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Shady Hollow #3
Mirror Lake
A MURDER TO SOLVE. A REPORTER ON THE TRAIL.
IS THIS A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?
Keen journalist Vera Vixen is recovering from the Harvest Festival (and its bounty of local cheeses, cider and pies) when the calm is shattered by a scream from one of the small town's grandest houses. Dorothy Springfield, a rat with a reputation for eccentricity, claims her husband - who is standing right next to her - has been murdered. Has Dorothy finally lost her grip on reality? Or is the rat who claims to be Edward an imposter? Vera's fox nose scents a story. And it's not long before the discovery of a body, minus the head, complicates things further . . .
IS THIS A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?
Keen journalist Vera Vixen is recovering from the Harvest Festival (and its bounty of local cheeses, cider and pies) when the calm is shattered by a scream from one of the small town's grandest houses. Dorothy Springfield, a rat with a reputation for eccentricity, claims her husband - who is standing right next to her - has been murdered. Has Dorothy finally lost her grip on reality? Or is the rat who claims to be Edward an imposter? Vera's fox nose scents a story. And it's not long before the discovery of a body, minus the head, complicates things further . . .
220 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
246 people are currently reading
10329 people want to read
About the author
Juneau Black
11 books1,164 followersJoint pseudonym of Elizabeth Cole and Sharon Nagel. For works of these authors written under their own or other names, search also under: Cole, Elizabeth (Author of romance fiction) or Nagel, Sharon, 1966-
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October 27, 2025nothing better than being back in shady hollow with little miss nosey, Vera Vixen! i love these books so much, but don’t expect them to change your life😂 they’re short, sweet, atmospheric, and just really fun to escape into during the fall and winter months.
no *official* rating because a 3 feels too low, but just trust me! i know so many of yall have started this series because i won’t stop talking about them and now is the perfect time to read them 🥰
no *official* rating because a 3 feels too low, but just trust me! i know so many of yall have started this series because i won’t stop talking about them and now is the perfect time to read them 🥰
April 27, 2022
i’m just here for the vibes
April 28, 2022
Shady Hollow #3
3.5 rounded up
It's mid October in Shady Hollow and there's a glorious blaze of colour surrounding the annual Harvest Festival. All the occupants of the usually peaceful place are there and they greet Vera Vixen the local reporter and Deputy Orville Braun as they wend their way around. Something catches Orville's eye and he then takes them all by surprise by announcing his candidacy for Chief in the upcoming elections. The following day a terrified scream pierces the air around Mirror Lake, which turns out to be the rat, Dorothy Springfield who claims her husband Edward has been murdered. How can this be? He's standing right in front of her. Vera's interest is most definitely piqued and that can only mean one thing .... an investigation and she makes some startling discoveries.
I have really enjoyed this trilogy with its creative take on cozy mysteries that oddly works so well that you forget the characters are woodland creatures! Vera is my firm favourite but all of them have their own brand of charm even Lefty whose bungled attempts at thieving make you want to suggest he goes straight! We also get to finally meet the much talked about author Bradley Marvel who fancies himself as a Lothario. This time we have some more shady characters in Shady Hollow and some very shady doings which aren't that hard to figure out but there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. As ever, Vera is dogged ( or should that be vulpine?) in pursuing the truth.
The storytelling is colourful, it's very well described using all the senses and theres humour although it never achieves the laugh out loud of book one. The dialogue is clever and witty with some delightful touches such as 'wingmail' which makes me smile!
Overall, this is a fun, entertaining quick read with the added bonus of a sugar rush and caffeine boost courtesy of Vera!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
3.5 rounded up
It's mid October in Shady Hollow and there's a glorious blaze of colour surrounding the annual Harvest Festival. All the occupants of the usually peaceful place are there and they greet Vera Vixen the local reporter and Deputy Orville Braun as they wend their way around. Something catches Orville's eye and he then takes them all by surprise by announcing his candidacy for Chief in the upcoming elections. The following day a terrified scream pierces the air around Mirror Lake, which turns out to be the rat, Dorothy Springfield who claims her husband Edward has been murdered. How can this be? He's standing right in front of her. Vera's interest is most definitely piqued and that can only mean one thing .... an investigation and she makes some startling discoveries.
I have really enjoyed this trilogy with its creative take on cozy mysteries that oddly works so well that you forget the characters are woodland creatures! Vera is my firm favourite but all of them have their own brand of charm even Lefty whose bungled attempts at thieving make you want to suggest he goes straight! We also get to finally meet the much talked about author Bradley Marvel who fancies himself as a Lothario. This time we have some more shady characters in Shady Hollow and some very shady doings which aren't that hard to figure out but there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. As ever, Vera is dogged ( or should that be vulpine?) in pursuing the truth.
The storytelling is colourful, it's very well described using all the senses and theres humour although it never achieves the laugh out loud of book one. The dialogue is clever and witty with some delightful touches such as 'wingmail' which makes me smile!
Overall, this is a fun, entertaining quick read with the added bonus of a sugar rush and caffeine boost courtesy of Vera!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 30, 2025
4.5 stars
my favorite in the series by far! at first i thought this was going to lean supernatural because “mirror lake” and that would’ve been fun but i understand that maybe would’ve been too much for people considering this already as anthropomorphic animals. the mystery was obvious yes but i just found this one so fun (and quick). i do fear im going to get tired of this series soon though.
my favorite in the series by far! at first i thought this was going to lean supernatural because “mirror lake” and that would’ve been fun but i understand that maybe would’ve been too much for people considering this already as anthropomorphic animals. the mystery was obvious yes but i just found this one so fun (and quick). i do fear im going to get tired of this series soon though.
July 16, 2023
I love Shady Hollow! This was fairly predictable but I so enjoy the charming setting and characters, I didn't mind at all. This is just too adorably cozy and I look forward to the next time I get to stop by.
Vera's sleuthing in the matter of a wife adamant that her husband is dead as he's seemingly right next to her for all to see was fun and introduced a nearby community to Shady Hollow, Mirror Lake. Orville, the town deputy and Vera's beau decided he'd had enough of his superior's slackerdom and threw his hat in the ring to run for Sherriff. Joe of Joe's Mug has rolled out the pumpkin pie and cinnamon coffee. That's right, it's autumn and election season! I'd usually save such a read for autumn, but I just wanted to dive into this now. My summer-themed reads are waiting for me but I'm just not quite in the mood for them. Hopefully the mood will strike before I run out of summer. Anyway, I could see the colourful leaves, smell the seasonal food and feel the crisp air. Lovely. This was just what I was looking for in a cozy read and am very glad I got around to reading this series. I hope it goes on for a while.
Recommended.
Vera's sleuthing in the matter of a wife adamant that her husband is dead as he's seemingly right next to her for all to see was fun and introduced a nearby community to Shady Hollow, Mirror Lake. Orville, the town deputy and Vera's beau decided he'd had enough of his superior's slackerdom and threw his hat in the ring to run for Sherriff. Joe of Joe's Mug has rolled out the pumpkin pie and cinnamon coffee. That's right, it's autumn and election season! I'd usually save such a read for autumn, but I just wanted to dive into this now. My summer-themed reads are waiting for me but I'm just not quite in the mood for them. Hopefully the mood will strike before I run out of summer. Anyway, I could see the colourful leaves, smell the seasonal food and feel the crisp air. Lovely. This was just what I was looking for in a cozy read and am very glad I got around to reading this series. I hope it goes on for a while.
Recommended.
October 15, 2025
I love these books so much! They are short and sweet but also the coziest. I definitely recommend listening to the audiobooks 🥰
July 7, 2024
I just love this series! This is book #3 in the Shady Hollow series and I absolutely adore these cozy mystery books.
This is the perfect series to read while cuddling up with a blanket by the fire drinking tea. I will literally keep reading these books as long as Juneau Black keeps writing them!!
This is the perfect series to read while cuddling up with a blanket by the fire drinking tea. I will literally keep reading these books as long as Juneau Black keeps writing them!!
October 10, 2020
Mirror Lake is basically the book version of curling up with a mug of tea under a perfectly fuzzy blanket on a crisp fall day.
Vera is clever and a joy to follow, and I loved the unique murder mystery story line and the creatures of Shady Hollow. I started with this, the third book in the series, but will definitely go back and read the first two.
Vera is clever and a joy to follow, and I loved the unique murder mystery story line and the creatures of Shady Hollow. I started with this, the third book in the series, but will definitely go back and read the first two.
