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Barkery & Biscuits Mystery #5
For a Good Paws
Barkery owner Carrie Kennersly follows the scent of murder to find the true culprit
When Carrie Kennersley, owner of a two-part bakery that serves tasty treats to both dogs and humans, learns that a local killer is being paroled, she worries that danger will come barking at her door.
Ten years ago, Mike Holpurn was convicted of murdering the first female mayor of Knobcone Heights. Now, shortly after his release, Holpurn puts the whole town on edge by yelling at the former mayor's husband, Henry Schulzer. After Schulzer is found dead, everyone assumes Holpurn is the culprit. But Carrie thinks there's more to the story, especially since Holpurn claims Schulzer was the one who really killed the mayor. Carrie is determined to uncover the truth, even if it means things will get ruff.
Includes recipes!
When Carrie Kennersley, owner of a two-part bakery that serves tasty treats to both dogs and humans, learns that a local killer is being paroled, she worries that danger will come barking at her door.
Ten years ago, Mike Holpurn was convicted of murdering the first female mayor of Knobcone Heights. Now, shortly after his release, Holpurn puts the whole town on edge by yelling at the former mayor's husband, Henry Schulzer. After Schulzer is found dead, everyone assumes Holpurn is the culprit. But Carrie thinks there's more to the story, especially since Holpurn claims Schulzer was the one who really killed the mayor. Carrie is determined to uncover the truth, even if it means things will get ruff.
Includes recipes!
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 8, 2019
3 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Linda O. Johnston
132 books464 followersLinda O. Johnston's first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year. Since then, Linda has had more short stories and novellas published, plus, by the end of 2018, she will have had fifty novels published, including mysteries and romance.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.
Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.
Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 26, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
I am honest to god a peanut. I ADORE cozy mystery, and for some reason I have a block on the fact that I haven't liked ANY of the books in this series, and yet I still asked for it on Netgalley. Someone send help, please.
As soon as I started reading, I remembered why I just can't get into these books- the writing is some of the chunkiest I've endured in a long time. It probably wouldn't annoy most people, but it drove me insane!
Then there was the repetition; I started laughing uncontrollably at one point, because the word 'Fortunately' appeared twice on the page in a fortunate way for the main character...until I highlighted how many times the words 'Fortunate' 'Fortunately' and 'Unfortunately' appeared in the book...over fifty times total. We are to believe that Carrie, who does absolutely no investigating at all, has the good fortune of finding yet another murderer (in the last five percent of the book, of course) because of fifty fortunate moments. O-Kaaaayyy.
I am going to resist the urge next time I see this series. The problem is those darn covers are so cute and I never associate them with the book inside. Please don't let me get the next in the series, brain!
I am honest to god a peanut. I ADORE cozy mystery, and for some reason I have a block on the fact that I haven't liked ANY of the books in this series, and yet I still asked for it on Netgalley. Someone send help, please.
As soon as I started reading, I remembered why I just can't get into these books- the writing is some of the chunkiest I've endured in a long time. It probably wouldn't annoy most people, but it drove me insane!
Then there was the repetition; I started laughing uncontrollably at one point, because the word 'Fortunately' appeared twice on the page in a fortunate way for the main character...until I highlighted how many times the words 'Fortunate' 'Fortunately' and 'Unfortunately' appeared in the book...over fifty times total. We are to believe that Carrie, who does absolutely no investigating at all, has the good fortune of finding yet another murderer (in the last five percent of the book, of course) because of fifty fortunate moments. O-Kaaaayyy.
I am going to resist the urge next time I see this series. The problem is those darn covers are so cute and I never associate them with the book inside. Please don't let me get the next in the series, brain!
August 22, 2025
An enjoyable read.
March 30, 2019
This is cute and fun. I have read another of this series and the minute I heard a lady owned two businesses side by side, one a Bakery and one called The Barkery I was ready to read. Treats for people and treats for pets. I love cozies with pets involved, so I knew I’d have fun. This was an easy to read book and it had your basic components of a cozy. You know, your dead bodies, your amateur sleuth, friends that must be saved, and bad guys of course. This sounds like I’m making light and I’m not. I love a good cozy. The fun aspects of this one…the bakery, the Barkery, the pets, and so forth, are what made this one worth the time. Johnston’s characters were fine as far as her immediate friends and her handsome vet boyfriend goes.
One thing that bothered me and I think this will sound silly to a lot of people but…it seems as if the author is very concerned a reader will think she isn’t applying all safety rules and regulations in the Bakery/Barkery. By that I mean that I seemed to read an awfully lot of explanations about employees washing their hands really well. It just seemed redundant. As if Johnston was worried that my mother might be reading it whispering, “wash your hands dear”. I’m sure this must be a difficult balance, but it is after all fiction. Surely someone will not read the story because “ooh, their buns might be cross-contaminated”.
So, I guess in conclusion, while this maybe wasn’t a super deep story with a very clandestine plot, it was a fun read and a relaxing story, and I sure didn’t waste one bit of my time in reading it.
Hope you’re writing Book 6 Linda Johnston.
One thing that bothered me and I think this will sound silly to a lot of people but…it seems as if the author is very concerned a reader will think she isn’t applying all safety rules and regulations in the Bakery/Barkery. By that I mean that I seemed to read an awfully lot of explanations about employees washing their hands really well. It just seemed redundant. As if Johnston was worried that my mother might be reading it whispering, “wash your hands dear”. I’m sure this must be a difficult balance, but it is after all fiction. Surely someone will not read the story because “ooh, their buns might be cross-contaminated”.
So, I guess in conclusion, while this maybe wasn’t a super deep story with a very clandestine plot, it was a fun read and a relaxing story, and I sure didn’t waste one bit of my time in reading it.
Hope you’re writing Book 6 Linda Johnston.
May 24, 2019
Smart, enjoyable, and entertaining, FOR GOOD PAWS is the perfect addition to the already wonderful Barkery and Biscuit Mysteries by author Linda O. Johnston. This series gets consistently better with every book, and FOR GOOD PAWS is no exception.
June 22, 2019
This is the first book I have read from this series. Couldn't finish it. Too many references to all the other murders she has solved. Multiple statements about how the police were happy for her help and that they weren't upset about her investigations and would share information with her. Won't be reading anything else by this author.
June 29, 2019
This was not what I was expecting at all. I was hoping for a fun, kind of cozy mystery. This was honestly a bit of a letdown.
The writing, editing & storyline needed a lot of work. And it may be because I read an early release of the book.
I’m hoping the kinks were worked out by the time it was published.
The writing, editing & storyline needed a lot of work. And it may be because I read an early release of the book.
I’m hoping the kinks were worked out by the time it was published.
December 2, 2019
I didn’t like this one well enough to finish it. Need a category for didn’t finish. ALthough I tried several different times.
May 7, 2021
Carrie Kennersley, owner of the twin bakeries, Icing on the Cake (selling human sweets) and The Barkery (selling treats for dogs), is a little worried when she learns that Mike Holpurn, convicted of killing Knobcone Heights' first female mayor, is being released on parole after ten years. However, her attention is focused mainly on her assistant, Dinah, and the birthday party Carrie has planned for her at "the resort." If the hotel in question has another name, I didn't catch it in the audiobook. But that's the risk of listening to an audiobook; you may not catch all the relevant names, and you can't easily flip back through the book when you realize you missed it.
At party, though, the widower of the murdered mayor, Henry Schulzer, is a guest in the hotel, and Mike Holpurn turns up, with his two brothers, to confront Schulzer, whom he accuses of being the real murderer. They, of course, argue. Schulzer also argues with Dinah, who is an aspiring novelist and expresses an interest in writing a novel about the late mayor's murder, changing the facts some, including changing the murderer. Schulzer threatens to ruin her budding writing career if she writes anything about it, whether or not it defames him. He also argues with several other people. Henry Schulzer does not appear to be a nice person. Of course, neither does Mike Holpurn. Or, for that matter, Silas the local tv news reporter, who manages to have unfriendly encounters with Schulzer, Holpurn, and Dinah.
The next morning, Henry Schulzer is found dead, murdered.
Dinah is a prime suspect, based on having argued more with Schulzer than anyone else, but not the only one.
This is where the book starts to go wrong for me.
Knobcone Heights, although a relatively small city (one vet clinic, one animal shelter, with apparently no others nearby, does have a police department, with at least two detectives, who are certainly not portrayed as bumbling idiots. Yet Carrie is quite sure that they would not have solved the last several murders in town, if not for her able meddling. And of course, she believes that she can't rely on them to solve this case, when Dinah is an obvious suspect.
Her friend, Billi, is a city councilwoman, and also head of the local animal rescue. She doesn't dress the the same way for animal rescue work or events as she does for the animal shelter. This seems normal and appropriate, but we have Carrie earnestly explaining that it's appropriate every single time Billi is at the shelter or present for an animal rescue-related event. It felt a little strange even the first time.
