When exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut, she’s hoping to find some new clients. Instead she discovers a corpse in the garden—and a knack for solving murders . . . Pet-sitter Belinda Blake doesn’t rattle easily, but move-in day has been eventful, to say the least. The python in her care tried to slither to freedom—just as she met Stone … freedom—just as she met Stone Carrington V, her landlords’ disarmingly handsome son. With the constrictor back in its cage, she heads out to the garden, only to discover a designer shoe poking out of the boxwood hedge—attached to a woman’s dead body.
The victim, Margo Fenton, was a Carrington family friend, and no one in their circle seems above suspicion. Between client trips to Manhattan and visits to her family in upstate New York, Belinda begins to put the pieces together. But though she’s falling for Stone’s numerous charms, Belinda wonders if she’s cozying up to a killer. And soon, daily contact with a deadly reptile might be the least dangerous part of her life . . .
“A humorous series debut with exotic pets and a zany cast of characters. Gilbert’s cozy will make you smile.”
—Amanda Flower, USA Today bestselling author of Premeditated Peppermint
“Cozy fans will root for pet-sitter Belinda Blake as she unravels this cleverly-crafted mystery in a delightfully-deadly new series by Heather Day Gilbert.”
—Elizabeth Spann Craig, author of the bestselling Myrtle Clover Mysteries
“Smart and fresh, with a compelling mystery at its heart, Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an enchanting cozy that will hook you from page one. As will amateur sleuth Belinda Blake, a delightfully original heroine you’ll want to meet again and again.”
—Karin Kaufman, author of the bestselling Juniper Grove Cozy Mystery Series
“Snakes rank only slightly more favorably with me than spiders, leeches, and ticks. So you can imagine my surprise when, by the end of this book, the snake was my second favorite character after Belinda herself. On top of being a great book for animal-lovers (trust me, you’ll love even the snake), this was a fun read with a smart sleuth. I can’t wait to see what Belinda does next, where both pets and perps are concerned.”
—Emily James, award-winning and bestselling cozy mystery author
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A humorous series debut with exotic pets and a zany cast of characters. Gilbert’s cozy will make you smile.
Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is a lighthearted cozy mystery. Belinda Blake earns her living minding exotic animals (no dog or cats for her) while their owners are out of town and writing video game review articles. She wanted to expand her pet sitting business and thought Greenwich would be the perfect locale. Belinda was looking forward to a quieter life and getting her hands dirty in the gardens surrounding her cottage. While doing a little weeding, Belinda finds a body. She is suddenly dashing around town with the charming Stone Carrington V. Belinda is an introvert with a quirky wardrobe who likes to read Agatha Christie, play video games, and gardening. I like that Belinda actively investigates Margo’s murder by questioning various suspects and searching for clues. There are multiple suspects, pointed clues and a red herring or two. Might even be a twist to shock you. For those who have an aversion to slithery creatures, you might find the details regarding the Rasputin a little hard to read. There are details on Rasputin’s food, his daily habits, giving the creature a bath, transporting him to Manhattan and back, and taking him for a walk (gives me the shivers). There are a couple of romantic interests for Belinda including Stone V and a dairy farmer. I felt that information on Belinda was lacking (needed more details). It was nice to get to know her family while Belinda spent Thanksgiving at home. The family farm is charming, and I found the mother humorous (makes me wish the book was set in Larches Corner). I appreciated the wrap up at the end. There is a preview of the Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an upbeat cozy mystery with Louboutin heels, chauffeured cars, a debonair gentleman, a massive mansion, a quirky amateur sleuth, and a slithering serpent named Rasputin.
I really enjoyed this book. Belinda is a fun protagonist and I was quickly pulled into her world and found the book hard to put down. Belinda is not only an exotic pet-sitter, but a video game reviewer, which I found fun and unique. A page turner that will keep you entertained from beginning to end.
Is it OK to call a mystery including murder light and fun? I enjoyed my time spent with Belinda Blake.
Belinda has found her own calling and path in life. Her mom is a free spirit, doing her best to live off-the-grid, homesteading, while Belinda’s father is a veterinarian. Her sister, on the other hand, has chosen a more powerful lifestyle. I tell you this because all of their personalities come into play as Belinda is figuring out her independent way of life.
Belinda enjoys video games and reviews them. She also knows a bit about pets and fearlessly takes on pet-sitting for some less than ordinary types. We meet her as she is taking Rasputin for a walk, with unanticipated results. This is also how she meets her new neighbor, Stone the fifth.
