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Pawsitively Organic Mystery #4
Murder Most Finicky
The dog days of summer have arrived in the small town of Frog Ledge, Connecticut, and business is booming for Kristan "Stan" Connor. Her Pawsitively Organic pet food has even caught the attention of celebrity pastry chef Sheldon Allyn, who helps Stan open a fancy pet pastry shop in Frog Ledge. A partnership is born, and Sheldon invites Stan to Newport, Rhode Island, for an appreciation weekend he's hosting for all his independent chefs. But the gourmet getaway turns sour when one of the chefs turns up dead, and a second one goes missing. . .
As Stan tries to figure out who had a recipe for murder, the pool of suspects expands. And if she can't sniff out the culprit soon, this killer may just serve up a second helping of murder. . .
Includes Gourmet Pet Food Recipes!
As Stan tries to figure out who had a recipe for murder, the pool of suspects expands. And if she can't sniff out the culprit soon, this killer may just serve up a second helping of murder. . .
Includes Gourmet Pet Food Recipes!
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 29, 2015
61 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Liz Mugavero
16 books476 followersLiz Mugavero has been writing stories since she could hold a pen. Before that, she would tell them to anyone who would listen (not many at the time). After deciding early on she would write books for a living, she practiced by writing bad, angst-filled poems, short stories and even a storyline for a soap opera--all by age 15. She never wavered from her goals despite all the usual questions including, “So are you going to be an English teacher with that degree in English?” or, “That writing thing sounds nice, but how are you REALLY going to make a living?”
She went on to get a master’s in writing and publishing and spent time in journalism, PR, and presently, corporate marketing and communications. And she’s confident this writing thing IS the way to make a living.
Aside from writing, she loves animals (has a houseful), the beach, reading other writers’ masterpieces and Starbucks coffee.
Originally from Massachusetts, she lives in Connecticut with her family, but has every intention of getting back to the Bay State sooner rather than later.
The Gourmet Pet Food Mysteries is her first series.
(From her website, www.lizmugavero.com)
She went on to get a master’s in writing and publishing and spent time in journalism, PR, and presently, corporate marketing and communications. And she’s confident this writing thing IS the way to make a living.
Aside from writing, she loves animals (has a houseful), the beach, reading other writers’ masterpieces and Starbucks coffee.
Originally from Massachusetts, she lives in Connecticut with her family, but has every intention of getting back to the Bay State sooner rather than later.
The Gourmet Pet Food Mysteries is her first series.
(From her website, www.lizmugavero.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
February 16, 2016
Pawsitively Purrfrct! Like catnip for humans.
I remember my reaction a few years ago when I read KNEADING TO DIE, book 1 in the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries. It went a little something like . . . WOW! Well, I’ve just experienced déjà vu.
MURDER MOST FINICKY is another exciting installment to one of my favorite cozy mystery series.
It was a real treat to once again visit with Stan and friends in Frog Ledge. Every character is superbly written and so much fun to read. Author Liz Mugavero has created in her town’s residents an excellent balance of down to earth, solid people, to over the top, quirky folks.
With every addition to this fabulous series, author Mugavero ups her game and out does herself! MURDER MOST FINICKY was a twisty, turny rollercoaster ride of mystery, fun, and action. The ending of this story, all through the reveal, had me biting my lip and holding my breath.
Well done Ms. Mugavero!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for great pet treat recipes!
I remember my reaction a few years ago when I read KNEADING TO DIE, book 1 in the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries. It went a little something like . . . WOW! Well, I’ve just experienced déjà vu.
MURDER MOST FINICKY is another exciting installment to one of my favorite cozy mystery series.
It was a real treat to once again visit with Stan and friends in Frog Ledge. Every character is superbly written and so much fun to read. Author Liz Mugavero has created in her town’s residents an excellent balance of down to earth, solid people, to over the top, quirky folks.
With every addition to this fabulous series, author Mugavero ups her game and out does herself! MURDER MOST FINICKY was a twisty, turny rollercoaster ride of mystery, fun, and action. The ending of this story, all through the reveal, had me biting my lip and holding my breath.
Well done Ms. Mugavero!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for great pet treat recipes!
