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Barkview Mysteries #0.5
Jack Russelled to Death
Competition in the job market is murder, but is it fur real? Investigative reporter Cat Wright sure thinks so when she finds one applicant dead and the other accused of murder.
Is this a rivalry gone deadly or something more sinister?
The only witness is a Jack Russell Terrier. Can feline fan Cat learn to speak dog before she is the next victim?
Is this a rivalry gone deadly or something more sinister?
The only witness is a Jack Russell Terrier. Can feline fan Cat learn to speak dog before she is the next victim?
52 pages, ebook
Published August 27, 2021
75 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
C.B. Wilson
14 books31 followersThe award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Barkview Mysteries series, C.B. Wilson’s love of writing was spurred by an early childhood encounter with a Nancy Drew book where she precociously wrote what she felt was a better ending. After studying at the Gemology Institute of America, she developed a passion for researching lost, stolen and missing diamonds–the big kind. Her fascination with dogs and their passionate owners inspired Barkview, California, the dog friendliest city in America.
C.B. lives in Peoria, AZ with her husband. She is an avid pickleball player who enjoys traveling to play tournaments. She admits to chocoholic tendencies and laughing out loud at dog comics.
C.B. lives in Peoria, AZ with her husband. She is an avid pickleball player who enjoys traveling to play tournaments. She admits to chocoholic tendencies and laughing out loud at dog comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 5, 2022
cute story.
September 2, 2025
Loved this Dog Lovers Cozy
Jack Russelled to Death loved Jack the Russell Terrier and Sandy
Jack Russelled to Death loved Jack the Russell Terrier and Sandy
November 19, 2022
Was a quick read maybe a bit too quick.
This book went a bit too quick for my liking and I wanted to get to know the characters a bit more and wished the ending was more detailed.
This book went a bit too quick for my liking and I wanted to get to know the characters a bit more and wished the ending was more detailed.
July 12, 2023
The series seems to be interesting: cozy mysteries with murder investigations, from Cat(alina), reporter, and obviously an amateur sleuth, and it seems some help from a dog - each volume has it's own particular species of dog as a hero - this current prequel has a Jack Russell named Jack (of course Jack, how else ? LOL).
Action here, though, seems somehow muddy, not very clear at some points.
Action here, though, seems somehow muddy, not very clear at some points.
September 3, 2021
This was such a cute prequel to this series! I wouldn't have realized there'd be more if I hadn't checked out the author's link at the end of the book, yeah I'm a geek like that lol. But it paid off and I learned there'll be more in this series set in a dog-themed and named town in California. Unlike the main character Cat, I'm nuts over dogs and was going crazy imagining that adorable little Jack the Jack Russell terrier. Of course, I was thinking back to the Wishbone PBS series that was on back when my daughter was in kindergarten. That series had me wanting to get a Jack Russell sib for my dachshund, lol. I did like the human characters too, and Uncle G was a sort of a lovable curmudgeon of a policeman.
Jack came in very handy later on even though Cat thought he was annoying. It wasn't really a surprise as to the whodunit, but it was interesting to see how soon Cat and Sandy would figure out what took me a simple clue to get. I really enjoyed the two of them as a sleuthing team and can't wait to what else they get into in the first book. The only disappointment was that I don't think the series will be part of Kindle Unlimited.
Jack came in very handy later on even though Cat thought he was annoying. It wasn't really a surprise as to the whodunit, but it was interesting to see how soon Cat and Sandy would figure out what took me a simple clue to get. I really enjoyed the two of them as a sleuthing team and can't wait to what else they get into in the first book. The only disappointment was that I don't think the series will be part of Kindle Unlimited.
October 31, 2021
An introductory mystery which raises more questions than it answers
This relatively short book (around 10000 words) is a kind of free prequel story to introduce readers to the world of Barkview, California which claims to be the most dog-friendly town in America. It starts with a map which to be honest, was much too small and grainy to read on my Kindle, but after that it jumps straight into the story.
