BOOK ONE in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.Fed up with her go-nowhere job, newly single Macy Hatfield moves back to her small hometown in West Virginia. She joins forces with her brother Bo in his crazy new venture—the … his crazy new venture—the Barks & Beans Cafe, which caters to dog lovers and coffee drinkers alike.
When a golf instructor is murdered at the nearby spiritual center, Macy winds up adopting his Great Dane. Just after Macy finds a mysterious message sewn under the dog’s collar, her Dane is dognapped. She launches into a relentless search for her newfound canine friend, but along the way, she digs up a cruel and confident killer.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
more
I loved Heather Day Gilbert’s exotic pet sitter series, and I’m loving this first book in her Barks ‘n Beans Café series even more. No Filter kept me turning the pages, trying to figure out whodunit. And I love the idea of combining pet adoption with a coffee shop!
Bo and Macy, brother and sister, have a great relationship. I have high hopes for Bo and Summer…and Macy…well, there are a couple of men I’d like to see her with. Can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
No Filter
Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery
Heather Day Gilbert
5 Stars
Synopsis:
BOOK ONE in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
Fed up with her go-nowhere job, newly single Macy Hatfield moves back to her small hometown in West Virginia. She joins forces with her brother Bo in his crazy new venture—the Barks & Beans Cafe, which caters to dog lovers and coffee drinkers alike.
When a golf instructor is murdered at the nearby spiritual center, Macy winds up adopting his Great Dane. Just after Macy finds a mysterious message sewn under the dog’s collar, her Dane is dognapped. She launches into a relentless search for her newfound canine friend, but along the way, she digs up a cruel and confident killer.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over (Goodreads)
Review:
The writing style flows smoothly and defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. In my mind’s eye, I could picture the Barks and Beans and all of the animals inside there.
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Macy and Bo are siblings and I thought they got along really good. They cared about each other and they tried to watch out for each. They have both been hurt, but they try to help each other through their heartache. Bo has a secret that he finally reveals to Macy and she is not sure what to do with the information. Macy cannot seem to help herself, she has to figure out who killed the golf instructor, after all, she got his dog.
The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the book. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. The mystery was intriguing and not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This was a good first book in the series and I am looking forward to reading the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Bookfunnel, which I greatly appreciate.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Macy is stuck unhappily in California after a nasty divorce so when her brother calls with a big plan she jumps on board. She moves back to her home town to open a coffee shop/petting store with him called Barks and Beans which is an awesome name I must say. Working with the local shelter they bring in dogs daily for interactions with the customers in hopes of getting them adopted. Things are great then she gets a call about a Great Dane that was just dropped off. Once they meet it is love at first sight as the two bond with each other. His previous owner was murdered which Macy would stay out of until they stole her new dog. Trying to find him she finds so much more then she bargained for making for one great mystery. Full of cute critters, well developed characters, and just enough clues to keep you turning the page wondering what she will find next. A solid base for a new adorable cozy mystery series. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
As soon as I finished this book, I pre-ordered the next in the series, and my 14yo daughter and I look forward to racing each other again to see who can get through it faster.
u2060
I knew I’d love this book, as I’m a big fan of Heather Day Gilbert, and I was confident it would be clean enough for my young teen. I love this book for how much I enjoyed it personally, and for how it lifted my daughter’s spirits during a summer of stress and disappointment. The characters are all so colorful and vividly drawn, and the pacing kept us both turning the pages. A true delight to read. u2060
Heather Day Gilbert writes some of the best cozy mysteries! She has such a wonderful way of creating characters that make you want to be friends with. I loved Macy and Bo! I even loved Coal! I loved the way they interacted together. This made me wish that I could stop by their coffee shop and enjoy a nice drink and pet some dogs. I loved this one so much! This is one that I plan on reading again! I know that I will enjoy it just as much the next time! I really can’t wait for the next book!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Bo Hatfield invites his sister Macy home to West Virginia to be his partner is his new venture, the Barks & Beans Cafe. A cafe for coffee and dog lovers complete with shelter dogs to adopt. Shortly after opening Macy makes a huge adoption of her own, a Great Dane previously owned by a golf instructor who had been murdered. Macy finds something interesting attached to the dog’s collar and shortly thereafter her new pet is stolen.