April 20, 2021
Stan ( Chrissy) is trying to get her her little shop open Pawstivily Organic dog 🐕treats and cats started up. With Breanna. Jake and Stan are still a heavy couple. Book 4 is about Sheldon a pastry chef wanting to get 5 people together blind folded. And drive them to their locatin. And do a Baking contest of sorts.With Stan the only one does make animal treat . Sheldon says it is for a Siames cat. And Stan know Siamese are finniky.With her own kitty Nutty a Maincoon he will be Stan's taste tester. When Stan and and the peeps that arrive to their destination. Take their blindfold off and introduce theirselves, Stan decides to wander around to the back to see water view. She finds someone dead.This is a cool book. I like the fact that Stan has a store all about animal treats and she starts getting recognition for her shop mostly by herself. Love Jake and Stan relationship. Good read
January 6, 2016
Another fun and enjoyable read from this series. I really enjoyed the mystery in this installment. There was so many twist and turns through out the story, that I wasn't sure, which character would turn out to be the killer. This story left some very interesting lose ends for Stan and her family to come to turns with in the next book. Hopefully, the next book will be released very soon.
April 5, 2019
Pet baker Stan Conner has been invited to an exclusive weekend retreat in Newport, Rhode Island by celebrity chef Sheldon Allyn. Sheldon has big plans to help Stan open a shop in Frog Ledge. Stan is eager to expand her business but not interested in expanding past Frog Ledge but she needs Sheldon's support so she goes along with his plans. The eccentric Sheldon has planned a mysterious weekend at his Newport mansion home but before the chefs can begin cooking, one of them is found with his throat slit in the backyard of the mansion. Stan, who found the body, is puzzled how Pierre could have found his way to the undisclosed location before any of the others. Who could have killed him and why? When another chef goes missing, Stan is asked for help from the most unexpected source and when Pierre's replacement never shows up, Sheldon is on edge. He wants Stan's help to put a positive PR spin on the situation but how can she do that without answers? What is going on here?
I didn't enjoy this mystery as much as the previous ones in the series. I missed Frog Ledge and the pups. Newport is not "close to Providence" in Rhode Island terms. It requires going over a bridge and that means an overnight stay! Newport is at least an hour from Providence. Ugh. Too far. No REAL Rhode Islander would dream of traveling the distances the characters in this story do. The hotel was recognizable but I had never heard of the Chanler even though I'm sure I have been by it many times. The Newport setting was too close to home to be interesting or exotic for me even though I haven't been there in years.
The mystery was engaging enough to keep reading but I honestly didn't care for ANY of the characters. The celebrity chefs are all divas and Sheldon takes the cake as far as eccentric and self-serving chefs go. I was able to figure out who the murderer was before they let it slip but I did not figure out everything that was going on. I really did not enjoy the stereotypical mafia goons and they just complicated the plot.
I did like the growing relationship between Stan and Connecticut State Trooper Jessie Pasquale. They bond in this book and Jessie opens up about her private life. She is surprisingly sympathetic to another character's plight and she cares about Stan enough to accompany Stan on a crazy trip to New York. In the relationship plot category, Stan also comes to terms with her feelings towards her family. While I don't approve of her sister's lifestyle choices, like Stan, I felt a bit bad for her. It was obvious who was following her in the white truck and why. I also see a future plot involving Stan and her mother as Stan comes to accept help. Stan and Jake's relationship also gets an upgrade at the end of the book and I'm curious to see how that turns out.
The best part of the book is Gaston, an Australian Shepherd mix, formerly known as Jaws. The poor dog has had a rough few days and a difficult past to overcome. He still manages to be sweet and loving towards those who would love him and take care of him. Towards his enemies, he snaps back into Jaws mode. I'm curious to see how he fits in with the rest of the pack!
I didn't enjoy this mystery as much as the previous ones in the series. I missed Frog Ledge and the pups. Newport is not "close to Providence" in Rhode Island terms. It requires going over a bridge and that means an overnight stay! Newport is at least an hour from Providence. Ugh. Too far. No REAL Rhode Islander would dream of traveling the distances the characters in this story do. The hotel was recognizable but I had never heard of the Chanler even though I'm sure I have been by it many times. The Newport setting was too close to home to be interesting or exotic for me even though I haven't been there in years.