Carrie and Dinah are apparently really good friends, in addition to Dinah being Carrie's only full-time employee at the bakeries. (There are other part-timers.) And Carrie is really, truly, almost sure Dinah can''t be the murderer. Almost. It left me wondering whether there's something important I didn't know about Dinah due to not having read the previous books {if so, it's not revealed in this book), or whether Carrie just has a strange lack of trust in her friends. It was another slightly weird, off-putting note.
The eventual solution to the murder, to me, came out of left field, and not in a good way. It's not that I couldn't believe that character would kill someone if it mattered to them. However, the way it worked out just felt contrived to me, almost as if their motive was pulled out of a hat late in the game.
The characters are likable, and there are cute animals along the way. It's a fun story. Yet it left me unsatisfied.
I bought this audiobook.
At party, though, the widower of the murdered mayor, Henry Schulzer, is a guest in the hotel, and Mike Holpurn turns up, with his two brothers, to confront Schulzer, whom he accuses of being the real murderer. They, of course, argue. Schulzer also argues with Dinah, who is an aspiring novelist and expresses an interest in writing a novel about the late mayor's murder, changing the facts some, including changing the murderer. Schulzer threatens to ruin her budding writing career if she writes anything about it, whether or not it defames him. He also argues with several other people. Henry Schulzer does not appear to be a nice person. Of course, neither does Mike Holpurn. Or, for that matter, Silas the local tv news reporter, who manages to have unfriendly encounters with Schulzer, Holpurn, and Dinah.
The next morning, Henry Schulzer is found dead, murdered.
Dinah is a prime suspect, based on having argued more with Schulzer than anyone else, but not the only one.
This is where the book starts to go wrong for me.
Knobcone Heights, although a relatively small city (one vet clinic, one animal shelter, with apparently no others nearby, does have a police department, with at least two detectives, who are certainly not portrayed as bumbling idiots. Yet Carrie is quite sure that they would not have solved the last several murders in town, if not for her able meddling. And of course, she believes that she can't rely on them to solve this case, when Dinah is an obvious suspect.
Her friend, Billi, is a city councilwoman, and also head of the local animal rescue. She doesn't dress the the same way for animal rescue work or events as she does for the animal shelter. This seems normal and appropriate, but we have Carrie earnestly explaining that it's appropriate every single time Billi is at the shelter or present for an animal rescue-related event. It felt a little strange even the first time.
Carrie and Dinah are apparently really good friends, in addition to Dinah being Carrie's only full-time employee at the bakeries. (There are other part-timers.) And Carrie is really, truly, almost sure Dinah can''t be the murderer. Almost. It left me wondering whether there's something important I didn't know about Dinah due to not having read the previous books {if so, it's not revealed in this book), or whether Carrie just has a strange lack of trust in her friends. It was another slightly weird, off-putting note.
The eventual solution to the murder, to me, came out of left field, and not in a good way. It's not that I couldn't believe that character would kill someone if it mattered to them. However, the way it worked out just felt contrived to me, almost as if their motive was pulled out of a hat late in the game.
The characters are likable, and there are cute animals along the way. It's a fun story. Yet it left me unsatisfied.
I bought this audiobook.
September 22, 2020
I have read the 2nd book in this series, and now the 5th. I had no problem following the story, although I noticed that the romantic relationships had progressed quite a bit. This book finds our protagonist Carrie, still working hard with her part-time vet clinic job as well as both her bakeries. She is much busier in this story, so has had to hire more help. One of these characters, Dedra, plays an integral part in this mystery. This mystery finds a man, Mike Holpurn paroled from prison after serving only ten years of a life sentence. He insists he is innocent of the crime he confessed to years earlier and wants to clear his name. Coincidentally, the husband of the man he murdered moves back to town and they encounter one another during a birthday celebration. Dedra argues with Henry Schulzer, and when he turns up dead, she is the main suspect. Carrie knows she would not kill anyone, so she puts her investigator hat on to find out who the real killer was.
I must say, I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one I read. There is more investigating in the story and more depth to the happenings in town. I enjoyed the secondary characters and of course dogs play an important part in the story. Carrie sets out to question people, search for information and put together the pieces in a much more purposeful way. There is a nosy reporter, who seems to be railroading Dedra, the sister of the dead man who wants his dogs and Mike Holpurn and his brothers who are really annoying and bullying, which all added to the plot, the suspect list and the red herrings. Even though there is still a lot of Carrie's life and the life of the town in this one, it doesn't take over the story like I felt in the second book in this series. I had an inkling of the culprit, but wasn't sure until the reveal came at the end. Fortunately for Carrie, she is a smart cookie and her phone saves the day. Another fun cozy mystery.