We are introduced to Catalina “Cat” Wright” as she discovers a body on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, the body is the local librarian, a woman Cat was due to interview for a position as an assistant on a syndicated dog psychiatry show. Even more unfortunately, the only obvious murder suspect is a Jack Russell terrier who has somehow wrapped his lead around her neck. Even though Cat (as befits her name) is not really a dog lover, she sets out with Sandy, another candidate for the assistant position, to clear the dog’s name and solve the mystery. On the way we encounter smugglers, secret rooms, caves, wartime defences and mysterious journals. By the end of the story, Cat has solved the problem of finding an assistant as well as getting to the bottom of the strange goings on in Barkview. However, the conclusion also leaves several loose ends, which I hope will be addressed in future books
The story is well-written and generally full of excitement. The only disappointing bit came towards the end where Cat and Sandy seemed to just sit on the sidelines and let other people sort things out for them. I hope that this weak ending was specific to this story and that future books in the series have a stronger storyline. There were also some mildly funny situations, particularly the recurring motif of the similarity between dogs and their owners, but nothing which made me laugh out loud. I did struggle with some of the terminology such as the architectural feature “widows’ walk” which was never described enough for someone unfamiliar with the term to get a mental picture.
Based on this book I would probably read another in the series.
This relatively short book (around 10000 words) is a kind of free prequel story to introduce readers to the world of Barkview, California which claims to be the most dog-friendly town in America. It starts with a map which to be honest, was much too small and grainy to read on my Kindle, but after that it jumps straight into the story.
We are introduced to Catalina “Cat” Wright” as she discovers a body on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, the body is the local librarian, a woman Cat was due to interview for a position as an assistant on a syndicated dog psychiatry show. Even more unfortunately, the only obvious murder suspect is a Jack Russell terrier who has somehow wrapped his lead around her neck. Even though Cat (as befits her name) is not really a dog lover, she sets out with Sandy, another candidate for the assistant position, to clear the dog’s name and solve the mystery. On the way we encounter smugglers, secret rooms, caves, wartime defences and mysterious journals. By the end of the story, Cat has solved the problem of finding an assistant as well as getting to the bottom of the strange goings on in Barkview. However, the conclusion also leaves several loose ends, which I hope will be addressed in future books
The story is well-written and generally full of excitement. The only disappointing bit came towards the end where Cat and Sandy seemed to just sit on the sidelines and let other people sort things out for them. I hope that this weak ending was specific to this story and that future books in the series have a stronger storyline. There were also some mildly funny situations, particularly the recurring motif of the similarity between dogs and their owners, but nothing which made me laugh out loud. I did struggle with some of the terminology such as the architectural feature “widows’ walk” which was never described enough for someone unfamiliar with the term to get a mental picture.
Based on this book I would probably read another in the series.
December 14, 2023
I received this story, and several others, for free after entering a Murder She Wrote themed giveaway.
I love cozy mysteries, and am always looking for a new series to get into, so I was excited to start with this prequel to the Barkview Mysteries series.
This was a cute short story, with dogs being featured prominently. I also loved the inclusion of a map of the town with the story.
The story wrapped up too quickly and left me puzzled as to what all went down in the ending. There were seemingly a few loose ends, but since this is book 0.5, they might be resolved in book 1 which I intend to check out in the near future.
As someone who brings her dog along on every vacation and spends hours researching dog friendly things to do, this book had me wishing that a town like Barkview was real! Although that would be Roland’s worst nightmare, as he hates all other dogs lol
I love cozy mysteries, and am always looking for a new series to get into, so I was excited to start with this prequel to the Barkview Mysteries series.
This was a cute short story, with dogs being featured prominently. I also loved the inclusion of a map of the town with the story.
The story wrapped up too quickly and left me puzzled as to what all went down in the ending. There were seemingly a few loose ends, but since this is book 0.5, they might be resolved in book 1 which I intend to check out in the near future.
