Mutts & Murder

Dog Town USA #1

by Meg Muldoon

Welcome to Dog Mountain, Oregon a.k.a. Dog Town, USA.
Population: 30,342 people, 25,212 dogs and counting.
Mutts of all sizes, shapes, and creeds welcome. Wipe your paws at the front door.

After spending six years covering crime for a big newspaper in Portland, ace reporter Winifred Wolf returns to her hometown of Dog Mountain and takes a job covering canine-related stories for the local paper. But soon the dog parades, humane society fundraisers and Dog-a-thons take a toll, and it’s not long before the normally dogged reporter finds herself…well, dog tired of her boring new beat.
That is, until a dead body shows up in a local dog park one day in June, and Winifred’s sister, the owner of prominent pastry shop The Barkery, is accused of committing the ghastly deed.
Winfred suddenly finds herself in a race against the clock to uncover the real murderer. Her only hope in saving her sister is convincing a police lieutenant who she’s been at odds with to break the rules and delve deeper into the mystery.
Can Winifred find the real criminal in time for the town’s annual Fourth of July Pooch Parade? Or will the summer go to the dogs?
Romance smolders, mystery flourishes, and dogs of every sort abound in the first installment of this brand new cozy mystery series from Amazon bestselling author Meg Muldoon.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Ebooks, Amazon, Dogs

174 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 24, 2015

About the author

For a very limited time receive a FREE cozy mystery and recipe book when you sign up for Meg Muldoon's mailing list! Sign-up here: http://eepurl.com/zcGr1

Meg Muldoon is the author of over 20 feel-good mysteries, including the bestselling Christmas River Cozy Mysteries and The Dog Town USA Cozy Mysteries. A former small town news reporter, Meg has always had a special place in her heart for lost dogs, homeless cats, and feisty old locals. She enjoys Marionberry pie, red cowboy boots, and craft glue guns. Meg specializes in writing stories filled with humor and heart, and her books have been featured in the Amazon Kindle Top-100.

Meg lives in Central Oregon with two Great Pyrenees, a cattle dog named Huckleberry, and a rascal cat named Frank.

Reading Order:

THE CHRISTMAS RIVER COZY MYSTERY SERIES
Murder in Christmas River – Book 1
Mayhem in Christmas River – Book 2
Madness in Christmas River – Book 3
Malice in Christmas River – Book 4
Mischief in Christmas River – Book 5
Manic in Christmas River – Book 6
Magic in Christmas River – Book 7
Menace in Christmas River – Book 8
Missing in Christmas River – Book 9
Meltdown in Christmas River – Book 10
Midnight in Christmas River – Book 11
Mistake in Christmas River – Book 12
Matrimony in Christmas River - Book 13
Malarkey in Christmas River - Book 14 (Coming Spring 2025!)

THE CHRISTMAS RIVER COZY MYSTERY NOVELLA SERIES
Roasted in Christmas River – Novella 1
Cinnamon Peters & the Rabbit Bandit – Novella 2
Caught in Christmas River – Novella 3
Crushed in Christmas River – Novella 4
Hounded in Christmas River – Novella 5
Framed in Christmas River – Novella 6
Trapped in Christmas River - Novella 7
Merriment in Christmas River - Novella 8

THE HOLLY HOPEWELL COZY MYSTERY SERIES
The Silence of the Elves – Book 1
Elf Confidential - Book 2

THE DOG TOWN USA COZY MYSTERY SERIES
Mutts & Murder – Book 1
Bulldogs & Bullets – Book 2
Corgis & Conspiracy - Book 3
Pyrenees & Poison - Book 4 (Coming Soon)

THE COZY MATCHMAKER MYSTERY SERIES
Burned in Broken Hearts Junction – Book 1
Busted in Broken Hearts Junction – Book 2

THE WITCHES OF BROOMFIELD BAY MYSTERY SERIES (with Jools Sinclair)
Ginger of the West – Book 1

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle freebie at time of download/Kindle Unlimited

Crime reporter Winifred Wolf returns to her hometown of Dog Mountain after spending six years at a big newspaper in Portland. In her absence, the dogs have taken over the town, literally. Dog Mountain now prides itself on being dog-friendly and seems to cater more towards dogs than humans. Freddie thinks this is ridiculous. Unfortunately, her job is to cover all the canine-related stories for the local paper. When dog court judge Myra Louden drops dead in the middle of the dog park, Freddie's reporter instincts tell her something is not right. When she susses out that Myra's death may not have been from natural causes, she sets out to find out all she can from the police, who aren't too interested in talking. Freddie takes on a new dog-related story about Myra as cover for snooping into Myra's life to see who might want her dead, angering crime reporter Rachael Chandler in the process. Freddie knows she's a better writer than Rachael who got the job through nepotism and plans to show her boss she can do more than cover dog events. Then Freddie's sister Lou is "questioned" for murder and Freddie feels it's up to her to solve the mystery before her sister is formally arrested. Can she help her sister without losing her job or her life?

I loved the concept of this novel. I'm a crazy dog person and such a dog-friendly place appeals to me. However, I did not like the novel at first because Freddie is the complete opposite of myself. I'd JUMP at the chance to cover local dog-related events for a newspaper and she wishes she were covering crime instead?! What's wrong with her? Needless to say, I did not like Freddie at first. She's apparently more of a cat person! The horror! However, once the story got going, I could see she was going to succumb to puppy love and began to like her better. I also better understood her attachment to her family cat and her animosity towards dogs. Freddie is still grieving the loss of her mother and a relationship she left behind in Portland. She's still in the anger phase of grief and hasn't moved on yet. I also did NOT like Lt. Sakai at first, based on Fern Whitelaw's testimony of how he treated Mr. Raffles. Sam was also very terse and tough at first. Then I saw him for the kind-hearted guy he really is. He has a reason for being a jerk with Freddie at first. It's not personal. Any guy who fosters that many rescue dogs is a great man in my book. There's a little romance brewing that is at first based on attraction but as they get to know each other, they find qualities to admire. I'd like to see the relationship developed more. It happens too quickly.

I love this town and some of the people in it. Not everyone is kind and funny, however. Fern Whitelaw, the town librarian, has a reputation for being a crank. I would disagree with that statement. She loves Mr. Arthur J. Raffles her terrier mix. Terriers are bred to hunt and kill vermin and yes sometimes that includes chickens so I side with her that he's probably a nice dog with an innate instinct for hunting. He can't help that. Myra's judgement was fair though. Yes Delia should keep her chicken coop in better repair and yes Fern should keep a better eye on her dog. Did either of these ladies agree with that pronouncement or were they angry at Myra for not siding with them? Is this the reason for Myra's death? Myra was not a nice person. She was an egomaniac who enjoyed having power. She didn't seem to particularly feel strongly about dogs but liked the position of power she was in. Still, she didn't deserve to be murdered.

Suspects, besides the above, include Richard Kline, the humane society shelter manager who was Myra’s fellow dog board committee member. He's the only one grieving Myra's death - or is he? I think he's shedding crocodile tears. Or perhaps he was more than colleagues with Myra. If so, that makes his wife Geraldine, suspect #1. She doesn't seem very friendly or warm. What about Bessie Stevenson, Myra’s fellow dog board committee member? There could be some power play involved here.

