Critters and Crimes

Magical Mystery Book Club #11

by Elizabeth Pantley

A quaint riverside town holds many secrets ... and the only ones who’ve seen it all are the critters.This book club dives (literally!) into the pages of a cozy mystery. The quirky group must solve the mystery to get out of the book. It’s so much fun - you’ll wish you had a book club like this!

In this journey, they choose a book set in a lovely riverside town. They land in a charming neighborhood and find they are part of a local book club. They are having a great time – and then a dead body shows up. (Of course it does!)

The clues to what happened come to them in a unique way – via the critters in the house.

As usual, the club finds plenty of time to enjoy the unique setting of their journey, as they solve the mystery – one critter at a time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

REVIEWS for book 10 in this PUZZLES & PREMIERES

5 STARS!
“The heart of this series lies in its extraordinary cast of characters, particularly the members of the Book Club—including the unforgettable Frank, a talking cat.”

5 STARS!
“I’m hoping that Pantley has a million of these books left to write. I can’t imagine any other books that have kept my interest this long. The characters are so much fun, and the story line is always fresh and exciting."

5 STARS!
“I loved this book. I think it might be the best yet, have I said that before? Probably, but the books in this series just seem to get better and better.”

5 STARS!
“It’s a wild and wonderful journey! I was swept away out of my daily life, along with the book club. It was just the respite I needed, and so much enjoyed!”

5 STARS!
“I laughed (thanks, Frank and Zell), gasped (those twists!), and couldn’t stop turning the pages. The setting was vivid and fun—I could practically feel the cold mountain air and see the glittering festival lights.”

5 STARS!
“I could not pull myself away and spent every waking moment (and some when I might usually be sleeping), reading voraciously to find out the answer to the mystery and reach the end… and it was worth every single second!”

5 STARS!
“Well-written with well-developed characters and a fast-paced plot. The series premise is both original and fun. I was totally drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end.”

~ ~ ~

This book is part of a magical cozy mystery series of 11 books and growing.

Each book can be read as a standalone, but are much more fun in order.

Available in eBook, paperback, Kindle Unlimited, and audiobook.

Join Elizabeth’s mailing list and get a free book from her Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club series.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 15, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Pantley is a bestselling author of fiction and non-fiction books. She writes two well-loved cozy mystery series: The Magical Mystery Book Club, and the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic series. She has also written the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting book series that is available in over twenty languages.

Elizabeth lives in the majestic Pacific Northwest and spends winters in the sunny desert of Arizona. While neither location is home to any paranormal beings (that she knows of) the vastly different yet equally lovely locations are the inspiration for the settings in many of her books.

Sign up for her newsletter to get a free novella at www.elizabethpantleyauthor.com

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critters and Crimes is the 11th book in the Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club
In the latent chapter, Paige and the gang head out to solve a murder in which they are not certain there was a murder.
Bob has a surprise for Frank,
And the book Club gets all of their clues from the menagerie of animals that the deceased kept.
There are developed characters and a good plot line.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critters and Crimes by Elizabeth Pantley is the 11th edition to her charming Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club Series; however, if you’re a cozy mystery fan, you do not need to have read the prior books to fall completely in love with this book! That’s just one of the many things that I appreciate about this series. In each book, the book club members magically travel into a cozy mystery book! Since they don’t go into the same book every time, each mystery is unique though the main characters essentially stay the same. I’ve loved reading them in order because that way I know more about the main characters. If you’re a voracious cozy mystery reader, you’ll fly through the books!

I’ve probably said this about Pantley’s other books in this series, but Critters and Crimes is my absolute favorite one! Though Frank, the talking cat, has been with the club for many years, he’s not been an official “member” until now. In order to celebrate this monumental occasion, the other club members allow him to choose the book that they’ll travel into this time. The one he finds most fascinating has “critters” in it, so he figures he’ll fit right in! Without even hearing the entire synopsis of the book, he is immediately sold on it. Imagine his surprise when the characters of the book they’re magically transported into can’t understand him! Of course, the regular club members still do, but the book’s characters only hear him meowing! However, as the mystery unfolds, we discover that critters do in fact play an important role in solving the crime.

In each book, the Snapdragon Inn that the club meets in travels with them and transforms to fit its surroundings. One reason this one is my favorite book so far is the inn’s transformation! Pantley’s creativity shines with her descriptions of settings, and this is no exception! I loved all of the little details describing both the inn and the beautiful riverside town in which the club finds themselves. The unique mailboxes in the town are an added bonus! It’s easy to picture the town, the residents of the town, and especially the “critters.” I just loved all of the critters and the parts they play in the story. As per usual, there is humor and heart to the story, and these critters just added to those aspects.

The mystery that the club has to solve is one with some shocking twists and turns. You’ll convince yourself that one person is the criminal only to find yourself changing your mind several times! This one really had me stumped since there were lots of people who wanted the victim out of the picture.

The well-written characters, delightful setting, beautiful descriptions, humor, heart, and twisty mystery make Critters and Crimes a cozy mystery that I highly recommend!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been following Elizabeth Pantley’s Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club series, you already know how much fun these books are—and “Critters and Crimes” is a perfect example of why I’m completely hooked. And if you’re new to the series? You’re in for a real treat.

This is book #11, and once again Paige and her fellow book club members literally step into the book they’ve chosen to read. This time they land in a charming riverside town and almost immediately stumble into a death that’s officially ruled natural causes… but let’s just say the book club isn’t buying it. What makes this mystery extra fun is that the clues don’t just come from people—they come from the animals the deceased cared for, and those critters clearly have thoughts (and secrets) of their own.

The characters are warm, well developed, and genuinely feel like friends you want to spend time with. The banter—especially between Zell and Frank—made me laugh more than once. The setting is vivid and cozy, and I felt completely immersed in Rivershade, right alongside the club as they pieced everything together. The mystery kept me guessing and second-guessing right up to the end.

What I really love about this series is the strong sense of friendship and connection. While each book has its own self-contained mystery, I do think the series is best read in order so you can fully appreciate how those relationships grow over time. Elizabeth Pantley’s imagination never fails to impress—cozy, magical, clever, and just plain fun.

Bottom line: once I opened this book, I was swept away from everyday life, and I didn’t want to leave. Another delightful, twisty cozy mystery—and yes, I’m already impatiently waiting for the next one.

I received a free advance copy from the author. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Critters, Clues, and Cozy Magic—Another Total Win!

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This book adventure is what I would call a more normal cozy mystery story, well normal for a group of people that travel into books and can talk to animals. I guess what I mean is the the characters are human, unlike some of the past adventurers where they have had to deal with ghosts, vampires, genies and many more characters that the author can dream up. Although it is still a book club adventure and there is a twist and they are the only ones able to talk to animals. I loved this element because a lot of clues were then provided by the quirky animals in the dead man's life. It also meant the library car Frank had problems making himself understood. Of course with this author it's not just the run of the mill usual animals and she used her imagination to come up with new and unusual ways to keep it entertaining. The characters also help immensely with this and I just love spending time with the gang. The mystery was well worked giving you a number of clues and suspects to keep you guessing. I can't wait for the next adventure because that what reading this book is One Big Adventure.

Frank chooses the next book adventure and the book club travel to Riverside town for there next cozy mystery adventure. Things don't go to plan for the library cat and newest official member, when the residents can't understand him. However not everything is lost, it turns out they are able to converse with the animals in town. Can the animals help provide vital clues to helping them solve the murder? The dead man is the husband to the book club host and it's not just the book club members that have a motive for his death but was he really murdered?
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Barb Lie]

Critters and Crimes by Elizabeth Pantley is the 11th book in her Magical Mystery Book Club series. Refresher: The magical library consists of 8 members, who choose a book, and they are transported into the story, with cozy mysteries that they have to solve. This is a fun, enjoyable, lighthearted series, with wonderful characters and a magical cozy mystery.

Once again Paige, Frank, Zell and there fellow book club members literally step into the book they’ve chosen to read. This time they land in a charming riverside town and almost immediately stumble into a death that’s officially ruled natural causes. What was fun about this book is that the clues come from animals the deceased cared for. I love the strong sense of friendship and connection between the wonderful characters that are part of the gang. The characters are warm and always feel like friends they love to spend time with.
All the critters throughout the house help in finding the clues that they willingly share with the book club members. Lucky for the book club members, the critters can understand them, as they converse well withs them.
What follows is a another terrific, enchanting and fun addition to this series, which has all the members trying to find clues, that would find the real the killers. The club members are all riveting and fun. It’s a must read for fans of all ages who enjoy all kinds of various Mysteries.

Once again, Elizabeth Pantley gives us another wonderful story. I really enjoy this series, as it is very entertaining. All the characters in the Magical Mystery Book Club are very good, with Paige leading the way. Critters and Crimes was a wonderful lighthearted fun magical mystery, which was very well written by Elizabeth Pantley. I look forward to the next book.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Magical Mystery Book Club where the members actually enter the book they choose to "read" becoming part of the story and staying there until the solve the mystery. On this journey, they find themselves in a small riverside town where they are part of a book club. When the husband of the book club hostess is found dead, it's ruled to be from natural causes, but the group thinks otherwise. And the critters of the house have their own ideas as well as some clues to share.

This has been a fascinating series, and this book's a prime example of why. The book was well-written, and the characters are well-developed while the plot is fast-paced. I was drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from start to finish. The mystery was intriguing and fun to solve. There's a strong sense of friendship and connection between the characters and the premise of the series is unique. I loved this book and am looking forward to the next one. I highly recommend both book and series which I believe is best read in order so you can get the most out of thing and see the growth as the series progresses. However, each book does have its own self-contained mystery.

[Georgeanne Mattise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Pantley does it again! weaving magical, full of twists and turns, fantasy and fun. The book club lands in Rivershade, a residential town Paige adores, and right off the members encounter a death...though no clue if it is the mystery/possible murder. Frank gets a lovely surprise from Bob, and the club also is promised a surprise-another mystery to discover.
Elizabeth's vivid and detailed descriptions took me beside the club in the small town, clear as day. Surprising friends assist with the investigation in some magical ways as the critters noted in the title. Love being swept away from my daily life to join our friends and ponder the outcome! ALWAYS a surprise, at least to me, when the mystery is revealed. She outdoes all previous mysteries and creates this book with yet another different, exciting, and fun story. Such an unparallelled creative mind of Elizabeth's is unique-grab this story sooner, not later!
Don't miss this book-so worth it! Plan to be unable to put it down till you've read The End on the last page! Always happens to me!

[Kay Cobbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Critters and Crime" is another winning entry in the Magical Mystery Book Club series. The club jumps into a new book and a new case, investigating the supposedly accidental death of Harold Henderson in Rivershade.
The heart of this series remains its charming, quirky characters, and their dynamics shine here. I particularly enjoyed Paige and Atticus's evolving relationship, complicated by Paige's fears for the club's future.
The mystery is a satisfying puzzle, masterfully layering red herrings over dark secrets. I was cleverly outsmarted by the club's deductions, but the resolution tied all the clues together perfectly.
Between the talking animal helpers, the cozy found-family vibe, a solid mystery, and even Frank the cat's well-deserved promotion to full book club member, this story is pure comfort reading. Bring on book twelve!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exciting series by Elizabeth Pantley revolving
around a magical book club .
Paige and the gang attend a book club meeting in a charming town where everyone knows them!
It seems it is not all quaint and serene and whimsical mailboxes.
Murder raises its head.
There are a few surprises thrown in for the bookworms.
The gang have allies from the most unexpected places and what colorful characters they are.
Critters and Crimes was a book that was intriguing to the end.The characters are riveting and the storyline was a fun read.
This is a standalone but it is advised to read all the previous books in the series to get to know all of the characters and enjoy their exploits.
Wished all these exciting places existed so I can go visit!
Looking forward to more adventures from my favorite author.

[April Flach · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute delight. I love how it's unique from the other books. Elizabeth Pantley's imagination amazes me. As with the rest of the series, once I opened the book, I was transported along with the rest of the club, and became just as invested as they were. This book kept me guessing and second guessing until the end. With a fun plot, twists and turns, and surprising friends, it is most definitely worth a read. And let's not forget all the interesting tidbits from Atticus. Although it can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend starting from book one to get the full experience of the magic and friendships. I am absolutely hooked on this series and cannot wait to see what's next.

I received a free ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Melanie Ollila · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are a fun, light, quick read. If you like talking critters, Magic Tree House for grown ups but in a book club setting, you’ll enjoy this series. Always light hearted, cozy mysteries, clean reading.

This one didn’t quite hit as solidly as the others in the series have for me. I found parts a bit repetitive and while I love Atticus, the professor, he’s constant definition and education on every detail started to take away from his charm. I do love that he was finding a bit of a spark with our FMC!

