A vet cozy mystery written by a vet? Yes please. The author writes with authenticity, which I enjoyed reading. It's the small details about the animals and their care that makes it authentic. Can this vet take care of the animals and prevent any more shenanigans from happening?

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
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Last But Not Leashed

by Eileen Brady

Dr. Kate has taken on the practice at Oak Falls Animal Hospital while the owner is on a year long vacation. She lives in a small, connected garage apartment which is very convenient in snowy weather. Dr. Kate has been well accepted and supported by the locals including Mari, her veterinary assistant, and Cindy, her office manager. Even her next door neighbor, Pinky, makes sure she is safe since she lives alone, and he keeps the snow plowed regularly in gratitude for her life saving veterinary services to his dog.

So many threads in this book! The plot involves rescue services for a sweet pit bull used as a “bait dog” but abandoned outside the hospital. Mari convinces Dr. Kate to attend organizing workshops with her where events turn deadly. Dr. Kate and Mari take their veterinary skills to customers who are unable or unwilling to bring their animals to the hospital including one wealthy film star tucked away in a a gorgeous but almost unreachable setting on a mountaintop. Why would she need two bodyguards inside her remote, gated compound? Even Bitcoins come into play in Last But Not Leashed.

The reader meets Oak Hills locals, and there are lots of interesting characters. Romantic standouts are Luke who is Kate’s boyfriend across the miles where he attends law school and Colin, an artist with enough charms to attract all the ladies of Oak Hills. Kate relies on her Gramps by phone for support and advice. Judy owns the town’s only café which makes it a favorite hang out and a good place to gather information. Posey, a night clerk at a convenience store, is writing a “kind of Edwardian, sci-fi vampire novel,” but could it hold clues to the crazy, real life murder plots?

This cozy mystery was a fun read and author Eileen Brady is a good storyteller. As an added benefit, Brady who is a veterinarian herself shares lots of interesting tidbits about various animals, their needs, care, and health issues. These facts are included non-intrusively and never overshadow the plot. Her character Dr. Kate is likable and has a genuine compassion for her patients and their owners. I recommend this mystery for those readers who love cozies, animals, and stories centered around veterinary medicine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Fiction, Mystery

Notes: #2 in the Dr. Kate Vet Mystery Series. I had not read #1 in the series so I can attest that it works well as a standalone.

Publication: September 6, 2022—Poisoned Pen Press

Memorable Lines:

“People love all the shapes and sizes of dogs. It’s only with our fellow humans that we are so judgmental and critical in unproductive ways.”

My food choice for lunch had hit a new low—a pint of fudge ripple ice cream and a diet soda. Both of my coworkers watched sympathetically as I tried to eat my way to a little happiness. We all knew that never worked, but it sure tasted good.

After working in an animal hospital for twenty years, Cindy had an iron stomach, nerves of steel, and could charm a frightened cat from a tree.

This book was very enjoyable, a great mix of cozy and mystery! I really loved the characters, and it kept my interest. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!!

Last But Not Leashed by Eileen Brady

As the only vet at Oak Falls Animal Hospital, Dr. Kate’s life is complicated. Winter storms hit the Hudson Valley. She is swamped with patients and house calls and her long distance relationship with a law student, Luke Gianetti,

This was a good,cosy mystery. I enjoyed reading about the animal hospital and its patients. I liked their stories. I could have done without the organizational lectures. The book was well-written with lovely characters. I rercommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

While I enjoyed this one more than the first one in the series. I'm still not clicking with the heroine. And when your reading a cozy mystery series you need to like the heroine or at least understand them. Because they are the main character who's head you as the reader are in while reading the book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. This was a good cozy mystery. Kate is a veterinarian in a small town in the Hudson Valley of New York. She finds a dead body and tries to solve the murder. She has help from her two colleagues. The mystery itself was a typical cozy mystery. It was easy to solve. The author set the scene with descriptions of the town and weather that made me feel like I was actually there. If you are looking for a quick cozy mystery, this book is definitely it.

This is book 2 in the Dr. Kate Vet Mysteries series. It can be read as a stand alone, I did not read book 1. Kate has moved to the Hudson Valley to run the only Vet clinic in the area while the Dr. is on vacation. She signed up for a year and is in the middle of a New York winter. She is attending a series of lectures on organizing your home and life. When the lecturer is killed Kate decides to investigate. There is quite a list of potential killers and someone doesn't want to be discovered. This is a good story with a little insight into a rural Vet's day. Love the dog characters as well as Kate's friends.

Last but Not Leashed
By Eileen Brady

A veterinary cozy mystery you say? Oh it's such a fun fun read I adored. I need to be sure to read the first book as well, though honestly I did not realize that this was book two of a series. So if anyone asks this worked as a wonderful standalone cozy mystery. I loved the character of Dr. Kate Turner, as the only vet in Oak Falls, now stumbling upon a body then another. her sleuthing skills, strong character, and her kind heart really warmed up to me. I love a character in the medical field being a nurse, I really enjoyed that aspect of the read in my characters. Overall, LAT BUT NOT LEASHED is a wonderful cozy mystery with amazing plotting and a great whodunnit that I had a hard time putting my finger on. The read was simply fantastic and enjoyable.

This book started off well with a good story line and some interesting sub-plots. Then it just got weird. I had a very strong suspicion of who the killer was early on. Some of the ideas were just too out there to work with the rest of the story. I liked it, but the book could have been so much better.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Those of us who live in Northern climes can attest to the difficulties that snow storms can create. Kate is super busy as she tries her best to keep up with the demands on her clinic. She has other things on her mind as well. She wonders what is going on with her long distance romance and where her professional future lies as well.

When a professional organizer is murdered her husband is considered the prime suspect but the more Kate learns about the woman, the more she realizes the deceased’s life was not nearly as organized as her closets. If it isn’t her assistant or her husband, who else had beefs with the lady… enough to kill her.

Lots of twists and turns and of course, the animals come to the rescue every time. Four purrs and two paws up.

Last But Not Leashed
Dr. Kate Vet Mysteries, Book #2
Eileen Brady
5 Stars

Synopsis:

"A pleasing mélange of mystery and pet lore." — Kirkus Reviews
In the second installment of this animal-themed cozy series, Dr. Kate Turner has one New Year's resolution: Stop finding corpses...
All Dr. Kate Turner wants to do is get her life in order before ringing in the new year, but with bodies turning up left and right, she'll have to trust her own instincts—and those of her beloved animals—to stop a killer in their tracks.
As the only veterinarian at Oak Falls Animal Hospital, Dr. Kate's life is complicated. She's swamped with hospital patients and house calls, a long-distance relationship with law student Luke Gianetti (that is less than perfect), and a handsome, flirtatious artist who sets his sights on her as his new muse.
When the body of Sookie Overmann is found outside the community center after her organization seminar, the entire town is hunting for answers. All of Kates hopes of quietly ringing in the new year are lost and when the body of Sookie's assistant falls with the confetti at midnight, she has no choice but to sniff out the killer. (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well plotted and well developed. Kate and her friends attend an organization seminar but when it is over the speaker of the seminar is found dead. When another person is murdered Kate and her friends decide to try to figure out who the murderer is. But it will not be easy.

Kate and her coworkers get along really well and I really enjoyed them. I liked that Kate is a veterinarian and all that entails. And the animals were a big plus.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and they kept me engaged throughout the book. The mystery was well plotted and you need to be a good armchair detective to figure it out.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to see what trouble Kate and her coworkers get into next.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Veterinarian Kate Turner is still filling in for another vet and has become quite comfortable at the job. She has become friends with Cindy, the office manager, and Mari the vet assistant, so when they invited her along to the community center for an organization seminar she agrees to tag along. But as she is leaving the event she finds the seminar instructor Sookie Overmann dead in the bushes. Then on New Year’s Eve, another person falls to her death at a community party. The death was ruled a suicide but Kate knows the deaths have to be connected. Sookie wasn’t a nice person but who hated her enough to want her dead? Her husband? A client? and how does a Circle K cashier fit into the picture? Kate is determined to find out but her amateur sleuthing puts a target on her back. so much so that she temporarily welcomes one of Mari’s Rottweilers, Desi who had Schutzhund training into her home.

Kate Turner is a great protagonist who had some tragedy in her past. She is getting very comfortable in Oak Falls but trying to keep up a long-term relationship with her boyfriend is tough. I was happy to see that the office relationship between Kate, Mari, and Cindy has evolved into true friendships. It is also good when a friend has an in with the chief of police. Cindy happens to be his sister-in-law and she can get all kinds of information from him when needed. I do wish I would have read the previous series featuring Kate. I do feel I got to know her better with this story but I still want more details.

While all the human characters are well crafted, it is the canine characters that steal the show, Kate rescued Buddy, a King Charles spaniel, he is not much of a watchdog, but he sure sniffed out the injured dog someone left by the dumpster. Mr. Pitt, named by Mari, was badly injured, clearly a victim of a dog fight. It just broke my heart that people could treat an animal so horribly. Little Man, a grumpy usually costumed Chihuahua who ended up staying with Kate while his owner goes on a trip. And then there was Desi, a Rottweiler that belongs to Mari but moved in to protect Kate until the killer is caught. I love the way the author gives them each a unique personality. They also play a key role in the story and that always makes me smile.

