Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt

Synopsis:

Mystery shopper Josie Marcus is getting the dirt on doggy day-care centers, and discovers that one dog-loving local celebrity is really bad to the bone.

Josie has been asked to investigate Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp, known for its commercials featuring Uncle Bob liking dogs so much that he acts like one. But Josie soon learns how Uncle Bob acts when the cameras are off. Her mother’s new tenant, Franklin, who works for Uncle Bob, plans to quit after seeing the man’s true nature. But before he gets the chance, Bob is murdered, and Franklin goes from the doghouse to the big house.

Now it’s up to Josie to clear Franklin’s name. Her investigation reveals that Bob was more of a dog than anyone knew—and had been kicked out of his house for bad behavior. As she digs up new clues, Josie will have to catch the killer quickly, before any more trouble is unleashed.

Includes Shopping Tips!

Review:

I have not read any of the others in this series, but did not find that to be a problem while reading this one. Elaine Viets does a good job of getting the reader up to speed without boring them. Her writing style is entertaining and enjoyable. The characters are real and fun. They deal with real life situations and bring about resolutions that are believable. While many cozy mysteries seem to be in a world that we all dream about, she brings the mystery and storylines to the every day person. Sure we do not all deal with murders every day, but that is the only big difference. Quite a pleasant change that I did not even notice until I read this book.

Josie is a Mystery Shopper that has been asked to get the low down on dog care places. One of them is famous for their wacky commercials featuring the owner Uncle Bob. Josie learns that all is not as it seems at Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp. Her mother’s new tenant, Franklin, works there and tells a horrible tale of how things are done. Josie and her mother try to get the inside info with his help. Things do not go as planned when they show up to find Uncle Bob dead. He has been murdered and Franklin is the main suspect.

Josie and the cast of characters are fun and certainly people I would love to know. Her husband Ted is a veterinarian that is always there for her. The murder mystery is intriguing and keeps you guessing. The day to day life situations are dealt with in a sensible and cognizant way that is genuine. The information about the doggie day cares is true and authentic. The storyline is fun and entertaining. As Josie searches for the real killer, more and more facts are discovered about the real Uncle Bob and his dog day care.

I would recommend A Dog Gone Murder to any cozy fan or dog lover. I really enjoyed both the material and the characters in this book. Even without having read the others in this series, I was able to be pulled into the story. The issues are current and handled with care and fun as well. Josie’s tween daughter brings a bit of comedy to the storyline. This is a truly entertaining novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*