Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Blog Tour: Paws for Murder by Annie Knox (Review and Giveaway!)


Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-Book (available also as paperback)

Publisher:
Obsidian Mystery

Release Date:
January 2014


After breaking up with her boyfriend, Izzy McHale goes home to Merryville, Minnesota where she opens a new store, Trendy Tails Pet Boutique. Along with her best friend, Rena, Izzy hopes her shop will be a huge success. Rena will make the tasty treats like pupcakes and kitty canapés, while Izzy designs canine and feline outfits. All is well until a local activist, Sherry Harper, shows up to protest.

Sherry is a trust-fund baby carrying a guinea pig in a sling like a baby.  Sherry is very much opposed to dressing animals in clothes. Izzy’s argument is that most people buy animal clothes from big market places that get their shipments overseas. Izzy creates the outfits herself and offers a local non-toxic alternative. Sherry isn’t buying it.

As everyone celebrates the grand opening of Trendy Tails Pet Boutique, Sherry protests and eventually is found dead in the alley outside. The prime suspect is Rena.  Izzy doesn’t intend to let her best friend go down for this murder. Rena hires a local attorney who happens to be a guy who loved Izzy when they were teens. Izzy blew him off then, but now she teams up with him to get Rena cleared of all charges. Of course, Sean and Izzy grow closer and old sparks start to rekindle, but their main concern is Rena and finding out who really killed Sherry. Much to their surprise, there is quite a long list of potential suspects.

The “A Pet Boutique Mystery” series gets off to a great start with this one. Dogs, cats, ferrets and even guinea pigs take center stage in this one. I was taken in on the first page as they discussed dressing animals in clothes. Not something I do, but it made for an interesting start to the story.

Izzy is a great character and I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. Sean, Rena…they are all fun characters, not to mention that Izzy has an entire family of fun characters.

I enjoyed the mix of mystery with romance in this one and can’t wait to see what happens with Izzy and Sean's potential relationship. I didn’t guess who the killer was until the last chapter, so that’s a good thing. The mystery weaved through the entire book to keep readers guessing until the end. Annie Knox did a great job of creating a fun mystery with great character. The next book isn’t out until September, but I’ll be looking for it. Great start to a fun series!




For reading challenges:

2014 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge
2014 ARC Reading Challenge
2014 E-Book Reading Challenge
Where are you reading? challenge (Minnesota)
Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies 2014
What an Animal Reading Challenge
2014 NetGalley Reading Challenge

FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Guest Post


Pets Rule

In our house, we occasionally joke that the cats need to get jobs and start earning their kibble. But the truth of the matter is that they already earn their keep every day. They make us laugh, they ease our stress, and they provide unconditional affection.

Am I giving the cats too much credit? I don’t think so.

There’s a growing body of scientific research demonstrating the amazing emotional benefits of having companion animals in our lives. Dogs are working with prisoners, the elderly, the chronically ill, veterans and students—all people living with considerable stress—and studies indicate that those dogs make a difference in the lives they touch. Cats, too, are providing comfort to people with depression and anxiety disorders, helping them cope with their emotions.

Our cats have definitely made a contribution to our happiness. When my husband was recovering from major surgery, Squeak-a-doodle provided the best kind of physical therapy. Together, my husband and Squeaky would make laps around the house, stopping at the end of each circuit for a quick petting session. Iphy, our old girl, has lost her hearing; she spends her evenings moving from lap to lap and gazing up at our faces with a look of complete contentment. You can’t help but feel loved when she’s staring at you!

The real stress relief champion in our house is Todd. Todd was a stray for at least a year before he joined us. One day, he wandered up on our porch with a big wound on his neck. We got him fixed up at the vet and planned to find him a new home, but he walked into our house, peed all over the basket of cat toys, jumped on our bed, rolled onto his back, and fell asleep. Clearly, he was already home.

Todd teaches us the art of relaxation every day. He conks out on his back, belly bared to the world, front paws tucked beneath his chin. He loves to have his belly scratched, and will roll over for a scritching without any real regard for the position of his body (he’s fallen of the couch more than once). When he snuggles, it’s a full contact snuggle. He’ll inch his way up your body until he’s nose-to-nose with you. And he loves everyone who walks through the front door. Our cuddle ninja, our snuggle pirate, our nap hero . . . he’s a living testament to the joy of loving with abandon.

Our pets enrich our lives in so many ways. That’s one reason I had such a great time writing about Izzy McHale’s dorky pug-bulldog mix Packer and her regal Norwegian forest cat Jinx. Throughout Paws for Murder, this dynamic duo contribute comfort, clues, and welcome comic relief. Throw in Rena Hamilton’s kleptomaniacal ferret Val, and you’ve got yourself a menagerie of fun.

I hope you get a chance to cuddle up with Packer, Jinx, and Val, and I hope they provide you with a fraction of the joy our real furry friends have to offer!

Author Bio


While Annie Knox does not commit--or solve--murders in real life, her love of animals is 100% real. She's also passionately devoted to 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. Annie, her husband, and their spoiled cats (Todd, Iphy, and Squeak-a-doodle) make their home in a small town in north Texas, just blocks from the town’s courthouse square.


BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

How would you like to win a copy of Paws for Murder by Annie Knox? Thanks to the Obsidian, I have one paperback to giveaway to one lucky winner.

Just a few simple rules...

1) You must fill out the form below.

2) US Residents Only

3) For an extra entry: Follow this blog

4) For an extra entry: Follow me on Twitter

5) For an extra entry: Follow me on Goodreads

6) For an extra 2 entries: Post this giveaway on your blog.

7) For an extra 2 entries: Tweet about this giveaway.

8) For an extra 2 entries: Like one of my reviews on Amazon.

9) For an exra 2 entries:  Leave a comment telling us if you ever dressed your pets up in costumes.

The giveaway begins on January 8th (midnight est) and ends on January 15th (midnight est).

The winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!




a Rafflecopter giveaway


25 comments:

  1. Yvonne, thank you for hosting this great giveaway! Paws for Murder sounds like a terrific cozy! I'll add this giveaway to my blog's sidebar.

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  2. I just love this guest post. :) This book sounds amazing!! I do not dress my kitties up in costumes. I want to, but I don't think they do LOL.

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  3. Yvonne, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. I'm thrilled that you liked the book and hope you'll like Groomed for Murder (#2 in the series) just as much!

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  4. I don't have any pets since I lost my dog.

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  5. I've never dressed my cats in costumes.

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  6. I could really use Paws For Murder for my Cozy Challenge and another challenge. Hope I win. Thanks for entering me.

    1dozenstars.gmail.com

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  7. No, I don't dress my cat in costumes. She would totally flip out.:)

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  8. I never dressed up the family dog when we were young and living at home. Thankfully my siblings never thought of the idea or the dog would have flipped out.

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  9. My dogs would never allow me dressing them up--they won't even allow a coat when it's terrible cold outside.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  10. I never dressed up the dogs and they would never accept it. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. LOL - I, too, have animals that would never wear people-type clothes. Some pooches and cats seem to dig it, but some will let you know loud and clear that they're not interested.

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  12. No, but I do go, "Awww," whenever we pass the pet outfits in stores.

    And while it's not a costume per se, we are getting one of our dogs a "thundershirt" (I think they are called) to help his nerves.

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  13. I just recently got adopted by kitten - Ravyn - around Halloween. I DID put Barbie witch hat on her
    My poodle was much more cooperative with outfits - show him the treat - take pic :)

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  14. no , i do not dress them up, I would never be able to get anything on them

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  15. I have a coat and sweater for my dog, but she doesn't like them much so I rarely put them on her.

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  16. I've thought about buying a winter sweater, but my husband would kill me if I dressed our dog in outfits. Thanks for having the giveaway.

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  17. I SO want to read this book!!! Oh and I love the cover.

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  18. I didn't answer the question... The Husky doesn't like to dress up. I've learned my lesson.

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  19. I don't have any pets right now. But if I did I wouldn't dress them up. Thanks for having this giveaway.

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  20. Solo (our dear departed toy poodle) had sweaters and coats. He had a red one he trifck or treated in on Halloweeen.

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  21. I don't have pets, but if I did, I would not dress them up.........

    thank you for the giveaway!!

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  22. I loved hearing about the author's cats, and this book sounds delightful! Thank you for the chance to win it.

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  23. In answer to the giveaway question: No, I don't dress my cats up. I learned that lesson the hard way, at age 8, when I tried to dress my cat in doll clothes. He didn't appreciate it, especially when I tried to stuff his tail down one leg of the pants. He scratched my arms up pretty badly. Since then, I leave cats their dignity and avoid the costumes.

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  24. Putting the bandana briefly on Smudge was as much dress up as I have done to my pets.

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