The mystery was very well-plotted. Kate’s inquisitive nature has her digging into the crimes. She gets some help from a woman with a unique talent in hopes of moving the investigation ahead. Cindy keeps pushing Kate and does her best to get her info from her brother-in-law. I thought I was on track and hooked my leash to the right suspect but I was only half right. I love the ending, it was exciting and a very satisfying end to this book.

Last but not Leashed is a splendid addition to this series. It is well-written with some nice twists and interesting characters including those of the animal variety. I look forward to the next installment.

Last But Not Leashed by Eileen Brady is the second in the Dr. Kate Vet mysteries and I hope there are many more to come. The mix of the Vet practice and a nice murder or two is the perfect combination. A welcome addition to the cozy genre.

Who doesn’t love a pet vet moment? The book was enjoyable but I was looking for some more depth in the protagonist. Thank you for allowing me to give my honest review.

I've enjoyed the other books by Eileen and this one was just as good. I already knew and connected with most of the characters. I love all of the animals and I feel like the author does a great job depicting what some of the real events might be like for a veterinarian while also bringing humor into the story. There was a lot going on in this story but I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next book.

It’s almost New Year’s and Dr. Kate Turner has her resolution ready. Stop finding corpses!

She’s filling in for the regular veterinarian who’s on a world cruise for a year. As the only vet at the animal hospital, she sees patients there and makes house calls for owners unable to bring their pets in or pets who are reluctant to leave home. It doesn’t leave much time for Kate’s long-distance romance with Luke, for grocery shopping, or cleaning her apartment which is attached to the clinic and rent-free.

The community center is hosting a series of lectures on home organization so Kate agrees to go with Mari, her co-worker, to see what she can learn to make life easier. That plan would have gone smoother if Kate hadn’t discovered the body of the lecturer in the bushes when they leave for home. Before anyone can figure out what happened, in lieu of the mirror ball dropping at midnight New Year’s Eve, a body falls from an overhead catwalk.

The second victim left behind a series of composition notebooks trying to write an Edwardian age romantic mystery novel with vampires and aliens who never seem to show up. Kate rescues the notebooks from the trash and hopes to find a clue or two in the pages. Mostly she finds badly written love scenes between the vampire and the female lead character. Before long, a pattern does emerge that give Kate vague ideas of who the culprit might be.

In her own love life, Luke isn’t being as attentive as a boyfriend should be, even when he visits. Kate gets more attention from Mr. Pitt, a pit bull left anonymously at the hospital. Then there’s Little Man, a Chihuahua whose owner spoils him completely. He’s a…charmer.

This is book two in the series and the first one I’ve read. Saddled with Murder was the first book. Kate is a sensible woman, loves animals, and does her best for them. Her personal life is more of a mess. With side characters like Mari and Cindy in the office, the clients Kate sees, and good neighbors, readers can only hope the traveling veterinarian sells his practice to Kate so we can follow more of her adventures.

To enter to win a copy of Last But Not Leashed, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "leashed,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 24, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Oh my I LOVED this!! The story is very well-written and twists subplots together with a unputdownable mystery. The whodunit fro sure took me by surprise! I thought the author had a great and easy to read writing stable and I enjoyed the overall themes in the book. I want to read more by this author!

Quick thoughts:
LIKES - I really enjoyed this book! I liked that the plot was multi-dimensional, with various subplots along the way! I was guessing what the outcome would be until the very end! I also loved that Dr. Kate was such a strong female main character!

DISLIKES - Nothing!

Read if you like:
*dogs!
*a strong female main character
*a delightful winter setting
*lots of twists and turns
*a book that is part of a series, but can also be read as a stand alone

(4.5/5 stars)

This was a great book! I haven't read a cozy that had to do a vet before - as there are a lot of cozy books out there that have to do with animals/pets. This was a fun read - the characters are great, the concepts were well thought out and I liked the environment.

Kate Turner is a solo temporary vet in Oak Falls in Upstate New York. She runs the vet practice with a vet tech and a receptionist. That means she is super busy treating all sorts of animals, not just the family dog or cat. (WARNING: I don't want to trigger anybody as is is disturbing but there is an abandoned and injured Pit Bull who does recover and Kate names him Mr. Pitt.)
One night she and her vet tech, Mari, attend a presentation on organizing. As Kate leaves the venue she discovers the dead body of Sookie, the woman who had been the presenter. Sookie and her husband are estranged but not divorced. Following the old stand by - look at the spouse - the police do just that. Kate isn't so sure about that after getting to know him when she treats their cat. When a second woman is killed it gets very interesting. Sookie had cleared out their funds and may have been ready to do a runner. Might that have something to do with the other killing?
As in every cozy the amateur sleuth outwits the local police, this time with the help of a friend who is sharing inside info from the police dept. and Rainbow, a computer whiz. The puzzle kept my interest and the ending was satisfying. If you haven't read the first in the series, Saddled with Murder, this works fine as a stand alone.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.