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Leigh Koslow Mystery #9
Never Steal a Cockatiel
Ninth in the USA-Today and Kindle Top-Ten bestselling Leigh Koslow Mystery Series!
The brains behind this birdnappingHad better run for cover!
Pets in the North Boros of Pittsburgh are disappearing… along with their owners’ hard-earned cash. The Koslow Animal Clinic has seen its share of mayhem, but when a spree of petnappings for ransom are targeted at its clients, suspicion falls uncomfortably close to Leigh Koslow’s veterinarian father. Leigh refuses to believe that anyone in the family is involved -- never mind that her aunt’s notorious ex, Mason Dublin, has just flown the coop. Never mind that several of his fellow poker players have recently turned up missing… or murdered. And never mind that on his way out of town, Mason dropped off a few pets for Leigh to secretly take care of.
There must be a rational explanation, preferably one that has nothing to do with either Leigh’s relatives or the clinic staff. But as the evidence begins to mount, Leigh faces the petnappings are an inside job. With the unofficial help of detective and new mom Maura Polanski, Leigh hopes to finger the traitor before any more pets disappear. Because when the animal-loving citizens of the North Boros start fighting back, feathers are going to fly!
Praise for the Leigh Koslow Mystery
NEVER BURIED"A funny, fast-paced, clever, and unusual mystery that will have readers clamoring for more. Edie Claire writes with style and dash. Sheer delight."--Carolyn Hart
NEVER SORRY"Edie Claire is a bright new addition to the mystery world. Along with appealing characters and a blessedly lucid writing style, she delivers a solid plot that keeps the pages turning."--Margaret Maron
NEVER TEASE A SIAMESE"The fifth installment in this excellent series, and perhaps Ms. Claire's best yet. The characters and relationships are superior, written with heartfelt compassion and wry wit."--Romantic Times
The brains behind this birdnappingHad better run for cover!
Pets in the North Boros of Pittsburgh are disappearing… along with their owners’ hard-earned cash. The Koslow Animal Clinic has seen its share of mayhem, but when a spree of petnappings for ransom are targeted at its clients, suspicion falls uncomfortably close to Leigh Koslow’s veterinarian father. Leigh refuses to believe that anyone in the family is involved -- never mind that her aunt’s notorious ex, Mason Dublin, has just flown the coop. Never mind that several of his fellow poker players have recently turned up missing… or murdered. And never mind that on his way out of town, Mason dropped off a few pets for Leigh to secretly take care of.
There must be a rational explanation, preferably one that has nothing to do with either Leigh’s relatives or the clinic staff. But as the evidence begins to mount, Leigh faces the petnappings are an inside job. With the unofficial help of detective and new mom Maura Polanski, Leigh hopes to finger the traitor before any more pets disappear. Because when the animal-loving citizens of the North Boros start fighting back, feathers are going to fly!
Praise for the Leigh Koslow Mystery
NEVER BURIED"A funny, fast-paced, clever, and unusual mystery that will have readers clamoring for more. Edie Claire writes with style and dash. Sheer delight."--Carolyn Hart
NEVER SORRY"Edie Claire is a bright new addition to the mystery world. Along with appealing characters and a blessedly lucid writing style, she delivers a solid plot that keeps the pages turning."--Margaret Maron
NEVER TEASE A SIAMESE"The fifth installment in this excellent series, and perhaps Ms. Claire's best yet. The characters and relationships are superior, written with heartfelt compassion and wry wit."--Romantic Times
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2015
81 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Edie Claire
41 books278 followersNo matter the genre, USA-Today bestselling novelist and playwright Edie Claire strives to infuse all her writing with both warmth and humor. Her family-friendly Leigh Koslow cozy mystery series, a favorite of animal lovers that was originally published in 1999, was reborn in 2012 to become a Kindle Top-10 bestseller. Her romantic novels range from women’s fiction with romantic elements to a blend of romance and mystery, beginning with her traditionally published contemporaries, the award-winning Long Time Coming and Meant To Be, and continuing with her USA-Today bestselling Pacific Horizons series, whose characters follow the migration of the humpback whales to some of the most gorgeous locations on earth. In any Edie Claire work, the reader may be assured that while intrigue may beckon and tensions rise, love and happiness will always triumph in the end!
Edie has worked as a veterinarian, a childbirth educator, and a scientific/technical writer. A mother of three, she lives in Pennsylvania and aspires to become a snowbird.
Edie has worked as a veterinarian, a childbirth educator, and a scientific/technical writer. A mother of three, she lives in Pennsylvania and aspires to become a snowbird.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 31, 2017
Good mystery
I enjoyed the mystery of pet nappers but the nappers ended up being people not talked about so it seemed a cheat to me. The rest of the story was okay.
I enjoyed the mystery of pet nappers but the nappers ended up being people not talked about so it seemed a cheat to me. The rest of the story was okay.
August 21, 2018
This is the ninth book in the Leigh Koslow series. I have to say it has been quite a while since I have read this series. However I had no problem reconnecting with the characters.
Leigh is woken up in the middle of the night by her cousins father. He asks her to watch his friends pet bird and cat. She has no choice but to take the animals. The bird gets sick so Leigh and her daughter Allison take the bird to Leigh's father's veterinarian clinic. When her father takes the bird home with him and then the bird is taken it is reveled the someone has been going around stealing people's pets and ransoming them back to their owners.
The majority of the story takes place at the clinic with Allison doing her best to gather information. Allison likes to snoop around and has great insticts when it comes to investigating. I liked this story. The only issue I have is that I felt some of the side stories were left unresolved. But definitely a good book.
Leigh is woken up in the middle of the night by her cousins father. He asks her to watch his friends pet bird and cat. She has no choice but to take the animals. The bird gets sick so Leigh and her daughter Allison take the bird to Leigh's father's veterinarian clinic. When her father takes the bird home with him and then the bird is taken it is reveled the someone has been going around stealing people's pets and ransoming them back to their owners.
The majority of the story takes place at the clinic with Allison doing her best to gather information. Allison likes to snoop around and has great insticts when it comes to investigating. I liked this story. The only issue I have is that I felt some of the side stories were left unresolved. But definitely a good book.
May 17, 2017
Leigh Koslow is awaken early one morning by Clara' s father, Mason. He asks Leigh to pet set a three legged tortie cat and a cockatiel for a few days. Reluctant, Leigh accepts the animals. Mason disappears and the police want to question him about an incident. Let's in the neighborhood are disappearing and their owners are paying random to get them back unharmed. The owners are to tighten to talk to the police. Evidence points to someone from Koslow clinic as the guilty party. Leigh is looking for answers to both questions. Will she succeed before the clinic is ruined? I highly recommend the book and series.
December 8, 2021
Short and cute. A fun read with lots of animal characters.
April 1, 2018
I picked this up for free on my Kindle and it was the first Edie Claire mystery I had read. I have met Edie on the Net but just in passing. I didn't know she was such a great author! Bravo, Edie!
Edie has created a lovely quirky cast of characters--first of all the heroine Leigh Koslow who is not perfect but imminenetly likeable. Throught the book we meet her family and circle of friends. Her mother who is an OCD housewife, her dad who's an absent-minded but loving veternarian, and on and on.
In this book we have a family mystery and a nasty case of stupid and serial pet-napping. Great characters again--the pets and their owners. :-)
This is the 9th book in the series so I went back and read the previous and all but the last of the series. I think I enjoyed the later books a bit more after Leigh married and had a famiy. But each was enjoyable and they don't have to be read in order. If you enjoy a cozy mystery (the sleuth is an amateur), you'll enjoy this series!
Edie has created a lovely quirky cast of characters--first of all the heroine Leigh Koslow who is not perfect but imminenetly likeable. Throught the book we meet her family and circle of friends. Her mother who is an OCD housewife, her dad who's an absent-minded but loving veternarian, and on and on.
In this book we have a family mystery and a nasty case of stupid and serial pet-napping. Great characters again--the pets and their owners. :-)
This is the 9th book in the series so I went back and read the previous and all but the last of the series. I think I enjoyed the later books a bit more after Leigh married and had a famiy. But each was enjoyable and they don't have to be read in order. If you enjoy a cozy mystery (the sleuth is an amateur), you'll enjoy this series!
March 22, 2020
I received this book as a gift because I love cockatiels and mysteries. Sadly, I have not read such a low stakes, low interest mystery since I was about eight and disappointed by the Encyclopedia Brown series. Given the main character's point of view, I think this was written for adults but I found it very unsatisfying.
March 30, 2019
Lots of fun
This book had most of my favourite cozy mystery themes. Families, believable characters, animals and mayhem. Edie Claire writes well, and her stories, while developing the characters, are always different and always complete in themselves.
This book had most of my favourite cozy mystery themes. Families, believable characters, animals and mayhem. Edie Claire writes well, and her stories, while developing the characters, are always different and always complete in themselves.
June 20, 2017
Good read. Characters are likeable and storyline flows well. I look forward to reading more of the series.
February 25, 2021
This one was a little more predictable thank the rest, but still an enjoyable light read. I love this series.
April 5, 2024
Review
I always enjoy a Leigh Kozlow mystery. I like the fact that they take place in my local area. There were a few red herrings but I figured it out about half way through.