I must say, I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one I read. There is more investigating in the story and more depth to the happenings in town. I enjoyed the secondary characters and of course dogs play an important part in the story. Carrie sets out to question people, search for information and put together the pieces in a much more purposeful way. There is a nosy reporter, who seems to be railroading Dedra, the sister of the dead man who wants his dogs and Mike Holpurn and his brothers who are really annoying and bullying, which all added to the plot, the suspect list and the red herrings. Even though there is still a lot of Carrie's life and the life of the town in this one, it doesn't take over the story like I felt in the second book in this series. I had an inkling of the culprit, but wasn't sure until the reveal came at the end. Fortunately for Carrie, she is a smart cookie and her phone saves the day. Another fun cozy mystery.
August 30, 2021
I hated this book! I loathed several of the characters as they were so annoying. And the cops were painted in a bad light. Not that I don't believe there are good and bad police officers, they were just beyond extra and over the top. DINA I so disliked her, she didn't listen to advice and I thought she was obnoxious. I ended up skipping to the end just so I could see who did it to get the book over. I made it to chapter 21 and just couldn't stand it anymore. This might be a good starter for someone, but for me it fell flat!
February 23, 2020
Audio book. Fun cozy mystery with dogs.
June 13, 2019
For a Good Paws is the fifth installment in the A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series set in the small town of Knobcone Heights and featuring Carrie Kennersley, part time vet tech and bakery owner who cooks for both people and pets. Carrie's employee Dinah is anxious for Mike Holpurn to move back to town, recently paroled the man has served ten years of his life sentence for allegedly killing the town's female mayor Flora Shulzer, and Dinah wants to find out more about him and the crime.
At the same time that Mike and his brothers arrive back in town so does the widower, Henry Shulzer who had moved away shortly after his wife's murder. Nobody is really sure why Henry is back but when a confrontation occurs at the Barkery between Henry, Mike and Dinah and later that day Henry is found dead, Carrie once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation.
A weak plot, choppy writing and repetitious mundane details made getting through this latest addition to the series slow and almost painful. I usually enjoy Carrie and Biscuit but this time I was glad to reach the last page - I won't give up on the series - yet.
I received an advanced copy of For a Good Paws from NetGalley via Midnight Ink. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.
At the same time that Mike and his brothers arrive back in town so does the widower, Henry Shulzer who had moved away shortly after his wife's murder. Nobody is really sure why Henry is back but when a confrontation occurs at the Barkery between Henry, Mike and Dinah and later that day Henry is found dead, Carrie once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation.
A weak plot, choppy writing and repetitious mundane details made getting through this latest addition to the series slow and almost painful. I usually enjoy Carrie and Biscuit but this time I was glad to reach the last page - I won't give up on the series - yet.
I received an advanced copy of For a Good Paws from NetGalley via Midnight Ink. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.
December 30, 2020
If I wrote a book, it would be like this. Too much detail, too much annoying detail. So annoying. But, I'm a sucker for books with dogs and a cozy mystery seemed to fit the bill for the craziness of the world right now. I may have yelled at this book, out loud, a few times while listening during a hike. Seriously, so much unnecessary detail. But by the end, the mystery was solved and I got to add another book to my 2020 read tally.
April 25, 2019
Annoying lead character who thinks she is smarter than the police. Carrie talks a lot about solving the murder of Henry Schulzer but hard,y does any investigating just talking. And why do we need to know the sleeping arrangements with her brother, his girlfriend, her boyfriend and Carrie every night. I hope I remember not to read any more of these books
March 23, 2025
Okay, let’s chat. For a Good Paws by Linda O. Johnston is the fifth (and final!) book in the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series — and I was so ready for it to be a warm, tail-wagging sendoff. We’ve got murder, muffins, and mutts. What more could a girl want? But... well, this one felt like when you’re expecting a gooey chocolate chip cookie and you bite in and it’s oatmeal raisin. Like, it’s fine! But... that’s not what I was hyped for.
Carrie Kennersly is back — dog-treat baker by day, accidental detective by... also day, because apparently crime never takes a break in Knobcone Heights. This time, the victim is her friend’s ex, and obviously Carrie can’t help but sniff around (pun very much intended). But where earlier books had sparkle and fun, this one felt kind of tired. The mystery plods along, and you can spot the culprit faster than your dog spots you opening the peanut butter jar. I kept wanting to shake Carrie and yell, “Babe! Connect the dots! They’re right there!”
That said — I still love Carrie. She’s competent, compassionate, and the woman runs two bakeries. I can’t even keep a succulent alive. Her veterinarian boyfriend is still sweet, the dogs are adorable (seriously, they’re the best part), and I loved the warm community vibes. But man, the plot just didn’t pop. No big twists. No gasps. Just a lot of “okay, let’s get through this.”
Trope check: cozy small town with murder issues? Check. Amateur sleuthing while juggling way too much? Double check. Pets stealing every scene and reminding you that dogs are the real heroes? Obviously. But it didn’t deliver the cozy sparkle I was craving — more like cozy background noise.
If you’ve already been along for the ride in books one through four, you’ll probably want to finish out the series. It’s like the last cookie in the jar — maybe not the best one, but you’re still gonna eat it. But if you’re new to the series, do not start here. Go back to the beginning when everything felt fresh and fun and the mysteries actually kept you guessing.
Final verdict: 3 stars. Cute dogs, cozy vibes, but a mystery that left me shrugging instead of gasping. I wanted a sugar rush — and I got a single piece of sugar-free candy instead.
Carrie Kennersly is back — dog-treat baker by day, accidental detective by... also day, because apparently crime never takes a break in Knobcone Heights. This time, the victim is her friend’s ex, and obviously Carrie can’t help but sniff around (pun very much intended). But where earlier books had sparkle and fun, this one felt kind of tired. The mystery plods along, and you can spot the culprit faster than your dog spots you opening the peanut butter jar. I kept wanting to shake Carrie and yell, “Babe! Connect the dots! They’re right there!”
That said — I still love Carrie. She’s competent, compassionate, and the woman runs two bakeries. I can’t even keep a succulent alive. Her veterinarian boyfriend is still sweet, the dogs are adorable (seriously, they’re the best part), and I loved the warm community vibes. But man, the plot just didn’t pop. No big twists. No gasps. Just a lot of “okay, let’s get through this.”
Trope check: cozy small town with murder issues? Check. Amateur sleuthing while juggling way too much? Double check. Pets stealing every scene and reminding you that dogs are the real heroes? Obviously. But it didn’t deliver the cozy sparkle I was craving — more like cozy background noise.
If you’ve already been along for the ride in books one through four, you’ll probably want to finish out the series. It’s like the last cookie in the jar — maybe not the best one, but you’re still gonna eat it. But if you’re new to the series, do not start here. Go back to the beginning when everything felt fresh and fun and the mysteries actually kept you guessing.
Final verdict: 3 stars. Cute dogs, cozy vibes, but a mystery that left me shrugging instead of gasping. I wanted a sugar rush — and I got a single piece of sugar-free candy instead.
May 30, 2019
This is a series I always enjoy returning to . I have read and recommend the entire series. Carrie and her bakeries and pets is always a fun read with a well crafted sleuth. The author has a winning formula here for animal lovers and those who enjoy a good mystery. I love the animal companions here and the likable people featured in this series. This is a well crafted read that is the perfect blend of murder,, mystery and wonderful pets.
Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for this ARC. My opinion is my own.
In this next installment Carrier is running both bakeries. She owns and runs a bakery for pet treats and a bakery connected in the same building for people. Both are popular and well loved in her small town. Carrie has a knack for solving mysteries and she is soon to be involved in another murder.
Carrie's full time employee and friend Dinah is having a birthday. She is excited over information she has learned about a former resident who is being paroled from prison who has many in town upset as he was accused of murdering their former mayor. The murder occurred 10 years earlier and now suspicions are flaring and residents are upset. Dinah is soon found to have further information on the crime. Soon another murder of the former victim's wife occurs and Carrie is determined to solve the case and find the right suspect.
I love the interplay combination here of people and pets. This is a pleasing read that has a well crafted sleuth and fun likable charcters. I look forward to the next in series. As a loyal reader of this series I do hope it will continue.
Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for this ARC. My opinion is my own.
In this next installment Carrier is running both bakeries. She owns and runs a bakery for pet treats and a bakery connected in the same building for people. Both are popular and well loved in her small town. Carrie has a knack for solving mysteries and she is soon to be involved in another murder.
Carrie's full time employee and friend Dinah is having a birthday. She is excited over information she has learned about a former resident who is being paroled from prison who has many in town upset as he was accused of murdering their former mayor. The murder occurred 10 years earlier and now suspicions are flaring and residents are upset. Dinah is soon found to have further information on the crime. Soon another murder of the former victim's wife occurs and Carrie is determined to solve the case and find the right suspect.
I love the interplay combination here of people and pets. This is a pleasing read that has a well crafted sleuth and fun likable charcters. I look forward to the next in series. As a loyal reader of this series I do hope it will continue.
