This is book 9 in the Paws and Claws series. It could be read as a stand alone but the whole series is a fun read. Holly is still running the Sugar Maple Inn and getting ready to celebrate her grandmothers birthday. When a strange dog ends up in her bed she discovers her cousin Josh camping nearby. When a dead body turns up in his tent Holly and her pets have to investigate if he's going to be attending the party.

The Dog Across the Lake: A Paws & Claws Mystery
By Krista Davis
Berkley
January 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

As the owner of the Sugar Maple Inn in the town of Wagtail, Virginia, Holly Miller is used to being surrounded by a huge assortment of four-legged friends. After all, Wagtail Mountain has established itself as a place that caters to everything human companions could ever need, from specialized veterinarians to clothing stores and restaurants. What Holly didn’t expect was to wake up with a strange dog in her bed, although it is followed by the far more delightful surprise upon recognizing that Radar belongs to her cousin Joshua Paxton. Josh is keeping his arrival in Wagtail a secret in order to surprise their Oma Liesel Miller for her birthday, despite her declarations that she doesn’t want to make a big deal out of her upcoming birthday. To keep the surprise Joshua is camping out in the woods with Radar and a new girlfriend, who has her own reasons for wanting to keep their presence hidden. When Holly has to once again return a straying Radar to their campsite she has the unpleasant experience of finding not Josh or Dana, but the body of one of the Inn’s guests instead.

As much as Holly might prefer to let the police handle the matter, a cloud of suspicion now hovers over both the Inn and her family. Complicating matters is the unexpected arrival of Holly’s father, not only because he too is accompanied by a new female companion, but because it is not his second wife. Holly’s step-brother and step-sister are less than thrilled with the new situation, but Holly’s mother Nell DuPuy Miller Goodwin has since moved on and has the most mature and welcoming reaction. The clingy Carole Hobson doesn’t do much to endear herself to the family nor to Wagtail itself, especially since she seems to have no affection for the pets that are central to the town’s existence. Cryptocurrency, multiple cases of stalking, and the upcoming birthday celebration all put a deadline on Holly’s investigation.

This 9th in the series makes it easy for new readers to jump in by introducing new characters who may also be unfamiliar even to longtime fans. The relationship between Holly’s parents is complicated but realistic, and readers will quickly grow invested in seeing how it develops. Holly’s own romance with Holmes Richardson is going along smoothly, and theirs is but one of the multi-generational flirtations simmering in Wagtail. Animal lovers will of course appreciate the devotion given to the non-human guests and residents, with human and dog-friendly recipes included at the end. This is the embodiment of a perfect cozy mystery series that continues to evolve and tackle timely themes and topics. Holly and her human and her many four-legged friends delight with their good humor, clever banter, and dedication to helping all those in need.

THE DOG ACROSS THE LAKE is the ninth book in the Paws & Claws Mysteries by Krista Davis. This is one of my favorite series! You can always count on each book to be filled with kindness, adorable dogs and cats, a charming pet-friendly mountain village, and an intriguing mystery to solve alongside protagonist, Holly Miller. In this newest book, friends and family are gathering in Wagtail and the Sugar Maple Inn (which Holly runs with her grandmother, Oma) to surprise Oma with a birthday celebration. I think one of my favorite things about this story (aside from the crafty plot) is we get to see Holly’s family and extended family all in one place. It gives the reader the opportunity to get to really know them as they respond to a crisis. I especially admired Holly’s relationship with her half-siblings and where you might expect angst, there is only acceptance and kindheartedness. I found I wanted to immerse myself in all the social gatherings and spend time with Holly, her family, her friends, and pets, Trixie, Gingersnap, Twinkletoes, and Radar.

But, of course, a murderer has to go spoil the happy gathering which puts Holly’s cousin, Josh, and his girlfriend, Dana, at the top of the police suspect list. Oh my goodness, so many twists and turns, secrets and lies, in this cleverly crafted story. It kept me on my toes and kept me glued to the pages to find out what happened next. Since Holly hadn’t seen Josh since childhood, all sorts of doubts about his innocence come into play. You hate to think the worst of family… yet, sometimes they can change. This added a layer of emotion to the story, which added to the appeal. I also liked how Holly and Officer Dave work together to solve the mystery and worked together to save the town from a new bumbling law enforcement officer, intent on taking over. As the clues fell into place, the suspense mounted and an edge-of-your seat reveal had my heart racing until I’d read the very last page!

