New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s beloved Hat Shop duo Scarlett Parker and Vivian Tremont return to don their sleuthing caps and solve a murder that’s death in show. London’s most refined canines and their humans are gearing up for the Pets and Wellness Society’s annual dog show–and Betty Wentworth, favorite aunt to Scarlett’s fiancé Harrison and proud owner of corgi front-runner … owner of corgi front-runner Freddy, knows that this could be their year with the right edge. Never one to turn away a corgi in need, Scarlett convinces her milliner cousin, Vivian, to design matching hats for dream team Betty and Freddy as they compete for Best in Show.
It’s a tail wagging good time until the dog-food sponsor of the event is found dead and Betty is the prime suspect. Vivian and Scarlett agree to enter the competition in Betty’s place and help Harrison catch the real killer before Betty is collared for a crime she didn’t commit.
more
Buried to the Brim is the 6th book in the Hat Shop Mystery series written by Jenn McKinlay and published in January 2020. I’ve been a fan of this series from the beginning, and I was super excited to get a copy last month. Since I am caught up on the series, I couldn’t resist reading it this week once I had some free time. What a great edition, and I’m already sad I have to wait for the next one.
Scarlett (what a gorgeous name) and Harrison are finally engaged. When his aunt visits, she’s preparing for an upcoming dog show. Her little Freddy seems to always come in second place, but this year, she’s determined to win. The first place winner has a bit of an attitude toward her, and we can’t tell if it’s hate or love sometimes… but when Aunt Betty accuses one of the sponsors of poisoning dogs with their bad food products, all craziness breaks loose… and Betty is thrown out of the dog show. Naturally, Scarlett enters on her behalf and competes to win first prize. Too bad she finds another dead body and almost gets kicked out herself.
McKinlay’s books are simply awesome. I love reading them because the writing is clear and direct, the characters are vibrant, and the plots are delicious. I loved the Agatha Christie feel to this one (more than normal) and especially when the way the book ended. There were a lot of female characters to keep track of, so you have to pay attention to the details of who knows what. Aunt Betty is a hoot, and she does what she wants. The new investigator is also a little eclectic, and I like how he ended up supporting Scarlett’s involvement in a few ways.
When Scarlett’s friends help out with the investigation, you know it’ll get solved quicker. Especially when Viv agrees to create special hats for the dogs (against her better judgment). Will it end up launching a new side business for her? As a mystery, it was strong and kept me on my toes. It had a full cast of suspects. It had lots of side plots. I had a great time guessing. Overall, I think it was a great book, and I give it 4.5 stars. I look forward to more antics from these characters.
Cousins Scarlett and Viv have an unusual new client for their hat shop. Betty Wentworth, Scarlett’s fiancé Harrison’s aunt, is about to enter a dog show with her dog, Freddy, and she is hoping that a top hat will launch him from second place to first place this year. At first Viv, who designs the hats, is reluctant, but soon she is on board, and everyone is delighted with the results. However, the contest weekend gets off to a rocky start during the cocktail party that kicks things off when Betty gets into an argument with Gerry Swendson, the owner of the dog food company that sponsors the show. The next morning, Freddy is the one to find Gerry’s very dead body. With the police looking at Betty, Scarlett begins digging in, trying to figure out who else had motive. It quickly becomes apparent that this dog show is far from cute. But who committed murder?
It’s been a couple of years since the last book in this series came out, and it was wonderful to catch up with these old friends. Some time has passed for them as well, but the relationships were as great as ever. We saw plenty of the supporting characters and I loved every minute of it. The mystery was just as strong, with plenty of suspects and a fantastic ending. I did find one thing near the climax pushed me out of the book and I didn’t remember a few instances of very mild swearing in earlier books, but both are worth noting only in passing. The running gags involving puns were always one of my favorite things in the series, and it is as delightful as ever here. And the dogs! There are some very cute moments with the dogs here. Fans of the series will be delighted to get to revisit these characters.
