As the owner of the Sugar Maple Inn in the pet-friendly town of Wagtail, Virginia, Holly Miller is accustomed to catering to the needs of all creatures furry and fuzzy. That makes her the perfect person to discover a poor abandoned lab puppy on the side of the road, locked in a crate with empty food and water bowls. Holly takes the puppy, apparently named “Squishy” according to the note left begging someone to care for him, back to the Inn where she meets a surprising group of guests. The surprise is that one of the members law of the firm of Calhoun, Bloom & Walters is Ben Hathaway, Holly’s pet-disliking ex who once tried to propose to her by text. His law firm is voting on whether or not to set up an office in Wagtail, and Ben is hoping that part of that would include his being made partner to lead it. In an attempt to sway the firm and make himself seem more stable, Ben publicly proposes to Holly, who feels the pressure to accept despite her complete lack of interest in him. Helping Ben save face comes at a price though, as Holly is very happily dating her childhood crush Holmes Richardson, who is not in the loop for what should ostensibly be a fake engagement.

Distracting the rest of Wagtail is the arrival of Cooper Adams, a convicted murderer who has just been released from prison. Residents are not exactly welcoming to the young man, despite his claims of innocence and having completed his entire 12-year sentence. So when a woman is found dead in the same place as the victim in Cooper’s case, he immediately becomes the prime suspect. It’s not long after that before Holly’s Jack Russell Terrier Trixie again displays his talent for finding bodies, with the second murder causing police to keep the law firm in Wagtail until a killer is arrested.

This 10th in the series continues to entertain with its love for furry companions, always including both human and pet-friendly recipes. The arrival of the law firm into this no-car, pet-catering business community causes no small amount of trouble for Wagtail, with Holmes blaming the lead partner for his own father’s heart attack. Readers may find themselves as frustrated with Holly’s fake engagement as her family and Holmes, especially since she seemed oblivious at just how it would be perceived and whose feelings could be hurt. At least Holly’s grandmother and friends are able to remind her to keep her priorities in place as she mends her relationships and questions which one of her guests may be a killer. The normally kind-hearted town that embraces four-legged and feathered friends takes a far less welcoming approach to having Cooper back in town, which does bring to light how ex-cons – whether they claim to be guilty or innocent – are treated upon their release. The love of pets and how its economy revolves around them continue to make Wagtail an enviable place for readers to visit, ensuring that this mystery entertains with its mix of murder, small-town politics, and engaging characters.

The Wagtail Murder Club is book #10 in the Paws & Claws Mysteries series by Krista Davis. Set is a pet centered resort town and following Holly as she runs her inn and interacts with her friends, family and pets in town. This story centers around her ex-boyfriend Ben when his law firm came to Wagtail for an event and to investigate Wagtail as a potential site for an office. One of the employees is killed and Holly helps to investigate. The mystery involves a abandoned Labrador, a recently released convicted murderer and some shady dealings among the lawyers.
There is a side romantic story that really throws long time readers for a loop! I liked this installment to a series a adore.

Krista Davis adds a Paws and Caws mytery the Wagtail Murder Club. Holly Miller rescues a black Labrador dog Squishy which she takes home to the Sugar Maple Inn which she helps manage in Wagtail, a pet friendly town. Squishy . and Holly's cat and dog discover a murdered member of her former friend Ben's attorney team. What could go wrong? Holly and her mother and grandmother form the Wagtail Murder Club to solve the murder. Lots of misbehaviour among the attorneys. OK cozy.

This was my first Paws and Claws Mystery and it did not disappoint! There was no point where I felt like I was missing background information and had to check if this was a series (because I want to read more!).

This book was everything I ever want from a cozy mystery. Twinkletoes, Trixie, and Squishy are incredibly lovable sidekick animals. The small town vibes were immaculate. There's just a hint of romance and all the layers to this mystery had me wondering until the end!

I'm looking forward to future books in this series and will definitely be picking up the earlier ones too!

This is the tenth book in the Paws and Claws series Holly Miller runs and owns an inn in Wagtail, VA that caters to pets. On her way home she finds a dog hiding by her car. She decides to take him back to the inn where she finds on her ex, Ben, is in town. When one of Ben's colleagues dies, Holly starts investigating.

