Bulldogs & Bullets
A Dog Town USA Cozy Mystery, Book #2
Meg Muldoon
5 Stars
Synopsis:
School teacher Mindy Monahan is missing.
And the single witness who saw what happened only speaks canine…
Ace reporter Winifred “Freddie” Wolf is in the dog house.
After turning down the crime beat at her small town Oregon newspaper because of a conflict of interest, Freddie’s editor at The Dog Mountain Chronicle demotes her back down to the dog beat. Which means covering more boring pooch parades, pet profiles, and canine puff pieces than any serious reporter could handle without losing her doggone mind.
But when Freddie’s friend Mindy Monahan goes missing just hours before the local school teacher was due to expose a ring of law-breaking dog owners, the journalist decides she won’t heel and stay within the lines of her beat.
With the help of her police lieutenant boyfriend and her puppy, Mugs, Freddie launches her own investigation into Mindy’s mysterious disappearance. But little does Freddie know that by trying to sniff out the mystery, she’s walking right into a deadly trap.
Because it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. And Freddie Wolf is about to learn that lesson the hard way…
Bulldogs & Bullets is the second book in the Dog Town USA Cozy Mystery series, and is preceded by Mutts & Murder. (Goodreads)
Review:
When you look at the cover of Bulldogs & Bullets, you cannot help but smile. Looking at that adorable bulldog is enough to brighten anyone’s day. And when you read the book, you will learn all about his personality and his adventure. It is a great story worth reading about and I am so glad that I did.
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. Freddie is a good reporter: she is inquisitive, determined and smart. Although she is assigned the “dog beat”, she takes her job seriously and will do whatever it takes to get the story. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her sister and the sense of family that came with that, and about her relationship with her boyfriend, Sam. The character development and interactions kept me turning the pages as fast as I could.
There were a few things that I thought made this book stand out from other cozies. First, Freddie does not stumble upon a dead body, which is what happens in many of today’s cozies. There was a mystery to be solved, but it was a kidnapping, not a murder. There is still enough suspense and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and turning pages. Second, Freddie does not take unnecessary chances with her safety. She does ask questions and looks for clues to solve the disappearance, but she does not do things that are sure to put her in danger. Third, she gets along with the detective and does not think that he is incompetent (which is a good thing since said detective is her boyfriend). These differences made for a refreshing change that I found very enjoyable.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a fast easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and the setting pulled me right into the story. Dog Mountain is a place that every dog lover will want to visit. Imagine being able to take your canine companion everywhere with you: shopping, eating, banking and any other activity you want to do. It was great to meet and read about all of the animals that frequent these places.
I would recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. I would actually recommend all of the books written by this author, I have loved everyone that I have read. She is one of the authors that I know I automatically have to read and will greatly enjoy.
mjbreviewers 