Juneau Black has done it again! This is a delightful addition to the "Shady Hollow series"! The plot was well-paced and captivating with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were charming and witty. This is definitely one I'll read again! I highly recommend this fun and cozy mystery! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

3.5 Stars.

🌲 The vibes:
- cozy mystery
- Forrest animal cast
- quick read
- Book 6 in interconnected series
- Closed door (not a romance)

🌲 My thoughts:
I’ve read all the books in this series, so I was fully prepared for a slow-paced, cozy read. I think this delivered on those elements.

When Vera, the journalist fox in Shady Hollow who loves solving crimes in her free time, is accused of committing a murder, she has more at stake than ever before to sniff out the perpetrator.

The setting of autumn in Shady Hollow is perfection. I did the ebook for this one, but I’m confident that the audio will be another hit in this series. The audio books on all of them that I’ve listened to always enrich the experience and really bring out the animal elements, so def be on the lookout for when the audio releases.

I think the main reason this book didn’t hit as well for me as the others is that it felt more humanistic to me in the plot and storyline. There were several times that I forgot I was in Shady Hollow following a cast of animals, because it felt maybe too much like humans. The charm of this series IS the animal component, so I wanted to feel that shine through a bit more.

Overall, this was still a good time, and I did love to see Orville’s growth over the entire series. Like- what a bear (guy) 😂 👏🏼.

Also- random note, Bradley the wolf reminded me so much of Gilderoy Lockhart 😆.

Note- closed door (not a romance)
Release date: October 7, 2025.

Thank you so much to Juneau Black, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Vintage, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.


*note- posted on Instagram (posted on stories on 7/28 and saved permanently to my “Reviews 2” highlight reel on my profile) , goodreads, Storygraph, and barnes and noble. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Mockingbird Court takes us back to Shady Hollow in the autumn. Vera Vixen has just gotten back from a trip to the city and is ready to relax and recover. Unfortunately, those plans are scrapped when author and nuisance Bradley Marvel shows up at her door, revealing that his editor was murdered in Marvel's apartment. While fleeing the city isn't a good look for Marvel, Vera also gets put in the hot seat when it is revealed that said editor was her former lover and blackmailer. Vera also had motive and opportunity. With pressure mounting, Vera must find out what REALLY happened at Mockingbird Court.

Sadly, this installment of Shady Hollow fell flat compared to previous books. I was looking forward to exploring more of the world, but unfortunately NONE of this book actually takes place in the city that we've heard so much about! Vera and friends solve the mystery from Shady Hollow after conducting interviews of two witnesses that had then made their way to the quiet town and getting a few clues dropped by the city detective.

The twist also didn't pack a punch like it has previously. While the culprit was predictable because we have a limited pool of suspects, the motive felt drawn out from nowhere. Overall, I'm hoping that the next novel brings the quality backup to what I'm used to with the first three installments.

One of my favorite cozy series and this one did not disappoint! This one brought in big city elements and gave us Vera's backstory. The writing is always so spectacular that I forget the characters are animals until the author includes a paw-shake or a paw-kerchief and then I am always smiling. I especially love the cozy vibes of their food and homes and this time the clothes were spectacular. But underlying the plot there is always an exceptional mystery and this one kept me guessing right to the end.

This series is just too cute and cozy. I have loved each and every book and will read every one that is published. I recommend this to readers of all reading types! Absolutely adore this little town, the characters and the stories! Juneau Black and Shady Hollow is an instant buy!

This was another great installment in this series. I was able to guess at the culprit pretty early on, but it was still an enjoyable read. One thing I love about this series is that there is a well established set of side characters. It's nice to reconnect with them and with Vera. Each character has grown throughout this series, which isn't always the case for a long running series. I loved all the descriptions of the Shady Hollow autumn festival, too. IT made me long for Fall. I hope there is another book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for providing me with a copy for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Mockingbird Court brings us back once again to the deceptively cozy town of Shady Hollow and its various woodland denizens. This time, however, the murder mystery doesn’t take place within its borders, but follows our central character home, bringing up not only questions about her innocence, but of her past, as well.

