The Bark Before the Dawn by Sarah Fox

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ The Bark Before the Dawn” by Sarah Fox  the 4th instalment in the "Magical Menagerie Mystery series”.  Sarah’s books are an automatic preorder even without reading the blurb on what the book is about, I just love her writing style.  I’m hoping there will be more of her other series in 2026.  (Sweet Confections series, Literary Pub Mystery series as well as the Wyatt Investigations Mystery series)

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Murder, magic, and a touch of romance. Return to the charming coastal town of Twilight Cove with the latest installment in USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox's enchanting Magical Menagerie Mystery series!

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched?

Arriving home to her beloved farmhouse after a successful trip with her boyfriend, Callum, Georgie Johansen feels utterly contented. Until she discovers a dark figure watching her from the bushes!

A prowler on your property is creepy enough to warrant a call to the police, right? But when Georgie’s ID matches that of a body discovered the next day at Twilight Cove’s Seabreeze Motel, things take a bizarre turn. Especially when Georgie realizes she met the murder victim at the airport in Florida.

Why did the mysterious woman follow them all the way to Oregon? Why was she at the farm? And what could she possibly have done that led to her death?

Georgie—along with magical pups Flossie and Fancy—makes it her mission to uncover the truth. And time is of the essence as a second prowler stares through her window . . . 

This delightful cozy mystery series with paranormal pooches is perfect for fans of Sofie Kelly, Amanda Flowers, Wendy Corsi Staub, and Gretchen Rue!

I loved it!  I really enjoyed visiting Twilight Cove, Oregon and the animal sanctuary again. This time someone is prowling around the farmhouse and following Georgie, (what a creepy feeling that must be ) 

Sarah is very good at descriptive writing so you feel like you’re right there walking amongst the woods, on the beach or walking main street and seeing the picturesque stores.  I know I would love to live there and be part of Georgie’s friend group.

Who wouldn’t want to hang out with two magical dogs named  Fancy and Flossie, a kitten named Stardust, a great horned owl named Euclid, and all the Sanctuary animals.  Another thing I enjoy is where Georgie and Callum’s relationship is heading. 

The story was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Georgie did. 

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 5 to come out!

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Severn House and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Please join the conversation and comment below.  Have you read… If so what did you think/like

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!

I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "The Whisking Hour" the 22nd instalment in the A Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. 

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Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.

On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

This time around we are back in Ashland and a very pregnant Jules is looking forward to a night at the theatre. A production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder.  But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

I really enjoyed this story, seeing how the Torte family is adapting to Jules having twins, new staff and how the business is expanding its horizons.  The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and there were just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Needless to say I cant wait for the next book in the series. 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

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The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor ” by Lucy Connelly the 1st instalment in the " A Welsh Village Mystery" series. I enjoyed this book and think it’s a great start to a new series.  I’ve enjoyed Lucy Connelly’s Scottish Isle Mysteries so was excited to see another series by her but set in Wales.

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A new job can be killer in this series debut mystery set in Wales, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Paige Shelton.

After crossing the pond, Dr. Gwen Griffith finds herself in the quirky place she fell in love with, Dillynaidd, Wales. A former managing editor for a Texan newspaper, Gwen is ready for the next stage in her life as the head of the journalism department at the local university in town. With her best friend, Carolyn Sparks–who is also the university’s dean–at her side, Dillynaidd feels like a dream, until murder comes knocking at her doorstep.

Gwen had only just met the victim, Dr. Alice Rice, at a faculty party, but that doesn't stop police detective Gareth Jones from suspecting her of foul play–after all, the victim was found on her doorstep. With her journalism background, Gwen decides that it’s up to her to clear her own name. But she’ll need all the help she can get when her idyllic small-town life is turned upside down in order to stay one step ahead of the killer.  

This brand-new series by Lucy Connelly, author of the Scottish Isle mysteries, will charm cozy mystery readers everywhere.

I really enjoyed visiting Dillynaidd, Wales from the high street,  to the University and surrounding countryside. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Gwen and her bff Dean Carolyn Sparks, plus the people who remembered Gwen from her university days. 

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Gwen did.  

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

Please join the conversation and comment below.  Have you read… If so what did you think/like

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!

I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin