Cooking Up Chaos

Little Dog Diner #4

by Emmie Lyn

Autumn on the Maine coast is stunning, which brings the tourists out in droves. My restaurant, the Little Dog Diner, is teeming with them, thanks to the locally famous fall festival.

Usually that’s a great thing… this year, however, the discovery of a dead body puts a damper on business awfully fast.

Add to that, the fact that the victim had a vendetta against almost every small business owner in town, and now I’ve landed right in the middle of the very long and tedious suspect list.

Looks like it’s time to toss my apron aside and don the detective hat once more. Thankfully, Pip is more than ready to assist in this one, because if I didn’t get to the bottom of this chaos quickly, it could be me getting cooked!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2019

Reviews

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danni (Danelle) and Pip are at it again.Little Dog Diner Rose ( Danni grandmother) cafe now Dani is doing good with the employees Chad and Christine doing a great job. Lily Danni best friend has a catering job of her own. It is Maggie birthday (a PI) and Aj (a cop) wants to make a surprise because it Maggie 30th birhday. Book 4 is about Wiilhmina
a do gooder for Misty Harbor protest about some of the shops in town. But she sure likes to buy things she has let people think she has not. Her boat neighbor Marcus has a blog about thing Wilhamina does. Danni finds Wilhemina killed with her protest sign in one of the cafe Soup and and Sandwich cafe that Brent owns. Danni also finds Misty a black lab that was Wilhmina. 4 people were were running for Best Business award including Danni. Some of the people want Danni to be disqualified because her grandmother Rose was running it. Love these books love Pip the cute Jack russel that seems to fight for Danni in every book.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end of the season brings tourists to Misty Harbor and all the businesses are eager to showcase the best of Blueberry Bay. None more so than the Little Dog Diner. Dani is up for the Best Business Award and rumor has it, the diner has the lead. The other award finalists, all men, hold a grudge against Dani, insisting that since Rose is a committee member, Dani should be disqualified. Dani (and Pip) are eager to show them how she deserves that award. The only hitch in Dani's plan is Wilhelmina Joy, Misty Harbor’s dedicated environmentalist, who is protesting single use packaging used in local businesses, including the diner. While Dani agrees with the cause, Wilhelmina's methods leave a lot to be desired and she won't listen to reason or be bribed by diner treats. Wilhelmina remains firm in her desire to "save" the town. Would her protest be enough cause for murder? It seems like it when Pip finds Wilhelmina stabbed to death with her own sign at the Savory Soup & Sandwich Café. It doesn't look good for the local business owners. It's up to Dani and Maggie (plus Pip) to find out who killed Wilhelmina before it can ruin Dani's business.

Hooray! This series is back on track! No evil twins or random long-lost relatives to be found. The mystery is complicated with enough red herrings to make figuring out the right motive difficult. I thought I knew WHO, based on Pip's reaction, but I wasn't totally positive even up to the end when the killer confronts Dani. The motive was lame! I was surprised. There's a little bit more lightheartedness in this one with Maggie's big 3-0 coming up and Maggie and AJ's rivalry over their kittens. I don't like the author inserting ageist and sexist comments into Dani's mouth. Dani is supposed to be young. She's prejudiced against mamajuana smokers, thinking they're all ageing hippies. No way! Maine borders Massachusetts and pot is legal there. Everyone I know who uses it for recreational purposes is Dani's age or younger. It's now legal in Maine and she would totally know people who smoke joints. I think it's disgusting and harmful and she can think THAT but ageing hippies? No, that's not right for New England these days.

Dani is kind of stupid. She gets involved in this mystery to save her business but she nearly loses her life doing it. She keeps saying she'll be careful but she never is careful enough. She doesn't figure out whodunit until it's too late and the killer catches up to her. Her grandmother rather encourages her sleuthing habit but Rose is a little more cautious than Dani. Luke is super sweet and supportive but I still find the romance too thin to be believable. He was still married and widowed only a few months ago! I didn't care for Maggie and AJ's rivalry in the previous book but here they seem to have worked things out. I don't get a romantic vibe between them though. AJ has lightened up anyway and I like Maggie a lot more. Lily is hardly in the story now she has her own business but she does get one important scene. Chad and his wife seem to be eager beavers and quick learners. They're a huge help. They learned the ropes a little too quickly to be believable, in my opinion, and I'd like to see Dani back at work actually baking something!

The animal scenes have increased - hooray! Pip is adorable and eager to go go go as always. There were too many cats in this story for a book about the Little DOG Diner. Rose now has Trouble, a one-eyed street cat and Maggie and AJ have their kitties. I was horrified they let Pip play with the kitten! Pip can try to make friends with Trouble, he can take care of himself but terriers often see small animals like kitten as prey and should not be left alone with them. Also, terriers are not scent hounds and can't follow the scent of another dog unless that dog leaves a pee trail and they recognize that dog's scent well enough to follow it. Misty, Wilhemina's dog, is sweet but I wouldn't rehome a dog with a senior. Even with a fenced yard, dogs need exercise and socialization. I would have liked Dani to offer to take Misty for a walk on the beach with Pip. Even at 10 or so, I think Misty would enjoy that.

The rest of the cast is comprised of new characters. Wilhelmina Joy is a killjoy. Seen as the town crank, she's opposed to anything she perceives as ruinous to the town. While Dani (and I) agree with her sentiments about single use packaging and trash on the beach, Wilhelmina doesn't go before the town council, she doesn't try to reach out to the business owners and work on a solution together. She's very self-interested. Her protests are designed to harm the local economy so I'm not sure why that's a good thing for the town. Would she make all the humans go away and live off the ocean alone? That's not practical. I think she enjoys being cranky.

Suspects include Brett and possibly Josie Hiller. Josie is the new dispatcher at the police station and her husband owns the Savory Soup & Sandwich Café. He is also a finalist for the Best Business Award and a target of Wilhelmina's wrath. I don't know what to make of him. He's trying hard to make a living but he isn't all that nice or supportive of Dani. He wants and needs to win that award, but at what cost? His wife doesn't like cats so I think she may be a suspect as well because she took the job at the police station because they need the money. If the café closes, they lose everything.

The other award finalists and suspects are John Harmon, souvenir shop owner and Larry Sidwell,, who owns and operates a boat tour company. Neither of them really need to win the award as much as Dani and Brent but they're competitive and Larry really wants to expand his business. Larry is especially nasty and certainly seems like he could be the murderer. John is also a little intense.

There are even more new characters and possible suspects. Marcus Willoby is Wilhemina's boat neighbor at the Misty Marina. He runs a blog of Misty's Harbor news to compete with Rose's Grapevine. However, Marcus likes to stir up trouble and pit people against each other. He loved baiting Wilhemina and arguing with her. She provided fodder for his trashy blog. His readers sound like internet trolls, looking for something to gripe about. Marcus keeps pushing for the Best Business Award to go ahead as planned after Wilhemina's death. Why is he so eager for the awards ceremony? Why are his readers so invested? Marcus is just an all-around unpleasant person. Kyle Johnson, the marina manager, seems nice and the only family member who cared about his aunt. He seems a little overly concerned about a dog who doesn't even wag her tail and greet him. Why is that? Does he think she may be hiding the secret of the murder and wants to make sure no one else discovers it? Other people claim Kyle isn't as nice as he seems. I feel a little wary of him and more so of his father. His father doesn't sound nice at all and would have a good reason to want Wilhelmina out of the way. Which one of them killed Wilhelmina?

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series....quick and cozy mystery!

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeping trash off the streets shouldn't include murder

A wonderful read. A tight plot that will keep you guessing (I must admit I didn't twig until nearly the end) of the murder of a quarrelsome conservation protester. A nice catch up with our regulars but we also get to know some of the others better. Lively dialogue, well paced and will keep you reading.
The protester has been driving most of the business owners crazy. Even attempts to talk to her were rebuffed and when her odyssey was discovered inside one of the businesses, no one was surprised. But who killed her? Her nephew as she hadn't paid the marine fees for ages, the business owners who each had an axe to grind with how she was affecting business or the blog writer who lived in the boat next to hers. An assault, a blog saying one of the business owners was responsible, a dog, a suspicious fire and a close encounter with a car. Will they work out how and who? Then there's the secret party organised for her PI friend. Will things work out so that all can enjoy it?

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I had some issues with the mystery. It wasn’t inherently bad but it wasn’t executed that well. The person who was murdered was worried about the environment. The main character said the right things about what the woman was doing but then she’d follow it by “but” negating everything she said just like I just did. There are good reasons for what the activist was protesting. I felt Dani didn’t care because the woman was affecting her own business. She didn’t sit down and talk to the woman about how they could both be happy.

The main reason for the murder was ridiculous. The author’s views on marijuana which she acted like it was meth were so old school. I don’t use but a lot of my friends do and are still productive members of society. I knew who did it like halfway through and I’m someone who just lets the mystery happen to enjoy it and doesn’t worry a whole lot about solving it.

This heroine was TSTL but kind of not in a dangerous way. She was an idiot but didn’t put herself in dangerous situations very often. She was scared all the time and worried about being hurt. Like she was in a shop with two suspects. But one would have been innocent. Later when she was someplace safe she thought, “The most important question now was am I still in danger?” The dangerous thing that happened was that someone said to a friend of hers, “Your friend is trouble” and then hurt the friend. Her friend. They only guessed they meant Dani. I think the most important question was whether any of her friends and family were in danger. She should have made that clear to them and been worried about them. The only time something else dangerous happened, that same friend was with her. They didn’t even consider it could be the friend who the suspect was out to get.

They got really upset, actually panicked, with someone getting a hit on the head that produced a huge bump and probably a concussion. Why didn’t they take her to the hospital then? You can die from head injuries. Natasha Richardson died from not dealing with a head injury. She had an epidural hematoma and it wasn’t treated soon enough. These people clearly were very worried. You don’t play around with head injuries. So if they worried, keeping her lying down on the couch was stupid.

Dani was often rude and self-absorbed. She doesn’t listen to what her grandmother tells her repeatedly what she wants in regards to the living arrangements after Dani and Luke are married. Dani doesn’t understand why her grandmother wants her own place. The grandmother has told her over and over, in this book and the last, but Dani keeps asking because it’s not what she would want herself and I’m guessing she wants her grandmother to live with them.

I usually like this series but I thought this one had a lot of other dumb things too. For example, the diner was super popular but it had a bakery as well and most of the time only two employees, to prep, cook, bake, serve customers, wash dishes, clean and clear tables. Dani helped a little with prep and offered to help clean after but they wouldn’t let her. When she asked for an update, she thought it was weird to ask them what was going on instead of telling them what to do. That’s actually a sign of a good manager: check in regularly for updates and add things to do if it’s required. You “tell them what to do” when they have a new project but you get input from them. But there wasn’t any new project going on at the restaurant. In addition, her solution to the environmental problem was brilliant and yet didn’t address what was the core of the problem: making too much waste. And it was weird that they didn’t already have part of it in place. Apparently they didn’t have trash cans at the beach.

There’s a reason people who’s family members worked at the place which is doing a contest isn’t allowed to enter it. There’s a very real possibility of preferential treatment even if it’s subconscious. Even if it’s fair, no one would believe that if the family member won. But Dani and her friends and family are just defensive. We also never find out who won. Will that be in the next one? The ending after the reveal (which fortunately didn’t have a ton of confession—some was explained by one of the other characters) was good and unexpected.

Another thing was that I didn’t really feel any of the romances. Each couple just seemed like friends most if the time. I will say that the animals were good if odd.

I’ll probably read the next one because I liked the previous ones okay but this was just disappointing.

The narrator, Vanessa Daniels, was very good.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An activist wants to shut down 4 local businesses for creating litter in Blueberry Bay. All four businesses are competing for a local business award. New to town is a blogger with a hidden agenda. Is he stirring up controversy to add excitement to his blog?

When the activist is found murdered with her own sign jabbed into her chest, Dani tries to find the killer. She takes Misty, the victim's dog, to her elderly friend, Alice, to care for.

Dani is still behaving like a childish, entitled princess. She speeds through town in her grandmother's little sports car and thinks the police are being mean to ticket her for speeding when there is little traffic. As she said in a previous book, there is no point in having a fast car if you can't enjoy it.

Dani can be rude and abrupt. When her beloved grandmother asks her something, she responds, "How should I know?"

When Dani finds evidence of wrong doing, she is quick to call her friends first and it does not occur to her to call the police. As she rarely thinks before she acts, she is quick to find herself alone with potential killers. It is a good thing she has a fierce 10 lb dog to protect her. No villain is a match for Pip.

Dani does not think before she speaks. She frequently thinks something but is totally aware that she is actually saying it out loud. "Did I say that out loud?" gets old.

This is a pleasant, easy read for the most part, but I do think Dani could act a little more mature.

I also got the feeling that I missed a book in the series. A quick check assured me that I did not. Dani pined for Luke in the first three books, but now they are about to be married. How did that happen? Also, AJ and Maggie were not getting along and they now appear to be a couple.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Autumn on the Maine coast and tourists have come to town as it's a beautiful time of year. There's also a woman protesting who seems to have a vendetta against the small businesses. When Dani and Pip find the woman's body, the list of suspects is long and it includes Dani. So Dani once again gets involved in a murder investigation as she sets out to find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

I'm really enjoying this series and this book is no exception. It's well-written with well-rounded characters whom you'll love getting to know. I laughed out loud in places and teared up in others. I'm eager to read the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dani is in the middle of this, even more than usual. More mystery, a murder, more mutts (excuse me - precious dogs) and more mayhem! Good story and wonderful small town antics! I enjoyed it!

Amazon synopsis:
Autumn on the Maine coast is stunning, which brings the tourists out in droves. My restaurant, the Little Dog Diner, is teeming with them, thanks to the locally famous fall festival.

Usually that’s a great thing… this year, however, the discovery of a dead body puts a damper on business awfully fast.

Add to that, the fact that the victim had a vendetta against almost every small business owner in town, and now I’ve landed right in the middle of the very long and tedious suspect list.

Looks like it’s time to toss my apron aside and don the detective hat once more. Thankfully, Pip is more than ready to assist in this one, because if I didn’t get to the bottom of this chaos quickly, it could be me getting cooked!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems like forever since I’d read in this series and I was happy to pick it back up and find that all my book friends were right where I left them. I’d enjoyed these characters in the first three books and loved catching back up on their lives. The murder of a town nuisance was somewhat interfering with a Business Awards event and led to a crazy showdown on a boat.

But thanks to Dani’s furry sidekick Pip and some quick thinking on her own part, she lived to sleuth another day. The ending was really fun! I intend to not let so much time pass before I read more!

[Danielle Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Dog Diner is up for business of the year, but the woman who is picketing the businesses in Blueberry Bay ends up dead. Dani is now on the suspect list along with three other business owners. AJ wants to give Maggie a surprise birthday party, and infringes on Dani to get Maggie to the party. It's more mayhem and fun in Blueberry Bay with a dead body at the center of it all. This story is enjoyable as the rest, with one difference. Dani could be next on the murder's hit list.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad addition to the series. The gang investigated the murder of a protester who was stirring up trouble outside several businesses including the Little Dog Diner. Dani is also planning her wedding to Luke, trying to avoid renovation plans that would give Gran her own apt at Seabreeze, and helping AJ plan a surprise party for Maggie. It’s a busy week but Dani is determined to solve the murder before the killer strikes again.

[CatReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and mystery didn’t disappoint. Dani and Pip were at there best. They also had a few furry friends in this one Trouble the cat and Misty the dog. There are a ton of suspects and I didn’t solve the murder. Everyone was suspect in my eyes. I still don’t trust them. LOL! There was a sweet surprise at the end that surprised me too. I thought I knew the surprise but I didn’t. I can’t wait to get to the next book in the series!

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun. I can’t say that the villain was a big surprise to me, but the motive genuinely was. And I loved watching Dani and Pip sniff out the clues to unmask a killer. I particularly enjoyed that, in the end, her friends and family were able to successfully surprise her in spite of her penchant for finding out everybody’s secrets.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Little CoY

I enjoyed the town and characters, especially Pip. The story was good, but I couldn’t really get into it like I wanted to. I’d say it’s a light beach read, which I’m not used to reading. I may try another Pip book, for comparison’s sake. Perhaps I’ll get into a different storyline a little more.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dani and Pip

Dani and her do Pop are an adorable crime fighting duo. The cranky protester was murdered.Pop finds he body. Dani is a suspect since the woman was picketing Dani's diner Dani is smart and sassy . She and Pop solve the crime

[Yvonne Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book.

This is a good mystery series. I will definitely read more from this author. It is a good clean mystery with lots of twists and turns. Pip and his owner will get to the truth.

[Ida Lukasik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad things and good things

Dani is engaged to Luke. She runs a diner. A lafy in town protests businesses with disposables. Ends up murdered then a mystery begins as who killed her. A lot happens. Must read to see who does it

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book!

Dani finds herself thrust into the middle of an unexpected murder. Three local business owners in town plus Dani are competing for a best business award and all four plus a few other locals are on the suspect list. I love this series!

[Angie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book!

Emmie Lyn has done it yet again. Pip and her human friends are once again faced with a mystery, a tangled web of suspects and a competition for best business. The story winds through some pretty intense actions to vet to the culprit.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute mystery. When the activist is found murdered with her own sign jabbed into her chest, Dani tries to find the killer. Dani always gets involved. She owns the Little Dog Diner

[Suzanne Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pip Saves the Day

Lighthearted mystery with interesting characters! Yes, there's murder and mischief to figure out. Pip saves Dani from trouble and ruin.

[Lois Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

SURPRISE

Really thrilling story. I didn't see it coming! I usually catch the clues but this one "surprised " me! Didn't see it coming. Wonderful book

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better

This is better written than her previous book. Its better put together and has a better ending. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series

[stephanie huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and engaging

[Liisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is truly a good read--better than 4 *'s....

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Cindy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome cozy mysteries book

I love cozy mysteries especially when they include pets! As you can guess, I love animals! This was a very good page turner

[Mary McBryde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book is better than the last and this was no exception

[Taylor's♡Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Who can reason with someone who didn't like muffins?

Valid deduction. Also I kind of felt bad for Maggie at the end. It was her birthday after all.

[Sandra Tonkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine addition to the series.

The characters are fantastic and quirky. The plot is twisty and interesting. The world building is good. The humor is wonderful.