A Good Dog's Guide to Murder is the 8th Paws & Claws cozy mystery by Krista Davis. Released 6th Sept 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in mass market paperback, library binding, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a cute pet-friendly small-town bookish cozy with an appealingly eccentric cast of characters of both the two- and four-legged variety. Main protagonist Holly has a lot on her plate (literally and figuratively): she's dealing with her mom moving back to Wagtail, arranging the local gingerbread house contest, managing the Wagtail Inn during the busy holiday season, oh, and helping solve a murder uncovered by her suspiciously intelligent pets.

It's a cozy so the language is clean and the violence happens off-page. The author has included bonus recipes at the back of the book which are appealing and even include a few for pets (clearly specified in each recipe). The mystery is self contained in this book so it works pretty well as a standalone. There are currently 8 books extant in the series, making it a good choice for a long binge- or buddy-read. 

Four stars. Recommended for fans of light small-town cozies featuring lightly anthropomorphic intelligent pets helping solve crimes. Fans of Jenn McKinlay, Ellery Adams, and Laurie Cass will likely already have this series on their radar, but if not, it's well worth a look.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is book 8 in the Paws and Claws cozy series. Wagtail, Va is hosting a Gingerbread Cat and Dog House competition and everyone is enjoying the thrust of tourism. When a historic tree drops a large limb they discover the tree has been filled with concrete and there is a body inside. Holly notices that Trixie and Twinkletoes are called upon to help the police solve the old mystery. There are several missing persons from 20 years ago but they are having a hard time identifying the body. Lots of mysteries solved including the dead body. A cute series with a town that is everything cat and dog.

A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder
By Krista Davis
Berkley
September 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s the winter holiday season for Wagtail, Virginia, and the pet-centric, pet-friendly tourist attracting town is celebrating with their Christkindlmarket and its annual Wagtail Dog and Cat Gingerbread House Contest. A partner with her Oma in their pet-welcoming Sugar Maple Inn, Holly Miller is enjoying the influx of guests and growth of town business. A new convention center has just been built and is about to open when an old oak tree on the property breaks, sparking controversy over the previous owner’s will which forbade it ever being cut down. Suspicion over cranky Orly Biffle’s motives for his codicil quickly arises when they find shoes cemented inside of the dying tree, shoes that happen to be attached to a human body.

Holly takes on the responsibility of sifting through the Missing Persons reports as she attempts to discern the identity of the body, eventually narrowing down the list of probables to that of Boomer Jenkins. Their “Fonzie” fled town on a motorcycle 20 years ago, leaving behind a number of broken hearts, jilted fiancées, angry parents, and jealous rivals. His connections to Wagtail residents overlap with a number of Biffle family members and local residents, all of whom either loved or hated him outright. An attack on Holly’s boyfriend Holmes has her assessing her priorities, especially when her own mother unexpectedly arrives in town. Along with the news that her second marriage is ending, Nell DuPuy announces that has come to Holly and Wagtail’s adorable hobbit-like homes and pet-welcoming community with plans on moving in and bringing along Holly’s maternal grandparents. Holly’s previous successful ventures into murder investigations have her working alongside the police as they narrow down suspects, track down a missing young gingerbread baker, and of course ensure that everyone and their fur babies have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Having sniffed out an inordinate number of dead bodies, it only makes sense that Jack Russell Terrier Trixie would have her own guide advising fellow canines on how to best sniff out crime and assist their humans in solving murders. In this 8th of the series, the adorable short columns from Trixie’s viewpoint are interspersed throughout, with her providing her viewpoint on scent tracking and how to pick out nefarious culprits. It’s Holly’s feline Twinkletoes who ultimately comes to the rescue in a rather dramatic fashion though, culminating in a conclusion that is satisfying for those who like their criminals to be unlikable and deserving punishment. This is a delightful holiday read for those who love to indulge their pets, as there is an abundance of recipes and many scenes depicting the bond between humans and their companions. Holly’s family is genuinely likable and engaging, with even her irritable Aunt Birdie showing affection during the admittedly stressful season that brings people together. Pet and human recipes, gingerbread houses, and good old-fashioned sleuthing make this the perfect gift to give and receive during the holiday season.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

There is always something fun happening in Wagtail, Virginia, the idyllic fictional town that caters to visitors and their pets.