The mystery was engaging enough to keep reading but I honestly didn't care for ANY of the characters. The celebrity chefs are all divas and Sheldon takes the cake as far as eccentric and self-serving chefs go. I was able to figure out who the murderer was before they let it slip but I did not figure out everything that was going on. I really did not enjoy the stereotypical mafia goons and they just complicated the plot.
I did like the growing relationship between Stan and Connecticut State Trooper Jessie Pasquale. They bond in this book and Jessie opens up about her private life. She is surprisingly sympathetic to another character's plight and she cares about Stan enough to accompany Stan on a crazy trip to New York. In the relationship plot category, Stan also comes to terms with her feelings towards her family. While I don't approve of her sister's lifestyle choices, like Stan, I felt a bit bad for her. It was obvious who was following her in the white truck and why. I also see a future plot involving Stan and her mother as Stan comes to accept help. Stan and Jake's relationship also gets an upgrade at the end of the book and I'm curious to see how that turns out.
The best part of the book is Gaston, an Australian Shepherd mix, formerly known as Jaws. The poor dog has had a rough few days and a difficult past to overcome. He still manages to be sweet and loving towards those who would love him and take care of him. Towards his enemies, he snaps back into Jaws mode. I'm curious to see how he fits in with the rest of the pack!
December 15, 2015
Stan (Kristan) Conner, is the owner of Pawsitively Organic, a gourmet pet food business. Interested in expanding and opening a patessiere, she accepts an invitation to attend the eccentric, flamboyant Chef Sheldon Allyn's star chef retreat. Her Maine Coon cat, Nutty, goes along to sample the pet food and treats she's experimenting with to feed a finicky Siamese the chef team will be serving. Upon arrival at an allegedly top secret location, Stan and Nutty stumble upon the lifeless body of famous pastry chef, Pierre LaPorte. The assortment of chefs Sheldon has gathered together for the retreat is a dysfunctional mix; to say the least, and someone has arranged a meal that has murder on the menu. Missing staff and mishaps plague the crew from the beginning. Stan calls Jesse Pasquale, her boyfriend's sister and a law enforcement officer, for some investigative help. Slowly, but surely, the two begin piecing together the connecting links behind the heinous murder. When you're ready to 'paws' for the day; this story will be an enjoyable treat!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
August 11, 2021
I'm reading through this series (in order) and this is the first one that doesn't take place in Stan's home town of Frog's Ledge. She goes to Rhode Island with one of her cat's, Nutty, to hook up with other chef's to prepare food for a dinner for potential investor's. As soon as she arrives, she discovers one of the chef's has been murdered and the 'fun' begins. I enjoy this series. In the last book, Stan adopted a new cat (she also has 2 dogs), Benedict, and in this book, she acquires the murdered chef's dog who goes back to Frog's Ledge with her. A good cozy is the comfort food of reading. The good ones make you feel like you are visiting a friend.
February 1, 2018
This is the first book I've read in this series but I think for me anyway that it was okay as a stand alone. Stan (Kristan) who bakes treats for cats and dogs gets talked into participating in a special function for some investors for a new baking business. Her cat Nutty is part of this as one of the investors has a finicky Siamese cat so Nutty is the taste tester. The event takes place in Newport, Rhode Island at an upscale hotel. So many things so wrong starting at the home that Sheldon, the head of this event, when Stan goes for a walk with Nutty to take a look at the ocean. It only gets worse from there. I enjoyed reading this book and Stan's trying to find out who did it.
February 26, 2026
This was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the Newport and cliff walk setting. The mystery was enjoyable and I actually solved it ahead of time. I’m looking forward to Stan’s next adventure of opening a store.
March 8, 2017
Stan goes away for the weekend: sounds like a great idea-unfortunately for Stan things don't always work out the way she would hope. A blind-folded ride in the back of a pastry truck starts Stan and Nutty's weekend away, and it only goes downhill from there. Murdered and/or missing chefs, the mafia, and Nutty goes missing all while Stan tries to participate in a Chef's weekend for investors. Brilliant plot, great twists, and (for fans of the series), insight into Jessie! this series gets better with each new book!
December 31, 2015
Stan Connor is a pet chef in Frog Ledge, Connecticut. She has agreed to join Sheldon Allyn, A famous celebrity chef, at a weekend getaway along with other chefs who will be making their specialty dishes for an elaborate potential investors meal and hoping that they are chosen for a new food Network show of their own. Stan discovers a murdered man on the first day of the retreat, and then a chef that she met during the ride to the event vanishes. Stan follows every lead she can get to find the missing man. Things really become complicated when a replacement chef never arrive.
I enjoyed this book very much. I did not read any other books in the series and was not aware that there were any; the author did a nice job of presenting a story that can be read alone. My only stumbling block was the main characters name: Stan. The Stan’s I have known have been men and I honestly had to keep reminding myself that Stan was a female. I actually found that a bit irritating.
I do highly recommend the book.
I enjoyed this book very much. I did not read any other books in the series and was not aware that there were any; the author did a nice job of presenting a story that can be read alone. My only stumbling block was the main characters name: Stan. The Stan’s I have known have been men and I honestly had to keep reminding myself that Stan was a female. I actually found that a bit irritating.
I do highly recommend the book.
February 27, 2016
Stan has been summoned to Rhode Island to work with a group of master chefs. Sheldon Allyn is hoping to put together an impressive dinner that will convince investors who give his business money, and if he succeeds, Stan will get the money to expand her gourmet pet food business. When Stan and the others arrive at their secret location, they find out of the chefs beat them there only to be murdered. As the weekend begins to fall apart, can Stan figure things out?
Since this book takes place in Rhode Island instead of Stan’s usual local, many of the series regulars only get cameos. That was my only complaint with this great book. The new characters are lots of fun, and even the brief time we spend with the series regulars seems some growth in them. The mystery is very strong with lots of moving pieces. I didn’t have it all put together until the end myself.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Since this book takes place in Rhode Island instead of Stan’s usual local, many of the series regulars only get cameos. That was my only complaint with this great book. The new characters are lots of fun, and even the brief time we spend with the series regulars seems some growth in them. The mystery is very strong with lots of moving pieces. I didn’t have it all put together until the end myself.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 12, 2016
What has Stan (Kristan) Connor gotten herself into now? Invited to a weekend retreat for Sheldon Allyn's Star Chefs, as Stan is a pet chef, she was surprised at the invitation and more surprised at the start of her travels. She had been told to wait at a certain spot and to leave her car there. She was met by Sheldon's right hand man, had a blind fold put on and loaded into a pastry truck and taken to an undisclosed location, where they were met by another guest.Things are getting crazier by the minute. Think about it, seriously, would you have gone along with this? I know I wouldn't.
This is book #4 in Liz Musgrave's Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, which is also Liz's first series. I have read all of this series and found them delightfully funny.
FTC Full Disclosure - A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
This is book #4 in Liz Musgrave's Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, which is also Liz's first series. I have read all of this series and found them delightfully funny.
FTC Full Disclosure - A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
November 7, 2015
've read all of the books in this series and this one is fantastic. Stan is really gaining clients for her organic pet food and when she is offered a chance to have her own pet food patisserie, Stan believes she is finally settling into her life in Frog Ledge, Connecticut. When Stan has to travel to Newport, Rhode Island, it's all about the recipes and the chance to get some cooking tips from popular chefs. Of course, things can't be that simple for Stan, so when she stumbles upon a body, gets a frantic phone call from her sister and has to turn to Jessie for help, you know you are in for a wild ride.
Nutty is such a lovable character and Gaston made my heart melt. Ms Mugavero has wonderful characters in this charming series and I will be recommending this book to all my cozy mystery friends.
Nutty is such a lovable character and Gaston made my heart melt. Ms Mugavero has wonderful characters in this charming series and I will be recommending this book to all my cozy mystery friends.
December 29, 2015
Stan and Nutty are in Newport, Rhode Island to take park with several other chefs in cooking special dinner. Before the preparation starts one of the chef is found murder. The affair is moved to a hotel where Stan and Nutty share a suite with two of other chefs Two chefs turn up missing and the event has other problems. Nutty is being spoiled by all the attention and special food he receives. Stan hears from her sister who is having an affair with one of the missing chefs. There are many twists and turns that occur before the unique ending .
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.
July 13, 2016
This one started a bit slow (probably because Stan was out of town without her usual cronies) but picked up quickly.
Stan is involved in a celebrity chef dinner with her potential investor when she finds the body of one of the chefs. Then another chef disappears and her sister comes into the picture, which makes things confusing for Stan. The clues are there and you will figure out who the murderer is, but probably not until a decent point in the book. The characters make it all worth-while.
Stan is involved in a celebrity chef dinner with her potential investor when she finds the body of one of the chefs. Then another chef disappears and her sister comes into the picture, which makes things confusing for Stan. The clues are there and you will figure out who the murderer is, but probably not until a decent point in the book. The characters make it all worth-while.
June 28, 2016
Interesting story with gourmet chefs, contests, a finicky cat and a gruesome murder, all the elements for great entertainment.
July 14, 2017
This mystery was a little over the top but I still love the characters and the writing. Another fun one.
October 18, 2018
I recently became a part of a book swap on Litsy which consisted of mysteries and thrillers and so far I am loving it. I have always leaned more towards the darker mysteries and therefore I was excited to broaden my horizons within this genre.
I never thought I would be interested in reading cozy murder mysteries but was introduced to my first one on the first round of the book swap. The book was the third installment in the Pawsitively Organic Series called "The Icing on the Corpse" and was my first glimpse into the adorable and quirky characters of Frog Ledge, Connecticut. The heroine is Kristan "Stan" Conner, who left her corporate job and moved to this tiny, Stars Hollow-ish town, to get a fresh start. Stan is a major animal lover and you find all of the adorable four-legged friends of hers to be their own characters in all of the stories.
Once I finished "The Icing on the Corpse" I immediately needed to read the rest of the series. I was delighted to find out that there were six books in the series so far, with book seven due to be released in 2019. The most recent book I finished was the fourth installment "Murder Most Finicky" which found Stan in Rhode Island at a chef retreat put on by the infamous Sheldon Allyn. The weekend is a chance for Stan to show off her baking skills for animals in hopes that she gets funded to open her own petisserie. The weekend takes a turn for the worse when Stan stumbles upon, one of the many chefs invited to the retreat, dead.
From there, Stan attempts to investigate the murder, along with the disappearance of two other chefs. All the while attempting to impress a rich Siamese cat with her baked treats.
Something I love about this series is at the end of every book there are recipes for baked treats for your pets. Me, being the obsessed dog mom I am, have actually tried some of these recipes and made treats for my pups. And although I believe Max, Moose, and Ollie would literally eat anything put in front of them, I feel like they definitely loved the treats I made for them.
So far I would definitely give this series a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and am excited to see where the series takes me. I'm also sure my dogs are eager for me to read neither story so I can make them new treats as well.
And if you're curious of how adorable my pups are please refer to the picture below 🐶😍
— Britain
Angelasepilogues.wordpress.com - blog
@callemarie - Litsy
@bookreader_craftbeerlover - instagram
I never thought I would be interested in reading cozy murder mysteries but was introduced to my first one on the first round of the book swap. The book was the third installment in the Pawsitively Organic Series called "The Icing on the Corpse" and was my first glimpse into the adorable and quirky characters of Frog Ledge, Connecticut. The heroine is Kristan "Stan" Conner, who left her corporate job and moved to this tiny, Stars Hollow-ish town, to get a fresh start. Stan is a major animal lover and you find all of the adorable four-legged friends of hers to be their own characters in all of the stories.
Once I finished "The Icing on the Corpse" I immediately needed to read the rest of the series. I was delighted to find out that there were six books in the series so far, with book seven due to be released in 2019. The most recent book I finished was the fourth installment "Murder Most Finicky" which found Stan in Rhode Island at a chef retreat put on by the infamous Sheldon Allyn. The weekend is a chance for Stan to show off her baking skills for animals in hopes that she gets funded to open her own petisserie. The weekend takes a turn for the worse when Stan stumbles upon, one of the many chefs invited to the retreat, dead.
From there, Stan attempts to investigate the murder, along with the disappearance of two other chefs. All the while attempting to impress a rich Siamese cat with her baked treats.
Something I love about this series is at the end of every book there are recipes for baked treats for your pets. Me, being the obsessed dog mom I am, have actually tried some of these recipes and made treats for my pups. And although I believe Max, Moose, and Ollie would literally eat anything put in front of them, I feel like they definitely loved the treats I made for them.
So far I would definitely give this series a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and am excited to see where the series takes me. I'm also sure my dogs are eager for me to read neither story so I can make them new treats as well.
And if you're curious of how adorable my pups are please refer to the picture below 🐶😍
— Britain
Angelasepilogues.wordpress.com - blog
@callemarie - Litsy
@bookreader_craftbeerlover - instagram
May 18, 2019
Stan is excited to be included in a weekend retreat for chefs, hosted by celebrity chef Sheldon Allyn. Sheldon is hoping to land some new investors in his ventures, and he has invited several of his proteges to Newport, RI, to make a fantastic meal for them. Stan is included, because one of the investors has a cat. Stan's own cat, Nutty, gets to come along to taste-test her creations before she tries them out on the finicky Siamese.
The weekend gets off to a bad start, however, when one of the chefs is found murdered. Sheldon insists that the show must go on, and they change their base of operations from the private estate where the murder happened to a local hotel. Stan is content to let the police do their job, but when her sister calls and reveals she's been having an affair with one of the other chefs and that she thinks he's in danger, Stan is reluctantly pulled into the investigation. She's not so concerned about who killed Pierre as she is with tracking down Kyle, while trying to keep her sister's name from being connected to him. To complicate matters, Sheldon wants Stan (who used to work in public relations) to help with the public relations nightmare that the weekend retreat has become. She is soon being pulled in several different directions as she investigates on her own.
So, yeah. A lot going on in the book. Almost too much to keep straight. This book was less enjoyable than others in the series, since Stan was the only familiar character through most of it.
The weekend gets off to a bad start, however, when one of the chefs is found murdered. Sheldon insists that the show must go on, and they change their base of operations from the private estate where the murder happened to a local hotel. Stan is content to let the police do their job, but when her sister calls and reveals she's been having an affair with one of the other chefs and that she thinks he's in danger, Stan is reluctantly pulled into the investigation. She's not so concerned about who killed Pierre as she is with tracking down Kyle, while trying to keep her sister's name from being connected to him. To complicate matters, Sheldon wants Stan (who used to work in public relations) to help with the public relations nightmare that the weekend retreat has become. She is soon being pulled in several different directions as she investigates on her own.
So, yeah. A lot going on in the book. Almost too much to keep straight. This book was less enjoyable than others in the series, since Stan was the only familiar character through most of it.
November 16, 2021
Started reading 5 and realized I'd skipped 4, so I went back...
In this entry in the series, Stan is doing a fundraiser for her would-be benefactor, Sheldon Allyn, who's a pastry chef interested in helping her open a pet pastry shop in Frog Ledge. He's gathering several chefs for a spectacular dinner (including a meal for a picky Siamese, which is Stan's job), the culmination of which could be a spot on Food Network. Stan doesn't much care for the Food Network aspect, but she's along for the ride, so she leaves her business in the safe hands of Brenna. When one chef doesn't show and is found murdered in their rental when they arrive, Stan's wary to say the least. When his replacement no-shows and another chef disappears one night, she's downright concerned. The last straw is when Nutty is taken from her room. In the end, she solves the mystery before the cops (of course), and puts herself in danger, much to Jake and Jesse's chagrin.
Of course she adds another dog to her life, though Jake takes it in...but he moves in.
In this entry in the series, Stan is doing a fundraiser for her would-be benefactor, Sheldon Allyn, who's a pastry chef interested in helping her open a pet pastry shop in Frog Ledge. He's gathering several chefs for a spectacular dinner (including a meal for a picky Siamese, which is Stan's job), the culmination of which could be a spot on Food Network. Stan doesn't much care for the Food Network aspect, but she's along for the ride, so she leaves her business in the safe hands of Brenna. When one chef doesn't show and is found murdered in their rental when they arrive, Stan's wary to say the least. When his replacement no-shows and another chef disappears one night, she's downright concerned. The last straw is when Nutty is taken from her room. In the end, she solves the mystery before the cops (of course), and puts herself in danger, much to Jake and Jesse's chagrin.
Of course she adds another dog to her life, though Jake takes it in...but he moves in.
June 13, 2017
This is the fourth book in this series, and I have actually been reading them in order (surprise! I can actually do that) I felt like this one took me a while to get into, possibly because the characters weren't the same and the setting was different. There's still Stan and Nutty of course, and they are still adding to their menagerie of pets, but I felt like the actual mystery became too complicated by the end by the adding of characters and ties. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood, but I kept forgetting who tied into who and why it matters to the story.
Anyway, it looks like book five will be back in Frog Ledge so there's that. There's exciting news with Jake as well, and Stan's mum. Who knows where that will lead? I'm going to have to read to find out! Four stars.
Anyway, it looks like book five will be back in Frog Ledge so there's that. There's exciting news with Jake as well, and Stan's mum. Who knows where that will lead? I'm going to have to read to find out! Four stars.
September 30, 2017
I really enjoy this series a lot, Stan is an interesting yet very real main character, I love that the pet menagerie continues to grow!!! I was afraid I would not enjoy this volume because it takes place away from Frog Ledge but the mystery is great and I love how her relationships with Jake and Jesse grow even while she is away!!!! Lot's of twists and turns, I fun read!!!!
June 19, 2018
Kristan "Stan" Connor is invited for a special weekend Sheldon Allyn is hosting for his independent chefs for a weekend of cooking, including organic treats for a special cat, but things go south quick when one of the chefs turns up dead. Stan's sister is dragged into the middle of this and Stan must investigate. I really like the "Pawsitively Organic" mysteries. Stan is a great heroine, the stories are good and I like the evolving romance she has with Jake!
March 9, 2019
Somehow, I skipped over this one in the series but I am glad I found it. Besides the fact that it made the subsequent books make more sense (I knew I had missed something!) but I also liked it because it took place other than her town so new characters were available and most regulars were sparse. That made for more story development which this series needed. If you are enjoying this series, obviously you will want to include this one, as I eventually did. I liked it.
May 14, 2023
I have enjoyed this entire series and was sorry to see it end. Stan our protagnist is a animal lover and a savvy smart investigator. She is opening a all pet bakery shop with the help of her good friends. She solves mysteries the police cannot and is popular in her small town with her charming shop. Its a enjoyable read all animal lovers will enjoy. The charcters are all likable and the plot has twist and turns to the end to surprise the reader.
March 24, 2017
This was the 4th installment in the series. I can see how the characters are growing, family relationships are changing, and it happened out of town. I enjoyed that this took place somewhere other than the small town of Frog Ledge and she did not have all the town drama as the first two books. There was drama but it was different. Stan reaches out to Jessie for help. We learn more about Stan's family. Stan is able to put the pieces together with the help of the police, who aren't really helping her. She does the right thing and passes pertinent information on to Detective Owens. In the end, it's the police that wrap it up.
October 15, 2017
i enjoyed this book a lot, i liked the "new dog" and the cat-nolis idea, my cats weren't too sure about cats eating broccoli florets tho. i like the progression of friendship of Stan and her Frog Ledge friends.
another fun outing in the Pawsitvely Organic series!
another fun outing in the Pawsitvely Organic series!
July 20, 2025
Celebrity chefs are not as nice as you would think. When one of the want to be chefs turns up dead at an appreciation weekend for possible investors. Then another turns up missing, Kristan "Stan" Connor wants to find out what is going on, does she even want this chance for her pet pastry shop!
September 6, 2017
The more I read, the harder these books are to put down. Loving this series. Complex mysteries with many colorful characters. Starting the next book tomorrow!
September 27, 2017
I didn't like it as much as the first one I'd read, but I think I was still thinking about Galbadon's Outlander, whose epic narrative was a hard act to follow.
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