFF, and a whole new leash on life. But a killer is about to come sniffing around . . .

Gwen Franklin is looking forward to spending her retirement drinking her favorite coffee and reading mystery novels. Those peaceful plans are brought to heel by her best friend, Nora. Sporting stiletto heels, leggings, and a “more is better” makeup routine, fifty-something Nora Goldstein has a penchant for marrying—and divorcing—rich men. Now that Gwen’s got free time, Nora figures they should start a dog-walking and pet-sitting service together.

But it’s far from a walk in the park when the corpse of Linda Fletcher is found in Nora’s kitchen. Linda was Nora’s nemesis, and the large knife protruding from her chest points to murder. With no doubt that her bestie’s being framed, Gwen puts her sleuthing skills—acquired from reading every Agatha Christie mystery—to the test as she digs through suspects, including four disgruntled ex-husbands, ten greedy ex-stepchildren, not to mention all her exes’ exes. But with death threats and another body surfacing, can Gwen curb a killer before her own (dog) days come to an end?

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Gwen and Nora are quite the characters and they really know each other well. Gwen has just retired from teaching but she does not have very long to enjoy it. Nora wants to start a dog-watching/pet sitting service. Even though Gwen is highly allergic to pet dander, she is willing to give it a go. They hook up with an old student of Gwen’s and hire him as a pooper-scooper. They are all set with their new business venture but before it can really get going, someone is found dead in Nora’s kitchen. Now they have to figure out if Nora was the intended victim and who the killer is.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and had enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I will definitely read the next one in the series.

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

I liked that Gwen and Nora were definitely on the older side of grown up! It's nice to have a bit older protagonist once in a while. Cute start to a new series, as the pair decide to try to start a dog walking business but get immersed in a found dead body instead.

I loved this book though I did find it kinda short the story was good and the characters drag you in.

Doggone Dead by Dane McCaslin is the debut of The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries. I thought Doggone Dead was a quick book to read. Gwen Franklin and Nora Goldstein have been friends since they were children. They are as opposite as two people can be from looks to disposition. Gwen is a newly retired English teacher who lives in Portland, Oregon. She is looking forward to sleeping late and reading mystery novels. Nora has been married several times and came out of each marriage richer. She is loud, pushy, and dresses like a woman in her twenties. Nora has more money than sense and comes up with various business ventures. The last one was a fish pedicure salon that the city nixed. There are a variety of quirky characters in Doggone Dead. I was not a fan of our main characters. Nora is a bully who pushes people into doing what she wants or pays them. She is also rude. Nora comes up with the pet sitting and walking business knowing Gwen is allergic. Nora refuses to listen. Of course, Gwen should have stood up for herself. I know this is supposed to be campy and funny, but I was just plain irritated. Brent Mayfair is hired to handle all the pet clients plus a variety of other odd jobs. Gwen treats him like a blithering idiot. Brent does come across as a few cards short of a full deck, but now and then, Brent will surprise you. The murder occurred in the first chapter and then nothing until a third of way into the story. The mystery took a backseat to the zaniness. The whodunit can easily be solved. One piece of information gives readers the identity of the killer. The clues were obvious (might as well have been a giant neon arrow pointing out each clue). As you can tell, Doggone Dead was not my cup of tea. Those readers who prefer lighthearted, humorous cozies will find Doggone Dead right up their alley (my mother says I was absent the day sense of humors were passed out in heaven). Doggone Dead is a madcap cozy mystery with a bawdy bird, a piddling puppy, a knifed neighbor, covetous stepchildren, a distasteful detective, and two fast friends.

Gwen Franklin, newly retired high school teacher is about to enjoy her first day of retirement. She's thinking about sleeping late and catching up on her reading. Her best friend, Nora has other ideas.

Nora Goldstein wants Gwen to help her start Two Sisters Pet Valet Services.
With the help of Brent Mayfair, one of Gwen’s ex-students they start getting clients.

All is fine until they find a dead body in Nora's kitchen.

As Nora is questioned by detectives, Gwen goes into detective mode. What would Miss Marple do?

This is book one in the brand new series The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick funny read. I liked the characters and the writing style. I thought it was a cute cozy mystery. It had me laughing through out the entire book. This is a new to me author. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is a fun debut of this pet theme cozy mystery series. I loved this book and read it cover to cover. The characters are wonderfully drawn to the story, the sleuth was fascinating and fun to follow and I love the theme of a retired dog walker. Doggone Dead is the first book in the charming new " 2 Sisters Pet Valet mystery series by Dane McCaslin.

