What can a veterinarian do but get involved when she is called in to get a dog that won't give up his prize and that prize happens to be a human bone. That is what happens to Doctor Kallie Collins when she is called in to get a bone back from said dog by the new detective in town As she communicates with the dog he not only gives her the bone but the entire body. Will something develop between her and Ben the detective on the case it doesn't in this book but there sure is lots of chemistry between them

Dogs don't lie -- and that is the charm and the best feature of this story for me. Shay writes wonderful animals -- through the eyes of a veterinarian who can communicate with them telepathically. In this story, the heroine helps solve an old crime and reveal a current crime in progress. The characters are very lightly drawn, the plot thready in parts, predictable and breathless with lots of cupcakes and chocolate -- appropriate for the cozy mystery that this is. I wish desperately that there was more communication with the animals -- that is the strength and the draw of this book, an incredible asset for this writer. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of this communication and so much of the story was like so many others.

Dogs Don't Lie is a great cozy mystery with wonderful characters. The storyline is unique and interesting.

veterinarian, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, murder-investigation, cozy-mystery, situational-humor, verbal-humor

Veterinarian Kallie's skills might be less obvious than Dr Doolittle, and she's lots younger than Dr Herriot, but she has even more in common with Kinsey Milhone! She claims that her ability to interact with animals is a thing that can be learned, but the sheriff's department and the paparazzi aren't so sure. The detective is new to the area and their first encounter is over a dog who doesn't want to give up the (human) bone but leads them into the cow pasture complete with cow pats. When Kellie isn't sleuthing, she's groaning over her mother's matchmaking schemes, so it's a good thing she's got a couple of good friends! Absolutely loved this book!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Robynn Sheahan of Independent Book Publishers Association via NetGalley. Thank you!

Dogs Don't Lie is the first book in a new cozy series by debut author Lisa Shay. Released 11th Sept 2019 it's 189 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a nice cozy with a very slight magical realism facet (the communication with animals / Dr. Doolittle aspect). It's written in the first person, which is a challenge, but I didn't find it especially grating. The author is adept with the more technical aspects of writing.

Protagonist Kallie is a veterinarian working in a group practice. She can communicate with animals, but it's presented as something she learned at a workshop and can be taught to anyone. Other than that, though it plays a fairly central role to the plot progression, it's not discussed or analyzed in any meaningful degree. Other than requiring a healthy suspension of disbelief, I found the rest of the book well written and charming.

There's a slowly developing romance between Kallie and a hunky detective of course. There are numerous animals (though none talk or cast spells, thankfully). The denouement is satisfying and the book is a short and undemanding read. The language is very clean (G-rated) and there's no trigger-warning-worthy violence in the book at all.

The ebook version includes an interactive table of contents Possibly worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. It's always fun to find a new author and series to read. I would recommend this one to fans of cozies with romantic subplots. I'm looking forward to more from this debut author.

Four stars.

I really enjoyed this mystery. It's not quite a cozy, more of an amateur sleuth crime novel. A cozy usually centers around a small town and spends a lot of time world building but this one dives right in with the mystery beginning on page 8. It's not your average whodunnit, in fact thanks to Kallie's special talent the animals reveal what happened. It's up to Detective Johnson and Kallie to put the pieces together. My only major complaint about this novel is that it's long and complicated. I had to skim a lot of the details towards the end and am left with a bit of confusion. This book may warrant a second reading.

The animals are my favorite part of this novel, especially Ariel the Corgi-Terrier mix (the adorable baby on the cover). They communicate with Kallie in a realistic way. I've heard of animal communicators before. Kallie doesn't claim to be psychic or think what she does is that hard. She gets visual impressions from the animal's point-of-view and tries to interpret that for humans.

I like Kallie too. I feel bad for her that in 2018 people except her to be a male and older and her mother thinks her career isn't valid. Kallie seems to love her job. She's kind and sympathetic with the animals. Kallie is able to keep her distance from her family while still remaining close. She knows how to deal with her mother's matchmaking schemes without drama. I did not like how she decided to investigate and how she made a really stupid rookie mistake that could have had dangerous consequences. Her friend Gracie is crazy and seems to think investigating a mystery is fun and exciting. I like their friend Sam better. She's an ER nurse and knows first hand how dangerous the real world can be. Sam is the voice of reason. I think the three of them mucked up the entire investigation because of their meddling.

Detective Johnson is a good guy in spite of not being fully comfortable around animals. I do hate how "city slickers" are stereotyped in these novels. I'm from the city/suburbs but I'm not stupid. Even city people have pets and city people can watch TV and movies, read books and are aware of how to dress for the country. Ben and Kallie's first meeting is a little awkward because he's a professional doing his job. He didn't have to be a city stereotype. Ben seems like a good guy. He's intelligent and cares about the people involved in the mystery. Ben respects Kallie and her talent, even when he doesn't quite believe in it. I think he cares a lot for Kallie too! There's a hint of a romance brewing between them. Tara, the deputy, is a strong female character who is intelligent enough to spot potential corruption and go after it. She is really dedicated to helping the community and any ego she may have is checked at the door. I really like her.

The animal hospital where Kallie works takes the place of the small town in this mystery. Eric seems like a fun co-worker and he also seems to be an animal lover. Kallie's boss is a bit tough. She seems a little scared of him. I don't believe his decisions were based on what was best for Kallie but more about what was best for his practice.

The big mystery seems to be who is Mr. Wheedon and what is his involvement in the mystery. This seems to be the weak link in the plot at the end when all is revealed. His associates are pretty nasty people without scruples or morals. <spoiler>Why didn't the family take their pets with them when they escaped? Will they come back? I want Kallie to keep Ariel and Ella but it doesn't make sense in terms of the storyline.</spoiler>

I recommend this to people who don't care for silly cozies, for animal lovers and mystery lovers. Kallie is a fan of [author:Lilian Jackson Braun|21625] and other cozy mysteries so if you like Kinsey, you may like Kallie. I would like to read more about Kallie and her animal friends.

Well written mystery. Has a variety for the mystery lovers, animal lovers and paranormal lovers. The characters interact well. I would have liked the paranormal action between the main character and the animals to be a little more involved but overall a good read. Well be looking for the next in this series.

First book for this author. I really enjoy the premise of this book. Characters a fun and engaging.
Love books with animals. Can't wait to see more from this author

I loved the concept of communicating with our furry friends. That gave this wonderful book a twist that was not found in most cozies. Couple that with likeable characters, a touch of romance and a good storyline and you have a very nice read.
Will read more of this series!

Great quick read that included suspense and romance. I am looking forward to more in the series. I enjoyed that it included concepts that were not typical, such as the vet being able to communicate with animals. There were also several parts in this book that made me laugh out loud.

Dogs Don’t Lie
Lisa Shay
5 Stars

Synopsis:

On call at Crater Emergency Animal Hospital, I, Doctor Kallie Collins, receive a curious request from the sheriff’s department. I’m to meet with a detective at a small ranch outside of town.

You see, there’s this dog with a bone he’s not willing to part with.
On scene, the dog tells me the bone is human. Actually, he shows me the location of the body, complete with a human skull, through an animal-communication technique I learned a couple years ago. Now I have to explain how this works to the detective, convincing him I’m not the murderer.
Who knew a simple farm visit would put me in the middle of a murder investigation? Well, I did kinda jump into this mess. I had to. I know what happened. The two four-legged witnesses to the murder told me.
And I’m the only one listening. (Goodreads)

Review:

I am so glad that I read this book, I enjoyed it so much. The characters are great, the animals adorable and the mystery hard to solve. What more can you ask for?

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Kallie is a vet who happens to be able to talk with animals. What a great ability to have, especially in her line of work. I enjoyed meeting Kallie and her friends and the animals added so much. Sam, Grace and Kallie find themselves in plenty of hot water and made for some very funny moments.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and red herrings thrown in and it was not easy to solve.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I really hope this is the start of a series because I want to spend more time with Kallie and her friends and animals.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

My Thoughts: While I might not be the target audience for this particular genre, I was intrigued by the unusual concept of Dr. Kallie Collins, veterinarian, being able to communicate with animals and the cover is compelling.

The characters, beyond protagonist Kallie, are all very engaging and very well fleshed. She has two close friends who are quick (well, mostly, sorta) supportive of her swiftly escalating escapades.

Kallie meets the probable love interest, Detective Ben Jacobson, when she is called out to investigate a dog that won't relinquish her bone. The problem was that it was a human bone and it doesn't take long for Kallie to exhibit her dog whispering talents and create converts.

Kallie seems to be a great deal more adventurous than cautious and it doesn't take long before she is deep into the mystery. Then come red herrings, lots of giggles and food (especially cupcakes and burgers).

It's cute. And it works. The venue is the gorgeous Pacific Northwest, and the characters are engaging. The well-plotted concept unique, the interaction with the animals investing, and I'm quite sure anyone a monster fan of Star Wars will love it. 4/5 stars

His Thoughts: A very astute veterinarian oversees an unlikely adventure with the help of two animal friends. Communicating telepathically with a dog and cat, Kallie Collins is thrust into an investigation of mysterious events including fraud against senior citizens.

Kallie’s strong female character with the help of two friends, brings the story along smartly. This author writes an entertaining tale that kept me turning pages. At times I wondered why the heroine kept investigating when very real threats were made on her life. A younger crowd will find this read very entertaining. 5/5 stars

I received this digital download from the publisher and NetGalley and shared with the CE who also greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. You will enjoy getting to know these solid characters and now is the time to get in on the first of what looks to be the first of a sweet new cozy series.

See our full reviews at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2019/10/25/dogs-dont-lie-a-kallie-collins-cozy-mystery-by-lisa-shay-a-bookreview/

"Dogs Don't Lie" by Lisa Shay is the 1st book in "A Kallie Collins Cozy Mystery" series. This is a new to me author, but I am glad I read the book as the series has a lot of potential.

On call at Crater Emergency Animal Hospital, I, Doctor Kallie Collins, receive a curious request from the sheriff’s department. I’m to meet with a detective at a small ranch outside of town.
You see, there’s this dog with a bone he’s not willing to part with.

On scene, the dog tells me the bone is human. Actually, he shows me the location of the body, complete with a human skull, through an animal-communication technique I learned a couple years ago. Now I have to explain how this works to the detective, convincing him I’m not the murderer.

Who knew a simple farm visit would put me in the middle of a murder investigation? Well, I did kinda jump into this mess. I had to. I know what happened. The two four-legged witnesses to the murder told me.
And I’m the only one listening.

I have always wished I knew what Lindi was thinking, (I think all furbaby mums wish they could) well the protagonist Kallie in this book has that ability.

I loved the setting of Medford, in southern Oregon with its forests it brought back memories of visiting Oregon as a child. I always like a small town setting where almost everyone knows one another. I enjoyed Kallie's relationship with her best friends, Grace and Sam, and the chemistry between Ben and Kallie. (could there be romance in the future)

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one sitting. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

I requested and received a copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was rather bored by the lack of much going on the idea of being basically an animal empathy could have led to interesting scenes and insight but it wasn't used much at all. Nothing riveting nor exceptional ion this cozy

Dogs don’t lie
I enjoyed this clever mystery.
A vet able to communicate with animals ! What’s not to like. Very different cozy genre.
Good storyline , plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing.
Definitely recommend and will look forward for the next book.
Thank you for my copy for my honest review.

I sort of liked and disliked this book at the same time. It’s easy to read and entertaining, the characters are likeable, but somewhat flat. Kallie can communicate with animals, she gets herself mixed up in a police investigation because of this ability. Instead of listening to the police Kallie plays Nancy Drew and gets into trouble. There are so many storylines going on besides the main story, which is the police investigation, that the mystery and tension gets lost a bit. I can’t say it even actually builds up. As for a mystery/ police book I’d say it gets 1 star, for a nice I’d say chick-lit it gets 4 stars.

Dogs Don’t Lie is such a cute book. Murder, dogs and a vet who can communicate with them make for good ingredients in this awesome book. I love a good mystery and dogs so this book was right up my alley. I highly recommend this book. Looking forward to reading more books in this series. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

I'm always happy when I discover an excellent novel by a new author and this one has the potential for becoming a great new cozy series.
I read it one setting and I loved the likeable and well written cast of characters and the engrossing plot.
The MC profession is unusual and it was like fresh air in genre where too many characters share similar characteristics.
The mystery was excellent and it kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading other books in this series and I strongly recommend this one.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Vet Kallie Collins has the ability to communicate with animals. Which comes in handy when she's called in by the local cops to deal with a dog chewing on a bone they think might be human...

I liked a lot of things about this book. It has a first person narrator who loves animals and can even communicate with them. The supporting characters were sympathetic and the police not just boneheaded flatfoots intent on ignoring anything but their own theories, as can often be the case in mystery novels. The plot is intriguing and reasonably well resolved and although there were a couple of minor points I wasn't clear about at the end, I might have missed something that explained them.

If I have any criticism of the book it's that the protagonist perhaps has things a little *too* easy - the detective on the case accepts her skill at talking to animals a tad more readily than I found entirely credible and things generally seemed to go her way just a touch too much.

But on the whole this was a fun, fast read and I'd be happy to read more of Kallie's adventures when they're available.

Dogs Don't Lie by Lisa Shay 3 stars

I read the synopsis and it looked intriguing. I like mysteries in which the main character can communicate with animals. Since this is an introduction into a new series the book had to do a lot of set-up for future books. I liked it, but didn't love it. I would read another book in this series when it comes out because I became invested in the characters. I can see a potential romance set-up in this initial book and I hope that Dr. Kallie Collins relationship with local law enforcement will continue to be congenial.

Thank you Netgalley and IPBA for this ARC.