GET FLUFFY by Sparkle Abbey

Publisher: Bell Bridge
Date published: March 30, 2012
ISBN 9781611941210
Cozy Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained Via Publisher - Netgalley


Melinda Langston, (Mel) owner of the Bow Wow Boutique, catering to high end pet accoutrements and fashions has a pretty simple and easy going life. Compared to some that is. Okay, she is engaged to an FBI agent that still remains on and off – she’s not so sure she’s ready to deal with his impromptu trips out of town. And then there is her cousin, Caro, who she routinely finds herself in competition with. Okay, and then there is her mother, a southern belle former beauty contestant that really wanted Melinda to follow in her footsteps. Mel, however, had something else in mind and moved to Laguna Beach where she lives with her bull dog, Missie. The shop does well, she has friends. Life is good even with Caro stealing back their grandmother’s brooch. That is, until the night of the Fur Ball, the annual fund raiser for animal concerns. There the threads of her life begin to unravel with spats between friends and co-workers ending with Mel tossing a glass of wine in sophisticate Mona Michael’s designer gown. Things quickly go further downhill from there with Mona turning up dead. Worse yet for Mel, she is the one to find Mona’s body. Well, she didn’t exactly find it, Mona’s starlet afghan, Fluffy, actually found her. Never a fan of Fluffy, Mel now finds herself the snobbish dog’s guardian. And, she finds herself on the trail of the killer.

I loved Sparkle Abbey’s first book in their Pampered Pets series, DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS. It was one of the best books I’ve read this year. It was with great anticipation I dug into book two, GET FLUFFY.

Let me start by explaining that I was drawn to the book not only because DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS was such a good read. Two of my cats are named Mel and Missy. What’s not to like?

I did, however, set my expectations a bit too high. Not that GET FLUFFY is a bad read. It just isn’t as entertaining. The voice was different which is understandable given a co-written book if one author took the lead in one book and the other in the second. The version I read was an ARC so hopefully the asides (comments in parentheses directed at the reader in a private conversation) were taken out and put into the heroine’s point of view. Otherwise, in the ARC, every time they popped up it took me out of the story. The writing ran a bit flat and there seemed to be a lot of time spent with Melinda bemoaning how much she didn’t like Fluffy personally than on her sleuthing. I half expected Detective Judd Malone of accusing Melinda of trying a little too hard to follow in her cousin’s footsteps.

The reason for the murder is pretty much standard fare for a mystery and I had a sense of who done it before the end.

Missie totally stole the show for me. For those who say animals don’t have personalities, they don’t know what they are saying. The authors completely capture the personalities that dogs can have, how diverse they are and Missie is just the best. I wanted to reach into my reader and hug her. (I settled for cuddling my own Missy).

Both books of the series so far are standalones. You don’t have to read one to enjoy the other or in any particular order. I do however, recommend reading both. Even if you aren’t a fan of cozies you are missing out on some fun reads if you don’t check out the Pampered Pet series.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS by Sparkle Abbey

Publisher: Bell Bridge
Date published: October 14, 2011
ISBN 9781611940503
Cozy Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained Via Publisher/Netgalley


With the demise of her therapy practice, Caro Lamont, turns her talent to pet therapy. With innate sense of just what makes a cat, dog or other pet tick, she has quickly become the go to person for the residents of Laguna Beach, California and, more specifically, the community of Ruby Point. Called to the home of one of her clients, Kevin Blackstone, she learns that his otherwise well behaved dogs, Zeus and Tommy Boy, have begun to behave rather erratically. Before long she learns that several other clients’ pets are also behaving somewhat oddly. While out on a training walk with Kevin, Zeus and Tommy Boy the dogs go wild and pursue an otherwise innocuous gardener. Unable to reconcile the dogs’ behavior Caro comes up with a plan of action. Before she can embark on it though, Kevin is murdered. Because Caro was most likely the last person to see him alive—and the police have evidence in the form of a missing brooch, Caro becomes suspect number one.

Now that’s not as bad as it sounds…after all the detective on the case is a cutie named Judd Malone. Well, okay, cutie is probably not the right word. More like smokin hot! He has reservations about Caro’s story that the reason she returned to the scene of the crime was she went to retrieve her beloved grandmother’s brooch. And there is quite the backstory as to why she so covets that particular item of jewelry. When two more bodies turn up Caro amps up her sleuthing activities and stumbles on the reason for Kevin’s murder. Can she get to Judd before the killer gets to her?

Sparkle Abbey’s DESPERATE HOUSEDOGS is one of the best books I have read this year. Sparkle Abbey is actually two authors who, using the names of their rescue cat and dog, know how to tell a great story. Aside from some of the most fun, entertaining and easy to like characters, they know how to create suspense and mystery. The ending and what prompted Kevin’s murder took me completely off guard. I did not see it coming—and it was brilliantly done.

Judd is a guy after your own heart despite his unshakable conviction Caro has something more to do with Kevin’s murder than just looking for her pin. And what about that other hottie with the ultra-friendly dog? Will he feature in Caro’s future? Or is there something else going on with him?

Caro is a great heroine. She’s smart, witty, and the kind of person you’d like to have as a friend. She is entertaining, loyal to her friends and loves animals.
Cozy fans will totally enjoy this book. If you aren’t a fan of cozies I still highly recommend you give it a read. You will be entertained page after page. I know I was left wanting more after the story ended – not of the story but of these authors great storytelling. The good news is GET FLUFFY is due out shortly and I already have my copy!

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.