Death by Dog Show (Creature Comforts #1) by Arlene Kay

Death by Dog Show (Creature Comforts #1) Reviews

• 
  Carrie

  Death by Dog Show by Arlene Kay is the first book in the A Creature Comforts Mystery series. Unfortunately for me this is also one of those books I walked away from scratching my head and wondering what did I just read? By all appearances I thought this one would be a cozy mystery but when finished I’m hesitant to label it as such. The content in here was a bit too centered around the sexual nature for a cozy really, you are not normally constantly hearing about who is with who and who wants to with who in that genre.
  
  So forgetting about labeling this one I still had several issues with just the story itself, the characters and the writing. It is extremely rare for me to not like a cozy to some degree but this just wasn’t for me on many levels starting with the writing. I found for me it felt a bit too wordy as in overly done and needing to discard the thesaurus making reading feel slow paced and choppy. There were also several times I questioned whether this was even the opener of a series or if I had jumped in on something already in progress when it seemed to hint to things happening in the past as if a reader should already be aware.
  
  As for the characters in the story, let’s just start with I didn’t particularly care about or like any of them. The main character, Perri, comes off as rather brash and abrasive for the most part, highly judgey when it comes to others, as in forming opinions based off appearance and stereotypes and just generally annoying to me. And the stereotyping seemed to carry over with everyone else’s personalities. I suppose too that even the crazy character names in this one seemed to bug me feeling a bit cartoon-ish and I can’t recall a single normal name as if alongside the thesaurus we had a outrageous baby name book. Persephone Morgan, Wing Pruett, Roar Jansen. Rafa Ramos… and on and on.
  
  Then when it came to the setting I was left wanting so much more there too. The show events were confusing, the trainers and handlers are described like a swingers club since they travel so much and get lonely which I’m not buying as realistic at all. And then I thought to myself that I had hoped for humor and personality for the critters like you find quite often in cozies so it felt as if a missed opportunity there too. So in the end I just wasn’t sold on this one and wouldn’t return to the series.
  
  I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
  
  For more reviews please visit
  https://carriesbookreviews.com/
• 
  Mary Brown

  Synopsis:
  
  Army vet Persephone “Perri” Morgan has big plans, as her custom leather leashes, saddles, and other pet accessories are the rage of dog and horse enthusiasts everywhere. But when murder prances into the ring at a Massachusetts dog show, Perri must confront a cunning killer who’s a breed apart.
  
  Accompanied by her bestie Babette and four oversize canines, Perri motors down to the Big E Dog Show in high style. Perri hopes to combine business with pleasure by also spending time with sexy DC journalist Wing Pruett. Until a storm traps everyone at the exposition hall . . . and a man’s body is found in a snow-covered field, a pair of pink poodle grooming shears plunged through his heart.
  
  Turns out the deceased was a double-dealing huckster who had plenty of enemies chomping at the bit. But as breeders and their prize pets preen and strut, the murderer strikes again. Aided by her trusty canine companions, Keats and Poe, Perri must collar a killer before she’s the next “Dead in Show” winner.
  
  Praise for Arlene Kay’s Boston Uncommons Mysteries
  
  “Reminiscent of the comedy-mystery movies of the thirties…An entertaining first entry into the Boston Uncommons Mystery series.” —New York Journal of Books on Swann Dive
  
  “Highly entertaining . . . I can't wait for the next book in the series!” —Jaye Roycraft, author of Rainscape (Goodreads)
  GET A COPY
  
  
  Review:
  
  I hate to say it but I had a very hard time getting into this story. The characters felt flat to me and I really did not like any of them. I felt that Perri was very shallow and man crazy and I could not relate with her. There were a lot of characters to meet and I had a hard time keeping them straight in my mind. That is only my opinion and others might not feel that way. I also thought that the names of the characters were way out there, which also made it hard for me to keep track of.
  
