This series has only gotten cuter! Who doesn't love Mavis? And now with the additions of a few other furry friends, well, it seems like Lizzy's house is getting fuller by the day! I have really enjoyed seeing how Lizzy and Holly's friendship has deepened in such a short time. Even with the mix of Holly's brother being a police officer and Lizzy's penchant for trouble, it has only drawn them all closer together.

I live up in the frozen Midwest like Lizzy does now and I can tell you that I understand her hatred of the cold. Yes, you do get used to it but for her, still being new, it's going to take a bit. I love that she has grown as a person as well as a writer for her books. Before, she really came off as kind of recalcitrant (understandably so) and I am happy to see her in this book really start to warm up to others.

This mystery had so many parts in it that it was a little difficult to tell who the murderer was, however, right at the end, everything clicked, and I had a eureka! moment. This book was super fun to read and kept you guessing until the very end. I love this series. We need more Mavis!!

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Alice Kanaka for the ability to read and review this book. All my opinions are my own and are completely honest.

Cute cover and cute cozy mystery that I enjoyed
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Any cozy lover looking for a new light series, may want to check out Gallant Guard-dach: Cozy Mysteries with a Dash of Dachshund (Mavis and Hornwhistle Cozy Mysteries), by Alice Kinaki. In this cozy, bestselling author Lizzy Hornwhistle has moved to Harperstown, South Dakota where her best friend, Holly, who has a veterinarian practice, lives. She has two pet houseguests, and her new next-door neighbor cuts down one of her trees which falls on his house. She is on a committee for a fundraiser, which is a maze, and during the event, a murdered woman is found. Holly is blamed or the murder, and her vet clinic is burned down. Lizzy feels she must investigate and her dachshund, Mavis, is right there to save her and help.

While the story is cute, it seems a bit disjointed, and isn’t that easy to follow, especially at the end where all the ends aren’t tied up. Kanaka does do a good job, however, of developing her characters, and Lizzy and Mavis are very likeable. The sub-characters are also quite well developed. There are lots of characters, and some are integral to the story. There wasn’t really a good motive that I could see for the murdered woman, and the author should have made her reasons for being in the town more understandable.

All told, this is a cute series, but the author should spend more time on tying up loose ends and emphasize the interactions between characters. Readers will definitely love Mavis, especially those of us who own dachshunds.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

The Harperstown Mystery Maze promised excitement with its secret passages and prizes, but the ultimate mystery was actually uncovering the identity of a true murderer. Jealousy, a possible affair or in fighting all might play a role in the evil deed.

I loved the adorable animals and the charming book cover, but the influx of characters at the start made it a bit challenging to keep track of who’s who. The best part was the creative ending. Overall, this is an enjoyable series, and I am interested to see what is going to happen in book 3.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#GallantGuarddach #NetGalley is a really good cozy mystery that I enjoyed reading.
Lizzy is a great character, her personality shines in this second book in the series.
Lizzy and her friend Holly find themselves involved in another murder investigation, and it seems like someone is trying to pin the murder on Holly.
There were so many funny moments and I absolutely love Mavis! The murder mystery which led to the investigation was well done, I loved the idea they had, and I would have loved to be there.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.