Book Review: Barking up the Wrong Bakery by Stella St. Claire

The Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries by Stella St. Claire

Stella St. Claire gives you a querky heroine dogs, a handsome boyfriend, and lots of suspects.
“Barking up the Wrong Bakery” by Stella St. Claire is a funny, cozy mystery…perfect for a weekend read.

Some people would kill for coffee…

Olivia Rickard would kill to keep everything just the way it is. She’s got a gorgeous boyfriend who loves her, a supportive sister to lean on, and a dog walking business that’s briskly barking away.

But, just as she’s getting comfortable her sister suddenly wants to buy an entire brownstone with her and her boyfriend looks like he’s going to pop the question at every opportunity. Changing the status quo has always been disastrous for Olivia and now everything is changing at once…

What Olivia needs is a distraction and she’s found one in stumbling upon Yvette Dunn dead in her coffee foodtruck—drowned in a vat of fresh coffee. Olivia starts out as an unlucky bystander to the crime, but she’s forced to dig in deeper when it looks like her sister could be involved in Yvette’s death.

Olivia is running out of time in regards to the mystery, the mortgage, and the marriage. She’s going to have to solve all three problems—and quick—or face a future most foul.

Choosing the Right Book to Read

I love cozy mysteries. With the fear of a cancer diagnosis hanging over me, I couldn’t concentrate on doing the edits on the third Elle book. What I needed more than anything was an escape, and I found it in the first book in the Stella St. Claire series, Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries.

Not only do I love the color purple(on the book cover),  I also love a great little cozy mystery. Somehow, the problems of the world melt away as you immerse yourself in a good novel with characters you can relate to, dogs to take your mind off the world’s problems, and Yvette, the dead barista, lying in a food truck in a pool of fresh coffee.

An Unlikely Investigator

Olivia Rickard is not so much different from me.

She tries to avoid conflict and loves to listen to audiobooks while walking her dog(s). Olivia’s life is simple as the owner of Happy Tails Dog Walking service. Her wish for a hot cup of coffee to start the day is sidelined when she discovers not only the dead body but pastries from her sister’s bakery that are a bit past their prime.

From Sheriff Nicholas Limperous to the Psychic Lady Celeste Rhoda, you will love the characters Ms. St. Claire has assembled in Lexingburg that took me back to the little town I grew up in. If that’s not enough to entice you to read the book, there’s Olivia’s drop-dead boyfriend who puts up with more than most men would ever consider to win her heart.

The mystery is well-written and will keep you wondering who really killed Yvette…there are so many suspects to consider.

More Books in the Series

Stella St. Claire presents books 4-6.
More from Stella St. Claire

There are a total of six books in the series. Reading the reviews from readers, if you like cozy mysteries, you’ll truly enjoy these gems from Stella St. Claire.

About the Author, Stella St. Claire

Stella St. Claire lives and breathes cozy mysteries! With her head always buried inside these books, it’s no wonder that she would put pen to paper to bring her own cozy mysteries to life. The words flew onto the page, and she’s already teeming with ideas for the next series.

With her trusted canine by her side, it seemed only natural to be inspired by her beautiful beagle Doogle and the many hours they spent walking through scenic New England villages. When Stella’s not reading books, she’s off on road trips, exploring every nook and cranny in neighboring towns, seeking inspiration for her next book.

She’s keen to see what her fellow cozy critics think of “The Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries,” so leave a review and share your thoughts after you finishing reading her cozy mysteries!

Have you read any of Stella St. Claire’s books?

Learn more about Stella St. Claire

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