  The writing style did not flow as smoothly as I would have liked. Some of the vocabulary was beyond me and that distracted me and interrupted the flow of the story. There was also too much emphasis on people “hooking up” and sexual innuendo. If I wanted a lot of that in the story, I would have read a romance book.
  
  I really liked the premise of the book and the setting of a dog show. I watch the Westminster Dog show every year and I really like that this is where a lot of the story happened. I do not know if this was a real representation of the dog show, I am thinking not so much. But I still liked the premise of the story.
  
  I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Linda ~ *Chatcozy* on semi-hiatus

  A canine caper featuring female protagonist, Perri Morgan, who’s a leathersmith and makes collars, leashes, etc., for animals and is selling her wares at a dog show. The plot contains a double murder due to shenanigans that apparently go on behind the scenes at dog events. Perri and a couple of friends plus local law enforcement are led on a chase to find the killer during the dog competition. As a dog lover, the menagerie of canines was the main part of this story that interested me.
  
  The pacing is okay; however, I didn’t care for the author’s writing voice which greatly dimmed my enjoyment of the story. The overall tone is harsher than most cozies I read with numerous references to sexual exploits of the human participants at the event which also takes away from the mystery. The frequent use of uncommon adjectives was irritating, too. The only character I could appreciate was a 7 year old girl, Ella, who had a champion pointer, Guinnie, in the dog show. This is my opinion, only, but this story just wasn’t for me.
  
  I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Underground. Thank you.
  
• 
  Jackie

  *** I received an advanced copy of the book for free from a Goodreads Giveaway offered by Kensington, the publisher. The book is listed for release in October 2019, and my review is based on the copy I received in January which may differ from the final version. ***
  
  I have a lot to say about this, so I'm going to break it down into broad topics. Overall though, my general impression is that the book suffers badly from New Series Syndrome, out of date attitudes and comments, and not great writing; some of those things could be fixed in the next 9 months, and some can't.
  
  Quick summary Perri the leatherworker is going to a dog show to sell her collars/leashes/etc along with her best friend Babette and the daughter of her boyfriend Ella, each of whom has a dog competing in the show. The first night they arrive, the husband of the show's bigwig is murdered and found by Perri and her boyfriend Pruett, a journalist who's at the show for a story he won't talk about. The local detectives Roar and Genna would rather Perri and friends kept out of the investigation, but they just can't help themselves, especially after Perri finds another murder victim.
  
  1.) Setting: For cozy mysteries, the theme and setting are key to a series' success because a unique and appealing backdrop for the events can set a series apart. The dog show is pretty fun; I don't personally know very much about competitive dog shows and I felt like for the most part Kay did a good job explaining aspects of that world without coming across as didactic. I'm a dog person so it's naturally appealing to me, but I also thought that having different events to go to kept the protagonists active in between major plot points. However, I became confused by the way the events are named. It seemed like nearly every event they went to was called the Best in Show; pretty late in the book we're told that each day has a Best in Show, but there were sometimes more than one in a day. Whether this is an error or not, a more distinct naming convention would be helpful for the reading. Or an outline at the beginning of the book of the order of the events that the dogs are competing in.
  
  2.) Plot: This is part action mystery, part angsty romance. There is more than a 'splash of romance' in this. Our girl Perri is very very horny, all of the time. She has a hard time focusing on anything for more than a minute if a hot dude is nearby. It's very unclear what Perri and Pruett's relationship status is; they've been together for a year according to the first chapter, but they don't seem to have set any expectations to each other about having a closed relationship. Mystery-wise, this is a book where you just sort of watch things happen rather than try to actually figure out who did it. Mainly because it's pretty obvious who did it very early on. You will have no trouble guessing the murderer, even though Perri is blindsided by it. It was a reasonably quick read though.
  
