DEATH WALKS A DOG by Tess Baytree

 

 Published: December 24, 2020
DEATH WALKS A DOG
Book One of the PENELOPE STANDING MYSTERIES
Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths

 

A FAST, FUN, THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE READ FROM START TO SURPRISE FINISH!  

It’s another beautiful day and Penelope Standing is up to her usual tricks. Calling out Mayor Harrison as he tries to make it to his office with the just purchased cup of morning coffee in hand, she’d written extraspecial incendiary lyrics sung to a Janis Joplin song in order to tell the world what she thought of him. With the serenade over, she heads to Jezzie Harrison’s Victorian cottage to walk her incorrigible dog Brutus. The divorced wife of the mayor is apparently not home, but Penelope shouldn’t be assuming facts not in evidence. She finds that out later when she discovers Jezzie’s body in the laundry room sink. 

 

This was a very enjoyable surprise. I’d never read Ms. Tess Baytree before, and this was a perfect way to get a sampling of what she’s all about. As for her writing, it is extremely professional and it allows us to sink into the story without worrying about whether Ms. Baytree will veer off course … she won’t! She keeps things tight, but also makes sure this cozy mystery that she’s created hits all the right pockets. It means letting the characters reveal their quirks and idiosyncrasies and allowing humor to amplify everything going on. It’s very difficult to include humor in this way as it often dilutes the drama, but not to worry. The humor is handled subtly and doesn’t jar us out of the moment. 

 

The pacing just right, it keeps us turning those pages to keep up. And the lead characters are interesting indeed. Penelope Standing and Jake Wheeler are a match made in feminist heaven. And although he’s not acquainted with all the nooks and crannies of what being the one and only of Standing entails, he’s trying, and there’s no way anyone would not give him game-winning points for that! 

 

The plot interesting, it was original and not a rehash of anything I’d read before. And if you put this all together, it means that you’ll get one terrific book that’ll have you craving for the next in the series. So if you’re a mystery fan … a cozy mystery fan … or just want a book to keep you entertained and laughing while you try to solve the crime … I would highly recommend you give DEATH WALKS A DOG: A PENELOPE STANDING MYSTERY BOOK 1 by Tess Baytree a try! Giving this one five stars!

 

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