Buried to the Brim is the sixth novel in A Hat Shop Mystery. I love A Hat Shop Mystery series with its quirky characters and English setting. Scarlett Parker and her cousin Vivian Tremont own Min’s Whims in Notting Hill on Portobello Road. Vivian creates the hats with the aid of her assistant, Fee Felton while Scarlett deals with customers and publicity. Scarlett is recently engaged to Harrison “Harry” Wentworth and she is viewing the world through love colored glasses. Harry’s Aunt Betty along with her corgi, Freddy are entering the annual PAWS charity dog show and she wants to win this year. Aunt Betty asks Vivian to create a hat for Freddy. Aunt Betty is upset with the shows sponsor, Gerry Swenson over the quality of his dog food because it made Freddy sick last year. After a run in with Gerry at the kickoff cocktail party for PAWS, Aunt Betty finds her paperwork “misplaced” for the competition. Vivian enters Scarlett as Freddy’s handler much to Scarlett’s dismay. Things go from bad to worse when Gerry is found dead next to the agility course by Freddy. One person is quick to point the blame at Aunt Betty. Scarlett begins listening in on conversations and searching for suspects so she can clear Aunt Betty of any wrongdoing. I found Buried to the Brim to be a delightful book to read. It can be read on its own if you have not read the other five books in A Hat Shop Mystery series. It contains good writing and the story moves along as fast as Freddy on the agility course. Scarlett is a fun character. I like that she is an American in England. There are fabulous British expressions. I enjoyed the puns even Scarlett’s who seem to miss the mark. There is plenty of tea along with various food items to keep the group up to snuff (must keep up their strength). It was interesting to learn more about the game of rugby. The explanations were easy to understand. The mystery had several suspects with good clues. It depends on your sleuthing level on whether you solve it completely or are surprised when Scarlett has a Miss Fletcher moment. I loved the hat descriptions including the adorable ones made for Freddy. Bella, a rescued corgi, was a loveable addition. I look forward to the next A Hat Shop Mystery featuring Scarlett, Vivian, Fee, Harry and their friends. I am hoping for a wedding with a gorgeous headpiece for Scarlett. Buried to the Brim is an irresistible cozy mystery with pitiful puns, cute corgis, a succumbed sponsor, charming chapeaus, and a gobsmacked gumshoe.
The Hat Shop Mystery series was my first introduction to the writing of author Jenn McKinlay and I was hooked from the first book. When it was unclear whether there would be any more books in the series after book #5, I was unhappy, to say the least. That is why as soon as Buried to the Brim was available for pre-order, I snatched it up. Unfortunately, I was overcommitted on ARC reading during the first part of the year and this was the first chance I had to dive into the books I purchased earlier in the year.
Buried to the Brim is worth the wait. Ms. McKinlay has a wonderful writing style. It pulls the reader in with a strong plot, rich characters with distinct personalities, and a mystery that requires the reader to stay on her/his toes. The character development is spot on. In this book, Scarlett and Harrison are engaged an planning a wedding. They get pulled into a dog show when Harrison’s Aunt Betty needs help because she has come in second for the past three years straight. Through a series of “mix-ups” Scarlett ends up showing Aunt Betty’s dog Freddy in the charity show. Of course, once Scarlett becomes involved a murder is not far off. The victim is the co-owner of the dog food company that sponsor’s the show. It’s at this point the reader has to focus because Ms. McKinlay introduces a number of suspects, each of whom has a plausible motive for wanting the victim dead – including Harrison’s Aunt Betty. The reveal is well done and I liked that the Inspector involved in the case did not automatically dismiss Scarlett’s theory’s out of hand, but listed and supported them when they made sense.
This book is a terrific addition to an already wonderful series. Ms. McKinlay knows how to write a cozy mystery that keeps her readers involved and entertained. I will definitely be back for future books in the series.
Oh how I have missed these characters!! This is one of my favorite series and I was so sad when it ended and then had a complete happy dance when it was announced there would be a new one. And I did something I rarely do – I per-ordered it so I would have it ASAP. And then, of course, I was buried in other books when it came so I am just getting to it now.
And it was SO. WORTH. THE. WAIT.
What a fun read.
My ONLY complaint was the narrator. Oh. My. Gosh.
She would read
.
.
.
.
a sentence and then stop
.
.
.
.
mid sentence. And also after every paragraph.
Every.
.
.
.
single
.
.
.
one.
It was exhausting to listen to and made the book WAY longer than it needed to be. She was a good narrator and was able to flip between English [including super snotty upper-crust] and American with ease and she is really one of the better narrators for a cozy that I have had in a long time. Except for the pausing, I’d listen to her again. She really needs to be taught how to properly narrate. Please.
I find Scarlet and her pals in the London hat shop irresistible. Add corgies in top hats and a dog show–this is a perfectly charming and funny read for anxious times.
I love this series and they get better with every book!
Love this series and can’t wait for the next one. Lovely ladies who make and sell hat and come across a mystery to solve.
I loved it. I’m ready to read the next one.
Latest in the Hat Shop Mysteries, Scarlett and Vivian are deeply involved in hats, love, dogs and dog shows and blackmail and murder! As always McKinlay weaves her girls through all the tangled plots lines as they solve all the mysteries and win the coveted PAWS Best in Show trophy.
This is my favorite book in the whole series. Not that I don’t recommend everything cozy mystery that Jenn writes. It is just the way the book comes together and how the characters develop and relate to each other. I do recommend you start from the first one, Cloche and Dagger, to really appreciate Buried to the Brim.
This book was great continuation from the last one! I’ve missed this series. Aunt Betty and Freddy were great additions to the series (Freddy is adorable!)
I adore this book. I’m only 3 chapters in admittedly, but I’ve already laughed out loud many t9 es. This is a bonus because I love humor with my cozy mysteries. Love the characters and setting.
#JennMck8nlay. #aHatshopmystery
Review available on GoodReads
Another great read from Jenn. I love all of the usual characters because they are what makes this series so good. I love how Aunt Betty was able to fit in with the story like a regular. I hope there’s a next book to continue on this journey.
From Berkley Publishing Group comes the long-awaited sixth book in the wonderfully original and intoxicating cozy mystery series, “A Hat Shop Mystery” by Jenn McKinlay’s, Buried to the Brim.
This is the first book in this cozy mystery series that I have read, and I am happy to say that it didn’t matter. The characters are instantly appealing, easy to relate with, and I didn’t need a ton of background to understand who was who and their role to play in the story or series. The story is fast-paced, the writing is professional, the plot is original, and the Corgis are adorable. (You can’t go wrong with adding Corgis to any book!)
Scarlett is one of those characters that readers instinctively like. She has issues, but she knows it and accepts them. Her friends, fiancé, and his aunt are a compelling group that will have readers smiling and cheering for them as they travel through Scarlett’s latest adventure. Most all cozy mystery series have characters you can relate with, but few have the depth these characters bring to the page.
Suspect possibilities are almost endless. The victim was not well-liked, not to mention greedy. Evidence is a bit on the lite side, but readers will find that it’s there, they just have to look for it. This isn’t unusual for a cozy mystery, so I had no issue following the evidence and seeing where or who it lead to. The exposure of the killer was delightfully reminiscent of Hercule Poirot’s studious fashion of revealing all of the crucial details we missed. The motive is one any dog lover who attends or competes in dog shows will fully grasp. I am happy to recommend Buried to the Brim cozy mystery book to hat, dog, and Brittish book lovers everywhere.
Buried to the Brim is a fun addition to a fun series and the mystery is wonderfully complicated. I did not figure out the murder, but I suspected everyone so that one was on my list. Scarlet is still beaming from her engagement to Harry and the idea of a little addition to the family, a corgi, brings extra delight to this mystery. The group is still trying to match Viv up with Alistair with very little luck, but if you know this group, you know they will not give up easily. We get to meet Harrison’s Aunt Betty and her adorable corgi Freddy and they introduce Scarlet to the world of show dogs, world she gets to know a little better than she ever imagined. Murder is, of course, the order of the day and the suspects are all highly suspicious! I don’t love this series as much as the library series, but it is still addictive and just as well written.
I was excited to receive and ARC via Edelweiss and am already telling my friends about it. I do love Jenn McKinlay’s books!