  3.) Out of Touch: A big issue I have with this book is just how out of touch it is with modern life. Based on the author photo, I'd guess Kay to be in her late 60s or early 70s. From the book I can tell you that she is very uncomfortable with the internet (which she capitalizes throughout the book), google, facebook, or even smartphones really. I can also tell that she doesn't have any idea what people under the age of 50 wear. Her editor needs to go through and completely re-write every outfit description; the twinsets made me laugh. Those are the things her editor can probably clean up. More problematic are Kay's sexist attitudes as portrayed through all of her characters. Literally every woman is stereotyped based on her looks. The hot young woman is a hussy (a word that comes up six times) who's ex-husband is considered correct in 'protecting'; the hard-nosed female cop is a shrew and a bitch. This is constant and it drove me up a wall. It's 2019. Also, at one point the sexy male cop says to Perri, "I'm a very persistent man when I want something. Remember that." That's not sexy! He's basically threatening to rape her if she doesn't give in to him! NO no no. Also, there are two completely unnecessary digs at gay/bi men that could easily be removed.
  
  4.) Writing quality Kay delivers way too much exposition way too fast. The first chapter is especially egregious in giving us every detail of Perri's backstory. She's an army vet, she was orphaned as a kid and put in foster care, she had a fiance who died of melanoma, she's been dating Pruett for a year and adores him, she hates his ex-wife who's a model, his daughter awoke all the maternal feelings she didn't think she had, she's a shrewd business woman who has to count the pennies unlike her super rich best friend...it goes on and on. And don't worry you won't forget any of it, because Kay hammers home all of these character details over and over. Her writing style is repetitive in general, falling back on crutch words and phrases that quickly get old. 'Hussy' is one, 'a certain *insert synonym for sexy here* scribe' is another that she uses to refer to Pruett. Frankly, most of Perri's backstory should just be cut from the book entirely. We just don't need to know that much about her.
  
  5.) The Names ...are so so bad. Perri is short for Persephone, both of which are stupid names. Then there's Babette Croy, Wing Pruett, Roar Jansen, Genna Watts, Whit Wiley, Alf Walsh, Punky, Yael Lindsay, Rafa Ramos, and Lee Holmes. Listen, you get ONE stupid name per book. That's it. Everybody else has to have normal names.
  
  6.) The Amateur Detective Cozy mysteries live and die by their main protagonist. If he/she isn't likable, then you can basically call off the whole show because we as readers have to be rooting for them. If we don't want them to win, then the whole mystery solving experience is just torturous. Sadly, I do not like Perri Morgan. In spite of many claims to the contrary, she is incredibly shallow and jealous. She's easily swayed by male attention, and she's incredibly judgy about other women's clothing and behavior. Kay obviously has very strict definitions of the right level of dressing that she transfers directly to her main character: not too sexy (because then you're a whore) but still putting in attention to your clothes, hair and makeup so that you're not a man-hating prude. Perri also talks about being tough and not easily intimidated, but she quite clearly has self-esteem issues. These contradictions aren't likable foibles, they just make her seem hypocritical.
  
  In summary, I think there's a great premise here, but reading through the lens of out-dated sexism robs the mystery of its fun. While I was reading it, I frequently commented that it felt like it was written and set in the 90s; maybe if it actually was set in the 90s rather than today, I'd be a little more willing to look past the characters' attitudes.
  
• 
  Tari

  This was an awesome start for a new series, a well-plotted and well-written book, lots of intrigue and a nail-biting showdown too! I like that the jobs of the main character and her boyfriend were different than usual. Perri was a leathersmith who sold high-end dog collars, leads mainly to rich dog show clientele via the dog show circuit, and she was formerly an Army sergeant. I thought that part was especially cool! And her two dogs had the Schutzhund training--after reading about it in another cozy, it sounds like the perfect thing for a mystery main character to have, dogs trained in that method. Perri's main squeeze as she calls him was Wing Pruett, a well-known investigative journal who was very popular with the ladies, although Perri knew he only had eyes for her now. Ella was his adorable 7-year-old daughter who was learning about dog showing by raising her Pointer, Guinnie.
  
