After her fiancé and business partner runs off with their vet tech and all of the money from their veterinary clinic, Ally moves to be closer to her grandfather, Oscar, and buys out a retiring vet. Business is slow so Ally also takes on dog walking and grooming. It’s while she’s on a dog walking job that she finds a dead body.

I really liked Ally, and her grandfather reminds me of Grandma Mauser from the Stephanie Plum series. He’s stubborn and determined to investigate no matter what. And there were enough plot twists to keep me interested. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Delighted to see this is the first of a new series. Terrific characters, young and old, animals galore and a clever murder mystery. Laura Scott is a new to me author and I am eager to read her other books as well as the next one in this series.

Synopsis:

In Laura Scott's Furry Friends series debut, veterinarian Ally Winter must collar the killer of a shifty lawyer. Does the dead man's dog know who committed the arf-ul crime?

Ally Winter is going through a ruff patch. The thirty-something veterinarian lost her fiance, her clinic, and her savings in rapid succession. So when Ally's grandfather undergoes hip replacement surgery, she moves back to Willow Bluff, Wisconsin, to care for him. She arrives home, tail between her legs, only to find sleazy lawyer Marty Shawlin murdered in his home office. And the only witness was Marty's faithful boxer, Roxy.

Quick as a greyhound, Noah Jorgensen is on the case. The good news is, he's the best detective around. The bad news, at least the way Ally sees it, is that Noah is still just as fetching as he was back in high school. He also just happens to have witnessed every embarrassing incident that befell accident-prone Ally--including the fire-ant attack that set tongues wagging and won her the unshakable nickname Hot Pants.

Meanwhile, true-crime aficionado Gramps fancies himself a sleuth, and he is doggedly determined to sniff out the culprit himself...with Ally's reluctant help, of course. Ally has no choice but to team up with Noah--and the irrepressible Roxy--to solve the case while keeping Gramps on a short leash.

Ally had better learn some new tricks, lickety-split. Because if she can't bring the killer to heel, she won't just be playing dead. (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. I enjoyed getting to meet all of the characters. You can tell how much Ally and her grandpa love each other and care for each other. We also got to meet the Willow Bluff Widows, the three elderly widows with whom her grandpa lives. The dynamics between them all was very funny. And Roxy was a cute addition to the story. After a while I got a little tired of hearing about how much Grandpa enjoyed mysteries and could not wait to investigate. Murder is nothing to play games with. That is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. And the fact that Ally was a vet held my interest and added another layer to the story. The writing style flows smoothly and the book was an easy read. The mystery was well developed and there were enough clues and suspects to consider.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

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

Good story and characters. The writing flowed well for me, which is important, but there were so many implausible things that made this hard to get through. Ally is a good vet, every keeps complimenting her, but she's not so good as a business person. I have a hard time believing she can solve a crime when she can't come up with simple ideas to drum up business (both require common sense). And the way the killer is finally caught <spoiler> he was waiting for her while she walked her dog well away from her house at a different time than normal?!!! </spoiler> defies logic. I will read the next one because I really loved Grandpa and the WBW but I hope these little issues are resolved.

#DoggedbyDeath #NetGalley

Ally’s Gramps was real good at this sleuthing thing and smooth-talking the ladies, including his granddaughter Ally. When Ally found her new client, who was also the guy, her grandfather had booted out of the assisted living home, lying dead in his house. Ally couldn’t ignore nor resist the scent of a mystery nor could her grandfather, and together they set to become the annoying duo, to the newly minted detective Ally’s former schoolmate who sets her heart racing. This has been an enjoyable and entertaining story, a lovely afternoon tea read.

Such a lovely cozy mystery! Exactly what I needed! I hope this series will continue and there will be many more books. I especially enjoyed the fact that the main sleuth is a vet, and I absolutely love her new boxer, Roxy. Another fantastic person is grandpa. So, exactly what a reader wants from a cozy mystery. Great characters, cozy little small town, quirky locals, and a murderer.

There are naturally a bit of romantic feelings going around, and I'm sure there will be lots of character development, even in this department. I have to say it has been awhile since I felt this intrigued by a first book in a new cozy series. Everything felt just right.

Ally's perfectly planned life has fallen apart, so she returns to her hometown to pick up the pieces and help care for her grandfather who is recovering from hip replacement surgery. When the town's sleazy lawyer is found dead in his home office, with only his boxer Roxy as witness, true-crime aficionado Gramps is determined to help the police identify the killer – whether they want his help or not.

This is the first book in the Furry Friends series, which I approached with more than a little distrust given the cutesy, overly pun-filled book blurbs I read on NetGalley, GoodReads and Amazon. Whoever wrote that blurb is not doing the book any favors, given that the book is well written and not at all as "cute" as the blurb would imply.

The setting seemed like most small town settings, where everyone knows everyone else's business, news spreads faster than a wildfire and your past stays with you for decades. I liked most of the characters, although Gramps' housemates left me hoping he would find other living arrangements, and liked the way Ally informed the police of every potential clue that Gramps dug up. There were plenty of suspects, which kept me guessing until just before the reveal in the book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

When your fiance runs off with a younger colleague taking most of the money out of the veterinary clinic you ran together what do you do? If you're Ally Winter you head back home to Willow Bluff to be near your beloved grandfather even though you do have a bit of an unwarranted reputation there. Accident prone as a child Ally is now a qualified veterinary practitioner and dog groomer. She is also doing dog walking to help make ends meet; which is where her problems start.

Calling at Marty Shawlin's home, to collect boxer dog Roxy for the first time, she is horrified to find the local lawyer dead with piles of paperwork scattered around his body. Her call to the police brings Detective Noah Jorgensen to the scene, who is still as devastatingly handsome as he was in high school when he witnessed all of her unfortunate mishaps.

Ally's grandpa is a true crime buff and sees no reason why he and his granddaughter can't solve this crime before Noah even gets started. With Ally trying to get her new veterinary business up and running as well as acting as her gramp's protector and chauffeur they begin their investigation unavoidably stepping on Noah's toes in the process. With a dangerous killer at large will the three of them need to work together, however reluctantly, to prevent more lives being lost?

This is a very enjoyable first book in a new series with a great cast of characters as well as numerous cute or needy animal co-stars. Ally is an original main protagonist and her technophobe gramps adds a humour to the storyline which works very well. His three widowed housemates all have designs on him and their efforts are really enjoyable.

With Detective Noah Jorgensen the voice of reason and Ally's clients as a chance to learn about the town she has returned to it is clear there is much scope for a great series of cosy crime novels in the near future. I will definitely be on the look out for more work by this author.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is an entertaining start to a series which shows great promise.

This was a well-written and fast-paced read that had me completely immersed in all facets of this delightfully charming debut series. The author did a fine job in staging this mystery with plenty of suspects and enough clues that helped solidify the identity of the killer. With visually descriptive narrative, the dialogue was engaging with a touch of humor, and the veterinary office was a perfect backdrop for this whodunit. This multi-generational cast of characters had pivotal roles that enhanced how well this story was being told. I enjoyed the relationship Ally has with her grandfather as well as her interactions with the other residents of Willow Bluff. Overall, this was a wonderfully crafted tale and I look forward to more adventures with Ally and her friends.

While I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher (via netgalley), all opinions remain my own.

I thought this was an adorable book. The struggles that people face when restarting their lives is REAL and this book seemed to hit reality pretty closely. The plus for this dog lover was that the animals are a big part of the story. I would totally read more books in this series. It was a quick, fun read that kept the pages turning easily.

What a fun story. Ally has come home to care for her grandfather and to get away from the fiasco of her former ex-fiancé and ex-business partner. Gramps is fun. He loves true crime and pulls Ally into his investigation. A shady lawyer is murdered and the only witness is his dog Roxy. Ally was taken the dog in until the lawyer's ex-wife claims the dog.

This was such an entertaining read. I love Gramps and all his "women friends" and the home where he lives. Ally is sweet and as a veterinarian, there are plenty of animals in the story. The Detective on the case is an old friend of Ally's and there is a bit of interest on both their sides of the relationship. As long as Ally can keep out of Noah's investigation and keep Gramps out of jail, she will be happy.

Great story and a fun setting--Ally's new Veterinarian clinic. The story is easy-to-read and kept me laughing. The mystery kept me turning the pages. For all readers who love a good cozy with lots of animals, this will be right up your alley.

What an enjoyable and entertaining cozy series debut! A Perfect cozy read for animal lovers.

Well-plotted mystery and the story kept me guessing till the end. The sleuthing pair - gramps and Ally - are a little odd. Both are stubborn and want to solve the case at any cost - the killer threatens Ally but she doesn't want to take no for an answer. Gramps is no better either, he argues with Noah (detective) and wants to prove he's better than the cops...

The ending is good. We have the good detective and Roxy come to Ally's rescue.

Dogged by Death is a fantastic start to the series and I am looking forward to knowing what's next for Ally and her gramps.

Thank you NetGalley, Laura Scott and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of Dogged by Death. This is my personal review.
I liked everything about this book. The characters, the location ,the mystery everything.
Dr. Ally Winter runs the Furry Friends Veterinary in Willow Creek, Wisconsin. The name of the business is fantastic. I could picture it as I was reading the name.
The murder mystery is one that kept me guessing as to what happened and why.
This was a great debut book in a new series. I am looking forward to reading more in the Furry Friends Mystery series.

This book was okay but the writing to me seemed a little rudimentary and I felt like the author got her character descriptors of "old man" straight from Ebenezer Scrooge. This character said "Bah!" so many times I kept waiting for the "humbug." Plus if he really had a hip replacement he shouldn't be having continued hip pain and needing an assistive device...

There were a lot of weird bits of the story that made the character of Ally Winter being a vet totally unbelievable. Her complete lack of knowledge of animal behavior including thinking a kitty swatting a dog is "traumatizing to the dog" made it clear the author is not familiar with the subject matter. It felt like a lot treatments were gleaned from Dr. Google and sprinkled throughout the book to hide inadequacy of the character.

The basic plot is a slimy lawyer turns up dead and it turns out he was swindling people out of money using a boo-hoo story about his ex-wife taking all his money in their divorce. He was praying on older people. This of course takes place in typical small-town cozy mystery fashion. Also true to cozy fashion is Ally is a woman scorned by her fiance/partner stealing all their money from their animal clinic and absconding to Mexico with a vet tech many years h is junior. It all felt very contrived and out of a "How to Write a Cozy Mystery for Beginners" book.

I gave it three stars because I was intrigued enough to stick out until the end to find out whodunit. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC so I would not waste hardcover price dollars on a subpar book.

This is the first book in the Furry Friends mystery series. Dr. Ally Winter has left her prosperous vet practice after her business partner and fiancé ran off with their assistant. She has moved back home to Wisconsin to help keep an eye on her Grandfather Who is healing from a broken hip and run her new (to her) vet clinic she used the last of her savings to purchased.

Ally expects things to be calm in WI, she was wrong. She finds sleazy lawyer Marty Shawlin murdered in his home office. And the only witness was Marty's faithful boxer, Roxy. The good news is Detect Noah Jorgensen is on the case..The bad news is that Noah saw every embarrassing incident from back in high school. She is also dealing with true-crime aficionado Gramps fancies himself a sleuth, and he is doggedly determined to sniff out the culprit himself. Ally has no choice but to team up with Noah--and the irrepressible Roxy--to solve the case while keeping Gramps on a short leash.

I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait to see what trouble Grandpa and Ally get into throughout the series!!

What a refreshing start to a most promising new series! A believable story and plot that has lots of twists and turns. Add in the furry friends and fall in love! Highly recommend you read this one! Thanks #netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Small town fun.

Dogged by Death is a fun and quirky read. Ally returns to town to help her Grandfather after he breaks a hip, she's also starting over after her world falls apart. Buying the local vet clinic after the owner retired she finds herself struggling as the resident pet owners seem resistant to change.

She opens up her services to include pet grooming, dog walking and boarding to try and pay the bills. Of course when she goes to walk Roxy, Ally stumbles across the dead body of Roxy's owner. What follows is a delightful adventure filled with charm and fun. I had a hard time deciding who was my favorite character. Oscar is the nosy grandfather who is obsessed with true crime and solving this mystery. We have our three widows that Oscar lives with, Harriet, Lydia and Tillie, each has their own charm and I hope we get to see more of them than just Harriet's cooking in following books. We also have the strong charm of Noah, a blast from Ally's past and the detective on the case.

Laura Scott writes a compelling story that draws readers in and keeps them entertained. We get a nice balance of seeing Ally's personal life without relying solely on it. I look forward to seeing her reconnect with old friends while exploring her budding connection with Noah.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this story. I voluntarily provided an honest review.

Dogged by Death, the first book in author Laura Scott's Furry Friends Mystery series was a really fun murder mystery! I really liked the concept of veterinarian Ally Winter partnering with her Grandpa to try to solve the case. The interaction between the two of them and Detective Noah Jorgensen was entertaining. I also got a kick out of the story from Ally's high school days where she sat on a fire ant nest and ended up in the water. When her old high school classmate Noah called her "Hot Pants' I laughed. Ally's new furry friend, Roxie the Boxer, added to my enjoyment of the story. I look forward to more Furry Friends mysteries.

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is the first book of a new series and the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last. Ally has come back home after her fiancé and business partner ran of with all their money and the vet tech. After her grandfather fell and broke his hip she decided it was better to stay close to him and bought out a retiring veterinarian's practice. Things are not going so well for Ally and then she finds the body of her newest client. If that was not bad enough Grandpa who is a bit obsessed with true crime has decided to investigate on his own. Along with trying to keep grandpa out of trouble, run her vet practice and keep her feelings for the cute detective in check Ally must solve the murder before she is next. A must read for cosy mystery readers.

Dogged by Death written by Laura Scott is an enjoyable outing as the first installment of A Furry Friends Mystery series.
Ally Winter has returned to her hometown of Willow Creek, Wisconsin where she has bought the local Veterinary practice. I appreciated the details about the (not always glamorous) day to day efforts of Ally to revive the business. Often amateur sleuths in these stories never seem to spend much time at their actual jobs.
While the mystery is not particularly strong in this introductory story, I loved all the other elements. Ally's partner in crime solving is her grandfather Oscar, and he is a delight in every way.
Ally reconnects with a few of her high school acquaintances and adopts an adorable Boxer named Roxy.
I am really looking forward to spending more time with all of these characters.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Publishing for an honest review.