Paws in the Action

Pet Psychic Cozy Mysteries #1

by Max Parrott

Blackwood Cove is everything you would expect it to be.

Small, quaint, cozy... boring. For nineteen-year old Jasmine Moore, it's also home.

As winter draws nearer and the days grow shorter, the town falls into its usual hibernation. No one expects much to happen until the tourist season starts again. And on most years, they would be right.

The body of the local hermit is found one foggy morning, drowned and floating just off the beach. But his death is only the first in a string of bizarre occurrences that will change Jasmine's future as she takes up the mantle of detective, and the challenge of bringing peace back to a town that's never known anything else.

Along with her canine companion, a golden retriever named Luffy with whom she shares an unusual bond, the young woman will dig through decades of forgotten histories and buried truths, confronting her own demons along the way.

Paws In The Action will keep you guessing until the end. In the town of Blackwood Cove, anything can happen.

Get it now.

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

281 pages, Paperback

Published May 22, 2020

About the author

MAX PARROTT is a cozy mystery author who lives with his beloved golden retriever... who just so happens to be named Luffy. Even though Luffy doesn't help Max solve crimes, he does help him stay amused.

The inseparable duo often enjoy big long walks down the canal where Max reminisces about Luffy's one shot at fame - a close second in Musical Chairs for dogs one wintry Christmas Eve.

Find out more at:

www.maxparrott.com

Reviews

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery

Jasmine is unlike any detective I have read about. She has unique visions to guide her and she can also talk to her dog. The her gifts set her apart.
As she looks into the death of Blackwood Cove, she is the only one who feels that it was a murder and with her talking dog Luffy, she goes down to investigate the matter.
The cute little town was described beautifully and the characters were well etched. Humour was sprinkled in all the chapters making it more fun.
Overall enjoyed the cosy mystery story.

[Terry Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book very much. Jasmine and Luffy helped solve the murder with the help other friends. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book.

[Tamara Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It

I love the premise. Good mystery and Luffy is a riot. Can't wait to start the next in in this fun cozy mystery series.

[Maddielucy(Patti) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this because of the dog thing — but it was just ok. Nothing exciting at all and the characters were kind of flat. I was disappointed.

[Sue-Dee Numb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine is still living in the small coastal town where she has grown up, and is now waiting and saving to go to college, while she waits she works part time at the local bookshop and picks up some work as a dog trainer (much to the derision of the local big shot trainer who thinks she is a nothing) but Jasmine has a secret, her pet dog Luffy, she found him on the beach stranded some years before, she has a special connection with Luffy one that goes above the normal relationship with an owner and her pet, she can understand him, and he her. Not just the normal range of commands. Sit, Stay Heel etc, she can understand him and have a full on conversation with him, so she uses this connection to translate to other dogs.

The coastal town of Blackwood Cove is a quiet town where nothing much of note happens, it has its tourist season in the summer but in the autumn and leading up to the winter it is stagnant almost, sleeping like it is waiting for the next summer to begin, but this year that is about to be shattered, not just because Jasmine is having strange episodes where it seems like she is fitting but she is having the most strange visions, which seem to be coming true!
But there is a murder, Crazy Jack, her friend Brandon's uncle is found drowned on the beach, though the town police are happy to call it an accident, Jaz is not so sure, she asks the police chief if he is sure,that she is convinced crazy Jack was to good a swimmer, everyone new the story of how he swam in one of the worst storms the town could remember after his boat capsized, he was able to swim to safety.

Given the blessings of the Chief and "deputised" with a note she begins to question people, and secrets start to come out, old relationships and friendships, feuds and motives aplenty, and just who is the stranger in town the same one Jaz saw in her fit/dream? Was it murder or just a tragic accident

This is a well written clean cozy, it can be slow in places with meandering sentences but these are well written. There is a good rhythm to the story.

I have to admit I did not understand the animosity of Barry Brock the "famous" dog trainer, there was nothing in this with regards to this story, but it could be this is the authors way of laying down characters for books coming up in the series.

I will be intregueed to see how Mr Parrott is going to continue the series, (once you read the ending you will understand why I say this) but it would be nice to see more of Jasmine and Luffy

In all I would recommend this it is a PG rating and can be read by mystery fans young and old.

[John Presler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine "Jaz" Moore works part time at The Book Nook in Blackwood Cove. It is a small town of only about 850 people that relies heavily on tourism, but it is late autumn and the tourist season is virtually over. Everywhere Jaz goes, her friend Luffy, a golden retriever, goes with her. Luffy is not your average retriever, since Jaz has the ability to communicate with him. When Crazy Jack, a local fisherman, turns up dead on the beach, everybody automatically presumes he drowned.

Jaz doubts that Jack's death was an accident and thinks it was murder. Jack had previously experienced a storm at sea and had survived after swimming 15 miles before being rescued. Granted, it was quite a while ago, but was he really in that bad of shape? Jack also had plenty of enemies in the area!!

Was Jack's death an accident or murder? If murder, who had the best reason for killing him? Can Jaz and Luffy unravel the conflicting stories to figure out what really happened to Jack?

Max Parrott has a great start to the series. Jaz speaks with Luffy the same way people talk with each other, but it is unknown how Luffy communicates with Jaz. Still the story is well-written with enjoyable people and situations. There are plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing clear to the end.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaz is a young woman from a small seaside town, saving up to go to college by working part time in a bookstore, but also making a bit extra by training dogs, but she has a secret, she and her dog Luffy can talk, and understand, each other, no-one else is aware of this connection. Needless to say as this is a cozy mystery she uses this gift to help solve a murder, even though it initially seems to be accidental.
This is a clean, entertaining mystery, a bit slow in places but generally well written. The characters are believable and the story is engaging. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Imagine if you could understand what your pet was saying. Jasmine's dog can talk to her and she is a beginning physic. I found this to be an enjoyable and great esacpe. I will be looking for more books by this author.

[Imelda Entract · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging

A promising start to a new series and a new author to me. The connection between Jasmine and Luffy the dog she rescued and can talk to is intriguing and there could be and internal story to be revealed there. I enjoyed the book and will beheading more

[Tom Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a thrilling read from start to finish. I loved how Jasmine and Luffy worked together with their friends to crack the case. The plot was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. This is a book that anyone would enjoy reading.

I got this book for free as a gift.

[Patricia H. Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaz gets little previews of the future and also has a dog she can talk with

Jaz is almost 19 and feeling bored in her extremely small town. So, she decides to investigate the death of her friend, Brandon's uncle. Accident or murder? She found her dog, Luffy, five years ago and was surprised when they were able to talk to each other. He can understand other people but not communicate with them. He helps with the investigating. Some humor.

[Hilda Baard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little cozy mystery that will keep you entertained to the last page. Well worth reading.

[Scarlet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this audiobook via a promo code and this is my voluntary review.

A promising start to a new series and a new author to me. Jasmine "Jaz" Moore holds a part-time job at Blackwood Cove's The Book Nook accompanied by a golden retriever named Luffy. Gifted Jaz can talk to him, Luffy is not your typical retriever. Everyone assumes local fisherman, Crazy Jack drowned when his body turns up dead on the beach. Except for Jasmine, who finds it hard to believe that such a great swimmer could perish on a quiet night even if he had been drinking, no one seems very disturbed. She persuades the sheriff to look into the death. This is a great cozy mystery.

Ann Richardson did a brilliant job bringing the sluething adventures in this small coastal town to life.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just a little too cutesy for me. Unbelievable the way this young girl was welcomed into the investigation of the supposed accidental death of a very unlikable resident of the town. The dog in the story really adds nothing to the story but was the main reason I decided to listen to this book.

[Willow Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading and did not put it down until I finished it. It was a good book. Well written and full of suspense. I love the talking dog part of it too.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author I have read or listened to but the cover art looked interesting, so I gave it ago. I'm glad I did because it was slightly different and I enjoyed the book. It was never really explained why Jasmine and her dog Luffy could talk to each other and I would liked to have know how or why but other than that I liked the characters. I am sure at some point everybody has wondered what there pet is telling them, so it is a fun gift for the main character to have, as well as her premonitions. It was also a nice change that Jasmine as only a teenager was given so much respect that you tended to forget that fact. Although if the sheriff really thought it was a possible murder would he really give someone so young permission to investigate? Luffy the dog is fun and I loved the way he talked back to the humans, it added some light humour to the story with him telling them off and them not hearing him. The mystery was interesting and I liked the way the crime was worked out. There was slightly to many characters introduced at the start of the book, which got a bit confusing but it made for an interesting suspect list. I look forward to the next book.
The small town peace of Blackwood Cove is shattered when the local grumpy hermit is found dead. Nobody is too upset except Jasmine who can't understand why such a strong swimmer could drown on a calm night, even if he had been drinking. She convinces the sheriff the death needs investigating. At the same time as asking questions of the town's folks, she starts to have seizures that leave her with strange images or dreams. Could the two be related? And if so what are they trying to tell her? The dead man was her best friends estranged uncle and with him acting strange is she right to suspect him? What about the stranger that is hanging around after the tourist season has ended? Every her boss has something he hasn't told her. Can Jasmine aided by her special connection with her dog find out what happened?
I liked the narrator and thought she helped to bring the story to life with the use of different voices for the many characters.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and different twist on a main character. I really liked Jaz a lot! She's nineteen, a dog trainer and bookstore worker, but she's lots more mature than some of the 20 or 30-something main characters I've read before. I love that her dog can talk to her, and she's sort of a beginner psychic. Jaz was trying to use her newly discovered talent without disclosing it and being looked at as a freak. Everyone already seemed to think she was just a kid, so it wasn't too hard for her to go around investigating. I was glad that the person I had pegged as the killer turned out not to be anyone bad.

Her friend Brandon was a really sweet guy in the friend sort of way. I liked the sheriff too and had to hand it to him that he didn't act like he was humoring Jaz. He took her help seriously and really listened to her. I loved the showdown and how it turned out. It was pretty cool how Jaz figured it all out with some real sleuthing--and Luffy, well I just wanted to hug that sweet dog. He acted as her sounding board sometimes, her buddy, and sometimes he was just a dog distracted by thoughts of squirrels! I didn't like that nasty dog trainer that treated Jaz like she was about eight and was actually worried about her being competition.

At the end, it appeared that Jaz had a new adventure waiting on her soon. I'll have to be sure and add that book to my growing Kindle Unlimited list! (That's just the list, probably a good thing you can only take out ten at a time lol).

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 but rounded up.

Jasmine is a 19 year old girl who is starting to get psychic premonitions that she does not understand. She is able to talk with her dog Luffy, but not with other animals.

When a 50's something curmudgeon is found drowned, Jasmine is the only one who feels that there is something strange about his death. After all, he was an excellent sailor who once swam 15 miles to safety. Sheriff Lustbader humours Jasmine and gives her a slip of paper authorizing her to ask questions. He really doesn't believe she will find anything, especially as many witnesses saw the victim, Crazy Jack, drunk in the local pub on the night of his death.

Going along with Jasmine on her investigation is Brandon, a shy neighbourhood boy who has had a terrible crush on her since they were little. Although he contributes little, he does recognize a briefcase on his dead uncle's boat that once belonged to his father. A floating 100 dollar bill suggests that Jack may have been up to no good. Who takes that kind of money along when they go out on a fishing boat (although it was well known that he no longer did much fishing, even though he still spent a lot of time on the water)?

Julie, owner of the small local paper, tries to talk to the always smiling mayor Carter and his wife but they appear to be avoiding people. Why?

As the book ends, Jasmine is set to leave the small New England seaside town and head off to a prestigious university.

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine is plodding through life, contemplating getting out of her small town of Blackwood Cove and going to college. Nothing exciting happens in town until the day a body is found floating in the cove. The dead man is "Crazy" Jack, a colorful local who butted heads with almost everyone in town. However, he was known to be a strong swimmer, and for that reason Jasmine can't accept that he died of accidental drowning. Part of her theory comes from the psychic visions she's been having that relate to Jack's death. The town's chief of police deputizes her on a lark, giving her permission to investigate what he's convinced actually was an accidental drowning. Chief Lustbader is forced to reconsider, however, when Jasmine's sleuthing turns up some clues. It seems that Blackwood Cove is harboring some secrets.

The story was cute and lively. It was a departure from the usual cozy mysteries in that Jasmine was so young--only 19. She had a good head on her shoulders, though. Characters were portrayed well, including Luffy, and it was interesting to follow along and learn things with Jasmine and Luffy. The ending seemed a tad rushed, but overall the story was enjoyable.

Fun story, cute angle with the talking dog--four stars.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jasmine Moore is waiting to save enough money for college before leaving home. She's unwilling to settle for a lesser school.
When Jasmine learns that local hermit Jack Torres body is found on the beach. Jasmine doesn't buy the theory that it was an accident as Jack was too experienced a seaman.

Pros:
Mostly developed characters
A little humor
A decent plotline.
Cons:
Jasmine is apparently somewhat psychic, She has seizures or almost loses consciousness when she gets her visions. This needs to be worked on as it will be a huge hindrance for her to lose it if she is facing a killer and gets one of her visions.

She is able to have regular conversations with Luffy, her dog. There is no explanation as to how or why she is able to communicate with Luffy, or how she learned that the communication was possible to start with.

These are both issues that will need to be worked out for the series to make sense.

Overall, this is a decent story that I would be willing to continue for at least one more story before I could make a decision if I would want to continue with it as a series or not.

[laura8759 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to max parrott for the pdf download of paws in action there was something about this book that made me want to read it i had a felling this book was going to be a good one and i was right jasmine and her dog luffy who were trying to solve a case, they think jack torres was murdered and they are going to prove it, murder mystery and crime stories just pair so nicely together, nothing bad ever happens in black wood cove it is a real whodunit my favorite characters were jasmine, luffy, and Brandon oh and i can't forget the sheriff also when i say i was on the edge of my seat it is just a metaphor i was not on a seat while reading this book a lot of unexpected stuff happened in this book i did not expect the story to have a talking dog that is just so cool i whish my dog could talk the nook sounds like a cool name for a book store i felt like a few things were not closed like how it all started i'm a stickler for details a typo bothers me a lot i would recommend this book to my friends and family LAURA8759.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy Jack, to Ruby, Marlon the FBI agent, and Donald who lived near Crazy Jack. When Jack's body washed up on the shore, without his fishing boat, it was easy to say he died by accidental drowning. But Jasmine is not so sure since Jack was an amazing fisherman and knew the waters like the back of his hand. So she decided to look into it even though the town really didn't care that he died. They all wanted to believe he died accidentally. With he best friend, her dog, Luffy who she can understand and speaks to her as well as being her protector. She also has been getting visions of things happening. Could her visions be tied into her murder investigation? This is a fun murder mystery but you do have to suspend belief a little as things were too out there to be believed in a real situation since Jaz a 19 year old was readily accepted as a deputy as well as Agent Marlon accepting her position as a "deputy." I can't wait to see what else is in store though for Jasmine and Luffy! I really liked them. I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

All small towns have secrets. Blackwood Cove has plenty, and it is up to Jasmine and her golden, Luffy, to find out if any of her town's secrets led to murder.
This is a great cozy mystery. Although Jaz has some unusual gifts, they add dimension. Her secrets, that she has ability to understand what her dog says and that she gets psychic visions but only when she is sleuthing, do not drive the story. It is her own determination and the desire that all members of Blackwood Cove be cared for that fuel her persistence.
Then there is Luffy. Her canine partner takes offense at being talked to like a dog, is constantly fighting his urge to bite someone, yet is all dog when it comes to trees, treats, walks, and bounding along the beach.
This has everything a good cozy should have, great characters, small town setting in exquisite detail, charm and humor. I loved it and look forward to more from this author.
I received this book free through Rylstone publishing

[Patricia Solla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Blackwood Cove, a small town on the New England coast. Jasmine Moore, a 19 yr old with a dog who talks to her is contemplating her future. The sleepy little town normally has no excitement but that changes when one of the residents winds up dead. The death is deemed accidental but Jasmine is not so sure and she starts her own investigation into the death. Nothing is cut and dried and Jasmine determines there is a whole list of people who could be the murderer. With approval from the local sheriff, a little help from the local newspaper editor and her dog, luffy, Jasmine begins her investigation. The process of elimination is slow going and gets more interesting when another joins the investigation (higher law enforcement). The story concludes with Jasmine putting together all the clues and coming up with the proper person as the killer and Jasmine deciding what to do about the future. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Jaz and Luffy make a good team. Luffy is Jaz's dog. They can talk to each other but nobody knows that. Luffy can help Jaz with her sleuthing. He can get info for her. Nobody would suspect a dog to be eavesdropping or snooping.

When a local man is found dead near the beach from drowning, the police believe it is suicide. But Jaz doesn't think so and she and Luffy set out to prove it. How will they do this? Who wants to kill Crazy Jack? Jaz talks to the police chief and he deputized her. This will help her to get information. We have murder, mystery, suspense, humor. A small-town setting is perfect for this series. Characters are fleshed out, the plot is well constructed and the story is very well written.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the author and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.

[Jamie Rutland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read!! The protagonist, Jasmine, has some visions that help her solve the crime, but these visions ONLY come out when she is sleuthing. The really fun part of the story is that her dog, Luffy, can talk to her (and only her) and can understand what she says to him. He is all dog, in other aspects, though.

When Jasmine has a gut feeling that a local death is not a suicide, she convinces the sheriff to let her snoop around and try to prove her theory. She is very connected to the local folks and only wants to make sure they are safe and protected from what she thinks is a murderer in their midst. This was a quick read and I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via Ryltstone Publishing and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Kay Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl, her dog and mystery

Jaz is a lovely young character that holds many conversations with her dog, Luffy. The two set out to investigate an unusual death. The descriptions of local fog are beautiful and almost give goosebumps. The town is a good example of world building slash background. All of the characters are interesting and realistic, some described a little better than others. The mystery deepens and becomes more difficult to solve, I didn’t get it until near the end. Then there is Luffy. If ever there was a perfect rendition of a talking dog then it would be Luffy. Smart, caring and a little scatter brained, Luffy is just plain adorable whether he’s digging holes or chasing criminals. In all a lovely read!

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it murder or not? "Crazy" Jack Torres' body is found on the beach, his boat nowhere to be found. The authorities believe since Jack was very drunk the last time he had been seen that means he probably accidentally fell of his boat and drowned. Nineteen-year-old Jasmine Moore isn't so sure. Jasmine is a psychic and can communicate with her dog, Luffy. They believe there's a good chance Jack Torres was murdered. Due to her psychic visions and being able to communicate with her dog Luffy I find Jasmine to be a unique sleuth. I really enjoyed following her methodology while trying to solve the case. The other characters in Blackwood Cove added a lot to the atmosphere of the mystery. This is a super beginning to what looks to be a fun series to read.

[Pam]

Not into this book. See note*

Amazon synopsis:'
Jasmine Moore is a local favorite who is unusually gifted—she has random visions of the future that often portend disaster. She can also understand her loyal golden retriever. Literally.

When a body is discovered in the small town of Blackwood Cove, Jasmine's instincts tell her that there's more to the story than meets the eye. Taking up the mantle of detective, she sets out on a path full of twists and turns to solve the baffling case.

Sifting through decades of forgotten town history and long-buried secrets, she soon discovers that everyone has something to hide...

Time is running out, and Jasmine needs to unearth the startling truth before the town is shaken to its core yet again.

[Roger]

Paws in the Action: Psychic Sleuths and Talking Dogs (A Jaz and Luffy Cozy Mystery Book 1), my first enjoyable mystery read from author Max Parrott. Well-written with intriguing characters developed in great detail in the first few chapters of the book. I read a lot of clean, cozy mystery & this book is more mystery than cozy. Sometimes a book is just enjoyable, wait no spoilers here, buy the book, read & review the book. "I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." I'll definitely be reading more from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).