Cover Image: Left Fur Dead

Left Fur Dead

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Member Reviews

Left Fur Dead by J. M. Griffin is the first book in the Jules & Bun Mystery series, and they are off to a good start. Juliette “Jules” Bridge runs a rabbit rescue farm in New Hampshire, and Bun is her rabbit who speaks to her through mental telepathy. While the two were walking one morning, Bun finds a body, Arty the Mime. Arty thought Jules was being cruel to the rabbits she keeps, for not letting them free. Arty and his group did not realizing they are sick and injured and need extra care and protection. When Jules becomes a suspect in his murder, Jules and Bun are on the case. A fun, cozy mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I recommend this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

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I really enjoyed this mystery. Enjoyed the setting and the characters. Absolutely loved Bun....Thank you J.M. Griffin for this delightful mystery read. Look forward to reading more.

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I cannot wait for the next in series ! This was such a charming enjoyable debut . Well done to the author. If you love animals you will be equally smitten with this new series. I loved every aspect of this wonderful book,.
Thank you to both the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this for review with gratitude. My opinion is my own. Left Fur Dead is the first book in a new cozy series, the Jules & Bun Mysteries.

We are introduced to a new fur companion, a rabbit in this this series. This is a fun departure from the usual animals in cozies and it is fun to read about the rabbits habits and relationship with his owner. This is a unique relationship. Juliette Bridge talks to her rabbit "Bun" and he can answer her telepathically! Right away I enjoyed their repartee . They are endearing and entertaining. Not only does he communicate with her he helps her solve a crime.

Juliette is a favorite protagonist right away for me as she runs a rabbit rescue farm. She has great love for the rescued rabbits and rehabilitates them from their former life of abuse and neglect. The name of the farm is "Fur Bridge Farm" . As a animal advocate and rescuer I found this so charming and love the descriptions of the farm and her devotion to the rabbits. Bun was one of her rescued rabbits and not your average rabbit.

Juliette and Bun ( I love the name) are on their morning walk near Fur Bridge Farm. Bun sees a body in the lake and Juliette confirms it is a local performer. Arty the Mime is well known and well liked. Jules is upset and puzzled why anyone would harm him and determines to find out what happened. Bun and Jules are on the case as a crime solving duo that will charm you and delight you with their relationship and savvy crime solving smarts.

The suspects abound . Juliette and Bun are a great pair of unlikely amateur sleuths. The supporting characters are all likable and great fun addition to the series. The author has included a great mystery, humor and adorable bunnies with a smart savvy protagonist who has a heart for animals and rescue. I loved this book and cannot wait for the next in series. i highly recommend this new series for your reading enjoyment for all cozy readers that love animals and a good mystery.

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A story that grabs you from beginning to end. I love how creative the author was with the story and characters, it just brightens the entire experience of reading this book. Definitely a great read.

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I had a really hard time getting into this book, despite the fact that I was super excited to read about a telepathic bunny. The story introduction felt like a sequel introduction - where people are already warning off the heroine from investigating, though as a first book, she's never done anything like that before. Also, her interaction with the bunny felt annoyed and put-upon, rather than "holy cow, I'm conversing with a rabbit."

I'm willing to give this another shot, but I can see readers having a hard time getting started.

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The author of Left Fur Dead had me at “telepathic rabbit”.

Jules runs a rabbit rescue on her farm in rural New Hampshire with a yarn store on the premises. Walking with Jules one snowy morning, her pet rabbit, Bun, finds a dead body. The body is Arty, the local mime. Later, a break-in at Jule’s farm brings a warning that the rabbits must be released as Arty wanted. What is the connection between Arty’s death and the perpetrator? Jules and Bun investigate to find out.

I was grateful to read a cozy mystery that wasn’t about needlework, cats, or dogs for a change. A telepathic rabbit at a rabbit rescue seemed like a fun idea. Unfortunately, Left Fur Dead also dumps the traditional light romance and the placing of clues to follow to identify the murderer. I missed the romance. The only person that Jules seems attracted to is the married sheriff and her bunny. Seriously…really? By the end, I was hoping she would hook up with the female vet. Now that would be innovative! For me the biggest problem is that there is literally no way to determine the murderer’s identity (or at least I never saw it) before his reveal at the end of the book. As an armchair detective, I expect the author to play fair and this one appeared not to. I realize J.M. Miller has written many other cozy series so I may try one of those before investing any more time in this one—though I will miss Bun. 2 stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I liked this book, it was engaging and entertaining even if sometimes it was a bit confusing.
The characters are well written and likable, I liked both Jules and Bun and found their telepathic chatting funny, the plot is entertaining even if a bit confusing at times, the setting lovely.
The mystery was ok, no plot hole, and it kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading another installment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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I have never read a book by JM Griffin but she is in my TBR pile (The Esposito Series Books Box Set). This is the first in this series, Jules & Bun Mysteries.

What drew me to the book was the cover and the description.
I liked that Bun communicates with Jules via telepathy and so not to appear deranged Jules must be careful when she answers Bun.

At times I felt lost, I wasn’t sure what the motivations of the characters’ actions were. What kept me reading were the characters.

I was surprised at the reveal.

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Nice start to a new cozy series. First off, Bun the bunny communicates telepathically with Jules, who runs a rabbit rescue in New Hampshire. And Bun's a smart bunny. If you're ok with that concept, then you'll enjoy enjoy solving the murder of Arty the mime along with them. You know Arty wasn't the good guy he seemed to be when Jules worked with him on the kiddy party circuit but...really! This is not too twisty but there's enough to keep you guessing. Thanks to net galley for the aRc. Looking forward to the next one.

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JM Griffin is also the writer of the fabulous seven book Vinnie Esposito mystery series https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B075VDZKKD?ref_=series_rw_dp_labf, Luna Devere fairy mysteries https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BGCV30/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i6, Sarah McDougall https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B006PKOTLU/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4, Deadly Bakery trilogy https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EH3R7WK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1, and many other awesome books.

Having read all of Mrs. Griffin's previous releases including her joint collaboration. This book just didn't grip and hold my attention as tightly as some of her others. My family was quite grateful for this as I can become lost in my reading! I really liked Juliette, the main character and her sidekick Bun (Hello Alice!) a "talking" he mind speaks, rabbit. While definitely a cozy, this book is truly unique in that it dismisses many of the usual tropes. We start with Jules having recovered from a major past trauma taking her pet rabbit Bun for a walk. Bun spots a dead body from his baby sling. From this point, the book is off to a somewhat slow start as the author truly now begins her world building. After finding Arty the mime, Fur Bridge farm, Jules' rabbit rescue is burgled and her friend and vet Jess moves in. From the moment we meet Stone the pace picks up significantly.
This is a well-written book with its lowest point being a slow start. I can definitely say I want to read book two.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

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Left Fur Dead is the first in a new series in which Jules Bridge runs a rabbit rescue farm and has learned that one rabbit in particular - Bun she can communicate with telepathically. On one of her daily walks she discovers the dead body of Artie the Mime (they know him from children's parties). They of course investigate and are advised not to investigate and the risk gets closer to home. The first of the series is setting the foundation with other characters such as Jess and Molly and I really like the concept of Bun and Jules and the telepathic discussion. I talk to my dogs and I wish I could her their thoughts! Good start to a new series. Looking forward to the next installment.

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This is the first time I have read anything by JM Griffin and I am glad I gave it a go. Left Fur Dead is a very entertaining story full of twists and turns, a few red herrings that hold your attention from the very beginning.

On Fur Bridge Farm, Jules cares for rescued rabbits. But when a killer strikes, she'll need a rabbit to rescue her .

Juliette “Jules” Bridge prides herself on the tender rehabilitation she provides for injured or abused rabbits on her New Hampshire rescue farm, but she has a very special relationship with one bunny in particular. Bun is a black-and-white rabbit who happens to have the ability to communicate through mental telepathy. Once she got over the shock, Jules found her furry friend had a lot to say.

One frigid March morning on their walk together, Bun spots a body. The police identify the frozen stiff as Arthur Freeman, aka Arty the Mime. Jules and Arty knew each other on the children's party circuit, where he’d perform magic tricks and she had an educational rabbit petting pen. With Bun egging her on, Jules decides it’s time they hop to it and put their heads together to discover who silenced the mime. But their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of more suspects and lies, while a killer sets a trap for them...

Protagonist Jules is likeable and I liked Bun (bunny) who is intelligent and communicates with Jules telepathically. I could really relate to this as I always talked to my cats as well as talk to my dog when out walking I get funny looks, so I could see how it could be embarrassing, especially with local law enforcement! There are other interesting characters to round things out Like Jess and Molly. I personally can't wait for the next installment.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of the book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

I did enjoy this cozy mystery, but I felt like it waffled on at times. Things were a little too over explained, and the characters put themselves into some really stupid and dangerous situations (and often repeated situations) in order to get the mystery solved. I also struggled a little with Jules and what motivated her to do the things she did. I loved the setting though, and I needed to see more of the rabbits other than Bun, the talking one. He was great and I hope in future books more is revealed about his past and why he has the connection with Jules.

It is an unusual mystery, not your usual fare. Talking rabbits in a cozy isn't for everyone, but it works well here. I'll definitely want to read the second book to see where this series heads. Three stars.

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I enjoyed reading this story. The plot was well thought out and there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.
I’m excited to see what happens next in this fun series.

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An interesting premise but it did not keep my attention.
It made no sense to me why the protagonist would feel the need to solve the murder.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

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Overall, I liked the book but it was pretty choppy and hard to follow in places. There were also some plot points that required huge leaps of faith that I couldn’t make - and I’m not referring to the talking rabbit.

I hope that book two is more tightly edited because there’s potential here.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

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I absolutely loved Bun! He's cute, adorable and fluffy! Jules is a kind-hearted young woman. She cares for those around her - bunnies included. Her love for the injured and abused pets was well depicted throughout the story.

Jessica is a would-be vet who helps Jules in looking after the bunnies. When Jessica learns that Jules' life might be in danger, she offers to stay with her until the perp is caught. I really liked their budding friendship.

The suspense is maintained very well throughout the story. Although Bun does make a comment about he not being comfy with a particular someone and they might be Arty's killer, the mystery behind the killer's identity was well concealed until the end.

Overall, this was an entertaining and entertaining cozy mystery. Bun is the star of the show - he's such a cutie patootie! I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I am looking forward to reading more of Jules and Bun's adventures.

4.5/5

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I really enjoyed the telepathic bunny as part of the book. It was different because instead of the main character, Jules, having a lot of internal dialog, there was a character there to answer her and to interact with. It helped move the story along. I'm looking forward to more books in this series!

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I liked this book. The telepathic bunny is cute and doesn't interrupt the flow of the story. I enjoyed the characters and can't wait to see what happens next. #LeftFurDead #NetGalley

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Jules Bridge runs a farm where she cares for bunnies, has a traveling bunny petting zoo for parties, and operates a yarn shop. She’s busy girl, but when a mime she had worked parties with is found murdered, Jules and Bun find time to dig into the mystery when it seems to be connected to break ins that are happening at her shop.

If the police or Jules and Bun can’t solve the murder quickly, Jules can literally kiss arm life good bye. It’s hard when you trust those closest to you and can’t figure out who may not be exactly what they seem.

When I see a new cozy series pop up I read the description and will often give it a read. Seeing this new series, that is exactly what i did. But I’m not too sure about being able to speak with a bunny telepathically. When I waver like this, I will give the second book a read and make a decision on future books and that is where I am after reading this one.

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