In this debut we are introduced to Gwen who is newly retired from teaching high school. She wants to rest, relax and read but her friend Nora has other ideas and talks her into a dog walking/pet sitting business. They have a dog park across the street and a need for dog walkers in their community. They are joined by Brent who is their Uber driver and wants to be part of the business to.

When Nora's nemesis is found dead in her kitchen Nora is suspect number one. She and Gwen must clear her name before their business ends before it begins . I loved this pet themed new mystery. It is such a smart cozy mystery with all the right elements that cozy lovers enjoy. The sleuth was very well crafted and kept me guessing to conclusion. The charcters are wonderful and all likable. I look forward to the next in series and hope this will be a long running cozy series .

Retired teacher Gwen Franklin gets hoodwinked into partnering in a dog walking business with her best and oldest friend Nora. Along the way, they hook up with a young, just-out of school former pupil of Gwen, Brett, who ends up doing most of the work. While Gwen and Nora are out distributing fliers about their new business, Nora’s oldest nemesis and enemy, Linda, is found stabbed on the floor in Nora’s kitchen. What to do? Ever resourceful, the pair begins a hunt for who did this dastardly thing, trying to frame Nora for the murder. Next comes the death of Nora’s ex-stepson, Buddy, making things a bit more complex. In addition, enter Marcus, a ne’er-do-well detective with the hots for Nora. Now the pair of amateur sleuths have another murder on their plate, a business to run, dogs that keep attaching themselves to Gwen and Brett, as well as a myriad of other things and people who keep cropping up. To think that Gwen thought retirement was going to be easy!

This is an okay story. It moved along nicely. However, the characters had little depth to them. The more I read, the story got, if I can even use this work, corny, in my opinion. I found it okay, just not great. Not sure if I would try another book in what I think is a series. I guess I would, with hopes that I would take to it better than I did this one. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

This is a brand new cozy-series with a retired teacher at the helm, or at least she hopes to be post-retirement. Her best friend has other plans, and she is more chaotic than an unexpected weather event. The friend, Nora drags Gwen (our teacher) into a very ill-thought pet sitting plan. In this venture comes a dead body. Additionally, problems that go with being either suspect in the police’s eye and in the cross-hairs of the villain(s).
The cuteness factor of odd pets and odder ex-student(s) is thrown into the mix, making it a fun read. It laid good groundwork for a series, but I was a little annoyed by the depth of descriptions in the narration and the repetitive mentions of the character’s behavioural traits throughout the entire book. For people less impatient than me, this would work better.I might read the next in the series if I get the chance, but it has to be a little quicker for my taste

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Doggone Dead: A 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mystery
By Dane McCaslin
Kensington
September 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

After decades of teaching high school teenagers, Gwen Franklin is looking forward to spending her early retirement reading in bed with her collection of Agatha Christie novels. That’s not about to happen if her best friend from childhood has anything to say about it, and Nora Goldstein doesn’t waste a minute enlisting Gwen in one of Nora’s many business operations. After a lifetime of marrying up earned Nora considerable wealth, her latest venture as a luxury apartment dog-walker is one she sees perfect for Gwen’s free time. That Gwen is violently allergic to all pets doesn’t register as an obstacle for Nora; not when Benadryl and facemasks are available. Before they can greet their first pet-sitting though, they discover the body of fellow apartment resident Linda Fletcher, stabbed to death in Nora’s kitchen.

That Linda was the Nora’s lifelong nemesis certainly makes her a primary suspect in the murder, but their eerie resemblance to one another leads to alternative implications of mistaken identities. It’s not long before Nora’s assortment of many stepchildren land on her doorstep, eager to accept what they see as their rightful inheritances. Or to perhaps dance on her grave. Nora sees Gwen’s in-depth knowledge of fictional mysteries as a qualifier for them to become investigators, although it’s Gwen’s connections with her former students that really give them a head-start on the investigations and lead them down the path towards both Linda’s and Nora’s many enemies.

This debut 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mystery starts by quickly immersing the reader into the action, giving it the sense of a long established series. Sisters from another mister, Nora and Gwen have a lifetime bond that has them interacting like only squabbling siblings can. The stable force in their relationship, Gwen nevertheless finds herself drawn into the chaos even as she learns a new appreciation for four-legged companions. That her past students keep popping up to assist is a delight, especially when it allows readers to see how Gwen must have been such an effective teacher. Humor, many furry and feathered companions, and banter between these ladies of a certain age are sure to entertain readers of this lively and fun new series.

