As a dog lover I was hoping this cozy mystery would be better than others but unfortunately it fell very flat. There was too much filler and not enough action to get to the point/resolution.

This is cozy mystery where a pet behaviorist is the suspect of crime and she has to use her dogs to help her get out of trouble. Would life be easier is there were more dogs than humans.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book. I unfortunately couldn’t connect with Nikki. The story’s pacing was a too slow and I couldn’t care about the characters nor who the killer is. I think the plot concept is nice, but it felt flat for me.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. This is not a reflection of the writing, plot or storytelling. I wish the author the bestest of luck.

This was a really charming book, I love dogs so as soon as dogs were mentioned, I was sold! I enjoyed the storyline and the style of writing, but I did have to push through parts of it to get to the crux. I didn’t really get how the title relates to the storyline, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

I liked the foray into how people grieve differently and how that impacts relationships and I enjoyed the FMC relationship with her husband and friends too!

Overall a nice cozy read and I would read the author again! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :)

This was a really cute mystery surrounding a pet behaviorist hired to help a dog who's owner has passed. The family who hires her ends up giving way more our FMC bargains for, jeopardizing both her future and her business. This would be a great read when you're looking for a something on the lighter side.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A charming cozy mystery with heart and hounds!

This was such a fun and engaging start to what I hope becomes a delightful series. Nikki, a pet behaviorist trying to get her business off the ground, finds herself entangled in a murder mystery after taking on a grieving basset hound named Reginald. What starts as dog walks and behavior tweaks quickly spirals into family secrets, unexpected deaths, and a surprise inheritance that paints Nikki as a suspect.

I loved the light, humorous tone mixed with the intrigue of a classic whodunit. Nikki is a likable, resourceful protagonist, and the St. Louis setting, combined with the quirky cast of characters (especially Reginald!), added to the cozy charm. The mystery kept me guessing, and while a few plot twists stretched believability a bit, the ending tied everything up in a satisfying way.

This book is perfect for fans of pet-centric mysteries and strong female leads with a knack for getting into (and out of) trouble. I’ll definitely be checking out what’s next for Nikki!

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Emily Soderberg for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nikki, a pet behaviorist of modest means, has been called to the Van Meer mansion to attend to Reginald, the grieving hound dog. While Reginald’s needs are relatable, the human family dynamics are anything but. Nikki soon becomes entangled in the drama like a twisted leash. When the pack dynamics turn lethal, Nikki must solve the case before she is wrongfully collared for the crime.

I found this cozy mystery to be both charming and funny. The sense of humor was right up my alley and I was interested in the characters. The slow burn mystery unraveled ploddingly but neatly. I’ll be following this author for more mysteries in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Emily Soderberg for making this ARC available.

This book was cute and funny at times. However, it felt very drawn out and it took a while to get to the resolution. There was a lot of "fluff" in the middle. It was also far-fetched to me that the main character would become such a protagonist in solving this murder when she'd known the family at issue for only a few days as a dog-walker. The title also does not really match up with what the book is about. Definitely has potential though and I'd be interested in reading something else by the author.

This was a charming cozy mystery about a wealthy matriarch who suddenly dies and the dog walker that had to solve the mystery. I thought the protagonist was fine and wouldn’t mind a sequel from her!

How to Talk to Your Dog About Murder is a light, cozy mystery with a unique twist—a pet behaviorist turned amateur sleuth. The setup is charming, especially for dog lovers, and the tone keeps things breezy even when the stakes rise. Nikki is a relatable lead, though some characters felt a bit one-dimensional, and the pacing dragged in spots. Still, the dog-related moments shine and add heart. A solid start to what could be a promising series for cozy mystery fans.

How to Talk to Your Dog About Murder is a delightful and witty cozy mystery that introduces a lovable new amateur sleuth in pet behaviorist Nikki Jackson-Ramanathan. When a routine house call in a wealthy St. Louis suburb leads to murder, Nikki finds herself tangled in a leash of secrets, lies, and high-society drama—all while trying to clear her name and keep up with her dog-walking gigs.

Emily Soderberg blends humor, heart, and a clever plot in this fun whodunit. Nikki is smart, relatable, and refreshingly down-to-earth, especially as she navigates the eccentric Van Meer family and a growing list of suspicious characters. The canine connections add warmth and charm without ever veering into gimmick, and the mystery itself is satisfyingly layered with just the right amount of misdirection.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this engaging and thoroughly enjoyable debut in exchange for my review. Cozy mystery fans—especially dog lovers—will find much to enjoy in this quirky, tail-wagging start to a promising new series.

