The Pomeranian Always Barks Twice

Furever Pets Mystery #1

by Alex Erickson

With a veterinarian dad and a pet-rescuing mom, helping animals is a family business for the Dentons--but after a shocking murder, it's Liz Denton's son who might end up in a cage . . .

Sadly, Timothy Fuller is too old and infirm to continue caring for his beloved Pomeranian, Stewie, who is also elderly. But finding Stewie a new home has been challenging. Fortunately, Liz Denton and her son, Ben, are on the case. With two beagles and a calico currently residing under their roof, they're always ready to provide care in an emergency.

But a rival rescue group is already there when they show up at the Fuller house--along with a nurse and Mr. Fuller's sour-faced son. After an unpleasant argument, they reschedule the pickup for later. But by the time she gets back, Stewie is an orphan. Mr. Fuller has been found with a knife in his back. And Ben, who'd stopped off to visit one of Mr. Fuller's neighbors, has been collared. Now solving the mystery is Liz's only hope for rescuing her own son . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Animals, Fiction, Dogs, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2019

Reviews

[Coleccionista de finales tristes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Denton y su familia se dedican a buscar hogares para perros, el Sr. Fuller ya no podrá seguir cuidando a Stewie por lo que Liz deberá buscarle un hogar. Sin embargo el Sr. Fuller fallece asesinado y ahora el hijo de Liz está en previsión bajo investigación. Puesto que el señor Fuller no era amable y tenía dinero todos pudieron haberle matado. Liz se ve obligada a hablar con todos los involucrados y el final toma un giro un tanto inesperado. No esperaba mucho de este libro y no es lo que suelo leer. Sin embargo me ha gustado bastante. Espero conseguir más libros de este autor.

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun start to what looks like it should be a great series. I love the idea of the pet adoption agency. Right away I could tell Liz was in this because she genuinely loved pets, but her competitor Courtney was all about the money. Liz was an awesome character. I liked that she's a bit older than the usual protagonist, meaning she's got a grown son and a college-age daughter. She doesn't always make the best or safest decisions, but honestly, what amateur sleuth does, right? ;) Little Wheels the cat was a great character too! I've mainly only heard of dogs needing wheels for their back legs, particularly dachshunds because of their long bodies being susceptible to disc disease. But sweet little Wheels had been born with useless back legs. With her wheels, she could zip around faster than any of the pets staying with Liz. Wheels was Liz's own cat, and she thought sometimes about adopting a permanent buddy for her.

I really enjoyed the mystery which had some good red herrings. Just as I'd like one person for the murder, I'd switch to someone else. I was completely surprised by the reveal, which came after a pretty cool stakeout and showdown. I loved that Liz's daughter Amelia ended up helping her in the investigation. They made a really nice team. Ben and Manny were good father/son characters. This was just a nice little family, which is a pleasant break from the usual pattern of cozy mysteries having the main character just having broken up with someone and ending up with a triangle, or more, of people they like. (I still like any cozy pattern-minus the triangle lol--but different is good too!) I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a paperback ARC provided to me by Kensington Publishing. My opinions are my own and were not swayed by receiving the book.

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A promising endeavor starring cute pets and a strong protagonist, plus a satisfying mystery. Liz Denton is a pet rescuer/foster mom who runs Furever Pets Rescue. She becomes ensnared in a quarrel over an older Pomeranian dog when his elderly owner, Mr. Fuller, suddenly meets his untimely demise. Worse, Liz’s son, Ben is arrested for the murder. Fuller’s son refuses to relinquish the dog, Stewie, although he despises him, and Liz is worried for the dog’s safety.

The story moves along at a nice pace with humorous moments throughout. Various suspects are highlighted, question-marked, and discarded as Liz and her daughter, Amelia work quickly to establish means, motive, and opportunity and solve the case. I enjoyed the story and look forward to future books in the Furever Pets Cozy Series.

I reviewed a galley ARC provided by the publisher, Kensington, for an honest review. Thank you.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

With a veterinarian dad and a pet-rescuing mom, helping animals is a family business for the Dentons--but after a shocking murder, it's Liz Denton's son who might end up in a cage . . .

Sadly, Timothy Fuller is too old and infirm to continue caring for his beloved Pomeranian, Stewie, who is also elderly. But finding Stewie a new home has been challenging. Fortunately, Liz Denton and her son, Ben, are on the case. With two beagles and a calico currently residing under their roof, they're always ready to provide care in an emergency.

