What do you think?
Rate this book
Mobile Groomer #1
A Dashie Discovery
Ex hairdresser Leslie Winters moves back home to Pecan, Texas after her good-for-nothing-high-school-sweetheart, and now ex-husband, left her for one of her clients.
Now she’s taken up grooming pets, since she thought they’d be easier to deal with than gossiping locals.
Living with her parents and working out of her dad’s old shed isn’t ideal, but as daddy always says, you gotta start somewhere.
While taking a pair of Pomeranians home, she’s shocked to find their owner, Mr. Williams, in his hot tub wearing nothing but a tiny swimsuit, his Stetson, and a bullet to the head!
Ready to solve the mystery?
Grab a Dashie Discovery, Book One in the Mobile Groomer Mysteries Series from author M. Alfano!
Now she’s taken up grooming pets, since she thought they’d be easier to deal with than gossiping locals.
Living with her parents and working out of her dad’s old shed isn’t ideal, but as daddy always says, you gotta start somewhere.
While taking a pair of Pomeranians home, she’s shocked to find their owner, Mr. Williams, in his hot tub wearing nothing but a tiny swimsuit, his Stetson, and a bullet to the head!
Ready to solve the mystery?
Grab a Dashie Discovery, Book One in the Mobile Groomer Mysteries Series from author M. Alfano!
174 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2022
280 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 26, 2021
Entertaining cozy mystery! This story was fun and Leslie is a sassy protagonist. There are quite a few editing mistakes, but the book is still easy to read and enjoy. The author writes like we speak in the south. I really liked all the animals! When the murderer gets mad at Leslie’s snooping and she’s threatened with violence, the detective on the case becomes protective of Les and there’s a spark of interest between them. Needless to say, I enjoyed the main characters and look forward to watching them grow in future stories.
March 2, 2022
Synopsis:
Hi, I’m Leslie Winters, and when I left Houston for my hometown of Pecan, Texas, I needed a do-over in a big way. So I set up shop in my dad’s old shed and took on clients less likely to run off with now-cheating exes.
My pet-grooming business turned out to be a pretty fun way to make ends meet… until I dropped off two tough Pomeranian clients at their home, and found their dead owner waiting for us.
Then local law enforcement finds me at the scene, and my dachshund finds the murder weapon right in front of them. Oh, boy!
Now I’m out to solve the crime before a certain dreamy detective tries to collar me for the crime. But someone is on my tail, and they’re making it clear they don’t want me to investigate.
After a few close shaves, I’m now more determined than ever to solve this case. Can I figure out whodunnit before I wind up in deep do-do or worse?
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Leslie came back to her hometown when her ex cheated on her. She is living with her parents and her Dacshund Bandit. She has a pet-grooming business that is doing pretty good. But when she goes to drop two of her clients, she finds the owner dead. She is considered a person of interest so she decides to find out who the real killer is.
The writing style did not flow as smoothly as it sometimes does.
The book could have used more editing. The author is very talented
in her descriptive writing and this made the book more enjoyable. The mystery is well plotted and it was not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a real crafted cozy mystery. I plan on reading the next book in the series.
Hi, I’m Leslie Winters, and when I left Houston for my hometown of Pecan, Texas, I needed a do-over in a big way. So I set up shop in my dad’s old shed and took on clients less likely to run off with now-cheating exes.
My pet-grooming business turned out to be a pretty fun way to make ends meet… until I dropped off two tough Pomeranian clients at their home, and found their dead owner waiting for us.
Then local law enforcement finds me at the scene, and my dachshund finds the murder weapon right in front of them. Oh, boy!
Now I’m out to solve the crime before a certain dreamy detective tries to collar me for the crime. But someone is on my tail, and they’re making it clear they don’t want me to investigate.
After a few close shaves, I’m now more determined than ever to solve this case. Can I figure out whodunnit before I wind up in deep do-do or worse?
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Leslie came back to her hometown when her ex cheated on her. She is living with her parents and her Dacshund Bandit. She has a pet-grooming business that is doing pretty good. But when she goes to drop two of her clients, she finds the owner dead. She is considered a person of interest so she decides to find out who the real killer is.
The writing style did not flow as smoothly as it sometimes does.
The book could have used more editing. The author is very talented
in her descriptive writing and this made the book more enjoyable. The mystery is well plotted and it was not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a real crafted cozy mystery. I plan on reading the next book in the series.
June 19, 2022
Super cute and entertaining. Perfect for cozy mystery readers.
December 28, 2021
Not bad, 3.5 stars
An easy-to-read writing style ensured a promising start of the book. But, the book didn’t manage to hold my interest throughout. I detected a slight awkwardness in some of the sentences. Sentences I had to read three times before understanding the meaning. That disrupted the flow for me. When I had to stop reading for a while and picked the book up again after a while, I struggled to get back into it. It had some delightful elements, it sure had! But it also had some elements that were a dime a dozen. Maybe I’ve been reading too many cozies back to back and I’m getting cozy-tired. This book did have the bad luck of being read after an exceptionally good book. Comparing isn’t really fair, I know, but I couldn’t help it. So although it was pleasant and enjoyable, it was also a bit generic. Leslie, well, I never fully bonded, but I think that when her character gets more developed, that would be better. Now I felt she was shy one moment and sassy the next. You see how I keep going back and forth between good and bad? That is how the whole book read, for me. I could never decide whether I liked it or not, and it fell somewhere in between in the end. But it wasn’t bad, it really wasn’t. Three and a half stars would be fair.
An easy-to-read writing style ensured a promising start of the book. But, the book didn’t manage to hold my interest throughout. I detected a slight awkwardness in some of the sentences. Sentences I had to read three times before understanding the meaning. That disrupted the flow for me. When I had to stop reading for a while and picked the book up again after a while, I struggled to get back into it. It had some delightful elements, it sure had! But it also had some elements that were a dime a dozen. Maybe I’ve been reading too many cozies back to back and I’m getting cozy-tired. This book did have the bad luck of being read after an exceptionally good book. Comparing isn’t really fair, I know, but I couldn’t help it. So although it was pleasant and enjoyable, it was also a bit generic. Leslie, well, I never fully bonded, but I think that when her character gets more developed, that would be better. Now I felt she was shy one moment and sassy the next. You see how I keep going back and forth between good and bad? That is how the whole book read, for me. I could never decide whether I liked it or not, and it fell somewhere in between in the end. But it wasn’t bad, it really wasn’t. Three and a half stars would be fair.
October 11, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It is a great start to a new series and one I will be keeping an eye out for. I liked how after a messy divorce the main character reinvents herself by taking up the unusual profession of dog groomer. I did think there might have been some funny situations involving her clients but other at the start she didn't have any clients, this did give her more time to investigate and get in trouble though. The characters are fun from the match making mum, to the best friend saddled down with kids and of course it has a loveable dog. The mystery was good with a number of suspects to keep you guessing and as she suspected everybody at one point or other you were never quite sure who it would turn out to be. It's a clean fun cozy mystery to keep you entertained for a few hours.
Leslie has moved back home after the end of her marriage. The small town isn't big enough to host two hairdressers, so she reinvents herself as a dog groomer in her father shed. Things are starting to pick up until she tried returning two pomeranians to there owner only to discover the husband naked and very dead in the hot tub. Finding dead people won't help her fledgling business and Leslie decides the detective in charge needs help investigating. The problem is somebody doesn't like her asking questions and she finds herself with a target in her back. Can she and her friends find the killer before she becomes the next victim?
I like the narrator. She has a pleasant voice that she used well to bring emotion, suspension and tension to the story.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Leslie has moved back home after the end of her marriage. The small town isn't big enough to host two hairdressers, so she reinvents herself as a dog groomer in her father shed. Things are starting to pick up until she tried returning two pomeranians to there owner only to discover the husband naked and very dead in the hot tub. Finding dead people won't help her fledgling business and Leslie decides the detective in charge needs help investigating. The problem is somebody doesn't like her asking questions and she finds herself with a target in her back. Can she and her friends find the killer before she becomes the next victim?
I like the narrator. She has a pleasant voice that she used well to bring emotion, suspension and tension to the story.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
June 11, 2025
Enjoyable cozy mystery. Main character is a twenty-something recently divorced hairdresser forced to move back in with her parents in a small Texas town. The town's too small to support another hairdresser so she starts a pet grooming business. Of course she finds the husband of one of her clients dead and, being a big fan of detective shows on TV, decides to investigate. Both she and her best friend, who joins her in the investigation, are likeable and amusing. I loved the southern small town flavor and dialog. The other characters were also fairly well drawn and likeable as well. The mystery itself was OK, nothing too difficult, but good enough that I didn't guess the killer. As others have mentioned, it could have used a good editor. There were numerous missing words and grammatical errors, but nothing that made it difficult to follow. One thing I did notice was that one character had a stun gun she ordered from Amazon that morning! I've heard of two day Prime service, but not two hours! But what the heck, the book was free and the first in a series, so what can you expect? I liked the characters and the amusing dialog enough that I am willing to give the next book in the series a try.