For Thanksgiving, the Great Gingerbread Dog and Cat House has come to town and the Sugar Maple Inn has a full house. Holly, Oma Liesel, Zelda, Mr. Huckle, Gingersnap, Twinkletoes, and Trixie are thrilled to welcome everyone. They are surprised that Holly’s mom has come for a visit but have no trouble finding a place for her to stay.

The competition is taking place at the new convention center. The land for the center was bequeathed to Wagtail will only one stipulation. They can’t cut down the big oak tree on the property. His children are hoping they will break the clause by cutting down the tree and then the property would revert to them. But it seems that big old tree was ready to go. First, it loses a large limb which has Trixie and Twinkletoes dancing around like there is a body in the tree. Then, when the roots are loosened, it falls over all on its own revealing a pair of shoes presumably attached to a body. Those animals are rarely wrong.

Assuming that is why Orly didn’t want the tree removed, they now have to figure out who is buried in the trunk and who was involved in putting them there. Holly steps right up to help Officer Dave solve the mysteries.

I love this series! Holly, Oma Liesel, Zelda, Mr. Huckle, Gingersnap, Twinkletoes, and Trixie are like old friends that I am always delighted to visit. They are genuine and have huge hearts. They love welcoming new people to town and always try to see the good in people. I love that the pets play a huge role in each story. This time Trixie really gets to shine with A Guide to Murder told from her point of view. After all the bodies she has found she is definitely an expert on the subject.

In addition to the body in the tree, there is another murder later in the story. Are these deaths connected? Are there two killers walking around Wagtail? There are also some surprising twists that really kept this reader totally engaged. I loved following along with Holly as she worked through the list of missing persons that could be the corpse in the tree. It really was a complex mystery with a lot of details to work through. I was kept guessing until the very end.

I always look forward to the food prepared at the Inn and other restaurants for humans, canines, and felines and that several recipes are included at the end of the book.

A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder is a wonderful cozy mystery for the holiday season. The gingerbread competition, the Thanksgiving meal, the Christkindl Market, and decorating for Christmas all together with a mystery that is so well-plotted and written is a real treat to read.

While the murder mysteries are wrapped up by the end of the story, Ms. Davis adds a little surprise at the end of the story, and it seems there are some interesting times ahead for my friends in Wagtail. All have me very excited for Book #9.

This is the eighth book in the Paws and Claws mystery series.
The resident's of Wagtail,Virginia love pets and many of the visitors to this mountainous town are bringing dog and cat gingerbread houses to be judged in the contest at the new convention center.
Cookies,cookies,cookies. Want a cookie? There are cookies galore being baked in Wagtail this Thanksgiving holiday for the great Gingerbread Dog & Cat House competition but you better make sure your cookie doesn't have poison in it.
There is another mystery for Holly and her supersmart Jack Russell terrier Trixie to solve. We also get an insight into Trixie's almost human way of thinking and what she wishes us humans knew. Now that is one smart dog. I'll have to say my favorite characters are Holly's, dog Trixie and cat Twinkletoes.
When a dying tree just has to come down a body is found inside encased in concrete.
Holly and Officer Dave do some sleuthing, going through the list of town's folk who have disappeared and were not heard from again. The accusations begin and the suspect list continues to grow as the story goes on. Surprising ending. This series is great and I look forward to the next in the series.

Pub Date: 06 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Enjoyable cozy mystery with fun loving tips given by the pets at the end of the chapters. Fun holiday story. Will help lovers of the holidays get in the mood with the descriptions of the festive holiday preparations.

I have loved this series ever since the first book came out in 2013! Fun characters, cute pets, fun background premise, excellent amateur sleuthing -- perfect set up for an excellent and entertaining cozy series!

A Good Dog's Guide to Murder is the 8th book in the Paws & Claws Mystery series. This time the citizens of Wagtail, VA are all excited because the Gingerbread Dog & Cat House contest is coming to town over Thanksgiving! The event is enough to overshadow a slight kerfuffle over the new convention center. A Wagtail resident gifted the land to the city, and his relatives are a little upset over not getting the property themselves. The whole thing becomes a lot more serious when......you guessed it.....a dead body is found in a very strange place. Will a murder ruin Thanksgiving in Wagtail??

Loved this book! This series never disappoints me! Favorite characters? Trixie and Twinkletoes, of course! I love the idea of a tourist town that caters to pets. I would vacation there, if it were a real place! Very entertaining read. Definitely going to continue reading this series until the very last book!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing and then bought my own copy when it came out! Love this series! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

Krista Davis is back with another fantastic cozy mystery! Hotel manager, Holly, is just trying to enjoy her thanksgiving and a surprise visit from her mom when a body shows up inside a tree. The book returns to the picturesque pet loving town of wagtail for more cozy fun and mystery. The descriptions of food and atmosphere make you want to just jump right in to the story. The pacing and side plots were interesting and engaging to the reader. Overall this is definitely one of my favorite additions to the series so far. I had a chance to listen to part of the audiobook and it was done quite well. I hope everyone gets a chance to read this series. Thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced reading copy of this book to me for review.

A GOOD DOG’S GUIDE TO MURDER is the eighth book in the Paws & Claws Mystery series by Krista Davis. This adorable pet-themed cozy mystery hits the mark for cuteness, a clever plot, and loveable characters, be they human or four-legged friends. Set in the delightful town of Wagtail, Virginia (oh how I wish it were an actual location!) protagonist Holly and her grandmother, Liesel, are co-owners of the Sugar Maple Inn. It’s Thanksgiving time and the town is bustling with activities, including a pet-themed gingerbread house competition, which keeps the pair hopping. The holiday festivities are going perfectly when a body encased in concrete is found in a dying tree at the competition site. Is the body someone local, or could it be a drifter who’d met their demise? Holly and her dog, Trixie, are pulled into the intrigue and I appreciate Holly is a gentle interviewer, asking questions and listening to gossip to find answers. The story effortlessly flows between the fun events, the visitors, the locals, and the cold case murder mystery. Unique to this book, beginning each chapter, are several paragraphs from “Trixie’s Guide to Murder”. Told from Holly’s dog’s perspective on how to find bodies and then help your human solve the murder, the addition is quite charming and informative. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-thought out cozy mystery with enjoyable and memorable characters!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanksgiving is coming to the pet-loving town of Wagtail, Virginia! With the holiday comes their annual Dog and Cat Gingerbread House Contest, drawing dozens of entrants from all over the country with its lucrative cash prizes. This year, the competition will be held in the newly built convention center, on land bequeathed to the town by late local curmudgeon Orly Biffle. His one proviso for the gift was for a particular oak tree to be kept intact on the grounds, a clause the nature-loving residents of Wagtail have been more than happy to respect.

That changes when the mighty oak begins shedding limbs in a manner that could very well endanger the safety of any passerby, a significant risk given the amount of foot traffic expected at the convention center. Orly’s children, who were unexpectedly cut out of his will, are thrilled at the prospect of Mayor Liesl Miller violating the maintenance clause, as ownership of the valuable parcel of land would then revert to them. But any legal tussle is brought to a screeching halt when a body is discovered hidden within the oak tree itself.

Holly Miller, Liesl’s granddaughter, volunteers to help Wagtail’s sole police officer collect the statements of anyone who thinks the John Doe might be a missing loved one. This is made easier by the fact that her hotel, the Sugar Maple Inn, happens to be a central location for their town. She’s quickly surprised by the number of local disappearances reported, as well as by the number of scandals associated with the missing men. But when someone starts attacking her own loved ones, in a seeming warning for her to stop looking into the issue, she knows she’ll have to work fast not only to solve the cold case but also to help keep herself, her friends and her family safe.

This was another satisfying installment of the Paws & Claws mystery series, chock full of diverting subplots that handily obscure the identity of the killer until the big reveal. I especially loved the major new development in Holly’s personal life: the reappearance of her mother Nell, who’s thinking about moving back to Wagtail after years in California. But I was perhaps most charmed by the inclusion of little notes from Trixie, Holly’s beloved dog, on how to sniff out murder victims and, even more importantly, bring them to the attention of your owners (or parents, as Trixie adorably calls them.) This was a very entertaining mystery that is an absolute must for pet lovers.

There were nine recipes included here, many of them pet-friendly, with notes on possible issues to do with cross-species consumption. As I felt I’d had enough of baking for a while, I decided to make this stovetop treat for humans, that pets can snack on a little bit of too:

QUOTE
Pumpkin French Toast

4 large eggs
½ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
½ cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
8 ½-inch thick slices challah
Canola oil
Maple syrup for serving

Combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Lay the bread slices in a large, rimmed baking pan and pour the pumpkin mixture over them. Flip the bread to cover on both sides. Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add roughly ½ teaspoon canola oil. Place a couple of bread slices in this skillet with space between them and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Repeat with the remaining slices, adding oil and lowering the temperature as needed.

Serve with maple syrup.
END QUOTE

With the weather getting cooler in the northern hemisphere and (at least my) thoughts turning to fall flavors, this is the perfect way to infuse a little seasonal magic into your breakfast. The pumpkin seems to counterbalance the denseness of the French toast with a refreshing lightness, flavor-wise. You do have to dredge the bread a bit in the puree mix to get a good coating but it comes out perfectly, almost dessert-like. I’ll definitely be making this again for family breakfasts!

Next week, we travel to another dog-loving occasion that turns surprisingly murderous, while whipping up one of the best composed salads I’ve ever tasted. Do join me!

Chock full of cozy Thanksgiving and Christmas vibes, I really enjoy this series and secretly wish Wagtail was a real place. Some good plot development which I think will lead to some good storylines in the next books, I always look forward to the next instalment in this series!

I had so much fun catching up with my friends in Wagtail. Imagine a town dedicated to your four legged friends.
Holly is a fun character and it was so much fun to have her mom be such a big part of the story.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
#AGoodDogsGuidetoMurder #NetGalley

This was a great mystery with lots of twists and turns and several unexpected events. I enjoy the incorporation of the different animals in each book, making this a fun and unique series.

This was such a fun read! I love the idea of pet friendly Wagtail and all the fun events centered around the dogs and cats. The community was entertaining with lots of likable townspeople but a few unlikable ones just to keep things interesting. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end and the reveal was quite a surprise.

I was a bit concerned coming in on the 8th book of the series but I had no problem figuring out the whos, whats, and whys of the characters and their relationships to each other. As well, I'm not a huge fan of talking pets but I liked how the author gave us little bits of Trixie's thoughts between chapters so we were able to get to know her personality but it didn't take over the story.

This is a fun cozy mystery with a likable main character and a fun premise. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in Wagtail!

I absolutely loved this book! From Trixie and Twinkletoes' mischief at the gingerbread contest to Twinkletoes' assistance with the showdown, it was everything I've come to love in a cozy AND about the town of Wagtail itself. It always makes me wish it was real and I could visit there with my dog!

There was an old murder case to solve but it wasn't long before another new one popped up as well as attempts on a few people's lives. It had everyone including Officer Dave wondering who the heck this crazy killer was, and did all these present day shenanigans have anything to do with the body in the tree?

I really like Holly's mom and the fact that the two of them get along great together. She seemed interested in moving to Wagtail, so it should be fun for Holly to have her around--as long as she doesn't bug her too much about hurrying up and giving her some grandbabies! ;) Nina did seem pretty happy with her furry grandkids for the moment.

Speaking of grandbabies, the sweetest couple in town (aside from Holmes and Holly) got the best surprise. I'm not gonna say a word about what it was, but I thought it was so darn awesome with how things turned out for their little family. And what better time for something good to happen for a family than at Christmas.

The body in the tree did get some closure as well as someone was caught for the present day murder. I can't wait to see what my fave characters get into in the next book! Always such a fun visit that I never want to come home from!

I couldn't possibly leave out the cute excerpts written from Trixie's viewpoint, hence the guidebook to murder reference. She has a few paragraphs every several chapters or so and it's just cute and hilarious how she lets her fellow pets in on all her expert tracking secrets. After eight murder adventures, I'd say Trixie's pretty well qualified to write a little guide like that! Even Officer Dave admits her corpse-sniffing nose works like nothing else. It's not always corpses though. She can detect pretty much any trouble.

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

I loved my return to Wagtail in this Thanksgiving time mystery. There was an extra twist in this one because it's unclear who the victim is, what happened or even when. That made it even more difficult to guess the murderer, but more fun to piece everything together with Holly. I so love being back in Wagtail and am always so impressed by how pet friendly it is and imagining a town surrounded by furry companions (even at dinner, which is adorable). There were festive touches such as a gingerbread contest, Thanksgiving meal, and decorating for Christmas that made it the perfect fall read. There were some especially sad parts that had me feeling so sympathetic and worried at the same time (no spoilers). This book kept me guessing with so many surprises and I loved the ending! I can't wait to return to Wagtail again.

A cute cozy mystery in a pet friendly setting. The story takes place in Wagtail, VA at the pet friendly Sugar Maple Inn. The murder is done very creatively, and the murderer’s identity is carefully hidden. I loved that the chapter openings are written by a dog! Lots of delicious food descriptions too. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder by Krista Davis was a delight to read. It is the 8th A Paws and Claws Mystery. It can be read on its own, but you will be missing out on a great series. I like Krista Davis’s writing style (friendly, relaxed, engaging). I was quickly drawn into the story, and I did not want the tale to end. I love visiting Wagtail. It is a charming town with friendly residents and pet friendly places. I just love that the pets can go everywhere (except the kitchens of the restaurants). It is Thanksgiving week which means an influx of tourists to the cozy mountain town. The gingerbread competition is being held at the new convention center. When a large branch falls off the tree in front of the convention center, it is cause for concern. They learn that the tree is rotten and needs to come down. Unfortunately, Orly’s will (the man who left them land) specified that his tree could not be chopped down by the town. When the tree is bulldozed, they discover why Orly did not want the tree removed. They find two shoes sticking out the bottom and those shoes have feet in them. Holly soon learns that a number of people have gone missing from Wagtail over the years. Holly works on narrowing down the list so she can identify the victim. She also does some sleuthing with help from her Jack Russell companion who has a nose for murder. I enjoyed this whodunit. It was a fun one to follow and solve. It was complex with some surprises along the way. I liked the various events that happened (kept things lively). I love how Trixie helps with the investigation. I loved the chapters from Trixie’s point of view. They were entertaining. Holly’s mother is in town, and she has some unforeseen news for Holly and Oma. There is a delightful surprise at the end of the book. I loved the holiday atmosphere with Thanksgiving and the Christkindl Market (reminded me of my childhood in German Village). I did not want A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder to end. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder is a charming cozy with a gingerbread challenge, convention center conundrum, multiple missing people, an enhanced canine sniffer, a family visitor, and a happy holiday.

This is a cozy mystery. It's the 8th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this story, and this book didn't spoil the previous ones. The short chapters from the dog's viewpoint added nothing to the story and could have been easily cut.

The mystery was clue-based. Holly gathered information about missing people and narrowed down who might be the murdered man in the tree. She asked questions about relationships and possible motives. The critical clues needed to determine whodunit were not provided until the end, so it's not really a puzzle mystery. The characters were interesting and engaging. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun mystery.

I have enjoyed each book in this series and look forward to each visit to Wagtail, a pet friendly town in the mountains of Virginia. The town sounds so idyllic with all of the stores and restaurants allowing pets inside and even having special treats and meals for them. In the latest book Wagtail has a new convention center and their first event is a dog and cat gingerbread house competition. Also Thanksgiving and the Christkindl Market on the Green are happening. When a body is discovered inside of an old tree everyone is talking to Holly about people that disappeared long ago and have never been heard of again. She narrows the list down to three possibilities for Officer Dave and the sleuthing begins. The suspect list continued to grow throughout the story and I was surprised by the ending. I can't wait to see what will happen next in Wagtail.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.