June 13, 2023
3.25
Let me ask one question before saying anything else: Why does Shady Hollow have a police force? Why? The only one doing the job properly is Vera, who isn't working for the police. Orville is dismissing reports and ignoring clues while Vera is the one doing actual investigative work. And Meade isn't even worth talking about, because he isn't even present half of the time, despite being chief.
I said it previously and I'll say it again - I also think Vera shouldn't be dating Orville. He isn't treating her with due respect and always belittling her and telling her to keep her nose out of things even though she is better at his job than he is.
Regarding the plot - it wasn't hard to guess what the mystery was, but regardless, I enjoyed it as I don't read this series because I'd like to unveil complex mysteries, but to enjoy the impeccable Shady Hollow atmosphere! The descriptions of nature, the autumnal season and several beverages and food are just comfy.
Let me ask one question before saying anything else: Why does Shady Hollow have a police force? Why? The only one doing the job properly is Vera, who isn't working for the police. Orville is dismissing reports and ignoring clues while Vera is the one doing actual investigative work. And Meade isn't even worth talking about, because he isn't even present half of the time, despite being chief.
I said it previously and I'll say it again - I also think Vera shouldn't be dating Orville. He isn't treating her with due respect and always belittling her and telling her to keep her nose out of things even though she is better at his job than he is.
Regarding the plot - it wasn't hard to guess what the mystery was, but regardless, I enjoyed it as I don't read this series because I'd like to unveil complex mysteries, but to enjoy the impeccable Shady Hollow atmosphere! The descriptions of nature, the autumnal season and several beverages and food are just comfy.
November 10, 2024
Loved this just as much as the previous installment . So excited for the next installment .
Content ; PG
*Gay couple run the Shady Hollow B&B , they are side characters in the story who if you aren't really paying attention you wouldn't notice.
*Language , which kind of surprised me there wasn't any in the 2nd book or the first
*Occult references - a creature " smudges " burns sage to " cleanse " the room ,( briefly mentioned ) , the same creature also held a seance , and believes in Astrology. These are all briefly mentioned . I was irritated that the author's chose to add this ,but it didn't make reading uncomfortable.
* Violence - blood stains on the floor mentioned , and decapitation is talked about after a body is found , though there are no gory details .
Content ; PG
*Gay couple run the Shady Hollow B&B , they are side characters in the story who if you aren't really paying attention you wouldn't notice.
*Language , which kind of surprised me there wasn't any in the 2nd book or the first
*Occult references - a creature " smudges " burns sage to " cleanse " the room ,( briefly mentioned ) , the same creature also held a seance , and believes in Astrology. These are all briefly mentioned . I was irritated that the author's chose to add this ,but it didn't make reading uncomfortable.
* Violence - blood stains on the floor mentioned , and decapitation is talked about after a body is found , though there are no gory details .
October 15, 2022
No mystery here. 🤷♀️but I still read it anyway? Kinda fun but more like a bowl of popcorn or a bag of candy than an actual meal if you know what I mean. I don’t think I’ll read more books by this author, even if this was cute and overall I live the idea of the characters and town. It’s just a bit too bland altogether.
July 8, 2023
it felt like some parts talked in circles, and i definitely prefer reading these books audibly, but it was still a cute cozy time
August 22, 2022
They forgot to add anything to the story to distract from the extremely obviously ending.
Read
August 6, 2025👎
I wish these weren’t mysteries and were instead just slice of life books, because the murder mystery is the weakest part of all of these.
Three books in and the murderer is so blatantly obvious in each one that it becomes more about just waiting for the protagonist to put all of the obvious pieces together to figure it out, which can become exhausting after a while.
Maybe if the killer was revealed upfront, it would work better, but having the characters experience these “Aha!” moments about things that were obvious from page 20 starts to feel childish. I’m a complete moron, but if you are actually surprised by any of these reveals in this series…yikes.
Aside from the murder mystery, the slice of life and vibes are what make this book. Having minor characters popping up here and there can be fun.
Overall, I’ll keep reading for now, but the mystery part of this series is becoming a painful drag.
I wish these weren’t mysteries and were instead just slice of life books, because the murder mystery is the weakest part of all of these.
Three books in and the murderer is so blatantly obvious in each one that it becomes more about just waiting for the protagonist to put all of the obvious pieces together to figure it out, which can become exhausting after a while.
Maybe if the killer was revealed upfront, it would work better, but having the characters experience these “Aha!” moments about things that were obvious from page 20 starts to feel childish. I’m a complete moron, but if you are actually surprised by any of these reveals in this series…yikes.
Aside from the murder mystery, the slice of life and vibes are what make this book. Having minor characters popping up here and there can be fun.
Overall, I’ll keep reading for now, but the mystery part of this series is becoming a painful drag.
October 5, 2025
I am loving this little series and how cute these mysteries are but fill this book lacked the spunk as the first 2 books did but still enjoyed!
September 8, 2024
This is probably a 4.5. I just love this third book in the Shady Hollow series. The audio is great, except for the voice of Lenore, the raven who runs the bookshop.
July 24, 2022
Shady Hollow series by Juneau Black
Storyline: 2.0
Characters: 2.25
Writing Style: 2.00
Though this was supposed to be a series of murder mysteries, the only true mystery was what age group this series is targeting. The storyline appears to be middle school to young adult, but the vocabulary tends to be higher Y.A. to adult.
The books follow Vera Vixen, a fox, who is a reporter for the local newspaper in the eclectic village of Shady Hollow as she investigates different murders that occur in the sleepy little town. The main characters, all animals living together blissfully, include her boss, a skunk, the police department that consists of two bears, a beaver family that runs a lumber mill, the main industry of the city, a moose who owns the local diner and the bookstore owner a raven. There are other minor characters included a thieving raccoon. Stereotype much?
I came into this series thinking it would be more on the line of Watership Downs, or full of whimsy. I was wrong. I was expecting some depth, reflection of society or a light whimsical fun piece of fluff. It was neither. There was no depth to the story and the whimsy, if it could even be called that, was weak if even existent. The jokes and play on words were weak and fell flat. The “mysteries”, which I use that term VERY loosely, that were supposed to be the vehicles for these stories were so obvious they were pointless. Almost immediately the killer was so apparent and recognizable even the most incompetent sleuth would be able to figure it out quickly. Not so for the characters in Shady Hollow. There have never in my experience been a more opaque, dense and clueless group as Vera and friends when investigating these crimes. Mr. Obvious was screaming who the culprit was but it fell on deaf ears as far as this community was concerned. It is surprising they could even function on their own how oblivious they were to the obvious. The motives and the perpetrators were so grossly apparent that even the most incompetent investigator would have uncovered it almost immediately. In fact, everything in the story, including the “romance” were so obvious and telegraphed there was no suspense or anything to keep the reader engaged.
This series lacked substance and depth. It was more obsessed with relating the coffee consumption of Vera and company than it was about developing the characters or storyline.
I do not know what the authors were striving for with this series, but it was an epic fail to me and I could not recommend it. The only positive I can give this story is the concept could have been interesting if the execution had been better.
Storyline: 2.0
Characters: 2.25
Writing Style: 2.00
Though this was supposed to be a series of murder mysteries, the only true mystery was what age group this series is targeting. The storyline appears to be middle school to young adult, but the vocabulary tends to be higher Y.A. to adult.
The books follow Vera Vixen, a fox, who is a reporter for the local newspaper in the eclectic village of Shady Hollow as she investigates different murders that occur in the sleepy little town. The main characters, all animals living together blissfully, include her boss, a skunk, the police department that consists of two bears, a beaver family that runs a lumber mill, the main industry of the city, a moose who owns the local diner and the bookstore owner a raven. There are other minor characters included a thieving raccoon. Stereotype much?
I came into this series thinking it would be more on the line of Watership Downs, or full of whimsy. I was wrong. I was expecting some depth, reflection of society or a light whimsical fun piece of fluff. It was neither. There was no depth to the story and the whimsy, if it could even be called that, was weak if even existent. The jokes and play on words were weak and fell flat. The “mysteries”, which I use that term VERY loosely, that were supposed to be the vehicles for these stories were so obvious they were pointless. Almost immediately the killer was so apparent and recognizable even the most incompetent sleuth would be able to figure it out quickly. Not so for the characters in Shady Hollow. There have never in my experience been a more opaque, dense and clueless group as Vera and friends when investigating these crimes. Mr. Obvious was screaming who the culprit was but it fell on deaf ears as far as this community was concerned. It is surprising they could even function on their own how oblivious they were to the obvious. The motives and the perpetrators were so grossly apparent that even the most incompetent investigator would have uncovered it almost immediately. In fact, everything in the story, including the “romance” were so obvious and telegraphed there was no suspense or anything to keep the reader engaged.
This series lacked substance and depth. It was more obsessed with relating the coffee consumption of Vera and company than it was about developing the characters or storyline.
I do not know what the authors were striving for with this series, but it was an epic fail to me and I could not recommend it. The only positive I can give this story is the concept could have been interesting if the execution had been better.
June 22, 2022
3.5 stars.
The books in this series are definitely cozies. Vera Vixen solves crimes, whose perpetrators I can see from the outset, and she's got relationship troubles with Orville, deputy sheriff, and her best friend Lenore owns a bookshop. Vera drinks loads of coffee, enjoys sweet treats at her local cafe, and everyone is pretty much really nice.
Vera gets involved in a murder investigation after a woman accuses her husband of being dead, even though he's apparently very much alive. Also, Orville decides to run for Sheriff. So the outcomes of both storylines was not really in question, but Vera is just so nice to hang out with, and of course she figures things out, and Orville wins the election, so all in all, a nice, relaxing read.
The books in this series are definitely cozies. Vera Vixen solves crimes, whose perpetrators I can see from the outset, and she's got relationship troubles with Orville, deputy sheriff, and her best friend Lenore owns a bookshop. Vera drinks loads of coffee, enjoys sweet treats at her local cafe, and everyone is pretty much really nice.
Vera gets involved in a murder investigation after a woman accuses her husband of being dead, even though he's apparently very much alive. Also, Orville decides to run for Sheriff. So the outcomes of both storylines was not really in question, but Vera is just so nice to hang out with, and of course she figures things out, and Orville wins the election, so all in all, a nice, relaxing read.
December 20, 2022
I liked this book, but I thought it was very unnecessary for the authors to have a gay couple in the book. It didn't make sense that in the first two books they had no LGBTQIA characters but then in the third randomly have a gay couple. It's like they had them in the book just to say they had a LGBTQIA character in their book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2023
Another delightful mystery in the community of Shady Hollow. Oops, no. Make that in nearby Mirror Lake.
January 4, 2025
COZY. I love this series. Can’t wait for the next.
February 5, 2025
cutest series ever
June 20, 2022
i’m very sad that I’ve already finished the books that are out within the series because reading the series truly has felt like a hug, these are definitely going to be my new comfort books. I love the woodland creatures and the cozy little murder mysteries that this series brings. I loved the storyline and I loved reading how the mystery unfolded, the twist and turns in this book were so good and so unexpected. I cannot wait to read the next one when it comes out, i’ll miss shady hollow until then.
November 4, 2022
I saw a major twist coming but still it was such an atmospheric and cozy read. Had a real lovely time listening to it.
December 16, 2024
Love the cozy vibes and this series always makes me feel so smart because I guess the ending 30% of the way through!
April 29, 2022
Originally published at Reading Reality
And we’re back in the very cozy, slightly twee village of Shady Hollow for one more bloody (as in there’s actual dripping blood) mystery among this (mostly) charming group of people who just happen to be animals.
Don’t let that bit fool you. All stories are about people – even if they claim they’re not. Because people are all we know how to be – and we’re the ones writing the story.
Adora Springfield is dead – but this isn’t about her. Except when it is. Adora was, all things considered, adored by pretty much everyone in Shady Hollow and the neighboring, even smaller community of Mirror Lake. She lived a long life and contributed a lot to both communities. She’ll be mourned and she’ll be missed. And she left an estate worth killing for, tied up in an estate-planning tangle that is going to require both a lawyer and an investigative journalist to unravel.
Chief of Police Theodore Meade is a deadbeat. Not exactly, as he’s earning a decent salary as the leader of Shady Hollow’s two-bear police department. But he’s not doing the job. At all. Pretty much ever. He’s too “busy” fishing, leaving all the policing in town to his deputy-bear Orville Braun.
And Orville is pretty much sick of doing all the work and not being sure whether or not he’s getting any of the credit.
