The Dogfather by Sparkle Abbey

Melinda Langston's former fiance Grey Donovan is under suspicion for a murder. A nearby store owner is dead and there is no shortage of people who might want to kill him: he had accused Grey of selling him a fake, his wife doesn't seem to like him very much, there's a mysterious blonde standing over the body, and a guy in town from the murdered man's past.
Betty is once again on the case which means that hijinks will ensue. And she's not too over the top in this book. But she definitely verges.
Overall a good read.

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 21

Raiders of the Lost Bark by Sparkle Abbey

I requested this book from NetGalley with the vague remembrance that I had enjoyed the Pampered Pets Mysteries. I couldn't remember any of them but started into Raiders of the Last Bark anyway. About halfway through, I sort of remembered pieces of the earlier books and went to check out my reviews. It's been about three years since I last read a PPM which explains why it's a little foggy in my memory. I've also skipped three of the books apparently which was fine. A lot of the back story, like Mel's feud with her cousin Caro over their grandmother's broach, was inserted neatly into this story without too much fanfare or over-explaining. I'm not sure if I'll go back and read the three I've missed but it was nice to be able to jump back in without too much trouble.
Mel is the first-person narrator of this book (my reviews reminded me that the books switch between her and Caro). This time she's heading out to a glamping event. One that she's been blackmailed into attending by the resident pet chef (is this a thing? Good lord I'm glad I live in a small town in the back of beyond). When said pet chef turns up with a fork sticking out of the side of her neck, somehow Mel ends up as the main suspect. I say "somehow" because it seems very odd that the police would immediately zone in on her and not let up. Maybe not in real life but at least in this kind of series mystery.

This book comes out March 25
Three stars

Yip/Tuck by Sparkle Abbey

Image from Goodreads

When I read the first book, Desperate Housedogs, I loved it so much that I immediately gobbled up the second. I had to skip book three because I couldn't get ahold of it before my NetGalley ARC for Yip/Tuck had been on my ereading bookshelf for what felt like too long.
I do feel like I'm missing parts of the story having not read the third and I'm worried about spoilers when it finally comes so I would recommend reading the series in order but it's not an absolute deal-breaker.
Melinda's at it again. This time, the body of plastic surgeon Dr. O'Doggle has been dumped in front of her shop door. The man ha been dating Melinda's enemy, lingerie model Tova. But he also had a secret life. One that earned him a lot of enemies. It's not up to Melinda to solve the crime, but she sticks her nose in anyway. And the results are a fun, fun read.