I love that Frank is an official member of the club and that my favorite characters are still present!

The mystery was good, I didn’t guess it before the reveal. So for that more of a 3.5⭐️

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Critters & Criminals (Magical Mystery Book Club book 11)" by Elizabeth Pantley is a little different than previous books. The paranormal is a bit less obvious in the book the club gets pulled into after their new member is officially announced. This time the paranormal is that the zoo of pets can talk but only humans of a certain skill level can understand them. Lucky for the book club, they can all understand them.

The book club jumps into a book that seems to fit all of what Paige could ever want in a story. Don't worry, she's not ready for a forever book yet. She's not even ready for a potential romance that may be budding either. However, she and the gang glide through this mystery (if it even is one) to find out what really happened to the man found dead in his kitchen.

[Marian West · Rating 5 out of 5]

The animals can talk! I mean, Frank always talks, but in this book, all the other animals talk, too. The parakeets, the rabbits, even an inchworm. The book the team whoosh into is "Clues from the Critters", and, you betcha, the critters supply a lot of the missing pieces.

This is a wonderful addition to the series. We're down one book club member since the last book, but the author keeps the pace so you don't feel like you're missing anything. I like Forrest's character the best in this book. He just seems to grow and mature with each journey. Of course, there's all the food and since the team has to feed all the critters, there's even more food than usual.

Disclosure: We received a free digital ARC of this book. No guarantee of a review or other compensation was made.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critters and Crime is book 11 in the Magical Mystery Book Club. Once again Paige and the members of the book club have chosen a new book in the magical library.
They are transported into another cozy mystery story. The riverside town is quite charming and it certainly doesn’t take long before a death occurs.
What l loved about this book was how the critters in the house help them find clues as they try to put puzzle pieces together to solve the mystery.
This series is fascinating to read, keeps me drawn into the story. I really have loved the strong friendship between the characters.
A fun read that took me on an adventure.

[Tam Sesto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling all mystery and animal lovers. What a fun book to read. You never know what to expect with this series, and this outing didn’t disappoint. Well written characters and a fun and engaging plot. For new readers that may not have read any of the series or at least book one, the author explains at the very beginning of the book how the book club works. Priceless for new readers and a great refresher for those who have.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

[Heidireadsitall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a FUN adventure! I absolutely loved the abundance of talking pets and the clever way they helped uncover the mystery. It was whimsical, cozy, and completely charming. These books always make me so hungry with all the delicious food scenes sprinkled throughout, which just adds to the cozy vibes. And the hint of a budding romance between Paige and Atticus? So sweet and perfectly done. This one was an easy five stars for me and such a joy to read!

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much and I LOVED this book so much. Paige, Atticus and the rest of the book club all makes me feel like I'm there with them and that I'm home. This book is so much fun to read. I love how they all tease each other. I also love how they work so well together to solve the crime. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can't wait for the next book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to be a joy to read. Each time it feels like returning to adventures with old friends. A book club that travels into the book they have picked is such an ingenious and vivid premise.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun trip with the Magical Mystery Book Club! This time it involves all manner of critters, and that was fun. Another fun aspect for me was all the ribbing poor Atticus takes for his 'old age'.
Thoroughly enjoyable book!

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine belonging to a book club that takes place in a secret magical library. Our group picks a book and the library swirls them into that book. They become part of the book and have to solve the mystery using their sleuthing skills. Each book bring them to a different mystery and once solved, they return to the present with no loss of time. Each book they need to find the building that houses the library. The journey that Elizabeth Pentley takes us in each book is filled with suspense and the suspects are always varied. I would love to spend a day in this library!

[Ashleigh Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series remains one of my absolute favorite series. Not just for cozy mysteries, of all of them. The fact that it's a cozy mystery series is just a bonus for when I need something to rest and reset. Our book club gang ends up in a new mystery and in a refreshing and surprising twist, they are KNOWN characters in the book. Instead of being visitors or outsiders new to town, they have back stories, jobs, and expected personalities. This creates it's own issues. Imagine the upset that occurs when the animals don't take the show the way Frank has imagined. Loved the surprises in this one. Another fast, relaxing, loveable read!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the characters in this ongoing mystery. Once again I was able turn off my brain and the stress of real life by immersing myself in the magic.