The Dog Park Detectives

by Blake Mara

Murder is never just a walk in the park . . .

When friends Louise and Irina find a dead body in the local park whilst walking their dogs, they are soon drawn into the mystery of who murdered local entrepreneur Phil Creasey.

Phil used to be a member of their dog walking community – nicknamed The Pack – until the death of his cockapoo, and The Pack feel they owe it to Phil to investigate his death. With Louise and Irina leading the charge, they soon come up against local drug dealers, stolen cars and a disturbing incident of poisoned dog biscuits. Have The Pack bitten off more than they can chew, or can they follow their noses and solve the crime?

The Dog Park Detectives  is a joyous and fur-ociously entertaining murder mystery for fans of dogs and cosy crime, and the first in a pawfully exciting new series that is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood.  
 

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook

445 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2024

Reviews

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that I'm not a serious dog lover is not why I ended up giving this book three stars instead of the four I thought I would give.
On the contrary, this book is very well suited for people who don't own a dog. The author shows a great insight in how the bond between human and dog works. And how a pack of dogs (or humans) work. The term 'dog mum' or 'dog dad' grates a little on me. I grew up in a household with a dog - who was wonderful and loved by all of us - but to me, a pet will never become 'a child'. For those of you who disagree: it's nothing personal - it's just how I see it.

Having said this, I really enjoyed big parts of the book and the idea is good. What hampered me in reading was that there are a LOT of humans and dogs, and although there is a list at the start of the book, it was difficult to keep the characters apart. In fact, keeping the characters apart was easier with the dogs than the humans sometimes. All human characters blended in one big group of people who spent most of their time drinking a lot and walking with the dog(s) a lot. Sometimes there was a mention of work, but this didn't give the characters more depth.
It all felt a little unbalanced too, with most of the real action in the last 20 pages of the book. I would have given an extra star if this wouldn't have been the case.

I understand this is the first in a series and I would like to read the next one to see whether the characters will be more developed and the pace more balanced.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this review copy.

[Nora W · Rating 2 out of 5]

My bookclub made me read this.

That’s not to say it’s bad, I’m just new to the genre and I think it’s just not my thing oops sorry girls.

I would watch the TV show though (I’m thinking Only Murders in the Building vibes)

[Abbie Aspland-Rood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!
Fantastic holiday read- read it in 24 hours and could not put it down at the end

[Liv Neale · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cosy mystery is just that! A pleasant reading experience with lots of fun characters, but without much depth. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall I enjoyed and will read the next book in the series!

[Celinnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

[Malou Moen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boekenclubboek!! Ik vond het echt meevallend leuk!! Misschien komt het door mijn puppy fever van de laatste tijd?

[Ilze de Kock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best murder mystery book ever, but you learn interesting facts about dogs along the way.

[Zoë Amber Wortel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book premise caught my attention, a pack of dog owners who try to find out what happened to a fellow member of the pack who was murdered.

However, I felt like the book read too slow. Yes, I completely understand this is a cosy murder mystery so they'll give you only bits and pieces to get the thought train going as to who did it but I felt like this book really needed more to get my mind going. But only 350 pages or so in I'd say the author gave me enough information to start trying to figure out who did it or why? It didn't help that it felt like this book had a hundred characters, dogs included.

I was disappointed that there was barely any character building for the people. I didn't feel a connection to them because I felt like I didn't know who they were, the dogs however? I knew them inside and out. The author did a great job at describing their personalities but I wanted the same for the humans. If the pack was just the same 5 people instead of the 12 (dogs not included) mentioned, it would've been a stronger more enjoyable book all around.

The red herrings throughout the book completely threw me off, as they are supposed to do, but the red herrings in itself were much more exciting than what the actual reveal ended up being that I was a bit disappointed to get to the final reveal. Oh well! That's just my opinion.

If you are a dog lover, I feel this book will be of much greater interest to you. You'll have a different perspective and might be able to connect better to the characters. It just wasn't a book for me!