It’s the first day of Gwen Franklin’s new life. Goodbye career as a high-school English teacher, hello early retirement. She has plans that don’t include being woken up by Nora Goldstein, her best friend from kindergarten and her sister-from-another-mother.

“What do you want?” I sounded as surly as I felt. I’d been looking forward to this first late morning from the moment I’d announced my intention to retire early from a wonderful but exhausting career as a high school teacher. I wanted to sleep in, get up and have coffee, and go right back to bed, preferably with a book. “This had better be really good.”



“And a good morning to you too, Gwen.”

Persistent Nora tells her “bestie” that she has a fabulous idea to share. Oh no, thinks Gwen but Nora can back up her notions: “What Nora lacked in common sense, she made up for in dollar bills. As in millions of them, all tucked securely away in various banks, thanks to a rather extensive lineup of ex-husbands.” Nora tells Gwen to be at “The Friendly Bean in one hour sharp.” In Portland coffee is so much more than a beverage, it’s the liquid that fuels everyone’s engine. Gwen hoped to work her way through her “extensive collection of mysteries, beginning with the dame herself, Agatha Christie,” but Nora is not to be gainsaid. She’s waiting for Gwen, dressed in her usual “decades too young” style and wearing “more is better” makeup. What an Odd Couple. At least Nora ordered Gwen a cup of Joe.

I sighed, shook my head, and took another tentative taste of my coffee. Good to go. It was a real woman’s drink: dark roast, black as ink, and guarantee to put hair on my chest. As if that would even matter. I glanced at my unshaven legs, where they poked out from a pair of old denim capris, scratchy with stubble and white enough to use as nighttime beacons in the harbor. Retirement chic in all its glory.

Nora wants them to start the 2 Sisters Pet Valet Services. With Portland’s inclement weather, pet owners will jump at a chance to have someone else walk their darlings and scoop up the poop. Before they can whip up business cards, there’s a spanner in the works: how could they have anticipated “finding Linda Fletcher’s very dead, very murdered body in Nora’s kitchen?” Gwen is a mouseburger but not a pushover. She stands up to the police who seem to think Nora is the murderer.

I drew myself up to my full height of five feet nothing, my chin jutting out like the bow of a ship sailing full tilt into harbor. “I had nothing to do with it and neither did Mrs. Goldstein. And you can put that in your pipe and smoke it. If you smoke, that is. Personally, I’ve always found it to be a disgusting habit.



I shot Nora a triumphant glance, ignoring the stifled snort of laughter coming from one of the officers. My brilliant repartee would send them packing, their proverbial hats in their hands. This would be even better than Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings. Franklin and Goldstein—another dynamic duo, Portland style.



“Yeah, yeah. That’s what they all say.” The detective motioned impatiently for Nora to step into the hall, rudely imploding my dream.

Will the vintage mysteries Gwen loves, which fuel her mystery-solving dreams, provide a mystery-solving roadmap? Gwen does have the gift of thoughtful observation, honed over many years in the classroom. She has an inflexible retirement budget so if she and Nora are going into business, they need to take it seriously. Before finding a dead body in the kitchen, they already had customers lined up. Who’s going to walk the dogs if the ladies are at the police station? Time to out-source and embrace the gig economy.

Enter Brent Mayfair, Gwen’s former student and possibly Portland’s worst Uber driver. Gwen has an extensive network of appreciative graduates—who would diss Miz Franklin?

Brent Mayfair had been a mediocre student but a sweet kid, always anxious to include everyone in whatever class project we had going on at the moment. No one had had a bad word for him, except for the football coach, and even then it was full of regret.



“That kid is built like a Mack truck, but he’s got instincts like a teddy bear made from marshmallow,” Coach Freeman had said.

If being “too nice” is an automatic cut from a football squad, being a ‘Ferdinand’ is a plus for a pet walker. Nora is sure they can easily afford Brent and as they discover, he enjoys inhaling part of his salary (not that kind of West Coast inhale, rather treats that come in pink boxes: Voodoo Doughnuts!). Nora, Gwen, and Brent cement their business relationship over some favorites.

When we were all seated, each with fresh mug of coffee and a donut—I had a Bacon Maple Bar and Nora chose a Homer, its strawberry icing covered with candied sprinkles—I nodded at Brent.



“Okay, let’s hear it. What did you learn last night?”



Brent took a big bite from his Grape Ape donut. “Well, she told me that—”



“Hold up there.” Nora held up one hand. “Swallow the donut first, please. I really don’t want to see a train wreck in a tunnel.”

Gwen’s former student mafia includes Rachel, now a journalist who can access the details of Linda Fletcher’s post-mortem. Turns out Linda died from poison, not stab wounds. Nora is off the hook—but who killed Linda?

Doggone Dead is a great premiere to a new cozy series: its characters are original and evolving, and the Portland location is played up beautifully (omnipresent misty rain/coffee shops/glorious mountains—the town is a character). I’m looking forward to learning more about Gwen’s infallible teacher-techniques, and seeing how she channels Miss Marple as she solves crimes with Nora, her sassy, irrepressible side-kick. Doggone Dead will whet readers’ appetite for The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mysteries sophomore offering, Cat’s Meow in 2021.

A good start for a new cozy series! It's engrossing and fun to read, a fast and highly enjoyable read.
I liked the quirky and well thought characters, the setting and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next installment, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is a cute cozy mystery novel that has two best gal pals trying to solve a Murder while starting a pet valet service. I like the fact that the gals are of a certain age where they should be thinking about retirement but turn towards adventure instead. Though the premise is interesting, I did have some difficulty with the flow of the story. It took me a while to get into it It’s just took a little too long in my opinion to get to some of the points. Overall an average cozy mystery that I’m sure a lot of people will enjoy.

Doggone Dead, the first book in the 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mystery series, by Dane McCaslin is a total hit !! Readers will not be able to put this book down once they start reading it. The characters, the setting, and everything else will capture your attention and you will be powerless against the force.

In Doggone Dead Gwen Franklin has just retired from her job of teaching high school kids and is looking forward to staying up late reading in bed, sleeping in without the alarm clock waking her up, not having to deal with bratty students and just hanging around her house and yard. Unfortunately her best friend Nora Goldstein has other plans for the two of them !!

In Nora's apartment building and across the street at the dog walking park there are a lot of dogs..... Nora decides that her and Gwen should start a dog walking and pet sitting service and when one of Gwen's students, Brent, is her Uber driver on the way to Nora's, he ends up being a part of the business. While they are getting the word out to all the residents in Nora's apartment, Nora's neighbor ends up in Nora's kitchen.....dead !! Sadly the killer could have been anyone because no one locks their apartment doors when they are going on a quick errand. While the two friends who feel like sisters try to figure out if Linda was the intended target or if it actually could have been Nora seeing as it was Nora's apartment, Nora's many step-children begin to appear. Nora has quite a few ex-husbands who left her well off financially however the step-children disapprove. Would one of them be willing to kill her to get at her money ?? Or it could be someone pretty much standing right in front of them and they don't even know it. Can they figure it out in time ??

I think that The 2 Sisters Pet Valet Mystery series is going to be one of my favorite series. This is definitely going to be a series that I will be keeping an eye out for. I love the main characters and their relationship. Their friendship is one that we can all wish for !! And the "trouble" that Nora gets into and Gwen has to help get her out of will have readers laughing out loud. Even the murder and the way they go about solving it is quite entertaining !! And the way that Gwen reverts to her teaching methods throughout the story only makes it better. McCaslin really sets the stage perfectly in Doggone Dead ..... I cannot wait for the next book to see where the adventure takes the ladies......

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I enjoyed Gwen and Nora’s characters along with Brent's character. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who did it. It is the first book in this series. What a twist in the end. I definitely recommend this mystery book to anyone and everyone. This book is in stores now so go get it and find out who did it. I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

I liked the basic idea of this story, and Gwen was a likable enough character, but I wasn't impressed with her rich friend Nora who seemed to go through business ideas like she'd gone through husbands. They were actually pretty funny sleuthing together, but I think I liked Brent more. He was a goofy and hilarious at times (even if he didn't mean to be), but he was a faithful worker and seemed super sweet. Shelby, the reporter was a good character too, and I hope she returns. I just wish I had liked the retired duo better. Brent and his girlfriend did a pretty decent job of sleuthing.

The story just seemed very disjointed in places, and to me, the killer was pretty easy to guess. I did enjoy the showdown and ending. I always love it when a killer gets outsmarted!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This book was kind of hard to follow for me, since it was a new-to-me author, but it was a fun read. Loved all the dogs that got added to the mix.