This is such a fun series. I love the pet friendly town, the cozy inn, and the fun group of characters be they human, canine, or feline. I really enjoyed that this one involved more of Holly's family including her dad and half-siblings. The book starts off with a bit of a surprise when Holly wakes up to a strange dog in her bed. This sets off a whole series of events surrounding her grandmother's birthday party, some guests who don't quite seem like they're on the up and up, the very sketchy girlfriend of a family member, and a sprinkling of murders.

The mystery really kept me guessing. With victims who didn't seem to have any connection and more than a few people behaving like they had things to hide I wasn't sure of the whys and the who until the very end. This was a fast paced cozy mystery that was super easy to read and I got sucked into the world of Wagtail every time I picked up the book.

There were some things that got a hazy. While it was easy to keep the main characters straight there were several times I had to take a minute to figure out which guest was which. As well, I found the distance between the Miller family a bit odd. Holly and her cousin had been really close as kids and while I understand growing apart not knowing anything about her cousin's adult life or even following his Instagram account seemed strange - especially since his Instagram was kind of his livelihood and animal related.

Overall, this was an entertaining cozy with a fun cast of characters. If you're looking for a light quick read this is a great choice.

Krista Davis always writes an entertaining mystery and I am excited to read each new book that she writes. I love the town of Wagtail and all of the descriptions of the pets and their humans that are staying at the inn with Holly and Oma and their wonderful staff. I wish that this was a real place that I could visit. The town sounds so charming with all of the stores and restaurants. In this latest installment Oma's birthday is approaching and several family members will be coming to town to celebrate with her. When a murder takes place and someone close to Holly is on the suspect list, she must investigate to help clear their name. This book was another wonderful mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I would highly recommend any book written by this author. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

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

The Dog Across the Lake begins as Oma’s birthday is coming up, and family and friends from all over are coming to celebrate with her. Holly Miller spots a reddish colored dog across the lake, and then wakes up at the Sugar Maple Inn the next morning to find the same dog (that isn’t hers) snuggled in bed with her. But even stranger, Holly knows this dog—it belongs to her cousin Josh who she hasn’t heard from for over ten years.

Holly’s own pets, Trixie and Twinkletoes, don’t seem surprised by the new dog, who Oma reveals is named Radar and did indeed belong to her cousin Josh Paxton. Holly is excited that this must mean Josh has finally returned for Oma’s birthday celebration. When Holly travels to the campsite across the lake to locate Josh, she finds that he and his girlfriend Dana are staying there and acting… strange. It seems they are hiding something, but Holly has no idea what it could be.

The next time Holly visits the campsite, she finds a guest of the Inn dead inside the tent, and Josh and Dana are nowhere to be found. What happened, and is Josh responsible for the murder?

This mystery is definitely on the cozier side of cozy mysteries. I always enjoy escaping to Wagtail and the pet-loving community at the Inn. The mystery is very light and my main critique would be that it probably veered too much towards the large cast of characters and what was happening there than it did towards the mystery.

The characters are wonderful—warm and welcoming. Reading this series is like a cozy mug of hot chocolate on a cold day. The pets are a fun addition, especially for the pet-lovers out there. Holly loves running the Inn and it’s great to see how far she has progressed since the first book of the series.

While family are arriving from all over the world, Josh and Dana are the central points to this mystery. Holly instinctively believes Josh is innocent, but Josh certainly doesn’t do himself any favors when it comes to helping to prove his innocence. There were lots of secrets to be uncovered, and a second sub-mystery may link to the main one (you’ll have to read to find out!). Holly is always a delight and I enjoyed Officer Dave as well. The reveal comes with the signature cozy mystery showdown that can be expected.

The characters are lovable, the setting is a perfect escape, and the mystery was interesting. A fun mystery for the pet-lovers!

Dollycas's Thoughts

The good people of Wagtail and her family are getting ready to celebrate Mayor Liesel Miller's (Oma's) birthday. Family is coming into town to surprise her and a couple of events have been planned. Holly is looking forward to it all but her attention right now is on the strange dog smiling at her as she wakes up. How did this dog get in her room? Where did he belong? Is he the dog she noticed across the lake?