  There were quite a few good suspects and at one point I had absolutely no idea who the killer was, but one small clue pointed me in the right direction, then another clue. The showdown was a little nerve-wracking, but as always, the perp went down. I guess one thing this book was pointing out was that there is almost always a shady underbelly to even a family-friendly event like a dog show. Everyone there had their share of secrets. I won't say who, but there was one person I was especially relieved was not the killer. You'll know when you read it! There's a chapter preview of the next book which looks like it'll focus on horses instead of dogs.
• 
  Momo

  I received this book courtesy of NetGalley.
  
  I was excited because I like mysteries/thrillers and I love dogs, so win/win right?
  
  Wrong. I struggled to finish this book. I had to force myself to get through it. I should have just stopped because I don't feel any gratification having finished it.
  
  The story was predictable and would have been an OK read, however, the writing style was my biggest turn off. The way the main character spoke of the people in her life made her seem like a garbage person. "Men, especially specimens like Pruett"
  "Babette was a loyal friend, but any presentable man with a pulse could easily turn her head"
  
  The writing is very antiquated and out of touch, but in a way where there is an attempt to be contemporary that fails miserably. I almost wanted to say, congratulations, you own a thesaurus... but can we have some substance beyond big fancy words?
  
  It's written so that characters use words like bromance, but there's also an antiquated style that is too flowery and not enjoyable like, "For the sake of propriety and propinquity, Pruett had returned to his hotel room in downtown Springfield the prior evening." or "Genna's supercilious smirk could try the patience of a saint. Since I renounced the celestial crown long ago..." Pruett also called Perri a broad. It felt like slang that might have been cool in the 50s, but didn't age well.
  
  Men and women are objectified based on looks alone, the lead character said she finally embraced the role of child nurturer and caregiver at 30 (is that old now?? The maternal ages are steadily climbing every year), the way the protagonist talks about her boyfriend - like they are not committed but they are, and also they way she talks of the non threatening ex partner. She is shallow, jealous, and judgemental.
  
  I don't have anything positive to say about the book.
• 
  Kristina

  Death by Dog Show by Arlene Kay is the first novel in A Creature Comforts Mystery series. Persephone “Perri” Morgan is leatherworker who creates and sells harnesses, leashes, collars and other assorted items for dogs and horses through her business Creature Comforts. Perri is currently heading to Eastern States Expo Center in Massachusetts with her best friend, Babette Croy for the Big E Dog Show. They are traveling in Babette’s luxury RV with Wing Pruitt’s daughter, Ella and an assortment of canine companions. Wing, an investigative journalist and Perri’s boyfriend, will meet up with them at the dog show and Perri cannot wait for their reunion. After the event’s welcome party, Perri is out walking the dogs when she stumbles upon Lee Holmes with a pair of pink poodle grooming shears sticking out of his chest. The victim had plenty of enemies as Perri comes to learn when she digs into the case on behalf of Yael Lindsay, Lee’s wife. A couple of days later after Lee’s funeral, Perri stumbles upon another victim with bloody leatherworking tool nearby. Someone is setting Perri up to take the fall. Perri with her trusty sidekicks, Keats and Poe, sets out to track down the killer.
  
  Death by Dog Show is not the type of cozy mystery that readers are used to reading. There are numerous references to the male physique (Wing’s especially) and how it affects Perri’s “nether regions”. The sexual exploits of other characters are referenced throughout the story along with their looks. The author seems focused on appearances along with people’s finances. There is an emphasis on the financial disparity between characters (the rich versus Perri who grew up in the foster system). I found the writing to be awkward and the pacing slow. Some of the author’s word choices were unusual and it felt like the author had swallowed a dictionary and thesaurus (peripatetic and plutocrats are two examples). Arlene Kay used some unusual names for her characters. They include Yael Lindsay, Roar Jansen, Wing Pruett and Persephone Morgan. There is an abundance of foul language (which is unusual for a cozy mystery) and repetition of information. The characters lacked development. Do not expect warm, friendly characters (that includes Keats and Poe) in this cozy. Perri is an unlikeable protagonist who is focused on people’s looks and finances (comes across as shallow and jealous). Perri is one of those people who judge based on first appearances. She is especially intent on getting the “handsome” Wing Pruett undressed and into her bed. Babette seems perpetually on the prowl for her next bed partner and husband (she always manages to pick the wrong type of man). As I was reading Death by Dog Show there were references to a previous crime which I found mystifying since this was the first book in the series. The mystery was straightforward. There are multiple suspects since the victim had numerous enemies. Most readers will have no problem uncovering the solution before the reveal. I thought the dog show elements were confusing and not explained properly (I ended up skimming). I am not sure what the author was aiming for with this story. It seemed out of date (reminds me of the 90s). I found Death by Dog Show to be “ruff” and it missed the mark for me.
• 
  OpenBookSociety.com