Macy starts a frantic search for her dog and that lands her right in the middle of the golf pros murder investigation. With Bo’s help, they try to collar the killer and bring Great Dane Coal home where he belongs.
This series is off to a fantastic start!
Macy and Bo are a great pair of protagonists. The siblings each have their strengths and work well together. The author has developed these characters so well for the first book in the series while leaving plenty of room for growth. She has also introduced an interesting supporting cast I hope to see a lot more of. For me, Coal steals the story. Big, lovable, protective, and smart, he is truly a special dog.
The mystery is complex with a variety of suspects and twists and turns. In the course of the investigation, a huge secret is revealed which could change everything. I totally enjoyed the exciting chase to the big reveal.
I love the idea of the Barks and Beans Cafe. It is a place I would love to visit every day.
No Filter checks all my cozy boxes. Wonderful characters, an intriguing mystery, just the right amount of humor and a Great Big Dog named Coal. I am so excited for the next book in this series!
If you’re looking for your next great cozy mystery, look no further than No Filter, book one of the new Barks & Beans series by Heather Day Gilbert! Heather is a new to me author, but after finishing this one, I am certainly looking forward to reading more from her in the future.
Have you ever notice there are two really common themes among cozy mysteries? Pets and bakeries/coffee shops/etc! Perhaps that’s just the cozy mysteries I’ve noticed, but it does seem like one or the other is featured in so many that I see. This series has both covered as sibling duo Macy and Bo Hatfield bring their two passions together and create a unique coffee shop where patrons could spend time with dogs from the local shelter. Sounds sweet, right? I mean, I’m not even a dog person but enjoyed the idea of such a place for those that are.
Still, things in their small town aren’t all that sweet. It’s also packed full of murder and mystery that had me reading right through to the very end. We were introduced to a wide variety of unique characters who I loved getting to know…and many who seemed rather suspicious too! I must admit this one kept me guessing until right before the big reveal! And just when things were settled down and the book was coming to a close, a cliffhanger ending kept me ready for book number two… I couldn’t put this one down, and I will without a doubt be picking up the second book in the series so I can get that closure!
Overall, this was a charming read that fans of cozy mysteries are sure to enjoy! I certainly did!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.
When Macy Hatfield’s brother Bo invites her “home” after her divorce, to ion him in a new business, she imagines regular hourss and blissful days romping with dogs and making new friends.
She never imagined she would adopt a dog as big as a horse, only to have him stolen and her heart broken again!
Then in her search for her new best friend and canine companion to become involved in international affairs and discover her brother’s long held secret.
A five star read with charcters you quickly claim as some of your favotres and a dog you will love.
Yes, he will return.
This book will keep you guessing and the mystery, while wrapped up nicely, allows for continuation on various planes, including romance.
Great debut cozy! I loved the plot of a coffee shop/dogs for adoption set-up. A brother and sister team work well together to make the business a success. There are interesting twists and turns during the story that kept me entertained. The mystery is a puzzler. I recommend this story to cozy mystery and dog lovers!
this is a wonderful story. Macy and her brother Bo open up a coffee shop and part of it is where the dogs come from the shelter for adoption , she takes in a great dane if you like animals and mystery you will want to read the book well written looking forward to the next story
No Filter utterly charmed this reader! Coffee + dogs + a cozy mystery = pure happiness in book form. Macy Hatfield joins her brother in a new business venture – Barks and Beans Cafe. One side is a coffee shop, while the other side allows guests to visit with (and possibly adopt) shelter dogs. As the owner of one shelter dog and one foundling, I adored this idea and feel it makes a delightful set-up for the series.
Macy Hatfield’s character is a fun character to me. She’s a little jaded and prickly, but she also has a soft heart and an inquisitive nature. Her relationship with her brother, Beau, is endearing, and I enjoyed their banter and care for one another. Little do either of them know that adopting one of the shelter dogs leads to some dangerous consequences.
Usually I can make fairly good guesses about the culprit in mystery novels, but in this case, I really didn’t have any good guesses. It truly felt like it could have been several different people. I found the mystery to be superbly done. I adore the small town setting and the varying array of secondary characters – it really makes the setting pop when people and places come to life like this. I also appreciate that it’s a clean story, too, with no language or suggestive scenes.
No Filter is a great start to a new series and an all-around delight to read – the perfect read for a hot summer afternoon – or really anytime you want to while away the time in a fun fictional world.
No Filter by Heather Day Gilbert is truly a cozy little mystery, the first in the Barks and Beans Cozy Mystery series.
After a divorce she really didn’t want, and a dead end job that, well, dead ended, Macy Hatfield moves back to her small hometown in West Virginia. Having inherited a large house with her brother Bo, Macy takes up residence in part of the large home to lick her wounds and figure the rest of her life. Bo, already a successful business man who made tons of money from his first business venture, has a great new plan.
He is going to open a coffee shop; not just any old coffee shop, something new and different. Along with his sister, Bo strategizes until Barks and Beans Cafe is born. You might guess the “beans” refer to the coffee portion of this new cafe’, and you would be correct; but is the “barks” part? Ah, that is the unique and delightful difference that makes this coffee shop so special. Rescue dogs.
Yep, Bo and Macy partner with a local dog rescue to allow dogs in a specially built enclosed area of the cafe’; this uniqueness drew in customers, some of whom adopted the dogs.
One of the new pet owners is Macy, who takes in a large Great Dane after the sudden death of his owner, an employee of a nearby resort. When the Great Dane is kidnapped from her home, Macy suspicions lead her to the resort, and all types of mysterious things begin to happen.
No Filter is just the kind of cozy mystery to curl up with on a lazy summer afternoon, out on the patio by the pond.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Just Read Tours and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely shared.
It’s fun to find a new cozy mystery series that has characters and a setting you want to know better. The clues and mystery pulled me through this one. I’m looking forward to book 2.
“No Filter” is not Heather Gilbert’s first venture into writing cozy mysteries. This first in a new series is just as delightful as her previous cozy mystery series. While she is more known for her Viking historicals and contemporary suspense novels it is fun to read these lighter novels.
If you enjoy coffee, dogs, and small towns you will enjoy “No Filter”. Macy and Bo (short for Boaz) are brother and sister. One is wanting to find something different after going through a divorce, the other is wanting to leave their previous life and begin a new project.
We are introduced to a variety of characters, a murder, and a dog napping.
I love Macy’s spunk, even if she doesn’t always think, or inform others before she acts. Bo is a wonderful brother who comes to her rescue (of course) in the nick of time. Even if the “cozy” mystery always has typical elements, Heather does not make the novel predictable.
Heather does a very good job at giving us just enough development in the characters that make us adore some of them, be suspicious of more than one, and sets us up for further adventures of Bo, Macy and the “Barks and Beans Coffee Shop”.
No Filter is another winner from a favorite author of mine, Heather Day Gilbert. It is a fun cozy mystery that kept me guessing to the end who the culprit was. I love the idea of the Barks & Beans Cafe where one can get a cup of java and a puppy fix at the same time. The characters are believable and relatable. Macy, beginning life anew after a hurtful relationship, finds herself acclimating to her new surroundings with a murder mystery to solve. Bo, her protective brother, has opened a new cafe and yet, he has secrets in his past yet to be revealed. And Coal, the ever present and vigilant Great Dane…I loved how he just warmed right up to Macy and always wanted to be near and protect her. Lots of action, some quirky characters, a murder to solve, and a loving dog, what more could a cozy mystery lover ask for. And then the cliff hanger ending–it gives me hope for another fun book from this author. I can’t wait.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
No Filter is the first in the new series The Barks & Bean Cafe cozy mystery series, and it got off to a great start. I am loving cozy mysteries that feature animals and Coal the Great Dane was just a great sidekick for Macy.