Nikki is a pet behaviorist that is hired by Mrs. Van Meer to meet with Reginald, her late husband’s dog. Nikki is hired because of concerns Reginald is mourning his unexpected death.

After the initial consultation and taking him on a walk he seems like he is back to his old self. Nikki is then hired to walk him on a more frequent basis.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Van Meer is found in her home dead. It seems like it was natural causes, as she was just an old lady with no concern for any other cause.

Until, it is discovered that Nikki has added to the will and it was added shortly before Mrs. Van Meer’s death. Now all eyes are on Nikki. Desperate to prove her innocence she tries to solve the mystery of who actually murdered Mrs. Van Meer.

I thought it was a little slow to start with but definitely picked up at the end when everything finally came together. Didn’t suspect who the actual murderer was until it was revealed which always makes the story that much better!

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Emily Soderburg for allowing me to read this ARC. This review is my own opinion.

This book will be published October 21st, 2025

Nikki is struggling to get her pet behaviorist business off the ground but winds up as a dog walker and then chief suspect in the murder of one of her clients. The tale is entertaining and fun! Think this is a good start but needs a little fine tuning before I go ahead and get the whole series. But it's dogs and it's fun, so I know that I'll be getting any more that are written.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley from Crooked Lane Books courtesy of NetGalley. Avail Oct 21, 2025
#HowToTalktoYourDogAboutMurder by @soderbergemily @crookedlanebooks **** Review #storygraph #bookbub #goodreads #librarything #cozymystery #Murder #Investigation #dogwalker
#petbehaviorist #chiefsuspect #witty #localcops #situationalhumor #smallbusiness #fun

Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. The book is very mundane and nothing happens until the ninth chapter. Even then, the book does not pick up speed until the end. It is a very slow pace which seemed irrelevant for the plot of the book. We follow too much on Nikki and her regular life. For a "dog whisperer" type book, it is a very small part of this book. It could be considered a cozy mystery. A grandmother dies and now the family is dueling with who gets what and normal things. The "dog whisperer" hired on before the woman was killed is now figuring out what happened. The book picks up during the last 10% of it and I really enjoyed that but wished the entire book was like that ending. Overall it is a 2.5 stars for me, rounded up for that well written ending.

Cozy mysteries will always have my heart. I started reading them before I ventured out to different genres. This books didn’t disappoint. It kept me at the edge of my seat and I had no clue who the villain was. The dog, Reginald was the cutest as well. What’s not to like about reading about animals in your book!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.
It was an ok book, with not enough dog in it. The 'dog whispered' underwhelmed me, she was a big boring and the whole story felt flat to.me.; I just couldn't get into the book, it wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This was an entertaining read. Perfect combination of cozy mystery and family drama. Usually I find predictable the endings of this type of books but this wasn’t the case. I didn’t expect it at all (the murderer)

Cute little murder mystery…if it’s okay to refer to murder as cute that is. Nikki is a jack of all trades. As an entrepreneur, some of her side businesses include dog walking and animal behaviorist. So when she’s called for a job at the Van Meer residence, she thinks nothing of it. Reginald the dog has been grieving since his master, Mr. Van Meer, passed away. A few little tweaks to his routine and he’s pretty much back to normal. Somehow, though, she gets roped into daily dogwalks with Reginald. All is well and good until Mrs. Van Meer passes away. Seems like natural causes at first. After all, she was pretty old. But then it’s determined that it wasn’t a natural death at all. To make matters worse for Nikki, Mrs. Van Meer added Nikki to her will shortly before she passed away. It’s enough to turn suspicious eyes in her direction. Add in a couple of feuding siblings and assorted other characters and you’ve got yourself a murder mystery.

Nikki is a dog behaviorist who has been tasked with helping an older Basset Hound after the owner dies. The dog seems to be down in the dumps and its Nikki's job to turn him around. The family that she is helping is very wealthy and Nikki somehow finds herself invited to their huge football party which sounded amazing. All of a sudden the wife of the man who has passed away also turns up dead.

Nikki finds herself mixed up with all of the family chaos and also as a possible murder suspect. The family drama was definitely insane and it just kept getting crazier as the story went on. I do find it a bit hard to believe that Nikki figured out who the murderer was and all of the motives for that person doing it. The way the murder was done was definitely a bit out there and I'm kind of shocked that nobody would have seen something. I didn't expect the person who was the murderer, which is always a great part of a good murder mystery. Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Emily Soderberg for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.