The case and the campaign both revolve – one clockwise and one anti-clockwise – around the person of investigative reporter and fox-about-town Vera Vixen. As a reporter for the local newspaper, the death of one of the town’s leading lights and the first contested campaign for Police Chief in years are both juicy stories that Vera is itching to dig her way into and write all about.
But Orville and Vera are romantically involved, even as they butt heads over pretty much every case. She can’t cover his campaign – no matter how much her boss wants her to use her “inside track” to get the real scoop. Her boss is GREAT at selling newspapers but LOUSY at journalistic ethics.
It’s Vera’s search for a bit of legal cover to protect her job with that leads her into the Springfield case. A case that Orville – and the rest of the town – refuse to see as a real case at all.
Dorothy Springfield, known to all and sundry as “Dotty” for her occasional flakiness, has returned from tending to her now-late mother-in-law and taking care of the funeral arrangements to cause a very public scene by claiming that her husband is NOT her husband. That her real husband is dead and whoever this rat (literally, the Springfields are the wealthiest rats in town) may look like her beloved Edward but he is absolutely NOT her Edward.
Everyone is certain that Dotty is just being dotty again. Vera has doubts. Initially little ones, as Dotty’s reputation has definitely preceded her – but doubts that are worth digging into because they’ll make an excellent story.
A story that nearly gets Vera killed. Again.
Escape Rating B+: This was not the book I originally planned to finish the week with, but that one (Last Exit) turned out to be a bit more book than I had time to chew at the end of this week. (I’m listening to the audio and it’s good but it’s also longer than I thought. The best laid plans of mice, men and book reviewers and all that.)
So I returned to Shady Hollow for one more lovely if murderous time. And it turned out to be a charming way to finish out the week.
On its surface, Mirror Lake is a typical cozy mystery set in a typical if somewhat twee small town. That all the people are animals adds to its charm for me, but may add to its twee-ness for others. YMMV but I like visiting the place.
The two cases are the bread and butter of this kind of story. A minor conflict between the townsfolk, a case of everyone in town knowing everyone else’s business and maintaining their assumptions about the people they know so well, and a twisty little bit of murder, with an amateur sleuth in the middle of entirely too many things for probability to have any bearing whatsoever.
(I always think that Cabot Cove and Midsummer County must have such a ridiculously high homicide rate that newcomers would stay far, far, away – but they never do.)
Series like Shady Hollow, whether featuring humans or animals-as-humans, are more about the town and its inhabitants than it is about the murders that take place. Which is a good thing in Mirror Lake as I figured out whodunnit long before the big reveal at the end.
The fun in the story is watching it all work itself out. Vera is both determined and dogged (whatever her species might be), but she’s also compassionate and caring and has invested herself thoroughly in her new home of Shady Hollow. As an amateur investigator, operating mostly on her own, she’s also very much a “fools rush in” type, putting herself in extreme danger in every book because she tends to figure out whodunnit by poking her nose into the killer’s business without being aware that she’s THAT close to the solution.
Which makes following Vera a lot of fun as she drops into Joe’s Mug for life-giving coffee, consults her best friend, bookstore owner Lenore for advice and crime-solving hints, and flirts and fights with her bearish beau whenever they both have a break between cases.
Unfortunately, this is the last – so far, at least – full length novel in the Shady Hollow series. There’s one very short novella, Evergreen Chase, left to go. It’s a holiday story, so I think I’ll save it for when fall starts to nip the air. Or whenever I need a bit of Vera’s animal magnetism.
And we’re back in the very cozy, slightly twee village of Shady Hollow for one more bloody (as in there’s actual dripping blood) mystery among this (mostly) charming group of people who just happen to be animals.
Don’t let that bit fool you. All stories are about people – even if they claim they’re not. Because people are all we know how to be – and we’re the ones writing the story.
Adora Springfield is dead – but this isn’t about her. Except when it is. Adora was, all things considered, adored by pretty much everyone in Shady Hollow and the neighboring, even smaller community of Mirror Lake. She lived a long life and contributed a lot to both communities. She’ll be mourned and she’ll be missed. And she left an estate worth killing for, tied up in an estate-planning tangle that is going to require both a lawyer and an investigative journalist to unravel.
