Private Eye Nala Bonne and her trusty crime-fighting rescue dog Max spend their days surfing social media for telltale signs of disability fraud and philandering husbands, but when a lucrative opportunity to investigate something entirely different, Nala readily agrees to take the case.The task: find a missing Santa impersonatorUnfortunately for her, someone is dead set against the search and … the search and will stop at nothing to drive Nala and Max out of town before their search even begins.
Can this dynamic duo locate the missing Santa before it’s too late?
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I loved this book. Set in the town of Santa Clause this book was entertaining, Witty, easy to read, page turner, loved the plot twists and turns and keeps you guessing to the end.
Another book I found myself laughing so hard until I cried. Hated to put book down.
I highly recommend it and will read again.
An interesting plot, quirky characters and an ever hungry canine sidekick who talks, will have you chuckling while reading this book.
Nala’s running low on cash, so when Karly’s aunt and uncle offer her a bundle to locate a missing person, she grabs it. She’ll be looking for … Santa Claus.
His real name is Chris Natale, but he immerses himself in his role as Santa all year long in Santa Claus, Indiana, and he’s been missing for quite a while. Bob and Selma are good friends with Natale and the only people who’ve noticed Chris’ absence. They’re hoping Nala and Max can find him before anyone else realizes he’s gone, with Nala disguised as a photographer and, according to Max, dog chauffeur.
But when they find Natale’s house trashed and a secret safe room with a state-of-the-art surveillance system, they wonder just why Santa Claus needs 360-degree cameras at home. Not to mention how hinky Uncle Bob is acting.
The town has two competing theme parks: Christmas Land, which is wildly successful and employs about half the town, and Vacation Land, which is not. Virtually every attraction at Vacation Land is nonfunctional, and those that work, like the flume ride with yellow-tinted water, are underwhelming. Nala, like most of Santa Clause’s citizens, wonder how it stays open.
Natale is formally employed by Christmas Land and is scheduled to sit on the throne the Friday before Halloween, which is only days away. Officer Tyler Goodnight reinvigorates his romance with Nala by showing up to help her in the search, and Karly lends a hand as well. However, Max outshines them all with a new talent, the origin of which he declines to disclose.
Once again, M.K. Wyatt has written another funny, action-packed mystery that keeps readers glued to the page. Nala and Max always deliver humorous sleuthing, and On St Nick’s Trail is no exception.
4 Cranky Stars
“Emotions cloud the mind. Any emotion. Fear, anger, and even excitement is enough to make you miss vital information or forget proper procedure.”
Nala Bonne thought her job as a Private Eye would be exciting. Instead, she spends most of her time investigating insurance fraud and cheating spouses. “Just another day in Paradise.” When her friend, Karly, offers her a missing person job, she jumps at the chance.
The missing person is none other than St. Nick (or at least a Santa impersonator) who has disappeared from the town of Santa Claus, Indiana. This is a big deal since the town relies on tourism and Santa Claus himself is an important part of the atmosphere. The town includes a Christmas themed campground and an amusement park named Christmas Town. Without Santa, can the town survive?
Nala’s partner is a rescue German Shepherd named Max, who just happens to be able to talk. While helpful at times, at other times Max’s gift makes Nala look insane. The dialogue between Max and Nala is fun and adds a lot to this book.
Once Nala and Max reach Santa Claus, things start to get dicey. A warning message is left in her room in the form of dog jerky treats spelling out “LEAVE”. Before Nala can gather any evidence from this, Max scarfs up the treats (of course, he was hungry!).
As long as Nala continues to give Max his favorite cheeseburgers, he is willing to put his canine abilities to work and try to sniff out clues. “No one told her that part of being a PI was bribing everyone.” Soon, Karly arrives to help with the investigation and the trio make their way over the river to a competing amusement park named Vacation Land. When they check it out, it is pretty boring and most of the patrons are strange looking singles wearing backpacks. Could there be more to this park than just amusement? Max has to use his drug sniffing abilities to try to find out!
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, especially those that include helpful animals, you will enjoy this book. The characters are well-developed, the writing is great and the story is a plausible one. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of the adventures of Nala and Max!
5.0 out of 5 stars Nala and Max are searching for Santa!
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. It was very well written and the settings were fun. The main characters are delightful and it was nice to read about some old friends,as well. Plenty of twists in this book made for a great mystery. I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Fun, kind of quirky cozy with a dog. What more could you ask? Add that to Santa missing and it’s quite traumatic. Just kidding but it does have a few cliffhanger moments:) This is a cute story and the scene descriptions are like being in Santa Claus Land (oops you can tell I’ve been to Santa Claus, Indiana).
Whether you’ve been there or not, this cozy has good characters and it’s a good story. Can you call a talking dog a good character? Heck, all dogs are good characters.
This is Book 6 of a series titled “The Talking Dog Detective Agency”. Well worth your time to read.
” On St. Nick’s Trail
The Talking Dog Detective Agency” by M.K.Scott is a tale of one Private Eye Nala Bonne and her trusty crime-fighting rescue ( did he just say something) dog Max…who along with BFF Karly …are asked by Karly’s Aunt Selma to solve a critical “ missing persons” case in Santa Claus, Indiana…The person in question is usually hunted by children…BUT this time adult expertise is required…as the missing jolly old elf MUST be found…and soon…as time is of the essence. And as the mystery mounts …and assistants willingly ( Tyler..her parents and Elvin) come to aid the investigation …the only one who digs the deepest for clues …only works for cheeseburgers! Sooo settle in…grab your hot cocoa …and some festive cookies …for one Christmas themed mystery ride…with a rival theme park…inquisitive neighbors…elves…mysterious missives …and even a unicorn…Nala has her hands full…juggling clues…dispensing cheeseburgers …and maintaining a low profile search for Christmas Land’s main attraction. Can She…Max …and crew…save Christmas in time ?!? Read and see. Much enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Copy of this book.
Another wonderful mystery by M.K. Scott! I absolutely loved this cozy mystery. The characters are just awesome, especially Max, the talking dog. He and his human Nala, a female private investigator, are out to find Santa, the main attraction in a theme park in Santa Claus Indiana who has gone missing.
Between Max wanting cheeseburgers, and Karly, Nala’s best friend trying to learn the PI business, Nala is trying hard to find him despite someone who doesn’t want her even trying.
As always the author has created several great twists to keep you guessing and turning the pages to see what happens next.
I received an advanced reader copy but the opinions and review are my own honest comments.
A town with the name of Santa Claus should be an idyllic place but Santa Claus is missing! Nala and her talking dog Max have been called in to find him before the townspeople find out that their beloved Chris is missing. As they search everywhere, including an amusement park, they will keep you laughing at their antics and those of that crazy dog. With a little suspense and a little romance you are in for a very enjoyable read.
Santa Claus, IN really exists. The rest of this story is an entertaining creation of the author. The characters, other than Max the talking dog, are quite believable and likable, with the exception of the bad guys. Max is a delightful sidekick who likes to be rewarded with cheeseburgers. Nala was hired to find Chris, the missing Santa Claus of the town’s theme park. This is an interesting cozy with some unexpected twists and turns. The story held my attention throughout and kept me reading chapter after chapter after chapter. I highly recommend this to all lovers of cozy mysteries. You won’t be disappointed!
Disclosure: I was given a free ARC and am voluntarily leaving this unbiased review.
Another fun mystery with Nola and Max. This time the town of Santa Claus is missing Chris, the man who plays Santa for many years. Nola is hired to find the missing man. Did he leave without telling any one? Was he kidnapped? Is there something else going on? Check out the story and enjoy the crew as they try to piece together what has happened.
A bit shorter version of the Nala and her talking dog Max series, this book is about finding a beloved Santa person who has been representing Santa for a small town called Santa Claus in Indiana. His presence is a tourist attraction there and has been advertised as a plus for their theme park where many in the town worked. However, another theme park is about to open just over the border and it looks like they don’t want the interference of Santa taking customers or is it more than that? It gets pretty involved and interestingly so as someone doesn’t want Santa found. Between kidnapping, the arrival of friends and others who might be following the action, it remains a page turner. Nala and Max’s relationship is evolving as Max wants cheeseburgers and Nala wants Max to maintain quiet so as not to embarrass her and cause trouble for them both. Fun read and I enjoyed it.
This is one of my favorite series! Who doesn’t love a cozy mystery with a talking cheeseburger-loving dog as a sidekick??? Nala is a private eye who gets asked by her friend, Karly, to look into the disappearance of a missing Santa. The town of Santa Claus, a Christmas themed town and theme park, is missing their famous Santa, and without their big draw they’re worried the park will go under. Nala reluctantly agrees to visit and look into things, and she brings her talking dog, Max, with her to help. Once there, Nala begins interviewing people, but since she has been asked to keep Santa’s disappearance hushed up so as not to cause a panic, she has to do her sleuthing surreptitiously. There are signs that Santa didn’t leave voluntarily, and the trail leads her to a new theme park. What with nosy neighbors, threatening notes, various costumed elves and unicorns, and even rampaging squirrels, there’s a lot of action, and Nala and Max are hard-pressed to figure out who dunnit. This is the latest in a series of books starring Nala and Max, the talking dog, and it’s a good one! I received an ARC copy but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
Nala’s friend, Karly, has a potential case for Nala and Max. Karly’s Aunt Selma lives in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana. The town has a major problem – Chris, who plays Santa Claus, is missing and they need Nala and Max to find him.
Chris never goes anywhere without his dog, Dasher. Selma’s husband, Bob, takes Nala and Max to check out Chris’s house. Bob insists that Chris keeps his home exceptionally neat, but things are out of place, as if somebody had been looking for something. When Dasher comes home alone with muddy paws and burrs in his coat, Nala wonders if something bad has happened to Chris.
Where is Chris? Has something bad happened to him? Who is responsible for his disappearance? Can Nala and Max find Chris before it is too late?
MK Scott has another wonderful story in this episode of the Talking Dog Detective Agency. By combining a real-life location with a fictional theme park she has built a great story. The characters and situations are very realistic and feel like things you might read about at any time, with the only exception being a talking dog. I am looking forward to more stories in this enjoyable series.
Nala and Max are off to look for a missing Santa in Santa Claus, Indiana. Santa has disappeared just days before the Christmas theme park (Christmas Land) that depends on him is scheduled to open. What follows is a search for St. Nick aka Chris with unexpected “help” and a mysterious nearby theme park (Vacation Land) that looks like a clone of Christmas Land. Fun characters and conversation with Max make this delightful addition to the series refreshingly different from previous cases. I was impressed with Nala’s detective work when it counted most. Very enjoyable book!
On St. Nick’s Trail is another great adventure with Nala and Max. After all who can resist a talking German Shepherd who leaves Nala in awkward situations? Almost seventy years ago, I was often in Santa Claus, Indiana (long before there were water parks) so I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Nala continues to develop her sleuthing skills as she learns several secrets about this missing santa. She receives several threats to get out of town. Will Nala and Max find the missing santa in time or will the sinister threats prove her undoing? I could not put down this book and was sad to reach the end.
Christmas Without St. Nick?
In their newest case, Nala and her partner, Max the talking dog, are hired to find the missing Santa from Christmas Land. The park is located in BFF Karly’s hometown and naturally she unexpectedly arrives to assist. Although Nala is concerned for her untrained friend’s safety, Karly is the only other person who knows about Max’s abilities and the three began their search, discovering that Santa (Chris] appears to be more than just a jolly, old, gift-giving gentleman. Will they find Santa in time and will their search lead them directly into the path of a very dangerous wanted criminal? I love these mysteries. Max is every dog owner’s dream. When you ask him a question, he answers, often with a sarcastic sense of humor and he makes this series humorous and unique. There is plenty of peril, as Nala is prone to putting herself in danger in spite of excellent training and skills acquired from her father, the cop. All the regulars including Tyler, Nala’s on again/off again love interest, her parents and her computer expert, Elvin, add continuity and character to the stories. I’m a fan of all of Ms. Scott’s books, but this series just might be my favorite.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I loved the interaction between Nala and her talking dog, Max. Max has wonderful expressions and loves cheeseburgers. I look forward to reading more in the series.
Nala has been hired by Selma of Santa Claus, Indiana to find their missing Santa who is the star attraction of Christmas Land that is due to open soon. Nala and Max, her talking dog, head off to Indiana thinking it would only take a day or two to find out what happened. To make matters worse, a new theme park called Vacation World has just open right across the state line that is almost identical to Christmas Land. Was Santa in hiding, was he kidnapped, will Nala and Max be able to find him in time. This is definitely a cozy mystery that has some unexpected twists in the story. Max was also there when she needed him but he always wanted his rewards to be cheeseburgers.
This is a wonderful series! Nala is the private investigator, but her dog, Max, steals the show. This time they’re searching for a missing Santa impersonator. Charming characters, a delightfully twisty plot, and great story telling move this one along at a nice pace. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to future installments. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.