I adored this book. I fell in love with the characters, the small town, and the writing style was descriptive yet fast paced. Highly recommend for any mystery or dog lover!

It took a bit of reading for me to really get involved in the story, but once I got to the meat of the story I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the small town setting and many of the characters. It made me feel like I was living in the English countryside. Initially I thought this book was for a younger audience based on the cover, but the writing is definitely geared toward adults. I would have liked a little more suspense throughout, but found that it was probably just more realistic than the typical murder mystery books I am used to. Fans of The Thursday Murder Club will likely find this book enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

This book starts out very slowly as Ali, who is a new officer in the local police department, gets a case where a man named Brian says his wife Melody is missing. Did she leave voluntarily? Is she still alive? It's hard to believe that Ali, in her efforts to aid the poor helpless man, cooks for him and irons his shirts. The second half of the book gets better as Ali solves a 20 year old murder, deals with a local bakery vendetta, and searches tirelessly for the missing woman. Her dog Wilson, who goes with her everywhere, is another big asset to the story. Four stars for the second half and for the dog. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ali Wren has returned to her small village of Heft to work as the sole police officer -- assisted by her dog Wilson. Her duties mainly consist of patiently listening to the complaints of villagers. When a man comes to her and wants to report his wife missing, Ali isn't too concerned. It seems the wife in question has "disappeared" before, only to turn up before long. When it is discovered that the woman has taken cash and her passport, it seems even more likely that she's left her husband. As Ali begins to investigate, certain things don't add up and she begins to wonder if something sinister might be at play after all. To add to her problems, there's the rival bakery that has opened across the street from the lone, long-term bakery in town. When that establishment starts to suffer acts of vandalism, Ali has to try to figure out if it's connected to the new arrivals. Then there is the mysterious case of a young man who disappeared 20 years ago while hiking. His father is questioned as someone who knew the missing woman, and Ali becomes aware of that case and decides to look into it as well. Finally, a rich and obnoxious American has bought the stately Heft Hall and is rumors are running rampant about all of the outrageous plans he has for it.

This is definitely a cozy, with Wilson the dog front and center of every investigation. There is only one person (the obnoxious American) who objects to Wilson, and Ali takes him EVERYWHERE. Of course, he's a loyal, intelligent, and well-behaved dog. The pace of the story is very, very leisurely. When Ali is questioning witnesses and suspects, she often grows weary as they meander along talking nonsense and taking forever to get to the point. Imagine how we poor readers feel! I did enjoy the story, if it was a bit on the slow, uneventful side.

This is an absolutely wonderful book. Police Sergeant Ali Wren has returned to her hometown to become the only police officer. Her love for the townspeople gets her involved in many non crime issues but she and her trusted police dog Wilson enjoy solving small issues before they become big ones. Then, she gets called for a missing person case which becomes crazy complex. This and several other crimes present her with extreme challenges but she always manages to figure them out. I am looking forward to the next episode of Ali’s adventures! NetGalley provided me with a ARC, but the opinion is mty own.

Sgt Ali Wren has returned to the small town of Heft in Yorkshire as the lone policeman (along with her dog, Officer Wilson). She wants to be involved in the community, but is swamped with all kinds of minor complaints that have nothing to do with the police. Before long, though, Ali has not one, but two missing persons cases to solve.
Ali is learning that she needs to balance work and her personal life, but it also feels right to her to be involved in her community. She is an excellent policeman and truly cares about people. She has a great relationship with her dog and the Yorkshire countryside is amazing. I really enjoyed this mystery.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

#DeathintheCountryside #NetGalley is the first book I've read by this author, however, I absolutely loved it.
Sergeant Ali Wren and her canine police dog are determined to find out why two residents are missing.
Ali isn't sure if something bad happened or if it's just a case of a wife leaving her husband.
In her small town, everyone knows each other's business, so Ali and Officer Wilson, her smart canine partner, listen to the gossip and rumors, trying to sift through it all, hoping to find the one clue that will solve this mystery.

This is an easy to read story, filled with solid characters and a good mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.