Following her divorce Macy has returned to her hometown and setup a cafe with her brother Bo – the Barks & Beans which features the very popular idea of a petting cafe allowing people to drink their coffee and potentially adopt a dog at the same time. I don’t think Macy planned on adopting a dog let alone get involved with trying to solve his previous owners murder!
As far as cozy mysteries goes this quaint little town takes a deadly turn, filled with a host of colourful characters, a little romance and of course cute doggies of all shapes and sizes.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I can’t wait to read more of Macy and Coal’s adventures.
4 stars
NO FILTER by Heather Day Gilbert
The First Barks & Beans Mystery
After a massive betrayal, newly divorced Macy Hatfield is ready for a change. So when her brother, Bo, suggests she comes home to West Virginia and help in his new business venture, she’s more than willing to agree. The siblings open Barks & Beans, a coffee cafe where people can also mingle with shelter dogs, with Bo in charge of the coffee aspect and Macy concentrating on the dogs. Macy soon meets and makes a connection with a very special dog. Coal is a purebred Great Dane whose owner, a golf instructor at a nearby spiritual center, has been murdered. When Macy comes home to find Coal missing she’s sure he’s been abducted. Now she’ll move heaven and earth to find her beloved companion, and if that involves looking into his late owner’s murder, so be it!
NO FILTER is a great start to a new series. I love the sibling relationship between Bo and Macy, both of whom have severe trust issues. I appreciate the slow character development we see, learning about their past that so influences their current behavior. One of the things I like best is that Macy, generally, doesn’t run off half cocked, like so many cozy mystery heroines. While she’s able to take care of herself, she also keeps the police and her brother apprised of her actions. She’s not hot on the heels of a killer, although she gets involved inadvertently. Macy is smart and behaves rationally and I look forward to getting to know her better.
The first Barks and Beans Mystery provides a mature mystery. While there is no doubt it’s a cozy, the characters act responsibly and there are serious themes at work. There are less zany antics and more in depth character study. There’s a compelling mystery and though fun, and funny at times, it has a more serious mien.
NO FILTER combines coffee and dogs to create a wonderful treat for mystery lovers. Intelligent characters, an interesting setting, a wonderful Great Dane, and what looks to be a very interesting and dangerous story arc make me eager to read the next book.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me an e-copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
What an incredible read! I absolutely loved the characters and feel in love with Coal. This story will keep you glued to its pages. I was on the edge of my seat so much, Macy was one brave character. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing as to who the murderer is. I thought I had it figured out and then a new twist throws you in a tail spin. I loved reading about the teas and coffees Barks and Beans made, I swore I could smell the aroma. This is a new author and series to me, I’m hooked!
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
No Filter by Heather Day Gilbert is a delightful beginning to The Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery book series. I appreciate the fact that this is a completely clean book with neither swearing nor sexual innuendo…what I’d love to say about all cozy mystery books. It’s a quick, easy read with quirky characters, a mysterious murder, adoptable dogs, and delicious coffee.
Brother and sister team, Bo and Macy Hatfield are going into business together. Macy just went through a messy divorce. Being the good big brother that he is, Bo invites Macy back to their hometown where he’s started Barks & Beans Cafe. He runs the “beans” side and wants Macy to run the “barks” side. The cafe is a hit since most people love both coffee and dogs. What he doesn’t count on is his little sister adopting a Great Dane that’ll put her in danger!
I love the West Virginia setting and the feel of the area in which Bo and Macy live. The cafe has a cozy feel to it though Bo’s employees are far from cozy! They do know their coffee though, and don’t worry….they grow on you. The characters in No Filter are well-developed for a first book in a series, yet the author has left room for growth. I’m excited to see which characters stick around for Iced Over, Book 2.
Solving the mystery was not easy for me! Lots of red herrings show up throughout the book. You think you know whodunit? Maybe you do; maybe you don’t!
I think you’ll be just as entertained by No Filter as I was!
This is a light, clean mystery featuring a very likeable, everyday woman as the heroine. I liked the variety of characters: the protective, bad-ass brother, the slightly hippy-ish animal shelter keeper, the mysterious and charming art dealer…and yes, the adorable – and giant! – dog. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.