As someone who brings her dog along on every vacation and spends hours researching dog friendly things to do, this book had me wishing that a town like Barkview was real! Although that would be Roland’s worst nightmare, as he hates all other dogs lol
May 16, 2022
Jack Russelled to Death by C B Wilson is a prequel to the A Dog Lover's Cozy Mystery Series. I did not find it entertaining or interesting. It’s a nice little story to introduce the series, but there was nothing exciting about it. I was distracted from the story by run on sentences, partial sentences and nonsensical sentences. This could have been a much more imaginative story than it was, but that’s probably due to it being so short. It’s hard to pack a lot into a story in just 50 pages. I’m sure with the longer books coming up the author will expand the characters much more and be able to develop the story in an exciting way.
June 12, 2022
An okay start to a new series
A good opening, and that drew me in. But sadly, as I read further, it went slightly downhill. I missed the cuteness that the dog should have provided, because Cat was only really complaining about Jack and talking about him in a bit of a negative way. I missed being able to relate to the main character. And it all went just a bit fast, but this being a short book, a prequel novella, that was to be expected. But the sentences, they often lacked a subject or a verb, making them a bit staccato. All in all, it was only okay.
A good opening, and that drew me in. But sadly, as I read further, it went slightly downhill. I missed the cuteness that the dog should have provided, because Cat was only really complaining about Jack and talking about him in a bit of a negative way. I missed being able to relate to the main character. And it all went just a bit fast, but this being a short book, a prequel novella, that was to be expected. But the sentences, they often lacked a subject or a verb, making them a bit staccato. All in all, it was only okay.
April 5, 2024
The dog doesn't die!!
I really enjoyed Jack Russelled to Death. It's a fast moving cozy mystery, giving a start to finding treasure in the caves.. That turns out to be something even more dangerous than treasure seekers. The bad guys were trying to kill the reporter and her"new" assistant because the bad guys believed they knew too much! Unfortunately, Jack has a leg broken as he was trying to catch the bad guy attacking the girls. Fantastic start to a new series!
I really enjoyed Jack Russelled to Death. It's a fast moving cozy mystery, giving a start to finding treasure in the caves.. That turns out to be something even more dangerous than treasure seekers. The bad guys were trying to kill the reporter and her"new" assistant because the bad guys believed they knew too much! Unfortunately, Jack has a leg broken as he was trying to catch the bad guy attacking the girls. Fantastic start to a new series!
May 14, 2022
Jack Russell!!! Enough said!
Jack Russell's are my favorite breed of dog. Although hyper,they are loyal to their two legged human family. I had one for over 14 years and although our Dolly, has been gone for over two years, we miss her and her doggie love. This story was funny, quirky, and so much fun to read. It had a talented yet eccentric former detective named Cat and it featured Jack, the Jack Russell, enough said!!!
Jack Russell's are my favorite breed of dog. Although hyper,they are loyal to their two legged human family. I had one for over 14 years and although our Dolly, has been gone for over two years, we miss her and her doggie love. This story was funny, quirky, and so much fun to read. It had a talented yet eccentric former detective named Cat and it featured Jack, the Jack Russell, enough said!!!
November 10, 2022
I like the concept of a seaside town that is all about dog ownership. Dogs are welcomed everywhere. The main character is not into dogs, prefers cats and is named Cat. From there I wasn’t impressed. The writing style was weird for me. The main character talked to the readers. I don’t like that style. I didn’t care for the ending either.
July 6, 2023
Jack Russelled To Death
A wonderful fun book to read by author C.B. Wilson.
I loved the awesome characters, especially loved that Jack the Jack Russell Terrior is a part of the book. I love reading books with animals in them. A wonderful cozy mystery that I highly recommend reading...
A wonderful fun book to read by author C.B. Wilson.
I loved the awesome characters, especially loved that Jack the Jack Russell Terrior is a part of the book. I love reading books with animals in them. A wonderful cozy mystery that I highly recommend reading...
October 9, 2021
Jack Russelled to Death
A fast-paced introduction to a new series with an array of colorful and accentric characters being brought into one mystery and adventure after another. Acquire " Jack Russelled to Death " today so that you to can enjoy it as much as I have. 😀Kat
A fast-paced introduction to a new series with an array of colorful and accentric characters being brought into one mystery and adventure after another. Acquire " Jack Russelled to Death " today so that you to can enjoy it as much as I have. 😀Kat
Read
July 24, 2022Cat Wright is in the process of interviewing candidates for an assistant on her aunt's TV show, when she finds one applicant dead and another accused of murder. A very short story, a prequel to a series.
March 4, 2024
Short story....
Typical short storytelling. Nothing new. It'hard to comment when the story is so short and average. Nothing to write home about. More like a teenage story than anything for adults.
Typical short storytelling. Nothing new. It'hard to comment when the story is so short and average. Nothing to write home about. More like a teenage story than anything for adults.
November 6, 2025
Cat finds herself caught in the middle of a crime where the only witness is Jack, the victim’s dog.
Despite her initial aversion — after all, she’s always been a cat person — she soon realizes that Jack isn’t just a bystander, but a determined ally in uncovering the truth.
Despite her initial aversion — after all, she’s always been a cat person — she soon realizes that Jack isn’t just a bystander, but a determined ally in uncovering the truth.
September 11, 2021
I did not like this at all. As short as it was I struggled through this. Boring, hard to understand, boring, none of the characters really appealed to me, boring. Never had 38 pages seemed so long. And the mystery was.... boring. Boring.
September 19, 2021
Short fun cozy mystery
This was at times laugh out loud funny. Short, clean, cozy murder mystery. Serious dog lovers only! Laugh out loud
This was at times laugh out loud funny. Short, clean, cozy murder mystery. Serious dog lovers only! Laugh out loud
September 22, 2021
Jack Russell's detective mysteries
The author is a fantastic writer. C.B kepted me captivated and intrigued with the story. She is a fantastic writer
The author is a fantastic writer. C.B kepted me captivated and intrigued with the story. She is a fantastic writer
October 25, 2022
A mystery solved, one yet to be solved
The murder of a local woman and the theft of a diamond lead to a trip back in history. What did the dead woman uncover that got her killed?
The murder of a local woman and the theft of a diamond lead to a trip back in history. What did the dead woman uncover that got her killed?
May 25, 2023
Jack Russelled to Death
A disappointing read that didn't have much substance. Everything was over so quickly I wondered where the action was and had I missed something.
A disappointing read that didn't have much substance. Everything was over so quickly I wondered where the action was and had I missed something.
August 5, 2023
Great
Finally found the beginning of all the barkview mysteries in my kindle. All caught up and again awesome mystery series.
Finally found the beginning of all the barkview mysteries in my kindle. All caught up and again awesome mystery series.
August 10, 2023
A short read
An amusing little story featuring a Jack Russell dog, named Jack. A short story, but good characters and a town called Barkview , where the dog is king.
An amusing little story featuring a Jack Russell dog, named Jack. A short story, but good characters and a town called Barkview , where the dog is king.
November 24, 2023
A cute cozy mystery short story to start off a series. Looking forward to the book one of the series. Highly recommended.
February 20, 2025
Thanks to the author for giving me this short story. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. I will probably try the first book in the series anyway.
July 22, 2025
Read a lot from this author and I was not disappointed. Lots of twists and turns and very entertaining. Will be reading more from this series.
January 9, 2026
Cute cozy first in series. Engaging characters. Going to read them all.
April 6, 2022
Colorful characters headed by an amateur sleuth who doesn't care for dogs, but reluctantly cares for one when the owner is involved in a murder in the town of Barkview, America's dog friendliest city!
August 30, 2023
I hate reading this novella. It was very poorly written and could not tell you what even happened in the 50 pages I read. I will not be continuing this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews