A Cold Nose for Murder

A Chatty Corgi Mystery #3

by Jennifer Hawkins

Trouble is brewing for a tea shop owner with a penchant for investigation and her talking corgi in this delightful cozy mystery.   When Emma Reed moved to the Cornish village of Trevena, she was looking forward to making new friends, opening up a small tea shop, and taking plenty of brisk walks with her talking dog, Oliver. But when a valuable motorcycle and an old skeleton are found together under the local pub, Emma’s antique dealing friends David and Charles become prime suspects in a forty year old mystery.  The local gossip is soon flowing faster than tea in Emma’s shop, and old secrets are being unearthed right along with the old bones.    Although David and Charles insist they have nothing to do with the skeleton, they quickly come under police suspicion. To save their friends, Emma and Oliver will need to dig deep...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Animals

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2022

About the author

Jennifer Hawkins is a Michigan-based author of cozy mysteries. She’s also a mom, binge reader, corgi enthusiast, and a lover of All Things British. For tea, she prefers a second flush Darjeeling with milk. She also makes a killer (so to speak) lemon curd.

Also see Darcie Wilde
source: publisher

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Emma suppressed a wince. Nobody liked to think they were getting a reputation as a local gossip or a snoop, even if, maybe, there might be a reason for it. Genny had even coined a term for Emma's public curiosity. She accused Emma of "Marpleing." (PG. 67)

This was a light read but very boring. It was 200 pages too long. I liked the nosy snooping corgi that talks but even he got annoying. I wouldn't read another in this series. It was the never ending novel. SO much repetitiveness and not enough plot.

Glad I am done and over with it.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins takes us back to Trevena, Cornwall where the owners of the Roundhead Pub are opening an old tunnel under their pub. It has been closed for forty years and they are going to renovate the area for an event space. When they break through the brick wall, they find a Black Lightning Motorcycle with a skeleton stuffed in the sidecar. The rare motorcycle belongs to Charles and David who thought the machine was stolen. The skeleton belongs to a former resident who disappeared at the same time as the motorcycle. It was believed that the victim had taken off for greener pastures. Th Emma and her trusty corgi, Oliver set out to discover the truth. A Cold Nose for Murder by Jennifer Hawkins is the third A Chatty Corgi Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I wanted to give this series one more chance. I have trouble with the author’s writing style. It is not engaging or easy to read. I found myself struggling to get through each chapter (and there are so many). The author is a detail-oriented writer. The overly detailed descriptions bog down the story. We are introduced to quite a few characters in the beginning. It can be hard to keep them all straight along with their shops or jobs. I love Oliver, Emma’s corgi. Emma and Oliver can talk to each other. Oliver’s dialogue is delightful (I can just picture him sniffing for clues and eager to share what he learned with Emma) and I enjoyed the chapters from his point of view. He is a cutie. Oliver has a nose for clues. Emma is a mixed bag for me. The mystery was interesting. It goes throughout the book from beginning to end. I like the incorporation of the tunnel (who doesn’t love an old smuggling tunnel). There are clues to help readers solve the crime (long before the reveal). Emma talks to people and gathers gossip in her tea shop. Oliver searches out clues using his sniffer and listening to conversations. I did not like how some of Emma’s friends treated her in this book. They got nasty (how do you forgive that type of behavior). I can understand being under stress, but that is not an excuse to be rude (cruel, dismissive). There are many cozy moments in the story as people chat, shop, and eat. There is a lot of food consumed in the story along with numerous cups of tea. The cozy chapters outweigh those related to the mystery. I could not get into A Cold Nose Murder. The writing style is a turn off for me. A Code Nose of Murder is not my cup of tea, but it appeals to others (the beauty of books). I suggest you read a sample to judge for yourself. A Cold Nose for Murder is a cute Cornish cozy with a curious Corgi, countless cups of tea, a classic motorcycle with skeleton in the sidecar, delectable cakes, a tyrant named Reggie, and a prying tea shop proprietor.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fluctuated between a 3.5-4 stars and ended up giving it a four star because the mystery itself was not bad. Emma is settled into her life, her business is going well, she’s dating Brent and things seems to be getting on all right. So of course when a skeleton is discovered, with connection to Christopher and David, during an expansion project. Emma has to investigate. The first 1/2 of the book is taken up with Emma trying to solve the mystery of the skeleton and whether it was murder or not and being stymied at every turn. Encountering the nasty Reggie, who everyone seems to hate, his long suffering wife, Piper, the journalist who is out to protect her grandad ( an excon), secrets that David and Chris are keeping from Emma and Rory and well things get worse when Reggie is murdered.

Oliver, the Corgie is featured heavily in this book as he goes of with Cream Tangerine (who is also trying to save her owners David and Charles) the aloof Tabby, in an effort to ferret out clues and thus the murderer.

The relationships between the characters are evolving, Emma is slightly chagrined at the reputation she’s gained for being either a “gossip” or Miss Maples in the village and at times tries to reign in her natural urge to be nosy and investigate, but, she just can’t help herself. Brian is supportive of Emma, and just knows she won’t rest until she has the answers. Her friends Genny and Angelique also support her and are a sounding board for her theories and ideas in solving the mysteries.

Overall good mystery and good book.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Emma (and Oliver) are eager to see what's behind the bricked up wall in the basement of the Roundhead pub. Guesses range from nothing, black market whiskey (of course), a dead body, Father Christmas, the Crown Jewels, and a cask of Amontillado! No one expects to find a stolen Black Lightning motorcycle and a skeleton from the 1970s! Everyone is horrified when the skeleton is revealed and identified as pub owner Sam Greenlaw's black sheep cousin Sonny who was last seen 40 years ago, the same time as the motorcycle was stolen. Was there a connection? Constable Raj wants to open a case but the higher ups are saying let it go. Raj fears that old rumors and gossip are going to come back and tear the village apart. Emma fears he might be right when she witnesses David and Charles Kemp fighting and acting strangely. Even Oliver notices something unusual at the crime scene and the Kemp's cat the Cream Tangerine is upset at her people acting shouty. She enlists Oliver and Emma to help get to the bottom of the mystery. When Emma is approached by local businessman Reginald Tapp about being a partner in opening up a tea shop, she's skeptical. She's met his type a million times and they were the reason she quit finance. Still, he was at the Roundhead trying to crash the tunnel opening party and as a native of Trevena, he must know something. She agrees to meet him and listen to what he has to say. Emma gets the impression something is very off at the Tapp's pub but she isn't sure exactly what's going on of if it's related to Sonny's murder. When Reggie ends up dead himself, Emma is certain there's a connection but what is it and how can she prove it without hurting any of her friends?

The plot in this third novel is a bit slow to begin with. Motorcycles? Yuck. 1970s? Not my time period. I was curious what was going on with Charles and David but not enough to be really into the mystery. It picked up after the halfway point when Reggie is murdered. I was thinking "It's about time!" I was waiting for someone to murder him. At that point I had a good guess as to who but not exactly why. I was happy to see Oliver taking on a larger role in sniffing out clues and protecting Emma. Cat lovers will enjoy Cream Tangerine also playing a big part in the story.

I learned a few new things about British law in this novel.
1)Smuggling in Cornwall did not end with the defeat of Napoleon ("in the time of Ross Poldark"). It was alive and well at least into the 1970s. Perhaps beyond.
2)In Britain there is no statute of limitations on a crime. Someone could be perpetuated for stealing a motorbike 40 years ago.
3)Remember the Stamp Act we Americans hated before the Revolutionary War? Apparently British law still requires imported goods (whiskey and cigarettes) to be inspected, duty paid and a label or stamp placed on it. Therefore, I was not surprised to learn The smugglers were also counterfeiting excise tax stamps!

I appreciate the author making the book British where it's set and not just American with a supposedly British setting.

