Murder, Mystery, and a Very Good Boy: A Small Town Cozy Murder Mystery

by A.P. Wells

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Cozy

52 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2026

Reviews

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read, and even fast paced, with Hazel solving a murder mystery in just a few hours after her accidental "blow tire" incident (which sounded like someone was shoting at her, as she told the story :-)
That fluffy white bundle of a doggie has his part of cuteness, and even manages to impede the killer to make Hazel his next victim (as he already promised her a bit earlier) -- and what a clever way to give the killer away, with her hidden phone call to the sherriff.

[Gina Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up for a quick cozy mystery, but I stayed for the absolute star of the show- the fluffiest little white dog you’ve ever seen!
Talk about a moving day from hell! A flat tire and a totaled car led the main character, who I might add is a book lover and tea lover, straight to a murder mystery and more importantly, to the cutest white dog who totally stole my heart. If you want a fun read that balances, “I’m in danger" with "look at this sweet puppy face," this is exactly what you need.
Omg, and I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the small pile of floofy-ness on the cover, the illustrator gets 5 stars too!
I need more of this duo!

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel was driving on a windy mountain road when she heard what sounded like a gunshot. Her car veered to the edge of the road. She skidded over to the runaway truck ramp and came to a stop in the show. She got out of the car, walked around and discovered a shredded tire. She had no cell reception and the car was undrivable. As she was getting ready to change the tire, she noticed a white dog. The dog was cold, so she put him in her car and wrapped a blanket around him. She put on the spare tire. The dog knocked the car into neutral, and it started sliding toward the cliff. She managed to get the car door open, got inside and jerked the steering wheel to the side. They slipped into a ravine and ran into a pine tree. She and the dog got out of the car. Hazel heard a car as it pulled off the road. It was Sheriff Calder Reed. He called a tow truck, then offered her a ride into town. A call came in over the radio about a man lying on the ground. The sheriff turned the car around so he could investigate. The man, Lionel had been murdered. Hazel became curious, and decided to look into the death. Because of her curiosity, the killer sent her a threatening note.
This was a short suspense story. The dog was an added bonus. It was a fun read.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! The characters were all thought out and likeable (or unlikeable). The mystery was fun to read about. I don't think it was hard to solve but it was great fun getting there. I'm excited to read more about Hazel and sweet Watson!

While traveling to her new home to open a bookstore with a surprise inheritance, Hazel Winslow, blows a tire and almost wrecks her car and finds a new best friend in a little white dog, Watson. There is a murder, a sheriff and a cipher to solve. This is a short introduction to the characters so I don't want to ruin anything so I'll say no more about the story. I will say that if you love cozy mysteries, you will love this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bramblewick Surprises
To start off with I LOVED quirky Hazel -she was hilarious ! All she wants to do is get her stuff and her carload of Books to the new book store that she will be setting up. No such luck; way to easy, right? !!! When she encounters Sheriff "Mustache" Calder Reed, he's suspicious of her especially because she didn't live around there. I got the biggest laugh out of her thinking of him as "Sheriff Mustache". Add in such a sweet fluff of a dog, that she gets attached to. She hopes she can keep him but she's never had a dog before. She always wanted one though.
I really enjoyed this shorter book and look forward to more stories about Hazel and "Watson."

[GinaB. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, Mystery & a Very Good Boy is a great start to a new series. Hazel Winslow got a flat tire & crashed into a tree on a snowy mountain road, found a fluffy white puppy she named Watson & a cipher. The Sheriff arrived to take her to town so she could get a tow truck, but a call came over the radio of a dead man at the trail, so he turned around & took her with him. She solved the cipher & whodunit so the Sheriff could make the arrest. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, I look forward to reading about funny Hazel & adorable Watson’s adventures. I received a free copy of this quick read from Book Funnel & am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ingrid Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute short novella by a new to me writer.

I loved the writing style and of course, some of the details are not overly worked out as there are few pages to do so, but I thought the writer did a good job writing a novella that grabbed me from the start and had me rooting for Hazel and of course Watson, how cute is he?

If you like to read a short cozy with an adorable puppy and a bit of danger and lots of heart, I can really recommend this book.

Can't wait to read new installments of Hazel and Watson!

[Baby Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving for a new life ...check
A flat tire in the middle of nowhere...check
A murder...check
The most adorable, fluffiest, comedic pup named Watson ever...check, check
This story had its serious moments, it's comedic moments thanks to Watson the fluffy hero, and a great plot. It has unusual suspects and an amatuer slueth named Hazel who did not sign up for any of it, but was invested in solving the murder. I was infested and where can I get my own little fluffy Watson!!! I am a fan and cannot wait to read more from this author and thus seies..

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short, fun book. Hazel gets a burst tyre, manages to steer it into an escape ramp for trucks. As she is changing the tyre, among the snow she sees a small dog. This dog finds something in the snow which she recognises as a cypher. The first car to come by is the local Sheriff & as they are going into town he gets a call re a dead man! When hey get there it is obvious he was murdered. This cypher leads her onto discover who killed the dog’s owner!

[Sue Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder mystery and a very good boy. A P Wells

This is a short story book and I believe the first by this author.

It follows Hazel as she travels to a new town to open a book shop. She has a crash on the way and it causes her to take a bit of a detour. She discovers a murder and mystery and a puppy!

It’s very well written, lovely characters and is a great introduction to a new series of stories. I loved it! Can’t wait to begin the new series and see how things progress

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Prequel. It doesn't say that anywhere in the title, wanted you to know that. Therefore it is a short story. It's cute with quirky characters but it needs a lot of blanks filled in. It should have the info since this is the prequel & going forward, readers will read this first and then Book 1, etc. I did not read book 1. I am generously giving it 3* since the story was cute but could have been so much more with a little attention from the author.
Read on 05/16/29.

[Linda Whitenight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel has a blow out while en route to her new home. While changing the tire a fluffy white dog appears. This is the beginning of a great relationship, after learning that the pups owner is recently deceased, Hazel starts to investigate his untimely murder. Can she figure is out before she becomes the next victim?

[G. Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book and it was really good. A women was frantically trying to save her car because one of her tires popped and her car went off the road onto a snowy embankment and she had to stop before it went over. Check out this book and see what happens to her and what the ending is like. I enjoyed it and I hope you will as well. Happy reading.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to quit getting books because of cute covers. The fluffy snowball looking dog on the cover and the title sucked me in. But, the word nerd that I am almost went crazy with the contradictory back to back sentences and the redundancies. The protagonist jumps to the dumbest thoughts and decisions and just might be crazy, based on her behavior.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great introduction to this series. I'm usually a cat person, but I fell in love with this beautiful dog. It's a quick mystery and can be read in one sitting. It is exactly what I was looking for between big books. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more books in this series. I already picked up the next couple of books in the series.

[Kellie Waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this quick murder mystery. Throw in Watson and you have got the story complete. Loved that it wasn't obvious as to who was a fault until closer to the end. But for 50 pages, the reading was quick.

Pick it up for a cozy weekend read.

[Eric Colard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a brilliant short cozy mystery

[Ilene G> · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish.

This is only 52 pages long , but I could not finish it. I did not like Hazel. I couldn't believe some of the things she said.

[Mary Longo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read with a likeable main character. I would like to see this story fleshed out more with more detail and length to it.

[Cheryl (Super Slump) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introductory novella about Hazel solving her first murder and how she came upon the scrumptious, fluffy little dog she named Watson. And that cover is too cute!

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story. How you got your first puppy on your way to a new home.