Dog-loving divorcée and amateur sleuth Lilly Echosby is not the only one who wants her new foster poodle. Some are willing to kill to have him . . .Lilly’s best pal Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson has done it again! She’s convinced eccentric poodle-loving billionaire Archibald Lowry to sponsor a grand fundraiser for the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue. Tragically, it’s too late to rescue Lowry, who is … is murdered at the event. His pet poodle is now orphaned, so Dixie begs Lilly to foster the adorable pup. Of course, she already has a poodle—her beloved Aggie, named after Agatha Christie. Fortunately, Aggie seems to like the new addition to the family, whom Lilly renames Rex, after her second favorite mystery author, Rex Stout. But she’s barely welcomed Rex into her home when there’s an attempted poodle-nabbing, foiled with Aggie’s help. As desperate characters try to get their hands on the canine cutie, Lilly turns to Dixie’s dog training class to help her sort through a litter of suspects. Ultimately, she may have to unleash Rex as bait to collar the killer . . .
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Paw and Order
Dog Club Mystery, Book #4
VM Burns
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Dog-loving divorcée and amateur sleuth Lilly Echosby is not the only one who wants her new foster poodle. Some are willing to kill to have him . . .
Lilly’s best pal Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson has done it again! She’s convinced eccentric poodle-loving billionaire Archibald Lowry to sponsor a grand fundraiser for the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue. Tragically, it’s too late to rescue Lowry, who is murdered at the event. His pet poodle is now orphaned, so Dixie begs Lilly to foster the adorable pup. Of course, she already has a poodle—her beloved Aggie, named after Agatha Christie. Fortunately, Aggie seems to like the new addition to the family, whom Lilly renames Rex, after her second favorite mystery author, Rex Stout.
But she’s barely welcomed Rex into her home when there’s an attempted poodle-nabbing, foiled with Aggie’s help. As desperate characters try to get their hands on the canine cutie, Lilly turns to Dixie’s dog training class to help her sort through a litter of suspects. Ultimately, she may have to unleash Rex as bait to collar the killer . . . (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. I so enjoy the relationship between Lilly and Dixie, her best friend. They are always ready for a good time, but they can be serious if need be. They are known to track down killers when it is necessary, and unfortunately it is needed now. I enjoyed getting to spend time with Lilly’s daughter and Red, Lilly’s boyfriend.
The mystery is well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I did not know for sure who the killer was until the reveal at the end.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and it helped bring the book to life in my mind.
I would highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to see what happens next with Lilly and her friends.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
I’m always thrilled to find a new story in one of my favorite pet cozy series! It’s not often—more like never before—that Lilly Ann Echosby finds a tiny silver poodle with bloody paw prints that lead straight to it’s murdered owner! I immediately fell in love with the (now) orphaned male poodle, Indulf aka Rex, who becomes fast friends with Lilly’s female toy poodle, Aggie. The plot plunges into action as someone tries to dognap tiny Rex who Lilly is fostering until someone decides where his forever home will be.
With best friend, Dixie, and attorney daughter, Stephanie by her side, Lilly is close on the trail of the killer and determined to protect Rex’s rights, also. Author V.M. Burns pens a lively tale of greed and corruption, and blends humor and compassion into scenes to provide a satisfying mystery and a story pet lover’s will enjoy!
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.
Delightful! I love this series and the characters. In this book, the Dog Club is holding a fundraiser sponsored by an eccentric billionaire. When the man is murdered at the museum the first night, it seems like the fundraiser is doomed. Lilly takes in the man’s poodle for the time being, only to have someone try to steal the dog. On the last day of the fundraiser at the dead man’s estate, a luncheon is held with the staff. When the chauffeur is also killed, Lilly and Dixie along with the other dog club members are determined to find the killer. An intriguing tale with many secrets. Very enjoyable book that I highly recommend!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When poodle-loving billionaire Archibald lowry is murdered at an event he is sponsoring for the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue at Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson’s request Lily Echosby finds herself fostering the billionaire’s pooch while trying to catch his killer.
Friendship blooms within these pages, Lily and Dixie are women I would love to hang out with in real life. They always have each other’s back and their love for their canine companions is heartwarming. Lily and Red’s relationship is evolving nicely. Lily’s daughter Stephanie comes for a visit, there is a little tension in her relationship with Joe and she needs a little TLC from mom. Her mom may need her for some advice as well. I enjoyed the way Dixie’s training group gets involved in all the chaos. All the characters are well-developed with plenty of room left to grow.
The story has an excellent flow with action ratcheting up in all the right places. There are several suspects and different events for them to be observed and questioned. Well-crafted twists kept me guessing right up until the very end. I continue to be amazed by Ms. Burns tells such a great story in less than 200 pages, especially with her wonderfully descriptive writing style.
Paw and Order is a delightful cozy mystery that I enjoyed start to finish. Engaging characters, precious poodles, a great mystery, with a touch of romance and a nice amount of humor make this story a perfect escape.
While this book can be read on its own for maximum enjoyment I recommend reading them all in order.
I’ve read and reviewed other books by V M. Burns and every time I start out it is to say I think it will be like another “dog show” type cozy from another author. And then…I find it isn’t true. This series seems to have its own set of plots, many of which are cute and funny. Even when there is a dead body. The characters have their own distinct and very different personalities. Those created by V.M. Burns.
So what I’m really saying is I love both series I’m hinting at here. The one by that other author and this one, A Dog Club Mystery. I’m also saying that you must write rather good books to write right alongside that other “dog show” author and I think V.M. Burns seems to keep holding her own.
Lilly and Dixie are wonderfully creative loveable characters that readers enjoy more and more with every new book. Their pets hold your heart and keep things interesting, and now Lilly has added a new little four-footed bundle to the mix. Paw And Order delight and entertains.
When someone kills Archibald Lowry at a fundraiser that involves Lilly and Dixie, they can’t stop themselves from investigating. Suspects seem to come out of the woodwork, and even Dixie might be on the list. Lilly takes over the care of Archibald’s beloved pet. It looks like she may have taken on more than she could chew. After several attempts by someone to steal the small dog, Lilly’s realizes that she can’t let him go, and has to find out who is trying to dognap her new fur baby.
There are plenty of red herrings in this animal/pet cozy story. Characters are likable and exciting, with enough quirks to make readers smile and laugh. The pets, mostly poodles, will have you wanting to cuddle with your adorable pup or kitten or wanting to get one of your own to love. The evidence leads straight to the murderer, but not everyone will guess precisely what happened, who did what, or why until the end.
Lilly has several suspects on the run and comes up with a plan to catch a killer. The plan doesn’t go quite the way she had hoped, but in the end, the killer is caught, and Lilly’s new pet, Rex, is safe and sound. The cast of returning characters and animals in this book brings interest, action, and moral support. The location is a setting built for mystery, murder, and dogs. Readers will be thrilled with the plot, the writing, and the ending. I am happy to recommend Paw And Order.
A fun series from V.M. Burns that features great characters and adorable poodles. Lilly Echolsby, an accountant, works for a museum that has agreed to host an event that Lilly’s best friend Dixie is organizing to raise money for a poodle rescue. A guest is murdered at the event, and Lilly feels partially responsible for helping to solve the crime because it happened at her work. Also, her best friend is involved. This isn’t the first murder that Lilly has been involved with and along with her friends and her daughter Stephanie, they try to figure out who committed the crime. The victim was very wealthy and has a mysterious past so there are several motives for his murder and just as many suspects. I always enjoy this series and this was no exception.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I had a blast reading this Southern cozy mystery! Fourth in its series, the author shares her trademark humor and love for dogs with two of our favorite heroines, Lilly and Dixie. The setting in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the various venues for the East Tennessee Poodle Rescue fundraiser, brings out the secret Southerner in me, and the Scottish-styled estate a desire to learn more about Scotland. The dogs, of course, are amazing and intelligent, and the characters are well defined through actions and conversations.
The museum where Lilly works is the opening night location for the event. Dixie is highly organized and plans for every possible occurrence. Except murder. It’s a good thing that Lilly’s plus-one, Red, is an agent of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations! The victim is an eccentric, reclusive millionaire who made a rare trip from his home with his current miniature poodle, Indulf. Poodles are a passion of his, and he recently talked with Dixie about providing a bequest for the poodle rescue. That bequest would be realized sooner rather than later, unfortunately. After hearing a woman scream, Lilly and Red went to investigate. It was too late to help poodle lover Archibald Lowry, who was in a pool of blood.
Lilly was talked into being a foster mom for little Indulf, who she instantly adored. Her toy poodle, Aggie, accepted Indulf’s presence. Dixie thinks Lilly would be a great new owner for Indulf, who Lilly names Rex, in hopes that Dixie is correct.
It was discovered that Archibald wrote a new will and did not use Eli, his attorney. Instead, he filed it directly with the court. The new will left almost all his estate to the poodle rescue rather than to his Scottish cousins. He also gave small amounts to his staff and other charities. His cousins were quite upset about the situation, wanted to be involved with everything at the estate. Now they want to give Lilly fifty thousand dollars for little Rex, much more than his monetary value.
This mystery was intriguing, especially when a second person is found murdered at another of the fundraising events. I tried hard to figure out whodunit and why, and thought I had the solution – at least part of it. There were still some surprises at the end, and all everything was resolved. I highly recommend this novel, and others in the series, to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries that include dogs, dog training, middle-aged sleuths, and humor amidst the suspense.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
I enjoy this series so much! The characters are interesting, and the mysteries always keep me guessing until the end. Plus there’s poodles and it’s set in my home town, Chattanooga.
I highly recommend this book and the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
When an eccentric billionaire is murdered at a fundraiser for a poodle rescue group, Lilly agrees to foster his adorable miniature poodle puppy who is now orphaned. Lilly renames the puppy Rex (after Rex Stout), and all is going well with Rex fitting in with Lilly’s other poodle, Aggie (after Agatha Christie), and the other dogs in their dog training class. But almost immediately Rex is the subject of an attempted puppy-napping, and it’s clear someone seems to really want this dog. The members of the dog training class jump in to help, both with finding the would-be kidnapper and the killer.
Paw and Order is a wonderful, sweet cozy mystery. Lilly’s family and friends are supportive, fun and engaging. I loved all the dog-related action and events. Paw and Order is part of a series but I think you can begin here if you choose.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #PawAndOrder
Paw and Order is a delightful cozy mystery. Even though I hadn’t read the earlier installments I had no problems catching up with who was who. This story features wonderfully quirky supporting characters and suspects, an enthralling who done it all while being surrounded by dogs of all stripes. I’ll be checking out the books I’d missed and looking forward to future installments with Lilly and the gang.
Excellent Dog Centered Cozy Mystery
This is a very satisfying cozy mystery. The story takes place in Chattanooga, TN, and centers around dogs. The main characters are completely likable. While it is a nice and clean cozy, there is no excess attention paid to food, fashion, or wine pairings. There are plenty of poodles of all sizes and well as hounds, shepherds, and pit mixes. I have read other books in the series, each book can stand alone without issue. I love this author’s books! She has quite a way with words and can draw the reader into her world very quickly. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
There’s a new puppy in Lilly’s life and his name is Rex (formerly Indulf). His path to Lilly’s heart and home is, of course, murder. Lilly has offered her best friend Dixie the use of the museum for her poodle rescue gala event. Things are going well until a very strange and eccentric really rich old man shows up with his poodle puppy. He was invited by Dixie but everyone is very surprised that he showed up. Too bad his killer did as well. He meets his maker in one of the galleries and Lilly has a new dog in her life and a killer to catch.
I so enjoy spending time with Lilly and Dixie. I have known the joy of having a standard poodle as a companion and this series brings back wonderful memories. Dixie and Lilly make a great investigating team. Lilly’s daughter, a lawyer, adds her talents to the investigation. With the consent of Red, the investigation officer who is also Lilly’s boyfriend and some help from Stephanie’s boyfriend, Joe, it’s all hands on deck to find the killer and figure out why somebody is trying to dognap sweet little Rex.
The puzzle is well crafted, the characters are well developed and are people I like to hang out with – but only Lilly and her family and friends. If I ever found myself in trouble I’d like to have Lilly and Dixie in my corner. Plus the dogs, of course.
My thanks to the publisher Lyrical Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Paws And Order is the fourth book in the A Dog Club Mystery series.
Lily Echosby’s best friend Dixie is heading up the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue Association fundraiser and has asked Lily to help at the gala event at The Chattanooga Museum. The event’s Guest of Honor is recluse and millionaire Archibald Lowry. As the guests are arriving, Lily sees a man who appears to be a homeless person and she goes in search of Dixie, but it turns out to be Lowry. A short time later Lily hears a lady screaming and runs toward the scream. When Lily arrives she finds Lowry has been stabbed and is dead. Dixie asks Lily to take Lowry’s puppy, Indulf, while the police do their investigation. While the police investigate, Dixie and Lily, discuss tomorrow events. There was to be a silent auction and dog trials at Lowry’s estate. They decide that Lowry would want them to go on as planned. Before the police release everyone, an attempt is made to steal Indulf.
The next day Dixie’s dog club members have been assembled and are putting their dogs through various examples of dog training. The silent auction is doing well. But there have been a couple more attempts to steal Lowry’s dog, who Lily has renamed Rex. But then, there was also another murder, one of Lowry’s employees has met an early demise.
Lily begins to wonder if the attempts to steal Rex have anything to do with the deaths that have recently occurred. Lily, Dixie, and the members of Dixie’s dog club will put their heads together to help the police with their investigation.
The romance continues to blossom for Lily and Red, but maybe not so much for her daughter Stephanie. Stephanie and her boyfriend have come across a few bumps in the road and she has decided some time away might help. It’s difficult for Lily not to offer advice, but it’s nice to have Stephanie around to help find the murderer.
The book is well-written and plotted with an interesting cast of developed and believable characters. I particularly enjoyed reading about the interaction of pups as they frolic with each other and as they are put through their paces in the trials.
I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this great series.
I adore the A Dog Club Mystery Books series! The fourth book, Paw and Order, may be my favorite so far. I say “may be” because I loved each of them so much! The club members are a delight and I adore Lily and her family, including all the furbabies of course, and all of their friends. The characters are multidimensional and we learn a bit more about them in each book; however, Paw and Order could be read as a standalone. The laughing to tears adventures followed by edge of your seat suspense offer such a wonderful roller coaster of emotions that readers are sure to be tied to the book from beginning to end. The personal story that runs through the series keeps me coming back as much as the other great elements.
As a big fan of all of V.M. Burns series, I naturally signed up for the Goodreads.com giveaway and was thrilled to win a Kindle copy of the Paw and Order! Getting ahead of the crowd is fun and I never want to have to wait for any of her books. Thank goodness she is a prolificate writer as well as an excellent author who brings amazing characters and stories to every books.
#Goodreads #PawandOrder
Paw and Order by V.M. Burns is the fourth book in her Dog Club series and was the best one yet.
Every time I begin a book by Ms. Burns I feel like I have stepped into the world of old friends. Lilly, Dixie, Stephanie, Red and Joe have all become “real” to me and I am so glad to be in this comfortable world again. This time Lilly has two murders to solve with only a few suspects. There is trouble with Stephanie and Joe’s relationship but Lilly’s determined to stay on the sidelines while they work it out. The pace of the story is perfect with descriptive details that just make me feel right at home and rooting for Lilly and the Dog Club members to solve the mystery.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.