Followers of NZ Crime fiction from the cosy end of the spectrum may have come across a couple of this author's previous series - The Silvermoon Retirement Village and The Hitchhiker novels. Both cosy, the former featuring a 90 something year old sleuth with a very "unexpected" background, the former being more on the paranormal side of things. Having been following the Silvermoon series, in particular, since its inception, it's been a pleasure to see Strong develop his story telling style and confidence, and seeing now a third series - the Nicolette Briggs series, featuring Wellington's premier (and possibly only) animal detective.
Still, therefore, very much in the cosy vein, even though Nicolette specialising in investigating missing pets and cases of animal cruelty, this first outing sees her taking on the case of a poisoned cat, only to be confronted by a rapidly increasing number of human bodies, and the injury to one of her own dogs when someone breaks into her house.
As the blurb puts it though:
Nicolette Briggs doesn’t do humans.
Although in this case her reluctance turns to determination to solve the case, with the added benefit of maybe showing up her disdainful police detective brother.
Flagged as a "clean, cosy" mystery series, this first outing is twisty and turny with plenty of gentle humour and silliness abounding. Nicolette has arrived pretty well formed in this outing as well, with a daughter, being a teenager, an extended family full of "good intentions" and a business model that's not exactly making her a fortune, she's now also got to deal with a killer who doesn't want her to investigate anything. At all.
The style of these is nicely balanced between mystery and humour, silly and serious, and definitely on the clean side of cosy. It's a nice little, light entertainment novel for anybody who is a fan of that style of reading.
Three Dogs, Two Murders and A Cat
Nicolette Briggs doesn’t do humans.
As Wellington’s premier, and possibly only, animal detective, Nicolette mostly investigates missing pets and cases of animal cruelty. So when her latest client asks her to investigate a case of a poisoned cat, it seems right up her alley. Until a body shows up, then another, and suddenly despite her resolve to not get involved, Nicolette is right in the middle two murder investigations. Or is it just one killer?
When someone breaks into her house and one of her dogs is injured, Nicolette’s reluctance turns to determination to not only solve this thing before the police, but show up her stubborn police detective brother in the process.
Along the way she has to navigate a daughter about to turn 15, a dwindling bank account, and a dysfunctional family that seems determined to fix her. Not to mention a killer who’s turned their sights her way.
No wonder she doesn’t do humans.
Three Dogs, Two Murders, and a Cat is the first book in the clean, cozy mystery series. Gilmore Girls meets Nancy Drew, with a touch of dysfunctional families, a touch of humour, and a touch of caring.
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