I really enjoy this series. I liked that we got to see Holly mom in this book. I love any scenes with her and Oma. I could have done without yhe Ben and Holly drama though. Holly's decisions felt very out of character for her. The mystery was good and I liked how everything was wrapped up. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Another visit to Wagtail and another murder. I loved seeing many of my favorite characters who are starting to feel like friends. Holly's quickly become my favorite and the mysteries always seem fresh and new. But I have to say it's Trixie and Twinkletoes that steal the book for me every time.

My first Davis book was from the coloring series two years ago and Ive been playing catch-up ever since. I had the pleasure of requesting this one from NetGalley and in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review I was approved to read it there.

First off I wish Wagtail was real, no cars on the road only golf carts. Furbabies are allowed or there are accommodations made for them throughout Wagtail. My favorite thing about the town is meals can be adapted for the furbabies who wouldn’t want to live there.

In this 10th book of the series Ben, Holly's ex-boyfriend, is in Wagtail with a group of lawyers he works for to decide if they want to establish a law office and Ben sees opportunity that is until folks begin dropping like flies and it’s up to the Murder club and one sniffing hound to support the police to catch this murderer.

A cute story and even though it’s my 1st in the Claws and Paws series I had no issue following the back story. Characters were well written and very easily could’ve been me or you. There was a scene in the book that annoyed me so much I almost put the book down. Well I did put it down but picked it up the next day. Here it is, from what I surmise Holly is a strong mind smart woman but when she said yes to a proposal just because she didn’t want to hurt feelings that to me was silly and out of character for her. I picked the book back up because aren’t we all out of character at times?

Wonderful story and a great group of characters if you enjoy cozies than take a ride to Wagtail you won’t be disappointed. In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a Galley copy of this book.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The Sugar Maple Inn gets a new canine visitor when Holly Miller finds a beautiful black Labrador in a cage abandoned on the side of the road. He even came with a note – My name is Squishy. I am a very good boy. Please take good care of me. Holly alerts the local shelter and agrees to foster the lovable pup and he makes himself right at home with the other pets at the inn.

The inn starts to fill up with guests in town for a legal education seminar. One of the lawyers is Holly’s ex Ben Hathaway who assumes he can stay again in Holly’s private guest room. She also notices the rest of the group doesn’t know about the EX part of their relationship.

Add to the mix a man recently released from prison where he was incarcerated for murdering a local man and now has decided to make Wagtail his home. And a moonlight hike up the mountain to view the lunar eclipse. The town expected hundreds of visitors. One thing they didn’t expect was one of the attorneys staying at the inn would fall to her death during the event. A fall that was not an accident. A fall in the same place where another murder occured several years earlier.

It’s time to bring the Wagtail Murder Club together. Holly, her mom, her grandmother, and Mr. Huckle, the Inn’s butler, all gather in the private kitchen to discuss the current mysteries at hand – the murder – and the sweet Labrador who appears to have an important story of his own.

Ms. Davis has created such wonderful characters for this series. They are generous, kind with huge hearts, and adorable pets. I am always thrilled to catch up with them. But this time I wanted to jump right into the pages when Holly made a gigantic error in judgment. I wanted to rewind the situation to prevent her from doing something I knew would hurt someone badly. Humans make errors in real life so it is a given that characters in books will make errors but this one was something major that I wasn’t sure how the author was going to fix. I need to buy myself a T-shirt that says “emotionally attached to fictional characters” because I was really angry at Holly and almost put the book down. But I knew I had to trust the author because she would and did bring Holly back where she belonged. It is a true testament to Ms. Davis’s creativity and writing that her readers become truly invested in her characters. These are some of my favorite cozy characters for good reason.

The mystery was complicated with several suspects spanning all the subplots to make isolating a murderer a difficult task. The Wagtail Murder Club came up with many theories and assigned each other different tasks to try to ferret through the clues. There were some shady things going on with the lawyers but there was a lot more to their stories. Holly did a lot of running around and she surprisingly found a crucial piece of evidence that started to put things into perspective. I did pin down one small part of the mystery early but then was up in the air about everything else. The author plotted out a complex story tying an old murder to a new one that kept me captivated until all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

I truly wish Wagtail was a real place. I would love to treat my Australian Cattle Dog – Daisy and my husband to a vacation there. We would enjoy the restaurants and all the special events but my dream vacation would be joining The Wagtail Murder Club to help them solve a murder. I am sure Daisy would become fast friends with Trixie and Gingersnap and help in any way she could. I can easily picture us in Holly’s golf cart headed out to follow a suspect or a clue.