Chief of Police Theodore Meade is a deadbeat. Not exactly, as he’s earning a decent salary as the leader of Shady Hollow’s two-bear police department. But he’s not doing the job. At all. Pretty much ever. He’s too “busy” fishing, leaving all the policing in town to his deputy-bear Orville Braun.
And Orville is pretty much sick of doing all the work and not being sure whether or not he’s getting any of the credit.
The case and the campaign both revolve – one clockwise and one anti-clockwise – around the person of investigative reporter and fox-about-town Vera Vixen. As a reporter for the local newspaper, the death of one of the town’s leading lights and the first contested campaign for Police Chief in years are both juicy stories that Vera is itching to dig her way into and write all about.
But Orville and Vera are romantically involved, even as they butt heads over pretty much every case. She can’t cover his campaign – no matter how much her boss wants her to use her “inside track” to get the real scoop. Her boss is GREAT at selling newspapers but LOUSY at journalistic ethics.
It’s Vera’s search for a bit of legal cover to protect her job with that leads her into the Springfield case. A case that Orville – and the rest of the town – refuse to see as a real case at all.
Dorothy Springfield, known to all and sundry as “Dotty” for her occasional flakiness, has returned from tending to her now-late mother-in-law and taking care of the funeral arrangements to cause a very public scene by claiming that her husband is NOT her husband. That her real husband is dead and whoever this rat (literally, the Springfields are the wealthiest rats in town) may look like her beloved Edward but he is absolutely NOT her Edward.
Everyone is certain that Dotty is just being dotty again. Vera has doubts. Initially little ones, as Dotty’s reputation has definitely preceded her – but doubts that are worth digging into because they’ll make an excellent story.
A story that nearly gets Vera killed. Again.
Escape Rating B+: This was not the book I originally planned to finish the week with, but that one (Last Exit) turned out to be a bit more book than I had time to chew at the end of this week. (I’m listening to the audio and it’s good but it’s also longer than I thought. The best laid plans of mice, men and book reviewers and all that.)
So I returned to Shady Hollow for one more lovely if murderous time. And it turned out to be a charming way to finish out the week.
On its surface, Mirror Lake is a typical cozy mystery set in a typical if somewhat twee small town. That all the people are animals adds to its charm for me, but may add to its twee-ness for others. YMMV but I like visiting the place.
The two cases are the bread and butter of this kind of story. A minor conflict between the townsfolk, a case of everyone in town knowing everyone else’s business and maintaining their assumptions about the people they know so well, and a twisty little bit of murder, with an amateur sleuth in the middle of entirely too many things for probability to have any bearing whatsoever.
(I always think that Cabot Cove and Midsummer County must have such a ridiculously high homicide rate that newcomers would stay far, far, away – but they never do.)
Series like Shady Hollow, whether featuring humans or animals-as-humans, are more about the town and its inhabitants than it is about the murders that take place. Which is a good thing in Mirror Lake as I figured out whodunnit long before the big reveal at the end.
The fun in the story is watching it all work itself out. Vera is both determined and dogged (whatever her species might be), but she’s also compassionate and caring and has invested herself thoroughly in her new home of Shady Hollow. As an amateur investigator, operating mostly on her own, she’s also very much a “fools rush in” type, putting herself in extreme danger in every book because she tends to figure out whodunnit by poking her nose into the killer’s business without being aware that she’s THAT close to the solution.
Which makes following Vera a lot of fun as she drops into Joe’s Mug for life-giving coffee, consults her best friend, bookstore owner Lenore for advice and crime-solving hints, and flirts and fights with her bearish beau whenever they both have a break between cases.
Unfortunately, this is the last – so far, at least – full length novel in the Shady Hollow series. There’s one very short novella, Evergreen Chase, left to go. It’s a holiday story, so I think I’ll save it for when fall starts to nip the air. Or whenever I need a bit of Vera’s animal magnetism.
October 7, 2025
Cute as always. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one because it was like we knew what was going on the whole time but had to work backwards to prove it. Lots of nice fall vibes
November 17, 2024
Lefty is my favorite and I like that this thieving raccoon gets developed beyond the type cast in this book. Otherwise, I could have done without the town election. It’s too soon to be reading about even fictional woodland politics.
May 12, 2022
*gobble gobble gobble* that's me eating these books UP
July 3, 2023
How are a bear and a fox going to—never mind…!
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