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

As a dog lover myself, this drew me in straight away. For a crime thriller book, it was very cute mainly down to the array of fabulous dog characters!
Bark Vader and Jimmy Chew!!!
Honestly, such a great read. My only negative is the amount of characters to follow. Yes, they were laid out at the startbut I still got confused.
It did drag in places but overall a very enjoyable, delightful read. The dogs and their owners were all brilliant and the idea of a bunch of dog owners taking it open themselves to solve a murder within their own dog park is just brilliant.

[Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 3*
Writing skill : 3*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 3*
Characters: 2*
Twist: 2*

I normally write my NetGalley reviews the literal minute I finish reading it, but the fact I finished this on holiday a week ago has left me with a dog shaped hole in my memory, not a positive for the book!
First off there were a lot of charcters to remember, and all of them had a dog with a name to remember, it was just a lot to take on board.
I also felt the whole thing was very far fetched, theres no way a community of dog lovers all get along so much so they have a whatsapp group chat and talk daily. Just no way.
Now the story itself was intriguing, a cozy murder mystery with the main theme of dogs....sign me up. I cant say its been done before from what I've seen or read, and it was refreshing. Something just missed the mark for me, and I think it was the overwhelming cast of characters.
Others may get on better with this, I can see there's great reviews, but it just wasn't for me.

[Charlotte Uding · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book to kick off my reading journey! This thoughtful gift from my best friend was exactly the encouragement I needed to dive into reading. As someone who loves both murder mysteries and dogs, The Dog Park Detectives was the perfect choice. I’m already excited to pick up Blake Mara’s next book, The Dog Park Detectives 2: Bone of Contention. I highly recommend this book! 🐶

[Renske · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️ Ik vond het thema erg leuk, en de wisselende perspectieven gaf ook wel een leuke storytelling. Echter vond ik het middenstuk te lang duren, waar er veel werd verteld maar er eigenlijk niks gebeurde.

[Sarah Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy cosy murder mysteries and dogs then this is the perfect book. When dog owners Louise and Irina discover a dead body in their local dog park, they, and several other dog owners are drawn into investigating the murder of Phil, who himself had been a member of their dog walking community.

Most of the characterisation in the book focuses on the dogs which gives the story an interesting point of view. It would be difficult to dislike any of these beautiful pooches and their slightly crazy humans.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

When friends Louise and Irina find a dead body in the local park whilst walking their dogs, they are soon drawn into the mystery of who murdered local entrepreneur Phil Creasey. Phil used to be a member of their dog walking community - ‘the Pack’ - until the death of his cockapoo Alfie. The Pack feel they owe it to Phil to investigate his death and with Louise and Irina in charge, it isn’t long until they’re neck-deep in local gangs and a string of disturbing poisonings. Have they bitten off more than they can chew or will they follow their noses and solve the crime?

So firstly, who couldn’t love a book that is filled with dogs??? This is a charming, cosy crime, murder mystery read that can’t help but put a smile on your face. As a dog lover I loved hearing about all the dogs (the little intro with pictures at the beginning is so cute!) and the little snippets into life with a dog are very clearly evident - especially liked the recognition of people by their dog’s names but never the person’s!🤣

It’s full of loveable characters and it’s clear to see how ‘The Pack’ has been formed from their dog walking activity, it makes me want to go and find a group of my own! It’s easy to read, enjoyable and keeps you reading to find out what happens next ( no spoilers here!) and I am glad to hear it’s the start of a series, will definitely be retuning to the Dog Park in the future for further adventures!

“They’re the furry person who’s 100 per cent reliant on you, but loves you 1000 per cent. They share more than your home; they share your life”

[Takealookinsideabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you bring a dog - or any animal, I guess - into your home, they become part of your family. So when they die, its not "just a dog" like they're a cup you can easily replace. They're the furry person who's 100% reliant on you, but loves you 1000%. They share more than your home; they share your life."

° • ♡ • °

I was thrilled when I got an email to confirm I was taking part in the readalong/book club for this title! I love murder mysteries, I love playing detective and I love dogs so this book was definitely a need!

I was hooked straight away, I loved the small introductions we were given to the large group of characters and their canine companions. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, so these couple of pages helped familiarise myself with the names and background info before the story started.

This book was fun, feisty and fantastic! I was so consumed, I found myself reading some bits twice just to make sure I was taking everything in. I had my suspicions too while digging for clues throughout the book and turns out I was right 👀

A pawsome read that will make you smile, gasp and remind you just how amazing dogs truly are. 🐾

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the idea of the book, and the plot.
Got really attached to all the characters and the adorable dogs!
The biggest let down was the conclusion, most of the reveal is just speculation and we never really know if all the crimes were connected or not despite Louise (the Main character) connecting the dots without any proof?
The ending just left me a bit unsatisfied but still an enjoyable read

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

the idea is good, but there were just too many names and characters for me to really follow and enjoy the story, i got confused between who's human and who's dog for one too many times. also, for 70% of the book nothing really happens. i did like some of the characters and i did enjoy the London setting, so there's that.

[Sarah_books_life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a brilliant read! I couldn’t put it down. I’m from East London and have two pooches so it was right up my street. When a body is found in their park it keeps the local Dog Park friends, headed by Louise start hunting for clues and information. Then when some dogs fall ill, they all jump into action, work together to get to the bottom of what is happening in their local area. This book is a murder mystery that is heart warming, an easy read and exciting.

[Ana Simen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read about murder in a dog park! Truly entertaining and lighthearted - like a crime beach read kind of vibe.

[Cornelia Everwijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geinig!! Vooral omschrijvingen van die hondjes cute

[Rhiannon Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved couldn’t put it down

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this and hoped it would fill the Thursday Murder Club void but it fell very flat for me (I’m probably still going to read the second one lol)

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing out of this world. But a cozy murder mystery with a group of people who have met whilst walking their dogs. “The Pack”, as they call themselves, help solve the murder of one of their own.

Would recommend if you want something you can listen too without having to think too much and if you like dogs 🐕

[Charlie Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8. good.l but not amazing. a good murder mystery but a Lot of characters which was confusing, even with the outline of everyone at the start.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was cute with some shitty detective work.
i knew who did it the second they introduced them and i'm no poirot.
also, i know the main premise was that everybody has a dog but at some point i felt like 'we get it, you have a dog'.
however, if you want an easy read and love dogs, you might enjoy this.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dog Park Detectives is a paws-itively cosy murder mystery by Blake Mara.

When a dead body is found in a local park by 2 members of the dog walking group, Louise - our mfc - can’t help but look for clues and try to solve this mystery.

As dogs start getting ill, more of the group band together to figure out what’s going on!

This was a fun, easy read that I couldn’t put down. It’s a very cute spin on a murder mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley, the book publishers and author for allowing me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Zoe B · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Hands and Paws up if you love a cozy murder mystery that has the bonus of dogs in it.
Introducing The Dog Park Detectives that has a lot of characters and their dogs and I thought this would get confusing but with a handy introduction to the pack at the start of the book was a good addition.
Louise seems to be the leader of this community pack and there is an ex convict who takes his little dog everywhere except the pub as she gets ugly when no one gives her a beer and uglier when they do. Amongst the dog pack there are 2 dogs called Bark Vader and Jimmy Chew (🤣 love it)
If you are a dog owner, you will know how easy it is to chat to other dog owners when out and about and in this story the dog community are very bonded coming together to try and find out why and who murdered one of the dog walking community. I thought the dialogue was great and the story had text conversations which were amusing. I did guess who the killer was but this did not spoil my enjoyment at all.
With an eclectic cast and their fur babies this was an entertaining story and was an absolute joy to read.

Highly recommend for any dog lover, even if you aren’t a dog owner but like a good crime mystery without the big scares and gore in dark thrillers this is a pawfect choice. An ideal book gift for a book loving dog owner too.

Millie the Labradors verdict: Cuteness unleashed, It’s pawsitively Pawsome 🐾

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read this! I really enjoyed it. There is a list of characters at the beginning and there are so many I thought I would get confused but no not at all. Told in multiple POV’s but mainly that of Louise ‘Lou’ this was a great fun read. Set in the East End of London the book centres around the discovery of a body, by Louise and Irina, in the local park where they walk their dogs. Louise and Irina are part of a local dog walking WhatsApp group ‘The Pack’ and group messages form part of the narrative.

Briefly, the body that was found in the park turned out to be that of local entrepreneur Phil Creasey who had previously been a member of the WhatsApp group but left after his dog died. However, led by Lou the pack decide that Phil was one of them and they would investigate much to the chagrin of ‘PC Andy’. Alongside this there seems to be a spate of dog poisonings and obviously they need to find the culprit.

Ok so full disclosure in that I did guess the killer when they were introduced but that didn’t matter a jot. This was such a lovely read I finished it in two sittings only stopping for dinner! There was plenty going on, not just the two crimes, to keep the interest high and some wonderful characters - two and four legged. My favourite was reformed criminal Gav, he was a salt of the earth character. A very enjoyable cozy crime and if you love this genre and love dogs too you are going to be in your element. I was. 4,5⭐️

[Rachel Ault · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was first attracted to this book because I’m currently in a murder mystery phase and I’m obsessed with dogs. So I thought this book would be the perfect pairing. However, I was quite disappointed, not because of the dogs and the case itself, but because of how Mara chose to write the narrative. Normally I really enjoy books that follow an ensemble cast and switch between different perspectives; however, this one felt like an unnecessary amount of cast members and switching. There were some chapters (like for instance one chapter at the end narrated by a cast member we just met) that didn’t feel necessary to include from that character’s perspective and took me a bit out of the narrative. I also think Mara focused too much on seemingly unimportant details about the characters that really distracted from the overall narrative. It also really frustrated me that what seemed to be all these crimes linking ended up being separate events by the end…so not a very fulfilling ending in that sense. The climax of catching the killer was also not very dramatic, but perhaps I’ve been reading too many good murder mysteries lately. All in all, I didn’t mind it in terms of an easy read, but it didn’t make me think as hard as other murder mysteries.

[Triin Soom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kui hea raamat!
See on nüüd õige koht, kus kasutada kunagist Pantalone tsitaati. 😊
Kuid rääkides „Koertepargi detektiividest“, siis see raamat oli kuidagi minu radarilt välja jäänud. Ei olnud ma seda näinud raamatupoodide lehtedel ega raamatukogu riiulitel ega kuulnud ka, et keegi teine oleks seda lugenud. Täitsa juhuslikult raamatukokku minnes ma selle siis uuel aastal avastasin (raamat on ilmunud juba eelmisel aastal), kaanepilt tundus huvitav, meenutas natuke Osmani „Neljapäevase mõrvaklubi“ sarja. Muide viimati nimetatule ta natuke ka sarnanes. Koju ma ta tõin ja läbi lugesin ja mulle tõesti väga meeldis.
Nagu pealkirjast võib aimata, siis toimub tegevus koertepargi juures, kus kõik läheduses elavad inimesed oma koertega jalutamas käivad ning kogemata on nad sunnitud asuma mõrva lahendama. Peatükid olid mõnusad lühikesed, nii et uneaega sai ikka edasi lükatud, et ma loen ainult ühe peatüki veel ja siis veel jne. Raamat oli humoorikas ja sisutihe.
Google ütleb, et teine osa on juba ka olemas, jään nüüd pikisilmi ootama, et see varsti tõlgitud ka saaks ja raamatukokku jõuaks.