I always enjoy a Leigh Kozlow mystery. I like the fact that they take place in my local area. There were a few red herrings but I figured it out about half way through.
August 21, 2024
Such a fun series with red herrings and great characters which keep you interested to the end.
December 5, 2022
I can't think of a cozy series with children in it that I enjoy more. I was worried when Leigh became pregnant, as I have no interest in reading mommy books. But the author very cleverly skipped the annoying infant, toddler years and gave us an interesting mother daughter dynamic and some good mysteries. Enjoyable book, great characters.
August 2, 2015
Never Steal a Cockatiel (Leigh Koslow Mysteries #9)
by Edie Claire
The Leigh Koslow mysteries are always a fun read, and this episode is no different. Leigh, her cousin Cara, their husbands and children, mothers and fathers, best-friend Maura plus new baby Eddie, are all back for an teen-and-near-teen filled angst ride that revolves around the pet-napping of several local animals. Why is everyone so afraid to report these crimes and who could possibly be behind this scheme?
Leigh's finicky mother, Frances, is scheduled for foot surgery and Leigh, Cara, and their Aunt Bess have been tasked with helping her out around the house during the day while her husband, Randall, is busy at his Veterinary Clinic. Unfortunately, while helping Frances back into the house after being released from the hospital, Randall has fallen and injured his ankle. It might be a bad sprain or maybe it's broken -- that determination will have to wait until he sees an orthopod in a few days. In the meantime, it means that he will need help at the Clinic and will not be able to care for Frances in the evening, so Cara, Bess and Leigh are now doing double duty. Matt and Ethan can help with odd jobs around the Clinic, and Allison will go in to help out her grandfather as he sees his patients. All this is complicated when Cara's father, Mason, awakes Leigh in the pre-dawn hours, needing her to take his neighbor's cat and cockatiel to care for until the neighbor returns, as Mason needs to catch a plane later that morning. Confusion, high jinks and a darn good mystery ensue.
As usual, the editing and proofing is excellent. Claire breathes believability into her characters, giving them interesting quirks, real-life situations and reactions to same, and great dialogue. The storyline is interesting, the plotting well done, and the mystery reveals itself one clue at a time. If was able to figure out the culprits well before the ending, but the clues were well-laid and there were plenty of other suspects that I could have chosen, but didn't. So, maybe I just got lucky this time!
All in all, a quick and fun summer read.
by Edie Claire
The Leigh Koslow mysteries are always a fun read, and this episode is no different. Leigh, her cousin Cara, their husbands and children, mothers and fathers, best-friend Maura plus new baby Eddie, are all back for an teen-and-near-teen filled angst ride that revolves around the pet-napping of several local animals. Why is everyone so afraid to report these crimes and who could possibly be behind this scheme?
Leigh's finicky mother, Frances, is scheduled for foot surgery and Leigh, Cara, and their Aunt Bess have been tasked with helping her out around the house during the day while her husband, Randall, is busy at his Veterinary Clinic. Unfortunately, while helping Frances back into the house after being released from the hospital, Randall has fallen and injured his ankle. It might be a bad sprain or maybe it's broken -- that determination will have to wait until he sees an orthopod in a few days. In the meantime, it means that he will need help at the Clinic and will not be able to care for Frances in the evening, so Cara, Bess and Leigh are now doing double duty. Matt and Ethan can help with odd jobs around the Clinic, and Allison will go in to help out her grandfather as he sees his patients. All this is complicated when Cara's father, Mason, awakes Leigh in the pre-dawn hours, needing her to take his neighbor's cat and cockatiel to care for until the neighbor returns, as Mason needs to catch a plane later that morning. Confusion, high jinks and a darn good mystery ensue.
As usual, the editing and proofing is excellent. Claire breathes believability into her characters, giving them interesting quirks, real-life situations and reactions to same, and great dialogue. The storyline is interesting, the plotting well done, and the mystery reveals itself one clue at a time. If was able to figure out the culprits well before the ending, but the clues were well-laid and there were plenty of other suspects that I could have chosen, but didn't. So, maybe I just got lucky this time!
All in all, a quick and fun summer read.
September 5, 2024
I adore Leigh Koslow.
The brains behind this birdnappingHad better run for cover!
Pets in the North Boros of Pittsburgh are disappearing… along with their owners’ hard-earned cash. The Koslow Animal Clinic has seen its share of mayhem, but when a spree of petnappings for ransom are targeted at its clients, suspicion falls uncomfortably close to Leigh Koslow’s veterinarian father. Leigh refuses to believe that anyone in the family is involved -- never mind that her aunt’s notorious ex, Mason Dublin, has just flown the coop. Never mind that several of his fellow poker players have recently turned up missing… or murdered. And never mind that on his way out of town, Mason dropped off a few pets for Leigh to secretly take care of.
There must be a rational explanation, preferably one that has nothing to do with either Leigh’s relatives or the clinic staff. But as the evidence begins to mount, Leigh faces the petnappings are an inside job. With the unofficial help of detective and new mom Maura Polanski, Leigh hopes to finger the traitor before any more pets disappear. Because when the animal-loving citizens of the North Boros start fighting back, feathers are going to fly!
Praise for the Leigh Koslow Mystery
NEVER BURIED"A funny, fast-paced, clever, and unusual mystery that will have readers clamoring for more. Edie Claire writes with style and dash. Sheer delight."--Carolyn Hart
NEVER SORRY"Edie Claire is a bright new addition to the mystery world. Along with appealing characters and a blessedly lucid writing style, she delivers a solid plot that keeps the pages turning."--Margaret Maron
NEVER TEASE A SIAMESE"The fifth installment in this excellent series, and perhaps Ms. Claire's best yet. The characters and relationships are superior, written with heartfelt compassion and wry wit."--Romantic Times
The brains behind this birdnappingHad better run for cover!
Pets in the North Boros of Pittsburgh are disappearing… along with their owners’ hard-earned cash. The Koslow Animal Clinic has seen its share of mayhem, but when a spree of petnappings for ransom are targeted at its clients, suspicion falls uncomfortably close to Leigh Koslow’s veterinarian father. Leigh refuses to believe that anyone in the family is involved -- never mind that her aunt’s notorious ex, Mason Dublin, has just flown the coop. Never mind that several of his fellow poker players have recently turned up missing… or murdered. And never mind that on his way out of town, Mason dropped off a few pets for Leigh to secretly take care of.
There must be a rational explanation, preferably one that has nothing to do with either Leigh’s relatives or the clinic staff. But as the evidence begins to mount, Leigh faces the petnappings are an inside job. With the unofficial help of detective and new mom Maura Polanski, Leigh hopes to finger the traitor before any more pets disappear. Because when the animal-loving citizens of the North Boros start fighting back, feathers are going to fly!
Praise for the Leigh Koslow Mystery
NEVER BURIED"A funny, fast-paced, clever, and unusual mystery that will have readers clamoring for more. Edie Claire writes with style and dash. Sheer delight."--Carolyn Hart
NEVER SORRY"Edie Claire is a bright new addition to the mystery world. Along with appealing characters and a blessedly lucid writing style, she delivers a solid plot that keeps the pages turning."--Margaret Maron
NEVER TEASE A SIAMESE"The fifth installment in this excellent series, and perhaps Ms. Claire's best yet. The characters and relationships are superior, written with heartfelt compassion and wry wit."--Romantic Times
July 11, 2015
This was excellent! A petnapper is running amok in the Pittsburgh area, and Leigh and her daughter Allison are on the case. And Frances and Randall are both on crutches and unable to care for themselves. So Leigh, Cara and Aunt Bess are stuck trying to keep the feathers from flying. Aunt Lydie is off at a conference somewhere while her ex, Mason is also out of town at a conference, supposedly in Las Vegas. but nothing is adding up right, and Leigh is suspecting that not only is there someone stealing dogs and cats and birds (!) for ransom, but there is something going on with her aunt and also with her uncle... Just read it folks, the answers are really quite enlightening, and you can't go wrong with this one!
June 28, 2015
Another entertaining read from Edie Clare. I have read all of Edie's books and the characters in the Leigh Koslow stories feel like family. It has been wonderful reading the first one all the way up to this one. Her books are stand alone and you're not left hanging. But why not read them all! I like Edie's flawless writing style and always enjoy the stories. This one sort of had two mysteries involved and that was a nice twist. I was baffled till the end!
July 4, 2017
The best book yet in the series. When Leigh's mom has bunion surgery her dad trips whilst taking her home and breaks his ankle so Leigh and her cousin and aunt all help,out at her folk's house and the grandkids help at at Grandpa's vet clinic. When pets start getting pet napped they are all on site to help the police solve the case.
June 28, 2015
Fun book.
Leigh is still sniffing out trouble and juggling being a mom, daughter, aunt, friend and mystery solver. Always love learning about the different animals and their people. Well done.
Leigh is still sniffing out trouble and juggling being a mom, daughter, aunt, friend and mystery solver. Always love learning about the different animals and their people. Well done.
August 19, 2015
I enjoyed this book a lot but I have not read any of Edie Claire books that I did not like. They hold your interest, have twists and a good story line. I have read all of her books on Kindle and have yet to find one I did not like. This one did not disappoint.
August 27, 2016
Really liked this book as well as all of the others in this series. Would recommend this author to anybody that likes a good mystery.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews