Murder Most Howl {+ Giveaway}

*This post contains affiliate links

Author Krista Davis shows her affection for animals throughout her amazing Paws and Claws Mystery series.

In her latest release, MURDER MOST HOWL, Davis puts a new spin on attracting tourists to the pet-friendly town of Wagtail, VA. This charming story will have you howling with laughter even as you’re trying to solve the murder.

Holly Miller is busy running the Sugar Maple Inn while her grandmother is on vacation. To draw in tourists, the merchants in Wagtail are hosting a weekend-long murder mystery game. Holly has a full house at the inn and a blizzard is predicted.

The storm blows in the night the game gets underway. Trouble soon overshadows the game’s fun when a second body is discovered. This time, however, the victim really is dead and a killer is on the loose. Holly, with the help of her four-legged companions, sets out to find the real killer so the game can continue in fun.

Davis has created a lovable, fun setting where humans and pets live in harmony. The small town atmosphere enhances the story. The characters – humans and animals – are likable and well-developed. Readers can relate to the bond between the pets and their owners.

MURDER MOST HOWL moves at a steady pace and holds your attention from beginning to end. The twists and turns makes for an intriguing mystery that will keep you guessing. Murder, intrigue, lovable animals, a touch of romance, and a game makes this a tantalizing read.

This is the third entry in the series, but can be read as a standalone. Davis has included tasty recipes for humans and animals as an added bonus.

Animal lovers will adore this series. But you don’t have to be a pet person to enjoy this delightful cozy murder mystery.

Murder Most Howl by Krista Davis, A Paws and Claws Mystery Book #3, Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425262573, Mass Market Paperback, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to Danielle and the great folks at Berkley, I have a print copy of MURDER MOST HOWL to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Thursday, Dec. 17.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Murder Most Howl Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decide for whatever reason you don’t want to win, once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks for stopping by today. Would you like to live in a town like Wagtail where pets were welcomed everywhere? Do you or have you ever cooked for your pets?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Ghost and Mrs. MEWER {+ Giveaway}

It’s a fun day here at Thoughts in Progress as I welcome author Krista Davis back to talk about her latest release, THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER, the second installment in her Paws and Claws Mystery series.

To celebrate this release, thanks to Krista and the lovely Danielle at the Penguin Group, I have a copy of this delightful cozy murder mystery to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for additional giveaway details.

Here’s a synopsis of THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER:

Wagtail, Virginia, the top pet-friendly getaway in the United States, is gearing up for a howling good Halloween—until a spooky murder shakes the town to its core . . .
        Holly Miller doesn’t believe in spirits, but the Sugar Maple Inn is filled with guests who do. The TV series in development, Apparition Apprehenders, has descended on Wagtail’s annual Halloween festivities to investigate supernatural local legends, and Holly has her hands full showing the ghost hunters a scary-fun time.
        But the frights turn real when Holly’s Jack Russell, Trixie, and kitten, Twinkletoes, find a young woman drowned in the Wagtail Springs Hotel’s bathhouse—the spot of the town’s most infamous haunting. The crime scene is eerily similar to the creepy legend, convincing Holly that the death wasn’t just accidental. Now she’ll have to race to catch a flesh-and-blood killer—before someone else in town gives up the ghost . . .
 
Now please join me in giving Krista a warm welcome as she talks about …… ‘Ghosts.’ Welcome, Krista.

I am fascinated by ghosts. Not so much the dark, scary ones depicted in movies. It’s the general concept that interests me. Are they real or not? 

So many people have seen ghosts and had experiences with them, yet a lot of people think it’s all nonsense. Apparently, almost three-fourths of Americans believe in something paranormal. That figure includes belief in extrasensory perception, haunted houses, and reincarnation as well as ghosts. That’s pretty impressive. It’s hard to dismiss something that so many people believe is real.

I also find it intriguing that ghosts aren’t limited to any particular group. People of all nationalities around the world tell ghost stories and believe in ghosts. Doesn’t it mean something that ghosts are such a widespread phenomena?

For THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER, I thoroughly enjoyed researching the issue from both sides. One of the characters is a ghost debunker. It’s her job to provide the rational explanation for ghostly sightings and events. On the other hand, a whole bunch of ghost hunters have arrived in town, and they have a different perspective. They spend their nights in search of ghosts, trying to prove that they’re real.

While the non-believers have quite a few theories about ghost sightings and events, many of their theories are almost as hard to prove as the existence of ghosts. So what did I conclude after all my research? That there’s a lot we don’t know about this world, or the next!

Krista, thanks for joining us today and sharing this insight into your ghost research. You are so right, there is a lot we don’t know about our world or the next.

Let me share a bit of background on Krista for those who aren’t familiar with her.

New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Paws & Claws Mysteries for animal lovers that debuted in December with MURDER, SHE BARKED. The sequel, THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER, arrived in bookstores on December 2nd. 

Krista also writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries. Her 8th Domestic Diva Mystery is THE DIVA WRAPS IT UP, a Christmas mystery, and is in bookstores now. 

Like her characters, Krista has a soft spot for cats, dogs, and sweets. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with three dogs and two cats.

For more on Krista and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. You can also find her blogging at Mystery Lovers Kitchen and Killer Characters.

Now for my thoughts on this entertaining cozy.

THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER by Krista Davis

Animal lovers will appreciate the concept of a pet-friendly inn and mystery lovers will enjoy the suspense and intrigue in THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER by Krista Davis.

In this second installment of the Paws & Claws Mystery series, developers for a TV series, Apparition Apprehenders, are in town to investigate rumors of paranormal activity. They’re all staying at the Sugar Maple Inn and Holly Miller has her hands full as she tries to help the owner (who is also her grandmother) makes sure they have a pleasant stay. But what could go wrong when the inn caters to human and pets alike?

When ghost debunker Eva Chevalier arrives, Holly likes her and her cat, Mrs. Mewer and hopes there won’t be any trouble. But when a member of the Apprehenders team is found murdered near the haunted Wagtail Springs Hotel, Eva becomes a suspect. 

Holly, along with her dog, Trixie, and her cat, Twinkletoes, are determined to clear Eva’s name and find the real killer. With the help of a few other friends, Eva is on the scent of a dangerous killer.

Davis blends the love of pets with the suspense of a murder mystery for an entertaining read. She places them in a town that has character all on its own. With the events taking place near Halloween, the setting is more enthralling.

The characters are quirky, fun-loving and likable. The story moves at a good pace holding your attention from beginning to end. Davis complements the story with a dose of humor and a touch of romance for a well-balance adventure.

THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER can be read as a standalone. An added bonus are numerous recipes for both humans and pets included at the end.
Readers don’t have to be pet owners (or pet lovers) to appreciate this captivating mystery.

The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer by Krista Davis, Paws and Claws Mystery Book #2, Berkley Prime Crime, @2014, ISBN: 978-0425262566, Paperback, 320 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16. 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Krista Davis’ Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by today. What are your thoughts on ghosts? Have you ever had an experience involving a ghost? If you could see a ghost, who would you want to see?

*This post contains affiliate links.

a Rafflecopter giveaway