Muzzled (Kate Turner, DVM, Bk 1)
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
Muzzled won the Poisoned Pen Press's 2013 Discover Mystery Contest, and I can see why. The mystery is a corker. When the killer was revealed, I could've slapped myself upside the head because the clues were there from the beginning. I'm going to blame my lack of prowess on two things: Eileen Brady's wonderful sense of humor, and the way she weaves the life of a veterinarian into her story.
One of my pet peeves about so many "niche" cozy mysteries-- those books with themes like knitting or running a B&B or cooking for example-- is the fact that the theme is just a thin veneer to hook the reader and has very little or nothing to do with the action in the book. If I pick up one of these books and the main character is supposed to be a glass blower, she'd better be able to convince me that she knows how to create something in glass. Same goes with knitting or any of the dozens of themes (or hooks) that are out there. That is certainly no problem in Muzzled. Eileen Brady was a vet for many years and still has a hand in the business. There is no doubt in your mind that Kate's a vet because of all the house calls she makes.
Make no mistake, those house calls can be a riot, whether Kate's saving a hamster from the maw of a vacuum cleaner or meeting a woman who dresses like her Chihuahua. These scenes provide verisimilitude, they provide humor, they provide knowledge on pet care and on the characters in the book, and they provide clues to the mystery. I enjoyed every single house call Kate Turner made.
Kate is a dedicated vet who's been experiencing a bit of man trouble. She's strong, she's smart, and it seems almost everyone who meets her thinks she's Meryl Streep. In fact her resemblance to Streep is a running joke throughout the book. If there's any problem at all with the book, it's that Kate is so strong a character that the others pale in comparison. I'm looking forward to Kate's next investigation so I can reacquaint myself with those other characters.
Naturally I have no interest at all in seeing Kate, following along on those house calls, or reading another first-in-show mystery....
One of my pet peeves about so many "niche" cozy mysteries-- those books with themes like knitting or running a B&B or cooking for example-- is the fact that the theme is just a thin veneer to hook the reader and has very little or nothing to do with the action in the book. If I pick up one of these books and the main character is supposed to be a glass blower, she'd better be able to convince me that she knows how to create something in glass. Same goes with knitting or any of the dozens of themes (or hooks) that are out there. That is certainly no problem in Muzzled. Eileen Brady was a vet for many years and still has a hand in the business. There is no doubt in your mind that Kate's a vet because of all the house calls she makes.
Make no mistake, those house calls can be a riot, whether Kate's saving a hamster from the maw of a vacuum cleaner or meeting a woman who dresses like her Chihuahua. These scenes provide verisimilitude, they provide humor, they provide knowledge on pet care and on the characters in the book, and they provide clues to the mystery. I enjoyed every single house call Kate Turner made.
Kate is a dedicated vet who's been experiencing a bit of man trouble. She's strong, she's smart, and it seems almost everyone who meets her thinks she's Meryl Streep. In fact her resemblance to Streep is a running joke throughout the book. If there's any problem at all with the book, it's that Kate is so strong a character that the others pale in comparison. I'm looking forward to Kate's next investigation so I can reacquaint myself with those other characters.
Naturally I have no interest at all in seeing Kate, following along on those house calls, or reading another first-in-show mystery....
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
