From the moment Peg arrives in Kentucky, dragging level-headed Rose along for the week-long excursion proves a smart move. Because after she brings her canine expertise to prestigious conformation shows, next on the agenda is selling her Thoroughbred broodmare's offspring at a high-stakes yearling sale. And when the ladies arrive to meet the young horse at Six Oaks farm, something seems off about the place-especially Jim Grable, the yearling manager with serious anger issues . . .
While Peg feels comfortable again judging pedigree pups over Labor Day Weekend, Rose judges a shocking new turn of events. Jim has been found dead on the farm and a young employee needs help convincing police she didn't kill him. As disjointed clues lead to a list of misdeeds swirling around Six Oaks, everyone connected to Jim agrees on one thing-he had it coming . . .
It isn't until Peg guides her colt's journey to the auction ring that she grasps how much Jim had been manipulating the process behind the scenes. Now, unable to rely on her instincts alone, Peg must also trust in Rose's talents to expose the real culprit. But the two need to have each other's backs before tangling with a killer-a deadly criminal set on halting their dog and pony show for good!
Laurien Berenson is the award-winning author of the long running Melanie Travis canine mystery series and the new Senior Sleuths series starring Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan as a pair of seventyish sisters-in-law who are learning to put aside old grudges as they work together to solve mysteries. DIE ANOTHER DANE (#31 in the Melanie Travis series) is out now.
Laurien's work has appeared numerous magazines and the New York Times. She and her husband live on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by horses and dogs.
Peg and Rose take their Sleuthing to Kentucky in book three of The Senior Sleuths Mystery series. Readers find a different twist when the girls take a week away from Connecticut and head to the Kentucky Horse Farms. Peg has been keeping a secret from Rose and readers too, but that secret is revealed at the books beginning. Can our ladies stay out of trouble while they’re in Kentucky? Well you can be sure that there is a murder because Peg and Rose always find themselves right in the middle of an investigation. Can they work with the no nonsense Kentucky Sheriff to find the real killer or will they be on their own in finding out whodunnit?
I thought that the trip to Kentucky and the horse farms was a nice change for readers. There was some dog shows but for the most part readers got to see the hectic pace of life on a horse farm. I enjoyed the entire book but I did miss Connecticut . Peg and Rose had their petty arguments that I thought was cute. They do work well together when it comes to solving mysteries. I didn’t guess who the killer was and in fact I really didn’t have a clue whodunnit. I love when I read a baffling murder mystery. Keeps you flipping pages.
I recommend Peg and Rose Play the Ponies to readers of Cozy mystery and to Fans of the Author. If you have read the other two books in the series you will not want to miss this one. This book is scheduled to be released on 6/25/24.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are entirely my own.
#PegandRosePlaythePonies #NetGalley is the newest book in the series and it really is well done. Peg is famous for her standard poodles knowledge and is enjoying life as a circuit judge for dog shows. Since reconnecting with her sister in law, Rose, they have managed to get themselves involved in a few murder investigations. Peg is going to Kentucky to judge a couple of dog shows, but she also has a yearlong horse that is up for sale, so she convinces Rose to accompany her. Of course this trip won't be complete without a murder investigation, so it's no surprise when the Yearling manager's body is found, possibly murdered, and the women are asked to help a suspect prove her innocence. I liked this book because Rose seems to shine, she learns her way with Hope, Peg's standard poodle, and she really holds her own with Peg as well. The author has done a great job with this series, I really enjoy reading about these two different women, who seem to love and respect each other, even if not always apparent. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book. I'm happy to recommend this series to other readers.
This was a new series and new author for me. Even though this was the third book in the series, it looked interesting to me, and I am so glad I took the chance! This book had three things I love in a good cozy series! The first is wonderful characters, I love Peg and Rose, they are ladies of a certain age, sisters-in-law and as different as night and day, and even though Rose spent many years in a convent and Peg is a fiesty lady of the world, they both bring much to the relationship and story! Next, I love cozies where I learn something. In this book, I learned a lot about judging dog shows and a little above horse racing , both were interesting backdrops to our story. Finally, this was an interesting mystery. The MCs are intelligent. They don't disparage the police and they don't take stupid chances. They use common sense and intelligence. I will definitely read more in this series. Major thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensingtonbooks for the opportunity to read!
Peg and Rose Play the Ponies sends Peg Turnbull and her sister-in-law Rose Donovan from their homes in Connecticut to Kentucky. This book is part of a series that is a spin-off from the author's Melanie Travis series. This book has no mention of Mel and her family so you can definitely enjoy it even if you've not read the original series. Peg is a well-respected dog show judge and has two shows to work. She is also the owner of a thoroughbred horse whose yearling is going to be sold. Peg wants to be there in person for the sale and convinces Rose to accompany her. Peg's beloved standard poodle, Hope, also goes along for the ride.
Peg is outspoken and Rose is naive for her age since she had been a nun for many years. They were estranged for a long time, but are now building a friendship and have discovered they make a good team when investigating crimes. When one of the employees of the farm where Peg's horses are being kept, the two join forces once again to find the killer. This is a fun, well-written cozy series. While I was reading it, Rose reminded me of Rose on The Golden Girls and Peg has many qualities of Dorothy. This was a fast-paced, interesting read that animal lovers and readers who enjoy mature characters will enjoy.
I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kensington Cozies, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
I've been on a cozy mystery kick lately. I found this mystery interesting but found the details of the dog show a tad boring. I enjoy the friendship and banter between Peg & Rose. I really like this series and can't wait to read more.
I have been a fan of Laurien Berenson since the very first Melanie Travis mysteries, and was excited when the new series, featuring Aunt Peg was announced. I've read the first two in the series, thought they were terrific, and I have to say, this title tops them! The banter between Peg and Rose had me laughing out loud at times - I could hear their voices, it was so realistically written.
This time Peg and Rose take a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, where Peg has a judging assignment. It also coincides with a yearling sale at Keeneland, where Peg has a colt for sale, from a mare she was left by one of Max's friends. There is a murder at the stables where the colt is living, and Peg and Rose get themselves involved.
There is lots of fun in this mystery, along with the usual dog show tidbits, and background about what goes on in the Thoroughbred world. All in all, an extremely entertaining cozy mystery! I look forward to more of Peg and Rose's adventures!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
This time, the Miss Marple sleuths are on a road trip from their homes in Connecticut to the high-speed racehorse world of Kentucky!
I love their cheeky banter, and their genuine love for each other, that sees them through every scrape. Especially when there's danger afoot!
Seeing these two around horses this go-round was such a fun twist! And I didn't see the plot twist either, which was nice.
"What if I'm mistaken?" "You're not." "How do you know?" "Because I agree with you. And I'm a wonderful judge of character." "Besides that." "There's no 'besides that'."
A great addition to the Peg and Rose series. If you’re a fan of the Melanie Travis books (I’ve read them all) I think you will enjoy the character development of Peg. I find the writing of the relationship between Peg and Rose makes Peg a much more likable character. This books has the added plus of bringing thoroughbred auctions in as a major plot focus. The author clearly has in depth knowledge of the horse world and that really added to the mystery..
DNF !!! I love her other series and the first book in the series was quite good. But this book was a DNF for me. It was all about a horse and lectures about horses , very little mystery! What little mystery there was was boring.
Peg and Rose Play the Ponies Laurien Berenson June 25, 2024
Aunt Peg has a long history of loving animals. At one point she and her now deceased husband, Max were given a horse by an old friend. Ever since Lucky Luna has lived on a ranch in Kentucky. Recently she accepted a job judging shows also in Kentucky. She felt it a good opportunity to stop by the farm where the Thoroughbred has lived and been bred to see her as well as be present at the annual yearling sale. In the past she has watched via the internet but never had the opportunity to be a part of the transactions in the farm auctions. Peg thought it would be fun if she invited her sister-in-law, Rose to make the long drive with her. She could share the journey and help out with the driving. Although when approached, Rose was not certain she wanted to attend. Her husband felt it would help Peg and be a nice getaway for her. So she packed her bags and joined Peg and her dog, Hope on the tour. Peg and Rose Play the Ponies will be published on June 25, 2024 by Kensington Publishing Corporation. I was able to read Laurien Berenson’s latest novel in the Peg and Rose series via NetGalley. It’s another fun and exciting adventure for the ladies as they head on their latest road trip. Berenson always gives us plenty of laughs as well as a mystery that the duo thinks they need to help solve. An easy read that is always a pleasure. Do Enjoy!
Peg is judging a dog show in Kentucky and Rose is accompanying her. While they're in town they're going to attend a horse auction to see a yearling Peg owns auctioned to the highest bidder. Will the two ladies get along? Or will their differences drive each other crazy?
I enjoy this series a lot. Peg and Rose are so dramatically different I found myself really impressed with how well the author portrays these characters and keeps them in character. It's also amazing how appealing both characters are, despite one being very terse and abrupt and the other being kind of soft and wishy washy. Their strengths and weaknesses play perfectly off of each other.
There aren't a lot of horse themed cozy mysteries, so this is a great read for anyone who is into horses and of course dogs too. Anyone who enjoyed the Melanie Travis series should definitely check out this series as well.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Peg and Rose are back at it again but this time in Kentucky. Book 3 follows the duo as they attend a horse sale and solve a murder in the span of a weekend. This was an enjoyable read and I really liked that we are getting more character development for both Peg and Rose as this series goes on.
Can't wait to read the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this earc in exchange for my honest review.
As I have just started watching the Derby and other races, I was fascinated by the behind the scenes look at breeding and sales. I do look for Peg to judge dogs though and thank goodness for a full dose of Hope. I want Rose to get a dog — I feel that coming!
This book definitely captures the "cozy mystery" vibes! There's even less danger than the previous books, lots of banter, and LOTS of horses. It's clear Berenson did a ton of research on Thoroughbred breeding, selling, and racing for this book, as she details out all the minutiae! That does slow the pacing way down, but with cozies it's all about the atmosphere anyway. I never felt the need to skip ahead, just recognized pages were going by and we hadn't covered much ground, just more info on horse rearing.