December 30, 2018
For a Good Paws by Linda O. Johnston is a cozy mystery which you can enjoy in an afternoon. I enjoy books and stories with a dog in the mix. Carrie Kennersley is the owner of two bake shops. The Barkery is for the treats she bakes for dogs, and Icing on the Cake is a bakery for people. Both bakeries are adjoined within the same building. Carrie has one full-time employee, Dinah, and the others work in part-time positions. The beginning of the book starts on Dinah's birthday. She is excited over information she has learned about a former resident who is being paroled from prison. Mike Holpurn was a contractor who worked with the former mayor as he was renovating an older mansion which was to be her residence. Mayor Flora Morgan Shulzer was found murdered in the unfinished mansion. Mike Holpurn was sentenced to prison for the crime. Now Dinah seems more than excited about Mike Holpurn coming back to Knobcone to live again. I won't post spoilers, but soon tempers flare between Mike Holpurn and the former Mayor's widower, What do they both know about each other and the murder ten years earlier? Uh-OH! Henry Shulzer has been found murdered! Could it have been Mike? How much does Dinah know? A good mystery and great recipes, too! Biscuit is so lovable!!
Publication Date: May 8, 2019
Publication Date: May 8, 2019
June 10, 2019
I've only read one other book in this series (book 4) but I quickly got acquainted with Carrie and all her very likable friends in Knobcone Heights, so a return there was really enjoyable. This was a good mystery that involved one of Carrie's own employees and the death of a man she'd argued with, but somehow the detectives have come to expect Carrie to come to bat for people she knows and cares about--even though they enjoy giving her a little grief sometimes about investigating.
The two characters that really grew on me from the last book were Billi, who is a councilwoman and runs the animal rescue in Knobcone, and Arvie, the sweet older vet that Carrie works for at her vet tech job...when she's not at her bakeries or chasing clues. I definitely didn't see it coming about who the perp was until the clues started coming together. I like that Carrie is smart about investigating and keeps her phone on her at all times--it could just save her life someday! ;) I have the best of intentions to start this series from the beginning, but there are so many cozy mysteries out there that distract me. I'll keep trying though.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
The two characters that really grew on me from the last book were Billi, who is a councilwoman and runs the animal rescue in Knobcone, and Arvie, the sweet older vet that Carrie works for at her vet tech job...when she's not at her bakeries or chasing clues. I definitely didn't see it coming about who the perp was until the clues started coming together. I like that Carrie is smart about investigating and keeps her phone on her at all times--it could just save her life someday! ;) I have the best of intentions to start this series from the beginning, but there are so many cozy mysteries out there that distract me. I'll keep trying though.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
December 30, 2020
Carrie is very busy
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
This book was interesting. I enjoyed my time listening to the book so it was time well spent. Carrie is a part time vet technician. She owns a bakery that is split in half. Half serves human treats and the other half sells healthy dog treats. She has a great group of family and friends. She is not very trusting. Carrie also volunteers at the local animal shelter. The characters are well developed and each is unique. I thought that the story had a good plot. There is drama and mystery. The dogs hold center stage in Carrie's life.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story?
The book starts with a party that leads to death. One of Carrie's employees is a major suspect. Carrie has solved previous cases so everyone expects her to solve this one too. She is clever and good at putting the clues together.
Would you recommend "For a good Paws" to your friends? Why or why not?
I'd recommend it to friends who enjoy light humor, suspense, and some drama.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Carla Mercer-Meyer?
Yes, I would. I thought that she did a good job making each character sound different. Her reading flowed well.
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
This book was interesting. I enjoyed my time listening to the book so it was time well spent. Carrie is a part time vet technician. She owns a bakery that is split in half. Half serves human treats and the other half sells healthy dog treats. She has a great group of family and friends. She is not very trusting. Carrie also volunteers at the local animal shelter. The characters are well developed and each is unique. I thought that the story had a good plot. There is drama and mystery. The dogs hold center stage in Carrie's life.
What was the most interesting aspect of this story?
The book starts with a party that leads to death. One of Carrie's employees is a major suspect. Carrie has solved previous cases so everyone expects her to solve this one too. She is clever and good at putting the clues together.
Would you recommend "For a good Paws" to your friends? Why or why not?
I'd recommend it to friends who enjoy light humor, suspense, and some drama.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Carla Mercer-Meyer?
Yes, I would. I thought that she did a good job making each character sound different. Her reading flowed well.
December 28, 2018
When a convicted murderer is released from prison after serving ten years for the murder of Knobcone Height’s mayor, he’s not the only one returning to town. The mayor’s widower also returns to town and is then murdered as well…and Carrie’s full time assistant, Dinah is the prime suspect. Even without full confidence that Dinah is innocent, Carrie has a few other suspects and doesn’t trust the local police to seriously consider other suspects with stronger motives, so she does what she normally does and begins digging around to help the police out.
To be honest I was not in love with the previous book and figured I would give this one a shot…sometimes it is the frame of mind you are in at the time. But I find the attitude that Carrie has towards the local police to be rather annoying. If it weren’t for her, they’d never have figured out all the murders that have taken place in town and she doesn’t have confidence in their abilities, yet she claims she’s just an amateur sleuth. I’m going to skip any future entries in this series as it’s just not my style.
To be honest I was not in love with the previous book and figured I would give this one a shot…sometimes it is the frame of mind you are in at the time. But I find the attitude that Carrie has towards the local police to be rather annoying. If it weren’t for her, they’d never have figured out all the murders that have taken place in town and she doesn’t have confidence in their abilities, yet she claims she’s just an amateur sleuth. I’m going to skip any future entries in this series as it’s just not my style.
June 6, 2019
Such a novel idea, a bakery and a barkery (a bakery for pets) connected by a hallway with a main character who has fused her love of baking with her love of pets and of course she is also an inquisitive mystery solver. This time the mystery starts with the release of the man convicted of murdering the mayor Knobcone Heights, the same man who swears he didn't do it and in fact alleges that the mayor's own husband did her in. What really gets Carrie Kennersly and her canine companion Biscuit into the thick of it is whey her full time assistant Dinah becomes a "person of interest" in the death of widower Henry Shulzer, the aforementioned husband of the deceased Mayor. You see Dinah fancies herself a writer and she sees the possibilities of a story from all that drama. Like any good cozy character, Carrie is not going to let her friend get railroaded and she for sure isn't going to let the deceased's two adorable pups end up with out some justice or a proper home. More than one mystery and both people and pup treat recipes await you in this paws-itivly wonderful cozy!
May 11, 2019
Drowning in Details
This might have been a good story, but it slogs so slowly and is so boring! The author has totally drowned the story in meaningless details. As a reader, I do not need to know and don't really care if a shopper paid with a chipped credit card or how many times the waitress refilled drinks during a group discussion. It is almost as if the author needed to pad her word count. I think it would have been a great novel if 100 pages had been knocked off or if that same 100 pages had interesting things to say. I might have rated this 1 star more if this was a novice writer, but this woman has many books under her belt and is a full-time writer. I am not a fan, but perhaps you will like it more than I. This is the first book that I have read by this author. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
This might have been a good story, but it slogs so slowly and is so boring! The author has totally drowned the story in meaningless details. As a reader, I do not need to know and don't really care if a shopper paid with a chipped credit card or how many times the waitress refilled drinks during a group discussion. It is almost as if the author needed to pad her word count. I think it would have been a great novel if 100 pages had been knocked off or if that same 100 pages had interesting things to say. I might have rated this 1 star more if this was a novice writer, but this woman has many books under her belt and is a full-time writer. I am not a fan, but perhaps you will like it more than I. This is the first book that I have read by this author. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
July 14, 2019
Business owner Carrie Kennersly puts her sleuthing skills to work in Knobcone Heights when Henry Schulzer, husband of the former mayor is murdered.
As owner of dual business, The Barkery and Icing on the Cake that serve both human and dog treats, as well as being a part time vet tech Carrie has set her sights on finding the killer.
Dinah, Carrie's employee emerges as the prime suspect. Mike Holpurn also raises suspicions. He has recently been paroled for the death of Flora Schulzer, the former mayor.
I did find there was entirely too much repetition and frivolous details throughout the book that distracted from the story.
Up until the end I was still guessing who the murderer was which I always enjoy. Dog lovers will also enjoy the many scenes in the book which include these wonderful pets.
As owner of dual business, The Barkery and Icing on the Cake that serve both human and dog treats, as well as being a part time vet tech Carrie has set her sights on finding the killer.
Dinah, Carrie's employee emerges as the prime suspect. Mike Holpurn also raises suspicions. He has recently been paroled for the death of Flora Schulzer, the former mayor.
I did find there was entirely too much repetition and frivolous details throughout the book that distracted from the story.
Up until the end I was still guessing who the murderer was which I always enjoy. Dog lovers will also enjoy the many scenes in the book which include these wonderful pets.
March 11, 2020
Unfortunately I was pretty bored with this book. I really enjoy cozy mysteries, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. The plot seemed to drag on and on and on. At no time did I find myself really getting into the story or enjoying it. I don’t think the writing was horrible, this just wasn’t for me. The premise is very cute...Carrie owns a bakery, Icing, and a bakery for dogs called The Barkery. One of her employees, Dinah, has a birthday so they throw her a nice party at a hotel. She gets into an argument with the widow of the previous mayor (who was murdered years before). Needless to say another murder occurs and Dinah is the chief suspect. Carrie, who has helped solve cases in the past, is trying to help clear her friend and employee from this charge. The murder is solved in about the past 5% minutes of the book and it didn’t feel overly shocking or satisfying.
June 24, 2019
I had a bit of trouble getting into this one at first but the more I read the better it got. Carrie Kennersly is owner of the Barkery and Biscuits/ Icing on the Cake shop. One side caters to pets and the other to their owners. She also likes to solve crimes-well murders to be exact. Mike Holpurn has returned to Knobcone Heights after being paroled from prison for the murder of the town's mayor. At a birthday party Mike confronts the late mayor's husband-Henry Schulzer -basically accusing him of murdering his wife. After Schulzer turns up dead Mike is the prime suspect. However Carrie doesn't think he is guilty and sets out to prove it. Along the way she needs to make sure Schulzer 2 dogs get a good forever home and she doesn't end up like Schulzer!
March 28, 2020
Carrie Kennersley is the owner of a bakery that serves tasty treats to both dogs and humans. Carrie hears that Mike Holpurn who was a local killer is being paroled after serving 10 years in jail.
Mike Holpurn was convicted of murdering the first female mayor of Knobcone Heights. Now, shortly after his release, Holpurn puts the whole town on edge by yelling at the former mayor's husband, Henry Schulzer. Shortly after the confrontation, Schulzer is found dead, everyone assumes Holpurn is the culprit, but Carrie thinks there's more to the story, especially since Holpurn claims Schulzer was the one who killed the mayor. Carrie is determined to uncover the truth, even if it means things will get ruff.
Mike Holpurn was convicted of murdering the first female mayor of Knobcone Heights. Now, shortly after his release, Holpurn puts the whole town on edge by yelling at the former mayor's husband, Henry Schulzer. Shortly after the confrontation, Schulzer is found dead, everyone assumes Holpurn is the culprit, but Carrie thinks there's more to the story, especially since Holpurn claims Schulzer was the one who killed the mayor. Carrie is determined to uncover the truth, even if it means things will get ruff.
July 11, 2022
Another great cozy mystery to this series. I kinda had the murder figured out right away. They were a bit odd to be included so much in the story when a similar charter was just touched on.
I do want to add, can we stop with the description of someone being not thin because "she clearly enjoys the baking" at their people treat shop. Seriously not necessarily and demeaning on women who are fuller figured. Some of is diet and exercise and still can't seem to be anything but fuller figured. Just leave it at that, full figured or curvy, if you have to describe the size of a woman. Not every single bigger than a stick woman clearly enjoys food comments and repeated in each of these books over and over again.
I do want to add, can we stop with the description of someone being not thin because "she clearly enjoys the baking" at their people treat shop. Seriously not necessarily and demeaning on women who are fuller figured. Some of is diet and exercise and still can't seem to be anything but fuller figured. Just leave it at that, full figured or curvy, if you have to describe the size of a woman. Not every single bigger than a stick woman clearly enjoys food comments and repeated in each of these books over and over again.
July 6, 2019
For a Good Paws is about a Carrie Kennersly - owner of a bakery for dogs and humans, who is concerned when a local killer is being paroled. She is afraid he will be showing up on her doorstep and causing trouble. The plot was different from others, especially having a human and pet bakery together. The plot was a bit confusing with a lot of information back and forth in time. Carrie was running too much between her bakery, the BARKERY, the vets office and the animal shelter. We knew she was busy, but didn’t need all that drawn out detail as most of that didn’t relate to details of the story. I thought it pulled me out of the story line.
December 30, 2018
Good hints in the publisher's blurb. A local convicted murderer is released back to the town where he confessed to killing the mayor ten years ago. However, it doesn't take long before there is another murder and once again the same man is the prime suspect. It sounds too convenient an answer so Carrie, the owner of the Bakery/Barkery, puts her amateur sleuth nose into the investigation and the sleuthing begins!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Midnight Ink via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Midnight Ink via NetGalley. Thank you!
May 22, 2019
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. The story was interesting, the characters were fun and the killer was a surprise, but the story dragged with mundane details about her daily routine at the shops and the vet. The chemistry with Reed just didn't come across for me. And the constant, repetitive reminders on nearly every page of how Carrie had 'solved' previous murders was excessive. I wanted to like this book, I really did. It has dogs, dog treats and dog adoptions, but it wasn't a fun read.
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