Small world, the dog belongs to her cousin Josh. They haven't seen each other since they were children. In town to surprise Oma for her birthday, he and his girlfriend are camping across the lake.  After Holly takes the dog back, she wakes up to him smiling at her again the next day. At least now she knows where he belongs. She still doesn't understand how he is getting to the inn and into her room but again takes him back to Josh. Only Josh isn't at his campsite and neither is his girlfriend. Instead, she finds Fred Burton, a guest from her inn in their tent, and he is dead.

____

This is truly one of my favorite series. If Wagtail and the Sugar Maple Inn were real, I would either move there or vacation there as often as possible. The inn really caters to their guests, human and animal, from the food to the lodgings. Plus the town has great shops and restaurants and pets are welcome in almost every establishment.

Ms. Davis's core cast of characters are so genuine and welcoming not only to humans but cats, dogs, and other pets too. They have huge hearts, creative ideas, and are just plain fun. They all grow from one book to the next in realistic ways. Holly loves the inn, Oma loves the inn and the town, and Gingersnap, Twinkletoes, and Trixie are just perfect pets. This time Holly's father, half-sister, aunt, and cousin arrive for Oma's celebration and play major parts in the story. We also meet Josh's dog Radar.

Ms. Davis has written a complicated mystery. The inn is overflowing with guests and family members but it is cousin Josh and his girlfriend, Dana, that appear to be in the middle of everything. Holly can't believe Josh could kill someone but he does nothing to prove his innocence. Secrets, lies, twists, turns, and another murder keep the pages turning rapidly. A missing item appears to be the key to everything. I loved tagging along with Holly and Officer Dave and they ferret through all the clues. A surprising twist reveals part of the mystery. It felt good to know that I was kind of on the right track. There is an exciting reveal and showdown but the story doesn't end there. There is still one dangling thread . . .

The Dog Across the Lake was a Perfect Escape. Loveable characters, a fantastic mystery, and a wonderful setting come together to test us armchair sleuths and keep us totally entertained. Each visit to Wagtail ends much too soon. I am beyond excited for my next virtual vacation to visit Holly and the Sugar Maple Inn.

I highly recommend every book in this series. They can all be read on their own but to really enjoy Wagtail and all that happens there you will want to read them all.

Holly Miller is excited to be preparing for her beloved grandmother’s upcoming birthday celebrations. Liesl Miller – or Oma as she’s affectionately known – is well-loved throughout their pet-friendly Virginia mountain resort town of Wagtail, so it isn’t a surprise that almost everyone around wants to be part of the festivities. Despite this, Oma has demurred gifts this year, wanting only the presence of the people she cares about as their present to her.

This especially applies to her far-flung family, who have been flying in for the occasion. Alas that their arrivals are not without drama, as messy relationships take center stage. Holly is used to handling this kind of thing, but even she is nonplussed to wake up to find a strange dog in her bed one morning.

Some sleuthing leads her to believe that the dog actually belongs to her beloved cousin Josh, who seems to be camped out across the lake from the inn with a young woman named Dana. Josh seems pretty evasive about why he isn’t staying at the inn with the others, but Holly figures he’ll confide in her when he’s ready. He’s ecstatic to be reunited with his dog Radar though, so it comes as a surprise when Holly wakes up the next day to find Radar in her bed again. A worse shock awaits her when she goes to return Radar to Josh once more, as she finds a dead body in his sleeping bag. Fortunately, the body isn’t Josh’s, but he quickly and unsurprisingly falls under suspicion of murder.

While this news certainly dampens the mood of the birthday festivities, Holly is determined to quickly clear her cousin’s name and restore her family to good cheer. After all, she and Josh grew up together: he would never hurt anyone, much less strangle them to death. But the more she learns about what he’s been up to since last they met, the more she can’t help worrying about how different he might now be from the sweet, animal-loving boy she once knew.

Obstacles abound as Holly chases after the truth, not helped by the injury sustained by Officer Doug, the trusty local sergeant responsible for law enforcement in Wagtail. While Doug and Holly do their best to maneuver with his broken leg, a devious criminal lurks in the shadows, ready to kill again.

This was another charming installment of the Paws And Claws mystery series, with a wealth of vividly drawn characters, both human and animal. Holly leaps to several puzzling conclusions over the course of the book that seemed somewhat out of character for her, in my opinion, though the trying circumstances could certainly justify her imprudence. It was nice to see her do her best with her extended family though, and especially with her half-siblings.

There were eight recipes for food and drinks included, for both dogs and humans. I absolutely had to try out this one:

QUOTE
Crostini with Salmon
(NOT for dogs)

This is a recipe you can have fun with. Keep it simple and use flavors that you like. There are no rules!

1 loaf ciabatta bread or baguette

Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Ricotta cheese or cream cheese
Smoked salmon
Fresh dill (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the bread. Brush each slice with olive oil on both sides. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Spread ricotta or cream cheese on the bread. Top with sliced smoked salmon. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill or a twist of freshly ground black pepper.
END QUOTE

I love a good crostini, and the baking instructions were absolutely ideal for getting that perfectly toasted but not too hard consistency that I prefer. I used whipped cream cheese for this recipe and highly recommend it: it’s so easy to spread even when just out of the refrigerator. There was a miscommunication in my household as to whether or not we had dill, so I decided to try out arugula instead, which I thought gave the crostinis a nice peppery bite while also packing in extra vitamins. I also added a tiny little sprinkle of parsley for color, as initially I’d only put arugula on half of the crostinis, to accommodate for my family’s varying tastes. Finally, we had a little fun by using different kinds of smoked salmon, which took center stage wonderfully in these handheld savory treats.

Next week, we travel north to more urban areas, to whip up a dessert while investigating who would cut down an up-and-coming singer. Do join me!

This is the 9th book in the Paws and Claws Mystery series. Holly runs the Wagtail Inn, a pet friendly resort. One day she sees an unfamiliar dog across the lake, and the next morning the dog is in her room! She recognizes that the dog belongs to her cousin, but he and his girlfriend have disappeared at the same time a guest in the hotel is found dead.
Holly knows she has to solve the mystery and the murder.

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

Krista Davis immerses the reader in the shenanigans of Wagtail, a town devoted to cats and dogs in the Dog Across the Lake. Holly Miller is supposed to relax with her dog and cat, but her relatives drop her into two murders, a kidnapping and an international theft. Non stop action and cute animals.

The Dog Across The Lake is the ninth book in the Paws And Claws Mystery series by Krista Davis.

Hollie Miller has been busy organizing a birthday party for her Oma, Liesel Miller, at their Sugar Maple Inn. Her father, Sam; mother, Nell; her aunt, Margaret; and Margaret's son, Josh, will attend the birthday party at Sugar Maple Inn.

One morning, Holly awakes to find a strange dog in bed with her, her dog Trixie, and her cat Twinkletoes. Oma is sure that it belongs to Josh, and Hollie takes Radar, the dog, to a campsite on a campsite on the other side of the lake where she had seen it the prior day. On the way to the campsite, she encounters a fisherman who asks where he can find a boat to go fishing. When Hollie arrives at the tent where she had seen Radar, she finds her cousin Josh and his girlfriend, Dana. The following day, when Hollie awakes, Radar is in her ned again. Hollie returns to Radar, but this time, she finds the fisherman's body in Josh’s tent and Jash and Dana nowhere around.

With Joah and Dana missing and seemingly on the run, they become prime suspects in the murder of the man in the tent. Hollie will begin to ask questions to learn the killer's identity, thereby clearing her cousin's name. Hollie will find several suspects to question.

I love this series. I would enjoy being able to visit a community like Wagtail. The story is well-written and plotted and has a cast of excellent, believable, enjoyable characters. The story had many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end and the killer's reveal. I particularly enjoy reading about the interaction of the animals. The book was hard to put down.

There are delicious-sounding recipes included in the book.

I am looking forward to the book in this delightful series.

The Paws and Claws series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series! I've been a firm fan of the gang from Wagtail, VA since book one! If Wagtail were a real place, I am sure I would be booking a trip to visit with my fuzzy side-kick GusGus to see the town, meet the people, and hang out with Oma, Holly & Trixie. An entire touristy town that is 100% pet friendly -- we would love it!!

This time, Holly spots an unfamiliar dog on the other side of the lake. The next day she wakes up to a surprise -- the unknown dog is in her room! Turns out, the wayward pooch belongs to her cousin that she hasn't seen in years. She returns the dog to him...twice. But on the second trip to her cousin's campsite, he and his girlfriend are gone. Inside the tent......a dead body!

Never a dull moment in Wagtail, eh?

Loved this newest story! This series never fails to make me smile. I love the animals -- Trixie and Twinkletoes are awesome! All the characters are quirky and fun. The Inn sounds like a great place to stay. The stories are filled with the right mix of humor, background theme, and amateur sleuthing. And, the cover art is colorful, cute and engaging as usual!

Great cozy mystery! Can't wait for the next book in this series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Dog Across the Lake by Krista Davis takes us back to Wagtail, Virginia where the town is getting ready to celebrate Oma’s (Liesel Miller who is the mayor of Wagtail) birthday. I look forward to my visits to Wagtail each year. It is a charming town where cats and dogs are welcome along with their owners (of course). The story contains good writing along with developed characters. Holly Miller, the protagonist, has grown over the course of the series. It is easy to see that Wagtail is where she belongs, and that Holly is meant to run the Sugar Maple Inn. It is obvious how much Holly loves the inn. All the regular characters are back along with a couple of visitors. Holly’s father, cousin, and aunt are in town for Oma’s birthday dinner. Trixie and Twinkletoes are as wonderful as ever and they have a new friend. I appreciate that the author includes a cast of characters especially since the cast has grown with the series. The mystery has Holly fretting about her cousin, Josh. Josh’s mother is worried (a regular nervous Nelly) and wants Holly to unravel the thorny puzzle. Holly asks questions, observes people, looks for clues, and just “happens” to overhear conversations. There are clues for the readers that will help them identify the guilty party. I pinpointed the killer quite a while before Holly. There is a secondary mystery that Holly solves as well. While The Dog Across the Lake is the ninth A Paws and Claws Mystery, it can be read as a standalone. It will take a new reader a beat to get the characters straight but that is where the cast of characters comes in handy. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story. Friendship, family, and a love of animals if prevalent throughout. I was sorry when my visit to Wagtail came to an end. The Dog Across the Lake is a delightful tale with a roving Radar, a victim in a tent, a questionable girlfriend, a birthday bash, a mournful howl, a laid-up officer, and visiting siblings.

Oma's birthday is coming up and family is coming from all over the world to visit and wish her well. When a dog belonging to Holly's cousin, Josh, shows up in her bed one morning she knows her long-lost relative has come back. But where is he? That's a question you'll ask many times throughout the book!

My favorite cozy mystery series all have one thing in common, they create a wonderful little escapist world where everything is super cozy - even as people are being bumped off. In that way, this series is probably my very favorite. I love the mountains, the woods, being on the water, and most of all, I LOVE my dogs. Imagine a place that has all of these things, a place where everyone caters to our dogs just as much as (or maybe even more than) we do? That's Wagtail. I've been known to drag my husband to places where my favorite series are set and I would love more than anything to be able to drag him to Wagtail. But alas, it's fictional.

This mystery was very well-crafted. I did struggle a bit to keep the characters straight and I will freely admit that when the killer is outed, my response was "Who?" Then I had to regroup to remind myself of who the killer was in the broader scheme of the story (though who they actually were, I had never caught that). But not always knowing who was who didn't necessarily take away from the story for me because I love the setting and the regular characters so much.

This series is definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with pets and for anyone who enjoys the mountains.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Oma's birthday celebration should be a happy time but then there's a murder! Holly's surprised the first time her cousin Josh's dog arrives in her bed (as are Trixie and Twinkletoes) but even more so the second time, since Josh is camping across the lake. This however pales by comparison to the fact that when she takes the dog back, she finds a body in the tent! And Josh and his girlfriend are missing. This fun cozy will see Holly and the very smart Trixie solve the murder and make Oma's day. I'd only read one of the preceding books so this was more or less a standalone for me and it was just fine that way. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the genre.

"The Dog Across the Lake" is a cozy mystery. It's the 9th 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. There's a bit of family drama as Oma's children and grandchildren arrived to celebrate her birthday. The mystery was clue-based though not really a puzzle mystery. I actually did guess whodunit long before Holly, but it wasn't based on the clues that Holly was collecting. Holly asked questions and observed people. She tended to jump to conclusions until further information made her doubt those ideas. The characters were interesting and engaging. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun mystery.

This turned out to be an airplane read. The book kept me interested and involved throughout the entire trans-Atlantic flight. I think this one is my favorite Krista Davis book. Don't wait until you're on a plane to read it.