Bicycles, Barking & Murder

Dickens & Christie #6

by Kathy Manos Penn

A major cycling event. A high-profile murder. Can the Little Old Ladies’ Detective Agency stop a killer from riding away scot-free?

Leta Parker’s fit-and-fifty reinvention in the Cotswolds continues rolling along fabulously. Happy among her new friends and talking dog and cat, the sharp-minded expat is delighted to learn the prestigious Tour of Britain will pedal through the quaint village next year. But everyone’s excitement quickly crashes when the news is accompanied by a dead body.

Unconvinced when the police park the crime as a random act of violence, Leta teams up again with the Little Old Ladies’ Detective Agency to push the investigation into high gear. But with those who knew the victim remaining tight-lipped, the silver-haired sleuths could be stuck in the peloton as a callous killer sprints away.

Can the whip-smart women gain ground on a murderer before the trail goes cold?

Bicycles, Barking & Murder is the sixth book in the delightful Dickens & Christie cozy mystery series. If you like shrewd seniors, charming British locations, and a dash of darn-good humor, then you’ll love Kathy Manos Penn’s race to the felonious finish.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2022

About the author

Kathy Manos Penn lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia with her husband and her four-legged office assistants. When she dreamed of retiring from corporate America, she envisioned indulging in her favorite pastimes—reading, traveling, and writing columns for her local paper. Taking her bucket list trip to England was a top priority.

A second career as an author was never part of the plan—until someone uttered the fateful words, “You should write a cozy mystery.”

Twelve books later, readers can’t get enough of the Dickens & Christie mystery series. Kathy adheres to the adage to write what you know and populates her mysteries with well-read, witty senior women, a loyal dog, and a sassy cat.

Her two four-legged office assistants inspire the personalities of Dickens & Christie. Why is Dickens a fiend for belly rubs? Because Kathy’s real-life dog is. The same goes for Christie’s finicky eating habits and penchant for lolling on top of the desk or in the file drawer. She gets it from the calico cat who rules the roost.

How does Kathy describe her life? “I’m living a dream I never knew I had.”

Book I in the series, Bells, Tails & Murder, won a 2020 Readers’ Favorite Gold Award, and Pets, Pens & Murder, Book VII, garnered a 2023 Georgia Author of the Year nomination.

Reviews

[Laura]

Any sort of sporting event brings with it a sense of competition, boasting, envy, and high tensions.
When the great bicycling tour will be passing through the area, a fair-like festival is arranged to make the best of things and perhaps garner some appreciated tourist dollars.
One of the best things about this festival is that animals are welcomed. Dickens (and friends) brings much levity to all areas of this book and series. While I do talk to my animal companions, I wish I could understand them as well as Leta does.

A book signing is also arranged to be part of the bicycle tour. The book, however, does more than celebrate the history of races and winners. When a murder occurs, and main cop Gemma's boss arrives, the LOL (Little Old Ladies) are more welcome than in the past to nose around and help solve the case.

Wonderful world building, fantastic likable characters, and a good mystery will keep you turning the pages. There are funny moments keeping it from being too dark.
A hint of romance that does not overshadow the mystery aspect.
You can read this as a stand alone and be satisfied, but I bet you'll want to visit again.

[Darla Taylor]

It's Autumn in the Cotswolds and there's a cycling festival. It's a fun weekend until someone is killed. Leta and the Little Old Ladies decide to look into the death themselves.

I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. The book was well-written with wonderful characters and a fantastic plot. I was drawn into this fun story from the start and kept hooked until the finish. The mystery will keep you on your toes and guessing throughout. Kathy keeps this series fresh with each book being a fantastic read. I'm very eager for the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.

[JACKIE K]

The newest entry in the always excellent Dickens & Christie series is set against the background of the professional cycling tour and the real life shocking doping scandal that descimated the career of American, Lance Armstrong. When Rupert Prince comes to Astonbury, to promote the Tour of Britain, events are set in motion, not only reuniting childhood friends, but also stirring up the controversy. For the fans of disgraced former local resident and cyclist, William Lancer, Rupert’s book, Doping & Dashed Dreams, which examines the lasting effect on the lives of those involved, is extremely unpopular. When Rupert’s body is found in the parking lot of a local pub after a celebratory dinner, Leta Parker and the Little Old Ladies’ Detective Agency are hired to find out what really happened.