The Wagtail Murder Club was a Perfect Escape. The fantastic characters evoked real emotions that tugged at my heart. The story was well-plotted and written with a fabulous ending that made me so happy. My only complaint is that my visit to Wagtail ended much too soon. I try to slow down to enjoy each moment but the pages just fly when I get all caught up in one of these stories.

While each book in this series can be read on its own you are cheating yourself if you don’t get to know these characters and the super pet-friendly town of Wagtail, Virginia from the start.

THE WAGTAIL MURDER CLUB is the tenth book in the Paws & Claws Mysteries by Krista Davis. First off, the setting of the Sugar Maple Inn in Wagtail, Virginia is absolutely charming and I wish it were a real place! Between the town, protagonist Holly Miller and her family, and her menagerie of pets, you couldn’t ask for a better place to while a few hours away, immersed in this book. Adding to the adorableness, is a new rescue dog, Squishy, who moves in and steals each scene he inhabits. I’ll have to admit he tugged at my heartstrings more than a few times. The author has an admirable way with descriptions, bringing each of the characters and the setting to life. Holly’s relationship with her grandmother and her mother is delightful, and I enjoyed how they interact and work together. The only discord in the story is the arrival of Ben, Holly’s ex-boyfriend. I won’t spoil the plot with details, but I hope this is the last we see of him and his sense of entitlement and condescending ways.

With Ben and his new attorney colleagues in town to discuss opening a satellite office, there’s some drama going on. Plus, folk in Wagtail are up in arms about a released convict moving to town, and living across the street from Holly’s mother. When one of the visiting attorneys plunges to her death, it soon becomes apparent that it was anything but accidental and is similar to the death of a young woman numerous years before. Could there be a connection between the two murders? Holly, with the assistance of her darling dogs, her grandmother, and mother, starts investigating. There are many suspects to sift through, with misdirection around every corner. I always love a good whodunit that features a long-ago crime that is somehow related to the current day crime. Ms. Davis does an admirable job tying the two together into a cohesive story. It’s always a pleasure visiting Wagtail and I can’t wait to make a return visit with the next book in the series!

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

The Wagtail Murder Club by Krista Davis is a mystery that 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.
With a strong set of characters, well plotted and written.
This was a really enjoyable mystery, and will be reading more of this series.
I loved the writing, the characters, the pacing. I was hooked from the first page.

I like this series and really enjoy the community and all the pet goodness. Holly's family and the other people who make up the community that fill out the world this book exists in. I loved the addition of Squishy and the labrador joy he adds to the pages. The mystery was an interesting one as the victim is pretty much a stranger to Wagtail and it seems impossible that anyone would want to kill them. Throw in the return of a convicted murderer who is returning home after serving his time and things definitely get interesting.

Even our favorite series have a book that just doesn't work for a reader and unfortunately this was one of those for me. Ben has never been a favorite character and Holly's relationship with him has always annoyed me. In this book Ben has a lot of page time and while I do enjoy Oma and the staff at the hotel referring to him as "The Ben" it was a lot more of Ben than I enjoy. What really drove me up the wall was Holly's interactions with him. It's good to be a nice and considerate person but she was well past that and into the "get a backbone" side of things. I was happy with how everything resolved and it did make sense for the plot but it was just too much Ben.

Despite the Ben issue, I did enjoy this book. The writing style is nicely paced and I really enjoy spending time in Wagtail. The mystery kept me guessing at a few things and fully invested even when I wanted to scream through the pages at Holly. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.

I enjoy my visits to Wagtail each year. I wish Wagtail was a real town because my cat and I would love to live there. I found The Wagtail Murder Club by Krista Davis to be easy to read. There is a great core group of characters in the series that includes Holly, Oma, and Mr. Huckle. Of course, we cannot forget Trixie and Twinkletoes. Squishy was a delightful addition. I was unhappy, though, to see Ben return to town. I wish Holly would take a firmer stance with him (it would serve her better in the long run). Ben, naturally, wishes to utilize Holly’s guest room. I have a feeling that the freeloader does not pay for one thing at the Sugar Maple Inn during his stay. I was unhappy with how a certain scene played out between Holly and Ben. I can understand not wanting to embarrass someone, but I do not feel that Holly took Holmes feelings into account. I liked that there was more than one whodunit to solve (I love solving mysteries). There is the present day mystery and one from the past where the wrong person may have been convicted. I knew who committed each crime, but I did not know the why on one until later in the book. The story had a sweet ending that will delight fans of the series. The Wagtail Murder Club is the tenth book in A Paws & Claws Mysteries. While it can be read as a standalone, a new reader may be a little lost in the beginning (the background details needed are soon provided). The Wagtail Murder Club is a dogtastic tale with cuddly creatures, a former boyfriend problem, convict moving into town, multiple murders, a sweet Squishy, offended feelings, and a joyful family.

I always enjoy the well-crafted and utterly charming cozy mysteries that Krista Davis writes, and this one did not disappoint!

This book, along with the entire series, features all the elements I love in a cozy mystery: a picturesque small-town setting, adorable animals, intriguing mysteries, and a likable sleuth. Holly helps run an inn in a very pet-friendly town that welcomes animals everywhere. The town comes to life through vivid descriptions and excellent world-building. If this place were real, I’d be packing my bags!

Holly is surrounded by a supporting cast of warm, welcoming characters. The animals are the true scene-stealers, though! While I haven't read every book in the series, the camaraderie and sense of community among the core group are endearing. I particularly enjoy Holly’s relationships with her family, especially her mother and grandmother, who often assist her with investigations. Holly is kind and tends to be fairly sensible. However, in this installment, she allows her ex, Ben, to pressure her into making some questionable decisions that could impact her relationship with her boyfriend, Holmes.

The mystery was intriguing and fast-paced, with several twists along the way. I found the resolution interesting once all the pieces came together. As always, the descriptions of food are fabulous, and there are recipes included at the end. This book was such a fun and escapist way to spend an afternoon.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the free book!

The Wagtail Murder Club is book #10 in the Paws & Claws Mysteries series by Krista Davis.

I want to move to Wagtail, Virginia! Holly rescues a stray black Labrador and I knew I would like her. Her ex-boyfriend shows up along with his attorney colleagues for meetings. As if that wasn’t bad enough, her cat and dog find a body. While investigating the murder, Holly makes a well-meaning but poor decision that could cost her something dear. I loved her calling Sophie Winston to get information. This was a complex mystery because there were so any factors. With so many people having motives, it kept me guessing until the end. I loved the ending and cannot wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The Wagtail Murder Club by Krista Davis is the 10th installment of the A Paws and Claws Mystery. I recommend that you do read the backstory but if this is where you start it shouldn't take much for you to be up to speed. Basically Holly Miller moved to town after her life imploded and now is dating Holmes and runs the Sugar Maple Inn with her grandmother. Additionally, Holly has solved multiple murders as she is an amateur sleuth.

In this book, Holly's ex-boyfriend who once proposed via text nicknamed "The Ben" comes to town along with the majority of his law firm. I already knew I was going to have a lot of feelings about this book because "The Ben" brings out so much rage in my body, it is truly incredible. Holly assumes her boyfriend Holmes is fine with her ex crashing at her place and lets him just stay there. Someone is murdered during their visit and the local police asks her to integrate into the group. Y'all somehow she ends up engaged to "The Ben" to not embarrass him.

I got so mad that I put this book away for four months because I was in such a rage that I couldn't even read this book. I have one question for Holly and that is: what was that? Because honestly, what even was that?! After four months I came back to the book and it actually was really good. The motive was super interesting, the villain was so well crafted, the story was really compelling. It would have been a 5 star book if Holly hadn't pmo. I'm serious, I had a really good time once things got sorted but I am still mad about her accepting a random proposal so I gave it 3 stars.

I would highly recommend this book because it was actually really good. I have enjoyed this series a lot so I would really recommend reading the whole thing. I just wish that Holly wasn't such a pushover that she felt obligated to say yes to her smarmy ex. Other than that the book is actually really great!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and Krista Davis for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s a particularly busy few days at the Sugar Maple Inn, as a lunar eclipse will soon be visible in the pet-friendly town of Wagtail, Virginia. Many pet-loving tourists are coming to take advantage of the Spring Has Sprung Moonlight Hike and eclipse viewing organized by the town. Even so, innkeeper Holly Miller does not expect her ex-boyfriend Ben Hathaway to show up with the other senior members of his law firm. The rest of them have reservations, but Ben is once again prevailing upon her hospitality to let him stay in her guest room. Holly is too kind to say no, especially in front of his co-workers, a decision that will absolutely come back to haunt her.

Turns out that Ben’s firm is thinking of opening an office down in Wagtail, with several of the lawyers already vying to be stationed there. Ben is dropping large hints that he wouldn’t mind being in charge of the new office if it means he gets to spend more time with Holly. Having long moved on from their relationship – and with a serious sweetheart of her own in Holmes Richardson – Holly tries to keep him at arms’ length, even as she worries over the abandoned dog she’s recently found on the side of the road near the exit to Wagtail.

But worries over unclaimed pets and pesky exes are swiftly driven from Holly’s mind when her own beloved Jack Russell terrier Trixie finds a dead body while the eclipse festivities are well underway. Someone has been pushed off of a cliff, at the exact same spot where another corpse was found over a decade ago. Coincidentally or otherwise, the man convicted of that earlier murder has just been released from prison, to the dismay of more than one Wagtail resident. Could he have done it again? And what’s the connection to Ben’s law firm, which is looking increasingly involved as the body count continues to rise?

This was a multi-threaded story that does a great job of melding a murder mystery with adorable pet hijinks and the on-going surprises of Holly’s personal life. If there was ever a poster girl for being too nice sometimes, Holly is definitely that in this tenth installment of the Paws And Claws mystery series. This book should serve as an object lesson that sometimes it’s okay to let people embarrass themselves when they make terrible choices, instead of playing along with their expectations.

There were four recipes included in this novel, for both dogs and humans, and I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Banana Pancakes
Makes 2 pancakes

1 banana, preferably ripe with a few spots on the peel
2 eggs
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
Canola oil
1-2 tablespoons milk (optional)
Maple syrup (for serving)

Mash the banana with the back of a fork in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and use the fork as a whisk, blending the eggs with the banana. It won’t be smooth; there should be some lumps. Add the whole wheat flour and whisk it in with the fork. Preheat a stove burner on medium and set a small or medium frying pan on it.

Pour a tablespoon or so of the canola oil onto the warm pan (eyeball it). Swirl to spread it, then pour in half of the banana mixture. You may need to adjust the heat if it gets too hot. When the bottom is set, flip the pancake to cook the other side until it’s a light brown color.

Move the pancake to a plate, add more oil to the pan as needed, and repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup for humans. Your pups will be thrilled to eat them without the maple syrup. Or for extra banana flavor, slice another banana and sprinkle the slices over the top.
END QUOTE

Author Krista Davis notes that because of the moisture in the banana, the milk truly is optional, and should only be added if the mixture is too dense due to the banana being a little green. Otherwise, she recommends going without, as I did when I tried this at home. She is not kidding when she says that these are the easiest pancakes she’s ever made! I cheated and used all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat but don’t think that made a huge difference. This is also great for people looking to cut down on sugar, as you definitely don’t need to add any to the batter (and can always make up for it with a dab more maple syrup!) I really enjoyed this quick and easy – and, dare I say it, healthy – breakfast treat, especially with a few extra banana slices on top.

Next week, we move north up the East Coast to bake up a delicious dinner while investigating a fishy fire. Do join me!

I’m still super new to the cozy mystery genre and this was a great intro for me. I loved the characters, the small town, and of course the pets! I’m partial to squishy because I have 3 labs myself. It was a cute and fun mystery and I’m glad I got to read it. Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the arc! Pub date: 2/4/25

Another nice installment in a pleasant cozy series set in a small town. Holly is running her inn and living happily when her ex shows and his law firm check in and upend things, And then there's a murder (of course!). Is the murder connected somehow to the sweet dog Holly found by the side of the road? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Holly, her family, her friends and her animal companions make this mystery a delight.

Wow - this book was amazing! There were so many jaw-dropping moments for me throughout the story!

Holly's mom has stayed in Wagtail, a recently released convicted murderer has settled in town, the Ben and his lawyer firm at at the inn to discuss new business opportunities, plus multiple murders tied with a murder from the past, a new dog to love, a new murder club to join, a few engagements to be had - this one was so good!

I wish Wagtail was a real place and I could live there - this town is so enchanting and the characters are so incredible, you can't help but love (most) of them.

What a great place Wagtail is. No vehicles except golf carts and dogs and cats are welcomed everywhere. Sounds like heaven to me. The folks that live there are pretty special too. I totally enjoyed the story and hanging out with the folks at the Inn. You could feel the love the folks in Wagtail have for each other. I already hoping for a return visit. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.