Member Review

Poppy, a charming blend of Jack Russell and Shih Tzu, returns to star in Barking Mad, second in this delightful mystery series by award winning author Leigh Russell. With him, he brings his owner Emily Wilson and the other residents of the small village of Ashton Mead. After a near deadly run in with her neighbor in Laurel Cottage next door, she’s happy to see that someone new is moving in. Richard is an older man and somewhat mysteriously single. And after Emily discovers a woman’s body in the nearby river, the suspicious villagers decide that it is Richard’s wife and he had killed her. What follows is half mystery and half comedy of errors with a touch of romance thrown in.

Fans of the cozy mystery genre will love Barking Mad. It has an entertaining cast of characters, especially Emily, Hannah, Maud and Toby, who will definitely appear in the next of the series. Ashton Mead is well described - you can smell the garden flowers, see the baked goods in Hannah’s Tea Shoppe and listen to the suspicious whispers in the pub. And Poppy? Poppy is just the best dog hero since Lassie. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Oldcastle Books and Leigh Russell for this ARC.