Arlene Kay

I really, really wanted to like Murder at the Falls, especially as I learned more about Persephone "Perri" Morgan. An orphan, foster child, and army veteran, her voice drew me right into the story. I also liked the working dog aspect and how Keats and Poe (both war heroes with the medals to prove it) could be retrained as therapy dogs to work with seniors and in such programs as Children Reading to Dogs. But... there were problems.

One resident at The Falls, the upscale senior living facility, described what Perri and her friends were doing as "Murder, She Wrote with dogs." That's a superficial fit all right, but Jessica Fletcher wouldn't write such a disjointed story. Too many aspects were trotted out and then disappeared for many chapters. Magdalen Melmoth? Here for a few chapters and then gone. The hunt for the Oscar Wilde manuscript? A hot topic, and then it, too, disappears. The whodunit wasn't particularly difficult either once I began tallying up which characters vanished for a while and which ones didn't.

However, when all is said and done, there are two things that got right up my nose more than the disjointed plot: the characters of Wing Pruett and Babette Croy. Wing Pruett did help out from time to time, but his main function seemed to be window dressing-- as if Perri was supposed to have a handsome boyfriend so-- ta dah!-- here he is. As for Babette Croy... I'm afraid that, once I get started on her, I won't know when to stop. Suffice it to say that she's a "diva-Zilla," the one type of character guaranteed to make me want to throw a book against the wall. Southern-deep-fried, beauty pageant winner, Miss Congeniality winner, she calls in airstrikes on any gray hair or wrinkle that comes within ten miles. Naturally, her clothes and makeup must always be perfect. It goes without saying that she must also be the center of attention at all times, and... gack! Consider that subject closed, y'all!

This is the first Creature Comforts mystery that I've read, and although there are things about Murder at the Falls that I liked, I won't be returning. I'm afraid of what I would do to Babette.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)… (altro)

amateur-sleuth, journalist, therapy-dog, retirement-community, greed, theft, murder-investigation, cozy-mystery, octogenarians*****

I couldn't pause while reading it! Perri is over thirty, a US army vet, orphaned and fostered, a leather worker and therapy dog owner, and prone to amateur sleuthing with her journalist boyfriend and also with her over-the-top BFF. While working with their dogs at a nearby ritzy retirement home, they meet a delightful octogenarian, Magdalen, who bonds immediately with Perri. The next thing they know someone is murdered and while it is not Magdalen, she has disappeared! And so the sleuthing begins! Talk about plot twists, misdirection, and red herrings! There are plenty here. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!… (altro)

Elizabeth Buckley and her business partner and friend, Candy Ott, are pulled into the biotech world of implantable medical devices when their friend Tommy Yancey is murdered.

Something was bothering Tommy the last few weeks of his life, he had been trying to reach Elizabeth, going so far as asking Candy to make her call him. But Elizabeth, still wallowing in grieving the death of her husband had failed him. She was not going to fail him again. So begins the search for the motive for Tommy’s murder.

A mystery set to the theme of implantable medical devices these are devices necessary to maintain the life of the patient. Romance on the horizon for both Candy and Elizabeth, Romance is natural to the character of the Candy but contrived to the character of Elizabeth. Some of the transitions in romantic scenes were choppy and intrusive because of this. An enjoyable mystery none the less.… (altro)

Death by Dog Show is not the type of cozy mystery that readers are used to reading. There are numerous references to the male physique (Wing’s especially) and how it affects Perri’s “nether regions”. The sexual exploits of other characters are referenced throughout the story along with their looks. The author seems focused on appearances along with people’s finances. There is an emphasis on the financial disparity between characters (the rich versus Perri who grew up in the foster system). I found the writing to be awkward and the pacing slow. Some of the author’s word choices were unusual and it felt like the author had swallowed a dictionary and thesaurus (peripatetic and plutocrats are two examples). Arlene Kay used some unusual names for her characters. They include Yael Lindsay, Roar Jansen, Wing Pruett and Persephone Morgan. There is an abundance of foul language (which is unusual for a cozy mystery) and repetition of information. The characters lacked development. Do not expect warm, friendly characters (that includes Keats and Poe) in this cozy. Perri is an unlikeable protagonist who is focused on people’s looks and finances (comes across as shallow and jealous). Perri is one of those people who judge based on first appearances. She is especially intent on getting the “handsome” Wing Pruett undressed and into her bed. Babette seems perpetually on the prowl for her next bed partner and husband (she always manages to pick the wrong type of man). As I was reading Death by Dog Show there were references to a previous crime which I found mystifying since this was the first book in the series. The mystery was straightforward. There are multiple suspects since the victim had numerous enemies. Most readers will have no problem uncovering the solution before the reveal. I thought the dog show elements were confusing and not explained properly (I ended up skimming). I am not sure what the author was aiming for with this story. It seemed out of date (reminds me of the 90s). I found Death by Dog Show to be “ruff” and it missed the mark for me.… (altro)