June 3, 2025
I guess this would be called a cozy mystery, inasmuch as it involved a young woman who has a pet grooming service who can't help herself when it comes to being compelled to solve a mystery. And she has a trusty sidekick, her little dog, that demands attention much of the time, but has a knack for showing up at the perfect time. The interaction between the two of them is cute.
The irony in this story is that Leslie is the person who finds a dead body and becomes truly wrapped up in solving the mystery of who shot the man. In pursuing every lead she ends up putting herself in danger. Thankfully there is a detective who is on the case and wants to protect her. Of course she won't back off no matter how many times he tells her to leave the crime solving to him. The back and forth between them gradually brings them closer together, and in the end things click for them.
Also in the end the case is solved, which is a bit of a surprise, but as with any mystery that only added to the suspense. Enjoy reading!
The irony in this story is that Leslie is the person who finds a dead body and becomes truly wrapped up in solving the mystery of who shot the man. In pursuing every lead she ends up putting herself in danger. Thankfully there is a detective who is on the case and wants to protect her. Of course she won't back off no matter how many times he tells her to leave the crime solving to him. The back and forth between them gradually brings them closer together, and in the end things click for them.
Also in the end the case is solved, which is a bit of a surprise, but as with any mystery that only added to the suspense. Enjoy reading!
October 16, 2022
A Dashie Discovery
A Mobile Groomer Mystery, Book 1
By: M. Alfano
Narrated by: Karen Commins
A cozy mystery was the best kind of listen to start my weekend. M Alfano starts her Mobile Groomer series with Leslie, recently divorced and in Pecan as she starts her new dog grooming business. When she goes to one of her clients' homes, she finds him floating in his hot tub. Now with her friend Sophia, we enjoy their small town sleuthing to find the real killer. And it's not only these two as they search for the truth! The local detective is as well, a little annoyed, but a lot attracted to Leslie and their flirty banter gives us total entertainment. Small town quirkiness, and lets not forget the dogs make this a fun listen!
Karen Commins keeps the laughs and suspects coming with her performance. So many characters and a voice for each one, she made me laugh and want to know who is guilty! I was impressed with her narration and will be watching for more.
A Mobile Groomer Mystery, Book 1
By: M. Alfano
Narrated by: Karen Commins
A cozy mystery was the best kind of listen to start my weekend. M Alfano starts her Mobile Groomer series with Leslie, recently divorced and in Pecan as she starts her new dog grooming business. When she goes to one of her clients' homes, she finds him floating in his hot tub. Now with her friend Sophia, we enjoy their small town sleuthing to find the real killer. And it's not only these two as they search for the truth! The local detective is as well, a little annoyed, but a lot attracted to Leslie and their flirty banter gives us total entertainment. Small town quirkiness, and lets not forget the dogs make this a fun listen!
Karen Commins keeps the laughs and suspects coming with her performance. So many characters and a voice for each one, she made me laugh and want to know who is guilty! I was impressed with her narration and will be watching for more.
October 19, 2022
~Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook copy of this book.~
I always like the MCs in cozy mysteries to have a reason to get involved. In this case she comes across the murder scene, but other than that it is just because moments after meeting the detective she decides she HAS to solve it. Just some sense she has. This is not a good reason. This just makes me think our MC is acting foolishly. So, not the best start.
Our MC is sympathetic and generally interesting.... if lacking in self esteem and at times careless.
I do feel like this is a mystery where you can follow along with the MCs logic in solving the crime. The dogs in the story are cute. It does hit all the typical cozy mystery beats, but if you are fans of the subgenre I don’t think that is a negative.
Karen Commins does an excellent job narrating. If you like the sample you should have no complaints.
I won’t be continuing the series as it doesn’t hit my preferred beats.
I always like the MCs in cozy mysteries to have a reason to get involved. In this case she comes across the murder scene, but other than that it is just because moments after meeting the detective she decides she HAS to solve it. Just some sense she has. This is not a good reason. This just makes me think our MC is acting foolishly. So, not the best start.
Our MC is sympathetic and generally interesting.... if lacking in self esteem and at times careless.
I do feel like this is a mystery where you can follow along with the MCs logic in solving the crime. The dogs in the story are cute. It does hit all the typical cozy mystery beats, but if you are fans of the subgenre I don’t think that is a negative.
Karen Commins does an excellent job narrating. If you like the sample you should have no complaints.
I won’t be continuing the series as it doesn’t hit my preferred beats.
January 1, 2022
I was over the moon to find another book featuring a main character with a cute li'l dachshund as her pet that tends to help in the mystery. I've always wanted to see a dachsie in that role, so thank you, M. Alfano! Dachsies love swiping things, so Bandit was sure the perfect name for this little guy.
I liked Sophia and Leslie sleuthing together. Sophia cracked me up sometimes especially at the end. I wasn't sure if Piper was already a friend or if she just got dragged into this since they needed an excuse to talk to her. But hey, the more the merrier with amateur sleuths, although Det. Adam wouldn't be thinking that! I hadn't guessed whodunit, and the showdown was excellent. I've already borrowed the second book in KU.
I liked Sophia and Leslie sleuthing together. Sophia cracked me up sometimes especially at the end. I wasn't sure if Piper was already a friend or if she just got dragged into this since they needed an excuse to talk to her. But hey, the more the merrier with amateur sleuths, although Det. Adam wouldn't be thinking that! I hadn't guessed whodunit, and the showdown was excellent. I've already borrowed the second book in KU.
June 27, 2024
Acquired Kindle edition when offered free on Amazon.
DNF at page 3 because of this:
. . . in my town of Pecan, Texas, on the west outskirts of Dallas toward Oklahoma. . .
Alfano, M. . A Dashie Discovery (The Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer Cozy Mysteries Book 1). Tule Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Honey, even I know that the west outskirts of Dallas kinda flow around Arlington and into the east outskirts of Fort Worth, and Oklahoma is roughly 200 miles due north of both of 'em.
The first three pages were poorly written, with bizarre sentence fragments that required my stopping to figure out how they really should have gone together to make sense. Since I wasn't getting paid to edit this mess, I just gave up.
DNF at page 3 because of this:
. . . in my town of Pecan, Texas, on the west outskirts of Dallas toward Oklahoma. . .
Alfano, M. . A Dashie Discovery (The Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer Cozy Mysteries Book 1). Tule Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Honey, even I know that the west outskirts of Dallas kinda flow around Arlington and into the east outskirts of Fort Worth, and Oklahoma is roughly 200 miles due north of both of 'em.
The first three pages were poorly written, with bizarre sentence fragments that required my stopping to figure out how they really should have gone together to make sense. Since I wasn't getting paid to edit this mess, I just gave up.
April 6, 2022
This book was a classic cozy mystery with a female protagonist who has a cheating ex-husband and enjoys solving mysteries, has a dachshund, an interfering mother, a detective who makes her feel giddy, and a friend who bakes for a living. Though very formulaic, the story was still an enjoyable read and quite funny at times. The characters were fun and interesting and I did enjoy the relationship between the protagonist and her best friend. The writing style was easy and moved along for the most part. The best part of the story was Bandit, her dachshund. What a hoot.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
April 9, 2022
Leslie, a hairdresser in the past, moves back to small town Pecan Grove and in with her parents after a divorce from a cheating husband. But there are plenty of hairdressers in town, so she opens a dog-grooming business instead in her father’s shed. After grooming two feisty poms, she delivers them home and finds the husband dead in the hot tub! She found him, so she has to investigate, right? She gets her friends to help her, but someone is warning her to stay away, aside from the handsome detective from Dallas. A fun and action packed short story to read. I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Books and write this review voluntarily.
January 10, 2022
A young divorced woman, forced to move back in with her parents in her small Texas hometown and work from their garage as a dog groomer, is first on the scene of a murder. Together with her two best friends and her tiny dachshund, Bandit, Leslie sets out to solve the case, much to the chagrin of the Dallas P.D. Lieutenant assigned to the case. Chaos ensues.
“A Dashie Discovery” is full of great quirky characters and small town charm. I received a free copy of this book for my honest voluntary review. I enjoyed the visit to Pecan, Texas and all of the action.
“A Dashie Discovery” is full of great quirky characters and small town charm. I received a free copy of this book for my honest voluntary review. I enjoyed the visit to Pecan, Texas and all of the action.
January 10, 2022
This is the first book I've read by this author. Leslie was likable as were Sophia and Piper. I never truly understood if Piper was really a friend or just needed for this story. Adam appears competent but he never really was given the chance to prove it. It had the potential to be 5 stars but I felt something was lacking. The characters needed more development but I'm hoping that happens as the series progresses. All in all, it was an enjoyable story.
April 19, 2022
Leslie Winters has returned to her hometown of Pecan, Texas and has opened a dog grooming shop after her divorce. Upon returning two Pomeranians to their owners home, she discovers the husband, Billy Williams floating face down in the hot tub. In my spite of being warned not to investigate, Leslie and her friend Sophia start asking questions. Can they unmask the killer before the new Detective Adam Waltz?
I am voluntarily reviewing this book after receiving it free from Hidden Gems.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book after receiving it free from Hidden Gems.
October 21, 2024
Cute cozy mystery set in Pecan, Texas. The book features Leslie Winters who has returned to her hometown after a divorce. Her ex was cheating on her and got another woman pregnant. She is a dog groomer with a small shop set up on her parents land. She discovers a dead body and it prompts her to try and solve the mystery with her trusty dog Dashie and best friend Sophia. The detective sent in from Dallas is constantly having to rescue her. A great book I recommend.
April 10, 2022
A Dashie Discovery is a very cute, charming, cozy mystery. I like the small town of Pecan, Texas, Leslie and her friends - especially Bandit. This book is a lot of fun to read. All the crime shows have turned everyone into want-to-be P.I.s. Leslie rattles some cages and pays the price. There are several twist before the true villain is revealed. I could not put it down!
June 27, 2024
The combination of spelling errors, missing words, and a main character who has a glob of mayonnaise where her brain should be made this book a train wreck from beginning to end. This is a kindle freebie that reads like a first draft that hasn't made it to the editor yet because how in the world can someone miss all the mistakes.
June 1, 2025
This is a fun story with a cuteness overload. The characters are quirky, the romance budding, and the danger as real as it gets in a cozy mystery, The plot is straightforward and the premise is finding out who killed the ranch owner and why. The answers may have been stumbled on, and guns pointed, but the end is a good one with a developing romance. I do recommend this cozy.
June 17, 2025
Cute cozy that is a stand-alone
Leslie moves back to her small hometown after her divorce. She theater murdered victim and meets handsome Detective Waltz from Dallas where. sparks fly between them. Leslie figures since she's local she might be able to solve the murder with her cohort of friends. Cute cozy, even though I guessed the murderer.
Leslie moves back to her small hometown after her divorce. She theater murdered victim and meets handsome Detective Waltz from Dallas where. sparks fly between them. Leslie figures since she's local she might be able to solve the murder with her cohort of friends. Cute cozy, even though I guessed the murderer.
July 22, 2025
This is a harmless and pleasant read. I claims to be a "cozy nystery" and that's exactly what it is. I enjoyed it as a break from heavier reading. It was a free download and the only problem was typos but they were likely the fault of the edition. There is murder of course but it's not gruesome and the characters are pleasant. I'm finidnd the whole genre likeable.
April 28, 2022
Mobile Groomer 1 Review
This book read like an unedited draft. Too many mistakes to warrant reading a second installment. Why don't authors have their books edited anymore? Nobody is perfect after all.
This book read like an unedited draft. Too many mistakes to warrant reading a second installment. Why don't authors have their books edited anymore? Nobody is perfect after all.
October 5, 2022
I enjoyed this cozy mystery audiobook of amateur sleuths Lesley Winters and her best friend, Sophia as they unravel a murder in their little town. The book is quirky with zany characters. Narrator Karen Commins did a great job with the voices.
August 1, 2024
Cute and satisfying!
Loved the mystery that kept me in the dark till the very last page! The characters were so humane with realistic worries and mistakes that made them believable. Quick read, perfect for a hot summer day!
Loved the mystery that kept me in the dark till the very last page! The characters were so humane with realistic worries and mistakes that made them believable. Quick read, perfect for a hot summer day!
November 12, 2024
Great book
I like this book. I like reading books with dogs in them and Bandit was always doing something cra,y but in the end it was good. This book had great characters and a lot of laughs.
I like this book. I like reading books with dogs in them and Bandit was always doing something cra,y but in the end it was good. This book had great characters and a lot of laughs.
July 24, 2025
Love stories with dogs in them
the star of this book is bandit. A cute little dashhound that protects mama.
Leslie and Sophie try their hand in sleuthing with lots of goofy stuff happening.
the star of this book is bandit. A cute little dashhound that protects mama.
Leslie and Sophie try their hand in sleuthing with lots of goofy stuff happening.
December 24, 2021
Dog detective
First time reading a book by this author but already have the next book in the series to read. It was a really good cozy mystery read
First time reading a book by this author but already have the next book in the series to read. It was a really good cozy mystery read
January 3, 2022
Very interesting murder mystery with fun characters and lots of guessing.
January 6, 2022
Cure
This was a fun and lighthearted read. I am looking forward to reading more by this author. If you are looking for a cute cozy, this is it!
This was a fun and lighthearted read. I am looking forward to reading more by this author. If you are looking for a cute cozy, this is it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews