This is a first book that has the potential to be a great cozy mystery series. Kari has won the lottery and she impulsively buys an animal shelter because the kitten she found was turned away at another shelter. The book has good characters, the mystery is okay, and of course there’s the love of animals from everyone who works there.

A fresh new series about a woman who uses her lottery winnings to spontaneously buy an animal shelter that’s under threat of closing. Unfortunately, the dog catcher who is trying to shut it down and buy the property himself is found dead and she immediately becomes a suspect.
The lottery winning premise is well done as the heroine is interested in making the money work long term and being cautious with it. Kari is no stranger to hard work, and she’s got a lot ahead with having to learn how to run the shelter while working with weary/cynical volunteers, moving, and dealing with the mystery on top of it all. It does have a rural setting that feels realistic - the heroine doesn’t know everyone in town, but enough to help her meet others in her search for clues. The mystery was well done and pacing was fantastic. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love a good pet-themed cozy mystery and this one truly was charming. I especially loved the atmosphere of the pet sanctuary, which is so important for a cozy. This first in the series got me hooked, and I can't wait for more!

In true cozy mystery fashion, this story follows a single, unlucky-in-love gal who is at a crossroads in her young, 30-something life. Now for the twist! She just won the lotto and has millions of dolla dolla bills to spare! When an adorable homeless kitten crosses her path, she discovers a rundown animal rescue in the midst of closing down furever—oh no! So of course she has to buy it and save all the homeless doggies and kitties that have nowhere else to go—not even the city pound, which is underfunded and over capacity. This is sadly the case in the real world, and I speak from 12 years of experience as a seasoned dog rescue volunteer.

The mystery: This is a fun little whodunnit involving nefarious vandals, shady townsfolk and one sadistic animal control officer who seems to have it in for one particular dog (a pit bull, of course). Kari’s efforts to spruce up the rescue gets thwarted when she stumbles across his dead body on her property—making her suspect No. 1! Why was he shoveling a hole in her dog yard? Who’s smashing her windows and leaving misspelled threats on her doorstep? Why is the police department so pitifully useless? Well you’ll have to read the book to find out!

What I liked: The protagonist Kari Stuart is a girl after my own heart, and I appreciate her willingness to eschew a luxurious life in Tuscany with her riches to answer the call of duty—hoorah! I especially love her cute little black kitty sidekick who magically knows how to warn her when danger is near.

What didn’t work: Kari is clearly a passionate cat lover, but I didn’t really sense much of a connection with dogs. I’m not sure how much research was put into the making of this book, but I think it would have behooved the author to watch an entire season of Pit Bulls and Parolees. If anyone can embody the passion—the spirituality even—that goes into a dog rescue operation, it’s Tia Torres and her two daughters. I think this may have been more believable if Kari was running a cat rescue, but dogs…not so much. I really hope this develops further in the next book, and I have faith that it will because I’m rooting for Kari!

This book is essentially perfect.

The cutest little cozy mystery, featuring a strong group of good girlfriends, hints of romance to come later in the series, super cute animals, heartwarming animal rescue stories, small town gossip & drama, and a murder!

Really, as a mystery, I don't want to say too much because if you like cozy mysteries, you really should read this book rather than read my spoilers. So I'll say this... practically perfect in every way and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

(Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the chance to read this book before it's publication date.)

What a great cozy mystery series by Deborah Blake and I will admit that I had my lab by my side while reading. Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to have a copy of this novel and I can't wait to read more in this series.

Lottery winnings don't always lead to an easy path! Reading this book is just like winning the lottery, a strong main character, an animal rescue, and murder all rolled into one! The author does a really nice job setting the tone and stage for this story. Recent winner looking for meaning and ends up looking for ways to clear her name. Everything about this read was wonderful, the characters, story, and setting. I can't wait to dig into more.

Lakeview is a typical small town with plenty of drama, the shelter is in a rural setting that works for providing some atmosphere. The climax was when all the pieces slip into place and the murderer confronts Kari for a few gripping moments. The wrap-up is very satisfying and enjoyable to put a smile on your face and have you looking forward to the next book.