  
  http://openbooksociety.com/article/de...
  
  Death by Dog Show
  Creature Comforts Mystery #1
  By Arlene Kay
  Author’s website: arlenekay.com
  Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
  
  Synopsis:
  
  Army vet Persephone “Perri” Morgan has big plans, as her custom leather leashes, saddles, and other pet accessories are the rage of dog and horse enthusiasts everywhere. But when murder prances into the ring at a Massachusetts dog show, Perri must confront a cunning killer who’s a breed apart.
  
  Accompanied by her bestie Babette and four oversize canines, Perri motors down to the Big E Dog Show in high style. Perri hopes to combine business with pleasure by also spending time with sexy DC journalist Wing Pruett. Until a storm traps everyone at the exposition hall . . . and a man’s body is found in a snow-covered field, a pair of pink poodle grooming shears plunged through his heart.
  
  Turns out the deceased was a double-dealing huckster who had plenty of enemies chomping at the bit. But as breeders and their prize pets preen and strut, the murderer strikes again. Aided by her trusty canine companions, Keats and Poe, Perri must collar a killer before she’s the next “Dead in Show” winner.
  
  Review:
  
  Death by Dog Show’s premise was promising and looked like a book I would really enjoy – dogs! But, it is terribly disappointing.
  
  Perri is a military veteran and leather smith. She and her best friend Babette, who competes with her border collie in agility, and her boyfriend’s seven-year-old daughter Ella with her pointer in tow, travel to the Boston area for a dog show. Things quickly go awry when Lee Holmes, notorious in the dog show community, is found stabbed with grooming shears. Perri puts on her sleuthing cap to investigate the dark side of dog shows as the body count rises and danger mounts.
  
  Honestly, I do not care for any of the characters. Perri lacks character development, Babette is shallow and annoying, boyfriend Wing is secretive because of his job as a journalist, the victim is atrocious, the police unpleasant, and the suspects just as unappealing as the victim. The only redeeming characters are Ella and the dogs.
  
  The mystery is weak with the perpetrators easily identified early in the tale. There are red herrings along the way, but they are obvious, and the “surprise” twist at the end came as no surprise to me. The pace of the story is slow and the book way too easy to put down. This said, the main problem I have with the book is the constant, and I mean CONSTANT, mention of how attractive Wing is and how appealing he is to women. Perri claims to not be jealous, but her inner monologue show otherwise. There is also coarser language here than in the average cozy and lots of references to sexual exploits.
  
  Unfortunately, Death by Dog Show misses the mark for me.
  
  *OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
  
• 
  Betty

  The first in a new series, I have not read this author before. I was attracted to them as dog shows and I know something about and I enjoy reading about our fur friends. I found this an absorbing tale and it held my attention until finished. The book needs more editing. I feel the author went out of her way with odd names causing the flow of the writing to be broken. I wonder about some of the comments about the show procedure. The author is correct about the excessive drinking and rowdy behavior of some of the handlers. I do not consider this a cozy mystery but a suspenseful mystery with a lot of romance.
  Persephone “Perri” Morgan, a retired Army veteran and best friend Babette are headed north to Massachusetts for a cluster of dog shows. Babette is driving a luxury RV that sleeps eight. Accompanied them are Wing Purit's seven old daughter and 4 large canines.
  Perri has a business selling special handcrafted leads, harnesses and other items for dogs and hoses and plans on selling the field at the shows. Babette has a dog in agility, Ella's dog an English pointer is showing in confirmation. Perri's dogs are Belgian Melonise and are K-9 trained.
  There is a major snowstorm in the area keeping the exhibitors locked in the showgrounds. The first night one of the handlers is found stabbed with pink poodle shears. This follows by a second death. Perri is busy keeping her name and friends clear of a charge of MURDER. The Andy g is a surprise. I will recommend this book for mature adults.
  
  Disclosure: Thanks to Lyrical Underground for a copy through NetGalley The opinions expressed are my own.
• 
  Daniele

  1.5 stars
  
  I was so looking forward to reading this - dog show setting (meaning lots of dog characters), a Veteran protagonist, murder. What could be wrong? Unfortunately, just about everything. A mystery I ended up not caring about with obvious perpetrators, unlikable characters, page after page of descriptions about how hot the main character is. It is just flat out boring. The dogs and 7 year old Ella are the only redeeming feature. I will not be reading any more of this series.
• 
  Mary

  This is the first in the Creature Comforts series. I have to admit at times I was confused that this was the first as all throughout this story there is reference to a prior mystery in which the lead character Persephone “Perri” Morgan and her boyfriend Wing Pruett solved. The story follows Perri as she and her friend Babette along with Wing and his daughter are at a dog show at the Big E in Massachusetts. Wing is a high profile journalist and is working on a story that could involve the dog show and Perri runs a custom shop which offers leather goods such as leashes and collars etc.. The first night a fight breaks out and shortly thereafter the body of Lee Holmes one of the guys in the fight and wife of a very prominent member in the dog show scene. What unfolds are twists and turns as well as another grisly murder before the murders are completely solved. There were many aspects that I enjoyed in this book but I did not like Perri and Wing’s relationship. He dismisses several of her ideas and seems ready to drop her at a moments notice to follow his story. I did like his daughter Ella and her enthusiasm for her dog Guinnie. I also liked Perri’s dogs (Keats and Poe) who are army guard dogs. I did not like the references to a prior mystery which as a reader we know nothing about.. what is the relevance it would be different if it was a prior book in the series. This series has promise but the characters need to become warmer.
• 
  Annette

  First, I need to acknowledge that I won this book in a contest from Goodreads. I entered the contest because in another life I showed dogs and I thought the premise would be a good one.
  
  The premise is a good one, but I did not enjoy this book.
  
  There are too many words, too many descriptions, too many repetitive scenes.
  
  Persephone “Perri” Morgan is a leather worker who creates dog equipment as well as leather equipment for horses. At times she works as a vendor at dog shows and now she, along with 4 dogs, her best friend and a small girl are on their way to a very important show. They will be staying in a very luxurious motor home.
  
  Perri is anxious to see a newsman from Washington DC, Wing Pruitt. He means a great deal to Perri, they are in a romantic relationship.
  
  There is a murder of a man who is in the top 10 of worst people who attend dog shows. He is a cheat in both his marriage and his business dealings.
  
  Now, with all this, I was certain I would like this book. I did not.
  
  I am sure it is just me, but I felt as though I were slogging through a swamp.
  
  I understand Perri had a fiance who died. But, after the first extensive discussion, it did not have to be described again and again. I did not want to hear over and over which woman was acting like a snake wrapping herself around some man. I did not want to hear over and over how handsome Wing is, what he was wearing, how many women were trying to move in on him nor how difficult he found it to avoid being seduced.
  
  My hopes for a cozi mystery are a fast moving story with humor, a well developed mystery with several suspects and a victim who deserves to be murdered. Also, I want to have the main character be someone I like.
  
  Perri is not someone I would want as a friend. She was military police. Yet she is not willing to stand up for herself with her lover. Her descriptions of her best friend and other women are less than flattering. In short, she seems to find women either mousy, homely, smug, mean, sluts, fickle and liars with little to admire in their characters.
  
  I know this is the first in a series. I hope that the next book will have fewer descriptions of things which have no real purpose.
  
  I truly went into this story with high hopes. This was an area which was familiar to me. There were many parts of the story which were terrific and interesting about dog shows and various competitions. And yes, dog owners and handlers are very focused on winning. That was all accurate.
  
  For me, there were simply too many pages devoted to descriptions, thought processes and clothing. I wanted more reading about actual conversations, events and people.
  
  I wanted to love this book. I did not. The writing was interesting at times. The plot was a good one. It just was not appealing to me personally.
  
  
• 
  Diane Hernandez

  Death by Dog Show is a cozy mystery set in a dog show that, unfortunately, disappointed this reader.
  
  Perri Morgan sells leather pet products and attends the Big E Dog Show with her friend Babette, who has a dog in the show, to further her business. The first night, Perri and her journalist boyfriend, Pruett, find a body. Despite the local police telling her not to investigate, Perri can’t resist.
  
  I found some serious issues with this book:
  
  • I love dog shows on television and have watched many over the years. Therefore, I know that Best in Show is the last event. The prior events are based on dog group (i.e.; sporting group) and then the winners of the groups go on to the Best in Show event.
  
  • The names of the characters are silly. Wing, Roar and Alf being the worst examples. These are people’s names—not dogs.
  
  • The character of Perri is not likeable at all. She is both arrogant and insecure plus she appears to be incredibly horny all the time despite having a boyfriend for the past year. Note that Death by Dog Show has more sexual content than most cozies so if you are not into that, I would recommend giving this a pass.
  
  • The worst part was that the murderer was obvious from the beginning but we still had to continue reading to confirm what we already knew. There are no surprise twists here.
  
  I believe this is this author’s debut book but I wouldn’t read anything else by her. Overall, I would give Death by Dog Show 2 stars.
  
  Thanks to Lyrical Underground and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Krystyna

  The tensions that run below the surface
  
  Absolutely brilliant. Down to earth dialogue, restrained characters but with a vibrancy that keep you riveted. A plot of greed, revenge and sleight of hand that have you going for the wrong culprit. A few proofing errors. But a wonderful read with a great insight into the whole small, intricate world of dog shows..
  She has accompanied her BFF (rich socialite who is getting over a divorce) and her lover's daughter (don't forget the dogs) to the Big E dog show. Backstabbing, affairs, greed plus an underlying tension greet them as they enter into this world. A violent murder, a blackmailing gone bad and a cop that is trying to pin the murder onto anyone and everyone. Will they find the real killer? Mixed into this is the life of the various events, the little girl's joy as her beloved pointer wins points, her handsome father who is hooked on the story after the first murder (although the rumours he has heard have already wetted his interest) and the cop partners (one is a handsome rogue and the other is an abrasive female).
• 
  Diane ~Firefly~

  A new mystery series that didn't quite hit the mark for me
  
  What I enjoyed:
  * Ellie was adorable with her love for dogs and Guinnie in particular
  * I really like the idea of a dog show as the backdrop for a mystery
  
  What could be better:
  * First off there were multiple references to an earlier mystery solved by the gang (where they met Wing), but this is the first book in the series. That really confused me to the point I had to double check it was the first.
  * The relationship between Perri and Wing was weird. Were they in a relationship - they both didn't seem sure and that is strange for dating over a year. Wing didn't seem to act like it.
  * Lots of odd names for the characters - Perri, Wing, Babette, Yael, Roar, Alf...
  * Lots of talk on how protective Perri's dogs are, but they had minimal time in the story
  * Perri judged everyone by their looks. Women were slutty or mean; men hot (she spend a lot of time thinking about this) or creepy it is obvious when she decides Genna was the hired gun and never realized Roar had all the same opportunities. But Roar was hot and nice and Genna was not and mean.
• 
  Sanny

  Where's the rest of this book? And where is the previous book?
  
  The author has a command of English, so that's not the problem. And the dialog is ok. There's even an ok plot. But the book just doesn't work. Chunks of it seem to have been left on the cutting room floor, so to speak.
  
  The author alludes to events in the past that seem quite important to Perri's history and her relationship with Pruett (Perri misjudged someone, which caused danger to herself and Pruett), but we never find out what. It's as if this is the second book in the series. Trust me - I looked and looked on the 'net for a prior book or short story by the author that would provide the information, but found nothing.
  
  And then there'd Ella's mother. Ella is the 7 yo daughter of Pruett a gorgeous photographer. At one point in the book Pruett is hanging out with his ex. Perri seems resigned that he's gone back to her, but he texts that "it's not what it seems" and "he can explain." Ok, so where's the explanation? We never do find out what he was doing with the ex.
  
  So, I ask again. Where's the rest of this book, and where's the prequel?
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  Maura Frankman

  I really wanted to like this book. I was intrigued by the premise of a murder at a dog show at the Big E. Anyone who shows dogs on the east coast is familiar with that venue and the author obviously did some research on dog shows. Contrary to what several reviewers thought, there are often several shows over a weekend and each has a Best in Show. That aside, I agree with many that the character names were odd, the mystery thin, the attitudes of the characters towards women dated(its 2019 not 1965), and I was confused by references to a previous murder solved by the protagonists. This is billed as a cozy, but there are many unsexy references to Perri and Wing's sex life. Perri's repeated references to Wing's physique and his ability to charm information from the opposite sex is more stalkerish than lover like. In fact, other than the little girl, most of the characters were shallow and unlikable.
• 
  Mary Cokenour

  Usually books, especially first in a series, are slowing starting, due to filling in all kinds of details about each character. Surprisingly, this first began fast paced and kept my attention till the middle. By then though, I was sick and tired of Perri (main character) constantly commenting about her best friend (Babette), and her "way with men. Just didn't care any more and it added nothing to the story.
  Then it was the constant lack of confidence with Perri's love, Wing Pruett. The man obviously adored Perri, but every time he was seen talking to another woman, especially a pretty one, there was Perri with the self-doubt, and the the, "oh well, knowing him, it's not meant to last". Somebody gag that woman!
  
  I know more about the world of dog shows then I have ever wanted to know. Have to admit that I did agree with Perri's thought of who did the murder(s?), and was totally surprised by who it really ended up being.
• 
  Ann

  This is book 1 in a new series, Creature Comforts. Not sure if I would classify this as a cozy, the story is slightly more graphic and the characters a little sharp. I liked the introduction to all the main characters including cutie pie, Ella . Perri is an army veteran that makes leather dog leashes and pet accessories. She's traveling the dog show circuit in a luxury motor home owned by best friend Babette. Babette is rich and enjoys her comfort as she shows her dogs. Perri's two dogs are trained army canines that don't compete but accompany her everywhere. Young Ella wants to be a junior handler and her dad Wing is Perri's boyfriend. Lots of great info on the dog show world and a murder to solve. I'll definitely be looking for the next book. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
• 
  Janet Graham

  Death Disturbs The Dog Show
  This episode takes place at a major dog show event in Boston. The story is pretty good with a sound plot and realistic characters. There were a couple of things that I was put off by. There was lots of closed-door sex, sexual innuendo and it seemed that was all out heroine could think about. The other item was that our heroine acted as if 30 was over the hill and super mature (like 50 or 60). Both of those got very old very quickly. It may be enough to keep me from reading more of this series. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
• 
  Lynn

  An interesting book all taking place at a dog show with enough murders going on to hold your attention! The characters were all the various dog show contestants, dogs, vendors, owners, handlers and all the complications that arise between people who are constantly in competition with each other. The story was enlightening in that it really was about people and not all dog stuff. Well written, well plotted and had an ending I had never suspected! Mind boggling!