Stone is one of those characters you may have conflicted feelings about. At times you may find him both (or either) adorable or detestable. It is Belinda’s feelings about him that matter.
She has just moved into a cottage on the grounds of Stone’s family’s estate.
Because of this proximity, we get to know more about how the wealthier residents live, including several of Stone’s friends. We also meet the hired help. Ms Gilbert does a wonderful job of creating characters we are drawn to and want to understand or at least know more about.
When one of those people ends up dead in Belinda’s flowerbed, she takes a personal interest in figuring out why and by whom. Although warned off by the investigating detective, he at least is willing to listen to the information she provides.
Naturally, no one wants to see Belinda in danger, yet Stone drags her into the investigation by introducing her to the main players, only for a second victim to be found in nearly the same spot. After that, there is no stopping Belinda Blake.
A wonderful start to an interesting series that shows much potential. We do get a sneak peek at what will happen next. The pets Belinda will encounter and the mysteries she is drawn to will make for enjoyable escape reading.
Cozy fans will root for pet-sitter Belinda Blake as she unravels this cleverly-crafted mystery in a delightfully-deadly new series by Heather Day Gilbert.
Smart and fresh, with a compelling mystery at its heart, Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an enchanting cozy that will hook you from page one. As will amateur sleuth Belinda Blake, a delightfully original heroine you’ll want to meet again and again.
Snakes rank only slightly more favorably with me than spiders, leeches, and ticks. So you can imagine my surprise when, by the end of this book, the snake was my second favorite character after Belinda herself. On top of being a great book for animal-lovers (trust me, you’ll love even the snake), this was a fun read with a smart sleuth. I can’t wait to see what Belinda does next, where both pets and perps are concerned.
Heather Day Gilbert is an author that I trust without reservation. I’m not a big reader of cozy mysteries by any stretch. Would I ever think, hey, let me look for a book that has an exotic pet sitter as the protagonist, no, but Belinda is one, and I am here for it as long as Gilbert keeps adding to the series. I’m not sure if excellent character development is a typical feature of cozy mysteries, but it is of a Gilbert novel. Belinda Blake is such a charming character; I’d love to be her friend in real life. I appreciate that Belinda is smart – not that she’s a genius sleuth or anything, but she doesn’t go barging into situations with little thought to her safety. She’s savvy, and bit quirky but still very genuine. I think what sealed the deal for me was when she referred to herself as “gloriously introverted,” because, bingo, that is totally me.
In addition to meeting this endearing new character, and various others along the way, the plot kept my interest the whole time. I am usually pretty good at sniffing out a mystery well before the big reveal, but I admit I went back and forth several times in who all was involved, who was the mastermind, etc. I feel that things are revealed in a timely way, but not so prolonged that it feels unnecessarily drawn out. The bits of romance are a great addition without taking over as are the bits about Belinda’s family, especially her sister who “could go from zero to Scales of Justice vengeance machine in about three seconds flat.” That really cracked me up, and it was sweet how despite their differences, Belinda and Kat are close. Also, I am no fan of snakes, but the one in this story warmed me up just a bit.
This first book in the Belinda Blake series is whimsical, fun, and altogether entertaining, and I look forward to seeing what mysteries she solves next.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley; this review is my honest opinion.
Oh my gosh! I absolutely loved this book! Full of wonderful quirky characters and an interesting story line with lots of twists and turns. A wonderful cozy whodunit! I could not put this book down! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series! I love Belinda!
Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is the first book in Heather Day Gilbert’s new series, An Exotic Pet-Sitter Mystery and I can not wait to read book #2. Having read several of this author’s books before I knew I could expect a good book and I wasn’t disappointed. Gilbert is a skilled storyteller and she has crafted a story that moves quickly with several unpredictable twists and interesting situations, drawing the reader in right from the start. The characters are great–colorful and a tad quirky, likable and realistic. I enjoyed the relationship of Belinda with her family and let’s not forget her interactions with Rasputin, the ball python Belinda was pet-sitting. A little humor, a couple murders, covert interrogation missions, a little romance and an ending that says there is more to come with Belinda Blake…what more could a reader who loves cozy mysteries want!
I read a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
Book one of a super cozy series about an exotic pet sitter. Great characters and well plotted but very cozy.
This is a great cozy mystery.
I wish it were possible to give this book a rating of 4 1/2 stars. I had a lot of trouble getting into the book. My only problem was with how much of the early part of the book was talking about clothing and style simply by what seemed to me to be designer names. Since I don’t know what any of them are I was lost.
Once we had reached a point that Belinda had been thoroughly introduced this way and the mystery took over I quickly became caught up in the story. The mystery was very intricately woven and definitely kept my attention.
Belinda is a very different character. Both of her jobs are very unusual. I was equal parts fascinated and grossed out by all of the descriptions of how a ball python is cared for.
There are a lot of very strange characters in this story. Many of them had me guessing as to whether they could have been the killer.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Had to stop quite early on. She’s supposed to be an exotic pet sitter. Somehow she lives in a lovely guest house on an estate just a hop from downtown Manhattan. Job pays really well?
She’s taking care of a snake. She takes it, uncaged, outside, yet she’s afraid to hold tight to it, doesn’t know how to catch it, and has to be rescued. The obligatory handsome rich dude who is insta-love smitten (of course) then tells her he’ll recommend her as a pet sitter to all his friends? After the total incompetence he just witnessed?
Neither plot, nor characters, nor writing tempted me to try any longer.
Liked the book, but the thought of a snake creeped me out.
What I liked about this book is the fact that the theme is so unique. I am not sure that I would want to be an exotic pet sitter, but it was certainly intriguing to consider what all that involved. Not surprisingly, the snake does play a part in the mystery. Previously Gilbert has published in the Christian fiction market. While this book moves away from that genre, this is a clean story with a strong plot. I look forward to reading more in this series!
What a fun cozy read with a new twist! This is the first in a new series by Heather Day Gilbert. Belinda is an exotic pet sitter and this book involves a snake, a rich boy and a body (or bodies). The story was well told and I couldn’t figure out the ‘who dun it’! If the clues were there, they were so well hidden I missed them.
Can’t wait to see what the next book brings! Will it be another snake? A lemur? A tarantula? What’ll it be?!?!?!
Cozy Mystery in Greenwich
This is a great mystery that I hated to put down. Our heroine is pet sitting a ball python while getting moved into a carriage house in Greenwich. The plot is great and very well done. There are lots of good suspects, none with very good motives. It is fun to look into the lives of the very wealthy. I am looking forward to reading this entire series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
this is a good story she is pet sitting a snake and moves to a cottage, when she goes out doors to sit she finds a body and tries to help find out who did it. I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading the next book
3.5 stars
“There was a body lying in my flowerbed.”
Thinking that she has scored the deal of a lifetime, locating a lovely carriage house to rent in upscale Greenwich, Connecticut, pet-sitter Belinda Blake is horrified to discover the body of a young woman carefully deposited behind the hedges of her minuscule section of the finely landscaped yard. It turns out that the the victim was a friend of her landlord’s son; Margo Fenton had been at the Carrington home as a guest of Stone Carrington,V on the evening of her demise. And now the charming Stone Carrington has commandeered Belinda’s help to find out exactly what may have happened to his friend.
It turns out that there are a lot of suspects and no clues. Or was it that there were a lot of clues and no suspects? Either way, Belinda has just agreed to do some amateur sleuthing in addition to caring for a rather intimidating ball python; since that’s actually her bill-paying job.
Once again Heather Day Gilbert has crafted a slightly quirky, but immensely lovable character; expect a lot of readers to be clamoring for the next episode of Belinda Blake.
I received a digital copy of this book on NetGalley, but also purchased a print copy to review. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Another amazing mystery by Heather Day Gilbert!
And a fun start to a new series! I have read several of Heather Day Gilbert’s mysteries and I am always amazed by her ability to keep me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the very end. Her books make me go full Sherlock Holmes-mode in an attempt to solve the mystery before the sleuth and this one is no exception. “Well all the clues point to person x so it must be person y. Or is she trying to make me think it’s person y when it’s really some random person z I never even considered?” And yet, I was still stunned when the killer was revealed. That’s how awesome her novels are.
However, my favorite part of any of Heather Day Gilbert’s mysteries is the world and characters she creates. She creates such an intriguing world filled with quirky, relatable characters that I’m just as invested in the characters’ lives as the mystery. I loved Belinda’s character and her relationships with her family. If these characters were real, I feel certain we’d be great friends. And I cannot wait to read the next novel! Not just because of the mystery, but because I can’t wait to see more of Belinda Blake, the crazy animals she takes care of, and the guy she has a crush on.