I found this debut novel of this new series full of everything that I love in a cozy. It centers around a solid and hearty mystery, relatable heroine, interesting supporting characters, a love interest that I am cheering for, and a delightful writing style. The icing and cherry on top are all the heartwarming animals throughout the book. This is cozy mystery gold.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

This book was just so fun to read! I've really enjoyed Deborah Blake's paranormal romances, but it was so great to read her first published mystery! It was just so cozy and cute and adorable! And I just loved the concept of a lottery winner using her funds to buy a animal shelter. Such a great idea!

I really enjoyed reading about Kari, she's not impulsive, but she bought a animal shelter without much thought. She's an animal lover, and I just loved how kind hearted she is. Life has given her a few hard knocks, but it's showing some love now. Well, love with another hard knock, because of a lawsuit that ends up with her being a murder suspect.

I loved her close friends and employees, they were a pretty tight knit group, though there was a few spats from one character, who I honestly was wondering if she was the bad guy. I loved watching them investigate the crime!

There were a few things going on, from the main investigation into the murder, dealing with the aftermath, as well as threats. There was also dealing with the new warden. And maybe a future potential love interest! I'm so excited to see where this series goes from here!

This was such a great read, loved how it wrapped up, and I can't wait for more in this series!

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Berkley Publishing, in return for an honest review. This is the first book in a new series with a really enjoyable heroine, a solid story and animals. What more could anyone want? I hope the series has a long life as this was a delightful start. Kari Stuart is a waitress who buys a lottery ticket and wins $5 million dollars. Determined to be thoughtful and preserve her money, although she does quit the dead-end waitressing job, Kari is flabbergasted, excited and downright terrified to impulsively buy an almost closed local animal shelter and associated derelict farmhouse. The owner is thrilled to have someone save the shelter and the dedicated volunteers run the gamut of delighted to suspicious of Kari’s motives and resolve. So is Kari, when she realizes what she’s undertaken! When the local dog warden seems determined to shut her down, but winds up murdered on the property, Kari realizes that there’s more going on than the hard work of caring for abandoned animals. Furbidden Fatality is full of heart and determination and a prescient black kitten who adopts Kari. There’s a bit of romance in the air as well. Looking forward to the next in this series! One last note: Kudos to the author and Berkley Publishing as a portion of the profits are going to a local rescue organization, Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans. Buy the book to enjoy a good story and to help four legged friends!

I enjoyed this book with all the animals. I liked the characters, they're well-developed. The mystery is interesting & I was definitely surprised by who the killer was. Lots going on in this book. #FurbiddenFatality #NetGalley

A nice mystery. A lottery winner buys a struggling pet sanctuary on a whim. This has to be many people’s fantasy. To have the money to rescue animals. When Kari, the new owner, finds a dead body at the sanctuary she becomes a suspect. So she decides to find the murderer herself.

Kari is smart and resourceful. She surrounds herself with good people (except for Bryn, an employee of the shelter).I was anxious to find out the motive for the murder. I didn’t guess the murderer but it was explained satisfactorily. The pacing was good and I wanted to keep reading. This is a good start to a new series.

I received a review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cats and dogs in the Catskills
When young waitress Kari Stuart buys a lottery ticket while shopping for cat litter, she doesn’t really expect to win five million dollars. And she certainly doesn’t expect to put part of her jackpot to use to buy a rundown about-to-be-abandoned animal shelter. She doesn’t expect vandals to try to run her off of her new project, either, but the biggest surprise is to find the body of the town’s unpopular dog warden dead on shelter property in the middle of the night. Kari immediately becomes the number one suspect, so she and her friends set out to solve the mystery to clear her name and also to save the life of Buster, the friendly pit bull.
Furbidden Fatality has everything cozy mystery fans want in a series: a picturesque setting in a small town in the Catskills, a diverse cast of characters, and a likeable protagonist, not to mention cats and dogs. There is Angus, a handsome vet who is new in town and kindly offers his services to the shelter, although it is not clear whether his interest is as much in Kari as the animals, and Sara, a retired high-school English teacher with lavender hair. There is Bryn, a somewhat prickly vet tech student volunteer at the shelter, whose mother is a local librarian and who has her own eye on Kari’s friend Suz, a dog groomer. There is Sheriff Richardson, who does not appreciate Kari and her friends meddling in his investigation, and retired K-9 police officer Georgia, and Mr. Lee, Kari’s grumpy Korean neighbor, who keeps calling the law enforcement folks to complain about the noise from the shelter when murders or vandalism or similar ados interrupt his sleep. My favorite character, though, is Queenie, Kari’s rescued black kitten, who loves to ride on pit bull Buster’s back.
It was fun to get to know the town and the people (and the animals) and to follow as Kari and her friends try to find out who killed the dog warden before the sheriff charges Kari with the crime. There were a few minor implausibilities in the story, but there were more than enough smiles to make up for them, and a happy ending as, of course, Kari trounces the sheriff in uncovering the killer (and other malfeasance that he should have known about). Any book that ends with a purring cat will leave me with a smile on my face, and isn’t this just what we cozy fans are looking for?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Furbidden Fatality for review purposes.

Forbidden Fatality was a charming cozy mystery debut.An exciting and heartwarming plot. Kari is a amazing new amateur sleuth, a lottery winning animal rescue owner. It was full of loveable characters and animals. A new favourite series for me to enjoy..

I really enjoyed this book. It has a cast of great characters that anyone would want to hang out with. This is the first and I am sure not the last for this series. Kari Stuart a waitress in a small up state New York town wins 5 million in the lottery. She buys a animal sanctuary on a whim. Instantly is in love with the animals and people. Unfortunately she finds the dog warden dead in the dog yard.
Great start to a fun mystery!
#FurbiddenFatality #NetGalley

After winning $5 million dollars in the lottery, Kari is still working her dead-end waitressing job and living in a crummy apartment while deciding the best way to use her winnings. When an opportunity to buy a struggling local animal sanctuary comes up, Kari knows this is what she’s meant to do. But Serenity Sanctuary comes with a fistful of problems; dilapidated buildings that need updating, an over-zealous dog warden who is inexplicably obsessed with shutting the sanctuary down and a dog who has been accused of attacking a man and his dog. As she begins to tackle everything on her to-do list, a bigger problem arises; the dog warden is found dead in the dog yard! Under suspicion, Kari and her group of sanctuary volunteers begin investigating, uncovering more than just a murderer.

As an animal lover, I can’t resist a good pet lover cozy, so when I saw this on Netgalley, I snapped it up quick. The first third of the book didn’t wow me, although I liked Kari, the “you found the body, you’re the main suspect” and the “leave the investigating to the police…” tropes really get under my skin. But I held on and, as the story unfolded, it turned into a smashing good read. Once the pace picked up and more and more leads were uncovered, it was impossible to put down. And I loved how Kari and her friends uncovered pieces of the puzzle and went to the sheriff with what they found, leading to several people headed off to jail. This little plot-within-a-plot elevated this to not-just-your-average cozy. Add in the heartwarming rejuvenation of the pet sanctuary, finishing this left a smile on my face and that warm, fuzzy feeling when all is put right.

One last note…seriously, NO ONE called out mouthy Bryn when she blames everything on Kari several times? No one, absolutely no one, told her to grow up and stop acting like a spoiled toddler? Not a fan of Bryn. She can go wash dogs somewhere else.

Heartwarming, satisfying and oh so cozy, Furbidden Fatality was a wonderful debut to a new series

Title: Furbidden Fatality
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Catskills Pet Rescue, #1
Pages: 288
Publisher: Berkley Books
Date: February 23, 2021

Summary:

Kari Stuart's life is going nowhere--until she unexpectedly wins the lottery. The twenty-nine-year-old instant multimillionaire is still mulling plans for her winnings when trying to rescue a bossy black kitten leads her to a semi abandoned animal shelter. They need the cash--Kari needs a purpose.

But the dilapidated rescue is literally going to the dogs with a pending lawsuit, hard to adopt animals, and too much suspicious attention from the town's dog warden. When the warden turns up dead outside the shelter's dog kennels, Kari finds herself up a creek without a pooper-scooper.

With the help of some dedicated volunteers, a cute vet, and a kitten who mysteriously shows up just when she needs it, Kari must prove her innocence all while trying to save a dog on death row. Now she just needs to hope that her string of unexpected luck isn't about to run out.

Review:

Alright. Now I have another reason I NEED to win the lottery. I want to buy an animal shelter for my community. I cannot think of a better use of the money.

Of course, what I don’t want is to find a dead body in the backyard. Unfortunately, that is what happens to Kari.

Furbidden Fatality is the first in a new cozy mystery series and I loved it. I have read several of Deborah Blake’s paranormal titles, but I believe this is her first realistic mystery. There are numerous characters, both good guys and bad, but mostly good. As I said, there is a murder, but not anyone who didn’t need killing. This was just a great book.

Even though it seemed like the main bad guy should be obvious, I did not have it figured out until the end. The clues were all there; I just didn’t put it together and that’s a good thing. I hate figuring out the ending too soon.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes cozies and especially to anyone who loves animals. I can’t wait for you to meet the boss of everyone: Queen Nefertiti, a small, black kitten!

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was the first in a new series but apparently not the first for this author. I have not read anything else by this author. I thought this was a good start to this series. I found the concept of a pet rescue/sanctuary to be interesting. There was a good balance of number of characters and the involvement they had within the story. Although the culprit is not someone you would think of. I think I would have liked to see more of Kari's background; some of that was just touched upon. There was enough of a story to hold my interest and to make me look for the next book when it comes out.

This was a new to me author, but i am looking forward to reading more from her. this was really fun start to a cozy mystery series that also involves animals, which is one of my favorites.

Furbidden Fatality is the debut of the A Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery series set in the Catskills of upstate New York and featuring Kari Stuart. Kari is twenty-nine, recently divorced, waitressing at the local diner and living in a ramshackle apartment with two cats and a dog. But, Kari has also won five million dollars in the lottery and is cautiously considering what to do with her financial windfall.

After capturing a stray black kitten that was wandering the streets outside of her apartment, Kari takes her to the local shelter and is shocked to discover that the shelters are full and there is no place for the tiny creature. Kari's plans for the future suddenly become crystal clear - she's going to purchase Serenity Sanctuary, a pet rescue on the brink of closure.

The current facility and farmhouse that comes with the property both need a lot of work but, Kari has the funds. Unfortunately the daunting repairs are not the only challenges she'll be facing. County dog warden, Bill Myers is determined to get the rescue shut down. His latest claim is that one of the dogs had escaped the kennel and viciously attacked a neighbor and now that dog is facing the possibility of being put to death. Some of the neighbors are not too happy with the dogs barking and a few members of the staff aren't very welcoming.

When Kari stumbles upon the body of the warden she, along with the previous owner Daisy become the prime suspects in his murder. Determined to clear her name and save the sanctuary, Kari sets out alongside the tiny kitten, Queenie to track down a killer. As her investigation unfolds, random acts of vandalism at the property increase and Kari begins to suspect that she's bitten off more than she can chew.

A page turning plot filled with likable and unlikable characters, lovable animals, laugh out loud moments and a hint of romance make for a fantastic series debut. In addition to a great murder mystery the author does a terrific job of shining the spotlight on the plight of neglected and abandoned animals. I'm looking forward to many more adventures with Kari and her friends, both human and furry.

I received an advanced copy of Furbidden Fatality from NetGalley via Berkley Books. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.