But a rival rescue group is already there when they show up at the Fuller house--along with a nurse and Mr. Fuller's sour-faced son. After an unpleasant argument, they reschedule the pickup for later. But by the time she gets back, Stewie is an orphan. Mr. Fuller has been found with a knife in his back. And Ben, who'd stopped off to visit one of Mr. Fuller's neighbors, has been collared. Now solving the mystery is Liz's only hope for rescuing her own son . . . (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I enjoyed getting to Liz and her family. I would have liked meeting her under different circumstances but that is not how it works in Cozy World. Liz is a good mother and she cares for her family deeply. So when her son is accused of killing someone, she goes into save-my-child mode. She will do anything to clear her son and find the murderer. Her daughter helps her work at finding the killer, a mother-daughter duo. At times I felt that Liz was a little too aggressive in her sleuthing and took unnecessary risks and that made it a little unrealistic for me. That is only my opinion and others may not agree with me. The animals that were in the story were very cute and added another dimension to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, helping Liz to solve the mystery. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved. I have to say, the real culprit was hardly on my radar.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I will have to read the next one to find out the nest adventure Liz is involved in.

[Joelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars 🌟

This was a fun mystery for any pet lover. It wasn’t as predictable as I thought it might be going into the story. I had some theories about “whodunnit” but none of them were exactly correct. The animals were characters in their own way which made them even more lovable and a part of the story. If you are looking for some light reading and love pets, this would probably be enjoyable for you!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I 100% read this because I love my own Pomeranians. 🤗

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pomeranian Always Barks First is the 1st in a new cozy series. It was an enjoyable and quick to read cozy about a main character, Liz Denton, who runs a pet rescue with her son, Ben.

When Ben is implicated in the murder of a disagreeable man who had called them to find a forever home for his beloved dog, Liz is determined to prove that Ben is innocent. Helped by usually sullen daughter, Amelia, and mostly given support by veterinarian husband, Manny, Liz investigates all those she believes could have possibly had reason to do away with Timothy Fuller.

I really liked the character of Liz, as well as her husband, Manny. What really made the book delightful was the inclusion of the cat, Wheels, and the Pomeranian, Stewie.

[Ranie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully designed story with lots of suspects that is quite twisted and unbelievablly crazy. High recommended

[Rebecca Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started it and couldn’t put it down! It engaged me from the beginning and kept me guessing. A must read for animal lovers and murder mystery fans. Very well done .

[Roseann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet cozy mystery with the bestest dogs in the world ;-). Fun for the upcoming colder season.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz and her son Ben have gone to pick up a Pomeranian that will be rehomed as his owner is going into a home where pets are not allowed. At Fuller home she runs into a rival and a very ill-tempered pet owner and his family. She is to meet her rival to decide which will take the dog. When returning to the Fuller house, her son is in handcuffs being arrested for the murder of Mr. Fuller. Who really did it?

I enjoyed this story. Liz will do what she needs to do to rescue her son. She keeps running afoul of Detective Cavanaugh with her investigation. Then daughter Amelia also gets involved. Her husband, Manny, keeps telling her to let the cops do their jobs but she cannot. She's got a list of suspects; now to find out which one it is. I liked Liz and her family. She is a mother who watches out for her children.

I liked the mystery. Of course, I did not figure it out until Liz found out. Definitely not who I thought it was. I was surprised.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheels is my favorite new character, I can't get enough of them! I need more!!!

[Ewa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book, the animals and the plot itself

[Karissa Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. I can usually pinpoint who it is or at least narrow it down to two but this one, had me all over the place. Excited to see what the Denton's get into next.

[Karen Scoppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried other books by this author but was disappointed this time it was a real page turner. Loved the protagonist, her husband and kids. But the cat named Wheels was my favorite. Maybe because she is their own pet.
This is about the protagonist (Liz) , her husband (Manny) a vet and the two young adult kids (Amelia and Ben). She rescues animals that are older and deemed unable to place in this world of cute kitties and puppies. As the Mom of a rescue cat , I am definitely on board with that.


Never guessed the end but as a fan of cozy mysteries that was great.

Warning once you start you cannot put it down.

Bravo Mr Erickson you've got me as a changed fan.

[Ann Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute concept. I enjoyed the animals in the book.

The murder was intriguing and offered many suspects.

However, I felt like there were too many loose ends that were not resolved. Will they be addressed in sequels? Hard to tell from the way tings ended.

Who broke into the Denton's house?
Was there hidden money at Timothy Fuller's house?
What happened to the nurse?
Will Duke and Candace continue to appear?

Who actually ransacked the Fuller house the first time?

I could go on.

Even with all that, I have a lot of hope for this series and look forward to bok 2.

[Jessica Rickert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic whodunit. Liz rescues animals and adopts them out to good homes. While on a routine animal pickup a murder occurs. Here son, Ben is identified as leaving the scene of the crime and arrested. What happens next is a whirlwind of do it self investigating from Liz. The ending will throw you for a loop!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute beginning to a cozy series! Liz grew on me, but man she needs to sort out her priorities. I hope she gets a cozy sidekick for the next installment - she needs someone to tell her to chill out about bikinis and to call a lawyer faster. Or maybe Wheels will help solve the next mystery? One can only hope!

[Danielle Mintz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never too old to play dead
A first in the new series this cozy mystery introduces us to characters Liz a pet rescuing mom Manny Liz's husband who is also a veterinarian. You can say helping animals is a family business.
Liz and her son Ben are scheduled to pick up Mr Timothy Fuller's beloved Pomeranian , Stewie, Mr Fuller is too old and infirm to continue caring for the Stewie. Fortunately liz and Ben are on the case they are surprised that waiting is a rival rescue group and Mr Fuller son and daughter-in-law. An unplanned argument leads to rescheduling a pickup for Stewie. But as Liz finds out a murder has taken place and poor Mr Fuller is the victim and the prime suspect none other than her son ben. Hanging up her rescue hat for a detective's cap Liz must prove Benz innocent.
I was super excited to get to read the first book in the new series but this was a slow book for me I couldn't get into it the character Liz was too Kung ho to play detective for me. Ben isn't given the full story and honestly he kind of came off as being an airhead. Liz's daughter Amelia also has a secret of her own. Then we have the victim poor Mr Fuller we learn exactly why somebody would want to kill him and we also learn that he was only nice and showed kindness to his dog Stewie. Don't get me wrong I love a good cozy romance but this one just fell short for me.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pomeranian Always Barks Twice is an entertaining cozy mystery by Alex Erickson. I liked the fact that Wheels, the Denton family's calico cat, is included on the book cover. Wheels was born with useless, stunted back legs and now uses wheels attached to a comfortable harness to get around. Mom, Liz Denton, is a pet-rescuer (Furever Pets) while Dad, Manny Denton is a veterinarian. Liz and their son, Ben, go to pickup a Pomeranian named Stewie one day. Its elderly owner, Timothy Fuller, is soon going to be moved to an extended care facility and will no longer be able to care for him. When they arrived at the Fuller house, arch enemy, Courtney Shaw, rival animal rescuer, wants to take Stewie. Instead of hanging around to argue, Courtney and Liz leave while Ben goes to hang out with one of Fuller's cute female neighbors. When Liz returns, Fuller is dead and Ben is being taken to jail! Liz immediately goes into sleuth mode in order to rescue Ben. There are plenty of possible suspects to keep the reader guessing "who done it". They all have a good reason for wanting Fuller dead. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more stories in this series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Denton runs a pet rescue business, mainly dealing with senior pets that would otherwise be unadoptable. She and her son, Ben, are asked by Timothy, an extremely ornery senior, to pick up his equally elderly dog, Stewie before he goes into a home. When she arrives to pick up the dog she finds her rescue business rival there already, claiming that she should get the dog. The old man gets angry and tells them both to go away and come back later. As they leave, Ben spots a beautiful young woman in a bikini next door. He tells his mother to go on and he'll catch up with her later. When Liz returns later she finds that the old man has been murdered and her son is being taken into custody. An old man sitting on his porch has told the police that he saw Ben enter the house and shortly after run away. Not many people, he rightly states, have bright green shirts with their name and the rescue group's name on it.

Not only Liz, but also her daughter Amelia, attempt to find the real killer. Veterinarian husband, Manny, wisely advises them to leave the matter to the police.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5*. I won this book from a goodreads giveaway. I kept it in my purse and read it when I had time. It was a cute, fast read. I liked that the protagonist was an adult woman in (at least) her 40s with two adult children, a happy marriage, and a job she loves. Liz runs an animal rescue and shows up to pick up a dog because the owner is too old to take care of him anymore. The owner of a rival animal rescue shows up to try to claim the dog because apparently the old man left all of his money to the dog and they were trying to get the dog so they could get the money. Well, the old man gets murdered and Liz's son, Ben, gets blamed and arrested. He was innocent, but it took a lot for Liz to be able to prove it. I was very surprised at who the killer was; did NOT see that coming. This book was well written with a good twist. I will definitely read more from this series and from this author.

[Marty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, there was a Pomeranian in the story, but he really didn’t have much to do as far as the story went. Basically Timothy Fuller was an old man, who by all reports was a mean nasty fellow, had to be moved into a convalescent home. The only person or thing the man ever cared about was his dog, Stewie. He had hired Liz Benton from Furever Pets to find his Pomeranian a good home. When Liz and her son arrived to pick up the dog, they found Fuller in his barn --stabbed to death. Of course, this changes things. Fuller’s son arrives to take charge, the housekeeper who had been with Fuller for many years is involved, the town begins to bring back the rumors that Fuller hid money on his farm. … Can Liz help untangle the mess and get Stewie into a good loving home? …. The story was fairly slow moving and I really didn’t care much about any of the characters including Stewie

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Denton runs a pet rescue group with the help of her son, Ben. Timothy Fuller is unable to continue caring for his beloved pomeranian, Stewie, and has called Liz to come take him. Unfortunately, another rescue group is already there when Liz and Ben arrive at the Fuller home and an argument ensues. So, Timothy decides to keep Stewie for a little while longer. But Timothy is murdered later that day and Ben has become the primary suspect so Liz gets involved in the investigation determined to prove her son's innocence.

First in a new series, this book was a fabulous read. It was well-written with wonderful characters and the story pulled me in from the start. I loved the animal rescue aspect of the book and was kept guessing when it came to the mystery. I'm really looking forward to the next book and highly recommend this one.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice read, fun twists, good characters. Not sure if I'll read the next in the series or not.

My only negative is that I had a hard time connecting with the main character. She was just trying too hard get into trouble. The reason why she couldn't wait is very clearly explained, but it felt like she didn't respect anyone. So I had a hard time connecting with her character.

Based on the ending, I'm guessing her daughter who wants to be an investigator will be behind ignoring rules, common sense, and her family/friends in the 2nd book. So that may be more relatable, but I'm not running to find out.

[Horror Nerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has all the fun parts of a cozy mystery. There's the amateur sleuth trying to solve a murder, and getting more than she bargained for. A gruff detective who warns her to keep away. A collection of suspects, each with their own motive. Was it dislike of the old man, or was it really his hidden stash of money? And how is the cute Pomeranian involved in all of this?
The characters were fun (the cat should have been more prominent!) and it was fun to try and second guess who the suspect might be. The novel is a little slow after that initial murder, but it really picks up in the latter half (that ending is great, and does set up further adventures).

[Debi Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed in this book. It took me a while to get into it & for a while I considered just peeking at the back to find out "who done it" and not finishing it. But it got better as I went along, so I did read the entire book. One thing that really bothered me is that it took her so long to wonder what happened to Stewie after the murder. Yes, she was wild with worry about her son, but after she calms down & begins to do other things, like interviewing suspects, she seems to take forever to even mention Stewie, much less wonder where he is.

[terpkristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It's been on my actual shelf for awhile, as it was sent to me in 2020 as part of a mystery book box that one of my favorite LBS does.

Liz Denton runs a pet rescue, particularly for "unadoptable" pets. She goes to pick up a pomeranian from an old man who will be moving to an assisted care facility, but her rival is also there. Shortly thereafter, the man is murdered and her son is implicated.

This followed a predictable cozy mystery schema but it was quick and fun. And I have the sequel so I'll read that soon enough, too.

[Jane Night · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable mystery. I liked that the main character was older and was dragged into the mystery to protect her accused son.
I also loved the animals in this book, especially wheels, though I would have loved to see more of the animals throughout.
The mystery itself was fine but it didn't wow me or particularly surprise me.
This just a nice solid cozy mystery and if you like animals you will probably have a good time reading this.

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the animals here. A good mystery with a lot of red herrings. There's a few loose ends, one of which looks like it's a set-up for an ongoing mystery, so I'm curious as to how that will play into future books. The others probably aren't important beyond this book but I would have liked to see at least a couple things resolved a little. Hoping to see Courtney get her comeuppance somewhere along the line.