Cozy Mystery Review ~ A BISCUIT, A CASKET by Liz Mugavero

The small town of Frog Ledge, Connecticut, has wholeheartedly embraced Kristan "Stan" Connor's new business--preparing quality organic treats for dogs and cats. On a healthy diet, the animals may live longer. . .but one local farmer won't be so lucky. As Halloween approaches, Stan is asked to cater a doggie costume party hosted by the Happy Cow Dairy Farm. Part of a local co-op, Happy Cow specializes in organic dairy products, and farmers Hal and Emmalee Hoffman have started opening up the farm for parties, offering a "haunted" corn maze as an added attraction.

When Hal's lifeless body is found in the maze, the police at first suspect his wife, but Stan soon learns the dairy farmer had plenty of enemies--from bitter family members to shady business associates. If Stan can't extract a kernel of truth from the labyrinth of lies, she may be the next one to buy the farm. . .

REVIEW

I love the concept of a cozy mystery being focused on pets and pet treats for them.  I mean let’s be honest, I’m more likely to cook for my dogs than my family.

A Biscuit, a Casket is the second book in the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries Series.  I didn’t read the first book and I felt as if I was missing something that would give me more of an understanding of the characters.  I’m thinking that explanations as to why certain characters acted the way they did would have been detailed in the first book, for example why does the bartender and trooper seem to be standoffish with each other although they’re related?

The death of Hal Hoffman, the owner of the Happy Cow Dairy Farm happens early on in the book.  Trying to figure out who murdered Hal and why should be something that’s left up to Trooper Jessie Pasquale and the state police.  But Kristan “Stan” Connor has a nosey gene that just can’t seem to lie dormant.

I liked the book, but at times I was a little irritated and bored with it.  I mean Stan is a new resident to Frog Ledge and she wants to be accepted by the community.  She keeps agreeing to do things she really doesn’t want to do, like take over the accounting of Happy Cow when she has no accounting background nor knows anything about cows or farming.  I think I learned more than I wanted to know about the inner workings of a dairy farm.  However, I will say this knowledge did pay off for Stan.

I love that Stan talks to her cat and dogs like they’re people.  I also love the secondary characters and the fact that they are such a close knit group.  I’m completely surprised that I had no clue who the murderer was until Stan herself figured it out.  Luckily, I got to read the events transpiring as opposed to living the events like Stan.

While A Biscuit, a Casket may not be one of my favorite cozy mystery books, I am curious to find out what other adventures Stan finds herself in.

Rating: 3.5

Release Date: April 1, 2014

Book Length: 320 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Reviewed by: Kim

Reading Format: Available in eBook and Paperback

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