Cover Image: The Dogfather

The Dogfather

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Member Reviews

This is the 10th in the Pampered Pets Mystery series. This was my first read in the series. Our protagonist, Melinda, owner of Bow Wow Boutique a pet accessories store determined to find the killer of designer handbag shop is found dead, especially since undercover FBI agent, Grey Donovan,her ex- fiance is the prime suspect. This story is set in Laguna Beach California. This is a series which alternates between protagonists. I am defiantly going to go back and read the previous book to see the other one, Melinda's cousin, Betty. I gave this a solid 4 star review.

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When a local handbag store owner is found dead, Mel Langston and her ex, Grey Donovan, team up together to solve the murder. As they work to solve the crime they find forged artwork word and knock off handbags. Are all the crimes connected?

This is the tenth book in the series but my first. Although I could understand this book as a stand-alone mystery, I believe I could have benefited from reading previous books to understand the characters better. Being a dog lover, I really enjoyed learning about each dog and his/her personality. There are several twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Overall this is a fun light-hearted cozy mystery.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced by anyone.

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As this is the first book I've read in the series, and this is number 10, at times I felt a little lost, but overall kept up with the story. Melinda owns a doggie dress shop, with a crazy older woman Betty who works for her, and her ex fiance Grey, who pops in and out. Might have enjoyed it more with more background, but overall a good murder mystery. Would recommend.

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As a dog lover, I was drawn to this book based on the cute premise of a pet shop owner solving murders but the mystery fell a little flat overall. Betty, the elderly dog shop assistant, is by far the most interesting character. The rest of the town fell flat. I think if I had started this series from the beginning (this is book 9) it would have been more interesting but I felt lost for not knowing the backstory. I would recommend starting from the beginning to get the full effect.

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After some adjusting and getting myself situated with the characters and authors writing style (this is the tenth in series but first I have read) I fell in love with this book! It is funny and witty and I definitely need to read the rest in the series!!

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This book is a fabulous addition to the Pampered Pets Series. This cozy is the tenth installment of the series and whether it's your first book or your tenth, I predict you will love it. It's always a delightful tale when animals are included. Grab this book, set back and be thoroughly entertained. Tganks to netgalley snd the publisher for an arc of this great book. Tge opinions are my own

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THE DOGFATHER, the tenth book in the Pampered Pets Mystery series by Sparkle Abby is another entertaining addition to a delightful series! I love how the two authors each take a protagonist and alternate the books from their viewpoint. In this current installment, Mel Langston, owner of the Bow Wow Boutique in Laguna Beach, California, finds herself embroiled in art theft, designer handbags, burglaries, and a Mobster Film Festival. The plot is well-written with lots of clues and suspects to keep the reader turning pages.

I love how each of the books showcase worthy non-profit causes and in this case it’s an organization that provides seizure-response dogs for those in need. The author does a terrific job of including great information on the benefits of these highly trained dogs without detracting from the plot. Mel is a well-developed character and her sidekick, eighty-something Betty Fox, provides lots of humor. The interaction between the two delivers great repartee. Together with the lovely coastal location, the fun puns, a mystery that kept me guessing, and a heart-warming conclusion, THE DOGFATHER is one terrific read!

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The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey is the 10th book in the Pampered Pets Series, and another great addition. This series is written by two friends, Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. I love that the series is written about two cousins, Melinda Langston, owner of Bow Wow Boutique, and Caro Lamont, who is an animal therapist.  This book is about Melinda, and her assistant clearing FBI agent ,Grey Donovan, of murder. Grey is Melinda former fiance. I found this book to be humorous, surprising, and enjoyable. I love the quirky characters, which kept me reading to find out who really done it. If you love cozy mysteries, jump right in, you won't be disappointed.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Princess Fuzzypants here: As a cat, I must confess I prefer books about kitties but I still found this tale to be a quick and entertaining read. Melinda owns the Bow Wow Boutique but between her trying to keep her form fiancé off the suspect list for the murder of the owner of a high end handbag store, trying to help a local charity, keeping her assistant from running roughshod over both her business and the town and looking out for her friend, her dog and all the other assorted creatures who need help, she doesn’t need added complications.
Grey, the former fiancé and undercover FBI agent wants to use her store to run an investigation. The only way to make it work is to let everyone assume the two are back together. Awkward hardly describes it as the two try to juggle the murder, the investigations and their own feelings for one another. Oh yes, then there is the obnoxious television reporter who shows up at the most inopportune moments and the suave gangster who is schmoozing Betty, the elderly assistant who is oblivious to everyone and everything.
There are lots of moving parts to keep the reader guessing. I suspect I might have enjoyed all the character interaction even more if I had been following the series. There seemed to be a great deal of backstory that required resolving in the book. However, it did not detract coming to the series as a newbie.
I still give it four purrs and two paws up.

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It's always fun to spend time with the characters of the Pampered Pets mystery series. This book, it's Melinda's turn and when one of the owners of a high end handbag shop located next to her own pet boutique is murdered, her former fiance is a suspect. I've read all but two of the titles in this series and enjoyed them all.

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Wonderful, Dog Based Cozy Mystery
This is the 10th book in the Pampered Pets mystery series. It stands alone quite well. I can say that because this is the first of the series that I have read. The plot is intricate and well done. The reader may have guessed, but won't know the true villain until the author reveals it. The characters are totally believable, as are the dogs. There is quite a bit of humor twisted inside the mystery. While this is the first book by this author that I have read, it won't be my last. I received this ARC book for free and this is my honest review.

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The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey is the tenth book in the Pampered Pets Mystery series. I had not read any of the previous books in the series, but I had no trouble following the characters and storyline. Melinda owns Bow Wow Boutique and has her hands full with her spunky employee and ex-boyfriend. With local businesses being vandalized, everyone is on edge. That becomes more true after the owner of a designer handbag shop is found dead. Melinda is determined to find the murderer before things get completely out of hand. This was a fast paced book and a quick read.

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I like the books by this author and I liked this one.
The heroine is very nice and the cast of character is likeable, even some are definitely over the top.
The plot is sound and kept me guessing till the end.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

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Dogfather is the tenth book in the Pampered Pets Mysteries. Having read several of the books, I can strongly recommend not just this book but all the books. The writing team of Sparkle Abby is successful at creating mysteries that are fun to read. Their sense of humor makes me laugh and keeps me smiling even after I've stopped reading. I specially enjoy the eighty-something year old Betty who works at the Bow Wow Boutique. The descriptions of her outspoken opinions and unusual clothing choices make her a standout character. Each book can be read as a standalone but reading them in order starting with Desperate Housedogs makes each book just that much better.

Thank you Bell Bridge Books for supplying an Advanced Reader's Copy for purposes of review. All opinions given are completely my own.
#Dogfather #NetGalley

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Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this next in series. My opinions are my own.
I love this series for its humor and fun . It is always great to return to this writing team and enjoy the next sleuth and adventure. The setting, charcters and sleuth is the perfect cozy mystery combination.
The authors do a great job of alternating stories between two cousins in California, running small businesses and solving murders. This book is Melinda's story. With the help of her fiancee, Grey, Mel is solving another mystery that threatens her beloved town and her fiancee. As contentious as their relationship is she jumps right in to protect him and ends up finding many suspects along the way. He is working undercover and they both must protect his cover while solving a murder that involves his cover.
I love how the authors write such humor and enjoyment into each story. These are fun books that will make you laugh out loud and always a fun sleuth. I enjoy reading this series and find these books have a great mystery to solve as well as interesting funny charcters that all add to the fun. I look forward to the next in series.

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Melinda Langston's former fiance Grey Donovan is under suspicion for a murder. A nearby store owner is dead and there is no shortage of people who might want to kill him: he had accused Grey of selling him a fake, his wife doesn't seem to like him very much, there's a mysterious blonde standing over the body, and a guy in town from the murdered man's past.
Betty is once again on the case which means that hijinks will ensue. And she's not too over the top in this book. But she definitely verges.
Overall a good read.

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 21

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One of my favorite series. Love visiting Laguna Beach. A fun, entertaining, and enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the next one.

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The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey is the tenth installment in Pampered Pets Mystery series but can be read as a stand alone.
This is the first book in the series for me and I had no problem getting familiar with characters. The backstory is mostly well explained.
Owner of the pet store Mel and her assistant Betty are trying to deal with recent breaking into local businesses when the owner of the designer handbags is murdered. The main suspect is none other than Mel's on again off again boyfriend, former FBI agent.

This is a fun, entertaining read.
Full of laugh out loud scenes and intercepted with romantic moments.
The story is well told and twisty. It is delightful to follow Mel and Betty while they stumble along trying to figure out the truth.

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What a delightful cozy mystery. The characters are all well told, especially Betty, what a hoot!
When a local store owner is found dead, it's up to Mel to find the answers.
Forged art work, knock off designer bags and so much more will keep the reader engaged and quickly turning the pages until the end.
This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and I enjoyed reading The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey.
I will definitely be reading more in this fun series.

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

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The Dogfather is a solid cozy mystery with great characters, keep-you-guessing suspense, and some romance. I enjoyed Melinda and Grey and how they worked together and tried to navigate their relationship. Plus the story had dogs! I love reading about the dogs and how their personalities shine through in the descriptions and interactions.

I’ve read the first six books in the Pampered Pets Mystery series and enjoyed all of them. The Dogfather can be read as a stand-alone book, but it does help to have some of the backstories from previous books. If you can, start at book 1 and work your way through, but at least try one of the books, you won’t be disappointed. Entertaining, solid, page-turning book and series.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

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