The beautiful and historic Cotswold area is home for Leta and the gang and I love that location. The mystery of Rupert’s demise is a complex puzzle and putting together the pieces is quite challenging. Leta’s secret talking assistants, Dickens and Christie, once again bring their unique furry perspective to the case and provide valuable insights, I enjoyed every minute. Kathy Manos Penn never disappoints and she gives her readers helpful references including a cast of characters, books mentioned in the story and recipes, all of which I really appreciate. I am already eagerly anticipating the next in the series. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Monica]

One of my favorite series and always a pleasure to visit the Cotswolds and all of the wonderful people there. Old childhood friends of Peter’s return and tragedy strikes. Leta and the Little Old Ladies’ Detectives assist the police and we see Gemma mellowing to them. DI Jake is a nice addition and would be wonderful to see him stay around. All around great story and moves along quickly. All of the characters and their warm friendships really make this a special series. The visiting characters, Cindy, Gerald and Kristen were such a great addition as well and I would love to see them in future stories. Dickens is the big hero and I love the surprise ending with Dave. Can’t wait to read the next book.

[Dwayne Keller]

Welcome back to Cotswolds. Of course there is a murder, and Leta and the Little Old Ladies Club investigate. This is a fun mystery with great developed characters, include Dickens and Christie. You will enjoy catching up with old friends and following the team as they look for clues and solve the murder.

[Kim]

Penn did it again. A wonderful addition to the series. Leta, Dickens, Christie, Little Old Ladies Detective Agency, and others uncover hidden relationships and unspoken love as they work together to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Peter’s childhood friend.
Although it is the sixth in the series, it can read this story.

[Rebecca]

Another terrific entry in the series with the relationships front and center, especially focusing on prioritizing the essentials and not wasting opportunities to deepen connections. We should treasure our relationships and be grateful for who and what fill our lives with joy and express that gratitude often to those we love. I highly recommend this book, this series and this author as a source of joy in my life.
Although it was my pleasure to receive this ARC from the author, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.

[Helen Drake]

Reading this cozy mystery series set in small town in England reminds me of having a relaxed afternoon at an English tea house. The characters remind me of ones in an updated Agatha Christie novel. In fact most of the members of the “Little Old Ladies” detectives have Christie character nicknames. The main and most of the secondary characters are likable and relatable and feel like people I would enjoy knowing.

The mystery was well developed with a few possible suspects. I appreciated that the story made a good case for the murderer and it didn’t come out of left field.

The story revolves around cycling and cycling races, especially the Tour of England, with a few mentions of the Tour de France. The ramifications of doping in cycling was a key theme.

I have really enjoyed reading the last two books in this series and I need to go back and read the earlier books.

[Sarka B]

It is the 6th book in my favourite Dickens and Christie serie. It is time for cycling festival in this book but another murder occurs and Little Old Ladies Agency is helping to solve it. The book is well written and the mystery is interesting. I will continue to read this serie.

[Christmas Angel]

A charming story of Aleta who can communicate with animals. Set in the beautiful Cotswold's, she is an American ex-pat and widowed. She is helpful, devoted and savvy. A meet and greet is due so open the book and transport yourself to a welcoming village that will keep you on your toes every day of the week. A definite must read. Highly Recommended.

[M. A.]

I enjoyed the new book so well that I have purchased the first 3 books in the series to find out how it all starts.

[Patty Murray]

Lovely story

This was one I really didn’t want to put down and didn’t want to end. Off to get the next “installment!”

[Kris]

This is my first book of this series and I enjoyed it so much I bought the box set of books 1-3 so I could read some more of it nonstop. Ms. Penn has created a delightful community of friends that makes you want to move right into the neighborhood. The plot moves along at a good pace with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Of course, it goes without saying, the real stars of the book are Dickens and Christie! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read a good whodunnit. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of this series.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

[Renee]

This is the sixth book in a series. Of course the main cast of characters are consistent with prior books in the series. You don’t have to read this series in order to enjoy the full effect of it.

This book does reference a past book but I don’t believe that would throw a reader from enjoying it. If they are new to this set of stories, they would want to go back to the prior ones and enjoy the earlier works of this author.

The main plot for this one is there is a major bicycle event passing through the Cotswolds. The event kicks off with a past cyclist coming to the village and performing a reading and autograph party for a book he has written concerning the filthy secrets of the cycling world.

The Little Old Ladies’ Detective Agency is hired to solve a major crime and then the plot thickens like a great stew.

I highly recommend this if you enjoy a lovely cozy that has a great cast of characters. Oh I don’t mean to forget that two of the main characters are a cat and a dog. Christie and Dickens wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t bring that to light, after all they help solve the mystery.

Pick up this book and enjoy an afternoon read with Letta Parker, Christie, Dickens and all of the other characters in this quaint English village. I always enjoy my visits to the Cotswolds and can’t wait to visit again in the near future.

[June Price]

Picking up this book is like returning home. I've grown to love not just main character Leta as the series has progressed but her home and those about her. That, of course, includes Christie the cat and Dickens the dog. As always, they are an important part of the story. The plot revolves around the death of Rupert, a seemingly well liked man involved in promoting bicycling in Britain. He's come to Cotswold for an associated event and a book signing. He winds up dead in the parking lot of a local pub.

There are several suspects and Leta and the LOL (Little Old Ladies) Detective group set out to solve the case. In the process we encounter some new characters as well as the regulars. It's also always fun to see Christie and Dickens being the cat and dog they are even if Leta has the ability to understand and talk to them. Oddly enough, that ability doesn't come off as odd at all, just part and parcel of who Leta is. Not only is there a case to solve, romance seems to be in the air for not just Leta and soon-to-arrive boyfriend Dave but for Gemma and Jake, an investigator she met in the previous book. Given the comfortable, family feel of this series, that is a welcome turn. Of course, Dave still lives in America, so there is that little complication.

In any case, I won't detail the plot as you can read a summary just about anywhere books are sold. If you like cozy mysteries with people you'd like to know, furry critters to not only keep you on your toes but warm your lap, and a well-constructed plot, this book should delight you as much as it did me. While I'm sure you'd get some of the subtle nuances better if you have read past books, it's a winner as a stand-alone. So, give your furry friends a scratch, grab a warm beverage, tea is the usual in Cotswold, and curl up with "Bicycles, Barking, and Murder". You won't be disappointed.

[Katie Wills]

If you like cozy animal mysteries, check out the Dickens and Christie Mystery Series. Bicycles, Barking, and Murder is Book Six of this wonderful cozy animal mystery series featuring a savvy, attractive American widow who moves to Astonbury, a charming, fictional village in the Cotswolds. I’ve read them all and am hooked!

When I turn to the next Dickens and Christie Mystery, I feel as though I am visiting the Cotswolds again, always delightful. Best of all, I’m revisiting the main character, Leta, who (in my mind) has become my very good friend, and her very special fur babies, Dickens and Christie. I feel a part of the Little Old Ladies’ Detective Agency (The LOL) which is made up of Leta’s smart and fun friends.

Book Six of the series features a bicycling tour and festival and another mystery and murder; of course, the LOL are hired to solve the mystery. As always, Penn includes a handy list of characters, references to the books she mentions in the novel, and the recipe for one of Leta's signature dishes.

The books in the series are always well written and the plots are fresh and entertaining. Penn reveals the doping scandals of professional cycling in her latest in the series. Trying to figure out the murderer kept me quite entertained. Recommended!!

[Nikki]

Love this cosy mystery series set in the Cotswolds, with Dickens, the dog, and Christie, the cat, whose owner understands them.

Leta, an American, moved from the USA to the Cotswolds after her husband died. She's part of the LOLs, the Little Old Ladies Detective Agency, an informal group of 4 women who seem to get themselves caught up in solving murders. Dickens and Christie moved with Leta and are part of the LOLs, too. They provide many humorous parts of the books.

In this book, a friend of Peter's, the brother of an LOL, is found dead. Leta and her friends are asked by Peter to find the killer. Will they do so before one of them finds themselves in danger, again!

What I like is that the book references other books in the story, and they're listed at the end so they can be found if the reader wants. There's often a recipe detailed, too.

The booksxare standalone stories, but the books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and bigger story.

[Aprilleigh]

Fascinating treatment of the doping issue in sports, in this case bicycling, wrapped around another murder mystery. Leta's friend Peter hires the LOLs after his childhood friend is found dead next to his car at the local pub, over the suspiciously weak objections of Gemma, the local PI (weak in comparison to earlier volumes at least). This volume also includes progression for several of the series regulars, including some of the furry ones. So nice when an author allows their characters to grow and develop, even when the development has the potential to be destabilizing.

This story takes place in town, so the locals are fairly involved in things to various extents, and of course the bulk of the story stays in town, as well. Mention is made of famous doping cases that ruined careers (Lance Armstrong, for example), but rather than taking an accusatory, self-righteous tone, the story takes a more even-handed sympathetic take on the pressures that lead athletes to make the decision that eventually ruins them.

[Sue Ellen]

I'm not sure why, but this one didn't hold my interest as much as previous books. Maybe I'm reading them too close together. Or maybe I hate it that David is moving to England. I want them to grow further apart, not closer together. I don't like him. I like Peter. Dear author! If you are reading my review, and I really hope you aren't, do something to make David more likeable. He's just so bloody BORING! And I hate it that regular characters keep ending up being the killers. First the sheepherder and now the pub-keeper? I want it to be strangers, not villagers. And finally stop sending the Dowager Countess off on vacations. She's one of my favorite characters. I missed her! OK, I've picked enough nits—and I still love the series. It's frustrating that the changes to the individual Goodreads book pages mean I can no longer read what other people have said about the books. Am I the only one who is team Peter? I'll never know until I get a newer computer.

[PAR]

Bicycles, Barking & Murder is the sixth book in the delightful Dickens & Christie cozy mystery series. If you like shrewd seniors, charming British locations, and a dash of darn-good humor, then you’ll love Kathy Manos Penn’s race to the felonious finish. This book drew me in from the very first page and I admit I had a very difficult time putting it down. The plot was very well developed and had a very nice twists hidden within that the author unraveled throughout the story. This is a brilliant read! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This novel has strong, well developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. I recommend this novel and would read more novels by this author. I received this novel through BookFunnel. This is my true and honest review.

[Debbie Napier]

The best sleuths on 4 paws!

I am definitely a fan of this series. But I can also say I find them well-written, highly entertaining, and I usually learn something about life in Britain that I didn't know before. I also admit to being slightly jealous, living there or in Scotland have always been on my bucket-list.

The characters are delightful and educated. Being a fellow book lover really endears them to me.

Keep writing more Kathy!!

[Steve Thomas]

A harrowing tale

In this volume Leta meets a bunch of interesting characters. Her listening skills go a long way to solving mysteries. This is a well crafted story. I am of the habit of marking errors on my Kindle when I notice them and then sending the list to the author if possible. In this volume I noticed zero errors, typos or otherwise. The same is true for other volumes in the series. Well done!

[Robyn]

British bicycle touring

Rupert and his group come to town to to celebrate the Tour British and his book on Bicycle and Doping. Rupert's there to talk about his book and sign autographs. Rupert grew up Peter and Gavin right there in Cotswold and were fast friends as kids. After a night of celebrating Rupert is found dead in the pub's parking lot. Peter hires Leta and the LOL to look into Rupert's murder. The LOL ladies have their work cut out for them. Good story.

[Michelle]

Fun, light read.

When a visiting author is found dead outside his vehicle at the pub, Leta and the lol’s look into what happened. However, the grater part of sleuthing is actually in Gemma’s lap. And, when Leta gets injured, it’s not due to Leta putting herself in a dangerous situation…well, at least not on purpose. 😂

I needed this lighter read after the heavier ones I just read. It felt alike a palate cleanser.

[Kav]

I cannot resist a series with a dog and cat who can actually communicate with their special person. :-) I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it, especially when the canine and feline personalties are so well written. And the excellent narrator (Alex Picard) captures those personalities perfectly. Such a fun series to listen to! Stellar mystery plot, a close knit friendship bonded together through sleuthing and the Cotswolds setting makes for a great escape!

[Sheila Crawshaw]

Consistently fun

Kathy Manos Penn are always interesting and fun to read. I have a love of the English countryside having visited several times, I love cats and mysteries! These stories make me feel like I'm almost there myself. Reading is also my favorite thing to do, I retired from teaching and care for my mother now, Kathy Manos Penn's books hit it home for me.

[Joy Oakley]

I love this series of books. The talking duo of a cat and dog and their demanding behaviour has me laughing out loud. Add in a cosy mystery set in the Cotswolds a beautiful area I’m very familiar with and you can’t go wrong. Can’t wait for the next in the series although you don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one.

[Elizabeth Madden]

Barking good book

Kathy, you’ve done it again! I’ve loved every book in the series and they just keep getting more intriguing. Never a dull moment for the LOL’s. I was blown away by Dave’s decision and everyone needs to read Bicycles, Barking & Murder to see what I didn’t see coming. Can’t wait for book 7. Libby

[Mary]

I love Leta and the Little Old Ladies Detective Agency, as well as Christie and Dickens. This book was a wonderful fast-paced read with an enjoyable mystery and entertaining characters. I always feel as if I am visiting old friends when I read a book in this series. I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion

[Lisa L. Spetch]

Couldn't put the book down!

I enjoyed this book and quite literally couldn't put it down. The characters are well defined and the story moved quickly from start to finish. Can't wait for the next book in the series.