Other townspeople include Freddie's boss at The Dog Mountain Chronicle, Roger Kobritz. He seems a little lackadaisical in his management style and is willing to work for a newspaper owned by a woman who employs her niece just to give her niece a job. Rachael Chandler is everything Freddie is not. She sounds like she was probably a mean girl in high school. She is unqualified for her job and I figured out exactly how she was getting her information. She pretty much tells Freddie and Freddie doesn't catch it. Pete Bennett, Lou’s ex-husband and the head bread baker at The Barkery, seems like a nice guy but too emotional. He's unable to love Lou the way she needs and that has lead to divorce. I hope he finds the right woman for him. Milo, a young man, is the newest hire at The Barkery. He has a neck tattoo of a buxom woman's cleavage and yet Lou pushes him on Freddie? What is she thinking? This guy can barely string two sentences together. The chief of the Dog Mountain Police Department, Harold Dunbar, seems content to let others do his job. He doesn't seem very bright and enjoys the privilege and power of being chief. Freddie's ex-friend (friend with benefits) reappears in her life. I think she's too hard on him. It takes two to tango and she let her feelings get hurt in the process. Never trust a drunken tryst to be honest and true.

There are only three animals that count as part of the plot. There's a mysterious "Ripper of Labrador Lane" who keeps tearing up Freddie's rosebushes and breaking her heart. Someone needs to get control of their dog or find him/her a new home. Buddy, Freddie and Lou's large, pudgy, 14-year-old cat has the largest role in the story. He means a lot to Freddie and Lou because he was their childhood companion. He stayed with their mom while they grew up. He was there for them when their mom died and is still there to listen and cuddle and dry their tears. Finally, there's Mugs, a sweet puppy that belonged to the murder victim. Mugs is super sweet. He needs love and reassurance now his human is gone. He can also provide unconditional love and support (whereas the cat's love seems to be conditional upon being fed extra meals).

I'm interested to see where this series goes next and read more about Mugs. Perhaps soon, thanks to Amazon's extended KU offer.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm actually shocked by how much I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I want to read everything by this author now. Meg Muldoon is new to me. This book made me happy and smile. Just so good. Dog lovers must read.

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐕 Dogtown U.S.A. Cozy Mystery series book 1

The name says it all. Yes this town is specifically a Dog World of everyone love of Dogs any shapes breeds and sizes. Are Welcome! If you don't have any Love for Dogs of any kind you will be frowned upon. Sisters Lou and Freddie mother has died a year ago from breast cancer. So they decided that they were moving in their mother's old home. Lou has a Bakery Named Barkery and Freddie is a reporter. Freddie left her Pristine job from a High Up Reporter to now a dog reporter. There were some male issues that she left from her high up status as a reporter. Right off the bat I Have loved this Great Story. Cozy Mystery. Some mild curse words but not anything draw dropping. Meg Muldoon has done an excellent job on this first must read series Book 1 Mutts & Murder

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new to me author, I would probably read another in this series. However, there were several grammar mistakes and left out words in this book. Winifred leaves a good job at a big name paper to come home to Dog Mountain, OR where her mom is dying of breast cancer. She is also running away from a man she loves, who never loved her back. She is assigned the lowest job at the paper, covering all the dog activities in Dog Mountain. When a woman most people in town had reason to hate dies, her sister becomes a suspect because the woman was at her bakery just hours before, and it turns out she was poisoned. Freddie makes it her business to investigate. Does she find the murderer? Read and find out!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely delightful read. The characters are well developed, fun and the ending was something that I didn't see coming. I can't wait to read more by Meg Muldoon.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freddie Wolf has returned to Dog Mountain, Oregon, to take a job as a reporter for the local newspaper. She had been a crime reporter in Portland but now she is covering dog-related events and stories in her hometown. She lives with her recently divorced sister, Lou, who owns a pastry shop named The Barkery. In case you have not already guessed, Dog Mountain, Oregon, is crazy about canines. And do not tell anyone, but Freddie is not a dog person.

After there has been a murder in the dog park, Freddie finds herself wanting to cover the story. And when her sister becomes a person of interest, she needs to find the killer before her sister is charged with a crime she did not commit. This will not be easy to do, though, because there are a lot of people who may have wanted the victim dead. Can Freddie find the culprit before her sister is put away forever?

This is a brand new series for author Meg Muldoon and it is off to a great start. The characters are interesting and I want to learn more about them. They are well developed and realistic and they all have some baggage that they carry around with them. This should lead to some interesting story lines in future books. And there are a lot of animals involved with the story, which is always a plus.

The mystery is well plotted and there are enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I did not figure out the killer until it was revealed at the end. But to me the mystery was secondary to getting to know the characters. I would not have cared if there even was a mystery to solve, that is how much I enjoyed reading about Freddie and Lou. Of course there are other characters besides the sisters and they all added to the story.

One thing I found refreshing is that, unlike most cozies who have a group of friends trying to solve the mystery, this one was the two sisters. I thought this was a nice change and set the book apart from others.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in describing the setting of this small town. I was quickly drawn in and I could picture the places in my head and found it was someplace I would like to visit. It would be fantastic to be somewhere that encouraged you to bring your dogs while shopping or eating.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. There are a few authors that I automatically get their new books because I know they will be good. No questions asked, I know I need to read the book. Meg Muldoon is one of those authors for me.
If you have not read any of her books, pick up this book as well as her other series and enjoy the read.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in a series and a very good read. Dog Town sounds like my kind of place. They love dogs!
A good mystery that was tricky to solve.

[Beverly Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing

I really enjoyed this book and will wait patiently for the next installment. Very well written and exciting. I have read all the Christmas River and Broken Hearts Junction books. Glad this will be another great series.

[Tambi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:
From the moment I opened Mutts & Murder, the delightful charm of Dog Mountain, Oregon, a.k.a. Dog Town, USA, swept me off my feet. Meg Muldoon's debut in the Dog Town USA Cozy Mystery series is a delightful romp filled with mystery, romance, and an endearing cast of characters.
The story follows ace reporter Winifred Wolf, who returns to her quirky hometown after years of reporting on crime in the bustling city of Portland. Her new assignment covering canine-related stories seems a bit too tame until a murder rocks the local dog park. Suddenly, the stakes are high when Winifred’s sister, the beloved owner of The Barkery, finds herself in the middle of the investigation.
What really stands out in this novel is the character development. Winifred is a strong, intelligent, and determined protagonist who uses her investigative journalism skills to unravel the mystery. Her relationship with her sister adds depth and relatability, while the budding romance in the story enriches the narrative with emotional nuances.
Meg Muldoon has crafted a tale that is as warm as it is thrilling. The small-town charm of Dog Mountain, with its quaint character and close-knit community, makes for a cozy backdrop. The idea of town’s Fourth of July Pooch Parade and other community events are woven seamlessly into the story, enhancing the sense of tradition and locality.
The mystery itself is engaging, with plenty of red herrings and unexpected twists that keep readers guessing until the very end. The narrative is peppered with humor, thanks to the animal antics and witty dialogue that add light-hearted moments throughout the book.
Intriguing side characters each bring their own secrets and quirks, making the story even more captivating. The dog-punned names and descriptions of The Barkery and other local establishments create an inviting atmosphere that pulls you right into the heart of Dog Mountain.
By the time I reached the satisfying conclusion, I was left with a sense of closure and a smile on my face. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery filled with lovable characters, dogs, and just the right amount of suspense, this is the book for you. If you love a good mystery with a side of romance and plenty of canine capers, Mutts & Murder is a must-read. Dive into the world of Dog Mountain and let Meg Muldoon’s charming tale of intrigue and affection sweep you away. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series, and I bet you’ll be eagerly anticipating the next installment too!


Opinionated Book Rating:
Originality: 5.0/5.0
Plot Structure: 4.75/5.0
Pacing: 4.75/5.0
Dialogue and Narrative: 5.0/5.0
Personal Enjoyment: 5.0/5.0
Overall Rating: 4.9/5.0 (Rating will be rounded up due to platforms not allowing partial ratings.)

[Julie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quirky mystery. I did think with the town being called dog town the dogs themselves would play a bigger role in solving the crime, instead it's all down to the main character and mostly luck. Eddie's job as a reporter gave her the perfect opportunity to investigate the death, even if the crime beat wasn't her job and the way things were developing with the grumpy but handsome detective it looks like she might have an inside source. The romance was a slow and sweet burn and is bound to cause problems down the line. The rest of the characters were quirky like the town itself but the way the author describes it, it is so easy to picture and my sort of place. There wasn't a great deal of suspects but I had no clue who it was. Although once revealed I wondered why they were never a suspect or even questioned in the first place? A series I can see any dog lover liking.
Freddie returns home after the death of her mother and betrayal from a boyfriend, leaving behind a job she loves. Instead of working on a big city newspaper crime beat she has to start at the bottom and cover all the fluff pieces and in a town that is called dog town there are a lot of fluff pieces. Covering the fourth of July dog parade isn't what she would call gritty news, so when she comes across a dead body she jumps at the chance to cover it. The woman was not the most popular person in town and even Freddie and her sister Lou had there run ins with the retired high school principal and head judge of doggy court. So when the police take her sister in for questioning, Freddie not only sets out to write the best news article Dog Mountain has ever seen but also to do the cops jobs and find the real killer, so her sister won't have to go to jail.

[Nancy Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in a day. Similar to another book I just read, murder victims even had the same first name.
Freddie left Portland, OR and a job at a big paper to return to her hometown and take a job covering the “dog beat” at the hometown paper, for reasons never made THAT clear. We find out why but don’t get much background in the whole thing then it shows back up in town and she’s over it in a short amount of time. That part of the story could have been expanded. A judge is murdered in a dog park and all signs point to a Freddie’s sister Lou, who owns a bakery in town. Lou doesn’t feel the heat from the police until quite late in the story and that all gets wrapped up rather quickly. The story is more about Freddie chasing down a crime story vs a story for her dog column. There’s a cop who doesn’t like reporters but who shares a spark with Freddie, nepotism at the paper, an ex who we don’t hear much about and the sister-bond between Freddie and Lou, who recently lost their mother.
Overall an enjoyable read, the pace and amount of time spent on what seem like they should/would be more significant aspects of the story aside, I liked the book and would read the next installment of Freddie’d adventures.

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars with the .5 being because it's cute. (Rating shown may vary depending on whether the site allows half star ratings.)

This is a new to me author. It's the first book in a series set in a town called Dog Mountain--and the town has embraced its name, going totally crazy for canines. The bakery is called the Barkery, a brewery sells "dog beer" (non-alcoholic), they have puppy parades, etc.

Freddie has returned to her hometown nursing a bruised heart. Despite her big paper experience, she's put on the beginner's beat for her hometown paper--mostly covering dog related happenings. (It sounds fun to me, but apparently it's not Freddie's cup of tea. She longs for the criminal beat currently held by the daughter of the paper's owners.)

Then, the head of the Dog Board is found poisoned and Freddie's sister Lou supplied the last thing she ate!

I can't tell by the title of the second book if the author intends that all the things Freddie investigates will be murders. I sure hope not because it would fast become unbelievable. Even though the dog friendly city is bringing in tourism, I would imagine a murder spree would put a lid on that right quick, so having many, many murders would not be realistically sustainable for the location.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mutts & Murder is book one in Meg Muldoon's Dog Town series. Winifred Wolf decided to come home from Portland, where she was covering the crime beat, to work at the local paper. The only problem was that it was not the crime beat but covering canine-related stories. However, after a month of reporting dog-related stories, Winifred Wolf got bored until a murder at the local dog park. Winifred started to investigate the Murder because her sister became the prime suspect. The readers of Mutts & Murder will continue to follow Winifred Wolf's investigation to discover what happens.

I enjoyed reading this cozy mystery, although it was a little slow. I enjoyed the way Meg Muldoon added animals to the plot. I did engage with the characters and the story of this book. I love Meg Muldoon's portrayal of her characters and their interactions. Mutts & Murder is well-written and researched. I like Meg Muldoon's description of her settings, which complements the book's plot.

Mutts & Murder readers will learn how to run a small bakery that caters to dogs and understand the importance of animals to people. They will also understand the importance of women's knowledge of self-defence.

I recommend this book.

[Pam]

Not interested.

Amazon synopsis:'
After spending six years covering crime for a big newspaper in Portland, ace reporter Winifred Wolf returns to her hometown of Dog Mountain and takes a job covering canine-related stories for the local paper. But soon the dog parades, humane society fundraisers, and Dog-a-thons take a toll, and it’s not long before the normally dogged reporter finds herself…well, dog tired of her boring new beat.
That is, until a dead body shows up in a local dog park one day in June, and Winifred’s sister, the owner of the prominent pastry shop The Barkery, is accused of committing the ghastly deed.
Winfred suddenly finds herself in a race against the clock to uncover the real murderer. Her only hope in saving her sister is convincing a police lieutenant who she’s been at odds with to break the rules and delve deeper into the mystery.
Can Winifred find the real criminal in time for the town’s annual Fourth of July Pooch Parade? Or will the summer go to the dogs?

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a cosy crime set in a town known as 'Dog Town' with a former crime reporter heroine looking to solve a murder to save her sister there wasn’t much actual crime solving going on. Heroine Freddie unsubtly asks one person if the victim has any enemies and gets told they don’t then goes to the shop of another suspect to snoop about only to be straightforwardly told by suspect that she didn’t do it but is not sorry the victim is dead. And that is the extent of the investigation. There are no clues or conversation pointing to the killer. Freddie just stumbles upon them in a totally unrelated context. There were also nowhere near as many cute doggy interactions as I was expecting from a town obsessed with dogs. Rather the dogs just seemed to be something for Freddie to moan about.

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can cats and dogs live together?

A really sweet, easy read cozy for anyone that loves dogs, cats or just a plain good whodunit. She had moved home to get over a bad love affair and had taken the dog reporting job. Most of the time it felt as if she would never do a proper journalistic report ever again. However the death of a local prominent member of the town changes all this. Not least of all because her sister has been taken in for questioning. Can she and the aloof, but handsome, police officer find out whodunit? Will they ever be friends? Will she ever get back to proper reporting? Really had me confused as too whodunit. Great read.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freddie has moved back to her hometown and is working the dog beat on the local paper when she starts investigating a murder.

What I enjoyed:
* I like Freddie and Sam and they should be good together. Of course, her being a reporter and him being a cop will lead to some issues.
* I also Freddie's sister and her boss interesting how he exposed Rachael

What could have been better:
* Fairly predictable story although a bit of a twist with the murdered being Milo
* I really feel sorry for Geraldine staying with a husband in love with someone else because she thinks she is too old to start over?

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mutts & Murder (Dog Town USA #1)" by Meg Muldoon is a hint of 4th of July with a mostly journalist cozy mystery theme going on. A 4th of July Pet Parade keeps getting mentioned because Winifred is supposed to do an article on it. She's not too thrilled, she's supposedly not a dog person.

Her insistence about not being a dog person is actually not very endearing as a character trait. Luckily, she seems to warm up as the book goes on. She ends up adopting a puppy in the end.

The mystery part revolved round the passing of one the local animal court judges. She does seem to have rubbed many people the wrong way. The mystery does end up getting solved purely by accident.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dogs, dogs, dogs!

After 6 years on the crime beat for a Portland paper, Freddie Wolf heads back to her hometown which has become certifiably dog crazy! Her mom has died and left their childhood home to Freddie and her sister, Lou. She has taken a bottom rung job as a “general reporter” which basically means writing puff pieces on the many dog activities in town. Lou runs the “Barkery”, the local bakery, and when she’s accused of murdering a patron, Freddie sets out to prove her innocence. A great beginning to a new cozy mystery series by the prolific Meg Muldoon!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute, but VERY light cozy. Freddie Wolf lives in Dog Mountain, Oregon and works at the local paper. While she grew up in the town, she only returned recently after her mother died. The town is dog centered, but have to assume it was not this way when she grew up because it seems new to her. A local woman is poisoned and the last place she ate is Freddie's sister's cafe. Logically, the police question her sister and Freddie is very upset.

I did enjoy the story, but it is very superficial.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a cat person, through and through, but this was still a good story and if I met a dog named Mugs like the puppy in the story, I might like dogs too. This a heart warming story about dogs, cats, and their owners. It is also about murder and losing perspective. The characters are very interesting and the animal characters are as endearing as the two main human characters became. The plot is easily followed and the premise is finding out who killed the bitter old lady and why. The answer is as old as humanity. I most definitely recommend this book.

[Paul Dymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't bad. News reporter flees broken relationship, returns home, gets gig with local rag, falls for cop. All standard really. Ex following her there - also been done before; the fact that he looks like he's sticking around could cause some drama (though he has a pregnant wife so there shouldn't be much conflict really...)
The cast of characters was a bit limited; we only really saw the love interest, the MC's sister and a couple of co-workers (one of whom may not be around in the next story).
All in all, an ok start to the series.

[Bonnie Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dog leads to love

The author Megan Muldoon has be hooked. I started reading this book and didn't put it down till I was finished. She knows how to give you a story that gives you everything a good cozy mystery has....Murder of course, keeping you from figuring out who the murderer is till the end so you can't put the book down and throws in a little bit of romance into it as well. This will not be the last book that I will read my this author

[Thereadingbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutts & Murder by Meg Muldoon

I really loved this one it kept me entertained from start to finish. This a book about a town called dog mountain. Myra is found poisoned and it is up to Lt. Sakai to figure it out. Local reporter Freddie finds herself smack dab into it along with her sister Lou who owns the local Barkery.

This was a quick read and loved mugs and buddy the cat. I will be reading the next book in this series. If you like cozy mysteries this one will be a fun one to read.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow a a wonderful start to a new series. I really loved the idea of Dog Town and a sign that tells you the population of not just the people but the dogs as well. I really liked the main character Freddie and her love interest Sam. Plus the side characters like her sister Lou who all helped even out the story. I loved the story line and was kept guessing right till the end.
A really fantastic book and a series I will continue.

[HAL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Cozy - So Good!!!

Think of a clean, suitable mystery for teens and adults that isn't silly or unbelievable. The clues, though subtle, are there but the solution still eludes you and you want more. This stand alone mystery was so entertaining, characters are real and likeable and the actions are believable. I highly recommend this book. It's satisfying and leaves animal lovers happy.

[Donna Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new series

This is one you want to read in one sitting. A page turner to say the least. Freddie proves a cat person can live in a dog world when she moves home and has to step way down from her previous paper, going from the crime beat to doing dog features. When the Judge from Dog Court is murdered she must step in and try to solve the case. Freddie, Sam and Mugs should make a great team in future and I will definitely being reading their next challenge.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mutts & Murder

I enjoy reading the cozy mysteries. They are short but have good character development and interesting story lines. The main character in this one is a newspaper writer named Freddie Wolf who lives in a small town that is known for being the biggest dog town in the country. One of the towns leading citizens is murdered. Freddie makes it her mission to find the murderer. I don't want to give to much away. Sit back and enjoy.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me happy! I read a lot, and enjoy most of what I read, but not all books can leave one feeling happy...this one did. Besides that, I liked the story & the characters. I have 2 cats and a dog, so you know I can relate to the animal lovers in this story. I will look for deals on Meg Muldoon books!

[Harolyn J Coker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutts and Murder

A delightful mystery that I chose to read because dogs were a major part of the storyline. The characters came alive through description as the story progressed I hope others enjoy this book as much as I did. I definitely will read more books written by this author