Oliver steals the show. He is still hands-down my favorite character. He's just soooo cuuuuuutttee! I want to squeeze him! I'm sure most noble warrior Corgis don't like to be squeezed so I'll settle for cuddles on the couch while watching reruns of The Great British Bake Off. I really love his voice. He sounds like a toddler/small child in keeping with the science that says dogs have the vocabulary of a toddler. I don't like the wise cracking old man talking dogs. Oliver is smart, loyal and loving. He guards his gardens from the fox and other pests, protects Emma from people he perceives as a threat and makes sure she takes walkies to keep healthy. Cream Tangerine's voice is more like David and Charles-sophisticated and shrewd. She knows how to manipulate Oliver into doing what she wants.

The humans of the regular cast of characters are good but not as cute as the furry characters. Emma is sweet and caring. She loves her new home and has many new friends. She doesn't want to see anyone hurt. She thinks by solving the mystery she can help her friends and worries when it appears her investigation makes things worse. Emma's baked goods don't sound as interesting to me this time because it's almost fall and she's using nuts and other fall flavors but not pumpkin which is American. She also makes some of her nan's recipes like fruit cake and jam roly-poly. Nan used suet in her baking which sounds gross. Emma and Brian's relationship status is now dating. She seems kind of shy about it like they're not ready to go public yet. He's very, very sweet and kind. Brian supports Emma and helps her when she's down. His only flaw is his obsession with vintage cars. Yuck. Genny, Emma's sleuthing sidekick, is relegated to more of a minor role here. She's still a lot of fun and eager to be involved in whatever is going on in the village.

Charles and David Kemp become fleshed out characters. We learn a bit more of their backstory slowly over the timeframe of this novel. We learn how and why they came to Trevena in the 70s and what they did back then. However, they seem to be hiding things from Emma and from their nephew Rory. I don't like seeing the happiest couple in the village shouting and hiding secrets perhaps even from each other. It's tearing their relationship apart and their relationship with Charles' nephew. Rory is a nice young man who loves his uncles and wants to help. He's frustrated because they're not telling him what he thinks he needs to know. When Rory was spotted at the scene of a crime that makes him a murder suspect. How far would he go to protect his family?

Everyone in this novel is trying to protect family. Sam Greenlaw, owner of the Roundhead pub, is from a family that goes way back in Trevena. His father owned the pub in the 70s and his mother insisted on bricking up the entrance to the tunnel when Sam was a kid. Sam is a very proud man with a bit of a temper. He's blindly loyal to his father, maybe to a fault. Could Sam's dad have been involved in shady business and killed Sonny? Alternately could Sam's dad have ratted out the men in the "social club"? Sam's wife Liza seems nice but sad that Sonny's bones were found in the tunnel. What does she know about Sonny that no one else does? Did she date him? Was she in love with him and about to run off with him? Emma is amazingly sympathetic to Liza's confession.

Journalist Pippa Marsh is also trying to protect her family. Her grandad, Billy, went to prison 40 years ago. What if he enacted revenge on Sonny for ratting him out? Billy is crusty, cranky, old and rude. Being old is no excuse for being rude. He's not old enough to have lost his filter. He likes being proactive. Billy hasn't forgotten his time in prison and makes it clear there is no love lost between him and whoever the snitch was. Pippa loves her grandfather but she's a terrible journalist. Her ethics are super questionable and if her editor is pushing her to come up with a sensational story, she needs a new job. Pippa tries to befriend Emma to sleuth together but Emma doesn't quite trust Pippa. I don't either. She's a horrible person. I liked her less as the story went on.

Reginald Tapp is the character who deserved to be murdered in this book. He's nasty. A slimy, sleazy businessman who wants to be a big fish, he's a small fish in a small pond. Yet, he runs a successful, if tacky, pub and seems to have money to throw around. Gossip says once he gets involved in someone's business, that business is no longer their own. Emma is smart enough to know that and uninterested in expansion right now but she suspects Reggie is up to something. THAT much is obvious. He was snooping around the Roundhead uninvited. Did he know what was going to be behind the wall? Did he guess? Or was he hoping for something else? His wife Marianne is the long suffering wife. Married at a young age, she's trapped with an egotistical husband who feels possessive towards her but probably not loving. He tore down her parents' old pub and changed it all up after he married Marianne. There's nothing left of her parents' business which to me is very sad. Reggie is a bully and probably a blackmailer. Does he know who killed Sonny?

Reggie's bookkeeper, Ben, seems suspicious of Emma's snooping and even Oliver notes Ben is a herder and herded them out of the pub. What is he hiding? He seems against Reggie's spending sprees so that would make him a good guy but yet he gives off such a suspicious, negative vibe. His daughter Gwen seems to think something's up with him. Gwen is the chef at the Win. She seems talented and like she knows what's what so why is she working for a worm like Reggie? She says she's protecting her dad and trying to help him but what kind of help is she providing?

Colin Roskilly was the leader of the social club back in the day. He's the one they were all afraid of. He still seems menacing and protective of Billy Marsh. Neither of them are above suspicion for any number of wrong deeds. They did time and don't seem to have repented. Would Colin have killed Sonny for ratting them out? Probably! Would he kill whoever it was he thought ratted them out, even now? Probably. He comes across as still scary even if he uses a cane.

Raj has his first real case and his hands are tied. He really wants to do the right thing and solve the 40-year old mysteries but can he? DCI Constance Brent finally shows up. She's a little less friendly and more caustic than usual but trusts Emma. I still like her a lot and it's good to see a competent and FEMALE cop portrayed without jealously and suspicion of another woman or without being rude to the amateur sleuth.

I always enjoy spending time in Trevena. I do wish there were recipes in the back of the book though.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celebration is being held in the village of Trevena, Cornwall, to open an old smuggler's tunnel at the Roundhead Pub. Many in the village have made bets about what will be found, but no one is expecting a vintage Black Lightning Motorcycle plus sidecar, and a skeleton. The motorcycle turns out to be one stolen back in the 70's from store owners, David and Charles. Baker Emma Reed and her "noble warrior corgi" Oliver become involved when the body is identified as a former resident who had disappeared years ago. He may have been involved with a smuggling ring that has repercussions today for her friends now that his murder is discovered. Readers have to suspend belief that Oliver can talk to Emma, but he still has a dog's personality, and he is a charmer. This is book 3 in the series and I like that the author is giving the side characters their moments, so we get to know them better. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

One has to be discreet when having a conversation with one's corgi in public. Love that Emma, and only Emma, can understand Oliver, the mighty warrior corgi! This series is so much fun and I love the way we occasionally get wee Oliver's POV. The author emotes canine thought so well and Henrietta Meire delivers Oliver's lines with such panache! I highly recommend listening to this one. There's a solid mystery -- one that stirs up all kinds of secrets in the village -- and the cozy aspects are evenly paired with the intrigue. Adore the gentle smattering of romance as well. Just an all-round fabulous read! I love this series so much that though I have audible editions of all three, I had to also buy a paperback copy for my shelves, 'cause sometimes you just want to hug a favourite book. :-)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series, but it ends up with so many suspects quite often. Trevena seems to be the nicest, little, country town. The food sounds delicious, especially the baked good Emma makes, who is our heroine/sleuth. The fun, talking relationship she has with her corgi, Oliver, is just so engaging. she can only talk to him and other corgis. But, he translates what other animal say to Emma. I hope there is a 4th installment! There is a smuggling operation going on in the town from way back when and 2 people are murdered, it seems to trace back to a problem from back then. but all the players are older now. There is also a vintage million dollar motorcycle involved.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star review A Cold Nose For Murder by Jennifer Hawkins

Jennifer Hawkins is a new author to me and I am surprised I have not come across her books before. This is a cozy mystery and one that I found entertaining.

The characters were quirky and easy to relate to. This was a book filled with enough secrets and clues to keep you guessing until the end.

There were twists, turns and surprises in A Cold Nose For Murder Emma follow the clues and I have to say that I was taken by surprise and I look forward to reading more from Ms.Hawkins in the future.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cold Nose for Murder brought me right back to where I’ve wanted to be since I finished the sequel: bustling around Trevena with an endearingly nosy baker and her chatty corgi. If you’re looking for a super high stakes, pulse-racing mystery, this may not be for you. BUT if you’re looking for an interesting, cozy mystery with lovable characters and plenty of twists and turns, sprinkled with recipe descriptions that make you want to jump into the kitchen and wrestle with pastries, that makes you genuinely chuckle to yourself like a bit of a weirdo, then this IS the book for you.

[Danielle R · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Callie Stockman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here for the talking corgi.

[Chris Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this third installment of the Chatty Corgi Mysteries, Emma, Oliver and their friends are hanging out at tthe pub owned by friends Liza and Sam, which is getting an expansion. However, when a skeleton and a vintage motorcycle belonging to Emma's friends Charles and David are found in the tunnel in the basement of the pub, an old mystery is re-opened and consequences ensue.

This was a bit of an odd book for me. I quite appreciate that it was mainly about a 40 year old mystery, as cold cases like that are not common in cozy mysteries, from what I have seen. This one sure brought the drama, and I must admit, that was one of my main gripes here. There was this feeling of dread, gloom and doom permeating the proceedings, especially as the story moves along, rumors start abounding, people start talking, and not in a positive way. There's arguments, fights, malicious gossip, etc, and it gives it an air of negativity that takes away from the cozy feel. This book definitely needed more in the cozy department. And it also needed more animal proceedings. Despite being one of the two main stars, Oliver the talking corgi felt like he had a diminished presence in this book, being more as a back-up for Emma, and with few chapters from his point of view. I quite liked that the cat, Cream Tangerine, had a bigger role in this book, but it still felt like she wasn't in it as much as she could have, especially consider that her owners are among the ones suffering most from the mystery and she doesn't like it. And Oliver's nemesis, the fox, was mentioned but once again he didn't appear at all. That's two books in a row without the fox and it feels like a letdown to me, I wanna see more of him.

Thankfully, the mystery is a pretty good one, especially as things get even more serious later when a murder happens. And once more, the book is bolstered by a fantastic cast of characters. Emma's as likable and relatable as ever and Oliver is adorable and funny; Genny and Angelique continue being likable and level-headed friends (though I was bummed at not getting to see their families) while Brian is still an adequate love interest to Emma, they've now fully started dating and even though their romantic scenes sometimes feel a tad juvenile to me, the fact that the romance is not a big deal and it's simply just there and normal and not being the main attraction of the story is a big plus for me. Sam, Liza, Charles and David were all there and we see them suffer from the experience of that skeletonwith the motorcycle, making one hope that future books give them happy times to better shine, while law enforcement members Constance and Raj were great, as usual, and I especially enjoyed getting to see more of Raj's mom and also Mrs. Shah, the local librarian. New characters Rory and Pippa were welcome additions in their own way, and everything regarding local sleazebag Reggie and those working for and with him added to the story.

Still, at times the story did feel a bit too long. It certainly had some negatives, but also the positives remained strong. I'd give it 3 and a half stars, but since I can't rank in halfsies, I'll give this book a 4 out of 5. Still not as good as the first book, but still a good book nonetheless, and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

A Cold Nose for Murder is the third Chatty Corgi cozy village mystery by Jennifer Hawkins. Released 5th July 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a fun, very light, well written murder mystery series with an intelligent middle aged female protagonist named Emma and her saucy opinionated corgi whom she can understand perfectly well and who has opinions and suggestions about *everything* (the dog, not Emma). The author does a super job with the returning characters who are three dimensional, quirky, and mostly appealing. In small-town cozy style, the book is peopled by characters who are by turns nosy, exasperating, fun, or just odd. It's a nice distraction to figure out "whodunit", and the plot moves along at a good clip and doesn't drag or hiccup.

The story is lighthearted and flows well, and in good cozy fashion, the language is clean and the violence occurs off-page. The story is occasionally a tiny bit precious and over the top, but the protagonist has a talking dog (who only she can understand) and I never found myself being yanked out of the story. The author has clearly gone to some pains to learn about motorcycle history and there are small tidbits of trivia scattered throughout since the main plotline is built around an antique Vincent Black Lightning motorcycle.

Although it's the third book in the series, the mystery is self contained and the author is adept enough at providing the necessary character backstory, that it works perfectly well as a standalone. The story, climax, denouement, and resolution are all satisfying and cleverly wrought.

Four stars. Very fun. It would make a good selection for public library acquisition, and the series would be a nice candidate for binge reading poolside or possibly mystery book club discussion.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖my thoughts:📖

I’ve read a fair share of cozy mysteries. They’re one of my favorite genres. They always have the sleuth, a murder, often a small town feel, and even a romance or two. This one however, this one even included a talking dog, a corgi, named Oliver, as well as a talking cat, Cream Tangerine! I loved this book that much more because of those two little additions! This was the first time I’ve read anything by Jennifer Hawkins, and I really enjoyed the book. The book flowed really well, and was a fairly quick and easy read. Side note, this is the third book in this series. I didn’t read the first two and because of that I didn’t have the advantage of having previously gotten to know some of the background of the characters, but it didn’t have a huge impact. Thank you Netgalley, Jennifer Hawkins and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book. I think this was a cute and entertaining cozy mystery that I would have to recommend to my fellow readers! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

3.5 stars = Good+

Another twisty mystery outing for Emma and Oliver. As always, the chatty corgi is darling.

This series is a little different than a typical cozy mystery. Usually, the main character is mostly beloved by the community. In this series, people are more derisive about Emma's "gossip." While not inaccurate, it can be jarring. In this book in particular, even some of Emma's friends were pretty nasty to her. While the stress of the case can explain some of that away, it made this a little harder to enjoy for me than previous books in the series.

But the mystery is solid, and Oliver is a delight, and that propelled me forward despite some of my other struggles. Newcomers might want to start with the first book - To Fetch a Felon - which is my favorite.

[Teri Am · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't resist this book when I saw the corgi on the cover. Loved meeting Emma and the residents of Trevena. This mystery revolves around the discovery of a skeleton when the local pub decides to remodel and open up an entrance that leads to caves used by smugglers. Several residents are involved and some are very anxious to avoid attention by pointing out other suspects. Suspicion abounds, and eventually one of the suspects becomes a new murder victim.

The story kept me interested, especially when Emma is gathering clues about events that occurred forty years ago. I found that I couldn't put this one down. As past histories and relationships were revealed, characters' reactions and actions kept me guessing as to the identity of the killer.

I'm glad I picked this one up and plan to read more about Emma and Oliver (the chatting corgi).

[Archie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, cozy mystery for corgi lovers!
As a corgi owner, I found a lot of little details with Oliver's mannerisms and behaviour to be hilarious because it was similar to my own corgi. In terms of the story itself, I found that mystery was fun once it got into it but it took far too long to get the plot going. I did struggle a bit near the beginning. I love the characters and I wish that they incorporated Genny and Angelique more into the plot/mystery solving aspects of the book by having them actively work with Emma and Oliver to solve the mystery versus them being a sounding board for Emma to just talk through theories she has. Overall, I liked it as the new addition of the character Pippa. I hope to see more of her in later installments in the mystery solving crew (especially since she seems to have Emma's knack for finding out information).

[Birgit Schreiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this series, its MC and her dog, with book 1 and accidentally brought this third book in the sequence on a weekend away, resulting in my reading out of order. However, the familiarity of older MC Emma and her loyal pet Corgi, Oliver, the charming countryside English village and entertaining villager side characters, made me feel at home straight away. I enjoyed this mystery even more than the first story and hope book 2 won't disappoint! I'm a big fan of Nancy Atherton and her cozy Cotswolds paranormal mystery series and enjoy that this series takes me on a suspension of belief in much the same way. Can't wait to read more in this series!

[Linda "Lilybug's Library" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific read from Jennifer Hawkins. Emma and her corgi Oliver are waiting in the pub for a door to be opened that has been closed up for about 40 years. It turns out there is a vintage motorcycle and a dead body in the tunnel.

They find themselves caught up in another mystery and trying to help their friends. It also turns out Emma has gotten a reputation for being a gossip.

The story was great and I continue to love all the small town characters. Oliver of course steals the show and is the most adorable corgi side kick. I enjoyed the complexity of the story and the fact that everyone seemed to have a motive for murder.

[mimo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one village really sees a lot of murder mysteries, huh. It makes sense that people would start to regard Emma with some suspicion as she goes around trying to figure out a case. I like that there's a progression there. Even more, I like how, to make up for it, Oliver is an increasingly curious little corgi who tries to investigate by himself.

This book features Cream Tangerine the cat more, much to my delight. And I like the history it uncovers about David and Charles. This time it really feels like things have been resolved nicely.

[Lynne Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever want to snuggle up and read a fun mystery with talking Corgis? Well, this one is it. It truly is a cozy mystery. As a previous Corgi owner, I can attest to the fact that if Corgis did talk, they would sound and think like Oliver. At the end of this novel everything is wrapped up, but you are left wanting a chapter or two more of Emma, Oliver, and the entire crew of Trevena. This mystery is wonderful, unadulterated escapism. I was sad when it ended. I want more. Thank you, Jennifer Hawkins.

[Melissa Stio · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the third installment, we return to Trevena for a controversial murder related to smuggling, motorcycles, and tunnels. Oliver and Emma do what they do best to help break the case wide open. I found myself less engaged in the story than the previous two stories in this series; I started it a while ago and only now did I get around to finishing it. I do think it was enjoyable, just slow in a lot of parts. I'd rank it a 3.5 but rounding up because I like how unique the series is with a talking doggy.

[Lacey Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Emma Reed moved to the Cornish village of Trevena, she was looking forward to making new friends, opening up a small tea shop, and taking plenty of brisk walks with her talking dog, Oliver. This is the third in the series and doesn't disappoint. Oliver the corgi is one of my favorite characters. A stolen motorcycle, a skeleton found under a pub. Emma, Oliver and her friends get to work on solving the case.
#AColdNoseforMurder #NetGalley

[Rita Pochard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

When this book dropped into my Kindle library, I really wasn't sure why. I couldn't remember reading the 1st 2 until I started the book and then I remembered how wonderful they were. This adventure with Emma and her terrific corgi Oliver as well as her friends from the village had lots of twists and a few red herrings. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. What's better than a brave talking Corgi?

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 half stars rounded to 4. I'm still enjoying the adventures of Oliver and Emma but, to be honest, Emma got on my nerves a bit this time around. I'm sure it's the nature of cozy mysteries that the heroine has to be nosy but several characters even called her out on it. Regardless, this Chatty Corgi Mystery was a good escape during a very busy period at work and I looked forward to getting back to it each day. I will continue to follow Emma and the delightful Oliver!

[Zoe Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. I’m probably biased bc i have my own little corgi loaf. When you see this series described as a “cozy mystery”, it’s just that. It’s cute, enjoyable, and a simple, fun book to read while curled up in a chair. It’s not going to be deep and inspirational. It doesn’t have this big deeper meaning. It’s truly just a precious series of mysteries that make your heart feel warm and makes you hug your puppy a little bit tighter.

[Denise Kulesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a Chatty Corgi mystery series by Jennifer Hawkins.

The book started out a little slow but by Chapter 3 I was hooked !!! Emma was determined to solve the murder of Reggie and to discover if the skeleton and valuable motorcycle were related to Reggie's death. With the help of friends and her "talking" Corgi Oliver she was able to solve the murders.

This book was so good I did not want to put it down and cannot wait to read more in the series.

[Jessica Bellemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third instalment of the series does not disappoint.

We join Emma and Oliver in Trevena to become entangled in a decades old mystery.

The actual murderer had me guessing until the end, thanks to clever twists and turns by the author.

Emma’s beau Brian, as well as Charles and David, are also more developed in this book, a welcome treat to learn more about their backstories’.


Fingers crossed that a fourth book is in the works.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I didn’t think it was quite as strong as the first two but I thought it was still super well done. I just love the characters and the setting so much. The author does a great job of writing a compelling mystery too. I love the slight fantastical element of the corgi talking too lol it’s just such a sweet and cozy mystery, I loved it!!

[Gail H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the third book in this series. It was not a disappointment. But There are a lot of characters and many who might "have done it" . But it pulls everything together in the end. I would recommend this book.