Genre:
Cozy Mystery
Format:
Paperback
Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime
Release Date:
December 2013
After losing her job in Washington, D.C., Holly Miller gets a panicked phone call from her grandmother’s best friend. She is needed at the family inn in Wagtail, Virginia immediately. Holly doesn’t have a chance to pack and has no choice but to borrow her boyfriend, Ben’s car to make the six hour drive. Her boyfriend stays in D.C. for business reasons, not to mention his ex-girlfriend is occupying his time.
It’s been a long time since Holly was at the Sugar Maple Inn, but she’d do anything for her grandmother. She makes the drive in the pouring rain and is immediately adopted by a Jack Russell terrier. She seems to have been abandoned in a gas station and she promptly makes a mess of Ben’s very clean car, but Holly falls in love with her and names her Trixie.
When Holly finally arrives in Wagtail, she discovers that the small town has been converted to a vacation spot for both pets and their owners. The restaurants not only bring a meal to the owners, but a similar one for their pets as well. So, Holly’s new friend fits right in, not to mention that she’s also adopted by a kitty named Twinkletoes.
It may be a small town, but they have some big town problems. Holly learns that one of her grandmother’s employees has been killed. Her grandmother is obviously keeping secrets and she wonders if perhaps her grandmother was the intended target. When Holly’s dog goes missing and another townsperson is murdered, she is determined to find out exactly what’s going on in her quiet hometown.
What a fun story! A whole town devoted to pets. I’d love to vacation there! This is the first of a new series, “A Paws & Claws Mystery” and it’s perfect for animal lovers. Krista Davis knows how to write a mystery, that’s for sure! She keeps readers guessing throughout the story and creates likeable characters, with a few not so likeable ones tossed in to give us the perfect story. I can’t wait for the second book to come out. Write fast, Krista!
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
For Reading Challenge:
2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge? (Virginia)
Socrates’ Book Review Blog and Socrates’ Cozy Café would like to welcome author Krista Davis to our cozy corner of the cyber world. Krista is the author of two different cozy mystery series – Domestic Diva Mysteries and the upcoming Paws and Claws Mysteries.
My interrogation…um…interview begins…
1. Who is the greatest influence in your writing career?
Sometimes people look back to their childhoods to answer this question. In all honesty, at this point, I would have to say that it’s my editor, Sandra Harding. I have learned so much from her. Not just about writing but about the business of publishing. She has had a huge impact on me in so many ways!
2. As a child, did you read mysteries?
You bet! Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys. Agatha Christie, even Edgar Allen Poe and Sir Conan Doyle. I always gravitated to mysteries. I think I would have taken a Nancy Drew over candy any day!
3. Do you have any favorite authors or books to recommend?
You’re going to get me in trouble! I have so many friends who write that I don’t dare name anyone! I will say that I like all kinds of mysteries, but especially cozies. There are cozies for all interests and they’re such fun!
4. How did it feel when you first found out you were going to be published?
That’s actually a sad story. I live close to Virginia Tech. I got the call from my agent on the day of the massacre there. We had been glued to the TV set all morning, watching police swarming places we knew so well. The death toll kept going up and up. We were just sick. That afternoon, my agent called with the good news. After ten years of writing and rejections, it finally happened, but all I could think was how could something good possibly happen to me on that day of tragedy when so many wonderful lives had been cut short?
The next morning, my mother called me and asked, “Did I understand you right? You sold a book?”
It was all so crazy that she thought she had dreamed that part.
5. How long does it take for you to write a book?
I would like to say nine months to a year. But now that I’m writing two series, I’m having to learn to write faster!
6. How do you keep two different mystery series with two different casts of
characters going at once? Does it get confusing?
I was afraid it might be confusing but honestly, it’s not. It helps that the characters and the locations are different. The locations set me straight, I think. I sort of put myself into the mindset of a particular location and that keeps me on track.
7. Do you have a favorite book or character of the ones you have written?
Another tough question! I’m particularly fond of THE DIVA DIGS UP THE DIRT and MURDER, SHE BARKED. They both have somewhat intricate plots that were fun to write.
8. Your new series involve animals, do you have any of your own?
Oh my, yes! I have a seventeen-year-old Ocicat, named Mochie, just like the Ocicat in the diva mysteries. My other cat is a nosy calico who inspired the character of Twinkletoes in the new series.
Trixie, the Jack Russell Terrier in MURDER, SHE BARKED is based on my little Jack Russell. I also have a Golden Retriever, who isn’t golden (she’s a redhead) and won’t retrieve. But my youngest dog, Baron, who was recently adopted, makes up for it because he loves to retrieve. He’s a mostly black mix with brown eyebrows and socks. I’m convinced that he’s mostly black lab.
9. Do you know how many books will be in each of your series?
One never knows exactly, because it depends on sales. I can tell you for sure that there will be at least two more diva mysteries (and hopefully more after that), and two more Paws & Claws mysteries. If they sell well, there will be more!
10. What upcoming books can we look forward to seeing from you?
MURDER, SHE BARKED, the first book in the Paws & Claws Mysteries will debut December 3rd. The next Domestic Diva Mystery is called THE DIVA WRAPS IT UP and will be out on June 3rd.
Thank you so much, Krista, for taking the time to visit with us.
How would you like to win a copy of Murder, She Barked by Krista Davis? Thanks to the author, I have two paperback copies to giveaway to two lucky winners.
Just a few simple rules...
1) You must fill out the form below.
2) US Residents Only
3) For one entry: Leave a comment for the author.
4) For an extra entry: Follow this blog
5) For an extra entry: Follow me on Twitter
6) For an extra entry: Follow me on Goodreads
7) For an extra 2 entries: Post this giveaway on your blog.
8) For an extra 2 entries: Tweet about this giveaway.
The giveaway begins on November 26th (midnight est) and ends on December 3rd(midnight est).
The winners will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.
Good luck!
For Reading Challenge:
2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge? (Virginia)
Author Interview
Socrates’ Book Review Blog and Socrates’ Cozy Café would like to welcome author Krista Davis to our cozy corner of the cyber world. Krista is the author of two different cozy mystery series – Domestic Diva Mysteries and the upcoming Paws and Claws Mysteries.
My interrogation…um…interview begins…
1. Who is the greatest influence in your writing career?
Sometimes people look back to their childhoods to answer this question. In all honesty, at this point, I would have to say that it’s my editor, Sandra Harding. I have learned so much from her. Not just about writing but about the business of publishing. She has had a huge impact on me in so many ways!
2. As a child, did you read mysteries?
You bet! Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys. Agatha Christie, even Edgar Allen Poe and Sir Conan Doyle. I always gravitated to mysteries. I think I would have taken a Nancy Drew over candy any day!
3. Do you have any favorite authors or books to recommend?
You’re going to get me in trouble! I have so many friends who write that I don’t dare name anyone! I will say that I like all kinds of mysteries, but especially cozies. There are cozies for all interests and they’re such fun!
4. How did it feel when you first found out you were going to be published?
That’s actually a sad story. I live close to Virginia Tech. I got the call from my agent on the day of the massacre there. We had been glued to the TV set all morning, watching police swarming places we knew so well. The death toll kept going up and up. We were just sick. That afternoon, my agent called with the good news. After ten years of writing and rejections, it finally happened, but all I could think was how could something good possibly happen to me on that day of tragedy when so many wonderful lives had been cut short?
The next morning, my mother called me and asked, “Did I understand you right? You sold a book?”
It was all so crazy that she thought she had dreamed that part.
5. How long does it take for you to write a book?
I would like to say nine months to a year. But now that I’m writing two series, I’m having to learn to write faster!
6. How do you keep two different mystery series with two different casts of
characters going at once? Does it get confusing?
I was afraid it might be confusing but honestly, it’s not. It helps that the characters and the locations are different. The locations set me straight, I think. I sort of put myself into the mindset of a particular location and that keeps me on track.
7. Do you have a favorite book or character of the ones you have written?
Another tough question! I’m particularly fond of THE DIVA DIGS UP THE DIRT and MURDER, SHE BARKED. They both have somewhat intricate plots that were fun to write.
8. Your new series involve animals, do you have any of your own?
Oh my, yes! I have a seventeen-year-old Ocicat, named Mochie, just like the Ocicat in the diva mysteries. My other cat is a nosy calico who inspired the character of Twinkletoes in the new series.
Trixie, the Jack Russell Terrier in MURDER, SHE BARKED is based on my little Jack Russell. I also have a Golden Retriever, who isn’t golden (she’s a redhead) and won’t retrieve. But my youngest dog, Baron, who was recently adopted, makes up for it because he loves to retrieve. He’s a mostly black mix with brown eyebrows and socks. I’m convinced that he’s mostly black lab.
9. Do you know how many books will be in each of your series?
One never knows exactly, because it depends on sales. I can tell you for sure that there will be at least two more diva mysteries (and hopefully more after that), and two more Paws & Claws mysteries. If they sell well, there will be more!
10. What upcoming books can we look forward to seeing from you?
MURDER, SHE BARKED, the first book in the Paws & Claws Mysteries will debut December 3rd. The next Domestic Diva Mystery is called THE DIVA WRAPS IT UP and will be out on June 3rd.
Thank you so much, Krista, for taking the time to visit with us.
BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!
How would you like to win a copy of Murder, She Barked by Krista Davis? Thanks to the author, I have two paperback copies to giveaway to two lucky winners.
Just a few simple rules...
1) You must fill out the form below.
2) US Residents Only
3) For one entry: Leave a comment for the author.
4) For an extra entry: Follow this blog
5) For an extra entry: Follow me on Twitter
6) For an extra entry: Follow me on Goodreads
7) For an extra 2 entries: Post this giveaway on your blog.
8) For an extra 2 entries: Tweet about this giveaway.
The giveaway begins on November 26th (midnight est) and ends on December 3rd(midnight est).
The winners will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.
Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi Krista,
ReplyDeleteI love the premise of this new series and can't wait to read it. I also think it's going to make the Times list.
Sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteHello, Krista! This series sounds like something I'd love. Jack Russells are so naughty!!! I had two growing-up: Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby! I now have a Westie baby named Bonnie Blue Butler!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this giveaway! We have a little dog who's Chihuahua and possibly Jack Russell Terrier. I'll add it this giveaway to my blog's sidebar.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 cats and 2 dogs--I'm officially an animal nut---so I'm anxiously waiting to read this animal based cozy series.
ReplyDeleteA city geared toward pets does sound fun! Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletemtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Sounds like a great fun read. What a great idea the author had for this book and the series. I would definitely enjoy reading it. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com
I've always heard that Jack Russell Terriers make good pets - that they're loving, fun, and in general give lots of pleasure. True?
ReplyDeleteThis new series sounds like it will be a very enjoyable read.
A captivating and special book that would be enjoyed for its cute characters. love cats and dogs. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI loved the interview and the book sounds right up my alley. I'm sorry you got the news about being published on the day of the VA Tech shootings, though. I remember that day well. I knew several families with students there at the time, kids I know and like. It was nerve-wracking waiting to hear that they were all OK, and heartbreaking to think about the families who would not get that reassuring phone call.
ReplyDeletei have this series on my WishList!!
ReplyDeletecannot wait to start it!!
thank you for the giveaway!!!
This does sound like a fun mystery series. Great post and giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThis series sounds wonderful. I love mysteries with animals.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview and getting to know more about you.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great series! I cant wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteI have a 17 year old cat and I am delighted about this new series. Animal related cozies are my absolute favorite. I adore your writing .
ReplyDeleteI love the cover and I'm looking forward to reading this series~
ReplyDeleteThis one does sound very cute...I always love cozies....
ReplyDelete