I did enjoy seeing Rose and Peg's relationship grow. They're different people by the end of their trip together, and I think that will be interesting to see in future books.
This is the 3rd book in the Senior Sleuths Mystery series and in my opinion, it is the best of the three. The main characters, Peg and Rose, are senior citizens and sister-in-laws with a history of estrangement. As they navigate their newfound friendship, they find themselves in the middle of murder investigations. Putting aside their differences, they work together to solve the crimes.
In this latest book, Peg asks Rose to go on a road trip with her to Kentucky horse country where Peg owns a broodmare. Peg is judging at a dog show there at the same time as a big horse auction where her broodmare’s yearling will be put up for sale. They meet several of the employees of Six Oaks Farm and one of them, the yearling manager, seems to have anger management issues and is not well-liked. There is an accident and the yearling manager is found dead. The police believe that his death was not an accident and one of their prime suspects is a young woman with a promising career in the horse business. She asks Rose and Peg to help her prove her innocence.
I enjoy this series. Peg and Rose are likeable characters. I enjoy their banter. Their antics make me laugh. Their characters are developing more and more with each new addition to this series. The mystery had me guessing to the end. I know nothing about horse racing and I liked learning about that world. This is a fun light read. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy a good cozy mystery.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 A nice easy read. If you’ve ever been to Keenland in Kentucky…or if you are a thoroughbred horse fan…or maybe you enjoy dog shows….this is a sweet sleuth based tale….
Peg And Rose Play The Ponies is the third book in this adorable senior sleuth mystery series. Peg and Rose venture out of their comfy, cozy town and head together with Peg's poodle Hope to Kentucky to sell Peg's mare. Who knew Peg owned a horse? Along for the drive, Rose will try continuing to bury the strained relationship she has with her sister-in-law Peg, as well as learn way too much about horse breeding and then of course, there's a murder...
When the women finally arrive at Six Oaks Farm after a harrowing, joyless drive being together for one too many days, they both settle into the hotel then go to visit Peg's mare. But unfortunately, their first interaction with the yearling manager, Jim Gable leaves them both less enthusiastic due to his being not very nice, and downright rude behavior at the meeting!
But they certainly don't find enough time to even discuss Jim's anger issues when they discover that night on the news that he has died. At first deemed an accident, the women are approached by one of the workers named Lucia who discovers she is the prime suspect of his now declared murder. Although Six Oaks is trying its best to keep that bit of information under wraps. Yes, she had a difficult relationship with the man, but she in no way had anything to do with killing him.
Of course, the women agree to help her and begin their instinctive snooping and asking questions. Being their age sometimes it's very easy to discover clues while just sitting on a bench, as the elders seem for some reason to go unnoticed. But in doing so, they soon discover that Six Oaks is not entirely the greatest place to work. Not only that but between shenanigans and missing equipment, the list of suspects soon seems to grow.
As always Peg and Rose will use their charm and wit to discover whose "horsing around" and what could possibly have led to the murder. Peg And Rose Play The Ponies is another captivatingly sweet cozy mystery!
Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #LaurienBenson #PegAndRosePlayThePonies for the advanced copy.
Princess Fuzzypants here: As much as I enjoy the original series, I think I love this spin off even more. Peg and Rose are two sisters-in-law who could not be any more different. Gregarious take charge Peg and former nun Rose have always had a prickly relationship. During their adventures they both have formed a truce wherein there is mutual respect and affection. That is why Peg invites Rose to join her on a trip to Kentucky where she is going to combine a dog competition with a thoroughbred sale. Peg inherited a race horse and wants to witness first hand the yearling sale where her foal will be auctioned. This is going to be a steep learning curve for Peg. She receives an intense education in the world of horse racing that includes a murder.
They are asked to help a suspect prove her innocence and while they never put themselves into positions no intelligent senior would fathom, they still get into the heart of the mystery and discover the who and the why. Along the way the reader learns all sorts of information about this world that is fascinating. I enjoy books where I learn something while being entertained. But is the banter between Peg and Rose as they learn to trust and accept each other that is the best part. These two are hilarious and yet very believable.
Peg with her poodle Hope and Rose are off to Kentucky for a dog show (of course!) Peg is judging and for the sale of Peg’s yearling colt. All is not well at the yearling barn, where Jim Grable has “an accident” and is discovered dead. Young Lucia, who is a chief suspect in Jim’s demise, comes to Rose and Peg for help. They are only too eager to solve the crime while learning firsthand about the September yearling sales and sharing all their knowledge with the engaged reader. This is a delightful cozy mystery with lots to be learned about crime, people, and horses. The interactions between Peg and sister-in-law Rose are lots of fun to watch and listen to. This series entry reads very well as a standalone.
Love the Senior Sleuths series, though this one was more horsey than poodley:). Nice to at least see Hope! Learned a lot about thoroughbred breeding/racing/Keeneland sales, which is near and dear to one of my favorite authors!