Like all Shady Hollow novellas, you can expect a cozy murder mystery among a diverse cast of woodland animals, along with detailed accounts of the picturesque town and mouth-watering descriptions of all kinds of comfort food. While these books can technically be read as stand-alone, I think a reader would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn’t first read the earlier installments. With a shorter length, there isn’t time to adequately acquaint yourself with the various characters if you haven’t gotten to know them in the stories along the way.

This is particularly important in this book, as Vera finds herself at the center of an investigation. Her relationship with the creatures around her is central to the plot, and gives its own kind of comfort as the story unfolds.

Short, sweet, and to the point, this book is the perfect companion for a late autumn evening that is starting to stretch into winter. Curl up with a blanket and warm cup of cider and see if you can solve the mystery along with the characters before all is revealed. (Then maybe look up some recipes for the baked goods mentioned, as you might end up hungry by then end!).

A new Shady Hollow mystery has always been a delight to the heart and the mind, and this latest installment is no exception. Definitely move to the top of your cozy stack for this Fall!

I was pleasantly surprised by how layered Mockingbird Court turned out to be. What begins as a quirky neighborhood dramedy slowly unravels into something a bit deeper—with secrets, subtle social commentary, and flawed, relatable characters. The pacing was solid and the writing had an effortless rhythm to it. At times, I wished for a bit more emotional payoff in the final act, but overall, this was clever, well-written, and thoroughly engaging. Great for fans of character-driven suburban suspense.

Oh my gosh. How did I not try these books sooner?! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
They feel so unique?? I mean, obviously they are duh but once you start reading them you’ll know what I mean 😅 def recommend. Cozy ish reads that can be enjoyed in between long series!

A dead body is found in Bradley Marvel's city apartment, causing him to flee to Shady Hollow in the hopes that Vera will help clear his name and solve the case! I love this series and am so glad this one takes place in Shady Hollow; the vibes are immaculate. I found this series a couple of years ago and can't get enough. This one is pretty predictable, as are the others, so it never takes away my enjoyment; however, I felt the pacing was a little slow at times and felt repetitive. If you've enjoyed the other books in this series, you're going to love this one as well. I wish I was an animal and could enjoy the Shady Hollow Harvest Festival and eat some yummy soup!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! Pub—October 2025

Reading a Shady Hollow book feels like coming home to a mug of hot cocoa after a long day of work. This is my all-time favorite series that I always recommend to friends and book lovers. I had high expectations going into this book, and it delivered. Cozy descriptions, mentions of yummy food and drinks, and a woodland creature murder mystery. What's not to love?

4 stars. I just really savor this fun series featuring woodland creatures. I enjoy the cozy, warm, and delightful characters and the wonderful town of Shady Hollow. In this novel, we learn more about Vera Vixen’s back story – about her roots in the city and about how she found herself a resident of Shady Hollow. In turns out, her previous mentor and editor from her first job in journalism has been found dead … and Vera is a prime suspect. She gathers her team of wonderful creatures, as we all as few new faces, to help her uncover the truth and clear her name. While it is not my favorite book in the series, it is a good story. It serves as a refreshing escape from the burdens of the everyday world, which is the best thing that reading can be, in my opinion. Grab this book, and a cuppa and find your favorite reading spot – you will not regret it.

A few years ago, I came across the first book in this series in one of my favorite independent book shops and was lured in by the beautiful cover. Upon reading, I was hooked! I've been a fan of the Juneau Black since and, in particular, the Shady Hollow series. This installment does not disappoint. Not only do we learn more about our protagonist, Vera's, past, but we are reacquainted with former characters, and the "world" building continues. While the mystery isn't highly complicated, nor unknowable by the end of the book, that doesn't take away from the enjoyment of it all.

Set at harvest time (hello October release date), this story links both the "city" and "small town" connections with a cross-location murder mystery that will arrive just in time to get comfy in your burrow with some apple cider and enjoy this story in one sitting!

If you're looking for a cozy murder mystery, this is your book (and series!), and you won't be disappointed! Can't wait for the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the advanced copy. What a treat!

Thank you Juneau Black for another perfect book. I will say that this book started much slower than the previous books in the series, and it read a bit different. For lack of a better way to explain, I would say that it read like a noir. I really liked the use of flashbacks to flesh out Vera's past and relationship with the deceased. I think that Vera's past has been a hole in the series to this point, but something about the "back when I was in the big city" and "outside looking in" perspective at the beginning really colored the narration for me.\

I am such a huge fan, at this point in the series, of both the recurring characters and the newly introduced ones. I get so excited seeing the new cast of characters at the start of each book and love how fleshed out this world and the surrounding neighborhoods have become.

I would love it if this was not the last book in the series, just saying.

We finally returned to Shady Hollow in this one! Huge! Two of the last three books have taken place outside of Shady Hollow, and while they’ve all been great I was so excited to come back to the setting I enjoyed the most. It was also an opportunity to reacquaint readers with the side characters (who will presumably be fodder for future books) and the writers did a marvelous job with both of those things.

That said, while I enjoyed this immensely this was not my favorite of the series. I don’t like flashbacks in series/stories that otherwise don’t have them; it’s always come across as a bit lazy to me, and the flashback here doesn’t really add anything for me that more effort in the dialogue scenes couldn’t have given.

The dialogue needed more work anyway. This story really centers on Vera’s backstory which we haven’t gotten before, and I think it’s coming way too late in the series with not enough foreshadowing. There was lots of info dumping about her life that probably should’ve come up earlier if the authors weren’t just inventing it now for this book, and the new characters felt sprung on me when we could’ve and probably should’ve set them up earlier.

The plot was fine, but I’m also incredibly biased against every time a cozy mystery makes the MC civilian detective the main suspect. I hate that trope, so my view on it is pretty subjective and some people will probably love it. For being a trope I hate, it was executed well. Though the final reveal was a little forced and predictable.

In sum, I love these books. I have thoughts on what I’d like to see in future, but I’d honestly read anything these authors put out in this series. Give me a thousand more. The setting and the characters are always wonderful, and I eat them up every time.

(Also. Leftie is still the best character. I would like to formally request that if there is another short story, it be from his perspective, preferably solving a crime while committing a crime.)

I am a forever fan of Juneau Black's Shady Hollow series and the latest installment is no exception. While these books can be read as stand-alones, long-time readers of the series will enjoy the pay-off of getting a glimpse into Vera Vixen's past and how she landed in Shady Hollow. I am proud of myself for figuring out the story's antagonist (which is unusual for me with cozy mysteries) but the motives remained a mystery until Vera uncovered it all. While this book *could* be read as the conclusion to the series, I certainly hope it isn't. I really look forward to my time in Shady Hollow and hope that the authors share more installments with us in the years to come.

I love the Shady Hollow series. These are great cozy mysteries for either the seasoned veteran or a new comer to the genre. "Mockingbird Court" is another great story by the Juneau Black author duo.

This story focuses on Vera as a suspect which was a fun switch up from the other stories. As always the returning characters are fun additions to the story.

Rated 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

I really can't get enough of this cozy mystery series. Like the five prior books in this series, Mockingbird Court is filled with charming characters, whimsy, and a fun (albeit it rather predictable) mystery. I loved learning more about Vera and her mysterious past in this story. As long as Juneau Black keeps writing Shady Hollow novels, I'll gladly keep reading them.

e-arc provided by Netgalley

I really enjoy this series I think its very wholesome and I love that the characters are woodland creatures. I did guess some of the twists in this book but I think that comes with reading a lot of mysteries/thrillers. I also really liked getting more of Vera's backstory.

This has become a favorite mystery series of mine. Vera Vixen's past starts to unravel when she becomes a suspect in the murder of her former boss. What is she hiding? Bradley Marvel is back, on the run from the law for the same murder. Great series. I eagerly look forward to each new book!