5 stars for A Pawsome Summer for Murder by S.A. Kazlo #bookreview #cozymystery #newrelease
- N. N. Light
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Title: A Pawsome Summer for Murder
Author: S.A. Kazlo
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
It’s summer in Wings Falls, New York and Samantha Davies is geared up for the annual trout tournament sponsored by Al Gorman, owner of the Sport’s Shop. Sam, along with her Southern Belle cousin, Candie Parker-Hogan, are determined to beat the pants off their significant others, Sam’s new fiancé, Hank Johnson, a detective on Wings Falls police force and Mark Hogan, Candie’s husband. The ladies feel they have a secret weapon—they learned from the best fisherman in Hainted Hollar Tennessee, Grandpop Parker. Sam once won a trophy for the largest fish in the Fins and Tails Fishing Derby.
To Sam’s surprise instead of reeling in the day’s biggest catch, she “hooked” into the body of the town’s most vocal activist, Luna Wheeler.
Raylene Carrigan, owner of a traveling doggie daycare Sam uses for her lovable dachshund, Porkchop, becomes a prime suspect, when it becomes known Luna tried to shut down the town’s doggie park she depends on for the pets in her care. Since Sam has successfully helped solve murders in the past, Raylene begs her for help to prove her innocent.
Sam reluctantly agrees but knows her fiancé won’t be happy with her involvement in yet another murder case.
Determined to help Porkchop’s buddy, Sam starts digging for clues only to discover that Luna, with her over-zealous demands to many of the town’s businesses to recycle, upset more than a few of her friends. Can Sam land Luna’s murderer before she gets ‘hooked’ by the killer?
My Review:
A Pawsome Summer for Murder by S. A. Kazlo is a pawsome-ly great cozy mystery.
Our amateur sleuth, Samantha Davies, is back, and she’s still bumping into dead bodies. Wait…
…that’ s not quite right. This time she’s caught one in a fishing tournament. And not just anyone. Sam has found the local, irritating environmental activist, Luna Wheeler.
And wouldn’t you know it? There are plenty of people who had motive and opportunity to kill her. Among them is Raylene Carrigan, owner of the local doggie day care. She’s the prime suspect, and she’s asked Sam to help clear her name.
And so starts a delightfully funny cozy mystery. S.A. Kazlo has created a sharp amateur sleuth in Sam. She once again pairs up with her cousin, Candie (who calls everyone Sugar) to subtly—or not so subtly—ask towns people about the murder. Their not-so-veiled pretext? Sam’s making wedding plans. The pair is comedic gold, and their detective skills aren’t bad either.
S. A. Kazlo understood the assignment. She created a cozy mystery with just enough intrigue—and hazard, that includes a cast of well-developed, if lovably, quirky characters, with a plot that with plenty of twists and turns.
Perhaps the most adorable character, though, is Porkchop, Sam’s dachshund. He’s a character in a category of his own.
But wait…
…there’s more. The ending is satisfying, inventive, and touching. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. Except you should read it for yourself.
I highly recommend you get your paws on A Pawsome Summer for Murder.
My Rating: 5 stars
Buy it Now:
Smashwords- A Pawsome Summer For Murder
Author Biography:
Syrl, a retired teacher, lives in upstate New York with her husband a lively dachshund and a wannabe dachshund (That’s a long story.). She writes the Samantha Davies Mystery series, featuring Samantha Davies and her loveable dachshund, Porkchop. When not writing she is busy hooking, rug hooking that is, and enjoying her family. Her newest book, number seven in the series, A Pawsome Summer For Murder released on May 1, 2025.
Social Media Links:
Website- www.sakazlo.com
Facebook- sakazlo
Instagram- @sakazlo
Linkedin- @sakazlo
Bsky- @sakazlo.bsky.social
Twitter-@sakazlo
Reviewed by: Terry