Hair of the Dog by Carlene O’Neil is the third installment in A Cypress Cove Mystery series. Penny Lively lives in Cypress Cove, California where she owns Joyeux Winery. Penny walks into the veterinarian clinic that her cousin, Annie Moore co-owns with Brian Grasser. She overhears Brian accusing vet tech, Nicole of stealing medication. Nicole is dismissed, and they hope they have seen the last of her. The next day, Annie and Penny arrive at the clinic at the same time as Nicole who is picking up her last check. Annie proceeds into the clinic ahead of Nicole and Penny. The pair find Annie holding a knife over Brian with blood pooling on the floor. There was no forced entry, the murder weapon belonged to Annie, and she had a $1 million-dollar motive (plus she was standing over Brian with the knife in her hand). A distraught Annie asks Penny to investigate and find the murderer. Penny knows Annie did not harm Brian and agrees to nose around. There are a couple of suspects who could have committed the crime (Nicole, Claire, Dot) and the people leasing space from Annie and Brian for their rabies vaccine research have been acting secretive. When a second person connected to Annie turns up dead, Penny knows she must work quickly before the killer strikes again.

Hair of the Dog can be read as a standalone. Penny’s background is provided for readers. The book is nicely written, but I found it to be a slow starter. It is just the right length for a cozy mystery (300 pages). The mystery has several components and the author provided good misdirection. There were just the right number of suspects and each had a good motive. Chief Lucas continually tells Penny to stay out of the investigation, but Penny is dogged (she is very nosy) in her pursuit of the killer (she cannot help herself). I did notice that he did not mind the information she provided him. It was interesting to find out more information about how a winery operates. The author provides beautiful descriptions of the vines, the buildings and the town. Penny is romantically interested in Connor, the manager of her winery. There was some flirting between them, but we will have to wait and see how their relationship develops. There are good characters in Hair of the Dog and the author has developed them as the series progresses. There are plenty of cozy moments with food, wine, chatting with friends, and the events that take place at Joyeux Winery. I am giving Hair of the Dog 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that I had to wait so long for the 3rd installment in this series. I love this series. This book can be read in order or as a stand alone. It's like picking up the phone and catching up with an old friend.
I certainly hope there are more!

This was the first book in this series I've read but it was so good that I'm going to go back and read the first two books. I'm really liking these characters!

Penny Lively had been a photojournalist and now that she was back in her hometown of Cypress Cove, running the winery that was left to her by her aunt, she seemed to be a dead body magnet. Unfortunately the latest one she's found is the body of her cousin Annie's business partner at their veterinary clinic. The suspects are plentiful and when Penny discovers a second body, she knows the killer isn't just playing games. Things are getting dangerous and she's afraid she or her cousin could be next! Of course warnings from her winery manager (and favorite guy) Connor as well as Lucas, the police chief have never done any good to keep her off the case. It does get wrapped up fairly nicely with an odd twist at the end but it was so good!

With all the great twists and turns in the plot and so many good suspects, I never guessed the killer but definitely enjoyed the ride in finding them out. One clue planted by the author told me who it was but by then I think we were supposed to be figuring it out.

I really enjoyed these characters. I'm not sure if Annie was in the other two books but Connor and Hayley, Penny's manager and assistant manager at the winery are amazing to have as friends and family--Hayley is also Penny's niece who happens to date chief Lucas. Lucas is sort of a good mix of the typical cop in these stories. He's not so hardened that he's ready to toss Penny in jail for interfering. He does actually admit that she's helped and even gave her a little assignment of her own this time. I do have some other books I want to get to but I ordered the first two in this series so I'm ready to read when I find some extra time! (I hope there is going to be more in the series since I like what's developing between Connor and Penny!)

Princess Fuzzypants here: Wine, animals and murder make a pretty good combination in this book. Penny’s cousin, Annie, discovers her partner in a vet practice murdered by a knife in the back. It doesn’t help Annie that when others come upon the scene, Annie is standing over the body with the knife in her hand. At first glance, she seems to be the prime suspect which encourages Penny to investigate the other possible suspects. Penny is stubborn. Despite any number of people asking her to stop, she continues and often pushes the envelope farther than a sensible woman might.
When Penny discovers a second body and can alibi Annie some of the pressure comes off but by this time, she is determined to find the answers. Naturally, she ignores the warnings from the killer.. It could have been eye rollingly absurd but somehow it works. She is able to find the final clue that will unravel the mystery. Yet, the reader, like the characters who surround Penny, forgive her indiscretions. It is possible to root for her and want to whack on the side of the head at the same time.
What really pulls the book out of the good to the really good category is the kicker at the end. While the villain was not unexpected, what happens to him certainly is. Justice comes in many forms and this one is particularly fitting.
For that reason, I am going to give this five purrs and two paws up.

Hair of the Dog is an enjoyable blend of colorful characters, dubious behaviors and pleasing plot twists. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, I can recommend this book to you. This is a fun read and I am looking forward to reading the other books in the Cypress Cove Mystery series.

I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery. Protagonist Penny Lively owns a winery near the Central California coast. Her cousin, Annie’s life and livelihood are abruptly threatened when the veterinary clinic she co-owns with Brian is broken into and he’s murdered. The obvious motive would appear to be drug-related, however; is the real reason that obvious? People aren’t who they seem is the classic theme throughout this excellent mystery.

The story’s fast-paced. The author pens an amazing plot which steadily unveils layer after layer of disturbing clues. I enjoyed the cute pets, the engaging characters, and an ending you’ll never see coming! I highly recommend y’all read this mystery!

I reviewed a digital arc from NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Penny Lively is enjoying her life as the owner of Joyeaux Winery in Cypress Cove, California. But her amateur sleuthing skills are once again needed when her veterinarian cousin Annie Moore finds her business partner Brian stabbed to death at the pet clinic. The police think Annie has motive since the key man insurance policy gives her a big payout. But Penny is determined to find the killer and there are several possible suspects. Nicole is a vet technician who was recently fired by Brian and Annie for stealing drugs. Brian's physician wife Claire has a secret gambling problem and is in need of lots of cash. Long-time employee Dot may have been embezzling money from the business. The research staff running a clinical trial at the pet clinic for a rabies vaccine are acting strangely. A second suspicious death occurs and Brian's missing notebook may provide the clue needed to identify the killer.

This was a quick read and a welcome return of the Cypress Cove mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and the author with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Hair of the dog is a good cozy mystery. I enjoyed the plot and the California wine country setting. I recommend to fans of cozy mysteries.

Penny is a riot, I like her style, you always know where she stands, and that’s straight up. I like the way she stood up for Annie her cousin when things were looking really bad for her. She is a very curious individual and made no qualms about that, others call it nosy, she couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. This made her good at sleuthing and her natural ten questions a minute way made it quite easy to get others to talk. This cozy had some twist and turns which drove the intrigue-o-meter up there. I love the budding romance with Connor and the bantering with Lucas and Ross, really cool characters. This book has an absolute great storyline with really cool characters, it was intriguing, funny, entertaining, interesting and wholesomely captivating.

Hair of the Dog is my first book by the author but I plan to read the first two the books in the series. While it probably would have been better to read the books in order, I didn't feel too much at a loss at knowing what was going on. Cypress Cove is a quaint small town on the Pacific Ocean in California Wine County where tourists frequent and gossip spreads quickly. Penny Lively is a former photojournalist who has inherited a winery from her aunt and has a knack for finding dead bodies, much to the chagrin of the local police chief. Penny dropped her best friend and cousin, Dr. Annie Moore, off at her veterinarian office to check something for a patient. While Penny is waiting on Annie, Annie discovers the body of her partner, Dr. Brian Grasser, in the surgery room with her own knife in his back. When Penny and Nicole, a newly fired worker, go inside and find Annie standing over Brian's body with the knife in her hand, things don't look too good. Penny sets out to prove Annie's innocence but it is an uphill battle for a while. There are many suspects that would seem to benefit or take pleasure is Brian's death but finding the killer is no easy task. This is a fun read that kept me guessing and the pages turning with a twist at the end that I did not see coming. The plot and characters are well developed and entertaining. I recommend for a good cozy mystery read.
I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and Carlene O'Neil and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles. The opinions stated are my own.

Really fun book. I very much enjoyed this series and hoped,it would continue. I love the cast of characters and how you they change over the series. Fun read!