Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Paws for Concern by Amy Hueston

Posted October 23, 2020 by meezcarrie in Amy Hueston, contemporary, cozy mystery, giveaway, mystery/suspense / 20 Comments

PAWS FOR CONCERN
SERIES: A Canine Confections Mystery #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Donelson Press
RELEASE DATE: August 22, 2020
PAGES: 264

Life is good for Samantha Armstrong. She left her cheating boyfriend, settled into her cozy cottage on her Aunt Mary’s Palm Beach estate and is finally opening Canine Confections, her dream dog bakery on the ritzy Worth Avenue.
But Samantha’s happy new life goes doggone crazy when Palm Beach resident and pastry shop owner Whitney Goodwin is found dead on Canine Confections’ floor, whisking Samantha into the middle of a murder investigation. The only bright spot is that she finds herself adopting Whitney’s loveable dog Sweet Pea.
As the killer strikes again, it’s obvious that the shopkeepers on Worth Avenue are the target. Samantha’s impatience won’t let sleeping dogs lie. She takes it upon herself to move things along by padding around town with Sweet Pea and sniffing out clues to clear her name and Canine Confections’ reputation—before it is too late …
Includes a recipe from Chef Sarah Deters at the test kitchen of Three Dog Bakery, the original bakery for dogs!

If you’re like me and think the cover for Paws for Concern is adorable, then you’ll probably find the story equally adorable – just like I did! From Samantha herself to Aunt Agatha to Detective Trimble to Sweet Pea the affectionate dog… and of course Tracy (who is a hot mess but so cute you can’t help but like her) … the characters settle in your heart and keep you chuckling.

I mean, poor Samantha. The grand opening of her dream bakery for dogs is completely overshadowed by a murder. In said bakery. On opening day. And as small towns are wont to do, gossip flies across the grapevine and pins Samantha as the murderer, threatening her shop, her life savings, and her aunt’s investment. This gives the reader an emotional connection to Samantha right away, and even though some of her decisions/actions didn’t make much sense you are still solidly in her corner. A bevy of suspects fill Worth Avenue, giving readers a taste of life among the Palm Beach elite and setting the stage nicely for future books in the series.

Bottom Line: Paws for Concern is a “doggone” delightful start to this new series, from the adorable cover to the very last page. Samantha is a mostly relatable heroine who doesn’t take too many unnecessary risks (as far as crime solving goes) and keeps readers engaged in where the plot will take her. A quirky but heartwarming cast of supporting characters and a romantical possibility rounds out the mix, and the culprit may not be as easy to figure out as it first appears. Fun & full of warmth!

(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I borrowed via Kindle Unlimited. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it!

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Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Author Amy Hueston writes mini-mysteries for Woman’s World when she isn’t writing mysteries and suspense books. Paws for Concern is the first book in A Canine Confections Mystery series.

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