Kristina Anderson
To Fetch a Felon by Jennifer Hawkins is the debut of A Chatty Corgi Mystery series. This is a cute story with some unique elements. Emma Reed has been in finance in London and she is now ready to realize her lifelong dream of opening a tea shop. She visited Trevena in Cornwall with her family as a child which is why she picked the charming Cornish town. I liked that Emma is an older protagonist at forty-five. She can also talk to and understand her corgi, Oliver. Oliver is an inquisitive dog with good sniffer. I enjoyed the chapters from his point-of-view. They were amusing and I thought the author captured the dogs’ personality. There are some nice secondary characters who become Emma’s friends and help her solve the crime. The mystery was multifaceted. There are a couple of suspects along with good clues. There is misdirection and then a second death. There is a forty-year mystery as well. Emma soon discovers that a small village like Trevena is rife with rumors and secrets. I enjoyed how Oliver contributed to the investigation. I like how everything tied together in this whodunit and the resolution. The author provided vivid descriptions of Cornwall. She brought the area alive for me with her word imagery. I am glad the author took the time to develop our main character, Emma and establish the setting. It makes for a richer story. To Fetch a Felon is an entertaining cozy mystery with a curious corgi, rampant rumors, scrumptious scones, tasty tea, a cozy cottage, and startling secrets.
Janice Tangen
cosy-mystery, Cornwall, small-business, small-town, amateur-sleuth, journalist, law-enforcement, murder-investigation, greed, family-dynamics, friendship***** Finally having had enough of all the condescension in working high finance in London, Emma chucks it all and moves to a well-remembered village in Cornwall to open a Tea Shop. Everyone I know who has pets talks to them like a constant beloved friend, but what makes this story different is that Oliver, a "noble corgi warrior", verbally interacts with her from his own perspective. Sort of like a high class Chet and Bernie. It's a sure thing that the victim will be the vindictive nasty old woman who owns half the village, but whodunnit is a real poser. Add in a disgraced tabloid journalist, a fox, a lot of nice people, a legend of murder, and a whole cast of suspects it's clear that what is needed is a really good nose. Of course I loved it! I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!